GRANDMA'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE

This has been a month of ups and downs for the whole Hardeman clan, including me (Eileen). I’ve heard from many that you still check the blog every couple of days to see if we’ve added to it. Sorry about the long delay, but as you will see we have much to report.

We had a wonderful visit to Salem and held an outstanding Memorial Service for Tom on September 7th. It was similar to the one we had in Dallas, with Walt Edmonds giving a great tribute from a friend. The church provided a lovely buffet lunch in the family room and we stayed for a long time just visiting with friends and family.

The next Sunday West Salem Foursquare Church held a groundbreaking service on their beautiful property up on the hill overlooking the Willamette Valley (actually there were 3 services – 1 Saturday night and 2 Sunday morning. The parking areas were leveled and graveled, and there was a tent for the worship services and 2 tents for Christian Ed. All 3 services were packed out and it was soooooo exciting.


My big news is that following the 1st service on Sunday, I donned leather jacket and chaps, climbed on the back of my son's Harley and rode off into the sun (the sunset didn’t happen for another 6 hours). YES I DID – (I have pictures to prove it)!!!! Tom rode his Harley to Salem from Dallas with Robert, so it was either let him ride home alone (what mother could do that?) or go with him. The fact that I didn’t feel I had anything to lose made the decision easier. If I was ever going to do anything stupid, now was the time.

We went north on Interstate 5 through Portland and crossed the Columbia River to Vancouver. Tom had a map book with out of the way routes Harely recommends. We took Route 14 paralleling the river (we could look across and see I84 with all the trucks and traffic). Route 14 is just 2 lanes and meanders along following the river all the way to Idaho. We stopped for the night in Camas on the Washington/Idaho border.


Monday we took another Harley recommended ride following Highway 12 across northern Idaho along the Clearwater River. It is aptly named – you can see clear through it to the rocky riverbed. Every bend in the road we would see fly fishermen having the time of their lives. It was a magical ride. We stopped Monday night in Butte, Montana. It took me awhile to stretch the kinks out, but we had a nice dinner and I was asleep before dark!! No, not too tired!!!!


Tuesday we angled down through Yellowstone


and followed the Grand Teton’s to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

We stayed at the historic Wort Hotel right on the square, so we could wander over and peruse the famous statue of the cowboy by Bud Boller and take lots of pictures.

Wednesday we backtracked a few miles and cut over 287 to visit Bud and Verna in Dubois. We had lunch with them and visited for a couple of hours, but since we heard the weather was turning bad Thursday we decided to head on over to 80 and spend the night in Rawlins. The problem is that when we rolled in at sunset, there was not a hotel room in the whole town, so we had to head on down 80 in the dark another 90 minutes to Laramie. Mama was not happy sharing that dark, cold road with all those 18 wheelers. That was the night we ordered room service (in Laramie that means Dominos). I was almost asleep before they delivered it.


The next day we followed 25 down through Colorado and the beautiful, scenic part of trip was over. We hit wind and traffic all the way through Colorado and stopped just outside of Amarillo in Dumas on Thursday night.


We got up early and hightailed it into Texas arriving at home about 2:00 p.m. Friday. We shocked Bo, who happened to be in Dallas for the week-end and my Mom who was staying at my house with Casey. I called Bob and Rhonda to tell them I was home and they actually didn’t believe it until they saw my “raccoon tan.”

Everyone has asked me if I was scared and the honest truth is that there were scary moments (when the wind gusts would hit us as we were passing a truck on the highway), but they were few and far between. For the most part it was fun, exciting and sometimes peaceful. I had no responsibilities, didn’t have to tell anyone “how I was doing” and had no decisions to make for almost a week. Who could ask for more? And the bonus is my son made it home safe (what an accomplishment)!
It didn't take long for Bradyn to remind Grandpa of the pleasures of home.

We’ve been home almost two weeks and have begun the process of adjusting to life with Tom in heaven, but me still here on earth (not an easy task). We are all taking it slow and easy, but making some small decisions. We are facing the holidays with trepidation, and I have decided to go to Oregon as usual for Thanksgiving (and Robert’s 50th birthday). Cari’s family and Tom’s family and I will take a cruise over Christmas week (DeeDee and Robert and family cannot get away). We’re heading off to sun and surf and hopefully celebrating Jesus birthday in a new and fresh way.

Well, enough rambling – enjoy the pictures, but I hope God has kept our madcap adventure from Tom. Otherwise, I’m going to get an earful when I get to heaven!!!