We followed these bikes from Loveland to Estes Park. Each have a dog in the sidecar.
Morning Mountain Coffee 🙂
 
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We signed up, not knowing what we were getting into. Â We were chased, we climbs walls, we ran up and down hills, we waded through muddy water, we went down a huge slide (that I completely froze at the top of…holy h*ll that was a long ways up, and….we were electrocuted. Â That’s right…..electrocuted!!!!!!) Â But….we had a blast!!!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
Â
This is an annual event in West Omaha. Â We’d never been able to make it….but made a point of doing it last summer. Â The boys, Mot and I went together….and happened to run into my sister and family while there.
 
 
 
The problem with catching up on old blog posting, is when I can’t remember the name of the winery.  🙂
Mot and and I went out with Steve and mom for a night in the small Omaha community of Dundee. Â There’s an old movie theater that plays independent movies we frequent, a great burger place, and a marvelous frozen dessert establishment.
We were fortunate enough to be visited by Mot’s middle brother for a number of days in July 2012.
There were kids running around….good food….and, of course, what would Weaver Pa-looza be without firearms.  Lots and lots of firearms.  🙂
I’ve started (and started and started and started) to write a blog post for our BRAN trip in 2012. Â BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) 2012 ended up failure….actually, it started in failure as well.
I mean, who decides to ride for one full week, across the state of Nebraska, without training for it?
No. Training. At. All.
Yep, Mot and Nej. Â (sigh)
I’ll give you a brief run down of the trip, then let some pictures do the talking.
Day 1: Â the longest day….over 70 miles. Â (my longest ride ever in my life was just over 30…and I was miserable all but 2 miles of the 30….so 70+ was a little ridiculous, even in my book) Â I got dehydrated to the point of a complete mental breakdown. Â On.Day.One. for crying out loud. Â The temperature was over 100, we’re in the middle of Nebraska where they don’t believe in trees, it’s windier than h*ll, I’m so pale you can’t tell the difference between my legs and the white socks I’m wearing……and we’re out on bikes. Â I did not pee once the entire day….and I was drinking water like crazy. Â That’s how dehydrated I started out.
Day 2: Â The hilliest day of the week. Â After hill 2, I caught a shuttle to the camp town.
Day 3:  20 miles left, and I called it.  No, I didn’t call the day, I called the entire trip.  What the heck were we doing out there?  🙂
Day 4-7: Â Margaritas, camper, lake town in Northern Iowa.
Yep, our bestest buddy in the world, Danny, came and picked us up and took us back to Omaha, where we promptly packed our bags and headed to Lake Okoboji to finish the week. Â We had a great time for one day, then spent the rest of it staring at each other bored. Â Ha! Â Talk about one extreme to the other. Â (LOL!!!)
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Getting ready for the trip.
“What the h*ll have we gotten ourselves into?”
The drive across Nebraska to the starting town. Â We met Doug’s mom at the ending point….left our vehicles, and she shuttled us across. Â
Buses for those that didn’t have a ride.
Unloading the bikes from our vehicle.
And loading them onto our ride.
Sisters
The group.
Bed-a-Biker? (that’s what she said)
Settling in for the drive.
Are we there yet?
Arrival at the start town.
Setting up camp.
Found a camp spot in the shade!
Mot and Nej’s luggage and gear.
Start town.
Registration
It’s official!
Doug and Inny
Still in good spirits
Dinner. Enchiladas and cheesecake
After dinner drinks.
Our BRAN wristbands.
Volkswagen
The town school buildling
Tent City (panoramic)
Tent City
   Â
Day one of riding…..
 
 
  
   
  
 
 
 
  
  
   
 
 
   
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
    
   
  
    
   
  
 
  
Day two…..
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“We don’t rent pigs”
“Equine Pavilion and Ravioli Factory”
 
 
 
Day three…..
 
Day 4…….(you notice how there are really no pictures….yeah, this is the day I called it quits)
Somewhere I have a picture of Danny’s Honda Fit full to the brim with two bikes and tons of gear!
And….what did we talk about while we spent the rest of the week at the last?????  How to do BRAN again, but with success.  Oh yes, this won’t be our last attempt.  🙂
