BACK HOME IN LAKE HAVASU

We pulled out of the Yuma Fairgrounds around 9am, heading north on Hwy 95. Patty rode with Nancy, trying to spend as much time with her as possible, before saying so long. We stopped in Quartzsite for fuel, and the necessary chore of emptying the holding tanks, before continuing on to Lake Havasu. We stopped on the south side of town, where I snapped this picture of Nancy and Patty, and where we said goodbye. We vowed to not allow this wonderful friendship lapse into dormancy, as it had for many years.

When we first met Nancy back in the 1980's, she had just met a friend of ours, and as their relationship grew, he asked her to marry him. Coincidentally, at about the same time, the 4 of us were planning a Caribbean Cruise with a group of friends, led by the former owners of Modesto Harley-Davidson. At some point, the idea of Nancy getting married on the cruise became a focal point, and as a result, I arranged for a minister to come aboard the ship before we left Miami. Even though it was an informal wedding, with Harley T-shirts as the official garb, Patty and I were proud to stand next to our friends as the best man, and matron of honor.

As the years passed, we all became even closer friends, spending time together on motorcycle rides, and at each others homes. We often commented to each other, that Nancy was the best thing that ever happened to Jimmy, and Patty and Nancy became best buddies. Unfortunately, when that marriage ended, as often happens, we drifted apart, eventually losing touch with each other. When the reconnection occurred via Facebook, the wheels were set in motion for Nancy to visit us here in Arizona, in her new RV.

After spending the last week with Nancy, it was like there was never a gap in our friendship. When we caught up with all that has happened in our lives, there was lots of fun and laughter, and a new adventurous spirit. The past week has flown by, and it was with a lot of sadness that we said goodbye to Nancy yesterday. We promised each other that we would stay in touch, and that we would never let future circumstances pull us in different directions.