It's Always An Adventure

November?

2011-11-01T07:27:00.000-07:00

How did it get to November 1st already? Winter is not my favorite season so I will hope for a mild winter so that we can ride most weekends!

Wounded Warriors

2011-10-30T12:41:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came to our Wounded Warriors Auction yesterday. We raised over $1,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project!!! It's through your generosity that this was possible.

Cold Sunday Ride

2011-05-16T06:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for the Strafford Relay for Life ride yesterday. The weather was cold and blustery, felt more like February than May, but a few showed up anyway. Everyone had to dig their winter riding gear out!

It looks like May is going to continue to behave like March, but better riding weather will surely be here soon.

Is It Spring or Still Winter?

2011-05-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were close to 90 during the day, but the evenings were wonderfully pleasant to be outside. This weekend we might make it to 60 and it's rainy, breezy and cold. Unfortunately there are about 8 motorcycle events today. I hope everyone just grabs their rain gear and shows up to support all of the good causes.

I've been told to hang in there, summer will be here soon!

Big Dog Motorcycles, LLC Is No More

2011-04-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. Big Dog Motorcycles, LLC is no more. I don't ususally use my blog to talk about too serious of an issue, but I am angry about how this was handled. Big Dog Dealers and Big Dog customers were left hanging this week because Big Dog couldn't man up and tell the truth. They blatantly lied to me earlier in the week insisting they were still in business and nothing was out of the ordinary. The statements they made regarding calling all of their dealer network to let them know what was going on is not true. I can understand trying to protect your business interest, but my goal was to keep my current Big Dog owners informed. I always believe honesty is the best policy. Apparently Sheldon is opening a new business called BDM Performance Parts. You can follow the story at the following links. http://www.kansas.com/2011/04/08/1798851/big-dog-motorcycles-is-no-more.html http://www.cyrilhuzeblog.com/2011/04/07/big-dog-motorcycles-admits-finally-that-they-close/ To say I am disappointed in their professionalism is an understatement.

A Great Kick-Off To The Riding Season

2011-04-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today was our annual Spring Open House. If you missed it, you missed a great event. We had so many bikes in the parking lot that you could not get in or get out. Thanks to my vendor reps for taking time on their Saturday to give some great seminars, which were well attended. And a big Thank You to our local Victory Owners Group for managing the test rides for us today. We could not have done it without you. If today was any indication, it will be a great riding season this year. It was great to see so many on their bikes again. We will have pictures on our website and on Facebook within the next few days. Oh, and the lady who walked out the front door with a Bad to the Bone Skid Lid, I saw you!

Winter, Winter Go Away

2011-03-29T08:04:00.001-07:00

Are you as tired of winter as I am? I mean, really, can't it just go away now? We all need to be able to get out and ride and not freeze to death! Don't forget about our Spring Open House this coming weekend on Saturday, April 2nd. You won't want to miss it. We have vendor seminars scheduled where you might learn something and you get a coupon for an additional 25% off when you attend the seminar. I think the Bike Performance Options seminar sounds great. Jon Olson of Drag Specialties is giving that seminar and he is formally with S&S, so I think he knows his stuff. This will be your chance to get all of your quesitons answered on how to get your bike to perform better. Check out additional planned activities on our Events page. The weather is supposed to finally be nice, so come down and help us kick off the riding season!

The Season Is Here - Well Almost

2011-03-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, Ok, so I haven't been very good at keeping up my blog. It was a LONG COLD winter and I wasn't feeling inspired, only longing for warmer temperatures. But, I'm back with adventures from the riding season.

As many of you know we try to do a social ride once a month throughout the whole year, weather permitting. Weather permitting only means it should not be pouring down rain or icy. If it is cold or threatening to rain, we still ride (or at least some of us do). We did our annual New Year's Day ride this year and rode to Smith's Restaurant in Collins again. It was about 18 degrees but sunny (not that that made a difference). I decided that I was not going to bulk up and still freeze to death so I wore a heated jacket liner and heated gloves this year. It was AWESOME. I was so comfortable and not bulky. Next year I am wearing heated pant liners as well. If you do cold weather riding, you must get some heated gear. It makes your ride so much more enjoyable!

I did not go on the ride in February as I was giving my daughter a bridal shower at my house, so I kind of had to be there. But, Tim took the group on a ride east of town. It must have been fun because they were gone for several hours. It was a beautiful day with temps close to 70. Great for February.

