We got back from the motorcycle trip last Sunday evening, but it has been a horrendous week of trying to play catch-up with everything. Yesterday was the first day I felt normal from the time zone changes. Hubby got sick the last day of vacation. It was some sort of horrible virus in his chest. He has spent the entire week at home sick as a dog. I’ve really never seen him so ill. I was worried it might turn into pneumonia, but, of course, he wouldn’t go see a practitioner. Yesterday he tried to go into the office, but the walk out to his car was almost too much for him, so he waited 20 minutes and walked back to the house (about 75 feet). Today, I drove him to Costco and I think he is done in for the day. At least he is able to carry on a conversation now. Nobody could talk to him for five days.

Anyway, the trip motorcycling through the Alps was FANTASTIC! We traveled through five countries. I felt like I was on one continuous amusement park ride for six straight days. The first two days were pretty scary. Hubby was getting used to the bike and learning how to drive all the hairpin turns up and down the mountains. He dumped the bike on the first day while making a slow turn, luckily we weren’t hurt, and there was just a little scraping on the bike. (Though it didn’t do much for my confidence.) By the third day we were settled in and riding like pros. We’d go up one mountain, and down. Then up another mountain, and down. I got the hang of taking photographs while riding….and not needing to hang on to the bike. We were in a group of 27 folks (20 bikes) plus the tour guides, who were three wonderful, patient German and Austrian men. We made some new friends. The others tourers were from Boston, a couple cities in Texas, Orlando, Pennsylvania, and a twosome from Edmonton, Alberta.

Besides the riding, of course, were the food and beer. The food is just as wonderful as I remember from 25 years ago. For the most part, when given a choice, I chose the beneficial or neutral foods. In fact, I had a marvelous venison stew for lunch one day. Had goulash soup a couple other days. There were a few evening meals when the hotel only served one entrée, and it would be pork. I didn’t stress. I ate. A buffet breakfast was always provided at the hotels. As the days progressed, my choices digressed. There were all sorts of meats and cheeses and copious semmel rolls (sigh). I ate.

And, I think hubby and I tried to drink all the beer in Europe. Probably no less than three half-liters per evening. You can’t get beer like that in the States. No way. We hardly ever have a beer at home. It was all good.

And the best part is….. I only gained two pounds! (One of which is gone already.)

As our friend Edna would say, “Woo-huuu”!