WHAT RAIN??!!

Under threats of cloudy skies and thunderstorm watches, ten WNR defied the weather and met at Casey's Wednesday evening.
Meryle & Mary and Irv were on the trikes, while Jim & Cathy, Al, David, Bob Z, and Bob R mounted bikes.  Dale supplied the support convertible.

WHO'S THE "NEW" GUY WITH THE BLUE TRIKE?

JOHN REVS UP HIS BIKE FOR THE CROWD

THE WEATHER DOESN'T BOTHER IRV

Since the rain could get us at any time, we decided to ride Allamakee County and stay close to home just in case.  We took HWY 76 north through Eitzen and down Pool Hill Road to the river and New Albin.  We then turned south on HWY 26 into Lansing and continued along the river on the Great River Road into Harpers Ferry where we took a short break.

JUST SEND MY MAIL TO THE HARPERS FERRY JAIL

DAVID TRYING TO FIGURE HOW HE, BOB Z, AND BOB R ARE GOING TO GET
TO ATHENS, OHIO ON MONDAY

After Dale put his top back down on the convertible, we left Harpers on the Lansing/Harpers Road and then to the Elon Road back to Waukon and Gus & Tony's.  We did get a few sprinkles along the way, but nothing that slowed us down.  We were informed at Gus & Tony's that Dale once got bucked off his riding lawnmower.  I had 85 miles on the Wing as I pulled her into the shed.

RITA VOTSMIER
Rita, Chuck's Mom, passed away on Wednesday after some time in hospice at the Good Neighbor Home.  The visitation for Rita is from 4 to 7 on Friday at Martin Funeral Home.  Her funeral is Saturday at St. Pat's at 10:30.  Our condolences go out to Chuck and the Votsmier family.

NEW LEADER NEXT WEDNESDAY
Bob Z, David, and Bob R (three Amigos, three Musketeers, three Stooges??) will be winding their way down to Athens, Ohio, on Monday to ride Ohio's Windy 9, so WNR will need a new leader for next Wednesday's ride.

PIZZA, PIZZA!

Eight potential pizza eaters showed up on Sunday for our "You Gotta Love Summer" Pizza Run.  We had Jim & Cathy and Lee (Darrel's son) on bikes and Darrel and Bob & Julie on trikes and Roger and Janine in a Corvette support vehicle.

CATHY & JULIE GETTING PREPARED

ROGER, DARREL, LEE, AND JIM STAYING BETWEEN THE SUPPORT
VEHICLE AND THE DUMPSTER.  JANINE STAYS IN THE "VETT"

At 11 AM our group of eight departed for Bootleggers in Millville under mostly cloudy skies and temps in the high sixties.  Down HWY 76 and then through Rossville on the Volney Road and then down south through Monona and onto HWY 18 east.  After a short jag on 18, we turned south on HWY 52 into Garnavillo and there we turned onto CR C17 (Clayton Road) heading east again.  From CR C17 we continued onto CR X56 heading down into Guttenberg on a very scenic stretch of road.  We passed through Guttenberg along the river park there and back onto HWY 52 south and after a few miles we arrived in the metropolis of Millville and the famous biker spot known as Bootleggers.

WELCOME TO BOOTLEGGERS

LOCATED NEXT TO A SWEET SHOP

DEFINITELY A SPOT FOR BIKERS

We negotiated through a crowed parking lot and departed the vehicles to head into Bootleggers for eats.

PARKING FOR BIKES & TRIKES

ROGER & JANINE GET THE  SUPPORT "VETT" PARKED

After entering Bootleggers, we soaked up the atmosphere and placed our orders consisting of pizza and calzones.

WE REARRANGED THE TABLES

THEY HAD A PICTURE OF JIM

BIKER SIGN

After polishing off our food, or asking for a box, we departed Bootleggers and got ready for the trip back.