We did our March ride last Sunday. We rode up to Mr. Ed's in Urbana, one of our favorite spots to go. The weather was pushing 80, but it was VERY windy!! But, it was so nice to sit outside, relax and catch up with friends. I love it when the temperature is just right. No one is in a hurry to hop on their bikes and head back home. We had 20 bikes and I saw a lot of smiling faces all afternoon long. Pictures are on Facebook and should be on our website soon.

Check back later in the week as I will talk about the Scala G4 that Tim and I used.

100 Pounds to Operation Gratitude

2010-11-26T18:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much to everyone who came through and contributed to our Operation Gratitude box for out soldiers serving overseas. We sent a box weighing 98 pounds. It was filled with jerky, candy, cookies, personal care products, Christmas lights, nerf toys, reindeer antlers,notes of gratitude and thanks and a bunch of beanie babies from the folks at Cox North. "Beanie Babies" you say? Yes, we have been told that the soldiers prefer to give them to the kids rather than candy as they leave a lasting impression.

Again, thank you to everyone who helped fill our box.

Salute to our Hometown Heroes

2010-11-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have not written to the BLOG in a while. Writing apparently takes inspiration which I have been too busy for lately.

Yesterday, Saturday, November 20th, we held a 'Salute to our Hometown Heroes' at our store. This was NOT a marketing event, it was an opportunity for us and you to thank our soldiers for the sacrifices they are making or have made for us, whether recently or 40 years ago. I asked that veterans who shop with us to show up and let us show you our gratitude for your service as well as I asked other customer's to show up and show support for our veterans. I announced many times in many different venues about this event and I also announced about the LARGE box we have that is just waiting for items to send overseas to our soldiers currently deployed.

The main part of the event was to be at noon yesterday. I have to say I was shocked at the lack of showing by everyone. There were a few who came and showed their support and I do appreciate that, but where were you? I put on a lot of events throughout the year, some are blockbusters, others are bombs, but this event wasn't about us. It was about our soldiers.

I am usually an optimistic person, but by the end of the day yesterday, I just wanted to sit down and cry. Not for me, but for you. I mean, really, was your day so jam packed that you could not take 5 minutes to thank a veteran. We had a very large full sheet cake and only 1/3 of it was gone. That says alot. This is November, the month set aside to show our respect for these brave men and women. Where were you?

Our box for Operation Gratitude, which I have been asking for donations since the 1st of the month, is only 1/2 full and it must be mailed no later than Wednesday, 11/24/10, to reach it's destination in time. Thank you to those who have so kindly donated. But to those of you who have not, consider how it would feel to you to be overseas, away from your family, and no one notices because they are too wrapped up in their own little world. I will spend tomorrow making sure that box gets full before I ship it.

So now I am not sad, I am angry and I still don't feel better having vented!

Fall Riding Has Arrived

2010-10-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

September seems to have just zoomed by. We were busy with Victory Demo Days the 2nd weekend of September and we rode down to Danna's BBQ in Kirbyville, one of our favorite spots to eat.

This past weekend we rode to Bennett Springs State Park with a stop at Mr. Ed's in Urbana along the way for a great Hamburger and Ice Crem Cone. If you went with us, you know what a beautiful day for riding it was! If you didn't make it, try to join us next month.

Don't forget our Fall Open House on Saturday the 30th!

It's August So It Must Be Hot!!!

2010-08-25T13:49:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who joined us on our monthly Sunday ride last Sunday. It was hot but pleasant when moving down the highway. We headed to Bennett Springs State Park and eventually made it there with a few u-turns due to road repairs that looked like they would not be good for a car, much less a motorcycle and a few short cuts that ended up being long ones instead. If you have not joined us on one of these rides, they are always fun and great fellowship with other riders. Join us next month if you can.

Wow Am I Behind!

2010-07-22T15:57:00.000-07:00

I had no idea that I was so far behind in my blog posts. It must mean that this summer has been busy! Let me see if I can get everyone caught up.

We did our annual Ferry Boat Ride on Sunday May 30th. This is one of our favorite rides and it seems that it is always a very hot day. We started out the ride with 18 bikes and, if I remember correctly, we had 30 people. We rode down to Danna's BBQ in Kirbyville and had a wonderful lunch and we sang Happy Birthday to Thea, our friend from South Dakota that was visiting for the weekend. We continued on from there into Arkansas and rode the Ferry acoss Bull Shoals lake. It was a beautiful day, but the rain just couldn't leave us alone and we all got wet on the way home. Thank goodness for rain gear.

