THREE "SPOOKS" ON FINAL WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIDE

Unfortunately as Halloween approaches, so does daylight saving time.  That means that our Wednesday night rides have come to an end, since it will be dark now at 5:30.  Even with the late start to summer this year, we did get a lot of Wednesday night rides in and had a lot of fun.  Let's hope for a short winter, so we can begin again in the spring.

Lois, Chuckles, and Bob R (three spooks) went on the last Wednesday night ride of the season this week.  After leaving Casey's at 5:30 we rode through Luana, Monona, Rossville, Waterville, and back to Waukon putting on about 53 miles.  (You have to go at least 50 miles to count it as a ride.)  It was a crisp cool night with temperatures hovering around 43 degrees.  (43 degrees will soon feel balmy.)  We enjoyed a nice ride while the sun set on our riding season.

Here's a couple of photos and also a video (that Lois took).

LOIS IS SHIVERING ALREADY!

THE SUN IS SETTING ON OUR RIDES

TWO "SPOOKS" FINISHED ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS

NICE PIZZA-LOOKING LEAF RUN

On Sunday, which could be our last group ride of the season, eleven of us on 7 bikes went on our first annual "Pizza-Looking Leaf Run" to Happy Joe's in Lancaster, WI.  Carl & Joyce, Howard, Chuckles & Lois, Wayne & Sandy, Dayton & Joan, and Julie & Bob left at 11 from Casey's and went through Luana, Monona, PDC, Bridgeport, Millville, Mt. Hope (road closed), and on into Lancaster.  After Carl cleaned out the buffet table, we headed back to Waukon going through Mt. Ida, Werley, Woodman, Boscobel, Steuben (all roads lead to Steuben), Eastman, Lynxville, Ferryville, Lansing, and back home.  It was about 170 miles round trip.  Not a lot of leaves, but plenty of pizza and a great fall day!  Next year maybe it will be the "Leaf-Looking Pizza Run".

Here's a couple of photos from Sunday.

HUNGRY GROUP OF PIZZA EATERS

CHUCKLES BETS HOWARD THAT HE CAN EAT MORE PIZZA THAN HIM

CARL ACCUSES DAYTON OF STEALING HIS GAS CAN!

WE ARRIVE ...AND THE COOKS START SCRAMBLING!

MOE, CURLEY, AND LOIS...PLUS A RIDE ON SUNDAY

Last Wednesday Lois, Chuckles, and Bob R departed Casey's right a 5:30.  It was 59 degrees and sunny for our trip through Lycurgus, New Albin, Eitzen, and back to Gus & Tony's where we were joined by Julie and Bugsy.  We were able to squeeze about 56 miles in that time.  Our days are really getting shorter!

It is supposed to be real nice on Sunday, so we will have our First Annual Pizza- Looking and Leaf Run.  We will head over to Wisconsin leaf-looking on the way and stop at Happy Joe's for some pizza or ice cream or both.  I plan to leave Casey's at 11 AM.  EVERYONE IS INVITED TO RIDE ALONG.  We will be back long before dark.

Here's a shot from Wednesday night.

CHUCKLES LOOKS A LOT BETTER IN THE DARK!!

JUST ME AND CHUCKLES

I was surprised that on a beautiful fall evening that only Chuckles and Bob R were the only riders.  We left Casey's with a temperature in the 60's and headed for Postville.  We got about halfway there and discovered they were doing some blacktopping on HWY 51.  Not wanting to wait and tar up our bikes, we turned around and took 9 into Decorah.  We cut through on Pulpit Rock Road past the campground and to the stop light.  After turning left, we took Locust Road on up to A26 (Bear Creek Road) and followed it over to HWY 76 and back to Gus & Tony's.  We covered about 70 miles with pleasant temps. and really beautiful scenery.  There is some really great leaf-looking left and you can't beat the view from the seat of a motorcycle or convertible!

WE ARRIVE AT G & T WITH THE SUNSET

IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE!

TRIP TO DEAN'S

Since Meryle, Carl, and Bob R have done business with Dean's Honda in Oelwein, we were invited to the grand opening of his new facility.  It's now called Dean's Destination Power Sports and is a state-of-the-art motorcycle store with a retro theme inside.  While we were there we were treated to a free lunch (I can't believe Chuckles wasn't there!), coffee, pop, cookies, and a free gift.

Dean Schlitter, the owner,  grew up in Allamakee County near Waterville.  He is actually related to Meryle (We won't hold that against Dean.) and while we were there we learned that Dean's mother was in Carl's class in school.  She made some comment about him being the "class dunce".  While we didn't win any big prizes, we got a grand tour of the new facility and stuffed ourselves with Dean's mom's homemade cookies.  It was a nice but cool trip on Friday covering about 140 miles.

