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Whew! Days One & Two of Operation School Year 2009-10 can be successfully crossed off the list! And Day Three seems to have gotten off to a great start, too. Cannot believe my kids are growing up so fast…they look so big and so Non-Little-Kiddish lately. Makes me sad and proud at the same time. Does every parent say that? Of course, then they head back to the computer or throw another load of laundry in or get to working on something extra for the job.

STOP! I have to tell myself that again and again…STOP, and enjoy the kids while they are here. The chores will wait (no one ever died from an attack of dust bunnies), work will be there tomorrow (yes, it will), and NOTHING is going to happen on Facebook that really means anything (trust me on that).

What once seemed like such a long time, eighteen years, flies by so quickly….carpe diem!

(pic: my brother and I on the first day of school, circa 1975)

AWESOME weekend! Ron & I took the kids out to the AMA Tornado Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka to see some motorcycle racing (yea, I know, shocking!). Really cool to see friends of ours mix it up with the big boys (and girls, in the case of Melissa Paris). John Deuser, Matt Hall & Jamie Hall raced well. They may not have had the big rig set-ups, but they did have some of the biggest cheering sections out there. Ron will be with them on the grid next season. Can’t wait!

LOVED that the big name riders were so accessible and friendly. My son got his new hat signed by Jordan Motorsports riders Geoff May and Aaron Yates, and I snagged pics with my faves, Ducati rider Larry Pegram and Danny Eslick, along with Martin Cardenas, Roger Hayden, and Aaron Yates. Pegram even graciously signed T’s hat after he won Sunday’s Superbike race.

And check this: when we met Pegram on Saturday morning, I mentioned I worked in radio. He asked which station so he could listen while driving to the airport on Monday. When we saw him on Sunday, right after his second big win of the weekend, I said “Wow! Now I’ve REALLY got something to talk about on Monday.” His reply: “On 98.1, right?” With everything he had on his mind, how in the world did he recall that?? Very cool guy. And I LOVE that he calls his wife right after each race. Gotta love it!

Equally cool: we bumped into racing legend Scott “Mr. Daytona” Russell strolling thru the paddock. Ron and our friend Greg Williams (owner of Cafe Racer, Inc) were a bit starstruck. I’m not as familiar with his racing feats as they are, but his commentary on SPEED TV with Ralph Shaheen is great. Quite a coup for us all.

Pretty great weekend all around. How was yours?

Had you asked me 20 years ago what I would be doing for fun “when I grew up”, I would have never imagined my reply would be “riding motorcycles”. To someone who doesn’t ride, the allure and thrill cannot be adequately explained. The words just don’t exist. Lots of folks just smile politely and nod when I go on about my two-wheel addiction. That’s alright. I’m sure their zeal for golf will always escape me, too. (For me, golf is only fun if it’s involves gnomes, windmills and waterfalls. Hello, Cool Crest!!). And I’m okay with that.

But even though they might not share my enthusiasm for bikes, I know that I’m in good company with many who do. Whether you ride a Harley or a Honda, tour the backroads or drag a knee at the track, pilot your own ride or prefer a passenger seat perch, it’s a sport that gets in your blood and never leaves. Know what I’m talking about? WHAT’S YOUR PASSION? To start you off, here are some pics from a recent trip with my fellow Motorcycle Addicts. Enjoy

Something about a grown-up vacation that makes you feel like a kid. Ron has the bikes prepped, the trailer is good to go, and we are both so PSYCHED for our road trip to Grattan Raceway next week that it’s hard to sleep. We’ll spend three days track-riding and hanging out with club friends at the annual event. Nothing like great comaraderie and genuinely good people to renew your faith in the human race. And, as my track announcer friend Charles says, there’s something very unique about the bond between people who participate in dangerous activities. The best part is that everyone is there to have a good time. No trophies, no racing, just a lot of fun and good sportsmanship. BONUS: I get to spend five days with My Guy, doing something we both really enjoy. I’ll miss they kids, but they’ll be in good hands (and up their ears in craft projects) with Grandma Kay.