The weekend of June 11-13th, we had the Victory semi on the lot for the Victory Fuel It Demo Tour. This is always a fun weekend for us and if you missed it, the truck will be back the weekend of September 10-12th. We did over 100 test rides that weekend and I don't think I heard anyone complain about the fact that they had to ride motorcycles all day for 3 days!

On Sunday June 27th we rode to Mr. Ed's in Urbana for our June ride of the month. We did not have a large group, but it was a beautiful ride with very little traffic. We rode north out of Springfield and around Pomme de Terre lake over to Mr. Ed's. If you have not eaten at Mr. Ed's they are known for their 99 cent hamburgers and some of the best ice cream around.

We also celebrated Sharon's brithday in July. It's always a fun time at the store when we celebrate birthday's. Thanks to Wes' mom, Brenda Rose for making the beautiful cake.

Check back next week as Tim and I head to Orlando to see what's new for 2011 for Victory Motorcycles. I will try to do some updates with photos while I am there.

Father's Day

2010-06-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

I thought in honor of Father's Day this Sunday, June 20th, I might share a little history. This is a picture of me with my dad many years ago, obviously.

Father's Day is a celebration inaugurated in the early twentieth century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting. It is also celebrated to honor and commemorate our forefathers. The first observance of Father's Day is believed to have been held on June 19, 1910 through the efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. After listening to a church sermon at Spokane's Central Methodist Episcopal Church in 1909 about the newly recognized Mother's Day, Dodd felt strongly that fatherhood needed recognition, as well. She wanted a celebration that honored fathers like her own father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran. Sonora suggested her father’s birthday, June 5th, be established as the day to honor all Father’s. However, the pastors wanted more time to prepare, so on June 19, 1910, young members of the YMCA went to church wearing roses: a red rose to honor a living father, and a white rose to honor a deceased one.

The idea of Father's Day became popular and embraced across the nation. It took many years to make the holiday official. A bill to accord national recognition of the holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson came to Spokane and spoke at Father's Day services. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day. In 1972, President Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the 3rd Sunday of June each year.

Take time this Sunday to honor the father's in your life.

Saying Goodbye is Never Easy

2010-05-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

This week we said goodbye as good friends, Tom and Carol, moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Tom and Carol ride a Bergman scooter and never hesitate to join us on rides, even in the coldest weather. It was Carol's idea for me to start this blog due to the crazy times we have all had on our rides. We will miss having them ride with us and we wish them the best in New Mexico. Tom said he would send pictures this coming winter of him riding while we are waiting for the rain and or snow to go away!

Good luck Tom and Carol!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

With this Sunday being Mother's Day, I thought a little history on the subject might be appropriate. This is a picture of my mom holding me (I don't look very happy) and my two older brothers.

Anna Jarvis, daughter of Anna Reeves Jarvis, was the power behind the official establishment of Mother's Day. She promised at her mother's gravesite in 1905 to dedicate her life to her mother's project, and establish a Mother's Day to honor mothers, living and dead.

In 1907 she passed out 500 white carnations at her mother's church, St. Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, one for each mother in the congregation. On May 10, 1908, St. Andrew's was the first church to respond to her request for a Sunday service honoring mothers.

In 1908 the first bill was presented in the U.S. Senate proposing establishment of Mother's Day, by Nebraska Senator Elmer Burkett, at the request of the Young Men's Christian Association. The proposal was killed by sending it back to committee, 33-14. That sounds familiar.

In 1909 Mother's Day services were held in 46 states plus Canada and Mexico

Anna gave up her job to work full-time writing letters to politicians, clergy members, business leaders, women's clubs and anyone else she thought might have some influence. Anna was able to enlist the World's Sunday School Association in the lobbying campaign, a key success factor in convincing legislators in states and in the U.S. Congress to support the holiday.

In 1912 West Virginia became the first state to adopt an official Mother's Day.

In 1914 the U.S. Congress passed a Joint Resolution, and President Woodrow Wilson signed it, establishing Mother's Day, emphasizing women's role in the family (not as activists in the public arena, as Howe's Mother's Day had been, see the last paragraph).

Anna Jarvis became increasingly concerned over the commercialization of Mother's Day: "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit." She opposed the selling of flowers and also the use of greeting cards: "a poor excuse for the letter you are too lazy to write." I guess she would not be very happy with the commercialization that occurs today.

