Thursday, May 31, 2012
Kentucky Invasion
Rolling Thunder 2012
As with the Cinco wrapup; most of the pics have already been posted to FB, so this will mostly be a simple wordage piece.
We had an early start on Friday morning. Bill arrived @ my house @ 5:05, Cindy and I piled onto my bike and ambled over to Steve and Jan’s house. They, too, were ready early, and we all hit the road and headed over to the rally point; Mobil gas station on 1A in Wrentham (Chris met us there). Before long, we had all 9 bikes gassed up and ready. We were supposed to have had 10 bikes, but 9 is not shabby for an early, 500-mile long trip.
Things were a bit foggy and overcast at first, but my sun-adverse skin did not complain at all. We had a slight touch of light rain about halfway through CT, but by the time we hit Jersey, the sun was out and the heat was building.
As we were merging onto 287, one of our tail riders got mixed up on which ramp to take, so her husband peeled off with her. The group of 10 which had turned into 9, was now down to 7.
Here’s the first of the two pics you’ll get in this post;
This little guy was at one of our early gas stops. He was all kinds of friendly and seemed extremely interested in anything we were eating, but he wound up being extremely finicky in what he ate. I tossed him some of my protein bar; he discarded it. Steve tossed him some of the roll from his sandwich; he ignored it. And so it was, with folks tossing this and that at him, all without success. The little guy finally found a bit of chocolate in something someone tossed, and that seemed to appease him for the moment.
With that, we were off again. Jersey traffic sucked as usual when we got to the spot where the high-speed lanes merge with the commercial lanes. No surprises there, because what do you expect to happen when you’re merging 6 lanes of travel, down into 3?
We finally got through that and were moving along ok (not great, though). Our destination was an address in Baltimore for a cookout. One of the guys who was riding down with us (Jim) was proposing to his girlfriend (Jenn) who lives down here. We arrived, she came running out of the house to hug Jim, and the rest of us surrounded them, our front tires forming a circle around the couple. Jim went to one knee, pulled out a ring, and proposed on the spot. We all revved our engines and hit our horns. It was pretty cool, I have to admit. It was then time to park and proceed inside, where Jenn had coolers full of beers and plates full of food waiting for us. We quickly settled in and were made to feel right at home. Roughly an hour later, the two missing bikes arrived. The group of 7 was now 9 again! But our elation was short-lived. It’d been a 2-hour pit stop and it was time to hit the road again. We had places to get to and people waiting for us!
Taking off from the house, Jim naturally stayed behind to celebrate his new status change. This meant the group of 10 which had turned into 9, which had then become 7, but then 9 again, was now down to 8. But even this was to change all too soon, for some were headed to Arlington while others were headed to Crystal City. A mere few miles from Jenn’s house, we reached our turnoff. We exchanged salutes to each other, and with that, the group of 10 which had turned into 9, which had then become 7, but then 9 again, and then 8 after that; was split asunder; 5 in one direction, 3 in the other. Our fellowship was done for this day.
Our turnoff dumped us onto Rte 50, just in time to meet up with what appeared to be over half of the population of the entire state of Virginia. Moving at a snail’s pace, we quickly realized we needed assistance. Fortunately; Chris had just the right kind of assistance perched on his handlebar; a GPS unit. And it told us to take a left, a right, and then an on-ramp. A quick blast down 395, and we were making up some time.
We arrived at K’s and hearty hugs and hello’s were exchanged all around. She had cold beer waiting for us (Yay for cold beer!). We unpacked, changed and freshened up a bit, and then headed off to Old Town – an eclectic collection of shops, restaurants and bars. Nice!
After a quick dinner, we hopped on over to O’Connor’s bar for some more frosty refreshments. This is where I encountered the waitress from hell. After explaining why I was asking (all while her face registered complete lack of care or interest), she declined my request to open the bottle myself so that I could save the cap. I asked if I could open it in front of her and the bartender, but she denied me. I asked if she could hold it while I opened it; no. She wanted nothing to do with it, and had less than zero interest in being a good waitress. Good for her! I made sure that her tip reflected the outstanding level of service she’d bestowed upon us. (And those that know me, know that I’m normally a heavy tipper!)
From there, we bopped around a bit more, then headed back to K’s. It was late, but we needed to outline a plan for the next day. After several more beers, and many plans laid into place, we said our goodnights and retired for the evening.
The next morning, we all agreed that we couldn’t remember what we’d agreed to the night (morning) before. So the discussions began again. We settled on hitting DC first and getting some of the sightseeing out of the way. With that, we were soon on the road again, and rolling down the on-ramp right into the thick of the city. After parking, we hit Thunder Alley for some souvenirs, grabbed a bite to eat for a late breakfast, then walked over to the National Mall (grass) and checked out Gary Senise’s band; Lt. Dan Band (Forrest Gump reference). They were really good!
After that, we walked over and visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall - always very emotional! There was the usual assortment of letters, pictures, flowers, medals, etc. laid out along the base of the panels. There were older vets hugging each other, some smiling, some crying. Very, very touching!
When we’d reached the far end of the Wall, we proceeded over to the Lincoln Memorial. The front steps were covered with seated members of the Run For The Wall groups. It was an impressive sight to see! Almost the entire steps were covered, and there were many rows at the bottom, which consisted of more members, reclined and seated.
The Reflecting Pool was closed for renovations. It was interesting as well as disappointing – interesting to see what’s at the bottom of the pool (large slabs, long crease in the middle where the water drains to be cleaned), disappointing to not see it in its full glory. I forget when it’s supposed to be up and running again, but I think; by the end of this year.
Oh yeah, a bit of a back story; Michigan Paul and Bettina had made the ride to DC as well. We’d been playing phone tag for a day or so and had agreed we would meet up here, on this day. Well, both of our schedules had been thrown off by late starts, so we decided that since we were both going ot be in Arlington later in the day, that would be the place to meet.
We headed back to the bikes, hit the road a bit, and found ourselves in Arlington Cemetery. The parking garage was almost full to the brink and it took us a while to get settled, but before too long, we were strolling along the roadways and looking at the far-too-long rows of marble markers.
Our first destination was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We arrived just in time to see the laying of a wreath which was very cool. As soon as that was completed, the regular guard took up his patrol once again. We stayed long enough to see the changing of the guard – something that everyone should see if they’re in the area. From there, we walked over and visited Audie Murphy, “the most decorated soldier”. After that, we checked out the Eternal Flame (Kennedy’s graves), and then it was time to head on out.
(Unfortunately; Paul had texted me during our stay; the parking garage was full to capacity, and he and Bettina had been turned away. Oh well, we were going to try again to catch up the next day, during the Rolling Thunder run.)
It took us forever to get out of the parking garage, and at one point, we saw a good bit of smoke, just over the trees. When we did finally get out and back onto Memorial Drive, we saw the reason; a bike had gone up. I’m assuming the rider(s) were fine, as the bike was standing up and on its kickstand. It possibly overheated or something, but regardless of the reason it caught fire, it was totaled. (There was a fire truck there, watching over the smoldering remains.)
Next up on the day was to head back to K’s, get cleaned up and then head back into the city to meet up with Chris’ brother (and his girlfriend) for dinner and drinks. It was great to meet them both, and we had some good laughs with them. Of course, we had some good laughs at ourselves, too. Our first attempt at a meeting spot left us parking in an uncertain area. When we asked the passing meter maid if we were ok, she informed us that she was a metro bus driver, not a meter maid. Oh, sorry. We asked the guys standing in front of the barber shop that was right there, if we were all set and they said “Sure”. (They were very helpful.) When we asked if the bar we were headed to (“Nellie’s”) was any good, they said “Yes, you’ll like it.” (They seemed helpful.) When we arrived at the bar, we found it was a gay bar. Is this bad? Nope, not at all, but we’d rather kick back and enjoy our beers without being hit upon, so we left. When we returned to the bikes, we asked the guys in front of the barber shop why hadn’t they told us it was a gay bar, they said they thought we knew it was, and that that’s what we were looking for. (They were not helpful at all.)
Anyway, from there, it was up the street a ways until we found another bar. Parking was still quite hard to find, so we had to settle for a spot that was oil-slicked and not very inviting. There was a real meter maid nearby (they were really working the tickets!!) and we asked if we were all set where we were. She said that “SHE” would not bother us. Which left us wondering how many of them were around, and if we were safe from the others, too, or if only from her… We decided to risk it, and hit the bar. They had an outside patio so we settled in, enjoyed a couple frosties, and people-watched. And there were many, MANY interesting people to watch!