ROGER EYES THE BIKES ON THE WAY OUT

We headed back north on 52 and planned to take the county road down to Garber, but that was still closed, so we continued on 52 north of Guttenberg where we turned onto CR X47.  X47 was the detour route for the Garber Road and after a short drive, we were back on the scenic CR C7X and passed through Elkport and Garber.  In Garber we picked up Grandview Road (and it is!) and took it back to HWY 13 just south of Elkader.  We continued into Elkader where we found the Gunder Road (also very scenic) and followed it all the way back to HWY 18 just east of Postville.  We passed through Postville and onto HWY 51 heading north.  We then took the Yellow River Road  where Roger & Janine kept going and then over to Old Stage where Jim & Cathy headed home and the rest of us passed through Fishville to HWY 9.  Darrel and Lee headed west from there while Bob & Julie headed east into Waukon.  We put about 130 miles of the trike and enjoyed a comfortable scenic ride accompanied by good food.  I think we all would recommend Bootleggers as a good place to stop.  They also have ice cream!

WE ONLY HAVE THREE GOING ON THE GUYS' TRIP TO ATHENS, OHIO ON JULY 30, NEXT MONDAY.  WE COULD USE AT LEAST ONE MORE!!

SIXSOME TO VIROQUA

On a beautiful Wednesday night only six riders showed up at Casey's for our ride.  I'm sure the fair and haying cut into people's time.  However, six of us consisting of Irv on a trike and Bob Z, Howard, David, Al, and Bob R on bikes took off at 5:30 with partly cloudy skies and temps in the low 80's.

GASSING UP THE TRIKE

THE PAUSE THAT REFRESHES

"OH, WHAT THE HELL!  ONE FOR THE ROAD."

GOING TO PUT SOME MILES ON THE INDIAN

And while we were waiting we got to watch Mulligan's being torn down.

We started out heading east on the Elon Road and then took the Lansing/Harpers Road on into Lansing where we crossed the river and on to HWY 35 south.  We turned back east again on CR C up to HWY 27.  I had planned on taking C on further to Kickapoo Corners, but "LOOSE GRAVEL" signs changed the plans.  We took 27 into Viroqua and took a break at the Kwik Trip there,

TIME FOR ICE CREAM, CHOCOLATE MILK, AND GATOR AIDE

"MAN, YOU HAVE FUNNY LOOKING EYE BROWS!"

After leaving the Kwik Trip we took CR NN and CR N back to HWY 82.  Both routes were very scenic, especially on a clear night, but the Amish were out so we had to watch out for buggies and horse apples!  From 82 we made our way back up the hill to HWY 27 again and backtracked down to CR B.  CR B took us down the hill to the river and back on 35 heading north this time.  We crossed the river again and passed through Lansing where we bumped our way back to Waukon on HWY 9 ( aka the Terry E. Branstad Memorial Byway).  We made it to Gus & Tony's where we were treated to some "Brian" fries and conversations with Bugsy on towing people out of ditches on icy roads and also how we could get hurt playing pickle ball.  I put about 125 miles on the Wing on this journey.

The "You Gotta Love Summer" Pizza Run is this Sunday.  We will leave Casey's at 11 that morning.

Here's a short blog on Athens, Ohio, the destination of the guys' trip July 30-August 4, from Road Runner Magazine:

OHIO'S WINDY 9
The best scenic views of Southeast Ohio are waiting for you on Ohio's Windy 9, nearly 1,000 miles of the best driving, riding and biking routes in the state,  From a leisurely cruise along the Ohio River, to the twisty turns of State Route 555 (aka the Triple Nickle). the Windy 9 is your passport to THE authentic Ohio riding experience!

So far we have David, Bob Z, and Bob R signed up to go.

NO LONGER A MYSTERY/UPCOMING RIDES/CELEBRITIES

The first WNR Mystery RTE run was attended by fourteen eager riders anxious to solve the mystery destination, but more anxious to eat.  Showing up with puzzled looks on bikes were Jim & Cathy, Chuckles, Lois, Al, Nancy, and Warren & June (newbies).  Trike riders out to solve the mystery and eat were Carl & Joyce, Wayne & Sandy, and Bob & Julie.

THE MYSTERY STARTED WITH CHUCKLES ARRIVING EARLY
AND WOULD CONTINUE WATCHING HIM GET READY!

