B & B GTG (with photos!!)

[BarbaraRose]

(Barbie & Bikerchic get-together)

Just got home an hour ago. Will just write a quick post now and tomorrow will post pics and more details.
I hit a bad storm going down to Des Moines on Monday. Saw two funnel clouds form and then go back up into the wall cloud. Pretty cool and a little scary! Then drove thru blinding rain. It was nice by the time I got to Linda's place. But hot and humid! We had dinner (me, Linda and her GD Maddie, and the two dogs, Rags and Gizmo) and then Linda brought Maddie to her swimming lesson while I set up my tent. It was hot and sticky that night in the tent but comfortable otherwise (my new airbed was really comfy!). Yesterday, Linda drove me around and showed me Des Moines and where she grew up. Later she made us dinner (I brought my own food but never got a chance to eat any of it because she insisted on cooking for me!) and then I went with to Maddie's swimming lesson. Both nights we had a campfire with S'Mores and popcorn. It was very hot and humid yesterday and even with a strong breeze, it wasn't very comfortable in my tent (I moved it to another location under some trees for the shade during the day). It didnt' get below 80 degrees over night and today it got to 99 with a heat index of 115!!! I packed up most of my stuff early this morning. We went for a quick bike ride to see the lake which was still very high but has come down some. We were all soaked with sweat and exhausted by the time we got back from the bike ride! Decided to go shopping this afternoon so went to WalMart and IHOP for lunch. Cooled off later in her RV before heading home tonight. Hit another severe storm on the way home. Saw an impressive wall cloud but luckily no funnels this time. Then got slammed with high winds and torrential rains. I stopped under a bridge for awhile until the rain let up. Shortly afterward it cleared up and I saw a beautiful sunset! Got some pics of all that.

We had a great time chatting and laughing and planning our California get-away this fall (hopefully including the AR GTG!)! Her granddaughter is a really sweet little girl. She followed me all over, helping me with my tent, etc. Very friendly and talkative!

Gotta get to bed! Didn't get much sleep while I was there because of the heat. Should sleep really good tonight tho! Also can sleep in tomorrow since I don't have to go to work until 1pm.

Will try to post pics tomorrow before I leave for work. Linda's computer finally showed up today so she should be back on here again very soon! She thinks she will be able to get back to work next week if not sooner, so that will be good for her.

[BirdbyBird]

Busy, whirlwind GTG. Rest up and tell us more. SO glad that you had safe travels through the storms. Hope your "gas tank" of dreams got a refill and recharged to carry you through the next few weeks anyway. Just keep smiling through the "down sides" of work....that to shall pass!

[mitch5252]

..
Well, sounds as though you two continued your friendship AND had fun!
Sounds wonderful except for the weather.
Now, where the heck are the pictures???

..

[avalen]

was wondering how your visit went, looking forward to the pictures

[Redetotry]

So happy you had a safe trip and had a good time in spite of the weather. Glad to hear Linda's computer is back will look forward to hearing from her more. How fun to have her GD there to help, kids always make one enjoy things we miss seeing or have forgotten to enjoy.

[sharon]

Sounds like you had fun even with the hot weather. Yeah, it's hard to sleep in hot weather no matter how comfy the bed is.

[VickieP]

I'm glad you had a good gtg and safe travels through the bad weather. So how was it to set up and tear down your tent? Can't wait for the pics!

[AlmostThere]

Glad to see your post and that you are home arrived home safely. Your GTG sounded like fun albeit very hot and humid.
I'm also thankful you got thru all those horrid storms!
Looking forward to seeing the pictures!

[Nasoosie]

Very glad to know you made it home safe and sound, between those nasty twisters. Am lookig forward to any pics you can post when you get rested up and cooled off! What a bunch of gutsy women we have on here to brave all kinds of weather!

[cpatinjones]

Happy to hear you made it home safely. Looking forward to the pics.

[BarbaraRose]

Here they are...



Two co-pilots (Rags and Gizmo)




sitting area in my tent:


Sleeping area before I got my airbed inflated...


view of Saylorville Lake from my tent


Fletcher joined us


Fletcher checking out the grill


Crossing a bridge over Saylorville Lake (actually the dammed up portion of Des Moines River)...


moved my tent to a shady spot under a tree...


Rags (left) and Gizmo (right)


Maddie at her swim lesson at a local water park (4th from left)


view thru the roof of my tent


Barbie and Bikerchic before our sweaty bike ride


Bike trail leading to lake...


I was smart and parked my bike at the top of the hill!


High water mark on July 2nd. Debris left behind as water receeded...


Marina in the background. Water levels are still very high.


stopped for a break, in the shade! Whew!


The sunset after the storm while driving back to Minnesota...

[Liz]

Nice gtg. Great pictures! I like your tent set-up. Beautiful sunset picture. Glad you had a good time.

[VickieP]

We got pics!
Barbie, do you sleep with the top open on your tent?
Glad yall had a fun gtg!

[BarbaraRose]

We got pics!
Barbie, do you sleep with the top open on your tent?
Glad yall had a fun gtg!

I had the rain fly on the first night since there was lightning and rain off in the distance. The second night I took it off since it was a clear sky and very breezy but very hot! The breeze helped a lot with all that mesh.

[carold]

Terrific pics. As usual, the weather doesn't stop the gals from having fun. carold