Soon it was time for food! We walked over to Ben’s Chile Bar – apparently it’s a famous fast-food (chili) joint. I hadn’t heard of it, but it seems just about everyone else has. The best way to describe it is a mill. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but they were churning out food like there was no tomorrow. That place has to make a killing! The line never stopped moving; people were coming up, walking in, ordering, sitting, eating, leaving. And the line kept moving. The food itself was decent enough, but I couldn’t get over how many people they were serving, and so quickly, too.
After dinner, it was time for more beerverages! We weren’t certain where to go, but luckily enough for us, there was this amazing place right next to Ben’s; The Saloon! The beer selection was extensive, but pricey. That was ok, though, for the selection they had was all very good stuff! But what really set this place apart was the waiter we had. When I explained how I was looking to collect caps, and could I open the bottle, not only did he say ‘absolutely’, but he let me open all the bottles that were coming to our table. He even left his own personal opener on the table for me to use. And on top of all THAT, he went into the back room and collected a bag full of other caps! I came away with 15-20 caps that I hadn’t had yet! I made sure that his tip was quite heavy when it was time to leave, and then slipped him another $5 when we passed him on our way out. Loved that place!!
The last place we hit that night was a place called Four Courts. K had some friends who were there and we wanted to catch up with them. We did, we shared hello’s and handshakes, and then settled in a bit. There was a 2-man band on the stage and they were keeping the crowd moderately interested. (Most of the patrons seemed to be bar-hopping frat folks, more interested in hovering by the bar, than checking out the band.)
At any rate, when the bar closed (2am), Chris had the genius to suggest that this was the best time to ride the streets of D.C. And it WAS genius! No traffic, most of the lights were in our favor, it was awesome! Up and down we rode, streaking by this and that sight. We eventually parked on H St, walked across Lafayette Square and up to the White House fence. We shot the breeze with the guards posted there, and stuck our heads through the fence and took pictures of the White House. After that, some more riding around, then headed back to K’s for a couple of night capping beers, then off to slumber-land for a few hours.
Sunday morning! Time to get up for the run! We scoffed down a quick breakfast at a nearby breakfast joint, then shot into downtown DC. We parked quickly and soon had made our way to the corner of 23rd and Constitution, where SSgt Tim Chambers stands at attention. There was something new this year, however; roughly 10 minutes before the start of the run, two more Marines approached from Constitution Ave. They walked up to Tim, spoke for a little bit, then shook hands with him and proceeded up 23rd. One of them stopped halfway to the rotary, while the other went all the way to the top of 23rd. They both stood at attention for the entire run, but I don’t know what they did when the run ended, as we didn’t stick around for the entirety (we figured 3 hours was enough).
On the bright side, Paul and Bettina did find us and we all got to say hello and catch up…for a little bit. Paul and Bettina soon mosied along to see the run from some other viewpoints, and that was that. Hopefully the next time we catch up with each other, we’ll be able to squeeze in some frosties.
We made our break from downtown, proper, and hit a sportsbar called the Green Turtle. They’re the ones with the Irish Breakfast shot. Meh, it was ok. From there, we headed back to K’s to freshen up again, then it was time to head out for the evening. Yeah man, we’re headed back to Old Town! We hit one place on the water – I don’t remember the name of it, but it was ‘ok’. We had one drink, paid our tab, and hit the bricks. Our destination? Murphy’s! Yeah! Love this place! The guy on the stage was engaging the crowd very well, the waitress was decent enough (no caps tonight, though), and we had many laughs, long into the evening. Yep, right up until Cindy stepped outside, then returned to inform us that it was raining out. What? It wasn’t supposed to rain tonight! What the hell? Let’s check the weather maps on the phones. Holy Impending Rain Pattern! Ok, well we’re not going to try waiting out the current precipitation because what’s coming behind it looks rather ferocious. We settled up our tab, fired up the bikes and enjoyed a fast-paced, albeit soaking wet ride back to K’s house.
After changing into dry clothes, we kicked around for a little bit, not at all anxious to close the door on our final night in DC. We shared some laughs about this, that and the other thing, when suddenly K remembered she had a friend hanging out in the closet. Introducing; Mr. Ugly!
Anyway, we soon turned in and got some shut-eye in preparation for the long ride home the next morning. And all too soon; that morning arrived with the buzzing of the alarm. Bleah, time to get up. Walking out the door, who should be laying against the door, waiting for me? None other than Mr. Ugly itself. Gahh!! Not what I needed to see, in the darkness, first thing in the morning, with a still-foggy head! (At least he didn’t have the gun on him anymore!) I moved him gently to the couch and tucked a blanket around him to keep him warm. I definitely wanted to keep on this things’ good side.
And that was that. We hammered the 500 miles home (on only 5 hours of sleep, after a long, low-sleep weekend, to boot). The ride was good enough; no rain, sun wasn’t too bad, and we beat most of the traffic. We pulled over in RI to get some needed grub and a cocktail or three, before hopping back onto the highway and knocking off the last leg of the trip.
Whew!! What a year. Thanks again, K!!! As always, we had an amazing time, and all for an amazing purpose; the celebration and appreciation of the Veterans who have, and who continue to secure our freedoms for us. For those that have not made this trip yet – You Need To!
And in the meantime, remember to thank a Vet!! We did. And we Rode Hard, and we Took Chances!
We had an early start on Friday morning. Bill arrived @ my house @ 5:05, Cindy and I piled onto my bike and ambled over to Steve and Jan’s house. They, too, were ready early, and we all hit the road and headed over to the rally point; Mobil gas station on 1A in Wrentham (Chris met us there). Before long, we had all 9 bikes gassed up and ready. We were supposed to have had 10 bikes, but 9 is not shabby for an early, 500-mile long trip.
Things were a bit foggy and overcast at first, but my sun-adverse skin did not complain at all. We had a slight touch of light rain about halfway through CT, but by the time we hit Jersey, the sun was out and the heat was building.
As we were merging onto 287, one of our tail riders got mixed up on which ramp to take, so her husband peeled off with her. The group of 10 which had turned into 9, was now down to 7.
Here’s the first of the two pics you’ll get in this post;
With that, we were off again. Jersey traffic sucked as usual when we got to the spot where the high-speed lanes merge with the commercial lanes. No surprises there, because what do you expect to happen when you’re merging 6 lanes of travel, down into 3?
We finally got through that and were moving along ok (not great, though). Our destination was an address in Baltimore for a cookout. One of the guys who was riding down with us (Jim) was proposing to his girlfriend (Jenn) who lives down here. We arrived, she came running out of the house to hug Jim, and the rest of us surrounded them, our front tires forming a circle around the couple. Jim went to one knee, pulled out a ring, and proposed on the spot. We all revved our engines and hit our horns. It was pretty cool, I have to admit. It was then time to park and proceed inside, where Jenn had coolers full of beers and plates full of food waiting for us. We quickly settled in and were made to feel right at home. Roughly an hour later, the two missing bikes arrived. The group of 7 was now 9 again! But our elation was short-lived. It’d been a 2-hour pit stop and it was time to hit the road again. We had places to get to and people waiting for us!
Taking off from the house, Jim naturally stayed behind to celebrate his new status change. This meant the group of 10 which had turned into 9, which had then become 7, but then 9 again, was now down to 8. But even this was to change all too soon, for some were headed to Arlington while others were headed to Crystal City. A mere few miles from Jenn’s house, we reached our turnoff. We exchanged salutes to each other, and with that, the group of 10 which had turned into 9, which had then become 7, but then 9 again, and then 8 after that; was split asunder; 5 in one direction, 3 in the other. Our fellowship was done for this day.
Our turnoff dumped us onto Rte 50, just in time to meet up with what appeared to be over half of the population of the entire state of Virginia. Moving at a snail’s pace, we quickly realized we needed assistance. Fortunately; Chris had just the right kind of assistance perched on his handlebar; a GPS unit. And it told us to take a left, a right, and then an on-ramp. A quick blast down 395, and we were making up some time.
We arrived at K’s and hearty hugs and hello’s were exchanged all around. She had cold beer waiting for us (Yay for cold beer!). We unpacked, changed and freshened up a bit, and then headed off to Old Town – an eclectic collection of shops, restaurants and bars. Nice!
After a quick dinner, we hopped on over to O’Connor’s bar for some more frosty refreshments. This is where I encountered the waitress from hell. After explaining why I was asking (all while her face registered complete lack of care or interest), she declined my request to open the bottle myself so that I could save the cap. I asked if I could open it in front of her and the bartender, but she denied me. I asked if she could hold it while I opened it; no. She wanted nothing to do with it, and had less than zero interest in being a good waitress. Good for her! I made sure that her tip reflected the outstanding level of service she’d bestowed upon us. (And those that know me, know that I’m normally a heavy tipper!)
