Campint Trip!!!

So I got up early again, like at 7. I made some french toast and then me and Marissa and Ana drove all the way to San Antonio. It was actually a pretty quick trip. Ana is going to Eaurope as a graduation pressent. She studied speach therapy and plans to go to one year of grad school to get her degree in costa rica...lucky. Then me and Marissa drove home and that was fun.

Once I got back I put everything in a higher gear. Started to get my stuff ready for the camping trip. I started to pack and get everything ready. I am going to gardner state park and apparently its a really nice place. Then I went ot pick up Edy and Jake came over after work to shower. We ate dinner and then took offWe drove a long ways all the way to pfluversville, Texas, but not before getting lost and going in the middle of no where. If we would have found a little kid walking with a doll or something we would have crapped in our pants and died of a heart attack, it was that scarry out there. There were only dry corn fields and bushes that were encroaching the woods. There was absolutely nothing out there and we knew were were going the wrong way, especially when we found out we were at "Fuchs Grove"...yea, it was that weird. But we crashed and slept good at Edy´s Uncle, Derik´s house. Its a nice house in the middle of no where, a little subdevision. We slept hard but short cause we had to get up again soon haha

So we took off int he morning and had to use old school maps. We ate a little breakfast and that was fun. And then we had to drive through Austin again and we descided to round off san antonio and then we got closer and closer and then we got lost in this one small town because edy said to go strait and we went off the map into this guetto village place and he said keep going trust me and then we got through this bridge over water into a dead end. Thanks. But Jake found it. we finally found gardner state park and then we descided to get some food. Edy said he knew of this place that was a little off. Well Edy gave us another huge detuer with him saying, tust me guys its over here I swear, when I thought we should have gone in the other road that was approaching a small town. Well we finally do turn around and we find th eplace. What do you know.

Then we have tog et in line to get our reservations and we made it to the camp ground. Pretty modest little spot with a fire spot, a bench, a trash pole and a water faucet. Yea. So we first piched tent which turned out to be pretty easy and then we went to the lake.

We were dying to see this sign
...especialy with Edy directing

THen we went to the lake. We were there for about four hours and it was a bunch of fun. THe water was vey low because there was no rain in like forever. The water was warm and it was shallow enough that you could touch the rocks at most places with your feet. Me and Ed had fun witht his really high rope swing. Edy coudlnt get enough. Then we watched some guys climb these trees super high and then jump down. Two kids did back flips off of them. Tjhere was this one guy who went up there and then sat there at the top for a while. THen he turned around to moon everyone and then let go after everyone started to laugh at his white butt and he landed hard on his back. It was pretty entertaining I must admit. THen we met some girls that lived in Sheperd, Texas and most of them were ging to A&M and that was cool talking to their fun experiences at the park. THen we took off ourselves back to our palce. Edy made a fire becuase he was persistant that he needed to make one. We said wait till alter, but he said he rather have the hot embers so when we came back we could just wiff them up and have a blaz. That was until some random dude told us to put out the fire because park people were making their rounds looking for fires. So Edy had to put it out...so much for that.

Our Tent

Dont tell me you didnt want to see random trees

We ate a little and we had a good time talking. Then we dressed to go dancing. And this is where it got fun. We left at 9:15ish and got there and went in at 9:30. There were a lot of people, a LOT OF PEAOPLE. We wer elucky to find a quick place to park. We went in and took a few scans of the place. Tons of girls. I ran into this one girl who was all out texan. Started to talk to her and I told her things about Michigan and bla bla bla and then she was like, so you dont know the two-step? No I dont...well, let me show you! Ok! Haha, so she took me out and she showed it to me and it was a lot of fun. The next thing you know I was all over the dance floor nailing that Two-Step down. It was awesome.

About to get our groove goin

The rest of the night we just hung out at the tent and talked about good times. It was already really late by this time so we were exausted. But the weather was much nicer and dang it was a good bonding time. The next morning had to get up at 8 and get ready to leave. We cleaned up everything and tore down the tent and then we left for Corpus. The ride back was a lot smoother and then I went to work. it was great considering the last time I had a ligit shower not inculding the river was 2 days ago. But it was awesome and so was the game. Yea, it was great, great trip. about 800 miles in two days. Want to go again.

Too early to get up...and who´s fault is that??

