2024 Riding Season Update

This week I will be working on the invitations to the PMS get-together on April 17th.  If you rode with us at least once last year, and I have your address, you will be receiving an invitation in the mail.  If you did not make a ride last year, or I don't have your address, you are still welcome to attend.  Just stay tuned to the blog for further information.  If you have moved or if you want me to have your address, then send it to me yet this week.  brotach@msn.com

Also this week I will be putting together the list of "special" rides our group usually takes during the riding season.  There are several changes from last year.  This list will be sent out with the invitations, and will be available at the PMS get-together.

Again this year it looks like you have supplied me with enough material to do a "reflections" video.  Again, no one is exempt from some good-natured kidding, so be prepared for that if you come.

And to all our Wednesday Night Riders' families and friends.....

6 PACK BREAKS THE ICE

 We didn't break any ice (there wasn't any), but six Wednesday Night Riders did break a record.  This was the first-ever Wednesday night ride taking place while it was still winter!

Showing up on an incredibly warm March evening were Jim & Cathy, Mike, and Richard (the Slingshot is being repaired) on bikes, while Dave M and Bob mounted trikes.

Dave, Mike, and Richard getting ready to roll

Jim & Cathy roll in after setting their field ablaze

The original plan was to go through Postville, Calmar, and Decorah, but some road repair near Postville made for a change in plans.  The new route worked out better for Mike, since he had to be back in New Albin by 6:30.

We left town with the bank thermometer showing 69 dgrees and took HWY 76 north.  After turning onto Main St. in Caledonia (and surging past the Ruptured Rooster coffee shop) we took CR 5 south out of town.  After a short ways, we stayed straight ahead on to CR 14 and followed in down the hill to HWY 26 just north of New Albin.  It is always interesting to see some of the sights along the roads with no leaves on the trees that we've never seen before.  There are also some that you don't want to see again!

After the smooth ride down 14, we turned onto HWY 26 and passed through New Albin where Mike dropped off to attend his meeting.  Apparently the members of the New Albin fire department are getting re-certified in CPR.  Good for them!

As we got closer to Lansing on HWY 26 we were treated to a spectacular view of migrating swans that were floating along in the reserve area on the Mississippi.  There were hundreds of them there resting up for their journey north.

Our next interesting sight was looking at the bridge construction and/or repair going on at the Black Hawk bridge in Lansing.  With all the cranes (not birds) there, it looks like they are putting up a skyscraper!  They are talking about having the old bridge ready for traffic again in April.  I doubt that!  It seems like our bridge builders are not off to a very good start.

We finished the ride in Waukon and Richard and Bob stopped for eats at the Uptown.  I had 81 miles on the trike when I arrived back home.  I will have to say that the work I had done on the front end of the trike has really made a difference in the steering and suspension.

It looks like it might be awhile before the next Wednesday night ride, but it was sure a great winter ride last night.

Even though some of us no longer have PMS (Parked Motorcycle/Motorcar Syndrome) we are still planning to have our annual PMS get-together on April 17th.  More to follow on that.

We are also getting a new member! (maybe not)

TONIGHT'S ROUTE

 After looking at some road repairs being done on the route I was going to use tonight, I am now going in a different direction.

After leaving Casey's at 5, I will proceed up HWY 76 to Caledonia.  From there I will take Cr 14 back down the hill to HWY 26 just north of New Albin.  I will follow 26 along the river (hopefully spotting some more swans in the refuge) down into Lansing (notice the bridge construction), and then take HWY 9 back into Waukon.

It looks to be about an 80 mile trip and should get back to Waukon by 6:45 or before dark and avoid any deer.

As before, anyone is welcome to join me.

DEER PROTECTOR?!

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL

 I hope I don't piss mother nature off, but the temps for Wednesday (tomorrow) look very promising for a Wednesday night ride.

So I plan to leave Casey's at 5 tomorrow night, go for a short ride, and stop at Uptown when I get back.

After Wednesday, it looks like the weather is going to be a lot cooler, so I thought I'd push the season up some (about a month), and take a ride.

