.....and APPLE BLOSSOM WHITE

Each spring we try to pick a Wednesday night when our ride takes us through the apple orchards in Gays Mills to view the blossoming trees.  Sometimes we are too late, sometimes the late frost destroyed the blossoms, sometimes we are too early, and sometimes the wind and rain have taken their toll, but sometimes we do get a view at one of Mother Nature's wonders.

So this Wednesday seventeen WNR gathered at Casey's in anticipation of seeing blossoms and because it was a near-perfect night with partly sunny skies and temps in the low 70's.  We really didn't know what to expect in Gays Mills.

We had a support vehicle with Greg and Dale along with five trikes (3 wheelers) with Carl, Irv, Chuck (not Chuckles),Ron & Helen, and Bernell & Kathy.  On seven bikes were Darron, Jim & Cathy, Larry (you can never have enough Gelos), Lois, Chuckles, Howard, and Bob.

GREG BRINGS HIS SUPPORT CONVERTIBLE

DARRON JOINS US AGAIN

HELEN ON THE TRIKE AND KATHY ON THE NEW CAN AM

CATHY & KATHY

RON, BERNELL, HOWARD, AND IRV

CARL--LETTING THE COOL AIR HIT HIS FOREHEAD

We headed out of town east on the Elon Road passing through Elon and then heading north on the Lansing/Harpers Road into Lansing.  We took this route to avoid one of the worst stretches of highway in Iowa (Highway 9) to be supposedly repaired in the near future.  We then crossed the mighty Mississippi on the Blackhawk Bridge and on into Wisconsin on HWY 35 heading south.  We passed through Lynxville and then turned east again onto CR C which took us on a scenic route on into Soldiers Grove where we stopped for a break at Campbell's One Stop.  We saw a lot of wild apple trees that were still in bloom, so our hopes were high.

LINED UP AT CAMPBELL'S

CHUCK (NOT CHUCKLES) SHOWING A PROPER DISMOUNT

After our break we took off south on newly paved HWY 61.  When we got to Rolling Ground, we turned west onto HWY 171.  Even though we had the sun facing directly into us, our leisurely ride through the orchards proved to be a spectacular sight.  Not only were the trees in bloom, they were in full bloom!  Even the smaller trees were full of blossoms.  Our timing was perfect, thanks to the pure "skill" of our fearless leader!  We continued west on 171 passing by a couple more orchards with blossomed trees.  HWY 171 took us through Gays Mills and into Mt. Sterling where we turned south on HWY 27.  After passing through Seneca and Eastman, we turned west again on Limery Road and through Shihata Orchards where we were treated to more apple blossom views.  Limery Road took us across HWY 35 and onto CR K heading south through Prairie du Chien.  We then turned onto HWY 18 to cross the bridge into Iowa again.  The bridge is being repaired and a stoplight directs traffic going one way.  I was the only one to make it through the light on green, so I waited by the turn into Marquette for the rest of the convoy.  We then took HWY 76 north (another Iowa highway in bad need of repair) where Carl, Jim & Cathy, and Chuck (not Chuckles) dropped off on their way home.  The rest of us continued on 9 to Waukon where more dropped off.  It got a little later than I liked, so I hope our Decorah riders made it back home before it got too dark.  I had 128 miles on the Wing when I pulled her into the shed.

Overall, I thought it was a great ride!  We had some beautiful scenery, nice weather, and got some spectacular sights and smells of the apple blossoms.  How much better could it get?!

MEMORIAL DAY RUN & COOKOUT

Our annual Memorial Day run and cookout is scheduled for Monday, departing Casey's at 1 PM.  If the weather holds, I still plan on going on the ride (maybe stopping for ice cream somewhere), but I think it's best to call off the cookout.  We would really feel bad if one of us came down with the virus after being at our house for the food.  Hopefully by next Memorial Day we can resume the ride and the cookout.  Again, if the weather cooperates and you want to go on a Memorial Day run, be at Casey's at 1 O'Clock on Monday afternoon.