Good Morning Everyone. Happy Monday to you all, I’m leaving the post as I wrote it from the road. We left Friday for Rhode Island…we really have to get our old house finished packed and emptied, I so want my bed. So here it is:
Denny and I are still on the road, we are leaving Peoria, Illinois this morn, hopefully we will be home tonight but if not we will be home by Weds. We flew into Chicago last Thursday morning and bought Denny a Valkyrie for his retirement gift. We then decided to make a spur of the moment trip to California to surprise my family.
Denny outside of Chimney Rock
I hope everyone has enjoyed their labor-day weekend and the official close of the summer. I have so enjoyed this last-minute motorcycle trip, even though we didn’t get to California to see my family. The siblings were not behaving for Gel Friday so we turned around at Douglas Wyoming. I do have a surprise though, I did manage to finally meet an author friend we all know Reid Lance Rosenthal. Reid and company were so very kind as to let Denny and I pop in and visit for a wee while, it was a loverly afternoon with Reid feeding me some elk with noodles and vegetables( glad to see he does eat his veggies!) as per his promise( a man of his word he is.) and to my delight as well. As well as the best fruit salad I have ever eaten in my life, it was so good and everything was so ripe especially the plums and melon. It must have been Kismet because he had peppermint ice tea too, one of my favorites.
Reid and Zina outside his home in the back yard
Denny and Reid enjoyed talking politics and it’s nice to know we and Reid see eye to eye on many subjects. Reid said ” They should let me be President for one day….by the end of it they would either love me or kill me.” I say that all the time because I feel I could fix some of the things wrong , maybe Reid should run for President and I can be Vice – President
How is this for a campaign picture?
with Denny being in our Cabinet. Reid is very insightful and his knowledge of things going on in this country is well, he’s extremely intelligent that’s what I’ll call it. Some of the things he talked about and things I would like to see changed well…..That’s all the politics I’ll discuss here.
This is the first time I’ve gotten to meet an author outside of a conference setting and it was indeed a great experience. As we were sitting at his table talking about my favorite parts of Maps Of Fate, Reid looked out the window and drew our attention to a bobcat strolling through his yard and past his deck area. It was so cool to see and I managed to get a picture with the phone, it’s not very good and it’s of its back-end but it is what it is a butt shot. 
We also saw lots of antelope but no pictures of them I’m afraid, most of my pictures from this trip I took with my camera going between 65 and 85 mph from the back of the motorcycle. I even did some texting and email checking with a death grip on my phone. Reid gave Denny and I his book Land For Love And Money, which I had been thinking about picking up a few days before seeing Reid. Generous man that he is he also sent with me a copy of Threads West and Maps of Fate to giveaway on the blog, so look for that later this year. Here are more pictures from our trip, enjoy!
If you look close at the pics of Reid and I you will see my arms were sunburned…yeah forgot the sunblock the first 3 days and my arms went numb they hurt so bad from the burn.
This is me after 3 days on the bike, my tushy hurt so bad as well as the sunburn on my arms.
First look at Chimney Rock as we drove by.
Cute British/Canadian guy and his dog Max, took the pic for Stephanie.
Senic View
Some really cool formations in Wyoming
Can you see the wee plant growing on top?
We spotted a rainbow leaving Wyoming.
Then the further down the road we went we were treated to some beautiful rainbows on the other side of the road that was connected to the wee small one you see here. 
if you look close you’ll see it was a double rainbow. 
Zina with her Willie Nelson braids when we stopped at Chimney Rock on the way back home.
Yes, a truck stop had my favorite game…Monster Madness…I placed 5th here and first at another truck stop.
Gloaming the night before we arrived home, these were in Illinois or Indiana.
I really enjoy traveling this great country, seeing all the different areas of our majestic land and my visit with Reid. Hope you all enjoyed the pictures.
Oh and before I forget, on our way out west Denny and I stopped in Tiffin, Iowa at a wee little place called Jon’s Ice Cream Store and Restaurant. Denny thinks it was Joe’s but when I looked it up online it said Jon’s. We had the best BLT sandwich I’ve ever had with the best, reddest and juiciest tomatoes I’ve had on a sandwich. It’s located just off I – 80 if you ever go that way in the summertime when the maters are fresh.
We didn’t get to stop at John Wayne’s Birth Place which is in Winterset Iowa…..ah the duke, I love that man – the embodiment of the West and I did enjoy my stop there 9 years ago.
