Quad Squad 2012

So this is looong over due!!!

Sometimes (maybe all the time!) when you have a lot of pictures to pick and choice to describe your vacation/event it takes awhile to "gear up" to get it done!  Well at least that's my excuse!  I could have by passed this event but years from now (or next week) when my memory is failing me, I can look back and remember what went on in my life...=)!!

This actually took place in July.  With Steve with a ruptured Achilles Tendon we were skeptical if we could take this trip....we attempted to reschedule it for later in the summer..but with 5 families schedules involved....wasn't going to happen.  So we decided to attempt the trip and see how it went with an injured rider.

First hurtle .....who's going to drive the Lincoln pulling a 20 ft trailer??  Steve-no  Joanne-maybe   Troy-possibility?  Troy was the lucky winner....Steve was very confident he could do it no problem....me, on the other hand, was a little unsure....I of course see Troy as a 10 year old boy.....not a 17 year old "almost" man!

We did think it would be adventitious to travel with the Wilson's, in case of a problem.  Here are the rigs as we stopped in Big Rapids for Wendy's.  Wilson's made a wise investment in a cargo trailer this year...I think they were pretty happy!

Troy's first time driving over the bridge...pulling a trailer, in the rain, with construction... 

Steve following Dr orders by keeping his leg elevated (pretty sure they meant in the living room on the couch!!!) 

Kristi with her new quad and matching attire! 

On of our favorite stops is Autrain Falls.  One of our difficulties with Steve's leg was we couldn't haul is crutches...so he made a stick crutch so he could hobble down to the falls. Remember at this point he was not "suppose" to be putting weight on his leg. 

Trent in the falls (& Derick) 

Steve with the camera 

Kelsey took our picture to prove we were here! 

and then there was Eddie...not just Eddie....Eddie Thomas.  Eddie has a great life! In Eddie's former life he was a CPR dummy.  He has retired to a life of quading.  Let me just explain a bit. Daren's friend has a razor 2 person side by side that he rides and they thought he looked lonely riding so they got Eddie to co-pilot with him.  So Daren brought Eddie along on our quad trip...he makes a lot of friends.  We would move him around our campsite...as to "freak" out other campers...it worked!  As a matter of fact, we had some cabins next to us and the girl that was staying there was always wondering where he was ..she was sure he would show up at their cabin in the night....they loved him.  One day they drug there daughter over to have a photo op with Eddie...She wasn't so impressed but we got a good laugh out of it. When they were leaving they had us bring Eddie over so they could get a family picture with him!!!  Tooo Funny!!!  Oh and then there was the maintenance man that really liked Eddie....he even gave Eddie a ride in the golf cart.  We think Eddie needs his own blog...wouldn't that be great, you could check into Eddie's where about! 

So Kelly, Dakota, Trent and myself took a couple days off of riding to do some hiking to see some of the near by falls.... 

one of my favorites! 

Dirty faced Troy ...lunch on the trail!!

in front of the Wandering Wheels sign.  I believe there was 15 of us...when we roll into town you know it!! 

We also do a t-shirt auction for fun. We end up with a shirt for that day of riding. 

here is grandma's shirt.....perfect for her??

Daren & Craig's shirts were a wee bit small...

Kristi is the owner of the trophy for the year and Troy is wearing her shirt! 

Look away if you are squeamish

Craig had to make a few modifications

I only had to pay him a $1 

It's so wrong!!!!

Proud moment for Kristi

Mike mods his too!

What you can't see is he tied 2 pieces in back...like a maternity shirt.

Autrain point or as the locals call it...Pair-o-dice

It is beautiful and so much fun to swim and play around!

even G-pa went swimming!

Taking Steve and G-ma for a walk around Autrain Point.

It was kind of a field trip for the aged and the crippled!

Steve was "icing" his foot in Lake Superior

the boys climbed up on a point

I believe it is David & Troy??

2 little mermaids washed up on a rock....

When we came back to leave we had a flat tire on one of the quads.. some nice gentleman had a air pump in the back of his van...which went flat again..he had a tire repair kit in his van and fixed the tire...totally a God thing!!!  Yes, that's Daren in a swimsuit and boots!

joanne cooking 2 lbs of bacon in her "kitchen".

Craig & Kristi  also invested in a cargo trailer.

"Quad Cribs"

The Wilson's Crib

Praying for safe travels

On another day Kelly, Dakota, Trent & Myself hiked some more waterfalls

Which we excited to get to till we realized we went there last year...Oops!  I guess we didn't know the name of the waterfall last year!  Well it was a fun hike anyway!

our lunch room!

or as I called it "Laughing Trout Falls"...well, I knew it was some kind of fish name!

It was kind of dried up...

after a long day we made a stop at DQ

Cooking mushrooms over the campfire

campfires are fun!!!

prayer for our journeys home

one thing I didn't get a picture of were the adults eating at the Dogpatch....I think Bonnie has a picture, I need to get it from her and add it to the blog!

Hope you enjoyed our vacation!!!