A Very Different July 4th 2009

All good things seem to come to an end. Every since I was a small child I have gone to Bussey on
July 4th. Starting in the early 1960's Glen and I rode our horses in the Bussey parade and the
last year was 2008. We rode bicycles with grandkids in two and my little kids even walked one
year and we won first prize of 7 dollars.

I could not face the challenge of riding by myself without my soulmate this year. I choose
another trail. I went to Farmington, Iowa, right next to Shimek State forest equestrain
trails. It is a great horse camp with entertainment(dancing) lots of people I know slightly
and every one is friendly. My friend and I went on Thursday driving our rigs. I had the
great experience of a blowout on the trailer. That was exciting. I was actually crossing a
bridge on highway 63 looking at the back tire on the trailer in the mirror and I saw it
blow out before I heard it. It was almost impossible to find enough room to get off the road
and the traffic was so heavy. I have changed a blow out before on the trailer with Glen in
October and my friend came back and she has done it before as well. We had that changed
in just a few minutes and back on the road. We think we are ready to be in the pits at
Knoxville raceway. We were packing up and a big trailer puller up. The man said they
were going to the rodeo in Bloomfield and did we need help. He said horse people had
to help each other. We thanked him, but we were fine. I just got back on the Road and
Tom Rabideau called me as he met us on the road. I told him he was a lucky fella he did not
have to change a tire. His bride, Tammey, advised me where to buy a spare in Bloomfield
and we had 10 minutes to spare before they closed for the holiday. I got the tire put on for
$23 only in Iowa.