TWISTER VIEWS

 Again I was happy to see the Wednesday night rides continue with new leaders.  This last Wednesday, Chuckles was in charge of photos and leadership.  (Pretty easy job, right Chuckles?!) I'm pretty sure Lois did the writeup.

They did a great writeup of their Wednesday night trip, so here it is, along with the photos.

  Following some questionable afternoon showers, 14 riders on 11 units gathered at Casey's on a comfortable summer evening with a plan to inspect the remnants of last week's tornado. On two wheels were Chuckles, Lois, Bill, Jim and Mike. On three wheels were Richard & Melodye in the Slingshot, Wayne, David, Mark, Ron & Helen and Chuck & Dee. Fortunately Dee found a ride so she didn't have to miss out as her bike was getting new tires. Gloria happened to stop by and greeted us before our departure.

With Chuckles in the lead, we departed Casey's and headed out on Elon Drive. As we approached the Elon Store we began sightings of tree and building damage and blue tarps still on roofs. Passing a farm, the building and tree damage was more obvious but thankfully the house was spared. We turned South on Lansing-Harpers road and witnessed a larger amount of tree damage, a roof ripped off and a large area that had been bulldozed clear, perhaps another building or grove of trees, but once again the house appeared, thankfully, untouched. Once we reached Harpers, we turned back North up the Great River Road. The mangled, twisted trees on the East side of the road were a sight to see. 

In Lansing, we had a surprise detour of the detour and cruised next to the river passing rib night at the Tiki Bar, the Marina and Car Ferry parking. With the damage now behind us we enjoyed a cruise up 26 toward New Albin, Turning onto Pool Hill/Hwy 2, we passed Trinity Mfg, Mike's home away from home, and cruised to Eitzen, admiring the cattle and crops along the way. It's easy to see that 'knee-high by the 4th' appears to be an obsolete expression.

Once we passed through Eitzen, we took a quick hop onto 76 then turned on to 27 up to Spring Grove for a break. This was another smooth asphalt with nice curves, hills and scenery. Departing Kwik Trip we took 44 West out of town to Locust Road/Hwy 8, following that to Big Canoe, where Ron & Helen headed for home. We followed Bear Creek then 76, where it was suddenly nothing but brake lights when Chuckles slowed the pace for 2 of the 3 deer to cross the road. We continued back to Waukon where 8 of us enjoyed eats at Uptown and the conversation centered around bike repairs and fireworks!

We showed 105 miles on the odometer when it got parked for the night. We absolutely missed Bob but I gotta say, "Chuckles, ya done good"!

There was some discussion of maybe next week, we could cruise down to Prairie and ride the Wisconsin side, take the Ferry to Lansing and partake of ribs at the Tiki Bar before heading home. They reserve ribs in advance only so would need a head count and maybe want to leave at 4 instead of 5. 

Here are some shots from the evening arrivals and Mike's new rear end!

WHICH REAR END IS NEW?!

GOOD TO SEE GLORIA AGAIN

They also added an addendum....

Sorry, Bob, I should have gotten this in the report. Ugh! Thank you!

Next Wednesday, we will still be okay to leave at 5, since it doesn't get dusky until almost 9. We will shoot to board the Ferry about 7 to hopefully be at the Tiki Bar by 7:30 or so. Bill says you can order off the menu but if you want ribs you need to call a couple of days in advance. The ribs are cooked and reserved just for those who call ahead of time.

To reserve an order of ribs, call the Tiki Bar at 563-538-4474, a couple of days in advance.

SMILES AGAIN AND BOB'S CONDITION

I can't begin to tell everyone how proud I am of the Wednesday Night Riders who helped brighten the day of about 25 residents of Wellington Place in Decorah.

Ron, ChucK, Jim, Roger, and even Richard provided the rides, and special thanks to Chuckles and Helen for helping with the photos and passing out the souvenier pins.

Here are some of the photos Chuckles was able to take of this "feel good" event.

PRERIDE PREP

HE CAN'T WAIT TO RIDE

RON INTRODUCES HIS FIRST RIDER

ChucK READY TO ROLL

JIM POSSES WITH RIDER--NICE TRIKE!

ROGER GETS READY

HOW ABOUT A RIDE IN THE SLINGSHOT

AND HERE'S THE GANG

I do plan to send the rest of the photos of their rides to each driver.

