June 3, 2005

Ride to Barstow, Ca

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Today's skydive was cancelled due to early morning overcast skies. 

Chris Rhoades flew in at mid-day to join us for the second year in a row.  Welcome back Chris and his mom Gloria. 

Here Mandi (with one i) and Chris share the truck's back seats. 

We departed Perris Valley for Barstow. Our first stop for lunch was at the Iron Hog, an old stomping grounds of fighter pilots, motorcycle mamas, and friendly ostriches. Rustic but quaint, we stopped to dine.  Actually, looks can be deceiving.  The food was great.

Bill's parole officer called and we were temporarily detained until it was confirmed that Bill had indeed registered with the state department of child services upon his entry into California.

Here Bill, the consummate El Paso employee, helps the local fauna to sound out words in his reading lessons.  Bill's community service reflects greatly upon himself, the Amputees Across America traveling circus, and the El Paso Corporation.  Through his efforts to overcome and stamp out literacy, Bill proves once again that the wrong way is the only way.  Big Bird was eternally grateful to Bill and promises to follow in Bill's footsteps and be a role model for others..

Finally, after a big lunch of Ostrich burgers, the biker wannabes get on their non motorized bikes and head for Barstow

Here Bill is heard to mutter, "Joe really is right.  It is all downhill."

Here Miss Mandi is showing rare form.  Joe set a pace of 23 mph and was unable to unstick Miss Glue from his tail end. 

Now it is apparent to all why all of the surf boarding dudes in Southern California lay outside of Miss Mandi's room and howled at the moon all night long.  I guess they have never seen a girl with all of her teeth from Ken Tucky before.

(Hi Zach and Steven and Justin)

Meanwhile,  Joe came up lame (with a lame excuse) and could not ride past the five mile point due to a blister on the back of his leg. 

Here Chris rides the shoulder with total concentration and skill.  It is hard to believe that two years ago, he was but 3 feet tall and barely able to manage a tricycle with training wheels.  Now he is riding a full suspension mountain bike and says,  "Bring on those steep descents.  I laugh in the face of 50 mph runs."

Bruce of the 2003 ride and Kip of the 2004 ride would be proud of him. 

Here is a guy famous for being the dad of Mandi.  In addition to doing the road miles. Bill (Mandi's dad) also did all of the driving to give poor pathetic Joe's leg a rest.

Tomorrow we face the desert and the thriving metropolis of Amboy, a town of one closed down cafe/gas station and three overflowing porta potties.

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