In the Spring of 2002, Brentley and I took our 3nd vacation together.  We loaded the bikes in the trailer and drove out to Portland Oregon where my oldest daughter, Amanda lives.  We  spent 7 days on the coast, vacationing with Amanda.  The 2 youngest girls, Ester and Irenea were in school at the time.  They were left at home with their father. Ester was a bit jealous that Amanda got to go on vacation with us.  As I reported back to her, I began to understand how bummed out she really was.  She complained that she would be graduating this year and would go off to college and never get to vacation with her mom again.  I told her that I had been planning a motorcycle vacation in August, for Irenea and I. Maybe we could figure a way for her to go, too.

Ester was a senior in high school, but was living on her own in an little apartment downtown.  She would be going off to college in the fall.  She figured she would never get to go on vacation with mom.  As I raised these 4 girls alone, we had no vacations.  Sometimes we traveled to grandparents home, but no vacations, the budget would not allow it.

My vacation time off in 2002 consisted of one week off in March and two weeks off in August.  Brentley usually has to work in the summer months and gets little time off.  The week in March was planned for Brentley and I.  Ester and Irenea were in school.  Being a mother and not having seen my oldest daughter in over a year, my first thought of vacation included seeing Amanda.  It really did not set too well with Brentley  when I made the plans for us to travel the coast with Amanda. Another Story.

I knew  I wanted to take a motorcycle vacation in August. I  had a couple of ideas.  One was a trip  to Spirit Lake, Iowa.  Most summers, my folks take their motor home from Denver to Iowa to visit  with  friends who run a camp ground on Spirit Lake.  I figured that would be a nice trip for Irenea and I.  Another option was to ride to Denver, if my folks did not leave for the summer.  I wasn’t too sure that I wanted to ride with a passenger in Denver much, though. There is a lot of things to do and see in that area, but there is way more people than I like to be around, especially traveling on a motorcycle with a passenger.

I began to talk to Brentley about taking Ester on my trip in the fall.  He knew I wanted  take a motorcycle trip with Irenea.  He had assumed that I would use his bike for a trip since the FatBoy has no place to carry bags or much of anything.   For short, overnighters, I have used a cargo net to put a small roll bag on back of the fast back Corbin seat.  But usually I just pack Brentley’s bike full and we travel together.  

Brentley concerned that the 1980 Kawasaki 750 that Ester rode,  would not be comfortable for a long distance ride, which it is not.  He suggested that Ester might ride the Fat Boy.  The girls all ride, but they do not get to ride the Harleys.  I knew not to ask for this, but if he came up with the idea himself, that would be great. And he did.  He thought Ester had been a pretty good kid, for the most part. And actuually, Ester had ridden quite a bit.  She had gotten her motorcycle endorsement when she was 14 ½.

After we returned from the coast, I found a good opportunity to tell Ester that Brentley had suggested that she ride the Fat Boy on our vacation.  She was ecstatic.  We would have to take a trial ride somewhere before the trip. Maybe  to Bozeman or someplace else, just so she could get the feel of the bike.   She had ridden it several times before, in a big parking lot, but not in traffic and not at highway speeds.  

The kids kinda lost all hope of ever riding any of Brentley’s bikes after Olivia took the Fat Boy for a joy ride.  I was working out of town at the time. We did not find out about it until a couple of weeks later, but she had been seen by a fellow rider that “knew it was my bike and my daughter”.  They had met at an intersection, both on bikes and Olivia would not look at him or wave to him.  Another Story!  So when Brentley decided  Ester could  ride the FatBoy on a trip, That was a Big Deal.

As the summer progress, my folks had not went to Iowa, and did not know if they would. Dad’s heath was not good.   Brentley’s sister called and told us she was planning a Surprise Birthday Party for their mother’s 85th.  It was the 1st Sunday of my vacation.  I figured we had better plan on attending.  Maybe I could make my trip fit with his family obligation.  Brentley  would only have a long weekend, but I had two weeks.

I sat down with a calender, and a map.  I decided we could start our motorcycle vacation from Idaho, the Blackfoot area.  We would load the bikes in the trailer, go see Brentley’s family, attend the Birthday Party.  The girls and I would leave with the bikes from the Birthday party.  Brentley would bring the trailer and the dog home, then get back to work.  It worked out better than I could have ever imagined.  This trip was the most memorable trips of our lives. It was a wonderful experience for my girls and their mom.   My two youngest girls, two bikes, me, and all the time we wanted to spend, doing whatever pleased us for the day.   It was good.

