Friends

Friends, if you couldn't tell already are very important to us. Gordon (left) and Rik (right) are two more very important people in our lives. Unfortunately this picture is missing our very good friend Todd Green. He didn't make this particular trip. I will be sure to get some good photos with him this next week.

Here is Rik with his wonderful wife Jamie. We love you guys!

Happy Birthday DAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER!!!

Today my brother, Daniel is 28 years old. He has one final left before he receives his Bachelors's Degree in Construction Management. He will be walking on Friday and only a few days later, he and his wife Sarah will be joining us in St. Croix for the New Year.

YosemiteRide 2004

Check out the sexy line! This was the line up of bikes on our third annual street bike ride. In 2002 we started a tradition of going on a multi day ride with nothing more than we can strap to the back of the bike. Year one took us to Yellowstone National Park. Year two found us at the Grand Canyon. I fear that I may have lost any pictures for those two trips with my last computer. This line includes Aaron's Honda Shadow, Dan's Yamaha Warrior, Ryan's Buell White Lightning and my Yamaha V-Max.

This was the third year. My brother in law Dan rode his recently purchased Yamaha Warrior as far as Winnemuca where he joined up with my brother in law Ryan and our close friend Aaron. From there they rode on to Reno where I met them. We went on to my house for the night and enjoyed watching Christi perform (pregnant with Calvin) in a play in old town Sacramento. She was great. One of our primary destinations on this trip included Yosemite.

On this trip Dan seemed to think that
pretty much everything was better done with one leg up.

Dan may be big and tough but he has a softer side to him.

These are three of my very best friends. I'd do anything for them and trust them with everything thats important to me.No one is above law Dan!




After riding through Yosemite we found ourselves in the dark and freezing as we tried to find a place to camp. Finally we settled on this spot. Kind of a typical looking camp site for us. We seem to have difficulty setting up camp before dark so we end up with this sort of thing.

We always try to find and explore old abandoned buildings on our rides. This was on the way to Tahoe from Yosemite.

Aaron seems to like these poses. He's so cute!

Dan

Ryan

The boys overlooking Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe

Our trips last stop was Virginia City, Nevada. This was a very old famous cemetery on the outskirts of town.

Santa Claus Came To Town

Tonight was the ward Christmas party. Christi was the narrator of nativity show. During dessert we had the pleasure of a "special guest". In this first photo Calvin is asking Santa for a pony for Christmas. Santa's helper then asked well what color pony do you want? Calvin responded "blue". Santa says O.K. and Calvin immediately turns and asks mama "...well where is the pony. I want it now."



Oliver is really unsure of this whole thing.




He finally gave in and I think he was pleased with the results.



He got away with a sucker, that pretty much made Santa a good guy.

Winnemuca Rides

It has been a few years since our first trip to Winnemuca, Nevada. I think it was in 2004 that I met Ryan and Aaron in Winnemuca to go riding. We figured it to be about half way. Turns out it is about 60 miles further for the Utah boys.


Aaron always enjoys a good wedding picture pose.



A couple bros.




You'd almost think I knew what I was doing.



As it turned out this was the first trip of many. Dan and I met less than a year later and rode the area. Christi was pregnant with Calvin but came as did Sarah.

Pink Eye?

Oliver seemed to get some sort of an eye infection while we were in Idaho. When it seemed only a day or so after our return Calvin appeared to have the same thing. Then it turned pink and swollen. We were worried that he had pink eye. Fortunately it went away in only two days and no one else was infected.



Here Calvin has almost recovered from his eye infection and his left eye has almost recovered from the black eye that his cousin Joel gave him.


Christi fell sick just after Calvin got better. She was incredible managing the family while ill. I have had to work from 6:00 am untill about 7:00pm all week.

The Polar Express

All Aboard!!! Today we got to ride the Poloar Express to the North Poll. Regretfully we didn't get a shot of the outside of the train. We boarded in Old Sacramento onto some vintage coaches that were being pulled by a genuine steam engine. It was neat with dancing waiters serving cookies and hot chocolate and the hobo that rides on top walking through the train.


Once we reached the North Pole Santa boarded and gave every kid a sleigh bell.



Oliver was very impressed with his present.


Even the conductor stamped a special message on our tickets.

Grampy

Does this look like anyone you know?

Richard Bastian

It has been quite a trip the last few weeks. After driving the family out to Utah for thanksgiving we found ourselves hurrying to get ready to drive up to Oregon where my Dad was to be for another couple of days. We drove through Klamath Falls to visit an old fraternity brother of my Dad. Oregon was experiencing a very heavy wind and rain storm keeping us inside for the whole visit. During our stay we found out that Christi's uncle Richard Bastian died. Our trip then took a turn to Idaho to attend the funeral services.

Oliver and Ammon enjoying the fire engine.


Grandpa reading stories with Calvin.


Ammon is so so so patient and tolerant with these two.


At the burial Calvin found his Grandpa's toombstone.

Oliver does his best to offer support.

The picture didn't turn out too good but I was able to stand in the middle of I80 for as long as I wanted. This was our trip home. We watched a car slide into a big rig and big rigs just spin there chained tires trying to go up the hill. It was quite a mess. Good thing we recently put new tires on the Suburban.