Ride to the Dog Days of Summer in Steele City

This ride was sort of a spur of the moment ride concieved Friday at the Crusie Night in Marysville. Carla and I and Ted and Julie thought we would catch the carshow at 1 o'clock on Saturday, the BBQ tasteing contest at 2 and then go to Steele City at 3. I emailed Mike Gregory and he put the word out by email of our plans and that we would leave from Schroller Auto Parts parking lot. At three o'clock we had gained Mike and Dan and Fran.The seven of us had a good (windy) ride to Steele City and had plenty to do until the drawing for the 2008 Harley Dyna at 5:30. Carla had a chance on the bike but didn't win.
After another very pleasant ride home we stopped in Joe's and chewed the fat till 8. One thing we did discuss was TO DO THIS AGAIN. We are going to make more dinner rides in the evenings and anyone can start one. Let everyone know by email where you are going, where you are leaving from and what time. Some suggestions, Mexican on Tuesdays at Salty Dog and Posie's. Buffalo Wings on Wed. in Harbine Nebraska

more pics. http://picasaweb.google.com/2007xl50/2008DogDaysOfSummerAtTheSaltyDogSteeleCityNebraska

OH SHIT!

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.

http://picasaweb.google.com/2007xl50/TornadoRide

LOTS of things in the last week...

The day AFTER Memorial Day I took time to mount a 3'X5' Flag on the bike.
Wednesday 28th of May we had an American Legion Riders meeting at Spanky's in Seneca.
Carla worked a half day Thursday (5:30 to 9:30) so she could make an 11 o'clock appointment for her Acupuncture treatment to help her back pain. She had taken a days vacation for Friday too. We decided to ride the bike up to Lincoln on Friday so we could be with Stacy Saturday morning, May 31st when she had to meet her evil landlord:-)

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OK, Stacy was going to buy a house last Nov. Her devorce was a little messy and she didn't have the money to buy the house then. She was going to "rent to own". Then the seller backs up and Stacy signs a years lease with intentions of buying the house at the end of the year. Then the bottom drops out of the real estate market and the seller refuses to lower his price. Stacy is wanting a lower price and the owner puts a "For Sale Sign" in the front yard. They go another round and they settle on month to month rent. After a couple of months Stacy gets an eviction notice. Be out in 30 days. She has been looking and decides on a 6 year old townhouse closer the kids schools and for less money than she could ever get the house for. She takes posession of the new place 10 days before her month is up and is COMPLETELY moved by the 31st. The landlord shows up half hour late Saturday morning but does check the place over and gives Stacy her $1650 deposit back. (For some reason that afternoon he called her and ask her for a date???)

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Carla and I took our time riding up Friday and stopped by the Salty Dog in Steele City Nebraska for lunch. I think it took 125 miles to get the 77 miles to Lincoln. Saturday after Stacy is safe from the landlord we go on an annual "Tour of the Alps" poker run put on by "The Boys in the Back" at Frontier Harley. The poker run was fairly short, 100 miles, and about 4 o'clock I told Carla we should go home and I'd go to Cassoday (the first Sunday of the month run) tomorrow. We were home for only a little while and Carla was running around doing laundry and other things she could be putting off until tomorrow. Then I found out she was planning on going with me to Cassoday. That was cool but I was surprised she was going to ride some more after the 300 miles we had just done in the last two days.
Sunday morning when we got down to the Marysville City Park (the normal starting spot for anyone wanting to ride as a group) at 7AM there were 3 bikes and 10 minutes later there were a total of 9 bikes, 9 riders and 8 passengers. Rich Temps, Gary and Lucy, Doug Powers and his son, Darren Swobada and his son, Ted and Julie, Dennis and Monica, Lynn and Kim, Russ and his wife (sorry), The ride down was good as always and nice to have that many bikes running together. In Council Grove when we stopped for gas I remembered I was suppose to call Don Kotapish and tell him I was going to Cassoday. Since I am such a nice guy I decided to call him and apologize for not calling earlier. I called and Don answered. I told him I was in Council Grove and sorry I hadn't called earlier. He said "I'm in Council Grove too, I'm getting gas". We were 20 foot apart, I would not have needed the phone to talk to him. Don rode the rest of the way with us. In Cassoday we hooked up with Roger and Mary McGrath as they had gone down Saturday and spent the night at Emporia. We ate BBQ Pork for breakfast at 11AM and started back home at noon. It was a little unusual but everyone that started in Marysville rode back plus we had Roger and Mary. We took 50 over to Emporia and Highway 99 to south of Wamego. (That ride from Eskridge to Alma may be the best riding in Kansas.) Lynn and Kim had a daughter to move in Lincoln so they stayed on 99 and went home but we hit 18 west to Manhattan and stopped for refreshments. Roger, Mary, Carla and I headed west, Russ and wife stayed longer to eat and the rest headed home (I think).
Our total mileage for the 3 days was around 680 and I'm proud of Carla. She enjoyed the ride, has worked 10 hours today (went to bed shortly after 8) and her back doesn't hurt to bad.

