DESERT FIRST! GUYS' TRIP

With the theme "Life is short, so eat desert first!", nine WNR departed Casey's Wednesday night headed for the DQ in Boscobel.
Bob R was followed with David and Chuckles on their bikes and Darrel on his trike.  Then came Wayne & Sandy and Dayton & Joan on their trikes.  Dale brought up the rear in his "support" convertible.
After our journey over the "pool table top" (aka HWY 9) to Lansing we crossed the bridge and passed through Ferryville and Lynxville.  At Lynxville we turned on to CR E which would take us through Steuben (All roads lead to Steuben.) and on down to Boscobel.  CR E was having some construction done, and there were "LOOSE GRAVEL" signs all along the route.  We never did run into any loose gravel, but thanks to Crawford County for looking out for us.  Now if only Allamakee County could do the same!
We arrived safe & sound at the DQ in Boscobel and more than one of us had desert first!

THE GROUP ARRIVES FOR DESERT

After polishing off our deserts, we headed back home passing through Prairie du Chien, Marquette, Froelich, Monona, and Rossville and onto our second "pool table top (aka HWY 76).  We pulled into Gus & Tony's about 8:30 for our "main course" consisting of pork tenderloins or pork fritters (Who knows the difference?!)  I had about 127 miles on the Wing when I got home.  REALLY A NICE RIDE!

GUYS' TRIP

On Monday six of us will be departing from Waukon (and Dyersville) on a journey to Memphis to check on the rumor that Elvis passed away.  Since it looks like it's going to be hot in Memphis, Sandy wanted to go along.  While I was trying to figure out a roommate for her, she remembered that she and Wayne have to go to a bus driving school next Wednesday.  I have yet to figure out that why after 30 some years of driving a bus, they still make Wayne & Sandy go to a bus driving school!
At any rate, WNR is going to need a new leader next Wednesday.  That's OK.  Lois looks better from the back than I do!

FIVE DOUBLES TO JOE'S

We had five couples in five units make the "You Gotta Love Summer" Pizza Run on Sunday.  We had Wayne & Sandy, Carl & Joyce, and Bob & Julie on trikes (all Gold Wings again).  Jim & Cathy were on their Wing followed by Dennis & Marlene in the s
"support" convertible.  It was about 82 degrees under cloudy skies and probably 82 humidity when we departed at 10:30 that morning.

PIZZA LOVERS GATHER
CARL EVEN HAS A COOLER IN HIS TRUNK FOR LEFTOVERS!

We proceeded past the "FREE PIZZA" sign in Fishville, on through Postville and Gunder and into Elkader for a break at the Fast Trak where Carl put in a bid on a boat for sale.  He had to pass up the deal because he couldn't pull it home with his trike.

MUST HAVE BEEN A REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN ELKADER

CARL ASKING JOYCE IF SHE BROUGHT ALONG THE CHECK BOOK

CARL CHECKING TO SEE IF HE CAN BORROW ANY MONEY

CARL PROCEEDING TO PUT IN A BID ON THE BOAT

READY TO RIDE SOME MORE

After stopping at the Fast Trak we continued our journey through Communia, Garber, and Osterdock and on into Guttenberg at Joe's Pizza and Ice Cream establishment where the pizza was delicious.

THE BACK ROOM AT JOE'S

After stuffing ourselves with the pizza and sending the leftovers home in Carl's cooler (Who thinks to bring along a cooler on a pizza trip?!), we left Guttenberg, under now sunny skies, heading on 52 north to Garnavillo.  In Garnavillo we turned onto Clayton Road that took us over to the Great River Road and down to McGregor.  We continued on through McGregor and Marquette and took 76 up to the Great River Road and east into Harpers Ferry for a stop at Donahue's One Stop for some ice cream.  We then took the Harpers/Lansing road to the Elon road and on into Waukon.

GOOD FOOD--GOOD COMPANY--GOOD WEATHER--GOOD COMPANY=GOOD RIDE!

JUST GOLD WINGS---PIZZA SUNDAY

With the weather kind of on the warm and muggy side, apparently the water-cooled Gold Wings were the only way to travel Wednesday night.  We had 4 Gold Wings with 6 riders heading out from Casey's headed for Arlingtron.

JIM & CATHY---6,000 MILES AND READY FOR MORE!

THE ONLY HARLEY THERE WAS IN THE BACK OF THIS TRUCK

DARREL GASSING UP HIS WING

With Bob R in the lead on his Wing and followed by Wayne & Sandy on the DFT Wing, Darrel on the yellow Wing, and Jim & Cathy on their Wing, we traveled through Ossian, West Union, Fayette, and on into Arlington for a break at Charley's Quick Stop.

WE ARRIVE AT CHARLEY'S

CHARLEY HAS EVERYTHING A BIKER NEEDS!

On our return trip, we passed by Volga, through Wadena, Elgin, Cleremont, and Postville.  We got back to Gus & Tony's at 8:30 accompanied by a beautiful sunset.  I added 124 miles to the Wing odometer.  It was a very pleasant and scenic ride!

PIZZA RUN ON SUNDAY
Our "You Gotta Love Summer" Pizza Run is Sunday.  We'll leave Casey's at 10:30 AM.  As of yet I'm not sure where we'll be headed.  I planned on going up to Rushford to Stumpy's, but I was up that way earlier this week and they are working on a lot of the roads up there.  I waited several times for pilot cars and there was a lot of loose gravel.  Apparently Houston and Fillmore counties must have received a lot of money for road work, because they are overlaying chip seal on a lot of roads that I didn't think needed it.  (HWY 76 for example)  At least they had signs up warning of the loose gravel!  So I think we'll let that area "rest" for a while and venture elsewhere.  Since Sandy won't share her pizza stash, we'll make a trip out of town.  Everyone is welcome.

