Soup Run 2007, Day Three: Storms over our Shoulders
Sunday, June 3, 2007
It has been a quick weekend, and now most of the miles are behind me. Today Pete, Patty and I head back to Indianapolis. First though, a couple of stops in Kenosha.
Number one on the list, Frank's Diner. Carl had suggested this place, then backed out of the ride when the weather looked iffy. Well, we now know the weather did come!! Also, this place was featured on The Food Network's Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. Frank's is billed as the oldest continuous running Diner Car Restaurant. The place was packed, even after only being open for an hour on a Sunday Morning. We moved down the line standing behind the diners at the bar. About halfway through our wait, or order was taken. It was about 45 minutes until we were seated at a booth. The line waiting to be seated was now the length of the bar! Our food, a garbage plate spread on three plates with toast, soon followed. The food was great, and the atmosphere was even better. There was a lot of life in that little place, and i must add it to the Soup Run tradition. Next year, we are getting here as close to seven, when they open, as possible!
From Franks, we wound our way through town, and arrived at a lake shore park. After a couple of snap shots, and a sit on the rocks on the beach, we wound our way through Kenosha to Mars Cheese Castle once again.
I had taken orders for cheese, and had the cooler filled with ice from the hotel. I used the help to complete the list, grabbed a couple of cheese selections for myself, and headed for the cashier, 90 bucks worth of Wisconsin's Finest! I think about 90 pounds, too. I about hurt myself carrying the bag out to the bike!
Pete wanted to make one more stop in town, and that would be at Uke's Harley Davidson, who was having an open house. After wandering around, we found the path to the bike shop. We parked the bikes, and milled about the open house tents, and inside the store.
It was now nearly 11am, noon back home, and we were just getting started out of town. We were back tracking the route we came. The skies loomed the entire time we rode. Dark skies, were you could see the rain falling from them seemed to dance to the west and south of us all day. We hit the rain in a couple of places, mostly near Kankakee, where we ducked under a bank's drive through to put on the rain gear. From this point, we would ride US 52 for most of the ride. Illinois 113 into Kankakee was a nice river road route.
We made a stop at a picnic area that is right on the Indiana-Illinois Border, and took a break. It was getting late, and I decided to continue on SR 24 until I 65, and super slab it back home. Another one of those dark rain clouds was off of to the southwest, and I was hoping to use speed and direction to miss it!
The storm cloud was off to the right as we headed south on I-65, and I am sure we missed it only by a few miles! As we approached Lafayette, the sky was dark, and I am sure the road was getting a good washing behind us.
The last gas stop would be at the Frankfort, Indiana exit. Again, another cloud was looming, and after icing down the cheese, we headed out. I thought we might have been free and clear, riding between cells, but we grazed the edge of one to the east, and got some rain down on us.
We rolled onto 865, then 465 on the north side of town. Pete and Patty continued, after I thanked them for an enjoyable trip, as I was going to drop off cheese at the parent's house. Dark clouds seemed to be hovering right where I was going, but once again, I skirted the rain, and arrived at my parent's house.
After dropping off the cheese, and chatting for a while, I went to leave, but water was pouring from the skies. I waited for another fifteen minutes, checked the radar, and off I went for home on the interstate. I pulled the dirty bike into the garage, and unpacked the minimum stuff. Soup Run 2007 is over, and I am looking forward to Soup Run 2008!!
It has been a quick weekend, and now most of the miles are behind me. Today Pete, Patty and I head back to Indianapolis. First though, a couple of stops in Kenosha.
Number one on the list, Frank's Diner. Carl had suggested this place, then backed out of the ride when the weather looked iffy. Well, we now know the weather did come!! Also, this place was featured on The Food Network's Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. Frank's is billed as the oldest continuous running Diner Car Restaurant. The place was packed, even after only being open for an hour on a Sunday Morning. We moved down the line standing behind the diners at the bar. About halfway through our wait, or order was taken. It was about 45 minutes until we were seated at a booth. The line waiting to be seated was now the length of the bar! Our food, a garbage plate spread on three plates with toast, soon followed. The food was great, and the atmosphere was even better. There was a lot of life in that little place, and i must add it to the Soup Run tradition. Next year, we are getting here as close to seven, when they open, as possible!
From Franks, we wound our way through town, and arrived at a lake shore park. After a couple of snap shots, and a sit on the rocks on the beach, we wound our way through Kenosha to Mars Cheese Castle once again.
I had taken orders for cheese, and had the cooler filled with ice from the hotel. I used the help to complete the list, grabbed a couple of cheese selections for myself, and headed for the cashier, 90 bucks worth of Wisconsin's Finest! I think about 90 pounds, too. I about hurt myself carrying the bag out to the bike!
Pete wanted to make one more stop in town, and that would be at Uke's Harley Davidson, who was having an open house. After wandering around, we found the path to the bike shop. We parked the bikes, and milled about the open house tents, and inside the store.
It was now nearly 11am, noon back home, and we were just getting started out of town. We were back tracking the route we came. The skies loomed the entire time we rode. Dark skies, were you could see the rain falling from them seemed to dance to the west and south of us all day. We hit the rain in a couple of places, mostly near Kankakee, where we ducked under a bank's drive through to put on the rain gear. From this point, we would ride US 52 for most of the ride. Illinois 113 into Kankakee was a nice river road route.
We made a stop at a picnic area that is right on the Indiana-Illinois Border, and took a break. It was getting late, and I decided to continue on SR 24 until I 65, and super slab it back home. Another one of those dark rain clouds was off of to the southwest, and I was hoping to use speed and direction to miss it!
The storm cloud was off to the right as we headed south on I-65, and I am sure we missed it only by a few miles! As we approached Lafayette, the sky was dark, and I am sure the road was getting a good washing behind us.
The last gas stop would be at the Frankfort, Indiana exit. Again, another cloud was looming, and after icing down the cheese, we headed out. I thought we might have been free and clear, riding between cells, but we grazed the edge of one to the east, and got some rain down on us.
We rolled onto 865, then 465 on the north side of town. Pete and Patty continued, after I thanked them for an enjoyable trip, as I was going to drop off cheese at the parent's house. Dark clouds seemed to be hovering right where I was going, but once again, I skirted the rain, and arrived at my parent's house.
After dropping off the cheese, and chatting for a while, I went to leave, but water was pouring from the skies. I waited for another fifteen minutes, checked the radar, and off I went for home on the interstate. I pulled the dirty bike into the garage, and unpacked the minimum stuff. Soup Run 2007 is over, and I am looking forward to Soup Run 2008!!
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