Memorial Day is about over.

Last Friday, Saturday and Sunday the Nebraska State, Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) held a Rally in Fremont Nebraska. Roger and Mary McGarth and Carla and I had planned on going up Saturday and staying over for the Sunday events then finding something to do on Monday. The weather Friday night was terrible with storms here and up there both. Roger called EARLY Saturday morning and we decided because of the forecast we would postpone that ride 24 hours and leave Sunday morning. We did get to ride some Saturday afternoon and went over to Concordia knowing we would end up in Vining Kansas for supper. The weather had straightened out and the ride was outstanding. The food was great and we got home after dark with plans to meet east of Odell at 8AM the next (Sunday) morning.
The ride to Fremont was straight up US 77 and 130 mles. After arriving and signing in, Roger started signing up for the "Road Kill" event that was scheduled for 1 o'clock as part of the GAMES. As it turned out, we BOTH signed up for ALL of the Games consisting of, The Slow Race, The Ring Toss, (passenger puts a ring on a cone as they ride by) The Bike Wash, (passenger throws waterballoon up and over a rope as they ride under it. passenger has to catch balloon on the otherside of the rope. sometimes she (or he) misses and the rider, bike or both get soaked.) The Road Kill, (passenger scoops stuffed animals up off of the pavement with a fish net as they ride by).
Needless to say: 1. we didn't do this as good as the ones who have done it before. 2. There were a few who go to a Rallies all of the time. 3. no trophies for us. 4. we had a very good time trying and have decided to practice for NEXT time.
We had decided to stay at our daughter Stacy's new place (not the new place from last Nov. but the new place from last Friday. more on that later). Mary found a way to Lincoln that took us by a BIG lake that I can't remember the name of. I think we went west on US 30 and south on 79 . We stopped at the restrant (Parker's) on the Lake for drinks and a snack. The lake was only a few miles from Lincoln but by the time we got to Lincoln we could tell it was going to rain. Luckily we got the 15 or 20 miles through Lincoln and it had not rain YET. Stacy wasn't home but a quick call found she was on her way. We decided we would take her car to eat because it WAS going to rain. Roger and I put our bikes in the garage and started unloading Stacy's Explorer. (She had picked up more stuff from her old house for her new house) We had the car unloaded, the car in the garage and the garge door down. We had sat down at the kitchen table to talk when the wind came up and it started pouring down rain. We watched some of the neighbors shingles fly off of the roof. A loud bang turned out to be a lawnchair getting blown off of the rear deck of Stacy's.
The storm was over in 15 or 20 minutes so we got in the car to go eat. We saw trees uprooted and limbs in the streets but no houses damaged bad.
Dinner at Mulligan's and by the time we got back to Stacy's it was after 10 and time for bed.
Monday morning at 6:30 Roger, Mary and I walked about 5 blocks to a UStop gas station for coffee and a look at new Chevys on the walk back. By 8:30 Carla was about ready and Stacy had found out her Cable Guy wouldn't there to hookup the Dish till 10 so she could go to breakfast with us. We had our bikes loaded so we rode and Stacy drove to breakfast. By 9:45 and after Stacy took our picture we made an uneventful (but nice) ride home.
We had some tree damage in Marysville and Roger has emailed and said he had a big limb down in his back yard in Hanover.
It's 9:45PM now and Carla is gone. I bet she is in bed and Roger and Mary are too. They all have to be at work at 5:30 in the morning. I get to rest up while it rains for the next couple of days:-)
more pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/2007xl50/2008NebraskaStateHarleyOwnersGroupRallyFremontNE

Carla and I are just home from a Blackhawk dinner ride.