From there, we bopped around a bit more, then headed back to K’s. It was late, but we needed to outline a plan for the next day. After several more beers, and many plans laid into place, we said our goodnights and retired for the evening.
The next morning, we all agreed that we couldn’t remember what we’d agreed to the night (morning) before. So the discussions began again. We settled on hitting DC first and getting some of the sightseeing out of the way. With that, we were soon on the road again, and rolling down the on-ramp right into the thick of the city. After parking, we hit Thunder Alley for some souvenirs, grabbed a bite to eat for a late breakfast, then walked over to the National Mall (grass) and checked out Gary Senise’s band; Lt. Dan Band (Forrest Gump reference). They were really good!
After that, we walked over and visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall - always very emotional! There was the usual assortment of letters, pictures, flowers, medals, etc. laid out along the base of the panels. There were older vets hugging each other, some smiling, some crying. Very, very touching!
When we’d reached the far end of the Wall, we proceeded over to the Lincoln Memorial. The front steps were covered with seated members of the Run For The Wall groups. It was an impressive sight to see! Almost the entire steps were covered, and there were many rows at the bottom, which consisted of more members, reclined and seated.
The Reflecting Pool was closed for renovations. It was interesting as well as disappointing – interesting to see what’s at the bottom of the pool (large slabs, long crease in the middle where the water drains to be cleaned), disappointing to not see it in its full glory. I forget when it’s supposed to be up and running again, but I think; by the end of this year.
Oh yeah, a bit of a back story; Michigan Paul and Bettina had made the ride to DC as well. We’d been playing phone tag for a day or so and had agreed we would meet up here, on this day. Well, both of our schedules had been thrown off by late starts, so we decided that since we were both going ot be in Arlington later in the day, that would be the place to meet.
We headed back to the bikes, hit the road a bit, and found ourselves in Arlington Cemetery. The parking garage was almost full to the brink and it took us a while to get settled, but before too long, we were strolling along the roadways and looking at the far-too-long rows of marble markers.
Our first destination was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We arrived just in time to see the laying of a wreath which was very cool. As soon as that was completed, the regular guard took up his patrol once again. We stayed long enough to see the changing of the guard – something that everyone should see if they’re in the area. From there, we walked over and visited Audie Murphy, “the most decorated soldier”. After that, we checked out the Eternal Flame (Kennedy’s graves), and then it was time to head on out.
(Unfortunately; Paul had texted me during our stay; the parking garage was full to capacity, and he and Bettina had been turned away. Oh well, we were going to try again to catch up the next day, during the Rolling Thunder run.)
It took us forever to get out of the parking garage, and at one point, we saw a good bit of smoke, just over the trees. When we did finally get out and back onto Memorial Drive, we saw the reason; a bike had gone up. I’m assuming the rider(s) were fine, as the bike was standing up and on its kickstand. It possibly overheated or something, but regardless of the reason it caught fire, it was totaled. (There was a fire truck there, watching over the smoldering remains.)
Next up on the day was to head back to K’s, get cleaned up and then head back into the city to meet up with Chris’ brother (and his girlfriend) for dinner and drinks. It was great to meet them both, and we had some good laughs with them. Of course, we had some good laughs at ourselves, too. Our first attempt at a meeting spot left us parking in an uncertain area. When we asked the passing meter maid if we were ok, she informed us that she was a metro bus driver, not a meter maid. Oh, sorry. We asked the guys standing in front of the barber shop that was right there, if we were all set and they said “Sure”. (They were very helpful.) When we asked if the bar we were headed to (“Nellie’s”) was any good, they said “Yes, you’ll like it.” (They seemed helpful.) When we arrived at the bar, we found it was a gay bar. Is this bad? Nope, not at all, but we’d rather kick back and enjoy our beers without being hit upon, so we left. When we returned to the bikes, we asked the guys in front of the barber shop why hadn’t they told us it was a gay bar, they said they thought we knew it was, and that that’s what we were looking for. (They were not helpful at all.)
Anyway, from there, it was up the street a ways until we found another bar. Parking was still quite hard to find, so we had to settle for a spot that was oil-slicked and not very inviting. There was a real meter maid nearby (they were really working the tickets!!) and we asked if we were all set where we were. She said that “SHE” would not bother us. Which left us wondering how many of them were around, and if we were safe from the others, too, or if only from her… We decided to risk it, and hit the bar. They had an outside patio so we settled in, enjoyed a couple frosties, and people-watched. And there were many, MANY interesting people to watch!
Soon it was time for food! We walked over to Ben’s Chile Bar – apparently it’s a famous fast-food (chili) joint. I hadn’t heard of it, but it seems just about everyone else has. The best way to describe it is a mill. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but they were churning out food like there was no tomorrow. That place has to make a killing! The line never stopped moving; people were coming up, walking in, ordering, sitting, eating, leaving. And the line kept moving. The food itself was decent enough, but I couldn’t get over how many people they were serving, and so quickly, too.
After dinner, it was time for more beerverages! We weren’t certain where to go, but luckily enough for us, there was this amazing place right next to Ben’s; The Saloon! The beer selection was extensive, but pricey. That was ok, though, for the selection they had was all very good stuff! But what really set this place apart was the waiter we had. When I explained how I was looking to collect caps, and could I open the bottle, not only did he say ‘absolutely’, but he let me open all the bottles that were coming to our table. He even left his own personal opener on the table for me to use. And on top of all THAT, he went into the back room and collected a bag full of other caps! I came away with 15-20 caps that I hadn’t had yet! I made sure that his tip was quite heavy when it was time to leave, and then slipped him another $5 when we passed him on our way out. Loved that place!!
The last place we hit that night was a place called Four Courts. K had some friends who were there and we wanted to catch up with them. We did, we shared hello’s and handshakes, and then settled in a bit. There was a 2-man band on the stage and they were keeping the crowd moderately interested. (Most of the patrons seemed to be bar-hopping frat folks, more interested in hovering by the bar, than checking out the band.)
At any rate, when the bar closed (2am), Chris had the genius to suggest that this was the best time to ride the streets of D.C. And it WAS genius! No traffic, most of the lights were in our favor, it was awesome! Up and down we rode, streaking by this and that sight. We eventually parked on H St, walked across Lafayette Square and up to the White House fence. We shot the breeze with the guards posted there, and stuck our heads through the fence and took pictures of the White House. After that, some more riding around, then headed back to K’s for a couple of night capping beers, then off to slumber-land for a few hours.
Sunday morning! Time to get up for the run! We scoffed down a quick breakfast at a nearby breakfast joint, then shot into downtown DC. We parked quickly and soon had made our way to the corner of 23rd and Constitution, where SSgt Tim Chambers stands at attention. There was something new this year, however; roughly 10 minutes before the start of the run, two more Marines approached from Constitution Ave. They walked up to Tim, spoke for a little bit, then shook hands with him and proceeded up 23rd. One of them stopped halfway to the rotary, while the other went all the way to the top of 23rd. They both stood at attention for the entire run, but I don’t know what they did when the run ended, as we didn’t stick around for the entirety (we figured 3 hours was enough).
On the bright side, Paul and Bettina did find us and we all got to say hello and catch up…for a little bit. Paul and Bettina soon mosied along to see the run from some other viewpoints, and that was that. Hopefully the next time we catch up with each other, we’ll be able to squeeze in some frosties.
We made our break from downtown, proper, and hit a sportsbar called the Green Turtle. They’re the ones with the Irish Breakfast shot. Meh, it was ok. From there, we headed back to K’s to freshen up again, then it was time to head out for the evening. Yeah man, we’re headed back to Old Town! We hit one place on the water – I don’t remember the name of it, but it was ‘ok’. We had one drink, paid our tab, and hit the bricks. Our destination? Murphy’s! Yeah! Love this place! The guy on the stage was engaging the crowd very well, the waitress was decent enough (no caps tonight, though), and we had many laughs, long into the evening. Yep, right up until Cindy stepped outside, then returned to inform us that it was raining out. What? It wasn’t supposed to rain tonight! What the hell? Let’s check the weather maps on the phones. Holy Impending Rain Pattern! Ok, well we’re not going to try waiting out the current precipitation because what’s coming behind it looks rather ferocious. We settled up our tab, fired up the bikes and enjoyed a fast-paced, albeit soaking wet ride back to K’s house.
