Fast Friends

Bob Baker, Melinda Baker and Ray Baker, feeling at home on the deck. 

Excellent reading choice, Melinda.  You get my vote!

Bill telling a Bill Petzak story about beaver hides, and Ray identifying.  Fuzzy Wuzzy enjoyed it too. 

It's been one HOT night, and I don't even know how high the temperature went around here yesterday.  

I do know, however, that I saw a first as the heat intensified during the late afternoon.

Simply standing and moving only to graze,  my horses were both sopping wet and almost to a lathered stage in their chest, belly and neck areas.  

Needless to say, they also did not complain when I ran the hose over them.

In the midst of the heat, though, we enjoyed a wonderful evening, including a barbecue with our biking visitors.  They'll be spending two nights here at the Lovestead, and, apparently the new-old motor home has fit their needs nicely.

So far two of the trio have reported a good night's sleep and fairly pleasant inside temps, probably more comfortable than our house---which is true.

Anyway, they rolled in yesterday afternoon, made themselves at home, and the rest is history, so to speak.  Took no time for us to get acquainted, and the stories were flying.

Bob and Ray Baker and Ray's wife Melinda have embarked on a biking journey across the northern United States with a goal of reaching the Maine coast sometime in late September. They started their biking journey in Anacortes, Wash.

While Bob and Ray ride, Melinda provides support with their vehicle and by hitting the grocery stores for the makings of picnic lunches.  She also has been recording the trip, both visually and through her journal.  

Bob, originally from North Dakota,  graduated from West Point in 1966 with my brother Mike.  They were in the same company while attending the academy.  Bob made a career of the Army.  

His daughter is also an Army officer.  She has the distinction of being the first-ever female commander of the Corps of Cadets back in the early 1990s. 

Ray graduated from the University of Idaho as a forester, just like their dad. He spent his first years of forestry in Sandpoint working at the Idaho Dept. of Lands for Bill Petzak and Mike Reeb.  

That experience made for instant story telling and lots of laughs between him and Bill.  

Melinda is an RN from North Carolina who loves adventure, and she's definitely with the right people to enjoy it to the fullest.   She kinda likes the mountains of the Northwest. 

Today they'll visit Schweitzer where Ray skied for an entire season back in 1973-74.  I have a feeling Ray may notice some change there, just as he has with Sandpoint.  

They'll also bike along the north shore of Lake Pend Oreille and then go on a dinner cruise. Tomorrow it's back in the saddle and on their way toward the east.

In the meantime, we're enjoying them and glad they chose to hang out here at the Lovestead during their down time. 

Instant friends, for sure, and I have a feeling we'll be keeping in touch.

While they're out having their fun, I figure on taking a few dips in new big blue today and hosing down those horses.

Happy Tuesday.  Stay cool.