Guess what???? it’s later this year!!!! I did something unbelievable on the back of Denny’s motorcycle and if you can guess what is I will send you the copies of Thread’s West and Maps of Fate that Reid gave me to give away.
If more than one guess correctly I’ll draw from those guessing correctly. 
S Seawitch
I hope you were not doing ‘wheelies’ on the back of the bike.
Such a fabulous trip. Loved the photos thank you.
Did you do the unthinkable and doze off Zina ?
Love the pictures and those glorious rainbows. Thanks for the chance Zina.
I so want to read that book. I’m glad you got to meet and dine with him.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com
Looks like y’all are having a large time, Zina! Funny that you got his dogs name & not the cute British/Canadian guys name..:)
Kudos to you for riding a bike like that! You’re a wonder, Woman.
I think you’re amazing for texting & checking your email from the back of the bike but did you take a nap? Maybe Denny strapped you to him?
Nice bike BTW….I’m sure Denny’s over the moon about it!
What a fun trip story. I feel as though i went along with you! I’ve never been on a motorcycle but I’ll bet it’s really exhilarating! Now, be sure to wear your helmets, Children!
I’m looking forward to reading Mr. Rosenthal’s novels. I’ve always been interested in stories of how the West was settled.
Your trip souns like you had alot of fun, and the pictures are beutiful. Loved your stories and your talk with Reid Rosenthal, one of my favorite authors that I follow-have alot of his books for i send care packages to soldiers and so I don’t need to bbe included in the drawing…I totally agree he should be president for he’d get the job done…I tutor a few students that have been reading his books and also like his radio shows and they can’t wait to vote(first time voters) when I introduce them to Reid’s books they were excited to have something new other then a text book in history now the 2 books are part of the history class at the school. All the kids thought i knew him personally and i don’t would like to met him but haven’t had the chance but yu just never know—anyways, have a nice monday!
Awesome post Zina ~ best wishes getting your bed home. You two have been getting cozy, huh
The motorcycle ride sounds fabulous, what a way to really experience the country. I’m envious, and yah that would have been me forgetting the sunscreen…watch for skin cancer in the future, I have to.
Hummmmmmm, what did you do…I think you changed your top while riding with Denny. The cell phone/texting thing was tough enough, but if that didn’t phase you then I think you put on something for your arms…
Take care and keep giving us inspiration in life
Did you flash a semi? Naughty Zina ; )
Love the Valkyrie, I have always been a fan of the look of them.
You fell asleep.
My husband talks about getting a motorcycle every so often. I keep telling him no. He had a Vespa motor scooter when he was in college and loved it. but that was a long time ago. The only time I went on a trip on a motorbike, we had an accident. Not serious, but I am not anxious to try it again.
Glad your trip was dotted with special things. Will be looking for that BLT if we ever get back out that way.
I’m thinking one of three things…..you either fell asleep, changed clothes, or read a book. I’m hoping it was read a book because that would make you my idol, LOL! I have the biggest smile on my face after reading this post. You had one hell of a trip and I would love to be able to do that one day, and on the back of a bike too. What a wonderful adventure being able to meet Reid. He sounded like the most down to earth, unique, individual in his visits here and I’m truly happy for you that y’all got to meet up with him. Beautiful pictures of the countryside and the rainbows. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Great post, Zina, and really wonderful you got to meet Lance. I’m going to guess that you stood up on the seat while Denny was driving – sounds pretty wild, but I see the daredevil in you.
Zina–
Been tied up with ranch stuff and buried in Book 3–working hard to make a pre Christmas release happen
…it was a pleasure and a big , fun surprise to meet you and Denny. Glad we solved all the world’s problems–and delighted you were partial to the elk and the fruit salad 
. Not to mention the bob cat–another rare mid day treat–and great butt shot, Zina. I am laughing. And, for all you great followers of Zina’s terrific blog–thanks for the comments–and hope you you do indeed get the chance to open the covers and meet the characters that live in the pages of the Threads West series, Connie and Carol! And Carole–you keep on inspiring those kids with these historical tales of us–because it is indeed our story.
Hello Everyone
All great answers, I didn’t want to jump on and answer every comment so I waited a few days. Hey Reid, thanks for popping in and feeding this tired woman when we arrived. So looking forward to the next book.
Z