Bye to a friend

Hello,

Yesterday Leroy had the Toyota out and about. Just as he pulled in the driveway it started to make funny noises. When he checked the oil he found it almost gone. Putting more oil in did not solve the problem. It is a 1990 so it seemed prudent to pass it on rather than spend more money on it. The junk man gave us money for it and he will collect it tomorrow.

Leroy feels bad about losing the car. He had become quite attached to it. Both of us liked some features on it better than we like the “new” car that is 2004 so not really new at all anymore. One good thing we did not have to have it towed when it quit functioning. One bad thing we had talked about selling it earlier, but decided to wait a little while. We could have gotten a little more money had we decided to sell earlier, but then if we had known that it died soon after we would have felt guilty and responsible so we were spared those feelings. What should I do with all of the bags that I had stashed in the car to use when I went to the store? Will we get another car and then I might want them back?

At the moment we plan to have one car. After all we do not drive everyday and we can discuss the possibilities ahead of time if we each need to go some longer distance.

Tomorrow I will take Leroy to Council Bluffs. After fussing with his packing he has managed to get all in a backpack that he used in Slovakia. The tent and sleeping bag are tied to the bag. The Register carries baggage in two or three semis. They throw it out on the ground. The hardest part might be finding your bag in the pile. Leroy can take it on his back, but he is hoping for a short distance to transport it. The bag is heavy so he will have to walk the bike. He is strong; he can do it. Leroy said, “Some of the rest of the bike riders from Chariton are a little worried about me since I am so much older than they are.” I figure that 60 is a young age and he can do it. Many other people go with support teams and they carry the baggage to the area that they will spend the night. The bike riders just get themselves there. So Leroy will have to work harder than some.

Paula