We Are Home - Wrap Up

Saturday, Sept. 12

Rain is in the forecast.  Bill wants to pull out by 8 so we were up early to get the trailer packed and eat breakfast and put on the rain suits even though it wasn't raining yet.  Our group was Bill and Sandra; Ralph and Willa; Brad and Bobette; Roger and Ginny; Ken and Lois; Don and I; Dave Knight and Leon started with us but kept going when we stopped for gas.  First 100 miles were dry and I was beginning to think we were going to make it and then it started raining; not hard but enough to get the bikes awful dirty and us wet.  My CB stopped working and this is a brand new one!  I led around Harrisburg and then Bill took over the lead again.  We reached Lancaster by noon and then home for Don and I by 3:15.  The rain stopped around Newark  All said and done the trip was 1475 miles for me.  Now to get her in the shop and fixed and then probably only a few rides in the next month or two and then parked for the winter.  

Rally 21 has come to an end

Friday, Sept. 11

Our world was covered with fog this morning hanging like a blanket draped over everything.  Gary delayed leaving until 9 AM.  We traveled most of the distance on US 6 – just beautiful views.  Went to the Case/Zippo museum but only had 30 minutes and then rode to a fantastic Maple Syrup farm for lunch.  Food was so good.  We were on a tight schedule today because the banquet was tonight beginning at 5:30.  Wow we got back from the ride at 5 PM time to run a brush through my hair and brush on some powder.  We had 33 people attend the rally and 30 attend the banquet and about 14 were new members or at least people who had never attended a rally before.  Ruth White had arranged a game and Kathy and Sandra had been watching everyone during the week and had gag gifts for various “mistakes” or “mishaps” they had experienced.  Brad got 2 red reflectors to remind him to stop; Bill got some colored clown hair because he has a red nose he keeps putting on, I got a turkey because I almost got hit in the head by a flying turkey, and there were others I just cannot remember.  It was a fun night with good food and great company.  Now it is over and most are heading home tomorrow.   

Rainy days can still be fun

Thursday, Sept. 10

Began raining last evening and still raining this morning.  We were scheduled to leave at 8 AM because Gary had a long ride planned.  Changed the departure time to 9 AM and it is still raining.  Gary’s ride was heading west right into a line of heavy rain and storms so he switched with Ken who’s ride was heading north, still raining so the departure time was set for noon.  I had asked Kathy if Don and I could ride in the car with them and we decided to leave at 9 and go to the Glenn Curtiss Museum and the Bully Hill Vineyards on our own.  We really wanted to visit these two places and if the rain didn’t stop the group might not go.  I was so impressed at the Curtiss museum!  He designed and created engines, planes, cars, it seems that if someone said I wonder if this could be done then he did it.  After the museum we stopped for lunch and then on to the vineyards for a guided tour of how wine is made.  Such a beautiful place.  Back to the motel we spotted the group’s bikes outside the museum so glad they had the opportunity to see this amazing place.  I was so tired I laid down to read and nap a bit and just didn’t even go to dinner; lunch was so big I didn’t need anything.  

Grand Canyon of PA and a rainy evening turns into a party

Wednesday, Sept. 9

Roger was our ride leader today and a short ride west on US6 took us to the PA Lumber Museum.  US6 is listed as a scenic route and travels through small towns and lots of open spaces.  Fields covered with Goldenrod, cattails, Sumac, and other flowers.  Mountains tower to our left and right and creeks and small rivers flow systematically to bigger rivers all rushing to the ocean at some point.  Gary told us bear are very active at this time of the year preparing for their long winter nap so we should keep an eye out but no matter how much I want to see a bear I have yet to see one.  But the locals are preparing for the long winter; you see wood sheds packed as full as possible and walls of wood stacked around houses to both protect from the cold north winds and make the source of their heat close at hand.  There seems to be no large industry in this area or else we are skirting around it because all I see are small cabins, a few log cabins, small farms and small towns.  Probably hard to make a living but oh so appealing for what I call “the good life”.  After the museum we stopped for lunch and then headed to the Grand Canyon of PA traveling over twists and turns.  Some actually walked down the canyon a bit and the view is amazing.  I feel like we are playing in God’s backyard and He is constantly watching over us to make sure all are safe.  We had just left the canyon and the sky turned black and the wind began to blow.  Oh please no rain; I felt like we might have a replay of last year’s storm but riding hard we traveled the few miles back to the hotel just as a few heavy drops began to hit the windshields.  Getting inside it began to pour so we all gathered in the lobby, greeted the last 6 members to arrive and decided to order pizza and Chinese for dinner.  Kathy and Sandra headed to WalMart in the car to get sodas and they surprised Dolly with a birthday cake.  Mike agreed to be our nominating chairperson (not sure he realized he was agreeing but he did!).  I sat and watched the interaction of our members (my family) and I felt very proud.  Old members laughing and sharing with the new members; Gary had prepared a history test which we all took.  I guess once a teacher always a teacher and I was surprised with the information about what happened and who in history was from Delmarva.  Wow I was pleased to score a 53%.  It was no small task to prepare such a test and make copies for everyone.  What a great asset to our club.  Gary leads the the ride tomorrow and I do hope the rain leaves so we have a sunny day. 

