Flies Anyone?

Flies Anyone? I have officially - via rolled newspapers and regular arms - burned through 27 fly swatters since starting the tour. Even as I speak, Ding and I duel with swatters and sticky paper to see who shall reign supreme in killing. Thank goodness at least one of our kept beasts enjoys eating these annoying buggers as they buzz our tired heads. Spent yesterday at the Snake compound building shelving for the BFT and organizing all our crap. Had a helluva happy hour at Alibi Aggies inside Snake's garage. Beer and tequilla were flowing, along with war stories about running the road. I feel secure - downright confident, thanks to Slow Mike - that this rally will go well. They are expecting a LOT of folks. Fliers are done but need to be posted. Should have done this today but got a slow start. Headed to Billings tomorrow to see Mom. This will be Ding's first meet of the matriarch and he is preparing accordingly. As a fifth generation Wyomingite, I've told my mom that he will know every last detail of the battlefields and be an excellent guide. She, of course, has done her own homework by reading the best books on the subject. I will sit in the backseat of the one-ton with Bob and Thumper and watch the days unfold. It should be fun. We plan to battlefield for a day, drive into the mountains and hit 9,000 feet for a picnic and then amble around Buffalo before taking our evening drinks and repast at the historic Occidental. Mom is staying the presidential suite where Hoover slept. They assure me the bed is new and the politics have evaporated from the walls. I may have to take tea or a glass of port in her sitting room overlooking the creek. Four days vacation and then back to work. We will be at Branding Iron by Friday and start wrenching immediately. I cannot explain how much we need a break. More soon at the end of the week. As an aside, had a nice visit with Milo at the local newspaper the Rapid City Journal. He writes about everything. We told him our histories with the ink (Don's peeps were in the biz, too) and I offered to write. We'll see. A few pics of the old machinery attached.