Monday, July 11, 2022

Iowa Moto Guzzi Rally - 2022/07/10

Another great one, the nicest weather that I can remember while in the Elkader City Park for the rally.

My Sunday morning, 4:30 Sunday morning, view out my tent, the spotlighted sign finally shedding some value to we campers.

Those of you that know the 'Guzzi brand will not recognize this one.  That is because this is a 1998 Yamaha VStar 650.  I bought this bike, the deal consummated at this very location/event back in 2018.  With various rallies under its wheels, it had never been to the Iowa Guzzi Rally and that's why it made the 2022 trip.

I mentioned the great weather while AT the rally....cooler and clear.  But my trip down was a wet one and as I shared with all that would listen, it was my longest ride in the hardest rain that I'd ever ridden through.

I left home at 7 but had really planned, based on the forecast, to leave at 5am.  Somehow even with my 7:00 departure, I only managed to have one cup at home and one just isn't enough.  The rain had started by Millville and was nicely steady by the time I got into Eyota.

Over the top of I-90...

Then for a short ways, almost butterflies and rainbows!

I had really wanted to make the trip along the river but in watching the radar and noting the way the storms were moving through, it looked like staying west (shorter) would see me sneaking in behind the moving storm.

But the storm stopped moving the way it was supposed to, deciding to follow me instead.



I couldn't take it anymore and got off in Harmony, a good excuse for another Karuba.

Through Decorah, the shortcut but not the real shortcut though Frankville to Postville.  I always visit Frankville when I go that way but I decided to just stick with the main road in the hard rain.  Through Postville and then through Gunder, the rural edge of St. Olaf and finally down the hill into Elkader.

The Keystone Bridge is being repaired and literally changed everything in town.  Not just for we visitors but for the residents as well.




In no hurry to set up my tent, I went back downtown via the Detour and visited 2 Mit Burger stand (thanks Dave!), something I've done each Friday the last few years.

 
My first time parking next to a Dalmatian Lincoln!




The old depot across the street is being remodeled and this year as well as last, cherry pie slices were being sold as a fund raiser to continue the effort and I just happened to be in the philanthropic mindset.

Bob was here....



 
 Jeff finishing setup...
 
 
Ron arrived not long after I did...

 
Chuck was there....


Mike was there....



As you can see, the afternoon turned out to be absolutely perfect.  Temperately temped, a lovely turn from the wet morning.  After some Arnold Palmer's and visiting with my fellow rally-goers, I jumped back on the Yamaha with the 360 camera to get a different look at things.







































The beef is hiding the mashed and veg....

Sitting around an imaginary campfire....w/fireflies.  "Where's Mike??"......Mike and Speedy, everyone missed you!

A lovely, dewy Saturday morning...


Indiana, DeSoto and LaCrosse very well represented...

Johnson's getting breakfast ready to go....


Many in our group spent some time Saturday, as they had Friday afternoon, at the Earthmoving Legacy Center.  If you haven't been there and care about old equipment, you need to go.  I didn't make it this time but I will absolutely visit the next time that I'm in Elkader.

What I did was visit the Bily Clock Museum in Spillville.  I had not been there since 1981.  I built a Route that included Spillville and Decorah, it was such a nice day that to not ride and visit some old clocks would have been a travesty.  As interested as I was in the clocks, I fully intended to spend an equal amount of time upstairs in the museum checking out Mr. Antonin Dvorak's legacy of his time spent in Spillville.

I intend to do another dedicated blog Post at a later date but will include a few images here of my visit and these images in no way do justice to the works or items on display at the museum.

Much of the wood they used arrived from around the world, although they did use local species from their own farm.  I'm quite sure that I was told that most of the works were purchased from Seth Thomas.


Scroll saw built from their mother's sewing machine.

As I said, a dedicated Post shall follow.


A good time here to introduce the maps that you've been waiting for.  First, the entire 452 miles of the weekend.

Here's the Saturday portion....in green.

And finally our Parade Route....zoomed in, green.  With the bridge gone, the young Sheriff had little choice but to cut our route short.

 
My brother almost in front....he did not lead us astray!














Sunday morning coffee, rolls and coffee. Thank you Cookie Lady for the cookies....take a break until November!

And thanks to Dennis, Rod, the Cookie Lady and you other club volunteers that make it so easy for the rest of us to enjoy ourselves as we always do.  A great time for us all!

4 comments:

  1. I used to not mind riding in all kinds of weather, now, not so much.....though I think I would prefer rain to high heat.

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    Replies
    1. Warmish rain is OK, it's still fun most of the time and like you, I definitely prefer it over Hot.

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  2. Dang, mised the event. Had to attend a family event. I don't do many rallies but this one is my fav. Great location, great roads, great people. :)

    ReplyDelete