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Showing posts from June, 2012

Sheltering Wings Ride

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Saturday, June 30th, 2012 I not really been a big fan of rides for charity, I know they are great and raise a lot of money, but I just don't always feel comfortable with some of the other riders, and being packed into a group like that. I figured this first ride for a domestic abuse shelter in Danville would be a smaller ride. Kasey and I rode down Cartersburg Road once again, with SR 39 closed. Then jumped on US 40, the National Road, and went east until the town of Plainfield. After jogging on a few roads, we ended up at the FOP Post that was the host for the ride. We started by making our way to SR 267, then headed south into Mooresville, Indiana. Then we went east on SR 42. Been on SR 42 a number of times, and its a straight route through farm country. Once at US 231, we went north, and entered Greencastle, where things got a bit confusing, and we ended up at a Hooters for a little snack. I guess the ride was moving faster than thought, so we needed to slow down. W

GOE XVI Day Five: More Heat and Tenderloins

Friday, June 22nd, 2012 After packing up the car, very little to pack on the bike this trip, with a car behind me, we headed out of Toledo, starting out on US 24, the same road we were on a couple of days ago. That happens with this rally from time to time. US 24 would take us back into the Hoosier State, and to Fort Wayne for a loop around on 469. From there we would make a few jogs, then make our way into Huntington, Indiana. I had always known this town as the birthplace of former Vice President Dan Qualye, but I was going to find out something else was born there long before him! We pulled into downtown to find a place to eat, first place looked like a dive, place number two looked too upscale, so we settled on Nick's Kitchen. Apparently, and from the menu, this is a historical place, and lays claim to inventing the Hoosier Delicacy, the Tenderloin. The story seemed pretty detailed, so I guess it is true? We left town heading west on SR 16, a long drive through rolling

GOE XVI Day Four: Down By The Water

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Thursday, June 21st, 2012 (300th Post) Back for another, and the final day of Gathering of Eagles, the national rally for Cruiser Club, USA. Once again, we would be riding along water, but it wouldn't feel too much cooler. The group made its way along Ohio Route 2 so that we would be hugging the Lake Erie Coast. Just outside of Port Clinton, we veered onto Ohio 163 and made our way to Marblehead to look at the light house. We could see Cedar Point from our vista. After lunch on the water, we made our way back, and picked our cards for the Ralph Barnard Memorial Poker Run. I had another looser hand. Tonight we would wrap up and say our good byes, then tomorrow would be the trip home.

GOE XVI Day Three: Oh Lord, Its Still Hot!

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Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 I can't figure out if it is really getting hotter, or I am just getting less tolerant of day after day of heat? Anyway, we headed out for another trip. Before that, i did do a little riding, in the biker games. Here we are loosing the first round of the Balloon Toss. We started out on 475 once again, the thing you have to do when you have a gathering in a city. From there he went down Ohio 65, along a river. Though we were near water, it wasn't any cooler. After a little bit of a trip, a stop for lunch, we headed back on the other side of the river. We made a few scenic stops, but that was about it for the day. The banquet was that evening, so we needed an early return.

GOE XVI Day Two: Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot

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Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 It had already been a hot summer, and just because we had moved to the state to the east didn't mean that was going to let up anytime soon. However, this is a gathering for motorcyclists, and we all want to ride, heat or not! I am not sure which route we actually took, but I will try to summarize it the best that I can. Here is Rose with Shawn, her riding partner for the day. Did I fail to mention that ever since the Indianapolis Rally, it is Tye Dye Tuesday. Shawn wasn't in the group then, but he still found a great shirt to wear. Will had a riding partner as well, from the Philly Chapter named Roland. He spent most of his life in Hawaii, but when he retired, he wanted to live somewhere with seasons. The first part of the trip was on the loop, 475, to get us around Toledo, and into yet another of the United States, Michigan. I am thinking we went on US 223, through Blissfield to State Road 52. There we went north into Tecumseh, Michigan. We m

GOE XVI Day One: Almost Made It Dry

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Monday, June 18th, 2012 I have to admit, not going to this annual event last year really just made it a bad riding season over all. I knew pretty early in the year I wasn't going to make it, and with moving myself, and my business, time was a factor in my reduction of riding as well. Somehow though, the season ended with a bald front tire, and a leaking front fork seal. I figured with these discoveries coming in November, I would have the winter to get the bike fixed. Well, real winter never came, and I should have just gotten the parts and got them put on right away, as I would have had several days through the "off season" to make up for lost mileage. So lets leave last year behind us, and lets start talking about this years Gathering of Eagles. I had a riding partner with me this time out, actually three of them. No we didn't all cram onto the bike like you see in some those countries with an entire family on two wheels. Rather, I had an alternating 14 year o

Mayberry to Mayberry

Sunday, June 10th, 2012 Danville, Indiana is not Mount Airy in North Carolina, the inspiration for Andy Griffins town, but we have a piece of it on the northwest corner of our square in the likes of Mayberry Cafe. This nostalgic TV can be a great draw for a business, and thus Clay City, Indiana has adopted the slogan, Mayberry of the Midwest, and is complimented with the Mayberry Malt Shop. My favorite riding partner and I took off down Cartersburg Road, two GPS working the route. I am still using my old Garmin Streetpilot III, in addition to using a GPS on my Android Phone. Just looking for options for when the old Garmin gives out. At the Old National Road, we jogged onto SR 39. I would have taken SR 39 here, but it is closed just south of town because of road construction. SR 39 took us south to Monrovia, Indiana, were would exchange for SR 42.  We would head west  until US 231, and then go south. From US 231 we veered off to the right onto a road that becomes Rocky Hill Roa