After changing into dry clothes, we kicked around for a little bit, not at all anxious to close the door on our final night in DC. We shared some laughs about this, that and the other thing, when suddenly K remembered she had a friend hanging out in the closet. Introducing; Mr. Ugly!
Did I mention that he likes to pack heat? Yeah, not only is this thing beyond creepy on its own, it’s especially unnerving when its holding a service revolver. What can I say, things get weird on the road.
Anyway, we soon turned in and got some shut-eye in preparation for the long ride home the next morning. And all too soon; that morning arrived with the buzzing of the alarm. Bleah, time to get up. Walking out the door, who should be laying against the door, waiting for me? None other than Mr. Ugly itself. Gahh!! Not what I needed to see, in the darkness, first thing in the morning, with a still-foggy head! (At least he didn’t have the gun on him anymore!) I moved him gently to the couch and tucked a blanket around him to keep him warm. I definitely wanted to keep on this things’ good side.
And that was that. We hammered the 500 miles home (on only 5 hours of sleep, after a long, low-sleep weekend, to boot). The ride was good enough; no rain, sun wasn’t too bad, and we beat most of the traffic. We pulled over in RI to get some needed grub and a cocktail or three, before hopping back onto the highway and knocking off the last leg of the trip.
Whew!! What a year. Thanks again, K!!! As always, we had an amazing time, and all for an amazing purpose; the celebration and appreciation of the Veterans who have, and who continue to secure our freedoms for us. For those that have not made this trip yet – You Need To!
And in the meantime, remember to thank a Vet!! We did. And we Rode Hard, and we Took Chances!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorable Memorial Day
Making great time but we lost Bill. He preferred 80mph. Chris & I preferred 90
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Not Even Sure Where To Begin...
Long day and we've been wrapping up things nicely. Early start tomorrow so on
Breakfast Served All Day
Thundering On
Great Time For Sightseeing!
Gettin' Our Irish On
Saturday, May 26, 2012
DC Love!
Oiled Up
Mass Confusion
Friday, May 25, 2012
DC Hatin'
Welcome To DC!
Baltimore BBQ Break
Major Fail!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Pole Setup; Set Up
Onward, Toward Thunder
…but is the thunder already laying in wait for us? Weather predictions are calling for scattered thunderstorms for our ride down – some, even in the morning. Just a prelude, I suppose, to the intense heat and humidity that we’ll be encountering this weekend. No matter, and weather be damned! It’s an important weekend, and we shall ride!
Logistics are falling into place; Billy is meeting us at my house, then we’re heading to Steve & Jan’s house. From there, we’re heading over to Plainville to meet Maynard and the other 7 bikes that are making the trip down with us. That’s right; 7 others, for a total of 10 bikes. Sweet! (Yes, a large group can offer some challenges, but everyone knows their way around a set of handlebars, so we should be all set.)
But have no fear! Lest you think things are under control, I still have to modify the flag setup on the bike. I’ve got new, reinforced flag poles, so there won’t be a repeat of last year’s issue (one broke), but the brackets that minimize the wind drag need to be adjusted. I still need to pack, too, but that will have to wait until tomorrow night, because I’ve got a Legion Riders meeting tonight! Whew, too much going on, but I wouldn’t change anything!
I’ve got a rough itinerary lined up but I’m sure that any semblance of order will be tossed aside, and we’ll make things up as we go. We’ve got a BBQ in Baltimore being thrown for the whole group, going on on Friday afternoon. Ok, it’s really for one of the guys riding down with us, but we’ve been sucked into the maelstrom that is that event. We’re going to keep to the outskirts so that we can make a clean getaway before things get too crazy. We’ve got places to go and people to see on Friday night!
And speaking of people to see, Michigan Paul and his lovely wife Bettina are also riding to Rolling Thunder this year! We’ve been in touch and are going to do our level-best to make sure we can catch up with each other. This year is going to be the 25th anniversary of Rolling Thunder, so the throngs should be quite sizeable, but we should be able to catch up each other at some point.
Ok, I think that’s it for now. Not sure I’ll be able to get any more lengthy posts up before we roll out, but there will be pics sent along the way. Until then, I’m getting antsy to…
RideHard, Take Chances!
Logistics are falling into place; Billy is meeting us at my house, then we’re heading to Steve & Jan’s house. From there, we’re heading over to Plainville to meet Maynard and the other 7 bikes that are making the trip down with us. That’s right; 7 others, for a total of 10 bikes. Sweet! (Yes, a large group can offer some challenges, but everyone knows their way around a set of handlebars, so we should be all set.)
But have no fear! Lest you think things are under control, I still have to modify the flag setup on the bike. I’ve got new, reinforced flag poles, so there won’t be a repeat of last year’s issue (one broke), but the brackets that minimize the wind drag need to be adjusted. I still need to pack, too, but that will have to wait until tomorrow night, because I’ve got a Legion Riders meeting tonight! Whew, too much going on, but I wouldn’t change anything!
I’ve got a rough itinerary lined up but I’m sure that any semblance of order will be tossed aside, and we’ll make things up as we go. We’ve got a BBQ in Baltimore being thrown for the whole group, going on on Friday afternoon. Ok, it’s really for one of the guys riding down with us, but we’ve been sucked into the maelstrom that is that event. We’re going to keep to the outskirts so that we can make a clean getaway before things get too crazy. We’ve got places to go and people to see on Friday night!
And speaking of people to see, Michigan Paul and his lovely wife Bettina are also riding to Rolling Thunder this year! We’ve been in touch and are going to do our level-best to make sure we can catch up with each other. This year is going to be the 25th anniversary of Rolling Thunder, so the throngs should be quite sizeable, but we should be able to catch up each other at some point.
Ok, I think that’s it for now. Not sure I’ll be able to get any more lengthy posts up before we roll out, but there will be pics sent along the way. Until then, I’m getting antsy to…
RideHard, Take Chances!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Roasto Wrap-up
The party has passed and we’re already looking ahead to the next event - but that event is only 4 sleeps away, so let’s get to the write-up and put it to bed.
(Most of the pics are already on FaceBook so this will be a relatively simple writeup.)
The Olean crew arrived nice and early on Friday afternoon, having enjoyed an extra day for their ride out. Their expectations were that they would get into town by 5 or 6. Well, their arrival was a bit earlier than that; about 3 hours earlier, to be exact. But that’s ok, we still had some running around to do and didn’t get a chance to get over to the hotel to say hello until 5 anyway. From there, we shot up to Chickie Flynn’s for eats and drinks. After a number of hours (and rounds), it was time for some of us to excuse ourselves while most of the crew went back to the hotel to play cards. Cindy and I were two of the folks opting to put the partying on hold - it’d been a long week and we needed some down time before the following day’s festivities kicked off.
The following morning dawned bright, warm…and early! Stupid brain – can’t sleep when there’s so much excitement in the air! But no time for contemplation – we had to go meet up with the cooking crew for breakfast. We tried a new place this year; one down near where we were getting the pig from. General consensus is that we won’t be patronizing them again, but no matter; our bellies were full, and we had a fun-filled day laying ahead of us.
Back at the house, we set to knocking off the myriad of last-minute things that always pop up for something like this. And before long; folks started to trickle in. I always get a bit nervous when the crowds don’t rally early, as there is a ton of food being prepared, but each year, the crowds don’t let me down. This year was no different, and by 4 o’clock, there was a sea of smiling faces, both in back, and out front.
And speaking of out front, the excellent weather brought out a grand showing of bikes. I didn’t do a count, but the driveway was filled with them. Some coming, some going, but mostly staying put (until the wee hours, that is).
The one downturn for the day was when the new bathroom in the basement became plugged up. Compounding things, the bathroom upstairs became plugged up a few minutes later. McCarthy and Lovenbury jumped into action on the downstairs one and I managed to get the upstairs one working (much to the relief of the female guests). The downstairs one took much more time and effort, as it was the ejector that was jammed. We had to yank the manhole cover and get to the pump itself. After a bunch of nasty bailing, some dirtying of tools, and a trip to home depot, they managed to get things working again. Then, it was bleach time! (McCarthy wisely handed the cooking duties over to Scott, as we were pretty sure the guests did not want to see the guy who was just elbows-deep into the septic issue, then handling the food they were eating. There just isn’t enough bleach in the world to appease some folks.) Huge, huge gratitude to those guys for diving into a nasty situation and fixing things for me!!
