Labor Day Weekend

Friday:

Michael and I rode up to Michael's parent's house in Isle, MN on Lake Mille Lacs on the motorcycle after work. Michael's cousin, Jim joined us on his bike too. We got up there around 7:30 pm and it was already a party. Most of the other family member were already there. While we have gone up to his parent's house on Memorial and 4th of July weekends, I had never been there for Labor Day Weekend and it was my favorite trip up there yet. We ate shortly after we got there and then once it got dark, we each took a bicycle and took the traditional bike ride to the Buzzie's on the Bay, a local bar less than a mile away. There are usually no cars on these roads and it is very dark so there is usually an injury every outing. Most of the injuries come on the way back though and this year was no different. Nothing serious, but a few scraped elbows and a little ride into the ditch. Michael's dad has about 15 bicycles, that would be considered the equivalent of a jalopy for a car. He buys them for $5-10 at garage sales and keeps them in the garage for weekends just for this. Struggling with the bike and the brakes and the chain makes the short journey that more exciting! Here are some pictures from the night at Buzzie's with the final picture of that night as a toast to Cherrie.







Saturday:

We had a purpose for Saturday. This was the day that we would have the 1st Annual Cherrie's Cherry Ride. Michael sister, Cherrie passed away from liver cancer on August 6th, 2008. Before she passed, Michael had a conversation with her that he would like to have an annual motorcycle ride in her memory and he asked her if she would mind and also if we could use her name. Cherrie liked the idea and now the 1st annual ride has already taken place. Michael sent out an email a little over a week ago to anyone that would have interest in participating. This was very short notice and limited to family and friends this year. The charge was $20 a motorcycle with all the proceeds going to liver cancer research. It was a success. We had all the bikes meet at Michael's parent's house early afternoon and we were on our way to ride the 60 or so miles around Lake Mille Lacs with a few stops along the way at bar/restaurants. Next year's ride will not be on a holiday weekend and will be open for anyone to participate so come and join us next year! Here are some pictures from the ride. The first picture is at the scenic overlook of the lake but not all bikes were there yet. The second picture is our whole group after we completed the ride, with Cherrie's husband, Greg and son, Chad, in the middle sitting on the tires of the bikes.



Around sunset, Michael and I walked over to his uncle Jerry's place across the street to sit on the dock and watch the sunset and enjoy the scenery. I wanted Michael to take a picture of us so he thought it would be funny to actually record us instead of taking the picture. He didn't let me know this and he wanted to see how long I would sit there and pose for a picture before I either finally caught on to what he was doing or either just got sick of waiting. I posted the video below. You might want to turn up your speakers because with the wind of the lake, it's a little hard to hear but I think it's funny! Below the video is the actual picture we finally ended up getting and a picture of Michael and the adorable puppy next door named Sugar!



The night ended pretty low key with everyone hanging around the fire and relaxing or going back and forth between Michael's parent's house and his uncle Jerry's house.

Sunday:

We left Michael's parent's house about 10:30 am after a delicious biscuits and gravy breakfast and taking a quick walk to the dock to look at the lake. Michael and me, Jana and Johnny all left together to ride back on our bikes together. Almost home in Hugo, we stopped at the gas station because Johnny needed to get gas. Once we were ready to leave, Jana had an issue with her bike so Michael got off the bike quickly to help her. My foot was not on the peg and when he turned the bike, my leg hit the exhaust pipe and burned my leg. This was after riding 100 miles so it was HOT! Michael learned something in his motorcycle safety class....there are people who have been burned by the pipe and then there are the people that will be burned. Well, I have now been burned. I guess that makes me official now. Below is a nice and ugly picture of the burn just just above my heel area. It's got neosporin on it so that is why it is shiny. The picture isn't the greatest. My leg is on Michael's leg so he could take the picture but you get the idea.



After we got back home, we relaxed for a short while before heading out to my sister Jamie's house. We had a BBQ over there with my parents and just talked and relaxed on their patio. My nephew Keith, was so cute. He kept telling us stories about everything and each story would start out with, "One Time Ago..." and each story would end with "The End". Each one of us went around and said a word and he made up a story about each word. He definitely has an imagination! He came back out onto the patio in his Incredible Hulk pajamas and red robe and posed for a few pictures.