Mike Gregory and I had planned on riding to Strong City to cancel the motel reservations I had made for Aug 2 (6 rooms) so we could ride Sat. stay over night in Strong City and be close to Cassoday for the Aug. bash there. The Blawkhawks Poker Run had to be sheduled for Aug. 2. We had decided to reshedule for July 5 and stay in ElDorado Kansas instead. Our plans now, do the American Legion Riders Poker Run July 4th and do the two day Cassoday run the 5th and 6th.
OK we canceled and found the Sunset Inn in ElDorado. Reservations will be made there when we get a commitment on the exact number who will be going. (Lots I hope)
The ride down was fantastic. We went down 99 and south of Alma took 4 west. The wind was from the south at 40 to 50 miles an hour. The combination of the twisting road, the strong winds and riding 80 mile an hour made it seem like you were flat out racing. Lots of old memories there. We found a Hot Rod and Harley shop in Eldorado and had to check it out. Nice place and LOTS of neat stuff. We checked out 3 motels, ate and left with a good tailwind and the sun warming things up for a perfect ride home.
Once we got to I-70 a weather started looking like it had when we had left in the morning. Dark and stormy looking with the wind still a factor. As we were gassing up in Junction City about 4, I called home and said I'd be home by 5:30 for our Thursday night out with Mom and cousins Bill and Barb. We headed north on 77 then the short cut up 82 to get to the 77 detour. As we got to 24 there was a storm spotter that said there was a tornado on the ground just north of us and more action to come. We headed East to the normal 77 and the offical 77 detour through Olsburg.
It was easy to keep a study 70 mph and we were doing good but would not make it home by 5:30 going the extra miles. We stopped in Frankfort to call home but no cell signal so we going north of town and stop on top of the hill. Had trouble getting anyone and the sky was looking bad. We decided we had better just get going and also decided against putting the rain gear on.
HERE'S THE "OH SHIT" PART. 7-1/2 miles east of Home City all hell broke loose. Out of nowhere came a south wind with rain that blew Mike and I both right off of the highway. We were still going 70 and did get stopped on the shoulder. But Mike had to lay his bike down because the wind was blowing the 800 pound bike hard enough he couldn't keep it up. I had slid right in behind Mike (about 1 foot beween us). I was hanging on the my bike it was being pushed away so hard I had trouble getting it on the kickstand. Somehow I did get it on the kickstand without being blown over the top of it. (I'm not sure how) I could hardly see anything but I think there were cars going by us on the highway and not sure if they could see us or not. I saw Mike on the north side of his bike and I wanted to be on the north side of mine too, to keep it from blowing over. When I finally got around mine I saw Mike on his knees holding on the his bike and protecting his face with the motorcycle gas tank. I did that and things looked a little better. It finally seemed like you had control of what was happening. The rain was pushed so hard by the wind that every drop that hit bare skin would sting. It seems like it was NEVER going to let up. My knees started hurting from the pressure of holding the bike up to keep it from being blown over on you and maybe because of the jeans being so wet. It lasted way to long and just wouldn't stop. I know Mike was praying too. Please no hail. Please don't let the highway traffic slam into us. Please let the rain ease up. As soon as we could stand up and look around Kent Wassenberg
had pulled up behind us in his pickup. We talked to him a minute, took time to smile while he took our picture and decided to ride on in to Home City. It was still rain pretty hard but the wind had gone down and visiblity was better.
While we were under the canopy at the station in Home City a storm spotter stopped by and said we had been at the edge of a tornado. That bad weather had moved east but there was possiblities of more bad weather tonight.
Half way to Marysville from Home City Mike and I decided to stop by Joe's Bar before going home to the hot showers. It's history NOW but it was an experience for sure.
Kent stopped by the house with pics he had taken. Thanks Kent....
The TV is now saying there were four tornados on the routes we could have brought home.
OK we canceled and found the Sunset Inn in ElDorado. Reservations will be made there when we get a commitment on the exact number who will be going. (Lots I hope)
The ride down was fantastic. We went down 99 and south of Alma took 4 west. The wind was from the south at 40 to 50 miles an hour. The combination of the twisting road, the strong winds and riding 80 mile an hour made it seem like you were flat out racing. Lots of old memories there. We found a Hot Rod and Harley shop in Eldorado and had to check it out. Nice place and LOTS of neat stuff. We checked out 3 motels, ate and left with a good tailwind and the sun warming things up for a perfect ride home.
Once we got to I-70 a weather started looking like it had when we had left in the morning. Dark and stormy looking with the wind still a factor. As we were gassing up in Junction City about 4, I called home and said I'd be home by 5:30 for our Thursday night out with Mom and cousins Bill and Barb. We headed north on 77 then the short cut up 82 to get to the 77 detour. As we got to 24 there was a storm spotter that said there was a tornado on the ground just north of us and more action to come. We headed East to the normal 77 and the offical 77 detour through Olsburg.
It was easy to keep a study 70 mph and we were doing good but would not make it home by 5:30 going the extra miles. We stopped in Frankfort to call home but no cell signal so we going north of town and stop on top of the hill. Had trouble getting anyone and the sky was looking bad. We decided we had better just get going and also decided against putting the rain gear on.
HERE'S THE "OH SHIT" PART. 7-1/2 miles east of Home City all hell broke loose. Out of nowhere came a south wind with rain that blew Mike and I both right off of the highway. We were still going 70 and did get stopped on the shoulder. But Mike had to lay his bike down because the wind was blowing the 800 pound bike hard enough he couldn't keep it up. I had slid right in behind Mike (about 1 foot beween us). I was hanging on the my bike it was being pushed away so hard I had trouble getting it on the kickstand. Somehow I did get it on the kickstand without being blown over the top of it. (I'm not sure how) I could hardly see anything but I think there were cars going by us on the highway and not sure if they could see us or not. I saw Mike on the north side of his bike and I wanted to be on the north side of mine too, to keep it from blowing over. When I finally got around mine I saw Mike on his knees holding on the his bike and protecting his face with the motorcycle gas tank. I did that and things looked a little better. It finally seemed like you had control of what was happening. The rain was pushed so hard by the wind that every drop that hit bare skin would sting. It seems like it was NEVER going to let up. My knees started hurting from the pressure of holding the bike up to keep it from being blown over on you and maybe because of the jeans being so wet. It lasted way to long and just wouldn't stop. I know Mike was praying too. Please no hail. Please don't let the highway traffic slam into us. Please let the rain ease up. As soon as we could stand up and look around Kent Wassenberg
had pulled up behind us in his pickup. We talked to him a minute, took time to smile while he took our picture and decided to ride on in to Home City. It was still rain pretty hard but the wind had gone down and visiblity was better.
While we were under the canopy at the station in Home City a storm spotter stopped by and said we had been at the edge of a tornado. That bad weather had moved east but there was possiblities of more bad weather tonight.
Half way to Marysville from Home City Mike and I decided to stop by Joe's Bar before going home to the hot showers. It's history NOW but it was an experience for sure.
Kent stopped by the house with pics he had taken. Thanks Kent....
The TV is now saying there were four tornados on the routes we could have brought home.
1 comment:
OH SHIT is right!
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