Sunday, June 17/2012

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.  This is YOUR day and I hope you enjoy it.
I am up early as I have breakfast to fix for all my boys.  With that over with and the dishes done, we all prepare to hit the wet trails again today, participating in the annual Father's Day Quad Rally.  Dave and Shirley and a couple of Gary's friends (driving an Argo) will be joining us today.
The weather is gloomy and rain is in the forecast.  REALLY!!  Yesterday was warm and sunny but I guess hoping for two days of sunshine is asking too much.
After we register, we are off to the trails and of course, it starts to rain.  Yeah!!!  The trails are a virtual mud bath.  The once lovely, gentle trail has turned into a quagmire.  This will be the state of the day!!
With all of us safely ensconced in our rain suits, we snub the rain and carry on making all the necessary "refreshment" stops required.
John and I got to see our first black bear today.  We came around a corner and there he was,  just standing on the trail wondering what the hell all the noise was about.  He turned and ran down the trail for a few steps then headed off into the forest where he was soon out of sight.  He sure did move!!
The larger water holes were full thanks to the recent rains and that provided the braver soles to enter and give the rest of us some entertainment.  Kids and water - you just can't keep the two apart!!
Eventually, after several more stops and a few major "stuck" issues, not to mention the broken axles, CV joints etc, etc, etc........we make it back to the bus.
I am so very glad that I had prepared the burgers and potato salad ahead of time as I was tired and now I needed to go into my "MOM" mode for all my boys and get them fed.  A few of them have to leave today (after riding all day), heading back to the city for work tomorrow morning.
More chaos but, all the babies are full and now, my official duties are once again done for the day.  Chris, Joe and Kyle all head back to the city and the rest of the troop hang by the fire until one by one, they all lay their pretty little heads down to sleep.  Silence is golden although I was one of the first to go to bed this night!!

Registering for the rally

Jace

Really (He picked this bumper sticker up in the states and that
would be Beaver Utah!!)

Al and Bonnie in the Argo

One of our many stops

Shirley

Playing in one of the many mud holes

Al threw a track, but we managed to get it back on

Kellen

Cleaning the grass out

Chris and KB

Our safety crew

Kellen and Joe

Crossing the beaver dam

Extracting the Rhino

Our last stuck and then home

All in all, it was yet another great day only made sweeter by the presence of our boys.  There were a few missing but John and I both enjoyed all the silly antics.  No one got hurt despite the crashes and smashes, the mud and the mire and the blood and the gore so it was a great weekend.  I hope we get to do this again before the summer is over (perhaps without the rain!!).