Thankfully, the rest of the day was issue-free, and there was much enjoyment to be had. There were compliments aplenty about how good the pig was, not to mention the huge amounts of food that others brought with them. Oh, and the luge selections? Outstanding this year; I have enough liquor left over to officially open my basement bar now. Sweet!
As dusk began to settle, it was time for the Moment of Silence, followed by the Toast of Life. Participation in the Moment of Silence was excellent this year, with a number of folks tossing names out, and that was very nice to be a part of. After the brief bit of quiet, we roused ourselves with a hearty rendition of the Toast. It always brings a lot of smiles from the first-timers, as they’re surrounded with those that know the words.
Then it was time to kick back. Or perhaps “step back” is more appropriate. Step back from the fire, for this is the moment that the pyros have been waiting for; they get to kick up the fire! A couple pallets, a bunch of branches…all good fuel for the flames. But these guys had their eyes on something more; they wanted my picnic table! Ah, what the hell. It’s 11 years old, has been fixed more than once (and was in sore need of more fixing) – sure, go ahead, have at it. But instead of simply setting it onto the fire, they sought height in their creation! They stood the table on end, so the flames would be all that higher! Thankfully (in my mind, anyway), the table collapsed early into things, leaving the disgruntled fire-feeders to pile things back onto the fire, but in a shorter stack.
When the flames (and the heat) had died a bit and it was safe to approach the firepit, Jerry pulled up a chair and recited some stories for us. It was an excellent way to wrap up the day. Thanks Jerome!
By now, things were getting late and folks began to depart in larger numbers. It’s what happens after a long day, and it’s not entirely unwelcome to the hosts. We had some much-appreciated help with the cleanup from many folks, and by the time everyone who was leaving had left, things didn’t look too bad at all. Cindy, myself, Bill and Tara tossed a few more logs onto the fire and collected our thoughts on the day. We were just getting ready to turn in, when we began hearing giggling from out front. Tara took a stroll up the side and peered around the corner…then came running back down. “All I can see, is legs!” she informed us. Ha ha, someone was getting lucky out on my lawn! Oh well, good for them. For us, though, it was time to turn in. As tradition dictates, it was time to grab the luge and toss it onto the fire. (For the record, we found out the next day who the fun-loving couple was and it didn’t involve anyone you might be thinking of. I won’t put their names into this story, but we were happy for them that they had fun.)
The next morning, we were up early again, more cleaning and straightening up, then off to meet the Olean crew for their departure breakfast. Some more laughs and good memories, then out to the parking lot for the customary departure picture. Hugs and handshakes, and they were off (word I’ve received so far indicates they’ve had mostly sun-filled skies and are doing well on their return trip home).
We locals mosied back to the house and mulled around a bit, wondering what we were going to do with our day. Sustenance is often needed for this sort of mulling, and soon someone cracked a beer, followed by a second person cracking one, and then we all had one in our hands. The day was clear and warm, and I had shade and a picnic table…and cards. So we set to polishing off the frosties that my prior day’s guests had been kind enough to leave me. Ahhh, sunshine, friends and laughter. If I tried real hard, I might be able to think of a better way to end a great weekend, but I would have to think long and hard on that, and that’s just too much work (not to mention; open to some debate).
A few pics for ya;
The Harley birthday cake that my baby got for me. At least she didn't make everyone sing to me...this time...
Jello shot Fridge; 32 flavors!! All numbered and in order!
The bastards broke my wheelbarrow!! :-D
And there you have it; the 2012 Cinco de Roasto!! Now it’s time to get ready to ride! In 4 days, we leave for Rolling Thunder!!
Ride Hard, Take Chances!!
(Most of the pics are already on FaceBook so this will be a relatively simple writeup.)
The Olean crew arrived nice and early on Friday afternoon, having enjoyed an extra day for their ride out. Their expectations were that they would get into town by 5 or 6. Well, their arrival was a bit earlier than that; about 3 hours earlier, to be exact. But that’s ok, we still had some running around to do and didn’t get a chance to get over to the hotel to say hello until 5 anyway. From there, we shot up to Chickie Flynn’s for eats and drinks. After a number of hours (and rounds), it was time for some of us to excuse ourselves while most of the crew went back to the hotel to play cards. Cindy and I were two of the folks opting to put the partying on hold - it’d been a long week and we needed some down time before the following day’s festivities kicked off.
The following morning dawned bright, warm…and early! Stupid brain – can’t sleep when there’s so much excitement in the air! But no time for contemplation – we had to go meet up with the cooking crew for breakfast. We tried a new place this year; one down near where we were getting the pig from. General consensus is that we won’t be patronizing them again, but no matter; our bellies were full, and we had a fun-filled day laying ahead of us.
Back at the house, we set to knocking off the myriad of last-minute things that always pop up for something like this. And before long; folks started to trickle in. I always get a bit nervous when the crowds don’t rally early, as there is a ton of food being prepared, but each year, the crowds don’t let me down. This year was no different, and by 4 o’clock, there was a sea of smiling faces, both in back, and out front.
And speaking of out front, the excellent weather brought out a grand showing of bikes. I didn’t do a count, but the driveway was filled with them. Some coming, some going, but mostly staying put (until the wee hours, that is).
The one downturn for the day was when the new bathroom in the basement became plugged up. Compounding things, the bathroom upstairs became plugged up a few minutes later. McCarthy and Lovenbury jumped into action on the downstairs one and I managed to get the upstairs one working (much to the relief of the female guests). The downstairs one took much more time and effort, as it was the ejector that was jammed. We had to yank the manhole cover and get to the pump itself. After a bunch of nasty bailing, some dirtying of tools, and a trip to home depot, they managed to get things working again. Then, it was bleach time! (McCarthy wisely handed the cooking duties over to Scott, as we were pretty sure the guests did not want to see the guy who was just elbows-deep into the septic issue, then handling the food they were eating. There just isn’t enough bleach in the world to appease some folks.) Huge, huge gratitude to those guys for diving into a nasty situation and fixing things for me!!
Thankfully, the rest of the day was issue-free, and there was much enjoyment to be had. There were compliments aplenty about how good the pig was, not to mention the huge amounts of food that others brought with them. Oh, and the luge selections? Outstanding this year; I have enough liquor left over to officially open my basement bar now. Sweet!
As dusk began to settle, it was time for the Moment of Silence, followed by the Toast of Life. Participation in the Moment of Silence was excellent this year, with a number of folks tossing names out, and that was very nice to be a part of. After the brief bit of quiet, we roused ourselves with a hearty rendition of the Toast. It always brings a lot of smiles from the first-timers, as they’re surrounded with those that know the words.
Then it was time to kick back. Or perhaps “step back” is more appropriate. Step back from the fire, for this is the moment that the pyros have been waiting for; they get to kick up the fire! A couple pallets, a bunch of branches…all good fuel for the flames. But these guys had their eyes on something more; they wanted my picnic table! Ah, what the hell. It’s 11 years old, has been fixed more than once (and was in sore need of more fixing) – sure, go ahead, have at it. But instead of simply setting it onto the fire, they sought height in their creation! They stood the table on end, so the flames would be all that higher! Thankfully (in my mind, anyway), the table collapsed early into things, leaving the disgruntled fire-feeders to pile things back onto the fire, but in a shorter stack.
When the flames (and the heat) had died a bit and it was safe to approach the firepit, Jerry pulled up a chair and recited some stories for us. It was an excellent way to wrap up the day. Thanks Jerome!
By now, things were getting late and folks began to depart in larger numbers. It’s what happens after a long day, and it’s not entirely unwelcome to the hosts. We had some much-appreciated help with the cleanup from many folks, and by the time everyone who was leaving had left, things didn’t look too bad at all. Cindy, myself, Bill and Tara tossed a few more logs onto the fire and collected our thoughts on the day. We were just getting ready to turn in, when we began hearing giggling from out front. Tara took a stroll up the side and peered around the corner…then came running back down. “All I can see, is legs!” she informed us. Ha ha, someone was getting lucky out on my lawn! Oh well, good for them. For us, though, it was time to turn in. As tradition dictates, it was time to grab the luge and toss it onto the fire. (For the record, we found out the next day who the fun-loving couple was and it didn’t involve anyone you might be thinking of. I won’t put their names into this story, but we were happy for them that they had fun.)
The next morning, we were up early again, more cleaning and straightening up, then off to meet the Olean crew for their departure breakfast. Some more laughs and good memories, then out to the parking lot for the customary departure picture. Hugs and handshakes, and they were off (word I’ve received so far indicates they’ve had mostly sun-filled skies and are doing well on their return trip home).
