Red Dirt & Racing

Last weekend I got out of the house for the first time in a long time!

Southeast, Kansas & Oklahoma City

Saturday, we met up with the others in OKC for lunch at a little Mexican restaurant in Brick town. We found the place in a round about way, between the guys' "I know my way" directions & girls' "well the map says here" left it  for a good sight seeing trip around Brick town. Food was pretty good, loved the sopapillas! On our way back to the truck we caught the end of a flash mop.... later on we busted our on flash mob moves! Waaaaay better!
Next stop, drive by rustic furniture stores where we got our dreams on. Second stops: Tener's & Langston's western stores, which didn't leave us empty handed ;) Last stop prior to the hotel, was a very classy, stalkerish liquor store, in an area where white was rare. Nice people just a little to "can I help you?" for my liking.

 That evening we got our glitz on for the races!

Watched & betted on some quarter horses. Good thing there isn't a track near Topeka, this could be my addiction. After all thanks to my skills we went home about $22,000 richer.....

 HA! I wish! I'm still learning the lingo.

After the last horse crossed the finish line we were off to Brick town to see what all the hype is about.

Ended up havin a couple brews at Coyote Ugly. Not a bad bar; cold beers, good tunes, would be better if there were more people & if you're just passing through (the coyote's repeat their sayings quite often). When Eric Church's 'Smoke a Little Smoke' played out we of coarse had to get on the bar. A pretty big deal for me! I'm not one to get on bars... or tables... heck I have a hard time walkin as it is :)

 Sunday, we were back at the track for some people watching. Oh I mean horses and....

 Ostriches and.....

 Camels!

 

 The winner: G.R, a pretty good jockey. He was reining first not only on a camel, but an ostrich & multiple horse races that weekend.

 Relaxation on a Monday evening

Yep, Classy I know. However,  it was a little too early for me to meet Bert.

A little store in Burlington, KS where we stopped on our way back to Topeka. 

I scored my first Tervis cup here... aka: adult sippy cup. Stay tuned for the Tervis travels ;)

All-in-All a great first weekend out.

My 1st Michigan Trip!

This past weekend Paul & I racked up a whopping 1800 miles on Blue. We drove him through Missouri, up into Illinois & Indiana. Then we by-passed Chicago, & up to a little hole in the trees to peek at Lake Michigan! I fell in LOVE! It was gorgeous.

After I played in the chilly water for a while we headed 3 hours into the High Five state to Ann Arbor, where we met up with some of Paul's buddies. We had some beers at Ann Arbor Brew Pub, which were delish. Food was on the mind though & their line was too long, so we headed over to The Blue Tractor. More beers & dinner were in order. I had an amazing BLT made with a fried green tomato! YUM! The boys caught up with shots while the fiance's talked of weddings.



in Ann Arbor



Paul & I in Ann Arbor... of coarse I had to represent K-State @ least one night!!!



The next day, Michigan took on Nebraska! We missed tailgating but viewed the game at another one of Paul's groomsman's houses. Which of coarse followed with some get-to-know-ya-catch-up beer pong/flip cup.



Some of Paul's good friends!

Finally, on Sunday we were able to catch up on some sleep only to wake up to meet Paul's aunts, uncles, grandparents, & cousins. The meal was great & the people were very welcoming & nice. It was also my first experience with a grandparent with dementia. Different, but just something you have to cope with. After supper I had a dejavoux. We were sitting around the table & his other grandpa was telling stories, only the way he talked sounded exactly like my grandpa that passed away back in 2000. It was hard to hide my emotions. That night we met up with another groomsmen & his sister that actually live in Colorado but are from Michigan.

Monday morning, Bob Evans called us for breakfast with his family. Then we were off on our 13 1/2 hour drive back to Topeka, KS. This time we dropped down through Indiana, the corner of Illinois, & through St. Louis into KC. It misted on us the whole way back which made for a good photo in St.Louis (if only it was lighter).

 

the SWEET tote Paul's mom made me for my birthday!



The view of St. Louis Monday night from in the truck on the bridge

 I met some great new friends, new 'soon-to-be' family & saw some great places!
I can't wait to get back & see more of the state, maybe even cross the pond, Canada!!!