My last day of  work before my vacation started was a Friday shift from  5am to 1pm.  I had everything all packed up, and ready to go.  The bike was loaded down.  Our T-bag weighed about 50 pounds.  We had three helmets, three sets of leathers, one tool kit, an atlas, a pillow, a camera and what ever else would fit.  We had the stuff that Brentley would need for a couple of days and a few things more things for us.   I had spent the week making sure I had everything we would need and that everything would fit on the bike.  

The bikes were tied down in the trailer, the kids were crammed in the pickup, and we were ready for our adventure.  It is different than when these kids were little.  Ester stands about 5' 10.  One kid in the jump seat of Brentley’s extended cab,  and three of us in the front of this pickup.  This  is not a family car by any means.  We would be driving from Billings to Saint Anthony, Idaho, 295 miles.  I, of course, waited until the last minute to call for a motel room.  In fact, we were en route when I called  to get a room  reserved.   We would not be arriving until 9 or 10 pm.  It would be too late to wake up any of the relatives.  

We arrived, got checked in, when  I realized that I had to unpack the bike to get our PJ s out.  Maybe this was not such a good idea.  The trailer was dark, no lights, and all of our stuff was packed for a motorcycle trip that we would be starting in two days.  And I assumed  I had thought a head.

Saturday morning, we called one of Brentley’s nephews.  He and his wife came up and had breakfast with us.  His mother was in Basalt, Idaho, staying with one of his sisters That is only 55 miles away.  We would be seeing her tomorrow.  We decided we would get the bikes out and ride.  Ester rode behind Brentley.  And Irenea rode with me.  We went visiting other relatives. It was a beautiful day for riding.  

Later in the day, we headed for Idaho Falls to get a room.   That would put us just 15 miles from  the party in Basalt the next day.  Instead of loading the bikes, Brentley let Ester ride the FatBoy and I rode the other one to Idaho Falls.  He drove the pickup pulling the trailer to Idaho Falls.  We found a room and got checked in.  Again, no reservations, but the first one we checked had a room.

It was early afternoon and we thought we ought to ride to Basalt and meet up with Brentley’s Harley riding nephew, Allen.  Ester did not want to go. Actually she just did not want to ride behind again.  I told her she had no choice, this was Brentley’s family we were visiting and she was to be on her best behavior.

Allan  has two bikes, a Heritage Softail and a Vrod.  We got to Allen’s house and he suggested we ride into Blackfoot to see his buddy, Cal,  the Indian Dealer.   “Brentley, do you want to ride the Vrod?” Allen asked.  

“You do not have to ask me twice!”  Brentley has been awestruck ever since he watched the show on the making of the Vrod.  Of course he wants to ride Allen’s.

Brentley let Ester ride the Fat Boy. Now she was glad she had come.  She was being pretty quiet every time she had to ride on the back of a bike.  The deal was, tomorrow, when we left on our trip, she would get to ride.  But until then, she had no bike and she had to ride behind either me or Brentley. She knew better than to say anything, but I could tell she hated it, riding with anyone.  Ester has always been a very mouthy, and loud  kid.  I have referred to her as my “in-your-face” kid.  She holds nothing back.  You always know what Ester thinks of a situation. She is also very pushy. She usually tries to bully me and get her way.

Ester has ridden since she was 14.  I let her buy two 1973 Kawasaki 175s for $400, one was a rider and the other was for parts.   She rode one of them for over a year when we come across a 1972 Honda 350 - 4 cylinder.  I bought it and sold her Kawasakis.  The Honda has always been her favorite.  When Ester was  16,  Olivia was 18, Olivia got her bike taken away.  (Due to The Joy Ride incident) A 1980 Kawasaki 750t., was now sitting and   Ester just assumed that it should be for her use. That is the bike that she rode until I bought the 1987 Honda Shadow in 2003.

Ester really loves to ride.  She has never had anyone her age to ride with. She has learned to enjoy riding by herself.  Some times she makes an awful racket, you can hear her coming down the street, singing at the top of her lungs. She really loves to ride!

