Austin's Indianapolis Road Trip

I've never been to a motorcycle race before, and earlier this summer Richard asked me if I would like to go to the motorcycle races with him in Indianapolis. I said sure, and on Thursday we left around 6:30 in the morning to go out to Indiana for the races on the weekend. We had good weather and there wasn't much traffic so we got there in about eleven hours. We put all of our clothes into the hotel room, and then we went out to restaurant so we could watch the Eagles football game on television.

The next morning we woke up early so we could go out to the track and see practice. Richard said the track is 2 1/2 miles long, and it can hold 300,000 people so it's really big. After we got inside we walked through the pits to see the bikes and some of the riders. They started up some of the bikes and they were loud, but we had ear plugs so it wasn't too bad. After that we walked around and looked at all the motorcycles that people had ridden to the track. I never saw so many motorcycles at the same time, and they were all really cool. Richard and Kim let me use one of their cameras so I had a good time taking a lot of pictures.

After we had walked around for awhile we got some sandwiches, and then we got some seats in the grandstands to watch the riders practice. The bikes are really fast, and they have television screens so you can see them ride on different parts of the track. We sat in different places, but when it started raining we were in a grandstand so we didn't get wet. The riders put on special clothes and tires because they don't stop riding when it rains.

The track is so big they have a golf course inside, and they also have a nice museum. We went in the museum and looked at all the cars and motorcycles they have inside. They had a lot of old racing cars, but they also had some of the first cars that people drove on the street. I never knew what the old cars looked like, and I saw a lot of them that I would like to have. We started heading back to our car after that, and we got there just before it started raining.

We slept late on Saturday because we were tired after two long days. In the afternoon we went out to the track to watch the riders qualify. They just go out on the track for about an hour and see who can go the fastest. After qualifying we walked around a little, but we had to get back to our hotel so we could get ready to go to the motorcycle races at a dirt track that night.

When we got back to the hotel we took a swim because we were hot and sweaty from walking around the track all afternoon. The dirt track was only a few minutes away from our hotel so it didn't take us long to get there. There were a lot of people and whole lot of motorcycles at the track. The track was dirt and the bikes were smaller than the bikes we had seen at Indianapolis. When the races start the riders go into the turns in a big bunch. They put their foot on the ground and go through the turns sideways. They ride close together, and in one of the races four riders crossed the finish line at the same time. We left the track when it got late because we had a long day ahead of us.

We got up early the next morning because Richard wanted to make sure we got good seats for the races. We checked out of our hotel and drove over to the track. It was about 8:30 in the morning, but there were already a lot of people at the track when we got there. We got good seats in the top of one of the grandstands, and covered up with a sleeping bag because it was a little cold. There were a lot of people from other countries at the race because the riders race all over the world. There was a nice man and woman sitting next to us who spoke English and Spanish, and there were other people in the stands who put up flags from their country.

There were stunt riders on the track, music and videos on the television screens and the riders practice in the morning so there was always something happening. We were going to see three races, and the first race started at noon. The first race was for younger riders, and some of them were teenagers. The second race was for more experienced riders and the third race was for MotoGP riders who are the best in the world. All the races were good and there were some crashes right in front of us, but all of the riders got up and walked away. I had never seen a MotoGP race before, but I decided my favorite rider is an American named Nicky Hayden. He's from Kentucky and he rides a Ducati which is also my favorite motorcycle. Everybody was happy when he finished third.

When the last race was over around 3:30 we knew we had a long ride home ahead of us. We weren't tired so we left right after the race. There wasn't too much traffic so that was good. I stayed awake until about ten, but after that I fell asleep. Richard was getting tired so when we got to Pennsylvania he pulled over and went to sleep for about an hour. He drove the rest of the way after that, and we got home around 3:30 in the morning. I had a good time going to the races so I'd like to go again, but if I do that won't be until next year.

Pictures Austin took at Indianapolis

Pictures of Austin at Indianapolis

A Week In Belvidere

All summer long I've been asking Kim and Richard if I could stay at their house for a week. Well I finally got down there on Thursday, August 13th. Kyle was staying home this time so I was there by myself. It was late when I got there so Kim made dinner, and then I took a swim.

Kim had to work on Friday and Richard was working around the house so I watched television and hung out by the pool. Richard was finished by the middle of the afternoon so he asked me if I wanted to go for a ride on the motorcycle. Like I was going to say "no". We try to go for a different ride every time we go out, and this time he took me down along the Delaware River on the Pennsylvania side. It was a nice ride, and we went all the way down to Trenton. While we were there Richard showed me a place where the whitewater kayakers go. There was a guy there who was surfing and spinning around in the waves. I never saw anything like that before, and it looked crazy. I didn't know it then, but Richard had already planned to take me on a whitewater trip while I was in Belvidere.

