Friends and neighbors

After Bren's graduation yesterday the kids from around the neighborhood were all out in front of our house riding their bikes. Every single one of them. Nearly half of them now race at our track (thanks to us), and they always have some sort of ramp or obstacle course setup in the street. After hours of all of us being out there together our neighbor across the street, Steve, suggested that we all ride bikes to the back of the neighborhood to have dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. So three of the dads (two of whom now race at our track, too), me and 9 of the kiddos rode through the neighborhood to go have dinner together. We are lucky to have nearly any kind of restaurant or store within bike riding distance to our house. We are even more lucky to have a few great neighbors (because some of them are NOT so great).

Part of the gang coming down our street towards me.

Brian, in the back on the left, and a few of the group up ahead. Some had already turned the corner.

(l-r) Paul, Brian, Steve (in the back in brown), Bryce (front in green), Madison, Erin, Ashley, Kaylee and Cory. The others were behind me when I took the picture. This is in front of Buffalo Wild Wings.

As a matter of fact, it is because of Steve that Sean is going to Colorado next week and Brian and Erin are going to Wisconsin in three weeks. Steve is a pilot for Southwest, and gave all three of them free flights. Of course they all would have made the trips anyway, but it was so generous of Steve to give them the vouchers so that they are traveling at no cost. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and a great single dad to his two kids. Steve and both of his kids, Madison and Aiden, now ride at our track. He once told me that the thrill of being the captain of a plane is nothing like the thrill of the track. I love it.

Paul, the other dad that was with us, is probably THE nicest guy I have ever met in my life. Hands down. He's a single dad to his son, Bryce, and they spend a lot of time with us at home and at the track. We've been friends with them since we moved into our house in 2004. Paul and Bryce both race at our track now.

Anyway, we all spent the rest of the evening after dinner back out in the street, riding bikes and hanging out until well after midnight. The night ended with all of the boys sleeping at Steve's house across the street and all of the girls sleeping at our house (five of them). Such a fun time for everyone, and I'm sure that with summer having arrived there will be many more days/nights just like yesterday.