Ruth likes the Lumberjack at the Lumber Museum

The canyon is awesome

Surprise Dolly

Gary reading our quiz questions

Twists, Turns, Up and Down - It doesn't get much better

Tuesday, Sept. 8

Bill led the ride today and while it was a scenic ride with no preset destination it was wonderful.  At the beginning of the ride Bill said it would be over good roads all with “paint” meaning center lines.  Well he managed to find one road that was real back road, no lines, very narrow and kept getting narrower but that only lasted about 10 miles.  We traveled up and down mountains, around curves left and right working the clutch all the time to either power down to climb a steep incline or slow the bike as we descended a 6% grade  or gearing up to have full power to cruise the meadows.  Many times we were surrounded by mountains while the road snaked its way through the meadows following rivers or streams.  If you look close you can see the beginning of color in the trees and as we rode along we scattered the few leaves that have begun to fall.  We passed turkeys and at one point one large turkey flew up and almost hit my helmet if I had not ducked.  We traveled 236 miles today and the sweeping curves rocking back and forth left and then right were like a sweet dance.  The view from the mountain tops was just awesome.  Arriving back at Wellsboro around 4:45 we had dinner at the Wellsboro Diner then ice cream before heading back to the motel for a time of storytelling, laughs and fellowship.  More members have arrived and we catch them up on the events of the past few days.

 

Bill's Old Bike Barn

Monday, Sept. 7

Pulled out at 9 AM heading to Bill’s Old Bike Barn.  Left the motel and the GPS said go straight so I did even though I thought it might be a bad mistake.  When we had gone to the bottom of the hill earlier to get gas the GPS indicated we should turn right to reach route 15.  But what the heck I wondered what the road straight ahead was like – well a narrow black toped road soon turned to gravel – ah instant replay of an earlier trip up this way – and we traveled for 2 and a half miles on rutted gravel thank goodness no one keyed their CB we all just held steady and traveled on.  Turning left at the end of the gravel road we reached 15.  Now I know what is down that road!  But no adventure no fun!  All most 2 hours later we pulled into Bill’s parking lot.  This place never gets old – always something new to see.  And most in the group had never been here before so it was well worth the trip.  Even traveling major highways the scenery was beautiful.  

I’ve tried many times to describe the mountains but it just never seems to do it justice; the majesty, the fog hanging like a vail in the early morning, the breath taking drops, the sheer rock walls with water trickling down,  it is all a marvel to me.   After a couple of hours we headed on to May’s Restaurant for a wonderful lunch and then back to the motel.  All in all it was a very nice day.  Headed to the restaurant next door for a relaxing time at the bar with a few of our members and a light dinner.  Retiring early. Trip was 220 miles today.

Day 2 and Abigail Gets a BooBoo

Sunday, Sept. 6

Meet in the lobby for breakfast around 8 or 8:30 then out to the bikes by 9 AM.  Jeff McCarthy had planned a Covered Bridge Ride that covered 175 miles of some great back country roads.  Lots of twists and turns, hill climbing and descending; gearing down to avoid riding the breaks.  Some rough roads many without markings and some with fresh tar and chip but no dirt thank goodness and no just gravel.  At one stop I started to pull out but saw a pick up coming so I stopped but the bike behind me didn’t stop and ran into me.  I held the bike up thank God who is obviously keeping a hedge of angels around me, but it did break my left turn signal off and scrape my back fender slightly.  Brad felt so bad even though I certainly understand accidents happen.  He asked how I would feel if the tables were turned and I had to admit I would feel just awful!  Then Roy moved up to ride behind me and later I didn’t gear down to 2^nd and stalled making a right turn and going up a steep grade.  My first thought was OMG Roy don’t hit me but he was far enough back to swerve.  Again I held her up so that is all a blessing.  Saw so beautiful countryside today.  Checking my ride for tomorrow; which I have worked very hard at laying out a good route over some back country roads, and I realized the cost for each museum is $18 per person.  Don did not like that at all and so I mentioned it to the group before we left for dinner.  A couple of them agreed it was too much so they want me to lead the group to Bill’s Old Bike Barn in Bloomsburg, PA.  Wouldn’t you know I just cleaned up the saved locations in my GPS and deleted Bill’s thinking I’d never go there again (been there 3 times now).  So after dinner at Eddie’s (must better prices and great food) I began planning for tomorrow.  Cannot travel back roads or it will take us over 3 hours to get there; it is 97 miles from the hotel so we are going to travel 15 and 11.  It is located on route 11 in Bloomsburg.  Oh well should be a nice ride anyway. Time for bed. 

Group in front of one of the covered bridges

UTR Rally Mansfield PA 2015

I noticed I didn't write about last year's rally.  I know we went but after our"30 day" as the kids call the cross country I guess I just forgot to keep up this blog.  Well we have enjoyed a few long weekends since last year but that's it so this rally was so much anticipated. 

Saturday, Sept. 5

Todd helped us pack yesterday and was up early today to help finish and see us off.  Of course Zoey was crying and I felt bad leaving her but we need this time.  We met Bill, Sandra, Brad, Bobbett, Ralph and Willa at Smyrna for a quick breakfast and then off we go at 9:15.  We are going to meet Roy at the Sunoco on 896.  I planned to sit back and follow Bill but he asked me if I had everything in my GPS (which I did) and if so could I lead because he was trying to do this the old fashion way (paper maps).  So right around Sight and Sound I moved to the lead position.  After some nice riding on 896 we were weaving and bobing on interstates for the next hour or so until we got around Harrisburg and onto 15/11.  Still busy but at least not the race track speeds.  After a stop for lunch and to fill up with gas we traveled up 15 for 3 and a half hours to reach Mansfield.  I should have stopped for a rest but we were doing so good and I felt a few drops of rain and didn’t want to get caught in a storm.   Rode from fill up to fill up and that’s just too much; but we did it.  Glenn and Kathy were already here arriving just about an hour prior to us.    Glenn is doing so much better.   Jeff is also here but no one has seen him.  Probably out pre-riding his route.  After unpacking we walked over to the restaurant next door; same place we are going to have the banquet.  Let’s say I cannot afford to eat there again until the banquet.  Sat in the hotel lobby for an hour or so talking and then off to bed.  Plan is to pull out tomorrow morning at 9 for a Covered Bridge Ride.