Thursday 12th July

Today it was the boys who didn't get up. I had my bike checked and fully loaded before either of them showed his face.

it was a beautiful day and we only had about 130 miles to go to Yutan. We had breakfast at the Creston Family Diner, got some stuff from Walmart and hit the road. We stayed on the US34 all the way to Nebraska.It had become really hot,by then, and we had to work our way through what seemed like dozens of traffic lights, as we went through the outskirts of Omaha.
We almost overshot the little slip to Virgin Island.


We signed in and as we entered the campsite Clive came over with cold beers for us, which was nice.The tracks through the woods were very sandy and it could be difficult rto ride through - hence my clutch was smoking and stinking when we reached our chosen site, which was well shaded by trees.We pitched our tents and wandered around the site, mooching a few beers on the way. It was good to see a lot of faces from SF III,including Richie and Heather, Dean and Nadine, John and Tasey, Wild Bill and Dogbone. It was also good to meet a lot of new people, too.


It was great to have got to Yutan in time fort he Things' fish fry. In the meantime, we met a couple with an airboat, Dave and Alice. Alice was excited because I had my Bada Bing tee shirt on, as their previous boat had been named that. 

This boat had a 450ci LS1 Chevy small block engine which had been tweaked. Dave took us out on the river, which was great fun and a real bonus as it was a totally unexpected event. 

Air boat ride with Dave

When we got back on the island, Dean , Nadine and their daughter Chandra were waiting for a ride. We saw them off and then went in search of the fish fry.

Big, big thanks to the Things, Greg and Julia, for their generosity and sweat in feeding us all. You're great people XXXXXXX! 


After that it was just the usual shit, sharing a beer with old friends and with new ones. 

This went on until about half three, when we turned in. Oh, forgot to say that our excitement about the air boat ride, was tempered a bit when Kevin Marking, half-owner of Virgin Island, offered to take us up for a flight round the area tomorrow - WooooooooooHooooooooooo!!!


Today's route