Weekend in Review

August 1, 2017

Killed Our Liver on the Elkhorn River | July 2017

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Thanks to Tubing & Adventures, our crew had a killer time this past weekend floating down the lazy Elkhorn River.  6.5 hours of floating, sunny 92 degree temperature, minimal humidity and loads of beer consumption leaves little room for error, in my opinion.

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We had 19 in our crew (we missed you Kruse’s) and throughout the morning everyone trickled in to set up tents and crack open those first drinks before we set out for our all afternoon adventure.

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Seriously, days like this need to happen far more often.  Why is it that available weekends are few and far between in these summer months?

They are all packed full of happy and goodness is why!

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We drank, we floated, we stopped at sandbars, we relaxed, we laughed…

we enjoyed the day.

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Unfortunately, a few things got lost in the great Elkhorn.  My earrings, my sunglasses, some skin thanks to debris, John’s sunglasses and the biggest loss of all: Tracy’s phone.  A few others may or may not have lost their bellies in the river too, but we won’t go into detail on that.

What’s an all day float down the river without a few hazards?

 

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Tubing and Adventures provides a GREAT service and I highly recommend using them for your next adventure.  Cheap entertainment, top notch customer service (thanks Brock and crew), high-quality tubes, complimentary beer cooler floats for every 4th person, perfect primitive camping options, and a gorgeous view to wake up to!

 Is it too early to book our 2018 float?  T&A has my vote!

😉

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Cheers to a continued great summer!

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July 27, 2017

12th Annual Biker B!tch Run | 2017

The 12th Annual Biker B!tch Run rolled in hot.

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And rolled out even hotter.

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Literally.

It was 9 million degrees that day. But who ever let a little sun and heat index of stay-inside-and-hydrate stop them?

Clearly, not us.

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The Beginning – Sugars in Council Bluffs, IA

Sugars provided us with our morning meet-up point.  Let us take a moment to appreciate this pretty BA sign that Candy and Marcy got for me???    This girl has some pretty incredible and oh-so thoughtful friends.

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After cocktail hour, hugs, hellos and good-to-see-ya again’s… it was time to own the day.

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Stop 1 – Tailgators Bar and Grill in Oakland, IA

A smorgasbord of lunch, ice cold drinks and temperature regulation, Tailgators served us well.  And leave it to these naughties to find an opportunity in the dumpster.

Because where else, right?

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Finding fun in every moment is what these chicks excel at.

I dig.

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Stop 2: Cruisers in Griswold, IA

I believe we have Cruisers to thank for the kick of feel-good-endorphins.

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It’s a strong possibility those endorphins were brought to you courtesy of little cups of jello thanks to that wild child, Elise.  A little jiggly bucket of magic dust is what we will call it.

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Cruisers also provided us with a long stretch of street where we could actually set up and snag a few photos while melting under the fiery glare of the sun.

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Oh, but honey…

Griswold never looked so good.

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Let’s not forget our fun little crew taking space in the fun bus.

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I have Hunter to thank for many of the group photos from the road.  I gave her my camera and said “have fun”.

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Anyway, let’s roll on, shall we?

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Tyree always serves as my right-hand woman.  On the road and in life. ❤

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Stop 3: The Rainbow in Red Oak, IA

There is always one community that doesn’t know what to do or how to handle us when we come rolling in.  This year was definitely Red Oak.  Upon entering the town we came up on a sheriff.  Said sheriff pulled into the center turning lane and sat there while each and every one of us rolled on by, following the trusty 25mph speed limit and providing smiles, winks and a few head nods.

I am certain he was just enjoying the view…

Wouldn’t you?

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The Rainbow provided us with some eats and treats before it was time to leave the fine diners of the Rainbow Cafe to themselves again.

Ya, I see you Cyndi.

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Liz had herself a little hiccup a few weeks prior and broke her ankle so instead of two-wheels, she got four, courtesy of this little scooter.  And what kinda mode of transportation would it be without a license plate?

