BEST FRIENDS

It was about 25 years ago, that we first met Nancy, when she started dating a friend of ours. Their relationship progressed, and we became good friends, even though we lived in Jamestown, CA, and Nancy lived in Merced, CA. We got to know Nancy much better during countless Harley rides, and many social events. Later, when about 20 of us were planning a Caribbean Cruise out of Miami, Nancy & Jim decided that their relationship had progressed to the point of marriage, and inquired about a possible ceremony on the cruise ship. I made the simple arrangements for a minister to meet us, and when we all boarded the cruise ship, we stood with our friends as they got married. The next week was a big party, as we cruised around the Caribbean.

During the next several years, we did a lot together, including a trip to the Sturgis, SD motorcycle rally in 1986. It was during that trip, Nancy and Patty were always looking in antique stores, and trying to figure out ways to get some of their discoveries back to CA on the motorcycle trailer. Needless to say, there wasn't any extra room for those large items, but they did manage to find several smaller things that found their way into the trunk of the Cadillac.

After I had retired from the CHP, and started working for Modesto Harley-Davidson, our lives began to drift apart. In the mid 90's, about the time we built & opened Jamestown Harley-Davidson, we got word that Nancy & Jim had split up. During the next 15 years, we only had occasional contact with Nancy, and Jim completely disappeared from our lives.

Last year, the electronic age played a role in the reunitement of Nancy and Patty. Even though I have a Facebook page, and am not at all an active participant, it became the catalyst for this lost friendship to be reconnected. When Patty started her trip to Greece last year, she and Nancy met for dinner in CA, and the lost years disappeared almost instantly. Nancy purchased a new 5th wheel RV, and joined us in early March, for the Gypsy Journal Rally in Yuma, AZ, and is wrapping up her 10 days with us here at the Grand Canyon.

Good friendships are often hard to find, and in watching these two together, it's not hard to see that they are indeed buddies, who share a lot of the same interests. They are already talking about a trip to Hawaii next year, and there are probably other adventures in their heads that I don't even know about. This morning, they're off to Cameron, in search of that perfect piece of illusive Navajo Jewelry, which is sitting somewhere with their name on it.