After suffering through the Friday afternoon heat at the campsite last year, we had all decided that a chase vehicle would be the way to go this year eliminating the problem of loading the bike beyond the maximum load rating of the tires, and because a chase vehicle would allow us to take some items that flat would not fit on a bike safely, like a four burner Coleman stove, a tent shade and a collapsible table which maybe would not safely seat four large adults, but, would allow a stove to be used off of the campsite ground which is covered with a layer of mowed grass, and, we even got a cart to wheel all the stuff from the truck which would have to be parked outside the event grounds (no participant vehicles over three wheels were allowed past the gate). We talked about dividing up the cost of an extra ticket for a chase vehicle driver; however, as time passed and the event grew closer, all of the drivers we had considered were not working out. Mike had brought some bulky items down from Placerville which would have to go in the chase vehicle, but, last minute calls of everyone we could think of also fell through... one idea was for the girls that were riding 2-up to share the driving on the way up and on the way back, but, Sharon and Leeda were the only girls riding 2-up, and Stan was not leaving until Friday... soooo... ax the four burner stove, table, shovel, ax, but, the tent shade may fit onto a bike... BUT... for next year... oh yeah... we are already looking for a chase vehicle driver for next year!

Jr.'s Texas BBQ'd chicken, cole slaw, cowboy beans and potato salad for dinner... only two orders but we could not finish it all... then Dannie shows up, needs some coffee... haven't had dinner yet?... well here you and Randall have some chicken for dinner... Mike thought he would just sleep outside on a chase lounge but Bernie and Izzy, our two affectionate Saint Bernards would not let him get any sleep so he crashed in the guest room.

12JUN08: the radio clock alarm was set for 4:30am because although the items that needed to be packed for the weekend had been itemized and partially staged in the living room and garage, nothing had actually been packed on the bike, so, up early enough to be sure we would be packed and ready to actually leave at the planned time - noon.

I finish rounding up everything for the weekend and begin packing, Randall and Dannie roll their bikes out, Randall has all of their gear packed on his bike, Dannie has nothing on hers! I finished packing and Randall and Dannie brought Roxie, their pure blood German-Sheppard-Labrador-Retriever-Boxer, a "Germ-lab-box," and her crate over and put the crate in the kitchen... blocked from Izzy's view from her "room" (crate) in the family room by the couch. Sheryl will be puppy sitting while we are gone and she will have her hands full... Bernie is five years old and pretty lumpy, but Izzy and Roxie are both less than a year old and very full of playfulness.

... tic tic tic... supposed to shove of at noon... tic tic tic... 11:59am... Bill arrives and comments on the maze we live in, takes pictures, we shove off... going down Jefferson and Bill rides by...

drat... need a screwdriver and my tools are buried in the bottom of my saddlebag which has gear bungeed on top of it and gear on the luggage rack overlapping that... ahhhhh... but Dannie, who packed nothing does have a leather bag attached at the bottom of her front down tubes with tools in it... try to turn the screws back in, but, the wood in the intermediate floor board is too striped out, so, top floor board into spider bungee... fix it later... time passes... here comes the lead vehicle with east bound traffic... we prepare to go, but, still sitting off road in the shade... the girl controlling traffic motions for us to pull on up in front of the eighteen wheeler that was sitting on the front of the line... far out... but... I know this will be a problem later because... we are traveling slow... oh well... a passing lane comes up soon and we slow for the truck and others to get on down the road... south on highway 53...

There is a Foster's Freeze in Lower Lake where 53 intersects 29... we stop and everyone has lunch except me... I have a large cup of ice cream and a large root beer... back on 29 north for about twenty-five miles and arrive at motel in Lakeport about 4'ish, register, unpack the bikes...

... gas run to Chevron, then drag chairs out of room onto side walk and commence hanging out till dinner time... dinner across the street at Rene's, good grub! Then back to motel, drag chairs out of room onto side walk and continue shooting the bull. The cafe next door opens at 6:30am for breakfast and last year we did not get to the River View Ranch until about 11am in spite of the fact that we had planned to get there by 9am when the gates opened, however we found out later that there was a line two miles long of people who began arriving on Thursday and just camped on the side of the road to be first into the grounds to get the campsite they wanted. There was no line at 11am, but this year we decide to get there earlier and maybe we would be able to camp closer to trees that would provide shade as the afternoon sun passed over. Joe and Sherrie from Sacramento arrive... interesting... all of their gear is packed on Joe's bike! What's with girls not packing any gear???