PIZZA, PIZZA, AND SPECIAL GUEST

 Our RTE (Ride To Eat) this Sunday was our "You Gotta Love Summer" pizza run.  This ride drew 11 riders including a "special" guest all the way from Wellsburg.

Mike & Joan, Chuckles, Lois, Lee, and Dee arrived on bikes.  While Darrel, ChucK, and Bob & Julie rode trikes.  Our special guest, David R, joined us on a Spyder.  Bob & David have been in contact with one another since the article Bob wrote for the Gold Wing Road Riders magazine.  David also follows us on the blog, and said he would like to ride with us sometime.  He and his wife were staying in Ferryville this weekend, so our pizza ride worked out for him to join us.

DAVID (AKA "PORKY") JOINS OUR GROUP

DAVID INTRODUCES HIMSELF

AND ENTERTAINS THE GROUP

APPARENTLY DARREL & DAVID HAVE MET BEFORE AS ChucK & DEE ARRIVE

With pizza on everyone's mind, we departed Casey's at 11 AM, cruised through the town and onto HWY 76 heading north.  After passing by Dorchester, Hanover, and Eitzen, we turned west onto CR 17.  This stretch of asphalt takes us by the scenic setting of the Wilmington Lutheran Church and over to HWY 44.  We take a short jog on 44 through Spring Grove, and arrive at CR 4 just outside of town and make the turn to the north.  We travel on CR 4 a number of times during the riding season.  It offers a smooth surface along with some sweeping curves and some great views along the valley formed by the south fork of the Root River.  CR 4 ends on HWY 76 just outside of Houston.

We continue on scenic 76 north of Houston and then turn back east on CR 26 at Money Creek.  We pass by the pool full of "bathing beauties" at the Money Creek Haven Campground and follow this well-maintained route blessed with some picturesque views.  We enjoy this eight mile journey, arrive in Rushford, and make our way to the Creamery Ice Cream and Pizza establishment.

Except for a couple of vegans, our group feasted on the pizza either by order or buffet.  This restaurant also offers a vast selection of hand-dipped ice cream and most of us took advantage.  After some good food and good service, we departed Rushford via HWY 16 heading southwest.

Hwy 16 is a popular route for motorcycles.  It traverses along the Root River and offers views of the river and bluffs.  In the warm summer, a lot of tubing goes on down the river rapids and there are several campgrounds located along the shores.  The road itself is very well maintained and offers up sweeping curves and some pleasant scenery.  This highway ends at the junction of HWY 52 just outside of Preston, and we take 52 south.  There were warning signs letting us know that road work was being done and oil and loose gravel may be present.  We saw none of that.  The resurfacing that was done made the highway a pleasure to ride.  The newly resurfacing ended at Harmony and there we took HWY 139 south.  The Minnesota section of 139 has been resurfaced, but the Iowa section is still in "stagecoach" condition.  We bumped our way down to Cresco for a short break.  If we had to do it over again, we would have probably stayed on 52.

HERE'S OUR GROUP IN CRESCO WITH A PHOTO FROM CHUCKLES

After our break, we continued on into Decorah on the Pole Line Road.  Again we were offered up some smooth pavement along with some curves and good views.  At the intersection with HWY 52 again, we took a short journey down the hill to HWY 9.  Following 9 through town, we made our way to Old Stage Road and on into Freeport.  That's where Darrel and Lee live, so that's where their ride ended.  Also, ChucK and Dee split off to head towards Postville.  The rest of us followed Old Stage into Waukon where Mike & Joan and David split off heading for New Albin and Ferryville.  Bob & Julie had about 160 miles on the trike when they got home.  Another good RTE!  Hopefully David can join us again on one of our rides.  He seemed to enjoy this one.

FINALLY

Here's a couple of contributions from Lois.

CHECK OUT THE PICNIC TABLE!

THIS SAYS IT ALL!

Still planning to head for Hawkeye next on Wednesday's ride using some of the route we took on the Hospice Ride.