We locals mosied back to the house and mulled around a bit, wondering what we were going to do with our day. Sustenance is often needed for this sort of mulling, and soon someone cracked a beer, followed by a second person cracking one, and then we all had one in our hands. The day was clear and warm, and I had shade and a picnic table…and cards. So we set to polishing off the frosties that my prior day’s guests had been kind enough to leave me. Ahhh, sunshine, friends and laughter. If I tried real hard, I might be able to think of a better way to end a great weekend, but I would have to think long and hard on that, and that’s just too much work (not to mention; open to some debate).
A few pics for ya;
The Harley birthday cake that my baby got for me. At least she didn't make everyone sing to me...this time...
The bastards broke my wheelbarrow!! :-D
So another successful year has come and gone. My best-guess at attendance, both from memory and looking at Facebook pics, is 118. Down a bit from last year, but the 2nd highest yet, so not too shabby at all.
And there you have it; the 2012 Cinco de Roasto!! Now it’s time to get ready to ride! In 4 days, we leave for Rolling Thunder!!
Ride Hard, Take Chances!!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Cinco Done-0
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Tradition
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Uh-Oh...
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
No Sleep 'Til Cinco!
Where has the time gone? It's already been a year since the last time we did this? Whooo, time sure is speeding up! I think we should all grab hold of the days and screech them to a halt so that we can slow down and enjoy the fresh air. What the hell am I talking about? Hell, I have no idea, I'm running short on sleep and long on projects. I wrapped up the basement floor last night so that's all set. That's the good news. The great news is that I believe the dreaded Olean crew is going to have some nice riding weather for a change on their way out. Forecast at the moment is calling for 70's, sunshine, and near-zero chance of rain, starting tomorrow and running all the way through Monday. I don't know what or who I did to earn such a most-welcome weather forecast, but I should make a note of it and be sure to do them...er; it, again.
I'm taking tomorrow and Friday off to get things finalized around the house. There'll be some changes this year, most notably; the beer pong and ice luge will have to be outside. Those activities tend to leave quite a mess behind, and I'm not too keen on messing up the new floor I just put down. But enough bitching; the weather is going to be great, the crowd (from what I'm hearing on the street) is going to be sizeable, and we're going to have a really great day.
And yes; an excellent weather forecast means I expect to see a lot of bikes on Saturday!!
And as usual, anyone that needs to crash over, certainly can. It'd be much better to draw on your passed-out face and take pictures of you dolled up with whatever women's clothing we can find lying around, rather than having to worry about you making it home safely. Besides, I'm not out to make all that much money from ransoming the pictures, and permanent marker comes off with gasoline, so all in all, crashing over is the much better choice.
Ok, enough rambling. It's time for me to roll out of here. OLEAN! Have a safe ride out!! We'll be hoisting some frosties with you very soon!
Ride Hard, Take Chances!!
I'm taking tomorrow and Friday off to get things finalized around the house. There'll be some changes this year, most notably; the beer pong and ice luge will have to be outside. Those activities tend to leave quite a mess behind, and I'm not too keen on messing up the new floor I just put down. But enough bitching; the weather is going to be great, the crowd (from what I'm hearing on the street) is going to be sizeable, and we're going to have a really great day.
And yes; an excellent weather forecast means I expect to see a lot of bikes on Saturday!!
And as usual, anyone that needs to crash over, certainly can. It'd be much better to draw on your passed-out face and take pictures of you dolled up with whatever women's clothing we can find lying around, rather than having to worry about you making it home safely. Besides, I'm not out to make all that much money from ransoming the pictures, and permanent marker comes off with gasoline, so all in all, crashing over is the much better choice.
Ok, enough rambling. It's time for me to roll out of here. OLEAN! Have a safe ride out!! We'll be hoisting some frosties with you very soon!
Ride Hard, Take Chances!!
Monday, May 14, 2012
PFC Brian Moquin Memorial Run
Two posts today, but I’m going to post them in chronological order, to make things a little smoother to follow. First up; the PFC Brian Moquin Memorial Run…
The forecast for the day had been steadily improving as we got closer and closer. That morning, the sky dawned clear, and the well-dressed men on the news were now calling for temps of 80 degrees. Sweet, gonna be a great day to ride!
We had 5 bikes/6 attendees making the trip up this morning; Greg, Zig, Matty, and Billy & Mary (plus me makes 6). We rolled out of the driveway @ 9:45 sharp, giving us plenty of time to make the 50 minute trip to the rally point. Ok, so an hour SHOULD have been plenty of time, but as it turns out, taking the scenic route caused us to catch every red light on the face of the planet. So instead of arriving with plenty of time to spare, we arrived just as they were doing announcements and gearing up to kick things off.
There was a great turnout of bikes already lined up and ready, so we added ours to the rear and made our way to through the throngs of other participants, paused to say the National Anthem, then registered, and then hopped back on the bikes and headed out. We passed another large run that was going in the opposite direction - tons of bikes passing each other, each run in support of some great cause. I’ve never done that before, and there were lots of smiles and cheers – really a very cool spectacle, as the folks in their yards along the stretch where we were passing each other, were amazed at the sight unfolding in front of their eyes.
Oh yeah, just before we left on the run, there was an announcement that there would be no stops this year (IE: the usual 140 Pub Rendezvous). Bummer!! This didn’t seem to sit well with many of the other riders, either, because we kept losing chunks of the group each time we passed a watering hole. By the time we got back to the starting point (Kas Bar), I’d say we’d lost 2/3 of the starting numbers.
That’s a lot of folks to lose, but there were still plenty of others who did make it back…and who were standing in front of us when it came time to get in the food line!
He was quick on the reaction, though, and aside from some spots on his shirt, he came through relatively unscathed.
There were lots of bikes there, but only a few that caught my eye. This one had an amazing paint job, and as I stepped in to snap a pic, the owner directed me to the other side, where there was an eagle’s head worked into the flames. Very cool!
After a few coldies, we decided to head back closer to home. Opting to forgo repeating the red light trip from hell, we chose the highway and man, it felt really good to stretch the ol’ girl’s legs. It was the first time this year that I’ve gone any extended period of time @ +85mph and it felt great! Warm air rushing past, trees and grass getting greener all around, scents of wildflowers growing in the median…it was truly a great day.
Matty, Zig and I peeled off in Wrentham while Greg, Billy and Mary continued on (heading to their respective homes). Our destination was the Wrentham Legion, and pulling into that driveway, we saw a handful of cars parked there. Unfortunately, the owners of those vehicles must have been somewhere else, for the Post itself, was locked up and closed down.
Zig took advantage of this short break in the action to do some inspection on his bike; see the splines on his front shifter level have apparently become slightly tweaked, and the lever was dropping on its own, making shifting a bit interesting.
That’s right; the Red Rooster. We popped in and enjoyed the atmosphere for a few more, then it was time to break for the evening’s plans. Mike was in town! He was up for Mother’s Day, so we all met at Wendell’s for eats (I shot home and grabbed Cindy, first), then we all headed across the way to the Sportsway Café to check out a band and play some pool. It was a great end to a great day…
…although, it wasn’t quite the end of the day. There was one more item of interest worth chatting about. Because it’s not often that you’re on the way home when your passenger suddenly yells into your year: “YOUR BIKE IS ON FIRE!!!”.......
The forecast for the day had been steadily improving as we got closer and closer. That morning, the sky dawned clear, and the well-dressed men on the news were now calling for temps of 80 degrees. Sweet, gonna be a great day to ride!
We had 5 bikes/6 attendees making the trip up this morning; Greg, Zig, Matty, and Billy & Mary (plus me makes 6). We rolled out of the driveway @ 9:45 sharp, giving us plenty of time to make the 50 minute trip to the rally point. Ok, so an hour SHOULD have been plenty of time, but as it turns out, taking the scenic route caused us to catch every red light on the face of the planet. So instead of arriving with plenty of time to spare, we arrived just as they were doing announcements and gearing up to kick things off.
There was a great turnout of bikes already lined up and ready, so we added ours to the rear and made our way to through the throngs of other participants, paused to say the National Anthem, then registered, and then hopped back on the bikes and headed out. We passed another large run that was going in the opposite direction - tons of bikes passing each other, each run in support of some great cause. I’ve never done that before, and there were lots of smiles and cheers – really a very cool spectacle, as the folks in their yards along the stretch where we were passing each other, were amazed at the sight unfolding in front of their eyes.
Oh yeah, just before we left on the run, there was an announcement that there would be no stops this year (IE: the usual 140 Pub Rendezvous). Bummer!! This didn’t seem to sit well with many of the other riders, either, because we kept losing chunks of the group each time we passed a watering hole. By the time we got back to the starting point (Kas Bar), I’d say we’d lost 2/3 of the starting numbers.
