Counting Blessings: Cycling on the Fourth

Today's Blessing:  Good bikes, Honey Buckets, awesome family, wonderful naps, and heavenly showers!!

For some strange reason, I've really been wanting to go for a  l-o-n-g bike ride this summer.  Today was the perfect opportunity!  Since today is "Independence Day", both Scott and I were off work with a totally free day ahead of us.

My sister AnnaLee invited us over for her traditional 4th of July breakfast, and Tiffany and Jeremy invited us over for a bar-b-que lunch and to meet his parents...finally...who are visiting from Colorado - so I suggested we ride our bikes to the two events.  Scott is such a good sport!  I'm sure deep down inside he thinks, 'I married a crazy woman!'  But he simply rolls his eyes, makes sure I know how far I'm talking to ride, and then supports me 100% .

Scott said we looked like two bug-eyed bikers! :)

We set out at 8 am this morning and set our route for Plain City - Scott estimated about 13 miles.  We did have to stop at Walmart first to pick us our food donation to the two events AND I had to make a quick "pit" stop in Willard to take advantage of their 4th of July celebration "honey buckets"...you know us women!!  (As a side note...the honey bucket actually lived up to its name this morning!  I was the first to use it and it smelled nice and sweet!)  Fifteen and a half miles later (about 1.5 hours) we pulled into AnnaLee's driveway.  The ride was awesome!  The morning hours are the best time to bike ride!!

Fortunately for me, all these Honey Buckets were just ready and waiting for customers!! ;)

Somehow I ended up being a cook with AnnaLee, but I didn't mind, and it was great to visit with family members who I haven't seen for a while.  I asked Scott to take some pictures for me while I was cooking.  He said he did - he took two - of me cooking!  Sheesh!!  I should know better than to give him an assignment like that!  I had hoped for some pictures of who all was there - I must be more specific next time!  For the record, here's all who came:  my mom and dad, Valerie and Alan, Holly and Jeremy, Rick and Jolene, Nick and Katy, Danny and his girlfriend and her friend, all the little ones who go with those families, and of course AnnaLee, Scott and I!  (Jerry was clowning the day away!)

Pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, and hash browns!
A true 4th of July breakfast!! :)

Scott and I didn't get to stay for any swimming in AnnaLee's spa or game playing (which they were starting as we left) because we were already late leaving to get to Tiffany's by noon.  At 11:10 am we were on our bikes again heading for Tiffany's home in Ogden.

The ride to Tiffany's was shorter - only 10 miles - it took us about an hour.  They had already started eating and they were actually on their dessert, so needless to say I was the only one who ate the green salad that I brought...oh well.  But Jeremy's teriyaki chicken was excellent and I loved the strawberry shortcake his sister brought.  It was really nice to finally be able to meet Jeremy's parents.  I can tell his mom loves the grandkids as much as I do!  She was in and out the door with squirt guns in hand helping the kids have a more productive water fight.  Tiffany says she's a lot like me - loves playing with the grandkids!  I guess my brain was tired because I totally spaced getting a picture until just before Scott and I were going to leave!!  Ugh!  My bad!

A quick photo before leaving!!

Everyone starting leaving around 2 pm and you could tell Tiffany, Jeremy, and the kids were really tired!!  So they all headed for their beds and Scott and I jumped on our bikes again to head back to Brigham City.  Oh my!  I was feeling it in my butt!  And my poor left knee decided to join in too (for some reason, I always have problems with my left knee when I run or walk for long periods of time too!)  Ugh!  It stinks getting old!

Our ride back home was much shorter - only 18.7 miles since we didn't have to head back through Plain City.  I think the ride home was more difficult though - it had a lot more uphills, or perhaps it seemed more uphill because it was a lot hotter going home...only 93 degrees!  But we did it!!  And it only took us one hour and 41 minutes to get back home!

We don't look too bad after riding 44 miles!!
Guess my hand was tired too!...couldn't even hold steady for a picture!

And guess who forgot to sunscreen her white legs?!!
It was only the back of my left leg that got burned...it got all the sun coming and going!!  Ha, ha

Oh man!  I was a sweat bucket!!  I smelled so bad I couldn't even stand to be around myself!  But I was so tired too!  I sat down to rest and read just a little and ended up falling asleep!  (Scott took a nap at Tiffany's house so we both ended up getting a nap today! :)  And yes, we did take a second shower for the day to wash off all that sweat!  Thank heaven for showers!  That shower worked magic and somehow rejuvenated my body!  Hmm...I think I just might ride my bike to the fireworks show tonight!! ;)

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!