As we headed down the highway, four bikes on our way to Blackfoot Idaho.  Brentley and Allen in the lead, Ester following me.  I could tell Brentley was pushing the Vrod.  We visited at the bike shop for a while and then prepared to head back to Basalt.  Allan suggested that I ride his Vrod back to his house.  I did.  I really enjoyed it.  I did not bust it out or ride it fast though.  I had a small problem, Ester.  She was following me on the FatBoy.  I knew if I would goose it and pass the boys, she would too.  She is not only my “in-your-face-kid”, but also my “wide- open-kid”. So we had a leisurely ride back to Allen’s. We then rode into Idaho Falls for dinner.   Allen rode his bike and his wife and daughter drove.  Seems they do not care to ride too much.

That night in the motel room, Ester got a mother, daughter lecture.  The kind she has grown to hate so much.  I told her I did not want her on that Vrod. “ I do not care if Allen does ask you if you want to ride it, you are to say, no, thank you.  That is a 18 thousand dollar bike and you have no business on it.  You are a kid.  You are lucky enough to get to ride my bike.  I do not care that you have been riding for 4 years, that is way more bike than you need to be on.”  I thought she understood me. She said she did anyway.

The next day, Sunday, we loaded the bikes and drove back out to Basalt, to Allan’s mother’s house.  Deanna had planned a party for Grandma.  Their home sits on a quarter of a block and they need all that space.  They all have large families.  Brentley has three sisters and one brother.  He is the baby of the family.  Some of his nephews are not much younger than he is.  

Allen had both of his bikes at the house, his little brother Mike had his bike there too.  We got our bikes out of the trailer.  Brentley’s mom went for a ride on his bike on her 80th Birthday.  Everybody wanted pictures of her with the bike.  She has since had a stroke and is not to stable.  She wanted to get on the bike though, from wheel chair to bike, maybe not such a good idea.  We got pictures anyway.

I had went into the house to help with some clean up.  I was busy for awhile.  When I came out, Irenea, the youngest of my girls says to me, “I bet you can’t guess where your other daughter is?”  I looked around, no Ester, in sight. The bikes were still sitting under the big tree, wait, where is the Vrod?  That little stinker!  “What were you thinking?” I asked Brentley.  Allen asked her if she wanted to, she said, “Mom said I can’t.”“You had better try it, you might not ever get another offer.” Allen had told her.  Allen’s son was a little hurt.  Dad had never let him ride his bikes.  And here he was letting girl ride the Vrod.  What a can of worms.

 Now I am getting really nervous.  This kid is from Montana.  She has no idea where she is at.  She is on a bike that can go faster than her abilities to control it.  And she has no fear.  About the time I was getting really worried, here she come.  She pulled in next to the other bikes, shut it off with the kill switch, put the kick stand down and got off.  “Oh, My God!  I want One!  This is the one you have to buy me when I graduate!”

About 4:00 I called a motel in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.  I got us a room with mineral hot water in the room and a large Jacuzzi.  We started putting our things together.  We got our gear on.  We said our Good Byes. We only had 75 miles to ride.  Most of it was on the Interstate.  We fueled in Blackfoot and headed down the rode around 6:30pm.  I knew that stretch of the highway fairly well because Brentley and I had traveled it many times in the truck.  I had always looked over to the town of Lava Hot Spriings and thought, “I would sure like to go there some day.”  The town is nestled along a creek, between the hills.  There can not be many streets in there.  The highway passes though on the north side.  From the highway you can see some of the old buildings and a pool, recreation area right next to the highway.  It has always seemed so inviting to me.

The traffic was fairly heavy.  I was a bit concerned about Ester as we passed through Pocatello.  The traffic kinda bunches up.  The speed limit is 65 through there, but most drivers are going faster than that.  We pulled into the rest area/ weigh station just out of Pocatello, at Inkom, Idaho.  It was beginning to cool off.  The sun had not set, but the shadows were getting deep.  We put on some extra layers.  At McCamon Idaho, we turned onto Highway 30.  There are a lot of trucks that run this stretch of the road.  There is many, many deer out there too.  I was a little concerned since Ester had little experience on the two lane, high speed highway.  By the time we made it to Lava Hot Springs, we were very cold.  I was wishing I had my gloves that went up over my coat sleeves.  