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Y’all.  This is my aunt Marla.  My dad’s sista.  I have this run to thank for getting us connected again.  It’s been so fun having her along for the ride.   Fun fact: she trailored down my dad’s old bike so I could use it in senior pics back in 1999.   Fun new fact: she fed me pizza when I was a toddler and got scolded.   This new fact is brought to you courtesy of Jessica’s conversation starters in the fun bus.

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Let’s ROLL!

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Stop 4: Jaime’s Tavern on Main in Essex, IA

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Our smart mouthed but huge heart friend Jenn couldn’t make the run due to work (we were also down a few others due to a trip to MX, a float trip, work and family time) BUT, Jenn busted her butt to get to Essex to have a drink and see us off to the next stop.

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And it’s always about this time where I become huggy.  I believe we can thank those little buckets of magic from earlier.

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Alright, Alright.  Let’s move along while we still can.

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Stop 5: The Hangout in Malvern, IA

It’s always about this time where folks start tearing off to head home for dinner with their s.o.’s or various other reasons.  It took me a minute to get used to that as the OG days we stayed together until all hours of the night.  But, a larger group now-a-days equals a wider range of home locations and miles in between plus family obligations, so I have embraced it as the new standard and can totally dig it.  It’s us.  It’s the new way.

And this last official bar always brings the onslaught of photo opps, as for many of these girls, this annual ride might be the only time they ride together, which makes the moments and memories even more special.

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A little fact about the below pic.  Cyndi (left) rode in from Cedar Rapids!  I met Cyndi during the summer of 2007 at the Conesville Motorcycle Rally (R.I.P to the #2 ranked most epic of rallies) so to have her join up this year on her own ride was pretty great!

And Ashley (right) was a Jeeper during the 11th annual and decided then and there that she was going to be on her own two-wheels for the 12th annual.

A woman of her word.  My kinda peep.

Tyree- does this make her MY friend now too?

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The official stops may be over, but the unofficial stops were just beginning!

Peace out Malvern!

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Unofficial Stop 6: The Backroom Lounge in Lake Ohana/Glenwood, IA

We didn’t stick around here long.  Just enough for Tyree to join some kids in a bounce house, eat some grub, laugh at something on a phone that I am sure wasn’t funny, pass out the lollipops.

GANG, I am SORRY (not sorry cuz more for me) I forgot these earlier in the day… fail.

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OFFICIAL stop 7: Cara’s SURPRISE 30th BIRTHDAY PARTY!

We cruised into her nice quiet neighborhood, frightened her husband, rolled back the throttles because no birthday is complete without the sound of motorcycles hitting their rev limiters and surprised the hell outta this girl.

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We done?

duh.

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Some fuel and then I took up whip while Liz led us out to The Mile Away where you should also go for the chairs alone.

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Strong possibility they’ll put you right to sleep too!

Soon after the Mile Away we made our way to Crescent for some grub and good tunes and a final end to the night.

Year 12 brought the fun.  It brought the renewed spirit.  It brought new friendships and reunited old.  It brought a sense of complete camaraderie and sisterhood that makes the B!tch run what it is and what it was built from.  Friendships united on trust, love, honesty, loyalty, a lil booze, wind and complete and total nonsense.

And 100% fun.

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CHEERS!

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Special Thanks to:

Courtyard Ink

And all the establishments visited, linked above.

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June 20, 2017

11th Annual Biker B!tch Run | July 2016

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The 11th (E.L.E.V.E.N.T.H) annual Biker B!tch run happened July 2016.   Can’t believe it’s been 11 years!

Also can’t believe it took me almost a year to get a post up about it.

Better late then never??

Ya, let’s roll with that, mkay? 🙂

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The 11th goes down in the history books for probably the most unique B!tch run to date.  But, we came, we saw and we conquered.

…And Pep is still smiling that bright and shiny beautiful smile of hers.

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We had a few bonus girls with us manning the Jeep and it was GREAT to have them along.

The Jeep came in handy as you will find out in a few more scrolls down.

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The day started in Council Bluffs at a bar that has since closed down, but hey, we appreciated their hospitality while it lasted.  Their parking lot was prime real estate!