Anna Jarvis never had children of her own. She died in 1948, blind and penniless, and was buried next to her mother in a cemetery in the Philadelphia area.

The "Mother's Day Proclamation" by Julia Ward Howe was one of the early calls to celebrate Mother's Day in the United States. Written in 1870, Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation was a pacifist reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. The Proclamation was tied to Howe's feminist belief that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level. If you have never read this, it is interesting, to say the least.

Happy Mother's Day!

April's Sunday of the Month Ride

2010-04-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

First we had to bump our 3rd Sunday of the month ride to the 4th Sunday because bad weather was supposed to roll in, but it didn't. So on the 4th Sunday, this past Sunday, April 25th, we woke up to rain in the morning so we delayed the ride from 11AM to 1PM. At 1PM it was still cloudy but it wasn't raining.

Three bikes, Bud and Carol, Danny and Tammy, and Tim and I, left our parking lot and headed north to Smith's Restaurant in Collins. It was cool but no rain. Bob met us at the restaurant and we had a great meal and a fun time together. Smith's has great pies, but we all had a great meal and didn't have room for for pie this time.

We were heading back into town and ran through a small amount of rain for a couple of miles, but no more than that.

Next month is our annual Ferry Boat Run, which we are planning for Memorial Day Weekend this year. We'll hope for better weather. Watch my emails and the website for specifics.

Rivendale Bike Giveaway

2010-04-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

Last night was our Rivendale Institute of Learning Bike Giveaway Fundraiser. It was the 2nd year we have helped Rivendale with this fundraiser. If you are not familiar with Rivendale and the great work they do helping kids, then go to their link at http://www.rivendaleinstitute.com/.

Before the dinner, which was marvelous, there was a silent auction with items from jewelry to a bicycle. Following dinner was a live auction with the 12 month date night package being the most popular.

As last year, the tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife as the finalist were eliminated. People in the audience tried to buy the ticket of the finalists, with the proceeds going to Rivendale. All but one said no. One finalist position was purchased for $3500. Unfortunatley that person did not win. But, the winner was so excited he jumped upon the stage and was jumping around with excitement.

Thank you to everyone who helped support this fundraiser this year.

If you did not win or did not get to participate, you have another chance. We are helping the Missouri State Football Boosters give away a 2009 Victory Kingpin at the first home game of the Missouri State Bears in August. Tickets for this bike are $10, but there will be 2500 of them sold. Stop by and buy a ticket for this bike.

Spring Open House

2010-04-15T10:08:00.001-07:00

I want to thank everyone who came to our Spring Open House this year. It was a great event and it is always wonderful to see everyone, especially after a long, cold winter!

It felt like winter would never be over and now it feels like summer has already arrived and spring was so short that we missed it altogether. I don't know about you, but I am ready for some great riding weather so I can get out and soak up some sun and blow the stress out of my hair! That's a scarry looking visual!!!

Stop in and see us if you are out riding.

Easter, Passover and Spring Open House

2010-03-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

I've always looked forward to Spring every year. It now seems appropriate to me that Easter and Passover both come during what I like to consider the 'rebirth' of the seasons, as they each signify salvation and freedom to those of Christian and Jewish faith.

Our Spring Open House is this coming weekend, April 2nd and 3rd, when we have our official 'kickoff' to the season, which, without sounding sacriligious, signifies our 'freedom' from winter and our 'salvation' from being unable to ride when we want, not when the weather dictates.

Stop in this weekend for some bargain, food, door prizes and vendor seminars. Check out the vendor schedule on Saturday. We are showcasing some new product lines we are carrying as well as some that we have carried for a while, but have been updated with new technology.

Come help us celebrate Spring!

Winter, I Mean Spring, Weather

2010-03-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

Today was supposed to be our '3rd Sunday of the Month, ride. But instead we got 30 degree weather and sleet, ice and snow! I love Spring because it means Summer is almost here, but I don't like Spring because, well it's Spring and weather is so volatile and unpredictable. Just last Thursday and Friday it was almost 70 degrees!

The daffodils in the yard now look frozen and the early tree buds will not make it. But, as happens every Spring, this too shall pass and we'll be whining about all the mowing too soon.

We'll do our monthly ride next Sunday, the 28th and I will post some pics to my next blog.

Mark you calendars for our Spring Open House on April 2nd and April 3rd. Check it out on our Events page.

