As you can well imagine, my stay at my mom's wasn't very motorcycle-related.  In fact, I pretty much parked the SVS and let it sit for a week. Though I did do the 50k mile oil change...

It had been a while since my mom and I really got to spend any extended period of time together -- probably since I moved out to go to college, actually. It was definitely my first long visit since we stopped wanting to kill each other after a few days' exposure.

We made the most of the time by hanging out and doing somewhat unusual things -- we took a tour of the Sprecher Brewery together, went to a Japanese restuarant with one of Mom's best friends (her first sushi, methinks), and hung out on the deck drinking homemade Cosmopolitans and telling stories. It was all very relaxing and fun -- definitely my best visit home.

Muskego sunset.

Mom and I at Sprecher Brewery

Vickie and mom at Japanica

Other than hanging out with Mom, the main reason for my visit was to see my dad. I mentioned earlier that Dad loved to drag us to all the historical markers and sites of interest on trips -- it's most likely his fault that I grew up to be the sort of woman that hops on a motorcycle for three weeks and rides out to Wisconsin via Mt Rushmore and the Corn Palace. Well, OK, to be fair, it's my mom's fault I'm crazy enough to do the motorcycle bit...but the Corn Palace? That's all Dad.

Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 1997, my junior year of college. He currently lives in a nursing home, about 20 minutes away from my mom's place, where his room is decorated with pictures of his old dog and of me riding my motorcycle. I started riding after the disease really left him capable of understanding what that meant, but he still likes to show off the photos to the nurses. I've become a bit of a local celebrity when I visit.

While waiting for church on Sunday morning (there's a chapel at the nursing home), I asked Dad if he wanted to see my motorcycle in person. He said yes, not clearly understanding that he'd have to go outside -- he likes his routine, and leaving the Alzheimers wing, much less the building, frightens him. But he was very brave and insisted that he'd like to see my bike. So now we have a picture of him with the motorcycle to put up in his room.

A slide of Dad and I in Minocqua, WI, February 1978.

Dad

Dad and I with the SVS.

Next Day --> June 13: Muskego, WI - Hannibal, MO