MEMORIAL DAY--WINDY BUT FUN

First of all some of our WNR group participated in the memorial service at the cemetery in Waukon.

SOME WAUKON VETS WHO ARE STILL ABLE TO MARCH

DALE IN THE "SUPPORT VEHICLE WITH WAYNE & SANDY'S GRANDDAUGHTER

CHUCKLES "PRETENDING" TO BE ON AMBULANCE DUTY

JULIE PRESENTING QUILTS OF VALOR

WAYNE & SANDY'S GRAND AND GREAT GRANDS WITH POPPIES

After the presentation at the cemetery, eight WNR met at Casey's for our annual Memorial Day ride.

CARL GASSING UP HIS TWO-WHEELER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 5 YEARS

MERYLE ORDERING A WELL-DONE BRAT

HOWARD & DENNIS "REFLECTING" ON THE WEATHER

We departed Casey's starting the ride with eight of us.  Howard & Carl on two-wheelers, Meryle & Bob R on trikes, and Julie & Mary in the support vehicle with Dennis & Marlene.  Our journey took us on a wind-blown trip through Postville, Gunder, and on into Elkader where we stopped for a break at Fast Trak.  After refreshing ourselves and deciding that we couldn't get the tin horse on the back of Carl's bike, we departed south on HWY 13.

THE HORSE WAS JUST TOO BIG!!

Outside of Elkader we picked up Grandview Road that took us through Communia and Garber and on into Colesburg.  After Colesburg we passed through Edgewood and on into Strawberry Point where we stopped for our second break at Nading's.  From Strawberry we headed south and then west passing through Osborne, Volga, Wadena, Elgin, and Cleremont.  After turning north we passed through Postville again and honking through Fishville and back to Rotach's for our annual cookout.  Our ride was about 142 miles with absolutely no let up with the wind!

Gathering with us for the cookout were David & Suzanne, Wayne & Sandy, Chuckles, Dorothy, and Joyce.  So we had 15 total for food and telling "lies'.

OUR "GUEST OF HONOR"!

THE FOOD AND THE LIES WERE BOTH GOOD!

"EXPERT" CHEF WITH A LOT OF HELP FROM JET'S!!

"BOY, AM I FULL!!"

This Wednesday looks to be good weatherwise.  Hope to see everyone there.  AND GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS!

WE BROUGHT THE SUN OUT!!--MEMORIAL RIDE/COOKOUT IS MONDAY

Four WNR took off from Casey's at 5:30 Wednesday night with cloudy skies and 59 degrees.  By the time Jim & Cathy, Howard and Bob R were through with the ride, the sun came out from hiding the past week!  We took HWY 9 to Decorah and then picked up HWY 52 heading south and took HWY 325 west into Spillville.  We turned left onto Main St. in Spillville and followed CR W14 south into Ft. Atkinson.  All along W14 we saw storm damage from last week.  There were still a lot of trees down and we could see hail damage to some of the homes along the route.  When we reached Ft. Atkinson we turned south on HWY 24 and then continued south and east on W14 into St. Lucas where we picked up CR B44 heading east.  B44 took us past Auburn and over to HWY 150 just south of West Union.  We turned north on 150 past Eldorado and turned back east on CR B40 (Great River Road) to CR W42 north into Ossian.  You may want to take a different route through Ossian since they are doing some major street repair just south of town.  We did not take the detour since it was a gravel road, so we rode through the construction zone very slowly.  We made it through with no problems since the workers had already left for the day.  We continued on W42 over to CR46 heading east and then onto Centennial Road north.  Centennial took us back to HWY 9 east and back into Waukon and Gus & Tony's.  I had 98 miles on the Wing at G&T's.
Here's a few photos of the group.

