Wow, what a geeky crowd... posting from a pda and cell phone!
Since I am still at home, I guess I need to keep the details coming.
The three musketeers (or as I also like to call them, "my entourage") called me from the Ozarks last night. Apparently, Jim 'wimped out' (his words) and opted to get a hotel room after eight hours of riding in the rain... Go figure.
I was in the middle of finally packing my bags (had to get the keys to the bags from the guy who is putting on new tires on my bike, a throttle lock, and checking it out for the trip), Jim called and asked if I would mind if we didn't leave on Thursday, the morning after they arrive in Lawrence. Would I mind?!?!
Ha! I am so relieved! As usual, I tried to cram everything I could possibly think of into the last two days... At some point I had decided to have a little "good-bye" party at my house last night - not the most brilliant of all my ideas ;-) It was great anyway. Everybody brought their favorite drink and I had snacks gallore for those alcohol-induced cravings. Even Luba and Sasha made it to my place!!! I took a photo, but it will have to be posted later - obviously, I'm not the one with the real toys in the family, so we'll have to wait for the film to be developed. :-(

Ok, so today, I am picking up the bike from the shop, taking it to Highway Patrol for a mandatory inspection (check of vin number), then to the Courthouse to get it registered in Kansas ( it's still registered in Alabama). Then I'll notify the insurance, wash the bike and use Jim's sound advice of applying Pledge (yes - that Pledge!) on the plastic parts to make it easier to get the bugs off next time! Of course, there are a million other little things to do, but I won't bore anyone with that. Suffice it to say that I finished writing my paper (long version) and am now editing it down for conference paper length. YEAH! Schoolwise I could probably spend another week "getting things ready" for a two-month absence, but that's just normal... It wouldn't be school, if you ever felt you were done, right?!
Ok, I'm signing off. More updates to follow soon, especially with the guys here for an extra day.
Now I am really, really looking forward to starting the trip - with a little extra time on my hands to get ready!

Picture added: The picture was taken later in the evening, so a few folks are missing. Sorry! But we now have evidence that Luba and Sasha have made it to my place! (According to Luba it's farther to my place from hers than the other way around...)