RAINING IGUANAS!!?? NOT HERE.

As you all know, I don't like to talk about the weather when we are down here in Florida, but recently we have had a cold spell that hit about the time you guys in Iowa got the bitter cold, wind, and snow.  Actually it got cold enough further south in Florida, that the iguanas who live in the trees down there got cold enough that they couldn't move and started falling from the trees.  Click on link below!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/22/florida-cold-weather-falling-iguanas-trees-meat/4541351002/

How would you like to be cruising along on your motorcycle or in your convertible and have a 20 pound iguana drop in your lap?!  So maybe snow isn't that bad after all.  Fortunately we don't have any wild iguanas here in the Panhandle, but some do have them as pets.

Despite the cooler weather, we have now put on over 1,000 miles on the trike.  I did have to replace the front tire due to a screw puncture.  Fortunately, I check the air pressure quite frequently, and found the front tire to have only 19 pounds.  Sure enough there was a big screw lodged in the treads.  Fortunately, I was still in the parking lot for the condo.  So I got to try out my tire plugging kit and portable air compressor.  Both worked perfectly, so I was able to ride to a cycle shop and check on a new tire.  I don't like riding with a plug any longer than I have to.  I did find a good deal on the tire and install.  The tire had to be ordered, and we put on about 200 miles with the plug installed.  When the tech got the old tire off, he showed me the plug, and said it was a really good job.

Our next ride with the group is this Saturday.  We are traveling to an iconic restaurant for lunch in Abbeville, Alabama, that has the old soda fountain decor.  It's about a two hour trip, so hopefully things warm up some.

Until next time, I hope you all are trying to stay warm and safe.  Only two more months until March 25th and the PMS meeting!

SUNSET ON THE GULF OF MEXICO

REPORT FROM FLORIDA

YES, we did make it to Panama City Beach on New Year's Eve.  More on that in a minute, but first here's a link sent to the blog from a friend down south.  He says if you are going to have a good Christmas parade, you got to be down south further than Missouri.  Click on the link below and you'll see what he was talking about.

https://www.facebook.com/rudy.tanielian/videos/3201473466535300/?t=5

OUR JOURNEY SOUTH
We departed Waukon on Dec.30th with some freezing rain in the area.  We took it real slow until we got south of Cedar Rapids when it was just raining.  As soon as we got out of Iowa, the sun came out and we traveled through St. Louis and spent the night in Jackkson, TN, the home of Casey Jones.  We continued on the next day through Montgomery and Birmingham and down to PCB.  The trike on the trailer took some real crap from the highways in Iowa, so we stopped and gave her a good wash down in Defuniak Springs.

RIDING AROUND THE AREA
So far we have put about 550 miles on the trike, doing some of our familiar rides from the years before.  The weather here has been above normal with highs in the mid 70's, so the trike got all the old gas rolled out of her pretty quickly.  I usually don't like to mention the weather here to you folks back in Iowa, but from what we can gather, the weather back there hasn't been too bad. One thing we did notice is that this area has come along ways from the hurricane damage from what we saw last year.  The biggest problem seems to be able to get good reliable contractors to do the repair work.  They are still working on our condo building itself, and are doing some unit renovations from the storm damage.  Our unit survived well, but a new patio door had to be installed.

OUR FLORIDA FRIENDS
We were able to hook up with the Panama City GWRRA chapter.  In fact, they had a welcoming for us at Beef O'Brady's followed by a visit to DQ for desert.  Since then we have been with them for another meal at the Lazy Dog Bar & Grill (strange name--great food).  Yes, they like to eat down here too!  We have a trip planned to a chapter meeting down in Dothan, AL on Tuesday, and the chapter meeting here is next week.  Julie and I have also got in a couple of rounds of golf--one with the DeBuhr's and one by ourselves.

Here's some photos from our condo unit.

THE POOL WE USE EVERY MORNING

SAND SCULPTURE ON THE BEACH

MORE SAND SCULPTURE

GULF OF MEXICO--CALM TODAY

VIEW DOWN THE BEACH

FREIGHTERS PUTTING INTO PORT IN PANAMA CITY

More reports from Florida as time permits.

SANTA CAME!!

Apparently despite public opinion, I was good enough this year to get a visit from Santa.  Click in the link below.
https://www.facebook.com/leap2pins/videos/1081394702207827/

Also:

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL WNR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!




I will try to post some rides and events that we are able to do in Florida as time permits.

THANKS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

We arrived back from our Christmas journey to Denver to see the kids and grand kids.  I still don't like flying.  Rather be on a bike or trike or in a convertible any time.  We are now preparing for our departure to Florida for January and February.  Looking forward to seeing and riding again with our southern friends.