Honda Shadow

Me and Austin, now that we were done with our Saft course, went to get out liscnece. We got to the DPS at 10:50am. We were there till 1:50pm. I finally took my test, and after a 3hour wait and a 5minute test, I passed easily with 14/16 and Arce failed...and he was pissed. He punched the door open hard and threw his white ockleys on the pavement, smashed them with his foot, and kicked them away. He was pissed. I dropped him off and went to see Edy. But Ihad my licence. No more of this 89, 92 crap. Because 89 made it and apparently 92 isnt good enough. Arce said he got hard questions. I told him out of allt eh questeions, one was covered in the class and one was in the book that I read. THe rest I had to figure out by thinking what a stupid person would do. And I made it through easily. But whatever, I thought it was pretty funny.

I finally got a the phone number for a Bike in Taft that I was looking at. He gets out of work at 7:30. He lives in taft. Wife knows nothing aboutthe bike. One other person interested. I told her that I would call when I got to taft and we would meet up. I wanted to check out the bike and planed to ride it to see how solid it was and I would hopefully have the money. So I was really excited and Edy was too. I talked to Austin about it and tomorrow I will go with him and his dad.

Tuesday I went to check out the 1987 Suzuki Intruder in taft. I was able to get Mr Arce to help me out. He was willing to take a look at the bike as well and drive it back if I bought it. Arce finally got his liscence that moring so we went to CCmotoplaza to check things out, usless stuff that we didnt need. Then Me and arce and covey went to Mr Arce´s job in portland and met this woman who was a big michigan fan. The plan was to meet with the woman and her husband, at 7pm. We went to Mr Arce´s old house and met his other. She lived in a tiny house with no air conditioning and next to a corn field with an our house. She made us some great eggs and it was really good. Thenw e went over the block were the guy lived. I jumped out of the car super excited. There was the family, pretty lame family outside all waiting to see us come. The bike was there...it looked a little beat up and the battery was pluggd into a power cord, which was not a good sign. It looked really old and worn down, like it had been just sitting there forever. He said we might have some problems starting it, and sure enough we had to push it to get it to start. Not a good sign. But Dang, it was loud! Loud as heck! Haha wow! I havent heard something so loud and mean in forever! I really liked the sound, even though the pipes were small and stock.

Mr Arce drove it first and said the brakes werent really good and that I had to down shift. Well, they were terrible, the front ones didnt work at all! I ahd to sweaze both as hard as possible and downshift fully and it still wouldnt work! Terrible. But, oh, what the feeling, it was incredible! Nothing better than just giving it some smooth gas and just cruzing at 20-30mph and just feeling the freadom! It was outstanding! THe seat was so comfortable and it just felt so so good to be going, with the noise and the breeze and the handlebars, I just felt at home on that bike, truely did. Unfortunately the bike had way to many problems, and we would have had to change the carbinators, drain the fuel and refuel, work on the starter, get a new battery, and maybe replace the entire front brake system. So in the end, it would cost me more to repare than to buy it. That was the estimation. So after everyone was telling me to get the bike with loud enthusiasm and build it up and fix it and make it my own, everyone was shouting not to get it. So I didnt and left. And I was disappointed, I wont lie. The add said it works great and I was lied and dissapointed. I was let down. The guys said to be of good cheer. Another bike would show up soon.

Well we were driving down Crosstown south and we see a bike shop that Mr Arce knows off adn we stopped buy to see if the guy had a bike for me. The guy was real shaddy and plump int he middle and a fast talker. He was testing this sports bike and came by really fast and then blasted the front brakes and did a manuel and then landed hard. The dude was insane. He showed us this nice Honda Shadow, 1999.

It was his friend´s bike but he had to go back to mexico and said after 6 months he could have it. All it had was a starter and a refuel thingy that needed to be installed and it would work fine. It was a beautiful bike. I did like it; the brakes worked. It didnt have a sissy bar but it looked like a nice ride and the crome and engine looked outstanding. So we talked to the guy a little and austin was super enthusiastic of the bike, telling me to buy it right now before the other guy who is interested gets it. Casey looked up the parts and said they were cheap and accesible. But I was uncomfortable buying a bike that I hadnt even tested yet. Arce said to get it. Casey said to get it. But I was unsure. Then I saw the title and sure enough, the signature was the mexican man´s but not this Andrew guy, so he couldnt legally sell it. He told me he could get the mexican to sign it but it was shaddy, way to shady. To easy to forge,a dn if we got caught, well then I would be out $1500 dollars and no bike. I twould suck. Mr Arce said not to take a chance. Then Casey and Austin said no way. They change their minds too much, unstable haha. Again let down.

