GREAT RIDE, JIM D RETURNS WITH LAURIE

 On a near perfect night for riding, we had 18 riders aboard 14 units partake in our Wednesday night ride.  We were excited to have Jim D back with us and we all welcomed Jim's new wife, Laurie, who was on her own bike.  Jim's grand daughter, Mariah, rode with Jim.  The rest of the bike contingent was made up of Chuckles, Lois, Mike, and Larry.  Ron, Richard, Bernell & Kathy, Darrel, Roger, and Bob were on three wheelers.  We had two support convertibles with Irv & Terry in the Vet and Dale & Greg in Dale's newly repaired Chrysler.

DARREL GASSES UP OL' YELLER

WELCOME BACK JIM AND SAY HELLO TO LAURIE

JIM, LAURIE, AND MARIAH

COMING OVER TO GREET JIM & LAURIE

THE CHRYSLER WITH A NEW FUEL PUMP

MIKE ARRIVES FROM NEW ALBIN

IRV & TERRY IN THE VET

ROGER DOFFS HIS HELMET

LARRY GETS THE USUAL FRIENDLY GREETING FROM DALE

THE GROUP KEEPS GROWING

The convoy proceeded out of town and onto the Elon Road heading east.  Once we reached the end of the Elon Road, we turned south onto the Lansing/Harpers Road and scooted down the hill into Harpers Ferry.  There was still some haze in the air from the humidity, but we still had some great views.

Once in Harpers, we turned onto CR X52, the Great River Road, and made our way up to HWY 76.  By going this route, we were able to avoid the rough part of 76.  Down the hill past Effigy Mounds we went on 76 and rolled into Marquette.  From there we circled onto the entrance of HWY 18 east and took it across the Mississippi River bridge into Prairie du Chien.

Taking the HWY 18 bypass around PDC, we reconnected again with 18 on the south side of PDC and continued on it up to CR C outside of Bridgeport.  Amazingly we were still able to stay pretty much together even passing though all the stop lights.  We took C up to CX and finally CR X where we motored along the edge of the backwaters of the Mississippi and through scenic areas of Wyalusing Park.  We did pass through Wyalusing and avoiding the "rush hour", we made our way into Bagley.  This route also offers some great scenery.  Maybe this is the reason they made the speed limit only 45 mph.

Once in Bagley, we found CR A and headed east out of town. CR A runs pretty straight and we cruise along up to CR VV and turn south.  VV is also a straight stretch of asphalt that passes by a large number of farm fields that showed some good growing crops.  After our short run on VV, we arrived at CR V, turned east again and arrived shortly at our destination, the I Don't Care Pub & Grub in North Andover.

WE START TO DISMOUNT AND GET PARKED

TIME FOR REST AND CONVERSATION

OOPS, YOU CAN'T PARK THERE

After our break and parking lot shuffle, we took a short jog on HWY 133 and turned east again onto CR V.  I call this strip of blacktop a "roller coaster" because of all the rather steep hills along the way to CR U.  Turning north now, we took U down to HWY 35 still heading north back to PDC.  HWY 35 passes through Bloomington, and then becomes rather rough (It's been this way for a long time.)_until we get back to HWY 18 just outside of Patch Grove.

We motor along on 18 again back through Prairie du Chien and end up back on HWY 76 heading north out of Marquette.  We had to play "catch up" in Marquette, since the stop lights in PDC did catch some of our entourage.  We kept going north on 76 and passed by our previous turn from Harpers Ferry.  This part of 76 has been resurfaced, so it makes for a smooth ride up to the Waterville turn.  We did have to break for some deer crossings on 76.  

Instead of continuing on the "yet to be resurfaced" section of 76, we made a turn on CR X32, Waterville Road.  I think this short four mile section of X32 from 76 into Waterville offers some of the best scenery in the area, and the surface is much smoother than 76.  On through Waterville we went and arrived back on the Elon Road and backtracked on it back into Waukon.  Besides slowing down twice for some deer making their way across the road, we had some idiot on a crotch rocket pass the group at a high rate of speed and through double yellow lines.  If the dummy would have been one minute earlier, he would have hit a large deer head on, so I guess he will live for another day (maybe)!

A good number of us stopped at the Uptown Grill for eats and Chuckles had Kylee take a photo of the group.

LOOKS LIKE A ROWDY BUNCH!

I had 136 miles on the trike when I parked her outside of the Uptown.  Great ride, and it was good to see Jim & Mariah again, and a warm welcome to Laurie!

NEXT WEDNESDAY

Right now the plans are to take the "mountain" route into Houston.

MYSTERY RTE IS SATURDAY

This Saturday, we will gather at Casey's at 10:30 AM for our Mystery (I'd tell 'ya, but I'd have to kill ya') Ride To Eat.  Should be good weather, a good ride, and good eats.  EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

And finally...