Thanks to all WNR who made it to the "World Premiere" showing of "The Foursome".  Wavelength Productions did a great job producing the documentary, and I received many positive comments after the showing.  Following is a  excerpt from their website.  And finally, and most important--MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL WNR AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!

THE FOURSOME - WAUKON PREMIERE The Waukon premiere was a success!  Our short documentary, THE FOURSOME premiered in Waukon, IA as an instant crowd favorite.  We'd like to extend a huge thank you to the city of Waukon, the Waukon Golf & Country Club and to the four men who made it all possible: Bob Rotach, Herb Collins, Darrel Collins, and Gary Peterson.   Like 'The Foursome' hats? Stay Tuned for More Information!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIDERS IN MISSOURI

Because of Christmas parties in the area tonight, we won't be riding (LOL).  Yesterday I spent the afternoon covering and trying to mouse proof the 2 wheeler.  I used poison and traps in the shed and placed smelly dryer sheets in and around the bike.  I also hooked up the battery tender.  This is always a sad time since I know it's going to be spring before I'm able to hop on again.  I also tried to mouse proof the trike, until the first of the year when we will be taking it to Florida.  I did put a battery tender on her also.

Even though we aren't able to ride on Wednesday nights up here, Jim & Cathy were able to hook up with a Wednesday night riders group while they were in St. Louis for Thanksgiving.  It's nice to know that the Wednesday night tradition continues in our southern states.  Here's a photo Jim sent of the Wednesday Night Riders in Missouri.

THEY HAVE A GOOD-LOOKING LEADER ALSO!  I SWEAR THAT THAT FOURTH GUY BACK LOOKS LIKE GARY, AND ISN'T THAT GUY ON THE END MERYLE?

I hope everyone had a joyous Thanksgiving, and one thing our group should be especially thankful for is David's recovery from the deer episode.  I saw him at the Christmas Fantasy gathering at the fair grounds, and he looks terrific!

I know this seems like a long way off, but I will set our annual PMS get-together for March 25th this coming year.  Mark that date on your calendars, and there will be more coming on that as the year goes along.

Finally--the thought for the week--

"I always thought that getting old would take longer."

MOVIE STAR?????

Movie star???--I don't think so.  But your fearless leader is going to be featured in a documentary film that's going to be played in the Waukon Theater on December 17th.  It's about our golf foursome that has been playing together in the Waukon Men's Invitational Golf Tournament for 50 straight years.  The player are Bob R (you know him), Gary P, Darrel C, and Herb C. We all met back when Bob R was the basketball coach at St. Pat's in Waukon, Gary was the coach at  DeSales in Ossian, Darrel was the coach at Notre Dame in Cresco, and Herb was a referee.  We all golfed together starting in 1969. In fact, we were the last group to play in the tournament and walk the course. 

Herb' daughter, Jenny, operates a film production firm called Wavelength Productions located in New York.  They have been involved in quite a number of film productions including documentaries and movies.  Since four guys (former rivals) playing golf together for 50 straight years is certainly quite an accomplishment, Jenny assigned her film crew to do a documentary.  The production of the film has been going on and off for over two years.  (The four of us are good actors, just not in films!)  They conducted interviews, followed us on the golf course, took many photos, and took views of Waukon and northeast Iowa, and are now ready to show the film.

So if you are hard up for entertainment on the 17th, you are hereby invited to the showing.  The following is a poster for the event and a link to make reservations.  Notice that the price of admission is right!!

The link for reservations is https://bit.ly/2pTpO85

The theater needs to know how many to expect.  I'm sure it will be standing room only (LOL).  Bob will be available, but not for autographs!

TOGETHER AGAIN!!--HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I'm not talking about the country song "Together Again" (one of my favorites, by the way) by Buck Owens.  I did get the Wing back together again and in  operating condition with some help from Jim. After close to 90,000 miles,  I removed the shocks and sent them in to have new bushings, seals, springs, and oil.  When I talked to the tech that did the work, he seemed to be very surprised that the seals had not given out long before then.  I told him I always cleaned the bugs and dirt off the exposed area of the shocks the first chance I got.  He said that probably made all the difference in the condition.  So there's a tip for everyone with a bike or trike--KEEP THE SHOCKS CLEAN.  The only problem I have now, it looks like I'm going to have to wait until spring (if we have one) to try out the new front end!

Thanks to Dennis & Marlene for the photo.  I'm sure they feel the same way about their convertible.

TORN APART

JIM HELPED ME SLIDE THE FORKS BACK IN PLACE

THE FINISHED PRODUCT--NO LEFTOVER PARTS!

To all our Wednesday Night Riders, their families and friends.....