We found our motel right away, on the end of Main Street.  I got us checked in and asked about at place to eat.  It was after 8:00, we did not have a choice, only one restaurant was left open at that time.  We stowed our gear in the room and walked two blocks down the street to eat.  We had a good meal.  When we got back the  room, we filled the jacuzzi with hot water, and soaked our tired bones.  The cold chill that had penetrated my bones finally left.

The next morning we got up and decided to walk down the main street and look at some of the cool shops and stores.  We noticed that there were several vendors on the street that had inner tubes for rent.  We had breakfast and headed back to the room to pack our gear.  We got the bikes loaded and I checked out of the room.  Ester walked up the street to one of the young innertube vendors.  She was flirting with him when I went to fetch her.  “Mom, only $2 for rent the tube to run the river. We should do it.”  How would we get our swim suits on?  I had given up our room.  Where would we stow our valuables?  I did not have any locking bags on either of the bikes.  Every thing was attached with bungie cords.  After some serious debate, we dug our our suits and headed to the clothing store that we had bought t shirts at.  The nice sales clerk allowed us to use the dressing room to get our swim suits on after I explained we had no place to dress.  

We spent the next two hours hiking up the main street, putting in to the river by the park and then floating down about 1 mile.  I think we made three trips.  There were several places along the river where we found hot water bubbling up and into the stream.  

The cute kid that rented us the tubes had allowed us to park our bikes next to his vendor booth and had agreed to watch our stuff.  When we were done and were going to turn in the tubes, he had us go one more time so he could use our camera to get pictures of us from the bridge.  When we got done, we dressed and went down the street to have some lunch.  What a great day.  We finally loaded and left Lava Hot Springs at 2:30 in the afternoon.  Now we would head for Jackson Hole, WY, 130 miles away.  

Again, I did not have reservations.  I was hoping to get a room at a hotel that had a pool and a hot tub.  I would stop in the Hoback Junction to call ahead to get a room.  

Irenea was having a hard time getting comfortable on the bike.  The wind bothered her ears.  She started out with her ½ helmet.  She tried a rain hat under it. She tried ear plugs.  She tried sitting on a pillow.  She was just not comfortable.  At times, her fidgeting behind me was driving me nuts.  Her apprehension was joyfully overshadowed by Ester’s shear exhilaration for the adventure.  At times though we wondered why we had brought her.   

When I finally started looking for a room, this too, became an adventure.  The first one I called had a pool and a hot tub, but it was over $150.  I figured, the more I could save on the room, the more fun we could spend money on.  I called Motel 6, they had a room for $79, but I would have to stay on hold until she helped the people that had walked into the hotel first.  I agreed to hold.  My cell phone had no coverage so I was using the pay phone at a little station in the Hoback Junction.  After 10 minutes of holdiing, a recording came on and asked for another .50.  The first time I added 50 c , the second time, I hung up. Someone had come by and told me we should just ride into Jackson and take the truck route.  This gentleman had told us  there were several hotels on the truck route and their prices were usually lower than the other and they did not fill up as fast.  Well, since I am a truck driver,  I understand truck routes and this made sense to me. We headed for Jackson with the mission of finding a room.

The first one, $108, the second, $115.  I decided to ride back to the one on the main drag that advertised a double room for $89.  We went there, that room was sold and the only one that they had was $139.  I think I will wait.  One more stop.  It was a quiet, cute looking one with old cabins out back.  We parked the bikes and all of us walked in. $90 for the double room with a kitchen.  "I will take it."  The fellow behind the desk told me, “that is only $30 a piece.”  I told him that I was mom and I had to pay for all of the pieces.  He said, “Well guess what, I have a special just for moms, $80 for you today.” We stood around visiting while we got the paper work fill out.  Ester was looking at brochures.  We headed to the room, unloaded and relaxed.  What a great room.  He even had coffee for the coffee maker.  And not those little packages either.  We decide we wanted to stay for two days.  We could go white water rafting tomorrow and up the gondola to the top of the mountain.  I went back to the office to see if we could have the room for Tue night too.   

Oh, man, No such luck.  They were booked up for the following night.  Well wait a minute, maybe, let me check.  I do have a small cabin with a double bed, but I can give you an air mattress.  Great, we will take it for tomorrow.