Rally Ready!!

Yesterday was spent running around getting ready for the rally to start on Thursday.  Is that today??  I've lost track of time!!  Several of our get-togethers will take place here, so Patty and I were instructed to clean the chairs and tables.  Loaded down with a bucket of water, spray cleaner and rags, we spiffed up the place just in time to have the wind come up and redeposit most of what we cleaned.
Isn't that how it goes??

Patty and I made a quick trip to the "antique" stores, finding kitty in his usual position atop the dresser.  He seriously didn't look too happy ... like Grumpy Cat ... but was more than happy to let us pet him.  We got into Santa Cruz just in time to discover the REAL antique store wasn't open until noon.  RATS!!  

That's when I promptly got lost again.  I'm telling you, these streets are a mess.  Whoever designed them must have been on SOMETHING!!  I made a wrong turn ... actually I shouldn't have turned at all ... and it took us another ten minutes to get back on the right road.  

Finally back at the ranch, we waited for the Club President to show up, but found he had been delayed by plumbing problems.  That prompted Patty and I to head BACK to Santa Cruz on our Costco run.  Not that we were looking for it, but practically everything in the Santa Cruz Costco is organic.  I'm pretty sure that means we just paid a little more for our supplies.  At any rate, we loaded up on muffins, eggs and orange juice and drove home.  THIS time, I paid particular attention to where I was going and how to get back!!

While we were gone, three rigs came in a day early, creating havoc in the "how-much-do-I-pay-and-to-whom" department.  That worked up an appetite for Patty, Dan and I, so we escaped for dinner at the Cowboy Bar and Grill in Felton.  This baby greeted us at the door.  Speaking of the door, you should stop in and check out the beautiful hand carved wood and stained glass butterfly double doors.  I'd show a picture, but the door handles were a two foot tall carving of a naked lady cut in half, one half for each door.

The barbecue menu here is a little different, but OH-SO-GOOD!!  We tried the James Gang appetizer, sweet potato patty topped with barbecued chicken, jack cheese and a sweet jalapeño sauce.  You can tell we didn't like it at all!!  BOY that was good!!

Dan ordered the Nasty Ned ... barbecued pork on toasted cornbread smothered in cheese and another jalapeño sauce.

Patty ordered a salad with a cute name that I can't remember ... something about Catherine ... with smoked chicken and raspberry vinaigrette.

I had smoked half a chicken with a delicious homemade barbecue sauce.  If you're in the area, definitely stop in ... the food was wonderful!!!  Actually the food was great everywhere we went!!!

With my fridge stacked to the brim with egg casserole makings, orange juice, yogurt and everything else breakfast, there wasn't much room for my leftovers.  That means barbecued chicken for MY breakfast!!  You can't beat THAT!!

Today we'll wait for everyone to arrive, then tour a model railroad setup, as well as the site of California Powder Works, the first explosives manufacturing plant on the West Coast.  Bet you didn't know that was here!!  Neither did I ... but it should be interesting to check out.  It's sits right on the river where originally they used steam power to drive the plant's machinery.  

I'm riding with Patty and Dan today so I don't get lost or blown up at the powder factory!!  Then it's HAPPY HOUR time!!