UPDATE ON BOB

To say it's been difficult would be an understatement! I did receive the new valve on Wednesday and was checked out and released by Gundersen on Thursday.  (Thanks to Dennis B for delivering and picking me up). I slept most of the rest of the day sleeping at home. (Anyone who tells you they got a good night sleep in a hospital is lying!)  On Friday I got up and started doing the walking exercises they said I had to do.  After the third walk in the afternoon, I felt short of breath and faint at times.  I sat down, and could feel a sensation of coming close to passing out.  So I called Gundersen and after they looked at the results from the heart monitor I was wearing, they said get to the VMH ER. 

After checking me out at VMH they found that my heart was pausing for short periods of time.  The regular heart beats were around 60, but then they would drop to almost 30 for short periods of time.  That's called pausing, and if it continues or gets more frequent, one could pass out and have to be resucitated. VMH called Gundersen and they said to get me up there ASAP, I needed a pacemaker. The original plan was to fly me up in a copter, but there were storms in LaCrosse, so I had to take the bumpy ride up in an ambulance. But I was accompanied by Claire B who is an iron butt rider, so we were able to talk motorcycles all the way up.  She even showed me some photos of her recent trip to Wyoming and Yellowstone with Marie L.

When I arrived at Gundersen, they had a crash cart and several people dressed in red outside my room.  Fortunately, the pauses were not severe enough, so they fed me with dopamine intraveiniously. It was determined that since none of the surgeons who do permament pacemakers would be available until Monday. (If you have a choice, do not check into a hospital on Friday!) they would give me a temporary pacemaker the next day.  So they cut open the bottom of my neck and put in the temporary pacemaker Saturday.  On Saturday night, I developed a hemotoma in the cut area and had to have pressure and ice applied the rest of the night and into Sunday morning. 

Finally after an unbelievable amount of sticks (I'm a human pin cushion.) and countless EKG's and blood pressure checks, Monday came and Monday afternoon they proceeded with the permanent pacemaker.  It's a leadless one and is about the size of a vitamin tablet.  They observed me through Tuesday and sent me home on Wednesday about noon.

Everything seemed fine until about 3 PM on Wednesday, but I began to feel a little pressure on my chest and could feel a little "bumping" sensation in the heart.  So back up to VMH ER I went. After a number of tests there it was determined that the cause was some premature ventricular contractions.  Apparently quite a number of people have these, and for the most part, they are harmless unless they come in a whole series. After a call to Gundersen, it was determined to put me back on a medication that I was taking previously, and so far, it's working.  I have gone on two walks and rode a stationary bike for a while with no problems.  I return to Gundersen on Monday for a pacemaker check.

I know it sounds like I'm doing a lot of complaining, but I'm really not.  I know a lot of you wanted to know what was going on, so I thought I'd tell you.  THANKS FOR BEING CONCERNED and thanks for the visit from Chuckles and Lois, but I really hated missing the Wellington rides.  That's why I was so happy to see that everytrhing went well. God bless you all!

I also think we are blessed living where we do.  The hospitals in Waukon and Decorah are top notch and we are only a couple of hours away from "world class" healthcare at Gundersen and Mayo.

 

RAINBOWS & HEART NEWS

First of all, I want to thank everyone who offered up prayers and well-wishes for my heart valve replacement surgery on Wednesday.  Apparently things went well, but I still have to wear a heart monitor for 30 days. I do have a checkup next Thursday, so we will see how things are going then, and what they are going to let me do or not do.

I was glad to see that some of the Wednesday Night Riders still ventrured out with out me. Here's a report from Jim who led the trio on the trip.