This evening we ate at The Koester House Mexican Restaurant. The Blackhawk Motorcycle Club 3rd Tues of the month dinner ride started with the meal then we went for a 60 mile ride to BR, Cottage Hill, Barnes Hanover and Bremen. It was a real good ride but was a little cold since we where under dressed.
Last Saturday I rode with the Blackhawks to Marquette Kansas. We attended the Thunder on the Smokey Annual Motorcycle meet. Marquette is the home of the Kansas State Motorcycle Museum and Steve's British Motorcycle Museum. There where probably 4000 bike there Saturday and more Sunday.
Sunday morning at 6:30 I took off to Lincoln for a Breakfast ride with the Frontier H.O.G. chapter. About twenty bikes left Lincoln at 8 and rode to Auburn NE and ate at Darlings Diner. Great breakfast. After breakfast we split up and I rode east with Larry Starr, his sister and brother-in-law (I forgot their names already). We rode US 136 though Rock Port, Maryville and Bethany MO to I35. They went north to Iowa and back to Lincoln. I went south to US 36 and back to Marysville. Got home around 5 PM and logged close to 500 miles.
Yesterday (Monday) and today I have worked over at the shop and have done a lot in cleaning up the yard. Lots of junk and a couple old Blazers taken to the salvage yard. Westar Electric had tree cutters to remove limbs from around the power lines and those guys cut down 4 or 5 trees I had wanted taken out anyway.
Tomorrow it's back to Lincoln for the 425000 mile service and pickup my leather vest from the cleaners. I may ride a Demo bike to the cleaners while the bike is being done. I'd like to ride a Lowrider but hope I don't like it. (can't afford to trade)
This next weekend Carla and I are going with Roger and Mary McGath to the Nebraska State H.O.G. Rally in Fremont. It is a three day deal (Fri, Sat. Sun.) but we will spend Sat and Sunday there. We have rooms in Fremont Saturday night. Monday is Memorial Day so we may ride over to Omaha and go to the Zoo or do something. We're expecting showers off and on all weekend:-)

When is the last time you got a typewritten letter

I have received a typewritten letter from a Watch Repairman in Tennessee. He had written to say that a Studebaker Watch that we had sent had been restored to 100 point condition. The watch had taken 2nd place at the 2006 Studebaker Nationals. (It should take 1st at the next one).
I called George this morning to tell him "the check is in the mail". I ask him if he had typed the letter on a typewritter to make sure. He said he uses his typewritter all the time. He is 87 years old, maybe that has something to say about it......
Thought this was worth telling as I can't remember the last time we have gotten a typewritten letter.
Oh! Rode to Lincoln Tuesday eve for H.O.G. meeting. Yesterday rode to Lincoln for 40,000 mile service on bike. This afternoon I'll ride to Lincoln for a H.O.G. dinner ride and Stacy will ride with me to dinner. We'll go the "Big Dog" in Murdock, NE.
Oh! At the H.O.G. meeting Tues. night, I got two 1st place trophies for most winter miles. Sportster class and Open class. 6006 miles.

Greensburg KS, 1 year after Tornado

Yesterday, Sunday, May 4, 2008, Roger McGrath and I rode down to Greensburg to help dedicate a memorial for the victims who died from the tornado that struck the town one year ago. As it turned out President Bush was also coming to town so we got some double duty. President Bush gave a talk at the High School Graduation.
Roger and I along with another 500 (that's a guess) motorcycle riders and members of the American Legion Riders held flags for President Bush's motorcade.
It is close to 300 miles down there so I left at 6 AM and met Roger at the Pony Express corner at 6:15. It was 35 degrees in Marysville and 32 in Hanover so we had a COLD ride for a few hours. We got there about 11:30 and had a chance to ride around the town and look at the destruction still showing and see a local Car Show. Among the Shelby Mustangs, customs and street rods there was a car that really stood out. It was a small 1990's blue car that had been saved after the tornado, it was pretty well all beat up from the tornado but had a make shift windshield and no top and was entered in the show.
I saw 75 degrees on a bank thermometer somewhere on the way home. My NEW bike isn't new anymore as it rolled over 40,000 miles north of Salina. The ride overall was VERY GOOD and it was good to see a small town coming back to life and all of the support they have.
Pics. http://picasaweb.google.com/2007xl50/GreensburgKansasOneYearAfterTornado