NANCY--- THE "DRAGON SLAYER"

CARL TRYING TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY

WARREN & JUNE MAKING ACQUAINTANCES

JIM SHOWING CHUCKLES HOW TO TIES A BOOT LACE

AL ON HIS SPARE---THE HARLEY

With the radio playing a song by ? and the Mysterians (96 Tears), we pulled out of Casey's at 3:30 under some threatening skies with temps in the 80's.  Heading up 76 north and passing through Eitzen, we turned onto CR 17 east and on into Spring Grove.  Outside of Spring Grove we took the newly repaired CR 4 through Black Hammer and Yucatan to HWY 76 and on into Houston for a break at the BP convenience store.  Sandy thought this was the mystery place, but we assured her it wasn't.

THE BP WAS NOT OUR DESTINATION--ONLY A REST STOP

After our brief break, we took scenic drives on CR 9, 21, and 25 arriving in LaCrescent and our mystery location--Schmitty's Time Out Tavern.

SCHMITTY EVEN HAD A HELICOPTER WAITING FOR US!

SOAKING UP THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE TIME OUT TAVERN

HARD TO DECIDE WHAT TO EAT--GOOD SELECTION ON THE MENU

GOOD ATMOSPHERE-- GOOD SERVICE--GOOD FOOD

AND THAT'S NO MYSTERY!!

After our mystery eats, we left LaCrescent, under now sunny skies, on hwys 44 and 76 through Hokah and into Caledonia for a brief stop at the Dairy Queen.  (The Wing just automatically makes turns into DQ's!)  We then followed 76 back into Waukon, making out first mystery ride a success.  We covered about 125 miles.

OUR NEXT RTE IS SUNDAY, THE 22nd.  It's our "You Gotta Love Summer" Pizza Run.  We leave Casey's at 11 AM that day.  Everyone is welcome.

SOME WNR CELEBRITIES
In case you missed it, we had some WNR make the news this week.

60 YEARS--AND STILL GOING STRONG!!

THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE, ROBERT!!

NO TRIKES TO HOUSTON/MYSTERY RIDE/GUYS' TRIP

For the first time that I can remember, we had no trikes on our Wednesday night ride.  We did, however, have a good group of two-wheelers on a pleasantly warm ride to Houston.  Gathering at Casey's were Bob Z, David, Jim & Cathy, Chuckles, Lois, Al, Pops (newbie), and Bob R.

TWO PHOTOGENIC WNR'S

NO TRIKES?!

"NEWBIE" POPS MOUNTS UP

THANKS TO AL, EARL'S INDIAN HAS NEW LIFE

We departed Casey's heading north on HWY 76 and passing then through Dorchester and on up to Spring Grove.  We then turned west and passed through Mabel and onto HWY 43 heading north to Bratsburg and onto CR 10/13.  I call this going "down the mountain", since the route gets steep and twisty going down into Houston.  The scenery, however, is spectacular.  We arrived in Houston at the Cenex convenience store.

WE ALL SURVIVED "THE MOUNTAIN".

TIME FOR A COOL DRINK

After our break we took CR 9 and CR 21 back to HWY 16 and through Hokah.  In Hokah we took CR 8 down to the river through Brownsville.  We then picked up HWY 26 passing through Reno and into New Albin where we got onto the Iowa River Drive then Lycurgus Road and onto HWY 9 heading west back to Waukon.  We stopped at Gus & Tony's for supper where Bugsy joined us.  Reflecting on the ride we came to the conclusion that we have some great views in our little corner of the world.  I had 130 miles on the Wing when I got home.

MYSTERY RTE RUN

Our next RTE is this Saturday, the 14th.  It's a "mystery ride" to a restaurant that was suggested by a WNR.  So if you want to ride along, we will be leaving Casey's at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon.  You will not need reservations.  Everyone is welcome.

ANNUAL SUMMER GUYS' TRIP

This year we plan to travel down to Athens, Ohio, to ride some of the motorcycle roads called "Ohio's Windy 9".  We will be leaving from the Rotach house at 7AM on Monday, July 30 and return on Saturday, August 4.  Bob R needs to know who plans to go ASAP so proper motel room reservations can be made.  So if you plan to go along, make sure you let him know by next Wednesday, the 18th.