Happy Birthday, Buddy

Hey, buddy.

Dad and I just came back from a great week of riding and camping with a good group of friends in Oklahoma. I thought about you and your brother a lot while we were down there. You'll never guess that Dad spent more hours on the dunes than anyone. I think I may have come in with a close 2nd along with Darek. Dad and I weren't quite ready to go home, per the usual. We brought along some newbies to the dunes, and they are all anxious to go back. Go figure. :-)

Sunrise rides were some of the best that week. I actually got Dad up every morning, and we talked others into joining us each day. Thanks for watching out for us and having a little fun with us. Toni pointed out your paddle tire tracks in the sky a few times. I'll share some photos below from the trip, but first...

Happy Birthday, Buddy. What I wouldn't give to be saying that to you right now and giving you the biggest hug. I've been thinking about this day coming for weeks. You should have been turning 18 today. You should have been riding beside us on that yellow YFZ last week and giving a few of us a ride in that RZR. We love you so much. I don't know what else to say today, but I do have something to give you.

I worked on this project for you. One we should have been doing together. Remember that day Dad and I were with you in Genoa? It was just the three of us. You asked me if I would take your senior pictures. You talked about ideas to bring your truck to Genoa and set it up with your 4-wheeler and maybe the RZR. Well, I worked on a senior picture for you. For the background, I used one of your favorite photos I took of the Oklahoma sand from my one and only trip down there with you. For the top left, Dad and I found one of you jumping your YFZ a few years ago. For the top right, we picked one of you sitting on the YFZ from that trip that Dad and I really like.  Bottom left, is a photo I took of your truck. Finally, the bottom right is a photo you took of your YFZ. You took it on Dad's birthday a few years ago. I sure hope you like what I put together. We love and miss you so much buddy.

Uncle Konrad said something to me one day about how somehow sometimes something good can come out a sad thing. I joined the family shortly before we lost you. If you helped lead me to Dad, all I can say is thank you; I still wish you were here, though.

The tears fall, but I can't help but smile when I think of you. Your smile and laugh are contagious, just like Dad's. I will hold Dad tight. I will hold Nate tight. I will hold Darek tight. Along with the rest of our family. We will keep remembering and sharing stories. Together we will continue to laugh. We will smile. We will share joy.  Together, we will ride on.

I actually remembered to take a big group photo on the latest riding and camping trip.

 

This was the best sunrise ride of the trip. The photos don't do the sunrise justice of course, but still pretty cool.

Dad brought Cookie Monster and Elmo out for a few rides, too.

 

This little rock caught my eye one day, and I thought it looked like R2D2. There was also a little pile of ash or something one day on the fire ring that looked like a little 4-wheeler from where I was sitting, but I didn't grab my camera that day for some reason.

The last afternoon ride Dad led us on before we packed up for home, he ended on a rather steep dune that some of us finished walking up.What a beautiful view of some of the dunes. We lucked out with soft sand most of the trip, too.

I love seeing Dad play around out there. Here he is riding a wheelie.

I'm starting small, but I learned how to catch a little air last week. This landing was a little crooked, but I successfully jumped a bit several times.

Dad is always keeping us all laughing. I join right in the goofiness, too. What a pair we are. A pair that is doing our best together, but we still miss you something terrible.

Ride on, Nick.

All my love,
Jess