Leaving on Thursday

Training is done and the new team did an amazing job. So happy that they are on board with our company because we think they are going to do an awesome job. Here I am with Marlene. We finished up with our final meetings with both campgrounds and then went out for a graduation lunch. Look at that clear, blue Nebraska sky in the background. We went to Round The Bend Steakhouse and had a great seafood platter with clams, popcorn shrimp, coconut shrimp, Pollock and sweet potato fries. Everything was really good ! They specialize in prime rib and steaks (hence the name steakhouse). Marlene got a steak of some sort and it was huge ! She said it was cooked perfectly and covered the whole plate. Round the Bend is known for their Testicle Festival, that's always held Father's day weekend. There's live music, locally brewed beer and food. Not sure the origin of the "parts" and I don't think I want to know. Sounds a little gross to me. We got a big kick out of the shirts that they have for sale there...I think the slogan on our waitress' shirt said something like " No Balls Too Big to Bust"...

Got the bike loaded into the garage and getting ready to pull out at first light in the morning. Sure is hot here....currently is 97 degrees and they are calling for 100 tomorrow. Both AC's have been running all day. Hope it gets cooler the farther east we go. We are hoping to drive till dark tomorrow but will depend on how windy it is and how exhausted I get fighting the wind. Today the winds were 20-30 m.p.h. which, if the same occurs tomorrow, will not make for fun driving. I bought a spinner knob, for the motorhome steering wheel, which should help make for a comfortable hand position while driving. We'll be driving to my younger brother's house, outside of Mansfield, PA. He has a spot where we can park the rig. He only lives about three miles from my mom's house. She is in the midst of candy making season because the craft show circuit has started. My brother goes to a bunch of shows that start now and run till Christmas. He produces maple syrup and honey products (he taps the trees and processes the syrup and he raises honey bees and processes that). My mom has a licensed kitchen where she makes all sorts of jams and jellies and candy like pretzel bark, peanut brittle, etc. She says this is her last year making candy but she's said that the last couple of years. She is 87 years young but it is bothering her to stand on her feet for any length of time to make this stuff in her kitchen. It's "tough" to show up at home, during this time of year because she always has a pile of "rejects" (candy that doesn't make the grade to her satisfaction) and each type of candy beckons us to try them out. Oh my, it takes great will power to stay strong and not give in to temptation. I'll let you know how we make out with that.  :)

We're going to try to cover the 1100 or so miles to mom's house so we can have as much time with her as possible before leaving Wednesday. Wednesday we drive to our first park, in Gettysburg and we get to have dinner with our Amazon friends...Roy and Carolyn. Looking forward to catching up with them. They are finishing up their workamper positions, in Gettysburg and leaving on Thursday so our timing couldn't be better. Hope you all have safe travels wherever you are headed this Labor Day weekend ! Till later....