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Heidi’s bike on the other hand didn’t treat her so kindly.   High-five to Tyree for saving her.

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After I did my best bossy-pants photo set-ups…

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It was time to rollllllllll…

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First stop: Twisted Tail in Beebeetown, IA; where the food was delicious, drinks were cold and the fan clubs were in full paparrazi mode.

These young girls above wanted pictures taken with them, so of COURSE we obliged.  And then the beautiful ladies below were next in line.

We were feeling famous for about a minute. 😉

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Thanks to Jenn and her continuous drill seargent fitness instructor ways, she challenged Jessica to some weighted squats.

With her as the weight.

Damn, Jess.   You’ve got great form…

… And a graceful fall.

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And before we knew it, it was time to roll on out again.

Want to see us in action?

↓ Click on the photo below ↓

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Dunlap, IA to Lampe’s Pub we went.   And also where we hunkered down for the better part of the day.

Sadly, we had a bike that needed some medical attention.  Flat tires and riding do NOT go hand in hand.  Fortunately said flat didn’t happen until we were at a significantly reduced speed creeping into town.   Hello road angels. Liz felt your presence, as did the rest of us. ❤

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Thank to a local Dunlap towny, we got Liz’s wheel off,

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drove it down to Woodbine, IA to see the Motorcycle Medic for some TLC

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Then back to Dunlap for the local patron to help us get the wheel back on.

Like I said… it was an adventure!

Thanks Dunlap man.

If we can remember your name, I’ll give you full on credit next time. 🙂

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Meanwhile back at the bar during the bike medical assistance…

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Rumor has it the Sheriff rolled through three times.  Apparantly our prolonged presence was making the town folk nervous.

Funniness aside – we thank our men and women in blue for all they do to keep us safe.

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And on that note with bike wounds healed and everyone accounted for, it was time to roll.

Thanks, Lampe’s for the good times.

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On to Pop N Docs for a quick drink by the river.

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Tyree and her cowgirl hat hotness.

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And before we knew it, we were rolling on to the Cottonwood Marina in Blair, NE.

But not without the required lollipops first.

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Blair provided us with some dancing, mingling and some goodbyes as a few of us seperated ways as this was technically one of the last stops.

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And with that, our whirlwind of a day was over and the 11th annual was a wrap.

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I am truly thankful for all the strong, empowering, beautiful, full of LOVE females I know.

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What a beautiful ride it is.

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And what a beautiful ride it will continue to be.

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Cheers!

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Special Thanks:

Anytime Tees – Council Bluffs, IA

The Twisted Tail – Beebeetown, IA

Lampe’s Pub – Dunlap, IA

Motorcycle Medic– Woodbine, IA

Pop N Docs – Decatur, IA

Cottonwood Marina – Blair, NE

June 4, 2017

The Month of May | 2017

Hi Friends!  How about a little Weekend in Review — the month of May style?   May was a whirlwind of events leaving behind nothing but incredible memories and maybe even a little nostalgia for it all to happen again.

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The month came in with a bang as we celebrated our favorite bride-to-be Jessica for several days straight.

From the innocence of elementary dance and “smoking” candy cigs in the barn; to mid-twenties shenanigans and foolishness that Erin, Jess and I often found ourselves in (oh, the stories you’d hear if those walls of 12939 Camden Ave could speak); to an adult friendship built on truth, authenticity and trust; I’d say Jess and I have figured out this friendship thing quite nicely.  She’s the real deal, y’all and it was a ton of fun helping prep for her big day.

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We started with her Bachelorette party on Thursday evening at The Magnolia.

Prior to heading up to the room, the three amigos stopped at the lobby bar for a drink.  This was the first time Erin, Jess and I had been together and drinking at a bar in YEARS.  Jessica of course looked like a doll,  Erin was jet lagged and insisted on sunglasses and I had my gum on full display.   This about sums us up.

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Thanks to Lega’s impeccable planning and attention to detail, the get-together was exactly what Jessica wanted.   An intimate evening with her closest girlfriends, booze, snacks, games and girl talk.

