BONUS WEEKEND

With the unusually warm weekend giving us some more riding time, a few of the Wednesday Night Riders took full advantage.  Bob racked up close to 500 miles on the three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).

On Friday Bob R rode his two wheeler on a journey through the Bagley area and back.  He put over 180 miles on that day, starting from Waukon about 1 in the afternoon.  It proved to be a very enjoyable afternoon filled with some great views of the tree colors.  I didn't realize there was a railroad museum in Fennimore, so I'm going to have to get back there sometime.  However, the bugs were also out and not only smeared up my windshield, but also smeared up my camera lens.  So, I only got one shot of a tree.

On Saturday, at 12:30 at Casey's, Bob on the trike was joined by Dee and Lois on bikes, and Darrel and ChucK on trikes.  The destination was Teschemper Road (Thumper Road), a scenic five mile downhill stretch near LaCrescent.

A good looking gang of leaf lookers

With temps well above average (70's), and a brisk south wind, we departed Casey's heading north on HWY 76.  After passing by Eitzen, we turned west onto CR 27 (Styling Road), and cruised on into Spring Grove.  Just outside of Spring Grove we found familiar CR 4 and headed north again until we reached HWY 76 again.  We then followed 76 on into Houston for another familiar rest stop at the BP store there.  The bugs were again too numerous, and our windshields and my camera lens were messy again.

SPECIAL PARKING SPACES FOR BIKES

NOTICE THE "BUGGY" WINDSHIELDS

LOIS SNAPS THE GUYS

After the break, our route would usually take us either over to LaCrescent and up CR 25 or CR 9 to CR 21 to CR 25 and then to Thumper.  I decided to try a "back" route to Thumper that I hadn't ridden in a while, so I really didn't know what to expect.  

We followed CR 9 all the way north to CR 11 and turned west on it for a short distance to CR 8.  CR 8 actually runs back east until we turned southwest onto CR 5 and onto CR 6.  We were in Winona County for a short distance, and CR 6 took us to the edge of LaCrescent where we could turn onto CR 25 and head up the hill to Thumper.  The decision to take the "back" route proven to be a good one.  We were treated to some spectacular scenery and smooth blacktop roads!

On up CR 25 soon took us to the WXOW tv towers and we turned onto Thumper.  As usual, Thumper did not disappoint.  The views of the valleys and coulees below were outstanding and with the sun bringing out the colors on the trees below, the five mile ride to the bottom was incredible!  At the bottom, we arrived onto CR 21 and followed it east over to HWY 16 and then took 16 on into Hokah for a break at the Quik Trip there.

WE ALL REMARKED ABOUT THE GREAT RIDE WE JUST HAD

After visiting with several other bikers, we departed Hokah and beat a bee line (speed limit is 60 here) for Caledonia to hook up with some ice cream treats at the Wired (Ruptured) Rooster.  After our tasty treats we followed HWY 76 back south to Iowa River Drive and turned east over to Lycurgus Road and headed back south to HWY 9.  Lycurgus proved to be the roughest stretch of road we were on the whole day.  We cruised on into Waukon where I had exactly 150 miles on the trike when I garaged her.  What a day for this time of year!

Sunday's ride report to follow later.