GELO TRIP--THEY'RE BACK!!

A hearty "welcome back" to Jim & Cathy from WNR!!  I'm sure they have some wonderful memories that they will be willing to share with us, and it has been fun for all of us to follow your adventures to the west coast and back.

Here's the final report Jim sent to me.

"Hi Bob,

Leaving Butte, Montana, decided to head down through Yellowstone National Park.  I called ahead to Dubois,WY, KOA and reserved a tent site for the night after asking if Grizzly bears are a concern.  The lady told me not in the summer.  We jumped on 90 for a few miles then took 287 to 191 into the park on the west side.  Again nice roads and great temps.  Saw some farmers raking and baling hay.  What a nice valley to work in with the rocky mountains in the distance.  Cathy took a picture of the town of Ennis with the fly fisherman statue as we came in.  That would be a good place to spend a few days.  Neat Little town.  We stopped at a lake as we were coming into Yellowstone called Earthquake Lake.  It sounds like it was not the place to be in 1959.  Stopped for lunch at West Yellowstone then headed into the park.  Didn't get very far and ran into road work.  Took over an hour to go the next 7 miles and we got to drive on loose gravel, always fun!  Finally got headed south and to Old Faithful.  Cathy did get a picture of the one buffalo we saw.  Turns out Old Faithful isn't so punctual any more.  It erupts between 35 and 120 minutes.  One thing we noticed everywhere that no one is speaking English.  I wish I had been recording when Old Faithful went, lots of Chinese and it was pretty funny to listen to.  Ask Cathy to reenact it for you when you see her!  Headed out on 26 through Tetons National Park on our way to Dubois.  I've seen the Tetons before but they are the prettiest mountains I think of any I have seen.  Made our way to Dubois for the night.  Really like that little town.  Very western and up kept.  The KOA was right in town.  Set up our tent and settled in for the night.  Woke up and it was 40 degrees in the AM.  Had people next to us that flew in and packed light because they had to fly it all.  Didn't have warm sleeping bags so they were froze.  Would have been a long night.

Left Dubois for Gillette, WY, to stay at Cathy's brothers place.  Scott and Connie Heimer.  Took 26 to 20, then 16 through the Bighorn mountains.  On the way to Thermopolis, WY, we went through Wind River Canyon.  We stopped at the hot springs in Thermopolis.  They are high in minerals and they have a bathhouse that some of the springs fed into where you can go in and soak.  Supposed to help with all the aches, pains, and pretty much cure every ailment known to man.  Pretty interesting to see how the land builds up from minerals coming out of the water as it flows.  Continued on to Ten Sleep and over the Bighorn mountains.  Made it to Gillette and got together with the whole Heimer clan.  While talking to Scott's boy, Mitch, it came up that we stayed at Dubois, and he informed me that they had trouble with a couple of Grizzlys coming into town the week before!  Wouldn't have stayed there had I known!  The lady at the KOA wasn't real honest on that one.

I was able to change oil on the Wing in Scott's shop which worked out well since I was at 5000 miles and it had been working hard pulling the trailer through all the mountains.

Took off Saturday about noonb and stopped at Spearfish, SD, to see Cathy's friend, Deanne Runge/Whalen.  She and her husband have a beautiful place up in the hills there.  While we were visiting her husband Greg's cell alerted that there was a tornado warning.  Checked radar and thought we could get ahead of the storm so we took off to 90.  Well they had roadwork and detoured us several miles to get on 90.  By the time we finally got on, the storm wasa close.  We made it just past Sturgis then exited and sat under an overpass for an hour while it passed.  We had a room lined up in Pierre, SD, and the storm was moving pretty fast, so we went back to Sturgis for supper then set out to follow the storm.  We had to pull off in Wall Drug to let the storm get ahead again.  I was watching radar and a red cell sat over Pierre for a long time.  We ended up getting into Pierre about 11:30 PM but the light show we got to see was incredible.  We pulled our bags out of the trailer and instead of taking our helmets and jackets into the room with us, locked them in the trailer.  Got to the room and looked for my keys....jacket pocket!  Want to thank Bob for suggesting hiding a spare key on the bike.  Saved us a lot of trouble!  Talked to a guy the next morning that came in by car while it was raining.  Said he had a foot of water on the street he was driving on.

Sunday

Headed out for home.  Stopped at the State Capitol and checked out the war memorial.  Jumped on 34 which follows the Missouri River and also the Lewis and Clark trail, to 45, and 90 the rest of the way.

Didn't have to avoid any animals until we were on the last mile to our place and then the deer started to pop out.  Pulled into the driveway with 6050 miles on the trip meter.

See you Wednesday!"

GOOD WNR SUPPORT FOR I-RIDE--PIZZA! PIZZA!

Not counting Jim, who had to be there, we had 16 Wednesday Night Riders take part in the Good Sam I-Ride on Saturday all for a good cause.  We had Meryle & Mary, Wayne & Sandy, Dayton & Joan, Carl & Joyce, and Bob & Julie on trikes, Greg on his Spyder, Beth on her Harley, Chuckles and Lois on two wheelers, and Dale & Mike in the "support" convertible.  You could not ask for a better day!  We had good weather, good roads, and good food on about a 150 mile journey mostly in southwest Wisconsin.  About half or more of our group even won door prizes after the meal at Waukon Harley.  Word has it that Chuckles is still out there trying to finish off the last of the brats!

Here's some photos of our group on Saturday.

DOING WHAT WE DO BEST!

PIZZA!  PIZZA!

Next Sunday, the 24th will be our "You Gotta Love Summer" Pizza Run.  We will depart Casey's at 10:30 AM that day.  Everyone is welcome!