JIM WANTS TO CUT THE TOP OFF DALE'S CAR
TO MAKE A SUPPORT VEHICLE

HOWARD TRYING TO AVOID THE PHOTOGRAPHER

DALE SAYS THE CONVERTIBLE IS NOT COMING OUT TONIGHT.
IT'S ALL WASHED UP FOR THE PARADE MONDAY

AN ACTUAL SUNSET!!!

Monday is Memorial Day and it's time for our annual Memorial Day ride and cookout at Rotach's.  After paying tribute to our veterans, we will depart Casey's at 1:00 PM for our ride (Looney Valley Loop) for about 150 miles.  If you can't make the ride, you can still stop by the Rotach's for the cookout (brats & fixin's).  We should be back around 5 PM.  See everyone then.  Right now the weather looks suitable.

NO BURGERS--BUT SOME INDIANS

While it looks like the lousy, rotten, stinking weather was going to let up for a while and let us make the "All Roads Lead to Steuben" burger run, there is a follow-up rain storm coming into Waukon about 7:30.  We could have probably got back in time, but it would have been a rush, and the temperature was still below 50 degrees, so we have to cancel another ride.  I guess if I knew we were going to have such a horse---- spring, I would have had my other knee done!  HOPEFULLY we will be able to ride on Wednesday night, and the Memorial Day ride and cookout is coming up a week from Monday.

In some WNR news, three of us including Jim G, Chuckles, and Bob R journeyed down to Cedar Rapids on Friday to check out some of the new Indian motorcycles at McGrath's.  While Bob was just along for the ride, Jim and Chuckes (aka WFTK) actually took some of the Indians for test rides on a cool, misty afternoon.  The Indians they rode were sharp bikes, and the boys were pretty impressed with them.  McGrath's is a pretty impressive dealership with Indians, Hondas, Yamahas, Kawasakis, and Polaris ATV's.  Jim and Chuckles were led on 2 impressive 17 mile rides, so they were able to get a good "feel" for the bikes.  I didn't have the camera along, so I had to take some photos and a video with my phone for the first time as you will probably be able to tell from below.

THE BOYS GET MOUNTED UP IN THE PARKING LOT

GETTING DIRECTIONS FROM THE GAL LEADER

CHUCKLES (WFTK) RODE THIS ONE, BUT DIDN'T TAKE IT HOME!

Click below to see the boys cruise back into the parking lot

SNUCK ONE IN--FAREWELL TO JIM

Believe it or not, we had a rider go on Wednesday night.  Yes, Bob R saw a window in the crap we've been having for weather and rode 65 miles.  He took off from Casey's at 5:30 and headed up HWY 76 to Eitzen.  At Eitzen he took Pool Hill Road down to New Albin where he picked up HWY 26 and coasted into Lansing.  In some places the highways were damp, but no standing water.  At Lansing he took the Great River Road to Lafayette Ridge Drive and then onto Elon Road and back into Waukon just in time to avoid the strong winds and rain that hit about 7 PM.  There must have been some strong winds earlier, because there was quite a bit of debris on the Great River Road.  The weather really did look ominous as he pulled into the garage.  See the photos below.

Right now the weather forecast for out ride on Saturday isn't very good, but for now it's still on.  If we go, we will leave Casey's at 4:30 and head out to Steuben for burgers.  Stay tuned.

FAREWELL TO JIM

As many of you know one of our WNR is retiring from Good Sam.  There will be a farewell send off for Jim S on June 13th from 1 to 3 PM at Good Sam.  Dennis and I will be in Boulder Junction fishing, but hopefully a good number of our WNR will be able to bid him farewell.

ANOTHER RAINY WEDNESDAY--MOTHERS' DAY

As I sit here recovering from a colonoscopy (yes, I know you're surprised there's anything left) and eyeballing the radar, it looks like Mother Nature threw us another curve ball on Wednesday night.  We had planned to travel through the orchards and see and smell the apple blossoms, but that now looks to be a rain out.  Julie and I made that trip on the trike last Saturday and the trees were really blooming!  If the wind and rain doesn't blow all the blossoms of the trees before then, I would say if you get a chance over the weekend make the trip.  It's really beautiful.  Actually I enjoy the trip through there during the spring more than I do in the fall.  Less crowded, but no donuts!

