Agates

I don't know if it's still true, but for many decades Lake Superior was the best place in the country to search for agates. The beaches are all picked over now, but you can still find small ones here and there. My ex husband used to spend a lot of time on the shores of Lake Superior picking rocks, then would bring them home and put them in a rock polisher for like a month, turning them into beautiful stones.

So, Scharlett had never seen an agate before (at least not to her knowledge) so we got her on the shore and started teaching her. (Ok, Tink taught her while I orbited around on my own search.)

First, it's necessary to remove your shoes and socks for the full experience. Tink removed hers, but it was like a bazillion degrees out and I was wearing my motorcycle boots, and felt like if I took them off I'd never get them back on again. Besides, it would mean bending over...too much work.

Then Tink went searching...and searching....
And when she found what she was looking for, she drew a circle in the rocks and told Scharlett, it's right here...right in this area.
No, really Scharlett...it's right there in front of you!
While they were doing that, I was busy looking "reflective". This is me, looking "reflective".

From there we went to see the Glensheen mansion. I'll post about that later, right now it's lightning outside so I have to shut down!

The Split Rock Sisters (or "Falling Down")

We left Duluth on Monday, July 8th, and headed north. Tink and I, who are familiar with the area, thought it was important for Scharlett (who is not) to see the Split Rock Lighthouse. If you're not familiar with the area, this is only about a 20 minute ride outside of Duluth, and is on the road that runs along the north shore of Lake Superior.

We arrive in the parking lot, but nobody seemed to know exactly where to park although there were lots of empty spaces. This is called "female confusion" when faced with a new situation AND your decision is based on the decision of the person in front of you who may or may not have trouble making a decision. I'm not sure exactly what was going on since I was in back, but I finally pulled myself into a spot and got off my bike, with Triker Bev pulling in along side me. Tink and Scharlett pulled around to the other side of the lot, which was nearly empty.

We all walked up to the door of the gift shop/office place and discovered we really didn't want to pay $8.00 to see a lighthouse, so we headed back to our bikes. I got mine started, and pulled around to where Tink and Scharlett were parked. I watched them get their gear situated before they mounted, and waited for Bev to come around. I don't know what I was looking at, but all of a sudden Scharlett yelled, "It's going over!" and....clunk....went her bike. Apparently, because of the slope, she really had to hoist it to get it upright, but...because of the slope, it went too far and over the other side. I ran over, and the three of us grunted the 900lb bike back on two wheels, and insisted the Scharlett take a moment to regain her wits.

That's when I announced, "Hey! We need a falling down pin!"

This was met with blank stares.

"Every group that goes on a big ride, or rides together regularly needs to have a falling down pin. When someone's bike falls down, they have to wear the pin AND BE NICE TO IT until the next person falls down, at which time it is then pinned on the new fallee."

*Note* "Falling down" is not the same as "going down". "Falling down happens when the bike tips over for silly reasons. For example, you get gas and you forget to put your kickstand down and try to walk away from your bike. "Going down" is a bad thing and something no rider wants to talk about because it happens when you get hit by something or you hit something while moving down the road, and usually requires an ambulance trip and sometimes helicopters.

Tink, Bev and I all agreed this was a fantastic idea. Scharlett kind of groaned but went along with it. We marched ourselves back to the gift shop and searched every shelf for just the right pin. Finally we found it, a pin with the Split Rock Lighthouse on it. Tink paid for the pin and we had a ceremony right there in the middle of the store. As a crowd gathered to watch our ceremony, much to the disgrace of Scharlett, we used our formal words to describe the purpose of the pin for the spectators. What you have to imagine though, is Tink and I laughing hysterically as we did it! LOL

With Scharlett pinned, we went back to the lot, mounted our bikes, and headed north. We were only about 30 miles down the road when I had reason to move out of my position of bringing up the rear, and pass Scharlett. Not knowing how much group riding experience Scharlett had, I thought about this for several miles before doing so. I didn't want her to panic when I went past her. Finally, with no oncoming traffic, I moved over to the other lane and went past. What I didn't count on was TINK (who was leading) seeing me in her mirror, freaking out that there was something wrong and SUDDENLY pulling over...on the road with really no shoulder. Everyone pulled up behind her (because they had time to do so) but I came to a stop just ahead of her. In my mirror I saw her get off her bike, and when I looked back...she and her bike were gone.

Because they were on the ground.

Ok, here's how it went. Tink stopped..on the road with not much of a shoulder...and when she put her feet down, there was no pavement under her right foot. Instead there was a 2 inch drop to gravel. Being the short-legged person that she is, this put her way off balance. Her bike SPIT her off, and....are you ready for it? She rolled head over heels down the embankment! She stood up and hollered, "Give me that *&#@ pin!!!!" You have to remember that she'd just rolled in all her gear and helmet down about a 5 foot drop, which makes one very top heavy, AND makes you look quite silly climbing back up!