Beautiful Day For A Ride

2010-02-28T17:37:00.000-08:00

Today was our monthly '3rd Sunday of the Month' ride which got pushed to the 4th Sunday due to weather! It was still on the cool side today with temps hovering around 48 - 50 and a slight cool breeze, but great sunshine. I used Tim's heated jacket liner today to give it a try and I'm getting me one of those. I didn't have to bulk up and I was toasty and comfortable the whole ride. What a great invention - heated gear!

We had 10 bikes with 9 of them being 2 up, so we had 19 riders. We left the store parking lot about 1:25pm and Bob L. led the ride taking us north of town taking country roads to Fair Grove, where we stopped at the Mill for a group shot.

Once we left Fair Grove we headed down Hwy 125 to Sunshine and headed back into town for some food and fun at Dairy Queen. I tried to do a video with my regular camera. Impossible with the wind and the bumps in the road. Should have taken the GoPro! It was a great day for a ride and the crowd is always fun. Thanks Bob for leading a wonderful ride.

Oh, and if you do go on a ride with us, fill up your gas tank first as our rides are longer than 10 miles. You know who you are!!

Shopping Spree

2010-02-16T12:27:00.001-08:00

Sharon and I just got back from the Dealer Expo in Indianapolis, which is where we go every year to see what is new in Accessories and Apparel for the motorcycle industry. We walked the booths scoping out products until we thought we would drop. Oh wait, I guess that's where the saying 'Shop Til You Drop' comes from!!!

As you can see Celebrities were everywhere!

We saw some great new helmet designs and of course we ordered them! We also ordered a couple of new helmet lines that we have not had before or for a long time. We ordered some new apparel as well as bringing in what we need to ride in the spring, rain gear!

Memphis Shades has a new batwing faring out for the Victory that looks pretty cool and Cobra has a new 2 into 1 exhaust for the Victory that's great looking!

Big Dog is bringing back the Chopper for 2010 with some great changes. Keep an eye out for an email when one arrives on our showroom floor.

We're always glad when the show comes around as it means winter is almost over and new merchandise will begin showing up before the end of February getting us all excited for another riding season! Watch you emails as we'll let you know when the new stuff starts to arrive.

More Snow - You Must Be Kidding

2010-02-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

As I type this, the east coast is being blasted with a snow storm and it looks like we are in for some more snow starting Sunday night and not ending until Tuesday morning. As I have said before, I now know I did not move far enough south when we relocated here from Colorado. I have seen enough snow for my lifetime, I'm pretty sure! I now understand the 'snowbird' theory!

Everyday a 'regular' customer comes in looking as sad as a hound dog because the weather just won't cooperate on days off to allow for riding. If you have looked on our webpage or on our Facebook page, you have seen Tim's video riding in the snow last weekend. We are all desperate to ride!!

We've got some great sales going on right now, so stop in and check them out and if nothing else, just stop by to say 'hi'. Mark you calendars for our monthly ride on Sunday the 21st. If the weather cooperates, which means it can be cold but no precipitation, we'll do our Sweetheart Ice Cream Ride. Watch the Events calendar on our website and on Facebook or sign up for email for more details as we get closer to that date.

Winter, Winter Go Away!!!!

A Great Big Thank You

2010-01-21T07:50:00.001-08:00

I want to thank everyone who came out the the Motorcycle Show last weekend at the fairgrounds and helped support us. We felt it was our best show that we have ever done and we could not have done it without your help.

I especially want to thank those who took the time to hang out and talk with the folks who were interested in hearing about Victory Motorcycles and for helping us get the bikes out to the fairgrounds on Thursday and back to the store on Sunday. It saved us several hours with your help.

Hello 2010!

2010-01-07T11:40:00.001-08:00

I've been pondering this blog since the first day of this new year. What to say, what to say!!! When all that has been on my mind is inventory, end of year file cabinet cleaning and closing the accounting books - and SNOW!!!

If you missed it we did our 2nd Annual New Year's Day Ride and it was definately a Polar Bear Ride this year. We met at the store at 10AM and I believe the temperature was hovering around 16 degrees. We had 10 bikes leave from the store heading 52 miles up 13 to Collins for lunch at Smith's Restaurant. We picked up Wes along the way, making it 11 bikes. Only one bike was 2 up (you go Carol). We had 2 trucks with 8 people so we had 20 folks for lunch that day. I am proud to say I was a truck passenger because even with a hot flash, it was just too cold for me! After we all warmed up and filled up, we reluctantly headed back south in temperatures that were still hovering around 30 degrees. As we got closer to Springfield, I think it might have got to 34. It was a great lunch with great food and great company. Check the website for pictures and Wes's video.