We went to their house and I was exausted. I had done so much. I just lied there on the bean bag behind the couach listening to Mr arce chatter and watcghint the NBA game and Austin was on the computor looking for bikes for sale within my price range online in texas. I was so tired. We found some nice looking ones but I dont know. I was tired and left like at 11:30. It was a long day. That night all I could do was dream bikes.

I woke up Weds morning and Casey sent me 3 bikes on Facebook to look at. They were on the San antionio craigslist and 2 of them looked alright but th elast one looked really nice. It was a 1984 Honda Shadow VT700 and it was only for $1500 and was the style and year that I wanted. It looked promising. SO I sent him an emial and I got a call back at 1:30 while I was at work from the guy saying the the bike was still up, that two others wanted it and one lady couldnt come up with the money by the weekend so it would be ok if I came to see it then. I was excited- I think we hit something here. I visted edy and we talked about what we could do with them bike. If I wanted it, I would have to strike now. I had work at noon thursday and friday but at 10 on saturday, so I would have to go Friday. I slept there at Edy´s house and all night I dreamed about bikes again. It was nuts.

So I called the man back on Thursday, around the time he called me the day before. he said everything works great and answered all my questions. Seems liek the only thing I might have to change is the front tire and work a little on the crome, but besides that it runs, never has been in storage, and title is clear (thank God!) and it works! (Another plus!) Essentially I found a bike here that is just what I wanted, legally stable, and works, all for Under 2grand, wich is amazing! So I told him I would like to come by tomorrow morning to make sure that I get it before it sells. Sunday was too far away and I didnt want to take the chance. I asked him to meet at 8amish and he said it would work. He lives by hondo, Texas, which is west of san antonio, and I looked it up and it was estimated 3 hours 20 minutes(!) which is much longer than san antonio. SO me and Ed will hve to get up like at 4 or something, earlier than expected. THis is way too cool.

2009
Friday, June 12

So I went to bed at 1:30 at Edy´s. We got up at 4 and We took off at 4:26am and it was nice and dark. We couldnt see anything. But we drove and drove and got breakfast and me and Ed had a good time talking. Finally it was getting blue and some light was comming in. As we approached we got on the small back roads and it was beautiful. Tons of wonderful land with hills and farm lands and cows and it was just so nice and pleasant. I couldnt wait to ride back ont he bike with this seanery!

As we got close I called him up in Hondo. He said to keep going a while and find his white house with blue trim and a orange jeep int he middle of no where. So we kept going and finally after stopping at 2 random houses we found it. And there she was, the bike in all her glory.

THe guy was realy ncie and very honest. He didnt mind us inspecting everything and letting me take it for a spin. Now remember, I hadnt been over 3rd gear yet, so I was really exited

when I got it rolling and got into 2nd, took the left turn real smooth and gave it the gas, and then again, and made it to 4th gear, and I was going so fast! It was awesome!...until I realized I was only going 30mph...yea, this drive is going to be long, very long, haha. I came back around and sure enough 35 felt like I was going 65. This was going to be an exerpeince. Well everything looked good and Edy and his dad liekd it a lot and so I bought it and got the title and everything. There are a lot of rusty spots but that shouldnt be too hard to clean. Battery a bit old and maybe a new oil change. The front tire needs to be changed soon. And some of the indicator lights are out. But I got the title and the owners manuel and I was all set! I couldnt beleive it; I had a bike, I had a bike...