Also remember our first RTE is Saturday the 20th.  KSU, BOT, and HISV 4:30 from Casey's for the "All Roads Lead to Steuben" Burger Run.

Don't forget Mothers' Day this Sunday!! 

Here's some Mothers' Day humor sent to me by biker friends in Florida--

LEMON PICKER

Sally, of Coral Springs, Florida, decided to take on one of the jobs that most Americans are not willing to do.
Sally applied for a job in a lemon grove and seemed to be too far qualified for the job. She had a liberal arts degree from the University of Michigan and had worked as a social worker and a school teacher.
The foreman frowned and said, "I have to ask you.  Have you had any actual experience in picking lemons?"
"Well, as a matter of fact, I have." she said.  "I've been divorced three times, owned two Chryslers, I voted twice for Obama and once for Hillary."
She starts work first thing Monday morning!

RIDE SAFE

FINALLY--THE MAGNIFICENT 7 RIDE AGAIN

The Weather Witch finally broke down and gave us a sunny Wednesday night for a ride.  It was 60 degrees when 7 of us on 6 bikes gathered at Casey's for a tour of NE Iowa and SE Minnesota.  To make things extra nice, we were joined by Larry, Jim's brother, (although Jim fails to claim him) on a Yamaha that Jim hopped up for him.  Welcome to the newbie, who enjoyed the ride and plans to join us for more.  We were also excited to see Howard joining us.  He said he had done some riding before and was getting along just fine with the one eye.  And then to top things off, we were sent on our way by Iowa Highway Patrolman Jay!  Apparently he had heard that there was a biker gang it town and was sent to check it out.  After he checked us out, he determined that we were probably more harm to ourselves than to others, and bid us farewell!

Howard, Chuckles, Jim, Larry, and Bob R on bikes and Dayton and Joann on the trike departed Casey's and headed north on 76.  We turned west on Bear Creek Drive and continued to Locust Road and turned back north.  Locust ended at HWY 44 where we turned east and cruised through Spring Grove and on into Caledonia for a rest stop where Joann could warm up her legs.  While we were there Larry's wife and daughter showed up!  They said they were up scouting out the upcoming garage sales, but Jim said they were following Larry to make sure he made it.  After a discussion on dentistry, we departed the Kwik Trip and headed east through Caledonia and onto CR 5.

CR 5 soon turned into newly paved CR 14 and we followed it east all the way to the river at Millstone Landing and HWY 26.  We then turned south on 26 through New Albin and onto Iowa River Drive heading west.  Iowa River drives branches off onto Lycurgus Road and we took that to HWY 9 at the Lycurgus Church.  The temperature still remained at 60.  HWY 9 took us back into Waukon where we stopped for eats at Gus & Tony's and then joined by Bugsy.  At G & T's a discussion between the Gelo brothers ranged from who was the best looking to who had the best sandwich.  It looks to be an interesting summer!  I had 95 miles on the Wing when I got home.

Here's some shots of our group.

Larry & Jim arguing over who's better dressed.

THREE CHEERS FOR HOWARD JOINING US ALREADY!

NOT TO BREAK TRADITION
CHUCKLES IS THE LAST TO SHOW

JOANN DEMONSTRATING HOW TO HOLD THE HANDLEBARS

DAYTON RESTING UP FOR THE "BIG TRIP"

OFFICER JAY WELCOMING LARRY TO THE HIGHWAYS AGAIN

OFFICER JAY THINKING ABOUT FRISKING CHUCKLES FOR DOPE

NEXT WEDNESDAY'S RIDE IS SCHEDULED TO GO THROUGH THE ORCHARDS AND CHECK OUT THE APPLE BLOSSOMS!!