At church on Sunday, fellow MORE members, Mark and Narcissa, asked us if we were up for a ride to the Amana Colonies in Iowa, for supper. Since the weather was beautiful, we jumped at the chance! MORE members Kim and Sue were also happy to accept the invitation!
We all met at Kim's house for our trek to the Colonies. Kim had a route all mapped out! We headed west on route 6 which took us through Iowa City, Iowa. We made a stop at Hawkeye Harley to browse around and stretch our legs. That's one of the few Harley dealerships that I've seen open on a Sunday. Cool!
Continuing north out of Iowa City, we ended up at the Amana Colonies in the 4:00 range. I hadn't been to Amana since I took a group of student there on a field trip 15 years ago. We had dinner at the Ox Yoke Inn. Wow, was it great! We had all the Roast Beef, Chicken, Ham, and side dishes that we could handle. The waitress kept bring food out as the dishes became empty. The meal was served family style. As our MORE group has become kind of a "family", it was certainly appropriate! Of course, I had a little room left for a piece of rhubarb pie!
Following the meal we all waddled out to our bikes. We thought that we might walk around the town a little bit, but most of the stores had closed up for the day. Bummer! We'll have to do some better planning in the future and leave time for some shopping. The area has a lot of little gift shops that looked interesting. Kim really wanted to visit the Amana furniture store, so he was disappointed to find it closed.
On the way back I had a little mechanical trouble on my bike. We got stuck in some stop and go traffic in Iowa City, so the engine got a little hot. That caused the main circuit breaker to trip and shut all of the electrical down on the bike. Fortunately, I was able to pull over to the side of the road and restart the bike. This happened a couple of times. Once we got on to the open road, the wind cooled the engine down and we made it the last 30 miles without incident. Obviously, I'll be taking the bike in to get it serviced.
Mechanical trouble aside, the afternoon was a blast! The ride was great. The fellowship was enjoyable. AND the food was amazing! In fact, the weekend was the best! Between the Saturday trip to Galena, and the Sunday trip to Amana, I couldn't have asked for any more!
Ride safe,
Mike
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Birthday Ride to Galena
Today is my birthday! If I was going to plan out the perfect birthday, it would have to involve, good friends, riding my motorcycle, eating Mexican food, shopping at a HD store, and eating Whitey's ice cream.
Well, that pretty much sums up my day today! We met some of our fellow MORE members at Panera Bread at 7:30 in the morning, for our trip to Galena. Unfortunately, I think the threatening weather scared away a few folks! We had hopes of having a lot of bikes heading out on this trip. Regardless, we had 5 bikes begin the journey in the fog and chilly air.
The plan was to head up route 92, north on 78 and then west on Stagecoach Road, arriving at Galena in time for lunch. With our trusty leader and GPS guy, Terry, in the front of the pack, we embarked on our trek northward. Jan and I brought up the rear. There were times that we could barely see Terry's tail lights just a few yards in front of us. Though it wasn't actually raining, the fog was thick with moisture. Our friends Craig and Connie joined us for this trip. Craig told me later that his pants were soaked! He says he's going to look for a touring bike to ensure a little weather protection!
After and hour or so, the fog lifted and the sun actually tried to poke its head out every once in a while. If you dressed properly, the temperatures weren't too bad. I had my overpants and my jacket on. Other's in our group were wearing full leathers. So, we were well prepared for any type of weather.
Route 78 and Stage Coach Road is a great way to get to Galena. We usually take Route 84 (Great River Road) but, we've done that ride so much it's getting a little boring. So, this was a welcome change. By the time we got to Galena, we were all starving. There were a lot of events going on in town. Our plans were to eat at Vinni Vinnuchi's, but the crowds pretty much put a halt to that idea. So we ate at a Mexican restaurant on the outskirts of town. Good eats! What made it even more special was that it was right next door to the Galena, Harley Davidson dealership! How convenient!
After lunch, we were all stuffed. We managed to find a couple of parking spots downtown and spent a couple of hours shopping. Jan found a nice half helmet that fit nice and looked great! We just bought some new headsets for the CB and intercom that are supposed to be used with a half helmet or no helmet. So this really fit the bill!
The ride home was great. The roads going out of Galena are great! We took Scenic Ridge Road to Savannah and the 84 home. Terry managed to find a couple of detours that were interesting too!
To cap off a perfect day, we stopped at Whitey's Ice Cream Parlor in East Moline for some dessert! You can't ask for a better way to top of a great ride!
Ride Safe!
Mike
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Cruise in for Christ Pictures
Hi everyone! I wasn't able to recover the pictures that I took a the Edgewood, Cruise-in for Christ. Bummer! I did get some pictures however from Shane Davis, the event organizer.
