SEVENTEEN CHICKEN EATERS!!

On what turned out to be a beautiful Sunday morning, fifteen WNR and two guests raised anchor and journeyed across the pond to Rockton and the apple orchards.  Bob R and Julie led followed by Jim & Cathy, Meryle & Mary, Wayne M, Carl & Joyce, Dayton & Joan, Wayne & Sandy, and Dennis & Marlene in the support vehicle.  Our guests were Darron & Sue S from Decorah.  Darron is a fireman over there, so it was nice having him along in case Meryle tried to set his socks on fire again!

CARL CHECKING HIS GAS AND HIS TEETH

JIM & CATHY ARRIVE UNDER WADE'S WATCHFUL EYE

THE "FLOCK" IS STILL GATHERING

OUR GUESTS, DARRON AND SUE, WONDERING IF THEY MADE A WISE CHOICE

After leaving Casey's we headed east on the Elon Road and then north on the Harpers/Lansing Road.  At Lansing we crossed the bridge and turned south to pick up CR B near Ferryville.  We took B east to HWY 27 and turned north again and headed into Viroqua for a break and watched Joan set a land speed record sprinting into the Kwik Trip.
We continued north out of Viroqua and got on CR Y again heading east.  We continued following Y and CR S and CR P over to HWY 131 just south of Rockton.  That stretch of CR Y,S, and P is one of my favorite routes since it is very scenic any time of year, especially in the fall.  We pulled into the Rockton Bar at 12:30, just in time to get some of their "almost world famous" barbecued chicken.

WE MADE IT TO ROCKTON

JOAN DOESN'T HAVE TO DASH IN THIS TIME!

MERYLE TRIES TO GET BOB TO PAY FOR HIS CHICKEN

"TOOTHLESS" CARL CUTTING UP HIS CHICKEN WITH A BOWIE KNIFE

THIS PLACE AIN'T CHIC-FIL-A!

THIS SAYS IT ALL!!

After polishing off 8 1/2 USDA cluckers, our group decided it was time to sample the apple donuts at Sunshine Orchards, so we headed south on 131 until we came to the detour outside of Viola and had to take HWY 56 west to CR S.  We followed S south until it connected with 131 south again just outside of Readstown.  131 south was closed again at Readstown, so we detoured onto HWY 14 east and followed it to CR X.  We turned south on X until we came to CR H and followed it south to HWY 171 west.  171 took us into Sunrise Orchards where the apple and donut shoppers were as thick as flies.  They did have a huge tent that gave away free samples of every kind of treat you could think of.  It's a good thing Chuckles wasn't along, or we would still be there! 

After loading up on apples, cider, and donuts, we continued on 171 west down to HWY 35 north just outside of Ferryville.  We followed 35 to 82 west across the bridge to Lansing and HWY 9 back to Waukon.  It turned out to be about 177 fabulous miles.  GOOD WEATHER--GOOD FOOD--GOOD COMPANY!!

NEXT WEDNESDAY

Next Wednesday, the 5th, will be my last one for the year, since I will be having knee replacement surgery on the 11th.  So up until daylight savings time ends, you will need a new leader on your Wednesday night rides.  Good luck and stay off the gravel!!