QUITE A WEEKEND

This Memorial Day weekend started Saturday on the road to Two Rivers, Wisconsin avoiding major highways, as usual. Sherri and I like riding the Rawley Point Trial. This goes from Two Rivers to Point Beach State Park through the woods an a winding crushed gravel shady trail. Though, because of the sixty degree cloudy weather, we did not need the shade. It "dripped" near the end of the ride and Sherri wore a hooded windbreaker to fend off the drops. We made it back to our motel, The Lighthouse Inn, before any real damage to our hair (I wore a baseball cap, as usual [we don't wear helmets]).

We waited out the meager shower and went to downtown Manitowoc (five miles away) and scouted it out for the next day. We returned to a good meal and adult beverages at our motel and to bed pretty early.

Sunday arrived with sun and a visible breeze. As we exited the Lighthouse Inn for a quick walk to asses our clothing needs for the next ride, we were greeted by the wind off the Lake and the sub-sixty temperatures. At least this ride won't be a hot one. We took off to Manitowoc five miles south along the Lake Michigan shoreline on a paved wide open path, the opposite of yesterday's trail. About two miles into the ride, I removed the jacket I donned originally. The ride to Manitowoc went well enough. We had lunch at a nice little candy/ice cream shop and began our return trip to Two Rivers. This is when we felt the wind. It was formidable and most of the ride seemed uphill. Sherri revived her jacket look from the previous day, this time to fend off the wind.

For our first extended ride of the season, we ended up no worse for wear after about twenty-five miles, heavy legs and unusual sunburns. The return trip home Sunday was similar.

Monday was a sleep-in day. Sherri got a straightening bug in her. I decided to mow the lawn, even though she expressed interest in learning how to use the mower. Best laid plans... We then headed off to her classroom and to grocery shop. Good times. We also stopped at her 90-year-old uncle and aunts house. They are in the process of moving to the same apartment building as their retired son and his wife so that the elders can be aided by their children. Anyway, the process of clearing out over seventy years of accumulated "treasures" and culling what's needed is under way in earnest and we are grabbing what we want and what our kids may want. There is just so much that very little will be missed and considered a "can't do without".

Also, we decided, after debate, to buy a tree swing for our granddaughter. We decided to hang it from a pine tree limb. The nylon ropes included with the swing were, of course way too short to utilize the limb, so, it was back to uncle's over-stuffed garage to retrieve some ropes I noticed on a previous trip.

Notice that the swing is pink. It also cost $10.00 more than a comparable swing, that was sold out, only because THIS one was made in the U.S.A. and looked exactly like the blue one.

The day ended with steaks on the grill, a cigar and a beer. But I would like to say that at numerous times this weekend, my thoughts wandered to our men and women in uniform, past and present, who have served when most of us chose not to. It is their sacrifices that allow us the God-given comforts and liberty we enjoy. It is up to us to ensure that these liberties remain.