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Friday rolled around and a few of us headed down to the wedding venue to load in the hay bales and hang up lights in preparation for Saturday’s main event.  Then it was time for the bridal shower at Nosh Bar in the Old Market.   Again, another evening of fun with Jess’s friends and family.

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And then Saturday.  THE day. ❤  First order of events:  re-stock of beer in the cooler, vehicle swap for the Impala, a drive-by pickup of Erin and hotel bound to get dolled up for the wedding.

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One of Jessica’s top requests long before they had even set an official date was her desire to use Clint’s Impala as her mode of transportation.  I couldn’t have been more happy to drive that sexy beast around for the day.  Add all these hotties in the vehicle too??   I’m not saying we caused any accidents that day, but we certainly garnered a few head-turns. 😉

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Right before we walked the aisle.  ❤

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It was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL day.  Couldn’t have asked for better weather for the outdoor event.  Sugar Clay Winery provided a stunning location, impeccable service, the yummiest food and wine and an open carefree environment.

And heck yes I changed into chucks.   There’s only so many hours of heels that are appropriate. 🙂

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And this man performed his first wedding ceremony as an ordained officiant.   He did a great job, humor and all.

What a stud.

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The next weekend consisted of quality time on the bike, cat snuggles, beers, baseball games and mom’s day.

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Did I mention I failed at sunblock while watching baseball?  Like, FAIL, FAIL!

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Clint and I took off on the bikes to Clarinda to spend mothers day with our mama’s and a sweatshirt was quite necessary for me to prevent burn on burn.  And hot as hell!  Seriously will never understand the folks who wear full gear on hot summer days.  I don’t buy the safety thing as heat exhaustion climbs high on the un-safe-o meter, if you ask me.

An afternoon with mom, grams and fam, I found myself making my way back to Omaha on my own as Clint had already left from his moms earlier in the day.  I know you’ve heard it from me before, but I say it again… I cherish those miles and days just me and my girl.  Someday I will take off on a multi-day roadtrip just me and her.  Someday….. someday.

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And just like that we were into the third weekend of May, and most importantly, Liz and Andy’s WEDDING! ❤   Tracy, Tyree and I were asked to decorate the reception venue so we headed down around noon to get things set up and glowing before the big event.    The weather was less then stellar that day, but the fun going down on the inside far outweighed any of that.   The ceremony was PERFECT, the couple shared their smiles and tears through their beautiful vows and then we partied the night away.

I also went blonde somewhere in the middle of month as well.   Summer hair, friends! 🙂

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We finished the weekend with three graduation parties + a pretty fun road-trip with the Miller newlyweds and before we knew it, Memorial Weekend happened.

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For four days my Jeep was parked and my two wheels were out to play.  Friday night consisted of an Iowa bar hop with Tyree, Cole and friends from Colorado.   We did about a 150 mile loop through SW Iowa, met some interesting folks and even got our thrills riding on roads that some would consider sketch after dark.

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Saturday we took a little jaunt up to Cottonwood Marina for a late lunch, overpriced drinks and cheesy ass smiles from the hubs.

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Sunday we made our way down to Clarinda with the Larson’s for a little afternoon BBQ and beers with the Hagey’s.  It was an easy day of conversation, beer drinking and damn good food.  And for once the boys were pretty well-behaved!   I know – equally as shocking for us when that happens.

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The ride home proved to be the best ride of the weekend thanks to one of the most beautiful sunsets we have seen.

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Monday provided a day of cat snuggles, a full Jeep detail and wax, bike wash, another quick solo ride around the city, cut short as the weather had turned cold and my tanktop was NOT cutting it and an evening of water chugging trying to combat the bloat of the weekend.

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And let’s not forget about my Papio Trail run (refer back to water statement above) where someone decided living room furniture would be a good gift to those on the trail.  For relaxing purposes I guess.

Thanks, no thanks??

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Cheers friends!   I hope your June is off to an incredible start!   Four days in already, before you know it we will be into July!  Enjoy the heck out of every minute of everyday.

And always Be Present.

❤

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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