That’s a lot of folks to lose, but there were still plenty of others who did make it back…and who were standing in front of us when it came time to get in the food line!
But we had to do what we had to do, and getting a good base in our stomachs before we hit the beerverages, was key. Once the grub was devoured, it was time to kick back a bit. We hung out in the warm sunshine, some of us with our backs to the building. This proved to be an unfortunate decision for Matty, as there was some sort of water drainage pipe over his head which came to life at one point, catching him unaware, and offering some entertainment to the folks standing around.
There were lots of bikes there, but only a few that caught my eye. This one had an amazing paint job, and as I stepped in to snap a pic, the owner directed me to the other side, where there was an eagle’s head worked into the flames. Very cool!
This bike had rotating machine gun barrels in the back of his tailpipes. I’ve never seen these before but apparently they’ve been around for a while.
Lastly, I really liked this rigid bobber. Definitely a sweet ride.
Matty, Zig and I peeled off in Wrentham while Greg, Billy and Mary continued on (heading to their respective homes). Our destination was the Wrentham Legion, and pulling into that driveway, we saw a handful of cars parked there. Unfortunately, the owners of those vehicles must have been somewhere else, for the Post itself, was locked up and closed down.
Zig took advantage of this short break in the action to do some inspection on his bike; see the splines on his front shifter level have apparently become slightly tweaked, and the lever was dropping on its own, making shifting a bit interesting.
He’s got some work ahead of him (maybe even pulling the rear primary cover) before that issue gets resolved, but for now, he bolted things back up and we were off. Our destination this time?
That’s right; the Red Rooster. We popped in and enjoyed the atmosphere for a few more, then it was time to break for the evening’s plans. Mike was in town! He was up for Mother’s Day, so we all met at Wendell’s for eats (I shot home and grabbed Cindy, first), then we all headed across the way to the Sportsway Café to check out a band and play some pool. It was a great end to a great day…
…although, it wasn’t quite the end of the day. There was one more item of interest worth chatting about. Because it’s not often that you’re on the way home when your passenger suddenly yells into your year: “YOUR BIKE IS ON FIRE!!!”.......
FIRED UP!!
So we last left our heroes on the way home from the sports bar, having had a great day of riding and hanging with friends. Cindy and I were about halfway home, hammering up 95, when suddenly she yells to me “YOUR BIKE IS ON FIRE!!” Looking down on my right side, sure enough; Flames!! Flames, right under Cindy’s foot!! And they were being fanned bigger and bigger from the wind howling past! As I looked forward again, I could see the orange glow pulsating brighter and brighter, reflecting off of the pavement beside us. Damn – not what I needed!! Leaning the bike hard over to the breakdown lane, I hit the kill switch and grabbed as much brake as I could, while not causing the bike to fishtail. As we neared a stop, Cindy hopped off and I kicked the stand down and hopped to the right to get a better look at what was going on. What the…there’s something on the pipes, and that’s what’s on fire. Well that’s a sihtload better than the bike itself, although, if I don’t get this conflagration out soon, it will certainly spread to the bike.
Between the adrenaline rush and having a big mouth, I was able to blow the flames low enough to allow me to poke and pull the flaming mass off the pipes. What the hell…it’s cloth and plastic…what is this thing?? Upon closer inspection, I was able to make out a distinctive red color to the cloth…it was my bandana that I wrap my sunglasses in…and those chunks of now-smoldering plastic? One of them has a distinctive rounded shape to it. Son of a bitch. Somehow, my bandana-wrapped shades got knocked down onto the inside of the pipes, wedged between the frame and the passenger footrest bracket. The pipes got hot enough to melt the plastic and then the whole thing caught. Quite a scare on a darkened highway, miles from home!
Once the pieces had cooled enough, I gathered them up, and off we went (thankfully we arrived back at the house without any more incidents). But I was left to wonder – how the hell did the glasses/bandana get there in the first place? I always store them in the right saddlebag. I was parked directly in front of the front door of the bar, and there were many folks milling about, but the place is very biker-friendly, and folks don’t go poking into other bikes. Was it possible that I’d left them on my seat and forgot about them, only knocking them off when I got on the bike? I don’t think so, because I always get on from the right side…which means I would have knocked them to the left, but they were on the right side. I’m at a loss…
Anyway, as they say; the proof is in the pudding. But pudding has nothing to do with this story. Pictures, however, do…
Ride Hard, make sure your flammables are stored appropriately!
Between the adrenaline rush and having a big mouth, I was able to blow the flames low enough to allow me to poke and pull the flaming mass off the pipes. What the hell…it’s cloth and plastic…what is this thing?? Upon closer inspection, I was able to make out a distinctive red color to the cloth…it was my bandana that I wrap my sunglasses in…and those chunks of now-smoldering plastic? One of them has a distinctive rounded shape to it. Son of a bitch. Somehow, my bandana-wrapped shades got knocked down onto the inside of the pipes, wedged between the frame and the passenger footrest bracket. The pipes got hot enough to melt the plastic and then the whole thing caught. Quite a scare on a darkened highway, miles from home!
Once the pieces had cooled enough, I gathered them up, and off we went (thankfully we arrived back at the house without any more incidents). But I was left to wonder – how the hell did the glasses/bandana get there in the first place? I always store them in the right saddlebag. I was parked directly in front of the front door of the bar, and there were many folks milling about, but the place is very biker-friendly, and folks don’t go poking into other bikes. Was it possible that I’d left them on my seat and forgot about them, only knocking them off when I got on the bike? I don’t think so, because I always get on from the right side…which means I would have knocked them to the left, but they were on the right side. I’m at a loss…
Anyway, as they say; the proof is in the pudding. But pudding has nothing to do with this story. Pictures, however, do…
(I imagine I’ll be hearing about this from folks.)
Ride Hard, make sure your flammables are stored appropriately!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Geezer Glide
The phone buzzes and indicates I’ve received a “Picture” text. But it’s not one of the usual T&A ones from either McCarthy or Myszka. It’s from Mom! And it’s a BIKE!! Apparently she and Dad have welcomed a new addition to their family; a 1995 Electra Glide Classic. It seems they were looking for something a little more comfortable for the long trips. (That’s all well and good, but me and Zig can now give him crap for riding an old-man bike like we do! Ha ha ha ha haaaaaa!!!!)
Even better, word on the street is that they’re hanging on to their other bike and are going to see if they can lower it enough to make it comfortable for Mary to ride it herself. How cool would that be!? (She already has her license.)
A hearty CONGRATULATIONS to you guys!! Am I going to get to see it in person next weekend?
Oh yeah, you probably want to see the pics, huh? Here you go…
Even better, word on the street is that they’re hanging on to their other bike and are going to see if they can lower it enough to make it comfortable for Mary to ride it herself. How cool would that be!? (She already has her license.)
A hearty CONGRATULATIONS to you guys!! Am I going to get to see it in person next weekend?
Oh yeah, you probably want to see the pics, huh? Here you go…
Ride Hard, Take Comfort!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Hungry!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Mission Seconded
Mission Back On
Monday, May 7, 2012
Mission Assisted
Cutting Grinding Welding
Lest Ye Be Concerned
I realize a majority of my posts have been beer-related lately. (Hooray for beer!!!) However, I also realize that this blog is supposed to be about motorcycles and riding. That being said (and to alleviate any potential questions pertaining to me potentially losing my focus), here is a nice little wrap-up of the ride we went on yesterday.
The day dawned early. However, since my eyelids had only closed a mere couple of hours prior, I was not up to greet the dawning day. (There was still plenty of morning left, when the lids did finally creak open, though.)
A bit of a walk…all the way out to the couch, and then a bit of a sitdown to allow the brain to assemble enough working cells to get a plan into place. Once somewhat functionable, it was time for breakfast….a lovely breakfast that consisted of eggs, home fries, sausage, bacon, French toast and pancakes, and which was all prepared by fully-conscious people at the local breakfast joint.
From there, we eased into the day’s plan; a number of interconnected neighborhood roadways which eventually brought us out past Douglas and into Connecticut, where the roads are beautiful, and the traffic is light. Stretching the bike’s legs through the Douglas State Forest, we passed many cars on the side of the road, their owners off in the woods, exploring and enjoying. We even saw a horse trailer, emptied of its precious cargo. That was cool to see, as we knew the horses were also out in the woods, enjoying life.