In the first picture you see my back (sorry!) Terry, and my wife taking at look at our Ultra Classic. We just got the t-shirts we're wearing. They say "Riding for the King" on the front along with "Edgewood Baptist Church, Rock Island, Illinois". We got the shirts so that when we ride in a group, others will know where we are from. You'd be surprised how many folks come up and talk to a group of motorcycle riders!
Terry got this trailer earlier this year. It's come in handy on a couple of our trips. He gets to haul all of the junk that we by when we go shopping at some tourist trap! LOL!
This black SS Chevelle was the "Pastor's Choice" at the Cruise-in. Pastor Brown is a car guy, so he had a blast judging the over 80 vehicles that arrived at the event.
Ride safe!
Mike
In the first picture you see my back (sorry!) Terry, and my wife taking at look at our Ultra Classic. We just got the t-shirts we're wearing. They say "Riding for the King" on the front along with "Edgewood Baptist Church, Rock Island, Illinois". We got the shirts so that when we ride in a group, others will know where we are from. You'd be surprised how many folks come up and talk to a group of motorcycle riders!
Terry got this trailer earlier this year. It's come in handy on a couple of our trips. He gets to haul all of the junk that we by when we go shopping at some tourist trap! LOL!
This black SS Chevelle was the "Pastor's Choice" at the Cruise-in. Pastor Brown is a car guy, so he had a blast judging the over 80 vehicles that arrived at the event.
Ride safe!
Mike
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Cruise-in for Christ
Our church held a "Cruise-in for Christ" today from 2:00-6:00. The event was a huge success. Shane Davis, the event organizer, had hope to have 50 vehicles at the show, but at last count near 80 cars, trucks and motorcycles were on display. Hundreds of people were in attendance to view all of the shiny vehicles!
Looking at the cars, was not the only activity this afternoon. There was also a "moon walk" for the kids, outlaw races (pine wood derby cars), 50's and 60's music, and food supplied by Hy-Vee.
Jan and I arrived at the church @ 2:30. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I wasn't prepared for the huge number of cars and people. We parked our Harley Davidson Ultra Classic next to the Bullock's Honda Goldwing. Luckily Terry was pulling his trailer and had loaded up some chairs for us to sit in. I had no desire to bungee-cord lawn chairs to my bike! Later in the afternoon, fellow MORE members Mark and Narcissa pulled up on their 2010 Ultra Classic. We all had cleaned up our bikes so that they were nice and shiny. Several folks stopped by to take a look!
After the show, we decided to take a ride. We went west in to Iowa and tooled around Scott County Park. It was a wonderful evening for a ride. The sun was going down and we were all hungry though and decided to head back to the Quad Cities for dinner.
As usual, La Flama was our restaurant of choice. We had a wonderful meal and great fellowship. Not only do we all enjoy riding motorcycles, we also enjoy each other's company. It's so nice to have friends that have similar interests and values.
Unfortunately, on the way home after dinner, a driver decided to turn left from the right-hand lane right in front of me. Luckily, I was only going @ 25 mph. I slammed on the breaks and skidded to a halt without dropping the bike. I didn't get the clutch pulled in fast enough however, killing the bike. My heart was in my throat as I started the bike back up and merged back in to traffic. I really wish people would pay more attention when driving. That really could have been a nasty situation!
I took a few pictures of the car show, that I had intended to add to this blog. For some reason however, the pictures did not get save on my phone camera. Hmmmmmmmmmmm......If I find them,I'll be sure to share.
Ride safe!
Mike
Looking at the cars, was not the only activity this afternoon. There was also a "moon walk" for the kids, outlaw races (pine wood derby cars), 50's and 60's music, and food supplied by Hy-Vee.
Jan and I arrived at the church @ 2:30. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I wasn't prepared for the huge number of cars and people. We parked our Harley Davidson Ultra Classic next to the Bullock's Honda Goldwing. Luckily Terry was pulling his trailer and had loaded up some chairs for us to sit in. I had no desire to bungee-cord lawn chairs to my bike! Later in the afternoon, fellow MORE members Mark and Narcissa pulled up on their 2010 Ultra Classic. We all had cleaned up our bikes so that they were nice and shiny. Several folks stopped by to take a look!
After the show, we decided to take a ride. We went west in to Iowa and tooled around Scott County Park. It was a wonderful evening for a ride. The sun was going down and we were all hungry though and decided to head back to the Quad Cities for dinner.
As usual, La Flama was our restaurant of choice. We had a wonderful meal and great fellowship. Not only do we all enjoy riding motorcycles, we also enjoy each other's company. It's so nice to have friends that have similar interests and values.
Unfortunately, on the way home after dinner, a driver decided to turn left from the right-hand lane right in front of me. Luckily, I was only going @ 25 mph. I slammed on the breaks and skidded to a halt without dropping the bike. I didn't get the clutch pulled in fast enough however, killing the bike. My heart was in my throat as I started the bike back up and merged back in to traffic. I really wish people would pay more attention when driving. That really could have been a nasty situation!
