He made the record, but...

Heart of Michigan passed tech inspection for an alternative source motorcycle. Michael made four runs and gained 4 mph on each run. He topped at 95 mph. Michael made the fastest run on the Bonneville Salt Flats with a rotary engine motorcycle. The bike handled beautifully. However...

Once he went back to tech, the officials changed their minds for the type of motorcycle he was running. Since they changed their minds, they will not allow the record to be official.

They may change their minds back and let the record stick, but until then, I told him that he has to go back next year to make it official.

I will update if the mind changing happens before he leaves.

96 degrees

Michael wondered why his feet were hot. He thought that he needed new shoes. Then he looked at the thermometer. 96 degrees! Even if he has the best shoes, his feet will still be hot at 96 degrees!

They recommend wearing old shoes on the salt. Shoes get ruined, so an old pair gets thrown away at the end of the week.

Michael is waiting for the salt to dry and make it feel more like pavement. The drier the salt, the safer the run. It rained a bunch last Monday, so the salt needs time to dry. Many drivers are making the attempt, but it looks like Tuesday will be his first attempt.

He also did not want to hang out in line for the track in his fifty pound black leather suit (maybe not fifty pounds, but it sure is heavy). He said the other drivers put on their suits, pour a bottle of water in, and zip up. The water keeps them cooler. Hot, wet leather does not sound like a good combination to me!

Michael is also an official red neck! He pours the sun block on, but it melts off and his neck is burning! It is bright red!

I am so glad that Michael is there, but I miss his cooking. For those of you who know me, I do not cook. My three favorite words are "dinner is ready." I have been whining for weeks that I have to cook for two weeks while he is gone. I am a great salad maker, so I have been dining on Farm Market lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, corn on the cob, broccoli, blackberries and peaches. I have had some wonderful dinners, but it is still not the same as Michael's incredible cooking.

More later!

RE 5 Passed Tech Inspection

After a few hour wait, the RE 5 passed tech inspection. Many motorcycles are from professional racing teams and they did not pass inspection. Michael's one little tool box and a few spare parts put him in the running with the big boys! Michael is so excited!

He hopes to make a run tomorrow. Heart of Michigan has a job to do and it had better be fast!!!

More later...

Sheep Bottoms

When Michael told me about the sheep running, I did not hear the part about the sheep bottoms. Along with the running sheep, there were sheep already at the feeding station. It was covered, with small holes for them to feed, so all Michael could see were sheep bottoms sticking out of the holes. He was going too fast to take a picture, so you just have to imagine a feeding station of sheep bottoms.

More tomorrow!

RE 5 at the Salt

Michael was gate guard all day. While Michael was gate guarding, he spent the day watching the dog of one of the race prep men. Buddy the dog spent most of the day in his master's trailer. Michael was not his master, so Buddy did not want to play with him. It also could be the heat. It was 93 degrees a few hours ago.

Michael just told me that the Suzuki RE 5 is at the salt and ready for tech inspection. The RE 5 motorcycle is so rare, that almost everyone who came to the flats stopped to look at it today. Michael said there was always at least 2 or 3 people admiring the bike at the same time. He is ready to race!

More tomorrow. Heat at the Flats and rain in Traverse City, again. There has been so much rain and it has been on Saturday for weeks! Rain rain go away!

I forgot a great story. As Michael was driving through Wyoming, he saw a flock of sheep running full speed ahead. He could not figure out what they were doing until he saw their owner on a tractor, dumping food. They were a long way away, but knew the sound of the tractor meant food and they were going to get it, fast! You had to be there...

He is there!

Michael arrived at the Bonneville Salt Flats an hour ago. He is ready to go to the meetings, get tech inspection over and run the bike!

Official opening is Sunday, so he will have time to see old friends and help the Bubb Racing Team prepare for their record run. He works with them when he is not preparing his motorcycle. They go really, really, really fast - over 300 mph! Too fast for me!

Camping in Cheyenne

Michael is snoozing in Cheyenne at another campground. You know you are out west when you have bbq for dinner at the campground and it is the best dinner in town. He said it was great! The corn on the cob was double the size of Michigan corn. Wonder why?

One more day to Bonneville!

The cows are loose!

Michael is driving through Nebraska. When he looked to the side of the highway, he noticed that the cows were loose. They were eating their way through the corn fields! I wonder how the farmer will react when he notices that they are missing, then finds them with a belly full of corn.

The black and white cows in Iowa are now brown and white cows in Nebraska. What color will the Wyoming cows be?

One more day to Bonneville! More later...

Heart of Michigan

If you cannot see it closely enough, I will explain.
One of Michael's loves is motorcycle racing.
Michael is on his way to the Bonneville Salt Flats
to attempt a world land speed record on this motorcycle.

If you have never seen the World's Fastest Indian, I suggest you rent it.
It is a great movie!
Michael saw this movie and decided to go to Bonneville two years ago,
just to see the events.
He was hooked!
Now he will be one of the racers,
instead of just one of the observers.

The race team is appropriately called Heart of Michigan.

He is in Illinois, eight hours into the trip to Bonneville.
He has two more days to get there.

I will update daily with his progress.

Rumors, rumors, rumors!

Have you heard that the Miss Heart 2010 pageant is
all booked up?

Great story, but NOT TRUE!

Yes, we have already had several ladies
send in their paperwork.

Yes, we have several more who are interested in competing.

However, there is still room for more contestants.

We would love to have you join us.

Who would have thought that you would need
to send in paperwork for a February competition
in August?

I have the $10,000 answer to that question!

Just get your paperwork completed
and you will be on your way!

Miss Bay County

I got to be a judge at Miss Bay County yesterday! It was so much fun! The contestants were amazing, intelligent, beautiful and talented! I was so honored to be a part of the pageant.

Congratulations to Casey Crabtree, crowned Miss Bay County 2010, Alyssa Bedford, First Runner Up and Sydney Learman, Second Runner Up.

I also got to say hello to Angela Venditti as I was leaving. She looked so beautiful in her crown!

There was only one Miss Bay County crowned, so I would love to see the other ladies join us at Miss Heart in February. They can go from an 80 degree pageant day to a below zero pageant day!

Tell you friends what a great experience the Miss pageants are for you. Let's get more ladies involved!

Congrats to Rebecca and Gerrit

As they danced down the aisle,
Rebecca and Gerrit began their new life together as husband and wife.

After a wonderful dinner and great conversation with several guests,
Michael was able to steal them away for a sunset portrait.

Congratulations! We wish you the best!

Mrs. Gerrit Scholten

Congratulations to Miss Rebecca Ransom, Miss Heart 2008,
on her wedding day, August 15!

At 4:30 PM, Rebecca will begin her journey as Mrs. Gerrit Scholten.

Rebecca will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Congratulations to Rebecca and Gerrit!