Last Saturday, the 9th, we had chili for the local VMC (Victory Motorcycle Club) chapter the, Route 66 Victory Riders. Since it had been below 10 degrees all week and the streets continued to pile up with snow, everyone was stir crazy and ready for some socialization. If you own a Victory, it is a great group to ride with. Ask me about it.

This coming weekend, the 15th through the 17th, we'll be at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in the EPlex for the Springfield Boat, RV and Motorcycle Sale. We have some great show prices on our motorcycles. I have $1 off coupons if you want to use one.

Slowly but surely the daylight hours will get longer and the temperatures will get warmer and riding season will be here once again!

New Website Active

2009-12-30T08:12:00.000-08:00

We have been working for the past couple of months on our new website. We loved our old one and Wes did a great job of keeping it current and entertaining, but the one thing we felt like we needed was online shopping. Well, we now have online shopping with the new site and we are excited about the changes.

We use our website not only as a shopping and information tool, but as a means to promote the fun of motorcycling. We will continue to do this. Please browse around the site and send us your feedback.

12 Days of Christmas Savings

2009-12-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

If you have been getting my emails, you know that we are in the middle of our '12 Days of Christmas Savings' event. Every day there is something on sale AND you get something free just for shopping with us and spending $25 AND we will gift wrap your purchase for you! How's that for making your shopping experience easy. So, don't waste time, stop by between now and Christmas and let us help you get your list complete.

Also, don't forget that the incentives from Victory expire at the end of this year on 12/31/09. So, if you are even slightly considering purchasing a new bike, dont' let these incentives pass you by.

We are now on Twitter under 'cruisin66cycles'. We will use Twitter to keep everyone who signs up posted on last minute events, rides and sales. I'm not sure if second by second action is a good thing or not, but we are trying to keep up with the newest marketing techniques.

Toys and Santa

2009-12-09T09:45:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who rode in last Sunday's Toys for Tots ride. I don't know what final numbers were, but the parking lot was over full as were the toy trucks! (Jack, I stole this picture from your Facebook!)

Thanks to Rick Williams for being our Santa for us last Saturday. The little ones who came in were so cute sitting on his lap and going down there list. We had a few furry friends come in for their pictures with Santa, even a cat! This is always a fun event for me, as it reminds me of how exciting Christmas time is for children.

You still have plenty of time to come in and fill out your Wish List for family and friends to shop from. You all know we will be glad to help you get what you want this year!

Toys for Tots

2009-11-27T10:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, at 8AM, Sharon and I ran the 5K Turkey Trot in downtown Springfield. (I know, I know, you are right now saying to yourself, they run? But, that is a BLOG for another day!) Yes, it was cold, hovering around 32 degrees, but that did not keep 6,000 people from showing up at $25 per person for this fundraiser for Developmental Center of the Ozarks and Springfield Parks Scholarship Fund. That's a gross of $150,000!

When I got home, I told Tim, can you imagine if just 1/2 of those same people showed up at the Springfield Toy Run on December 6th, how many toys and dollars could be collected this year? I know that a lot of the people who ran yesterday also have bikes because I saw you there!

So, here is my challenge to each of you. Show up on December 6th for this year's Toys for Tots ride. It's on a Sunday at 2PM, it last about an hour, so there are no excuses of it's too early, it's during church, it takes too long, etc. You cannot even use the excuse that it's too cold, because you can always drive your car and drop your toys and/or cash off at the end of the event at Strafford Elementary in Strafford. It's not important how you get there, it's important that you just do it.

Even if you cannot make it that day, please go to Springfield Armory off of Glenstone and Division and drop off a new toy for a child this year. Or, if that does not work for you, drop it by here and we'll get it there for you. If you don't know what to buy, they will be glad to take a cash donation.

Just give, it will keep you from being a Scrooge this Christmas!

In Any Other Business.....

2009-11-18T07:45:00.000-08:00

If you have perused our website, you know my quote is "In Any Other Business That Might Seem Strange". We experience things on a daily basis that might seem strange to others but feels normal to us.

If you have been in the store, you know that both of our restrooms are decorated with things to keep you entertained, so to speak. Yesterday, in the ladies room, someone left us a thank you note along with a 10cent piece from China. That's a first. We usually just get comments as folks leave the restroom. This was our first 'tip'.

I guess with the value of the dollar in China, we could probably buy a burger at McDonalds with that China dime!