We picked up our second bike for the day, and pinned Tink right there on the side of the road. Poor Tink! But, if you were following my twitter, you know that I could hardly text fast enough to tell about this! LOL

Later that same day we were in Grand Marais. We had done some shopping downtown and were headed back to our hotel when we came to an intersection that was uphill AND we had to make a right turn at the light. My bike has been having trouble going into first gear lately, but I didn't know I was still in second. I was at the head of the group when I went to make the turn, and killed the bike mid-turn. This is every bikers nightmare as this heavy piece of machinery suddenly STOPS mid-lean! This is where on would fall down, only I didn't. I could, however, FEEL Tink behind me WILLING me to fall down so she could get rid of that damn pin! When I turned to look, she could hardly stay upright because she was laughing too hard about the fact that yes, indeed, she'd been doing just that!

We went on to call ourselves the Split Rock Sisters, and there was much joking about "Pulling a Split Rock" and stuff like that. I spent the entire trip being so hyper-aware of everything I did getting on/off my bike! The best part though, is I never did get that pin!

How to commemorate and epic event

*Disclaimer* Reading this particular post with small children on your lap, or impressionable 12 year olds hanging over your shoulder would not be a good idea.

When you do something in your life that is of Epic proportions, you need to find a way to commemorate it.

Saturday July 7th I arrived in downtown Duluth, MN to meet these crazy women I was going to be spending the next week with. Only I didn't know they were crazy, but I had a hunch.

I hadn't slept well the night before, nor had I eaten anything that day because I was just too excited and nervous. I pulled into the hotel parking lot and Tink came out to greet me with a huge hug. I got to drool over her BEAUTIFUL bike (she'd glued swarovski crstyals all over it and it's stunning!) We sat down on the varanda as a group to figure out what to do next. First stop, FOOD! They'd gotten in earlier in the afternoon but had waited for me. What I didn't know is the plans they'd been trying to make!

We sit down in a sandwich shop, exchanging some small stories, trying to get the feel of who each other really is, when Tink says to me, "So...uummm...last night we were trying to figure out how we could commemorate our trip. We wanted it to be something big, but..umm...well Bev mentioned how about we all get a tatoo? I told them I doubted you'd go for it, but since I really don't know you, I have no idea."

"A tattoo? I've been wanting one for a long time! Where do I sign up."

"Well...ummm...actually....we have an appointment at 8:00 tonight (it was now about 5:00) with a guy named Jeffie. Really, you don't have to do it if you don't want to. We think we're going to all get the same thing, but we want to go look at the guy's work."

And so it was decided. Keep in mind that I'm a tatoo virgin. There isn't a drop of ink on my body, but the other girls each have one or two...or 5.

Meet Jeffie. He is an artist at Dominic's Dowtown in Duluth. Doesn't he look just like a tattoo artist? The funny thing is, his name is really JESSIE but Scharlett misunderstood on the phone. And so, as would soon become a habit for us, we renamed him.



Jeffie was very patient with us. We told him the purpose of this trip...a freeing experience, and one to bond with our fellow biker sisters. An expression of independence and a celebration of life. We wanted it simple (aka not expensive!) and we all wanted the same thing. Jeffie disappeared into his studio to draw something up. About 15 minutes later he came back with a couple different designs which we tweaked a bit, each of us adding a small item to make it our own, yet the same as the others.

First there was much discussion about WHERE we would put our new artwork
And naturally we had to sign our life away!

Then more discussion about who was going to be first. Tink volunteered, and I was allowed to go watch and take pictures, which was a lot like watching Miami Ink on T.V. except different. My pictures didn't turn out the greatest, because my camera didn't like the lighting. Also Tink was trying very hard to put on a good face for me since I was still a virgin, and it's just possible my nerves were showing a little bit.

While she was getting done, this man was in the next chair. His name is Mike, and he's having a guardian angel put on his back. I don't know his whole story, but this angel holds great meaning for him, and he has survived tragedy. His spirit was very sad, and I hope getting this tattoo is a step to healing for him. From an artistic side, the shading and detail in this tat is fantastic!
Next up was Bev. She couldn't get hers in the same spot as the rest of us, because she already has one there. Bev's daughter Pam died shortly after giving birth from an embolism several years ago. On her chest, Pam had a tat of an angel blowing stardust. Bev's tattoo is very similar, only the face resembles Pam, and inside the stardust are the letters to spell out PAM.

I was next. I was very nervous by this point, but Jeffie handled me well. ;-) First he applied the stencil.
And then the work began! OUCH! I don't know how in the world that Mike guy could stand to get his whole back done, or for that matter anyone else who I know with large tats!
Getting right up close and personal!

Scharlett was next. She made the mistake of not wearing the right shirt so she had to take it off in order to get her tattoo. Poor Scharlett.
And, the picture you've all been waiting for....the finished product! Notice the slight swelling. I am such a wimp. LOL

Some of you know I've been trying to design a tattoo about my kids for some time. After looking through the books in the shop, and talking with Jeffie I've finally gotten it figured out! I know where I'll be going to get it done.

Coming soon, "Split Rock Sisters"