GOE XI Day Five: A Poker Run is Always a Gamble
Thursday, June 21, 2007
This is the last day of the rally, so waking up is bittersweet. I was looking forward to the ride for the day, but I wasn't looking forward to the rally concluding.
At the request of the Virginia Chapter, a group departed early, around 9am. The rest of us waited for the the Bloomington and Terre Haute Chapters to join us, they were staying in another hotel. After Brent went to check on them, we lined up the bikes, and got ready to head out. I took up a place in the middle of the pack.
We headed out, running our short journey on the highway. Once on WV-47, part of the group got caught by a light, so I took the lead for that group. Once we got on a backroad, the group could stretch out, and not run much of a risk of getting lost.
We had a couple of points of confusion with the leader of the group, but we made it through the narrow tree lined streets.
I hadn't planned on us stopping for lunch, but we ended up at the McDonald's in Woodfield, Ohio, and everyone ordered food. Not a great meal, but it was something! This group was not in the hurry that the first group was.
Next we wound our way through Wayne State National Forest on SR-26. It was a great mix of curves, sweeping and tight. We had a couple of one lane bridges, due to construction, that the light was not changing, so we had to road guard the road.
We arrived, and meandered our way through Marietta, Ohio, and pulled into a BP Gas Station. Lots of people wanted to fuel up, and as my light was not on, I decided to roll out the last 15 miles. As we were returning on the highway, I saw my brother, alone, heading north. I tried to get him on the CB, but he must not have had it on.
I stopped at the gas station across from the hotel, and fueled up. As I pulled in to park the bike, Julie came running up to tell us that someone in the first group had gone down. We didn't have any details, but it sounded as though she would be okay.
After this ride, the mood was different, there was not as much sharing about the views, or the corners, it was solemn, and you could see the look of worry in people's eyes.
We prepared for the banquet, and gathered in the meeting room of the hotel. I am sure many were happy the riding was over for the day. Some details came in by the start of the dinner, and despite some pain, she was in better mood, and they were just going to keep her overnight to observe a bruised lung.
This is the last day of the rally, so waking up is bittersweet. I was looking forward to the ride for the day, but I wasn't looking forward to the rally concluding.
At the request of the Virginia Chapter, a group departed early, around 9am. The rest of us waited for the the Bloomington and Terre Haute Chapters to join us, they were staying in another hotel. After Brent went to check on them, we lined up the bikes, and got ready to head out. I took up a place in the middle of the pack.
We headed out, running our short journey on the highway. Once on WV-47, part of the group got caught by a light, so I took the lead for that group. Once we got on a backroad, the group could stretch out, and not run much of a risk of getting lost.
We had a couple of points of confusion with the leader of the group, but we made it through the narrow tree lined streets.
I hadn't planned on us stopping for lunch, but we ended up at the McDonald's in Woodfield, Ohio, and everyone ordered food. Not a great meal, but it was something! This group was not in the hurry that the first group was.
Next we wound our way through Wayne State National Forest on SR-26. It was a great mix of curves, sweeping and tight. We had a couple of one lane bridges, due to construction, that the light was not changing, so we had to road guard the road.
We arrived, and meandered our way through Marietta, Ohio, and pulled into a BP Gas Station. Lots of people wanted to fuel up, and as my light was not on, I decided to roll out the last 15 miles. As we were returning on the highway, I saw my brother, alone, heading north. I tried to get him on the CB, but he must not have had it on.
I stopped at the gas station across from the hotel, and fueled up. As I pulled in to park the bike, Julie came running up to tell us that someone in the first group had gone down. We didn't have any details, but it sounded as though she would be okay.
After this ride, the mood was different, there was not as much sharing about the views, or the corners, it was solemn, and you could see the look of worry in people's eyes.
We prepared for the banquet, and gathered in the meeting room of the hotel. I am sure many were happy the riding was over for the day. Some details came in by the start of the dinner, and despite some pain, she was in better mood, and they were just going to keep her overnight to observe a bruised lung.
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