As I always say...In Any Other Business....

Is it June or November?

2009-11-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

Wow, can you believe this weather. It has been a while since I have been able to sit at home with the patio doors open letting in fresh air in November! Wouldn't it be great if it just stayed this nice all winter. I think we earned it because I am pretty sure we had spring weather all summer.

It's great to see everyone out taking advantage of our mid 70's temperatures and riding their bikes. I hear that the turnouts at the recent toy runs has been awesome due to the great weather. Santa will be good to the kids this year!

Don't let the nice weather keep you from remembering Christmas is just around the corner. We are already stocking for the Holidays and we have just received our shipment of 2010 Victory apparel. Stop in and see what we have, start your wish list so that we can help your family put what you want under the tree this year.

Believe it or not we have already put up one of our Christmas Trees. We lucked into an old aluminum tree from the 60's that most of us remember having in our homes growing up. Sharon calls it our Chrome Christmas Tree to go with all of the chrome on the bikes.

Friends in Iraq

2009-11-03T15:24:00.001-08:00

Today I received a wonderful surprise from one of our Victory riders, Carlos, who is currently stationed in Iraq. Carlos rides a 2007 Victory Kingpin and always tries to ride with us when he is stationed in the area. Anyway, Carlos sent me a beautiful rug from Turkey. What a great gift!

I hope it doesn't hurt your eyes, but here is a picture of me with my flying carpet!

Year 7 Here We Come

2009-11-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

Our 6th Anniversary Celebration on Friday, the 30th and Saturday, the 31st was a huge success. We had old friends drop in that we had not seen in a while and made many new friends who had not been in before. Many thanks to Bud and Carol of the Route 66 Riders (The Victory Motrcycle Club) for cooking hot dogs for us on Saturday. And to Tammy for keeping the coffee flowing!

The winner of our drawing for a $250 gift certificate to Big Cedar Lodge in Branson was Darrell Rader. As soon as he comes in to pick up the gift certificate, I will post a picture here.

Again, thanks to everyone who has given us support during the last 6 years. We could not have done it without you.

For some great costume pics click here http://www.cruisin66cycles.com/halloween.htm

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-28T15:12:00.001-07:00

This weekend is not only Halloween, but it is the 6th Anniversary for Cruisin' 66. It's hard to believe we started this adventure 6 years ago (well, ok, sometimes it seems like it's been MUCH longer!). We also use this weekend to kick off our Holiday season leading up to Christmas and the New Year.

So, if you are out and about this weekend, stop in with your Halloween costume, have a hot dog and a piece of cake and celebrate with us. You just might find that 'deal' you've been looking for and get some Christmas shopping done at the same time!

Beautiful Fall Ride

2009-10-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

Today was our '3rd Sunday of the Month Ride', which, by the way, is not always on the 3rd Sunday. We only had 4 bikes show with 7 people, but that's ok. It is football season and baseball playoffs and it has been VERY cold. I believe is was 28 degrees this morning when we got up.

But, for those of us who went today, it was well worth it. The temperature hovered around 57 to 60, the sun was shining without a cloud in the sky. We took a leisurely ride down Hwy 125 to Forsythe and had a great lunch at Danna's BBQ. We do like Danna's and they enjoy motorcyclists!

So, if you missed the ride today, join us next month and I guarantee a great ride and great company.

Only Jack

2009-10-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

Many of you know our Golden Retriever, Jack and how 'active' he is. Well today, Jack had been outside in the yard for a while and I decided to bring him in. I went outside and he wasn't in the front or back yard, so I called and called thinking he had wandered off following some turkey or deer or he had gone playing in the creek. No response to my calling, which isn't unusual for Jack. We knew that if anyone took him they would bring him back!

I decide to drive around the neighborhood thinking he decided to take himself for a walk. Still no Jack! Tim took the truck and went to the neighborhoods to the north of us to see if he went over there. I went out to the garage thinking that maybe he had got locked in the cats food room (why they need a food room is a whole different story). Sure enough, the door was almost closed, but the foot rest at the bottom of the door would not allow it to open back up and there peeking at me through the crack was Jack. He was so happy to be found! I think the cats lured him in and pushed the door shut!

Could he tell me why he couldn't bark or make any kind of noise when I was calling him for the last hour, oh no, just a happy face and lots of wags like there was nothing wrong! He's lucky I found him, as we were leaving for a motorcycle ride in another hour and he would have been locked in there all afternoon.

