RIFF RAFF Review

Grab your toothbrush, a bike and your Hawaiian hairpiece and come with me to RIFF RAFF 2009 in Holly, Michigan. We'll be camping at Groveland Oaks county park in Oakland County.

Enough food and supplies to make three breakfasts, one lunch and two dinners for 75 people, clothes, bedding, camp chairs and toiletries for four, soccer balls and Hawaiian gear are all stuffed in the back of I.T.'s truck.

Four bikes, the propane tank, a table and tikki torches hauled behind in Grandpa's trailer.




Does this tire look flat to you?



Just under two hours later.... welcome to I.T.'s kitchen!

Unload the truck.


Relatives and friends arrive late into the night. They've come from Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida and Arizona. Where are you joining us from?Up early each morning to fry up some pancakes, bacon and eggs on the griddle. Meet I.T.- my muscleman, brother-in-law, Joe and Uncle Jim.

Feeding the multitudes. Plenty for everyone!

Aunt Carol fashioned a quilt out of all the t-shirts we've had made over the years. It's not just a reunion, it's a wardrobe. This year's shirt- lime green with a Survivor logo- everyone gets a shirt, but lucky lil' Joey got the whole enchilada shorts pantsuit.
Survivor team #1- AMOHA-derived from the first letter of each of their first names. Fash is in the orange headband. Survivor team #2- Natty Light- derived from the name of a favorite beverage of one of my cousins- working on winning the first challenge. Get the team over the finish line. Every member must keep both feet on a carpet square at all times. If any foot touches the gravel drive, it's back to start. Team AMOHA returned to start three times, losing the challenge. It was time to vote one team member off the island.

Sister, A, and brother-in-law explain the next challenge. Grandma holds up the prize- a $100 bill.

Fash found the immunity in the woods, so did not get voted off after round one. Challenge #2- your teammate throws water from the lake to you. Catch as much as you can and dump it into the bucket at the end of the stick, when the stick falls from the weight of the water, it raises your flag. First flag up wins! My dad made this contraption.






Fash did not come out the winner on this one.

The stew! Yummy.

Seventy-five aunts, uncles, cousins, 2nd cousins once removed, 3rd cousins twice returned, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, spouses (one husband per one wife, just to clarify)- all being fed....not just the bodies... ...but the souls of each are nourished, as we share together the happenings of our lives and the care we have for each other. This is love. Love on bikes! Preparing to ride the 8 mile, paved trail in Oakland County- around a lake, some hills involved. Some ride in comfort. Some ride in style.
All ride in fun! Thus the name, RIFF RAFF (Ride In Fun For Relatives And Family Friends)
Luncheon on the lawn after the ride. I.T. is chillin', he did not have to cook this meal!
Strap on your coconuts and shake your grass, it's Luau time! The Birthday girl hula's at 80 like a pro. My niece and I try to keep up.Food prepsters.

Almost the whole gang- I'm front row, third from the left, Fash is 6th in, holding her cousin and I.T. is waaay in the background on the left, cutting up roasted pig.
Do the limbo! Hawaiian music playing on the boom box. Sister and brother-in-law, our activity coordinators, hold the stick. Only two Survivors left in the game, this one explains how he will spend the money if he wins, but pleads with his former teammates to vote for Josh- his opponent.
Josh wins the $100!

Sunday morning we gather 'round to worship God, to listen to scripture readings and to pray. The bass line. The children's choir.



It's hard to say good-by, the weekend is too short, the time between visits- too long. I.T. packs a much lighter load for the ride home.

So that's RIFF RAFF, everyone is always welcome!

I leave you with a shot of my Hawaiian hairpiece.