With Bob in the hospital getting a valve job, three  WNRs didn't have the sense to stay home. The future radar showed light rain at 4:45 and clear at 5:00. What we actually got were tornado sirens, actual tornadoes east of town, and downpours those times. After sitting by the pumps to stay dry and with some blue sky showing to the west. Richard, Jim, and Chuckles took off from Caseys with Jim in the lead so he could watch the radar and hopefully keep us dry. We planned on Elkader to West Union, and back down the Turkey river to Clermont and home. The weather immediately changed our plans with rain to the south. We thought we could try doing the same ride in reverse. We headed west on 9 to Centennial Rd to Sand Rd into Ossion. We turned on W42 south only to discover it is closed except for local traffic. We then decided we would go to Festina only to see that would get us wet, so we headed to Calmar instead, and realized the Great River Road into Clermont wasn't meant to be this Wednesday night. New plan. We headed past Pivo to Spillville, Protovin, and Cresco on the Dvorak Mem Hwy. Coming into Cresco we started seeing partial rainbows. After a brief pit stop at Kwik Star we continued following rainbows across the Pole Line Hwy to 52. A left on 52 and a few miles to N Winn Rd kept the rainbows in view on to Big Canoe Rd and Bear Creek Rd to 76 and back to Waukon with a rainbow south of town bringing us in. We stopped at the Uptown Grill for some coffee and lunch. We managed to stay dry and other than a little windy it turned out to be a pretty ride. Hopefully next week we won't need the radar and Jim can just follow someone else. I had114 miles on when I rolled back past Caseys. Best wishes for Bob and a speedy recovery!

Here's some photos of their adventure.

The next event for the WNR's is giving the trike rides to the residents of Wellington Place at 10 AM on Tuesday.  If you look on their Facebook page, you will see that they are really excited for this event.  Right now, I plan to come over and observe, take photos and pass out the pins.  Chuckles is giving me a ride over, and Jim is taking my place with my trike giving the rides.

GOOD SHOWING FOR HOSPICE RIDE

 As close as I could count, we had 20 Wednesday Night Riders participate in the Win-Med Hospice Ride on Sunday.  Some just came for the breakfast, but most came for the breakfast and ride.

Wayne, Carl and Joyce, and Julie came for the breakfast, while Chuckles, Lois, Richard & Melodye, Ron & Helen, Jim, Terry, Dave, Bernell & Kathy, Greg, Roger, Bill, and Bob did the breakfast and the ride. I'm counting Nancy as part of our group also.

Here' some photos that I and several others took during the day.

WAYNE, BILL, GREG, AND RICHARD & MELODYE LEAVE FROM CASEY"S

ALONG WITH TERRY

We arrive at Win-Med ready for the breakfast. Bill & Greg get acquainted as Wayne gets ready to eat.  Jim arrives and Richard & Melodye find parking,

After a hearty breakfast, we get ready for the ride.  While we were waiting, we got to see a beautiful Can AM ridden by a Legion Rider from Cresco.

Chuckles, Roger, and Bernell visit before the ride.

NANCY IS READY TO ROLL

The whole gang gathers for a group photo.  I have no idea who the two guys to Dave's right are.  Maybe they are new prospects.

Time to ride!

Our first stop was in Rushford.

CHUCKLES & LOIS VISIT

IT'S ALSO TIME FOR A BATHROOM BREAK

Our next stop was in Spring Grove. Parking around a nice park.

After leaving Spring Grove, we motored into Waukon, and then to Cleremont and finally to Calmar.  Along the way, Dave and Ron were drawing winners, but the big prize was $100 split by Terry and Roger. Roger needs to drink a Miller High Life before he gets paid.

Overall, we should be very proud of the number of Wednesday Night Riders we had to support this great cause.  It was a great day and a great ride.  Thanks to the Hospice staff, especially Nancy, and to Darrel for leading!  Apparently there were a little over 100 riders.

THIS WEDNESDAY & HOSPICE

I was glad to see that a good number of riders showed up this past Wednesday night, and thanks to Jim for leading.  I opted out of going.  With my upcoming surgery less than a week away, I did not want to risk the chance of getting wet and cold.

 It sounds like you had a really good ride, and here's the report that Jim sent me.

We had a good turnout in spite of iffy weather for our Wednesday night ride. With Bob deciding not to chance it, Jim, Bill, Mike, Chuck, and Lois were on two wheelers. Mark was on his trike, Richard and Melodye were in the Slingshot with Bernell and Kathy providing the chase vehicle in their convertible. After Jim got his satellite weather radar subscription straightened out so he could keep an eye on the weather the group headed out. We headed south to 76 and turned east. We took Forest Mills Rd to Luana then east on Hwy18. We turned off on  the nice smooth Farmersburg rd, continued to St Olaf and then to Hwy13 past Elkader. We then took Grandview  Rd to Garber Rd and on into Kwik Star in Guttenberg for a pit stop. After a short stop because of weather concerns we motored out on the Great River Rd through Mcgregor and Marquette. We took 76,then the Great River Rd to Harpers Ferry, up the Lansing Harpers Rd to Elon Dr back to Waukon. We actually stayed dry. It was pretty windy going to Guttenberg but that seemed to let up on the way home. Jim had to dodge a doe and her fawn and all had to dodge a Harley the guy had parked on the hwy without any lights on just out of McGregor. Richard was running over snakes.The out of town riders headed for home and the rest stopped at the Uptown Grill. I had 117 miles on the wing when I rolled past Caseys on my way home .