We took off and stopped close by. It was such a cool feeling not only riding on the road with cars on a bike, but knowing that this bike, this bike was mine. It was my bike. Holy crap I had a bike. Wow! So we stopped and took some pictures and a video and of course during the video the bike wouldnt start and then it kept not starting so I was getting real worried. We had to push it to make it go again and that kinda worried me but I knew we would make it back safe
Well the trip was quite an adventure. I had to get used to the wind beating, but besides that, going along those back roads all by ourselves was really pleasant. I was in front most of the time and they would only get infront when we had to make a turn. The annoying small towns that you have to slow down for where the best part of the whole trip cause I got to go smootand softly and just chill int he slw 40mph parts. It was so cool. It was great, and I loved having my gloves and long sleeve shirt and helmet and aviators on; I felt like a pimp walking throug the gass station to use the resteroom, never have I felt so cool before going to the bathrrom. I filled it up, all $3.58 of it and we kept going. As we got closer we hit more and more traffic until we hit a main highway all the way bak and there was a lot of traffic. And the turcks! Oh, them blasted trucks! They made such a wind vortex it was rediculous! From far back and all the way through, instead of the wind eating you from every which direction (cause I dont have a windsheild), it would all just direct right at me and beat me strait on, even when I passed it. And the fast I went to pass it up, the harder it beat at me. Dang I hat trucks, evil loosers.We got back to the ouskirts of Corpus and that is where it got really enjoyable. All those parts that were one boring and slow were now the most enjoyable parts ever. I got back to Austin´s house and parked it up. Then I went to drop off Edy and his dad, shower, grab some food, and headed strait to work! And that was nuts cause I was exausted but so exited! Oh what a day! Of course Austin and Casey who came in town to watch Blue October made me come by and show them the bike. They loved it. So I slept there that night. I hadnt been home since Thursday morning! It was nuts, and I was so tired. BUt I had a bike, and that is all that matters...

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS POST? COMMENT!

NCAA Tournament! In Kansas City, Missouri!

Monday worked in my philosophy paper till 5:30 am. Got accepted into the sport management program! Which really means I need to knish off here with good grades. Pfff. Tuesday I finished the paper. I did that paper in under 20 hours and half the time I had class or was sleeping. It was on Boethius and how God is the Ultimate Good and thus one, simple, true happiness and all good, and that for man to be happy we must seek God since he is the source of all that. Very interesting paper at about 2500 words. Yeah, yeah!

Wendsday I was running all over the place, literally running from teh bank to the class room to this that and crisler and the office and back to SQouad, everywhere. Then I went I Rina's house with mark and brad and Bethany to make Alex'a cake and that was a bunch of fun at her house especially talking to her awesome mom about everything from basetball an Spanish and growing up to relationships and marrage. Then we got back to the dorms and presented alex the cake and he loved it.

And then the trip. Oh that mighty trip. It seemed everyone was dropping out of it too. So all that was left was 2 managers and 2 trainers, but we would make the 12 hour trip and represent well. I stayed up from 9pm Weds night to 3am thursday morning working on stuff I needed to do for classes that I would not be able to do while gone. Then the girls picked me up at 3am and we began the long epic adventure. We stayed at a motel in Independence, Missouri, just outside of Kansas City. The stadium is nice, real nice. I am sure they made Sprint Stadium to attract an NBA team or something, but it looks liek this big alean sphere of glass windows. Oh, asn we got sweet tickets too.






The game was so much fun. First off we were on row 2, and the row in front of us was for big12 media and no one was there, so we were practically the front row. And man did we shout! At the start you could see that we were nervous and scared. But we were able to break their press and make shots and the more we made the more confident we grew until we were outdoing them by a long shot, and so our lead grew. One of the best moments was when their best 3-point shooter elbowed Stu right in the head and got ejected, so it made our cause even more reasonable. But some how the higher seeded Clemson found a way to fight back and I thought we had put it away but we began to play to not win and soonn enought they were within 3 with a minute left and oh the nerve as we finally won! The score does not say much, but we dominated that team almost the entire game.


The game was so much fun. First off we were on row 2, and the row in front of us was for big12 media and no one was there, so we were practically the front row. And man did we shout! At the start you could see that we were nervous and scared. But we were able to break their press and make shots and the more we made the more confident we grew until we were outdoing them by a long shot, and so our lead grew. One of the best moments was when their best 3-point shooter elbowed Stu right in the head and got ejected, so it made our cause even more reasonable. But some how the higher seeded Clemson found a way to fight back and I thought we had put it away but we began to play to not win and soonn enought they were within 3 with a minute left and oh the nerve as we finally won! The score does not say much, but we dominated that team almost the entire game.












That night we were so tired that we all crashed. Friday was pretty chill, mostly involving studying and watching tons of march maddness basketball. We also went to the suberbly nice sheraton where the teamw as staying to chill with our fellow managers.

