Friday morning, 4-27-07,Ken, Betty, Clarence, Vickie, Judy and I met up at the foot of the Depot Street Bridge and headed south to Redding, Ca. to join in the Fallen Riders Memorial Ride. It was a great morning for riding and the breakfast at Grandma's Place in Yreka just topped it off. On the way down something hit me on the left kneecap and when I looked down I discovered it was my chrome louvered vent. Ken and Betty were behind me and Ken said it shattered in a million pieces. We arrived at the Super 8 motel and checked-in. After a brief rest we rode over to the Sun Dial Bridge and walked across it just like tourists. After that we found our way back to the Motel. When we returned we met Chuck and Linda Thomas in the lobby. Vickie suggested dinner at a Chinese Restaurant called the Grand Buffet. Wow, what a banquet. They had just about anything and everything you could imagine. Even Betty ate more than I've ever seen her eat before. We all left over stuffed.
When we returned to the motel we met with Don and Rose Wagy who also brought Don's brother and sister-in law. Then Johnny and Lou Collins arrived with Lou's Nephew, his wife and friends.
Saturday morning some of us guys met early and rode to Denny's for breakfast while others chose to eat at the Motel. We then rode over to Lee's Honda where we met with lots of old friends.
Judy was running around taking lots of pictures, as usual, and tripped over a cement curb almost knocking down a Harley that surely would have caused a domino effect. Her shoulder has a large bruise and the palms of her hands were scraped. Scott Peabody responded code 3 and determined that it wasn't life threatening and Judy would live long enough for me to sock her between the eyes. That is just what I did at the next rest stop. While spinning the wheel for a poker card I let fly and my hand came back and socked Judy between the eyes. This poor lady was getting beat to death. As you'll see further on, that was not the end of her bad luck.
We enjoyed a great ride through the countryside and the Rose Wagy was thrilled to find that lunch was hamburgers. Someone asked her how they were and, being an authority on hamburgers, she said it was good.
We left before the closing ceremony and it's a good thing we did. We stopped for gas about 8 miles south of Weed and I sold the girl behind the counter 10 raffle tickets for the drawing at National. Just after we left Chuck and Linda's bike started acting up and died. The battery was dead. Well, you'll never believe it, but, Clarence and Vickie carried a spare battery. That got us 14 miles South of Yreka and it died again. We decided it was the alternator and due to the time decided the best thing to do was call a tow truck to Yreka and they could get a room for the night. I returned Sunday morning with a trailer and after we enjoyed breakfast at Grandma's once again (my favorite meal). We towed the bike to our house where I had an extra alternator and after a short time had them back on the road.
Now, for the rest of the story, Judy got up Monday Morning very sick with stomach flu and is still sick today, Tuesday. This poor old gal is being put through the wringer. I'm not sure if I should shoot her or just trade her in for a younger model? Well, after almost 45 years she is more than just my right arm so guess I'll have to keep her around for at least a few more years.
Even with all of Judy's mishaps and the Thomas bike breakdown we never stopped laughing. You'll have to ask someone who was there about the truck driver who came to our rescue. He invited Betty up to his truck cab and Betty's legs turned to stone. She was cemented in place.
Riding season is here and we hope for more people to join us in the near future. I hope most are planning to attend out State Rally on the 25th, 26th, 27th &28th of this month.
Wishing Everyone a Safe Ride, Don