Two racks, a ride down a dirt road, plus beans and franks

I got up this morning around 8:15. I had been awake for a while, but wanted to still be sleeping.... I got up and it was a beautiful morning...and Dad was already outside puttering on the two big projects I asked him to do... install my kayak rack and my bike rack...

I have a rather large 'tool box' in the back of my truck... I don't use it for tools, I consider it my 'trunk.' By the time I was up, Dad had already detached the tool box in preparation to get the kayak rack on... I stayed outside for a while 'helping'... which consisted of cleaning out some of the leaves and dirt that had collected under the tool box... and telling dad he was doing a good job... Getting the kayak rack on proved to be a bit tricky because of the where dad had to put bolts while trying to work around the hardware already there needed to secure the toolbox... but he did it... then came the bike rack which we thought would be more challenging... because it is not a bike rack designed for a vehicle... it is one that is designed to sit on the floor of a garage... but I thought that I could put it in the back of my truck if dad could drill holes into the bed of my truck... and after consulting with him... I had ordered it a while back and dad had assembled it... The tricky part was going to be drilling the holes in the bed without hitting things underneath the truck that shouldn't be drilled into... like the gas tank! But... Dad did it.. and even though he had to run to Mardens to get a few longer bolts... it went smoothly. So now... I am all set to have a sporty summer...

I had planned on taking my bike into town tonight while dad was working at the bean supper at church, but while dad and I were installing the racks (notice I said we both did it! HA!) his friend Kenny stopped by and hinted that they could use some extra help at the supper tonight... so I agreed to come down and help... But wanting to stick with being healthy, and to test out the new bike rack, I loaded my bike into my truck and rack...(Which works perfectly!)... and headed down to a dirt road close to here... and went for a bike ride... I rode for about 3 miles, which wasn't that far, but the road I was on was dirt and is much harder riding than on pavement... so I am okay with that... I feel like my butt worked harder on this ride than it has on others, so it's good...

Then this afternoon Dad and I headed to his church, where he and mom were married, where the service for mom was held, etc... and we worked the supper. He served the beans, I served the coleslaw... about 100 people attended the bean supper... so we were busy... we ran out of coleslaw, potato salad, and biscuits! My body is a little sore from standing on cement floors for a few hours and helping to clean up, but I am glad I helped out.

Tomorrow Dad and I are going to go to one of his sister's houses for lunch with her, my grandmother, and my uncle and another aunt. IT should be a good afternoon. Before leaving here we will put my bike in my bike rack and load up the kayak...the red kayak... the red kayak that was my mom's favorite kayak... Mom had two kayaks, a green one and a red one... the green one was her first kayak, chosen because it was the only one available at the time...but she always wanted a red one... and eventually she bought a second one, and it was red. Whenever we would go kayaking together I used the green one, she used the red one... I knew Dad had taken one of the kayaks up to the campground... not necessarily for his own use, because it is really hard on his back.... but I think to have that part of mom there... and he and mom always welcomed other people to use their kayaks... I had assumed that Dad had taken the red kayak to the campground... but he has chosen for me to have that one... along with mom's special paddle... we always called it the powerful Pocohontas paddle... because it is a little longer than most kayak paddles and gives the user a speed advantage...

It will be strange to put Mom's kayak on my truck tomorrow... and take it away from the only place it has ever been used... but I know that Mom would want me to use it, to enjoy it... and I am sure I will... I want to go kayaking with my friends, but think that I want to do a solo voyage or two... just to have some time with the kayak, time with mom...first.

I will post a picture of my truck loaded with all my sporting equipment soon... I don't have my camera, but I will take a picture tomorrow... but for now... I will post this picture...my favorite picture of the red kayak.... and my mom...