WOW! .... it's been a while

Soo..... Haven't done much writing. Did I mention I don't have internet at my house so the only time I have with the world wide web is either after work, a friends house, or in a library. (yippee!).

Anywho... a little update on what's been going on since the end of Feburary:

- March:

• Went home to Colorado! only upon arriving the Ole Jetta broke down once again! At first we thought it was just the replaced $320 radiator fan. Meanwhile, I barrowed my dad's bald tired ford to go up to meet some fellow Kansans in Breck to get in a little snowboarding. Boarding was fun. Our last night we all went out on the town, a little basement bar for some pool'n beer, we ran into some fellow KSU alumni. Then we strolled up to an Absinthe bar for some $9 swiss absinthe shots. Oh, the drive home was just as eventful. Bald tires + slush + incline = spin out = on shoulder, with traffic, attempiting to put on chains (the 1st time ever). Succeeded after an hour or so of freezing my hands off. 50 yards later threw a chain! So repeat. Finally, on and rolling.... SLOWLY. I just stuck behind a semi, & left them on all the way down the mountain. Once out, stopped took off chains an& had breakfast at a truckstop diner. I was pretty shaken up. Eventually, made it home. After checking in with dad, he informed me that now my car wouldn't start. We took it to the foreign guy in Niwot. When we went to pick it up the technition informed us that it would be $5500 to fix.... I walked out in tears & had to calm down. Turns out VWs, Audi's, & beamers' books all say to change your oil at 10,000-15,000 miles. So, I broke my own 3,000mile rule & did what the book said. What a bunch of Crap!! The tech said to ignore that, no matter what you should be changing at the latest 6,500miles! So, my car could've ranged from just skipping time to busting rods. Well, the ole jetta was staying in CO. Rental Kansas bound, sporting a classy pearl PT Cruiser :p

• In KS, I have some great friends... One that lent me her car for the time being.
• Oh, I'm working a 2nd job!!! A liquor store.... it was an easy catch, because I have "prior experience!" It was a have too. I'm out of a Powell trip AND have a car to fix. Oh well, at least I get a discount :).... I'm dabbling in more microbrews, recently I suggest the Saranac's Summer brew - De-lish!

- April

• Mainly work!
• A little CatFishing!!

• Found out my car had the worse case scenario. F'd up all the rods! So, dropping the dough for a new motor was in call for. I compared just buying a new vehicle but I just don't have the resources. Dad's motor guy found a new-ish motor. So, I will be driving the ole jetta into the ground!

-May

• First weekend, Greyhounded it home to CO. Whew! there are some different folks who ride the bus. Left round 10am, got into Denver round 8pm. The whole family was at the bus stop waiting! They had fun people watching. Then we all loaded into my brothers "redneck" truck and drove around downtown denver trying to find a place to eat. Mexican it was, with Margaritas!! So, the drive out was even better with a drunk backseat driver mom!:) Next day I was back in KS with the ole jetta.
• End of the month back in CO!! For little sis' graduation!! The drive home kinda sucked, AC is busted in the Jetta.... ugh!
• Anywho, that friday back I took Tess to get her first tat! haha with out telling mom! I made her go first (b/c we got matching ones). It was HILARIOUS!! quote, "it feels like I'm having a baby out of my foot!" like she knows what that feels like ;). When we got home I asked mom how her mood was... she responds by asking me if I was pregnant, then if Tess is pregnant, then if I got another tattoo... ha I responded "you should ask your other daughter" She flipped! Then thought it was cool. I drew up our last name in our old trucking font & added a paw & hoof, because that's what Tess & I are all about... cats/dogs & livestock!!!
  
  That night Cory, Dad & I put on the hog... a 266lb gilt!! yeah, mom took in a 300 some lb pig!! That female barely fit in the roaster or truck bed for that matter. She needed 15hours of cooking. I ended up falling asleep in the shop.
• Next day was a burner of a graduation, I swear they're getting longer & longer! than the Par-Tay! A lot of old family friends showed up which was nice.

• Rest of the time home, went fishing & 4-wheeling (my fav!!!) & hit up Estes park like a bunch of tourists. Had to stop at my favorite place.... THE TAFFY SHOP!

-June

• So far not much. Just lots of rain!!! I floated my car a couple times. I need to remember the rule... something about can't see don't attempt you'll drown (It's some rhyme that I can't think of).