Here's some photos that Jim & Chuckles took.

With my upcoming surgery and recovery time, you will probably need ride leaders for the next few Wednesday nights.  I have an extremely busy end of this week coming. I have a neice getting married in Dubuque on Saturday, so today, Thursday, I had to travel up to Onalaska to get a root canal done before surgery.  That was a great time!  I'd planned to come back home and get in a final round of golf, but it poured rain and the wind about blew me and the pick up off the highway.  On Friday, I have to return to Gundersen in LAX for a couple final checkups and then drive down to Manchester to see the kids and grandkids that are coming for the wedding.  I have to return to Waukon that night, because staying at a motel is not what Gundersen recommends.  Then on Saturday, I will head from home to the wedding in Dubuque and reception in Farley.  I will also return to Waukon sometime Saturday evening. HOWEVER, I still plan to ride in the Hospice Ride on Sunday, and will leave Casey's at 9 AM Sunday morning to head to Win-Med for breakfast and sign up for the ride. Anyone who wants to ride along with me is welcome.  Sign up is up until 10:30 and the ride starts at 11. SO, let's have a good turnout for the Hospice Ride Sunday like we usually do!

I did ride in the Mags/Byrnes ride last Saturday.  It was for a good cause and they did have a good crowd, but it always seems like there are some that just can't keep civil.  There were several that just roared through Hokah with loud mufflers roaring, and several passed me on double yellow near Dorchester.  Fortunately, they were in the minority, and hopefully didn't spoil it for everyone. There are also some skid marks on the highway just south of Brownsville where I had to slam on the brakes to avoid a deer! Chuckles got a shot of me and some of the group waiting to take off from the fairgrounds.

Lissa and husband, John, also rode in the Mags/Byrnes ride.

Also, someone identified the mystery biker in the last post.  It was Dean Martin, one of my favorite singers. I still hum along to some of his best--"That's Amore", "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You", and "In the Misty Moonlight".

AND FINALLY, HOW ABOUT THESE TWO "YOUNGSTERS"!!

 

CATCHING UP

As many of you know, I have a lot going on health wise, so I haven't really had much of a chance to catch up with a few things that I intended to put on the blog. 

First, I thought I would share a note I received in the mail a couple of days ago.

That should make all of us feel good!

As some of you also know, our two "iron butts", Jim and Mike, recently went on an adventure to Chattanooga, TN, and other points south.  Here's some photos of their journey.

They visited Southern Honda, the largest Gold Wing dealer in the United States. However, the only thing they bought was a t-shirt!

While in Chattanooga, they took the incline railroad up to the top of Lookout Mountain where the "Battle of the Clouds" took place during the Civil War.

Of course they had to patronize Bucees, find a coffee hot spot, and chow down.

And what would a trip down that way be without a ride on The Dragon?!

But I think the Cherohala Skyway is a better ride.

They put 700 miles on one day, just to make it back to Iowa for Big Boy.

WEDNESDAY'S RIDE & HOSPICE RIDE

If the weather lets us ride Wednesday night, the 10th, it will be Bob's last Wednesday one for a while.  His scheduled surgery is the next Wednesday, the 17th, so you will need new leaders for some upcoming Wednesdays.  He goes up to Emplify (Gundersen) this Friday, the 12th,  for some final check ups.  He plans on riding in the Hospice Ride on Sunday, the 14th. His plan is to leave Casey's at 9 AM that morning, get to Win-Med for the breakfast, get signed up, and go on the ride.  Anyone wishing to ride along with him that morning is welcome. That will probably be his last ride for a while.

He's my favorite singer.  Guess who?  Hope he didn't burn his pant leg like I did on that bike!