I took a few pictures of the car show, that I had intended to add to this blog. For some reason however, the pictures did not get save on my phone camera. Hmmmmmmmmmmm......If I find them,I'll be sure to share.
Ride safe!
Mike
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Upcoming MORE events
Hi everyone!
Just thought I would write you all a quick note regarding some of our upcoming MORE events. The riding season is getting shorter but, we still have a few things on the schedule.
First up is the Edgewood, first annual "Classic Car Cruise-in" on Saturday, 9/19. I know, you're probably thinking what does a car show have to do with motorcycles. Well, Shane Davis, the event organizer thought it would be neat to have a the MORE group display a few of our motorcycles. Car guys love anything that is shiny and has a motor! The event lasts from 2-6 in the afternoon. Come when you want and stay as long as you wish! This should give us the opportunity to advertise our riding group to the community. Perhaps we can go out to dinner after the show!
Our next ride is planned for Saturday, 9/26. Our destination will be Galena for a day of shopping and lunch at Vinni Vinnuchi's. We'll leave at from our usual meeting place, the Burger King Parking lot, next to Panera Bread on John Deere Expressway. The meeting time will be 8:0) in the morning. Let's try to get a big group going this time!
Finally, we also have a day trip to the Spoon River Tour on Saturday, 10/3. If you've never taken the Spoon River Tour, you're in for a treat. The towns in the Spoon River area of Illinois, set up all kids of craft fairs, bake sales, flea markets, etc. These historical towns roll out the red carpet for the thousand of visitors that attend each year. I hope the weather will hold out for us as that is a beautiful area of the State to ride. The leaves may be changing color as well!
I know that's three weekends in a row, but the riding season is coming to a fast close so saddle time is precious! I hope everyone can make some or all of these events!
Remember, MORE is a ministry that wishes to reach out to any motorcycle enthusiast. You don't have to be a member of Edgewood to join the group. You do however, have to enjoy the wind in your hair, good clean fun, and the fellowship of fellow riders.
Ride safe!
Mike
Just thought I would write you all a quick note regarding some of our upcoming MORE events. The riding season is getting shorter but, we still have a few things on the schedule.
First up is the Edgewood, first annual "Classic Car Cruise-in" on Saturday, 9/19. I know, you're probably thinking what does a car show have to do with motorcycles. Well, Shane Davis, the event organizer thought it would be neat to have a the MORE group display a few of our motorcycles. Car guys love anything that is shiny and has a motor! The event lasts from 2-6 in the afternoon. Come when you want and stay as long as you wish! This should give us the opportunity to advertise our riding group to the community. Perhaps we can go out to dinner after the show!
Our next ride is planned for Saturday, 9/26. Our destination will be Galena for a day of shopping and lunch at Vinni Vinnuchi's. We'll leave at from our usual meeting place, the Burger King Parking lot, next to Panera Bread on John Deere Expressway. The meeting time will be 8:0) in the morning. Let's try to get a big group going this time!
Finally, we also have a day trip to the Spoon River Tour on Saturday, 10/3. If you've never taken the Spoon River Tour, you're in for a treat. The towns in the Spoon River area of Illinois, set up all kids of craft fairs, bake sales, flea markets, etc. These historical towns roll out the red carpet for the thousand of visitors that attend each year. I hope the weather will hold out for us as that is a beautiful area of the State to ride. The leaves may be changing color as well!
I know that's three weekends in a row, but the riding season is coming to a fast close so saddle time is precious! I hope everyone can make some or all of these events!
Remember, MORE is a ministry that wishes to reach out to any motorcycle enthusiast. You don't have to be a member of Edgewood to join the group. You do however, have to enjoy the wind in your hair, good clean fun, and the fellowship of fellow riders.
Ride safe!
Mike
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Hogfest
Sometimes, the best rides are impromptu! On Labor Day, I knew that I wanted to go for a ride, but hadn't any definite plans. I got a phone call from fellow MORE member, Dennis, and settled on a ride to Kewannee to check out their annual Hogfest. Rumor had it that you could get a great pork chop sandwich!
As luck would have it, another MORE member, Mark, contacted me looking for a ride. So, I invited him to join us for our trip to Kewannee. We all met at Dennis' house for our journey.
The day was excellent for a ride! Upon arrival in Kewannee we immediately headed for the pork chop tent! It wasn't hard to find as the billows of smoke from the grill gave it away. I was extremely hungry and gobble down two sandwiches in no time flat! Fortunately, that left me with no appetite for the other delicacies that are usually found at a carnival. The funnel cakes looked really tasty but I didn't have any room!