We had to get home to meet Kim because we were going to the bike races at the velodrome in Trexlertown that night. I'd never been to a bike race before so I didn't know what to expect. We met Kim, and on the way over we found out my uncle George was going to meet us there. There were a lot of people, but we found a spot right next to the track in one of the turns. The track is really steep and when all the riders go by it makes a breeze. We saw a lot of races and had a good time. I think I'd like to go back and see them race again.

On Saturday we were all tired so we slept late and stayed home during the day. That night we met Kim and Richard's friends at Lake Hopatcong, and went out on their pontoon boat. It was a nice boat with lots of seats and a big awning to keep the sun out. There were 13 people on the boat, and we stopped the boat near a lot of other boats and went swimming. I had fun swimming with the other kids and chasing ducks. After that we took the boat to a restaurant on the lake and had dinner. By the time we finished eating it was dark so we had to drive the boat real slow. That was okay though because all the stars were out and there were a lot of constellations and we could see Jupiter.

On Sunday Richard was helping a friend move so Kim and I stayed at the house. It was a hot day so Jamie and Claude came over to cool off in the pool. After Richard came home we had burgers and lots of good food.

On Monday Kim was going to a trade show in New York with her friend Karen so Richard and I decided to go in with them. We drove into Manhattan through a tunnel, and after we parked the car Richard and I walked around the city. After a while we went to the Empire State Building. They had some kind of crazy movie theater there, and the seats were moving around while we watched a movie of a helicopter flying around the city. After that we went up to the top of the building and looked at the city.

When we were done at the Empire State Building we decided to go to Central Park and see the zoo. It was too far to walk so Richard said we should take the subway. I never rode on a train before so I thought it would be fun. We figured out which track to take, and we got on a subway to go to the park. While we were on the train some guy started talking to Richard and telling him how people in New York will try to drive you crazy. Richard just looked at him and said "yeh, yeh. . .I know what you mean". He finally started talking to someone else and I was glad. I think he was crazy.

We got off the train and started walking to the park. It was really hot that day so we made sure we drank a lot of water. We saw bicycles that were like taxi cabs, and the drivers were yelling to us and trying to get us to pay them for a ride to the zoo. We didn't think it was far so we just walked. We walked all around the zoo and saw sea lions, penguins, polar bears, a snow leopard, monkeys and a lot of birds from the rain forest. It was starting to get late so we met Kim and Karen at a French restaurant they like. I had a good dinner with shrimp in it, and after that we drove home.

We were all tired after our long day in New York so on Tuesday we stayed in bed until late in the morning and went swimming in the afternoon. We had to get some rest because we were going to the beach on Wednesday. I had been to Peggy & Bob's place at the Outer Banks, but I had never been to the Jersey shore. We got an early start and drove to Island Beach State Park. They have big sand dunes there, and there aren't many people on the beach. The water was warm, and I was swimming and riding the boogie board all day.

We stayed on the beach all afternoon and then we left to go home. Kim said we should go to the boardwalk, and I said "What's that?". I never saw anything like it. It was full of places to win prizes, stores, restaurants, ice cream stands and rides. I was hungry after being at the beach all day so we found a place to eat. After we ate Kim asked me if I wanted to get a henna tattoo, and I said sure. I got one of those tribal tattoos around my arm. It took them a while to put it on, but it looks good.

We didn't have much planned for Thursday. Richard told me that we were going to go on a whitewater trip with my cousin Michael on Saturday, and he asked me if I wanted go with him to borrow an inflatable kayak from his friend for the trip. I said sure so we drove over to his friend's house in Nazareth to pick up the boat. While we were there his friend Dave said we could go on a trip that day if we had time. We said sure, and later on that day we met Dave and a bunch of other kayakers for a short trip on the Lehigh.

We started at the town of Jim Thorpe and went down to Weissport. It was a lot of fun. We went through a lot of rapids and got wet. When we weren't going through rapids I went in the river and floated alongside the kayak. All the people were nice, and I got into some water fights with a girl name Jamie. Near the end of the trip Dave asked us if we wanted to try his two man kayak. We said okay and traded our boat with Dave and his son for the rest of the trip. It was a lot different than our inflatable kayak. It seemed like it was easier to tip over, but it was a lot faster.