The photo below is the 2015 Honda designed to travel on Iowa's wonderfully maintained highways.  It's called the Terry E. Branstad signature model.  If he gets reelected, they will put wheels on it!

MERYLE & CARL OUTSIDE DEAN"S NEW BUILDING

"HEY, THAT LOOKS LIKE MINE."

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO

Apparently it was cold and windy last Wednesday, but there were two members that ventured out.  Chuckles and Jim braved the cold and wind for some late fall miles.  Here's Chuckles' report.

It was a cold windy evening, but two brave souls took to the open road.  Chuckles and Jim took 9 to Lansing, south on Harpers-Lansing then through Yellow River Forest, up to 76 to Rossville then through Monona and Luana.  On the way Jim G took a left to head home and Chuckles forged ahead.  Cold & lonely he stopped to warm up at the Vet's Club with a hot sandwich & a cold beer followed by the men's choir with Dennis.

ONE BRAVE SOUL & ONE SHIVERING CAMERA MAN

COOL RUN FOR HOT CHICKEN

Sunday was our 10th annual "Chicken Run" to the Rockton Bar for their "Almost World Famous Barbecued Chicken".  It was only 38 degrees when eight of us left Casey's with Gary, Wayne M, and Bob R on bikes and Wayne & Sandy, Dennis & Marlene, and Julie in the support vehicle supplied by the Fishs.  
We took Hwy 9 to Lansing and crossed the bridge into Wisconsin on HWY 35.  We turned off of 35 at DeSoto onto HWY 82 and then on to CR N at West Prairie when the sun came out and made the rest of the ride warmer with spectacular leaf looking.  Following N to HWY 56 and then turning onto CR O, we went through Newton and onto CR Y.  We followed Y on into Viroqua for a warm-up.  
We then got back on Y for a venture through Avalanche and onto CR S where the scenery was beautiful again!  From S we went through Bloomingdale and on to CR P.  Following P through Dell, we arrived at HWY 131 where we could already smell the chicken!  We followed 131 and found a table inside the bar to enjoy the meal and warm-up drinks.
After stuffing down the chicken, beans, macaroni salad, and bread we continued our travels heading for the orchards at Gays Mills.  Just gotta have some hot cider and warm apple donuts!  We followed HWY 131 through LaFarge, Viola, and Soldiers Grove where we picked up HWY 61.  We took 61 to HWY 171 at Rolling Ground and ended up at Sunrise Orchards where the smell of the donuts baking was overwhelming!  After sampling the cider and donuts and packing away a few extra apples and donuts we continued on HWY 171 through Gays Mills, Mt. Sterling, and onto HWY 35 again at Ferryville.  We then journeyed back across the bridge and home again via HWY 9.  We put on about 160 miles round trip.  
If anyone wants to enjoy the beauty of the leaf colors yet this fall, I highly recommend taking a ride on the county roads mentioned above.

I won't be in town on Wednesday, so you will need a new leader for the Wednesday night ride.  We will continue to ride on Wednesday nights up until daylight savings time.

Here's some shots from Sunday.

THE SUPPORT VEHICLE AND GARY WEARING HIS ENTIRE WARDROBE

"HEY, DENNIS, HOW MUCH CHICKEN CAN YOU EAT?"

WITH ALL THOSE CLOTHES, GARY CAN STILL GET READY FASTER THAN CHUCKLES

EIGHT USDA CLUCKERS.........GONE!

STILL COOKIN" EM

BUT THE LINE'S GETTING SHORTER

WAYNE, THE SUPPORT DRIVER, DOING THE "CHICKEN DANCE" WITH MARLENE

TWO GEEZERS AND A BELLE PLUS THE "CHICKEN RUN"

Only three of us (Lois, Howard, and Bob R) rode on Wednesday.  We had a very pleasant ride out through Elon and to Lansing via the LaFayette Ridge road.  From there we went through Lansing and up the river road to New Albin where we took Pool Hill road to Eitzen.  Down 76 to A 26 and the Lycurgus Road to HWY9 was our next leg.  We then continued on 9 into Waukon and Gus & Tony's.  Total mileage was about 80.  The temp was in the mid 60's and we got only a very short sprinkling of rain.

It sound like cool weather for Sunday's "Chicken Run", so if you don't want to ride a bike and still want to go, bring your car to Casey's and we can car-pool and motorcycle from there.  We will leave at 10 AM.  Let Bob know by Friday if you want chicken.

After many years of shifting the Harley, Gary is going to have a knee replaced next Wednesday.  Good luck to him!

Here's a photo from Wednesday night.

ONE GEEZER AND A BELLE READY TO HIT THE ROAD