After lunch in Kewannee, we headed north on route 78 to route 30. We ended
up at a Tastee Freeze in Thompson for our dessert. Yum!!Route 84, the Great River Road, was our highway back to the Quad Cities. We hadn't pre-planned any of the day's routes or activities. Sometimes, that's the best way to go!
Ride safe,
Mike
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Burlington for Breakfast
A couple of my friends from MORE and I decided to take a quick trip to Burlington, Iowa for breakfast. After the last couple days of solid rain (11 inches in two days), we were keeping our fingers crossed that the weather would hold up for us! Luckily, the day was a beauty! Temps were a little more like October than August, but with a jacket and warm pair of gloves, it was just fine.
So Kim, Nathan, and I headed out at 7:30 for our Saturday morning jaunt! The weather was little too chilly for our wives, so this turned out to be a man trip. Kim was in the lead, so I can't tell you what roads we went on. I was happy to follow him like he was the Pied Piper of Hamlin! There wasn't much traffic on the roads, so we were able to set the cruise (A nice feature I'm finding out) on 60 miles per hour, sit back and enjoy the cornfields flying by.
t
Speaking of flying, about 10 miles from Burlington, we came up over a small hill to find a bald eagle in the middle of the road. When the eagle saw us coming he gracefully took off, right over our heads. I'm glad the road was straight, because I couldn't help but gawk at this beautiful creature. They are so majestic looking in flight. I don't think I have been that close to one in the wild. Awesome!
We arrived in Burlington in about an hour and twenty minutes. Not bad! We had a great breakfast at the local Perkins and then headed for the Burlington Harley Davidson dealer. It's only about two blocks from the restaurant. I absolutely love looking at all the HD shirts and accessories. I saw a great looking shirt that I liked, but they didn't have it in my size. Bummer! But I did find some chrome, speaker covers for the fairing on my Ultra Classic. As soon as I got home, I installed them and they look great! I can't afford to purchase all of the chrome pieces I want at one time, so I'll have to buys stuff a little bit at a time. I think my next purchase is going to be some chrome speaker trim for the passenger seat. That will add a little shine to the back of the bike.
Kim and I had a tee time at 1:30 so we didn't have much time to stay in Burlington. We took off and made it back in to the Quad Cities @ 11:30. Plenty of time to change, grab a quick lunch and head to the course.
After soundly beating Kim in a friendly round, my wife and I took an early evening ride to one of our favorite restaurants. It's On the River, is a local hot spot for boaters and bikers. The food is fantastic and the view is amazing. Tonight we watched the sunset over the Mississippi and the town of LeClaire, Iowa. The river, the town on the banks, the hills in the distance, and the gorgeous sunset, painted a perfect picture for the perfect day!
Ride Safe!
Mike
So Kim, Nathan, and I headed out at 7:30 for our Saturday morning jaunt! The weather was little too chilly for our wives, so this turned out to be a man trip. Kim was in the lead, so I can't tell you what roads we went on. I was happy to follow him like he was the Pied Piper of Hamlin! There wasn't much traffic on the roads, so we were able to set the cruise (A nice feature I'm finding out) on 60 miles per hour, sit back and enjoy the cornfields flying by.
t
Speaking of flying, about 10 miles from Burlington, we came up over a small hill to find a bald eagle in the middle of the road. When the eagle saw us coming he gracefully took off, right over our heads. I'm glad the road was straight, because I couldn't help but gawk at this beautiful creature. They are so majestic looking in flight. I don't think I have been that close to one in the wild. Awesome!
We arrived in Burlington in about an hour and twenty minutes. Not bad! We had a great breakfast at the local Perkins and then headed for the Burlington Harley Davidson dealer. It's only about two blocks from the restaurant. I absolutely love looking at all the HD shirts and accessories. I saw a great looking shirt that I liked, but they didn't have it in my size. Bummer! But I did find some chrome, speaker covers for the fairing on my Ultra Classic. As soon as I got home, I installed them and they look great! I can't afford to purchase all of the chrome pieces I want at one time, so I'll have to buys stuff a little bit at a time. I think my next purchase is going to be some chrome speaker trim for the passenger seat. That will add a little shine to the back of the bike.
Kim and I had a tee time at 1:30 so we didn't have much time to stay in Burlington. We took off and made it back in to the Quad Cities @ 11:30. Plenty of time to change, grab a quick lunch and head to the course.
After soundly beating Kim in a friendly round, my wife and I took an early evening ride to one of our favorite restaurants. It's On the River, is a local hot spot for boaters and bikers. The food is fantastic and the view is amazing. Tonight we watched the sunset over the Mississippi and the town of LeClaire, Iowa. The river, the town on the banks, the hills in the distance, and the gorgeous sunset, painted a perfect picture for the perfect day!
Ride Safe!
Mike
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