Friday was another rest day for us, but Michael and his girlfriend Alison were staying over that night so that we could get an early start for our kayak trip on Saturday. We had a good time on Friday night, and got up early the next morning. Richard said there was going to be a lot more rapids on this trip because it was a better section of the river, and they were releasing a lot of water from the dam that day. He said having a lot of water would make it more fun, and we would have less chance of getting stuck on rocks.

We met Richard's friends around 9:30, and started paddling down the river. It was Michael's first time on a whitewater river so Richard gave him some tips on how to paddle the boat because Michael would be in the back doing all the steering. Richard and his friends were all paddling in little whitewater kayaks. We got off to a rough start, but once Michael got the hang of it we were all right. Richard or one of the other kayakers would show us which way to go through the rapids and we would follow them.

Our kayak was big so it was hard to tip over, but some of the waves were really high so sometimes I got bounced around in the boat. One time we went over a rock and got stuck in a big wave on the other side. Everyone told us to paddle hard, and we finally got out. We were getting near the end of the trip when Richard told us a big wave was coming up soon, and he said we should just paddle right through it. Well it came and we went through it, but the only problem was I went flying out of the boat. Richard's friend Bill came right over to me and told me to grab onto the back of his kayak. Right when I grabbed his boat I hit my knee on a big rock that was under the water. It hurt, but my knee was okay. I got back into the boat with Michael, and a few minutes later we finished the trip. It was a great day, and I definitely want to do it again.

We all changed out of our wet clothes, and drove back to Belvidere. When we got there we were starving and had dinner with Michael, Alison, George, Kim and Richard. Sunday was another day to sleep late and relax. That night I went home with my Dad, but that's not the end of my summer adventure because this week I'm going to Indianapolis with Richard to see the motorcycle races.

Austin's Week In Belvidere Slideshow

New Jersey Road Trip

Last weekend Kyle and I traveled all over New Jersey with Kim and Richard. My Dad drove us down on Thursday night. On Friday we hung out at the pool during the day, but at night we went into Newark to see Cirque du Soleil. We had never heard of it before so we didn’t know what to expect.

We got our seats, and were sitting there talking when we started seeing people that sort of looked like clowns walking around looking at the audience. After awhile a singer came out, and the band was playing music. They had people way up in the air on swings, bouncing and flipping on trampolines and there was a lady who had about six hoops spinning on her body at the same time. They had so many different things it was amazing. A man who could hold himself up with one hand and move his body all around, two ladies who could bend their bodies like they were rubber bands, and Kyle’s favorite was two guys who did all kinds of things with fire. The show lasted about two hours, and after that we went home.

On Saturday Kim and Richard told us we were going to take another trip, but they wouldn’t tell us where. Kyle must have asked them where we were going a hundred times, but they wouldn’t tell him. We left the house around noon, and drove down to South Jersey. After we had been driving for a while Richard told us we were going to his brother’s house. We asked him where that was, and he told us that he lived in the woods. That sounded crazy to us, but he wasn’t kidding. First we were driving on a road that went through the woods, then we turned onto a dirt road that went past cranberry and blueberry farms, and then we turned down a sandy road and that was their driveway.

While we were driving there Kyle asked Richard if his brother had any cars. We figured since they lived in the woods they were hillbillies so they didn’t have any cars. Well believe me they had cars. Lots of cars. Richard’s brother Tom has a 1947 Ford that he’s restoring. It was awesome, and he’s got a special garage with lifts that pick the cars up in the air so he can work on them. Tom’s wife Terry has a nice garden with a waterfall and gold fish in it, but best of all they have a stream that runs in front of their house where you can go swimming.

Well we thought it was good until we saw that the water was dark brown. I didn’t want to go in, but they told us it was okay. They said it was cedar water, and it looked like iced tea. Richard went in first, and then he convinced Kyle to go in. They were having so much fun I decided to go in with them. It wasn’t bad at all, and the cool water felt good. Kyle liked swimming in the stream, and he really liked eating the blueberries that were growing by the water. We had a good time there, but then we found out that it was just a stop along the way to wherever Kim and Richard were taking us.

So we said goodbye to Tom and Terry, and got back on the road. After we had driven for about an hour we pulled off the interstate, and Richard said that we were almost there. Kyle was sleeping by now so he didn’t see the signs when we pulled into the Cowtown rodeo. I never would have guessed that we were going to see a rodeo. We were a little early so we walked around to see the flea market and some of the animals. While Kim and Kyle were shopping Richard took me to meet some of the people he knew at the rodeo. I got to meet the owner, and we spent a few minutes talking to the announcer who tells the people everything that happens at the rodeo. He was really nice, and you might not believe it, but his name was Dusty Cleveland.