From there, we avoided all major roads, preferring the twisty and turny cornering that can be found on many a CT back road. Roads that don’t even have route numbers, just names. So many great roads, but not enough time to explore them all. We eventually reached the Vanilla Bean and decided to pop in for a pee break. A couple of (non-alcoholic) refreshing drinks, some seat-time out at one of the tables, and then we were good to go again.
Exiting the parking lot, we maneuvered a tight u-turn around a rather confused woman who was standing in the middle of the road. But she had a purpose; she (and others, posted on all the connecting roads at the intersection) were doing a boot drive, collecting money for the local fire dept charities. My u-turn was necessary so that we could come alongside her and hand off our contribution to their cause. With a hearty Thank You from her, we rolled on into the distance, leaving civilization fading in the side mirrors.
A myriad of additional side roads (accompanied by road signs announcing “Scenic Road” – man, I love seeing those signs), and we were kicking back and enjoying the day. All this time, the skies had been a mix of light and dark clouds. No sunshine for us, despite rumors that that bright yellow disc would eventually make an appearance. And judging from the lightening ceiling above our heads, we didn’t have long to wait.
Sure enough, no sooner had we pulled into the Bach Door café’s parking lot, than the sun did indeed begin to shove the clouds out of the way. It was as if our arrival was being heralded for all to note. Alas, the heathens already in attendance gave little attention, nor appreciation, for the cool blue, yet bone-stock bike that disgorged us. No matter, we were here to enjoy our own company, and we needed no validation from those around us.
Inside the welcoming, darkened watering hole, we bellied up to the bar. Setting aside the morning’s non-alcoholic theme, we lightly (and gently!) eased ourselves into the frosty beerevage category, as well as laid down our hard-earned cash for a couple of their pricey roast beef dinners. Now when I say pricey, I mean it; a whopping $3 for a plate stacked high with roast beef, corn, and mashed taters. All around us, folks were arriving, ordering their own pricey meals, wolfing them down, and then either heading off to the roadways again, or kicking back outside in the now-strengthening sunshine. We took our time and savored the flavors entering our system, and then casually made our way out back to take up residence at one of the patio tables. Easing into the chairs, leaning back to let the sunshine wash our faces, and letting our lungs breathe in the fresh air….yep, it was indeed a great day.
After a short spell, we decided to hit the road again and make toward home. The day was getting long in the tooth, and there were still a couple of hours standing between here and home. We wrangled many more side roads (some familiar, some not) and were soon back in familiar territory. Despite our lack of physical exercise for the day, our bellies were telling us once again that they desired attention. We kicked around the idea of cooking back at the house, but the idea of nachos from the Toby Keith Bar and Grille won out easily.
Bellying up to yet another watering hole, we continued the theme of “light and easy” pace. We were fully content to just have one, but then a bartender I knew from Clyde’s came over and said hello, and bought us more. Oy! (Far be it from us to decline hospitality of that nature, though!)
All too soon, it was time to make a break for it and hit the road for home. I say “all too soon”, but in reality, it was none too soon! I was exhausted! Once home, it was all I could do to keep my eyes open (right up until it was time for bed, at which time I couldn’t seem to drop off. Stupid brain.)
So there you have it; a nice leisurely Sunday ride, full of leaning corners and laid-back straightaways. Long stretches of open fields, as well as windy sections with tight-knit trees. The scents of wildflowers accompanied us for many a mile as we meandered our way along. A truly great day!
But as calming and rejuvenating as the day was, the relaxation shall be short-lived; there have been reports of rumbles from the West. Olean is preparing to ride! They will be heading this way soon, and we shall welcome them with open arms! Drink shall flow, laughter will be heard long into the evening, and we'll create more great memories to be added to our already-long list of two wheeled tales.
I can't wait.
Ride Hard, Take Chances
The day dawned early. However, since my eyelids had only closed a mere couple of hours prior, I was not up to greet the dawning day. (There was still plenty of morning left, when the lids did finally creak open, though.)
A bit of a walk…all the way out to the couch, and then a bit of a sitdown to allow the brain to assemble enough working cells to get a plan into place. Once somewhat functionable, it was time for breakfast….a lovely breakfast that consisted of eggs, home fries, sausage, bacon, French toast and pancakes, and which was all prepared by fully-conscious people at the local breakfast joint.
From there, we eased into the day’s plan; a number of interconnected neighborhood roadways which eventually brought us out past Douglas and into Connecticut, where the roads are beautiful, and the traffic is light. Stretching the bike’s legs through the Douglas State Forest, we passed many cars on the side of the road, their owners off in the woods, exploring and enjoying. We even saw a horse trailer, emptied of its precious cargo. That was cool to see, as we knew the horses were also out in the woods, enjoying life.
From there, we avoided all major roads, preferring the twisty and turny cornering that can be found on many a CT back road. Roads that don’t even have route numbers, just names. So many great roads, but not enough time to explore them all. We eventually reached the Vanilla Bean and decided to pop in for a pee break. A couple of (non-alcoholic) refreshing drinks, some seat-time out at one of the tables, and then we were good to go again.
Exiting the parking lot, we maneuvered a tight u-turn around a rather confused woman who was standing in the middle of the road. But she had a purpose; she (and others, posted on all the connecting roads at the intersection) were doing a boot drive, collecting money for the local fire dept charities. My u-turn was necessary so that we could come alongside her and hand off our contribution to their cause. With a hearty Thank You from her, we rolled on into the distance, leaving civilization fading in the side mirrors.
A myriad of additional side roads (accompanied by road signs announcing “Scenic Road” – man, I love seeing those signs), and we were kicking back and enjoying the day. All this time, the skies had been a mix of light and dark clouds. No sunshine for us, despite rumors that that bright yellow disc would eventually make an appearance. And judging from the lightening ceiling above our heads, we didn’t have long to wait.
Sure enough, no sooner had we pulled into the Bach Door café’s parking lot, than the sun did indeed begin to shove the clouds out of the way. It was as if our arrival was being heralded for all to note. Alas, the heathens already in attendance gave little attention, nor appreciation, for the cool blue, yet bone-stock bike that disgorged us. No matter, we were here to enjoy our own company, and we needed no validation from those around us.
Inside the welcoming, darkened watering hole, we bellied up to the bar. Setting aside the morning’s non-alcoholic theme, we lightly (and gently!) eased ourselves into the frosty beerevage category, as well as laid down our hard-earned cash for a couple of their pricey roast beef dinners. Now when I say pricey, I mean it; a whopping $3 for a plate stacked high with roast beef, corn, and mashed taters. All around us, folks were arriving, ordering their own pricey meals, wolfing them down, and then either heading off to the roadways again, or kicking back outside in the now-strengthening sunshine. We took our time and savored the flavors entering our system, and then casually made our way out back to take up residence at one of the patio tables. Easing into the chairs, leaning back to let the sunshine wash our faces, and letting our lungs breathe in the fresh air….yep, it was indeed a great day.
After a short spell, we decided to hit the road again and make toward home. The day was getting long in the tooth, and there were still a couple of hours standing between here and home. We wrangled many more side roads (some familiar, some not) and were soon back in familiar territory. Despite our lack of physical exercise for the day, our bellies were telling us once again that they desired attention. We kicked around the idea of cooking back at the house, but the idea of nachos from the Toby Keith Bar and Grille won out easily.
Bellying up to yet another watering hole, we continued the theme of “light and easy” pace. We were fully content to just have one, but then a bartender I knew from Clyde’s came over and said hello, and bought us more. Oy! (Far be it from us to decline hospitality of that nature, though!)
All too soon, it was time to make a break for it and hit the road for home. I say “all too soon”, but in reality, it was none too soon! I was exhausted! Once home, it was all I could do to keep my eyes open (right up until it was time for bed, at which time I couldn’t seem to drop off. Stupid brain.)
So there you have it; a nice leisurely Sunday ride, full of leaning corners and laid-back straightaways. Long stretches of open fields, as well as windy sections with tight-knit trees. The scents of wildflowers accompanied us for many a mile as we meandered our way along. A truly great day!
But as calming and rejuvenating as the day was, the relaxation shall be short-lived; there have been reports of rumbles from the West. Olean is preparing to ride! They will be heading this way soon, and we shall welcome them with open arms! Drink shall flow, laughter will be heard long into the evening, and we'll create more great memories to be added to our already-long list of two wheeled tales.
I can't wait.
Ride Hard, Take Chances
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Well-Earned Reward
Back Door, Baby
Vanilla Bean Cafe
Going The Distance
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Mission Paused
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Double-Down On The Mission
Still On A Mission
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Mission Continues...
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