ROAD TRIP!!!

Today was our road trip to Buffalo, New York. Steve sold the Beemer to a guy in Fulton, NY - and he agreed to meet up with us in Buffalo to conclude the transaction and pick up the bike from us. Forecast for today at home was rain....so Steve decided last night to tarp the bike. Good thing he did as yep, it was raining. Rained most of the day, until about the time we hit the NY state border. Bike still looked great except for a bit of engine dirt from the bottom from spray. Buyer was very pleased.... We took off just after 7:00 a.m. - along with Max. He wasn't too sure about things at first but was a good boy all day. I had bought him a doggie car seat which helped boost him up so he could see. First stop at a rest area still in Michigan, then not again until we stopped for gas at a Sam's Club west of Cleveland. Steve had been hearing a pump-type noise, he thought it was the compressor for the shocks. He disconnected the right fuse to see if the noise went away. Nope. So he suspected the fuel pump was starting to go out. We found the nearest GM dealer and after a consult, decided it was the motor for the rear wiper. All was well after that. Steve had just replaced that motor in January after my surviving a few years without one. I didn't do anything to it, of course - so must have just received a lemon this time around. Steve kinda had his heart set on a genuine Frisch's Big Boy - but none were to be found nearby. We ended up at a Long John Silver's east of Cleveland. Hadn't eaten there in years and though it tasted ok, not in a hurry to get back there anytime soon. Steve has a thing about not wanting to take toll roads as it's "not fair that the taxpayers from other states don't have to pay taxes or tolls on Michigan roads," so we took alternate routes. That of course added on time. I had been promised a Pennsylvania cache, and a New York cache. Got them both today. For PA, stopped at a travel bug hotel about 6 miles into PA. Steve had to call the buyer at that point anyway and let him know where we were, so he could head over from his home about the time we would arrive. The cache in PA was wet, I poured water out of it, and hadn't been found in several months. I rescued the TBs that were in there and left some I had brought from Michigan. Arrived at the motel and Al the buyer was waiting for us. Took quite some time to unwrap the bike, then we got it down from our trailer and Al looked it over thoroughly. He was very pleased and then gave us the cashier's check for the remainder of the purchase price and we filled out the paperwork and that was that. Steve was going to take the bike over to Al's trailer, and I had to remind him that it wasn't his bike now and Al should probably do it. Steve told me later he didn't think Al had secured the bike in his trailer the right way, but it was his bike now so - so be it. Got settled into the room then, and left Max in his box in the bathroom while we grabbed a quick bite to eat and the cache at that restaurant (Cracker Barrel.) That was my New York cache. There's another one within walking distance, so maybe in the morning...not holding my breath. We talked a little about making a short detour to Niagara Falls tomorrow morning before heading home. It's only about 20 or so miles from where we're at. We saw the Canadian side about 10 years ago with the boys but not the American side. We didn't bring our passports so can't go home through Canada anyway. We'll see. Steve was asleep by 9:30 if not before after a long day of driving. Other updates: Scott's last FB message told us he might get sent to Greece from his current location in Italy, or he might get sent back to Spang like some others deployed with him already have been. So who knows, he might be there after all. We'll see. Steve's dad is settled, somewhat, in the nursing home. A week ago Thursday was tough. He was somewhat more lucid than has been and definitely did not want to go to the nursing home. Eric was the one who finally convinced him to come, praise God for putting just the right words into his mouth to share with Grandpa. Steve actually got to join the "Cecil Cooper doesn't trust me" club (I'm the president) for a day until Dad forgot he'd been mad by the next day. Oh well. Now comes the task of going through things in his house. Steve still feels guilty but he has done the best he could.