Sunday, June 4, 2017

Hiawatha BMW Rally - 2017

After our wet and very cool end of May rally 2 weeks ago across the river, all of us were hoping for some improvement in the weather and we got it.  Rain and thunderstorms expected never visited the Moneycreek Haven Campground.

 Thanks Kev

 The vehicle of choice for the weekend proved to be a difficult decision.....the '81 Honda 400 Automatic (decided when the snow was still flying....) or the recently arrived Royal Enfield w/sidecar.  In the end, my initial choice won out, the primary reason being the carefully laid out gravel Route that I'd been planning.  It just seemed to me that the old 2 wheeler was going to be a better matchup for the group ride.

In front of someone else's bean field at 6:30 Friday morning, machine still clean.


459.6 miles later in front of OUR bean field and though it's never very shiny, it was much less so here than when I started.  We had some dusty fun.



I stopped at Ma's in Plainview for breakfast, saw this sign next door and then it was on to Money Creek.
 

 What we do.....






 My riding partner's arrival....



You can tell right off how much more photogenic Eric is.....the pillow needs air the old fashioned way.




Eric is not ill....he's using the mattress's internal hand pump to inflate.



 Where's Coop??


We wonder if they're going to fit.....


 ....but they always do.


We wasted little time in getting our tents up, loaded and then we were off.





 

 The Cracked Egg for lunch in Lanesboro......

 


 Eric followed me on this road of his own free will....



There was an ice cream/coffee stop at The Creamery in Rushford Friday afternoon.


Back to the rally, we got registered and found some old and new friends to visit with.  My brother rode down in the evening on his KLR and we met him back in Rushford for dinner with one more lovely ride up and over the hill back to Money Creek for the day.

 Thanks Kev
Band getting ready.....

 Thanks Kev


Two Hiawatha Club members helping our buddy Dave get registered Friday evening; these 2 guys are incredible....still up late to help with registration and up early to make our coffee.  Obviously jobs that few if any others have the ability to carry out.

Dave's presence at the rally a very wonderful surprise.



Early Saturday morning Paul came down to help us execute our day's gravel loop, his help much appreciated.  We rode for awhile before stopping for breakfast in La Crescent.


 Thanks Kev

 

 Always a stopping point for me above Reno.....


Lunch stop at Little Miami in Freeburg....



We were expecting this and a lot more but all we really got were some Warnings and a few minutes of light drops.  Most of the weather drifted to the north of us.  A soft, small rainbow followed.


 Camping.....


After dinner....door prizes, awards, announcements.  I heard that attendance was 247.


Sunday morning.....



Kev and I left to the west, visited the overlook above Rushford and then stopped for gas and a coffee break in Plainview.



Red loop Friday, Yellow loop Saturday......


I had 3 great riding partners and yes, we did have fun.

6 comments:

  1. .. the slush box Honda did well.. has that " industrial " look.... I'm sure the B ite M y W allet types are ck'n out ebay for one.

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    1. Industrial you say?? I think that's one reasonable way to describe this fun bike.

      This one is NOT for sale.

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  2. Glad the weather held out for you.

    You always manage to find great little cafes for a break too. I bet you were tired but the time you got home, but it was worth it.

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    1. Brandy the predictions has us wondering if we might have another wet rally weekend but we got off almost completely without rain and certainly no storms.

      We keep looking for new places and so far, we've rarely been disappointed.

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  3. Looked like a great weekend. Why do I get the feel that the tent pics were taken on the sly and lots of pointing and snickering was had? Glad the rain didn't hit hard and the rides were good.

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    1. BG, thanks for stopping by! There were in fact some sly points and snickers. It was a weekend that escaped serious weather and just all around nice.

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