Anyone interested in coming along with me on Wednesday is welcome.

WE'RE BACK!

 We arrived back in town on Saturday, March 2nd around 7:30 PM.  Usually when we arrive in northeast Iowa we are greeted by at least a foot of snow on the ground and me having to start up the snowblower to clear a path to the shed to park the trike.  NOT THIS YEAR!  The only snow we saw along the way back was in the west ditch near Dubuque on HWY 61.

It was the coldest winter months in Panama City Beach in the last 25 years.  Boy, were the natives squeeling!  We were still able to swim daily in the heated pool at the condo, and we did get in some golf, but we did not get in as much riding as we would have liked.  Actually you had some warmer days up here than we had down there!  I was able to attend the junior college baseball tournament that I always enjoy.  Most of the other fans were wearing parkas.  We were able to have dinner at the Wicked Wheel with Rod Schreck and his lovely wife.  He no longer claims to be a friend of ChucK!

Speaking of riding, the starter on the trike burned out when I was on a ride with the Ft. Walton gang.  After we had lunch, I tried starting the trike, and got nothing.  Figuring it may be the battery, we tried jump starting it.  Still nothing.  I do have towing service through AMA, and I was about to call them, but we decided to try push starting it.  It started and I rode the 130 miles back to Panama City without shutting it off, and dropped it off at the motorcycle shop there.  I still thought it might be the battery, but after they checked things out the next week, the starter was shot.  They would have to order one and it would take 3 to five days.  Since I had owned a number of Gold Wings and had never had a starter fail, I figured there must be something else causing it, so I had them replace the A & B starter relays also.  This whole process between getting parts and repair time took almost all the time we had left in Florida, because I had decided earlier in the year to stop by Traxxion Dynamics near Atlanta, and have the front end of the trike serviced with new springs, ect.

After the trike was finished at Panama City, we loaded it on the trailer and headed for Woodstock, GA, just north of Atlanta on Thursday.  It took us well over 8 hours to make the 300 mile (interstate) trip to Woodstock.  The traffic near and in Atlanta is terrible, to put it mildly!  I think we averaged 10 mph for at least 50 miles.  We stayed overnight in Woodstock and took the trike to Traxxion Dynamics the next morning.  This shop is nationally known for their work on motorcycle (and bicycle) suspension systems, and they do specialize in Gold Wings.  They manufacture their own parts on site, and use absolutely no foreign materials.  While we waited in their comfortable lounge, it took a little over 3 hours for them to complete the job.  They removed and replaced the front end with new steering head bearings, new fork brace kit, new cartridge kit (springs), new fork seal and dust kit, and new fork inner and outer bushings.  They showed me the old bearings, springs, and bushings.  They certainly needed replacement!  They even offer to give you the old parts.  I declined.  So through this whole repair process, we lost close to two weeks of riding during the best weather there all winter.  I know, you don't feel sorry for us!

We left Traxxion Dynamics around noon after waiting out a downpour of rain.  Our intentions were now to try to get through Nashville with the time we had left in the day, and stay overnight after passing through.  Our last trip through Nashville was a nightmare, and this one wasn't much better.  We finally arrived in Clarksville and spent the night.  Our trek home on Saturday was about 650 miles.  Needless to say, I was real tired of looking up the asses of semi's on these 3 days.  If I ever have to make that trip back from Florida by that route, it will have to be by gunpoint!  I am anxious to ride the trike now that the front end has been redone.

I think I mentioned in a previous post that we just missed a tornado that hit parts of Panama City Beach in January.  Here's some photos that I was able to take of the damage.  I think the storm went right over our condo building before it touched down.

Also, I will be starting to work on the ride sheet for 2024, so if you have a special ride that won't be led by me, and want to add it to the Wednesday Night Riders ride list, then let me know the dates and destination, and I will include it on the WNR ride sheet for 2024.

Remember April 17th for PMS!

AND FINALLY

SAME GIRL, SAME BIKE, 70 YEARS LATER