Price Chopper, only the coolest name
and the coolest grocial store ever

Then saturday came, oh that epic saturday. We packed up everything and then went to waffle house on teh way. Steve being the big drinker that he is was just pounding that stuff down. I thought he would surely stop when he knew when but I guess not. But we didnt find that out till later. He entered the stadium fine so we thought it was all good.


I just remember us fighting hard every step if the way. We finally got up and at the end we were down by 1 at the half. But by the last like 8 minutes things got bad. Steve was going nuts and acting super drunk. We had to keep him in place the whole time and make sure he got to his seat. But then all of assudent something hit him and he got out of hand. He was falling over and touching people he should be and I ended the last 5 minutes with me pinning him down at the glad. Stephanie tried but I took over again and just pinned him down. He had to pee. So I told the usher I had him and I walked up the long stairs to the top with Steve an the usher behind us. He called first aid. It was so embersssing. He peed and the aid dude came. The usher in the red coat was awesome tying to help us but the aid guy said there was nothing he could do and that since he was intoxicated he had to leave but someone ha to be with him a they walked out. So that was me. And yes, I got kicked out of beautiful sprint center with my team down on the floor comming backfrom half time and down by 1.

We walked outside to the power and light center. He was aweful. We sat there an the game was already in a lot. We were down by like 10. It sucked. There as a lot of red in there. And Steve sat there with his head down and everyone was staring at him. Some 40 year olds were pointing at him and laughing and I was getting sick of it. He tried to get up and I had him sit next to me. He wanted to leave but there as no where to go. He looked miserable. Those people were laughing at him so bad especially since we were loosing and even though they wore oklahome I didn't care. I told Steve to sit tight and he said ok as I went over and told them to shut it and told them the situation and showed them my ticket. Then they felt bad and said they wouldn't anymore. Then I hear someone yell "dude he is puking!" and I turned around and he wasn't sitting on the steps anymore. He was stumbling off in the opposite direction puking as he walked. So I ran after him feeling like such a looser.

He ran out of the facility and I stopped him and sat him down. He was right next to the reporters car. Then the lights busters came over and said he couldn't come back it because of the intoxication. That was the game for me. Corn. But whatever. He stayed there puking down the street drain until the reporter lady came by and disgustingly made us move. So we walked over a few yards and we stayed there, him sitting down puking and me there tryig I get wifi on my phone because I remembered I had my app on my iPhone to watch all the games. It took forever to get free wifi but I got it and started to watch the fame but I'd kept clitchig. I saw manny foul out an a few crappy calls. Then it was disconected for good but I could hear on the speakers that of was over. I checked tbc score an we lost Oklahoma by 10, 73-63. So me and Steve tried to walk back to meet the girls. I had to carry him. We were getting heckled and staired at by so many people it was aweful. But I stood strong and helped him through.


We found the girls and they were all mad. We walked back ad the girls said we got ripped so bad from the reffs. It was like 15-5 foul difference with them. They had big 12 reffs and it was stupid. Baaa. Freakin Ant was the high scorer with 1 points. Manny fouled out with 11 a I saw on my phone and peedi had single digets. We were just getting all these garbage calls which ruined our chances.












We found the girls and they were all mad. We walked back ad the girls said we got ripped so bad from the reffs. It was like 15-5 foul difference with them. They had big 12 reffs and it was stupid. Baaa. Freakin Ant was the high scorer with 1 points. Manny fouled out with 11 a I saw on my phone and peedi had single digets. We were just getting all these garbage calls which ruined our chances. We were getting all the calls against us and the NBA Freak of Nature, Blake Griffen was getting everything. Really really annoying. We had them with 6 minutes left, down by 3, and when you look at the box score you asked what happened...the reffs did not alow us to compete. The killed us. We had very little chance with that type of officiating there in the end. I am not saying we would have won but I do know we would have had a chance for the Sweet 16.

We got back in the car, cleaned up steve and took the long ride back home. I was awake for almost the whole trip. But it was good. I got to talk to the girls about my faith and it was wonderful. We got back at 9:15am. I put my stuff down and went to bed. Got up at 1:30pm. I felt real good. Didn't get any homework done. Dawg, what a trip. Will never forget.