ANOTHER COLD, RAINY WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!

Apparently the Weather Witch doesn't realize that it's time to ride.  She's crapped on us two Wednesdays in a row now.  Looking ahead, however, next week looks better and Wednesday looks to be sunny and in the 70's.  Let's hope that happens!

As many of you may or may not know, May is Motorcycle Awareness Month.  Here in Iowa, the state doesn't seem to want to make a big deal about it, but some of my Gold Wing buddies down south get pretty involved.  They sent me some examples of ads that have been placed in newspapers and on tv down there, so I thought I would pass them along.  Until next Wednesday and, for that matter, forever--BE AWARE and BE SEEN!

BLIND SPOTS FOR TRUCKERS

NINESOME TO CAMP COURAGEOUS

On Sunday morning at 9:15, eight WNR's and one guest made our annual spring trip to Camp Courageous in Monticello for their omelet breakfast fundraiser.  Jim & Cathy, Dayton & Joan, Gary, Nancy, Bob & Julie and our guest, Sandy Bishop, headed south on 76 to Rossville, where we turned and passed Carl's Used Car Lot and on into Monona.  From there we went through Farmersburg and on into Elkader for a short rest stop.  We continued on through Garber, Colesburg, Petersburg, Scotch Grove, and on into Monticello on HWY 38.  After going through several turns in Monticello on 38, we continued south to 190th St. and on to Camp Courageous.  We arrived at 11:30.  Since they are now just serving until noon, our timing was great.

After a fine omelet meal, some of us toured the campus, and Gary headed back on his own.  The rest of us then gathered and left going through Cascade, Worthington, Dyersville, New Vienna, Luxemburg, Millville, and into Guttenberg for some almost world famous ice cream at Greaser's.  We then continued up HWY 52 through Garnavillo to HWY 18 where Jim & Cathy left for a continued journey, and Sandy headed for West Union.  Dayton & Joan turned off in Monona while Nancy and Bob & Julie took the Luana road back to Waukon.  I had about 210 miles on the trike when we pulled into the garage.

GOOD WEATHER---GOOD COMPANY--GOOD FOOD--
GOOD CAUSE!

Our next scheduled ride is May 21st.  Since we didn't get to ride through Balltown on the way back from Monticello, I'm thinking about taking a ride up that way one of these next two weekends and stopping at the restaurant we saw in Millville.  Let Bob R know if you are interested.

Here's some photos of our Camp Courageous journey.

SANDY WANTS TO KNOW WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THIS GROUP

NANCY ARRIVES--HARLEYS-4  GOLD WINGS-2

SANDY PARKS IN THE SHADE TOO COOL OFF HER HOT GRIPS

NANCY SAYS SOMEONE IS SHOOTING AT US!

TIME TO SHED CLOTHES AND EAT!

GARY AND JIM & CATHY GET TO PARK CLOSER TO THE FOOD

RAINY WEDNESDAY--KIDNEY STONE--CAMP COURAGEOUS

We got rained out Wednesday night, which may have been a blessing in disguise for me.  About the time we were supposed to leave, I got a pain in my lower left abdomen.  It felt like someone was stabbing me with a fork!  I went to the emergency room at VMH and after a CT scan, they discovered I had a 7mm kidney stone about one inch from entering my bladder.  The next day, by luck, I was able to have an appointment with Dr. Price, a urologist from Mayo that comes to the specialist clinic in Waukon.  He gave me two choices--I could wait and see if the stone enters the bladder and then try to pass it, or I could head up to Mayo in Lacrosse and have his colleague, Dr. Rademacher, remove it.  Neither option sounded too great, but I didn't want to wait for that severe pain to return again, so I chose option two and headed for Lacrosse.  I am now recovering at home with some discomfort today (Friday).

I still plan to make the trip to Camp Courageous on Sunday for the omelet breakfast fund raiser.  I just don't know if it will be by bike or car yet.  We will depart Casey's at 9:15 sharp!  Everyone is invited and WNR has been good about supporting this event.  Right now it looks like Sunday is supposed to be a pretty decent day.

By the way, Meryle is back!  However he has to have a knee replaced in early May, so he told me once the knee is OK he will be getting a new ride.  He's eyeballing the unit below!  Hang on, Mary!!

MALL SHOW/CAMP COURAGEOUS

On Saturday I ventured over to Mason City for the Chapter D of GWRRA mall show.  I belong to Chapter D, but since they have their meetings on Sunday nights, I haven't been able to attend any of their functions.  (Anyone who rides across northern Iowa at night has a death wish.  I've already been involved in two deer incidents, and not about to try for three).  However, this group puts on a mall show every year where some of their bikes are put on display in a mall in Mason City.  Since I had the time and it was a nice day, I decided to make the trip and meet some of the members.  The only member I knew before was Roxy (Oder) and she was kind enough to introduce me to many of the other members.  Chapter D is quite an active club with about 90 members and about 40 active.  They are a camping group, so many of the members have campers or trailers that they tow behind their rides.  Also present at the mall show were GWRRA chapters from DesMoines, Waterloo, and Albert Lea, so they had a nice crowd there with members and on-lookers.  Below are some of the photos and videos I took there.

Next Sunday, the 24th, is our annual trip to Camp Courageous in Monticello for their omelet breakfast fund raiser.  Since they changed the times for the breakfast and only serve until noon we will leave from Casey's (depending on weather) at 9:15 that morning.  Everyone is welcome, but remember KSU/BOT at 9:15 AM!

Here's some shots from the mall show.

WHEN LIT UP, THIS BIKE HAS 4,000 LED'S

WING & CAMPER

CHAPTER DIRECTOR JIM'S BIKE & CAMPER

DENNIS & ROXY'S WING & CAMPER

OTHER BIKES AT THE SHOW

DENNIS & ROXY'S TRIKE

    CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE TRIKE IN ACTION

OPENING WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIDE

Sixty degree temps and sunny skies greeted three of us on the opening Wednesday night of the season.  Jim & Cathy and Bob R departed Casey's at 5:30 and headed up HWY 76 to Bear Creek RD.  Turning west on Bear Creek we came to Locust Road where we turned to the north again.  It was very pleasant traveling north and south again, because the wind (which never seems to quit around here) was pretty stiff from the south.  At the end of Locust RD (MN CR 8) we turned east onto HWY 44 and on into the Kwik Trip in Spring Grove where the temperature was a mild 64 degrees.  After visiting with a local riding a vintage 2 stroke Suzuki, we departed on HWY 44 east and then onto CR 17 heading south.  At the end of 17, we turned south again onto 76, back through Eitzen and Hanover, and in to Green Valley Get Away in Waukon where we met Chuckles and Dennis.  The discussion there turned to monkeys with cramps.  I had about 75 miles on the clock when I pulled into the garage at home.  It was just great to be riding on Wednesday night again!  Hopefully the weather holds and we can go again next Wednesday.  KSU and BOT at 5:30 from Casey's.

Here's some photos from the first Wednesday night.

THE BEST LOOKING OF THE THREE SOME

WHO DOESN'T LIKE RED?!

NICE & WARM IN SPRING GROVE

A VINTAGE SUZUKI 350 TWO-STROKE