Just a nice 250 mile ride from my home in Helena.
30 % chance of showers was the forecast and of course it rained most of the way to Billings.
A nice ride never the less and a good chance to try out Spotwalla and Rever on the Iphone.
When the phone was almost out of power I plugged it into the power plug on the handlebars and nothing happend.
Somehow the plug was no longer active.
Found the Sweetwater without SIRI directing through the city, a new experience.
Stopped at the Verizon store and asked if I could borrow a phone book.
A look of bewilderment came over the face of the courteous young man who came over to help me when I entered the store.
"A phone book?" He asked, with a quizzical look on his face.
"A phone book" he said, as if he had never had a request like that.
"I'm trying to find the Sweetwater Retirement Center on Sweetwater Drive." I replied.
Smiling, as if he now knew what the elderly gentleman in front of him needed, he reached for his Iphone.
Seconds later he was scratching out the directions on a post it note and had me on my way.
Sort of smiling, as if on this day, he had gone beyond the call of duty.
"A phone book," I heard him say to another of the Verizon employees.
"Do we even have a phone book in the store?"
This new age we older people find ourselves in is so cool.
Entering the lobby of the Sweetwater Retirement Center, Betty Jean the Activities Director said, "Did you ride your motorcycle down from Helena in the rain? Everyone has been asking if you would."
Well, of course I had.
The program was fun with with banjo and guitar mostly in tune and residents singing along to old songs like "When It's Springtime In The Rockies."
The hour passed quickly with many old songs and some new ones that Lois had written before being overtaken by Alzheimer's Disease.
Only Two weeks earlier I had found another song she had written and filed away in her computer.
It wasn't quite finished but Grand daughter Hanna and I both wrote some words for the chorus, I sang my version for the residents and they seemed to really enjoy it.
Photos ( by Lois L. 7/10 -- unfinished -- cho. Etc.)
Pictures in My Memory
There are pictures on my
wall,
of my precious family,
There are pictures in the
albums,
that mean so much to me,
But the pictures that I
treasure,
no one else can see,
They are the pictures that are
saved,
within my memory.
Chorus
Chorus
The pictures I remember
Are the memories I see
They have voices that are laughing
And singing just for me
Those faces and the voices
Will always sing for me
In pictures that I treasure
In my memory
There are photos on my
fridge,
in a locket I can wear,
Pictures in my wallet,
that I so often share,
But the pictures that I
treasure,
no one else can see,
They are pictures that are
stored,
within my memory.
Chorus
Lois had a way with words and memories.
Anyway, I sang this new song for them and they did enjoy it.
It was a fun program to do and many purchased books, my Discovering Life After Alzheimer's and Lois' book Fifty Cents an Hour - The Builders and Boomtowns of the Fort Peck Dam.
Several residents said they had relatives who worked on the dam in NW Montana back in the 1930's.
Uncle Harry, who lives across the street from the center came over for the program and we enjoyed a great dinner with the residents.
After missing a couple of turns and riding through downtown Billings in pouring rain I found my way to the home of Lois' nephew George Massick where I was to spend the night.
Both George and his wife Jean were waiting in the big shop building they had built next to the house. There was room for motorcycle, sidecar and trailer. Great shop, and a great visit with George and Jean.
Snow was falling as we headed for bed and it was forecast to continue through the night.
They both left for work early and I slept in, waiting for the snowfall to end.
Accuweather said it would be through by 10, but it was still coming down then so I climbed on and headed for the Interstate.
Fairly heavy traffic kept the snow from sticking to the road and I had an interesting ride through some wet and messy, almost slush as I headed out of town.
The combination of rain and snow continued to Columbus, about forty miles down the road and then settled in with light showers.
At Livingston the road was actually dry for a few miles but as I climbed to the higher elevations the light rain began again and was turning into light snow. Through Bozeman Pass there was snow on both sides of the highway but not on the asphalt.
The Wheat Montana Deli at Three Forks was a welcome stop for coffee and a muffin while cold fingers wrapped themselves around the coffee mug grasping for it's instant warmth.
Rain was ended and the road was dry as I headed North for Helena on 287.
The final hour of the ride went by quickly and home felt good and warm when I brought the banjo and guitar inside to thaw out.
500 miles round trip and all in all, a good springtime ride through the mountains of Montana.
Snow? Cold? Oh sure some, but nothing that most of you haven't experienced as you do your cross country rides.
Then to top the day off, I was hardly in the door when Roger called to remind me that Daren Streblow the famous comedian was appearing in town courtesy of Your Network of Praise, Montana's 50 station Christian radio group.
It was a great show and Streblow was at his best.
Great Christian comedy that kept everyone in stitches for the entire two hour event.
Thanks Roger, Thanks Network of Praise and Thanks Daren.
Great Show.
Pie and coffee at Perkins with Linda and Hanna topped off a perfect evening.
Well, that's my week and a good week it has been.
Watch for me, I'll be in the Right Lane America.
Del "Lonnie" Lonnquist
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