After that we got our tickets and went inside. Before we got our seats Kyle got his picture taken on top of a big bull, and then we got something to eat. They called it a Voodoo sandwich, and it was pulled, barbecued chicken. It was good. After that we went to find some seats because it was starting to get crowded.

We’d never been to a rodeo before, but Richard told us it was a lot of fun. We knew our uncle Bob had been a rodeo cowboy when he was younger. He used to ride on the bucking horses, and his name was “Shaggy Bob”. He’s crazy. Anyway the rodeo finally started and they had men and women on horses carrying flags. Dusty was telling everyone what they were going to see, and we all stood up for the Star Spangled Banner.

Once the rodeo got started it was great. There was bull riding, steer wrestling, horse riding and some roping events. Some of those bulls look really mean, and after they throw the riders off their back they look for somebody else to hit with their horns. Those people inside the rodeo need to watch out to keep from getting hurt. It was a fun night, and right in the middle of the whole thing Dusty came on the microphone and told everyone how glad he was that Kyle and I were at the rodeo that night. That was cool.

Well it was a long day, but we had a great time. We went back to Kim and Richard’s that night. We stayed there on Sunday and Monday, but we just went swimming and took it easy. We needed some rest after our two day New Jersey road trip. We didn’t get out of school until June 27th, and we have to go back on August 30th so we’re trying to have as much fun as we can on our summer vacation.

New Jersey Road Trip Slideshow

Weekend At The Buckhorn Lodge

Austin and I went to Kim and Richard's this weekend. We spent a lot of time in the pool all weekend. On Sunday Richard took us on a hike up by the Delaware Water Gap to a place called Buttermilk Falls and Hidden Falls. It's been raining a lot so there was lots of water on the falls. We climbed to the top of Buttermilk Falls, and we walked back into the woods to find Hidden Falls. On the way back to Hidden Falls I had to take my shoes off to cross a stream and we built a little bridge so we could get back. On the way up to the falls we found a big vine and Austin and I were swinging on it. It was fun. When we got back home we went swimming again, and then Richard took us for a ride on his motorcycle. Oh, yeah I forgot. I swam in the pool for the first time without my life jacket. It was a fun weekend.

My Favorite Thing

It seems like Austin is doing all the talking around here, but if you spend any time with the two of us you know its me who does most of the talking. I guess I don't write as good as I talk because all I want to say is I love skulls. Skulls on t-shirts, motorcycle helmets with skulls, skull jewelry, skulls on sneakers. If it has skulls on it I love it.

Here's a book I like called Skulls.

Puerto Rico

Last year I went to Puerto Rico with my aunt and uncle. Kyle couldn't come so it was just the three of us. I was excited to go because I had never flown on a plane, and I would be going to another country for the first time. We stayed in a town called Rincon on the northwest corner of the island. It's a small town, but there were plenty of things to do. We went to the beach just about every day, and we took trips to other parts of the island.

One day we took a trip to the southern part of the island where we visited salt flats, a beautiful beach, a mansion in a city called Ponce and we went swimming at night in bioluminescent water. That's water that glows in the dark. When we were taking the boat out to where the water glows there was a loud splashing in the water. That made all the people who were going to swim in the water decide that maybe they wouldn't. I wasn't going to either, but then I decided to go in anyway. My aunt went in with me, but we didn't stay in very long.

We made trips to other parts of the island, and we always went to good restaurants for dinner. One day we went snorkeling in the ocean. They took us out on a big boat, and gave us snorkels, fins and a mask. It was a lot of fun and it made me want to learn how to scuba dive.

We stayed for a week, and then we had to come home. I had a really good time, and I would like to go back again. Here's some pictures we took in Puerto Rico.

Mexican Food

A few months ago we went out for dinner to a Mexican restaurant. The picture is me and Kyle with our Dad at the restaurant. I'm not a fussy eater so I'll try anything at least once. Kyle is more particular about what he eats, but when he eats he eats a lot. On the weekends he eats two breakfasts. Don't even mention French toast to him. If you do he'll ask you to make it for breakfast every time he comes to your house. Anyway Kyle got one of those Mexican combination platters, and I made the mistake of listening to my uncle. I couldn't decide what to get so he told me to get this stuff called mole. It's like Mexican food with chocolate on it. I couldn't eat, and I was starving. I had to eat everyone else's leftovers, but I left the restaurant full.