Of course, he had plenty of kitty food, which is always a treat, and water.

Definately Feels Like Winter

2009-10-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, I don't like cold weather. It keeps everyone inside and makes me want to eat more! I think the high today is supposed to be around 48 and the low tonight around 35. What's with that? It's October not January! At least it appears that it will FINALLY stop raining. We got 3.5 inches at our house yesterday in about 5 hours. Enough already!

Speaking of winter, are you thinking of riding all winter, then get some heated gear. Ask anyone who wears it, they won't leave home without it with these temperatures. It is well worth it.

Where Did The Summer Go?

2009-10-02T07:32:00.001-07:00

Apparently I was busy during the month of September as I haven't updated my blog since the 6th. Let's see if I can recap some of the things that happened last month.

We held our last bike night on Thursday the 17th. After a little time in the parking lot, we all went to Dairy Queen and continued to enjoy each other's company long into the evening. This has been a fun and relaxing event for us this year and we plan to do it again next year.

On Thursday, the 24th, Tim and I went to downtown Springfield (boy that's a long trip!) and heard Oliver North speak. What a powerful message he has regarding the wonderful young men and women serving in our military. If you ever get the chance to hear him, don't miss it.

My goal at the beginning of this year was to have a ride each month. We started with a ride on New Year's Day and have been successful in having one a month until September. The weather wasn't as friendly as we like or charity ride events were scheduled on available days. We still have done 9 group rides this year as we did 2 in January, one being the New Year's Day ride and the other being the Polar Bear Ride, so I think we are still on track for my goal. If you have not been able to attend one of these rides, they are always a lot of fun and sometimes an adventure!

Sharon has started bringing in winter apparel, which with the cool weather, is about a month earlier than we normally do. If you are in need of winter riding apparel, stop in and see what is new for this year. There are some new colors both subtle and vibrant. Neon yellow seems to be in every line we have looked at. I am always amazed at the new innovations each year that make jackets and pants warmer and yet less bulky. We have brought in heated jackets, pants and gloves, so don't let the cold weather stop you from riding all winter.

AHHHHH - Nothing Like A Good Vacation!

2009-09-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I went to the Mayan Riviera (Cancun) area in Mexico with my sister last week. I thought about posting to my blog from there, but could never seem to get away from the beach long enough! There's nothing like a good vacation with your sister to re-energize. Boy, did I do that!

It rained a little every day which didn't really seem to cool things down, it only made it steamy! We had to make 'redneck' rainsuits one night when we got caught in an evening downpour!

I talked to a lot of people while I was there and most of them were not Americans. Apparently Americans are afraid they might either get the Swine Flu or get kidnapped! We found everyone there was very glad we were there and always willing to help us get what we needed (well, maybe a couple of people weren't very helpful). The vacancy rate at the resorts in the area is at 50%, which explained why we never had to really wait for anything. The resort seemed empty which was ok with us as we never had to fight for a beach chair!

We took a 3 hour bus ride to Chichen Itza, a Mayan ruin in the central Yucatan area, and never felt uncomfortable, other than the heat (it was 110 that day), or threatened in any way. The Mayan ruins are fascinating and was well worth the trip. The snorkeling was great right off the beach and I could not get enough of that. But most of the time we spent on the beach relaxing.

Unfortunately riding season will very shortly come to a close and a winter season will once again be here. We will batten down the hatches and hope for a mild one so that everyone can keep riding all winter. We only have 3 more bike nights left this year, so stop by and visit before they end. Who knows, maybe I'll need to go back to the beach in January!

Perfect Day For A Ride

2009-08-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

What more could you ask for - sunny skies and low 80s - those combined with great friends make for a perfect day for a ride.

We left the Cruisin' 66 parking lot at 1:30, we just never seem to leave on time, but then again, we are never in a hurry. We headed up H highway and made our way to Pomme de Terre Lake. I didn't think I had ever been up there, but Tim reminded me that we were there in 2002 or 2003 with a boat that almost sunk! Ahhh, memories.

Anyway, today was much more memorable. Even though it was only 60 miles, with the stops and twisty roads, we rode for about 1 1/2 hours and ended up at Mr. Ed's in Nemo, on the east side of Pomme de Terre Lake. We had 99 cent burgers and $1 HUGE ice cream cones while we relaxed in the shade on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Wes did a great job of leading the group of 20 bikes along a great route. Carol took a lot of pictures, and I can't wait to see them this week. Check our website.

After leaving Mr. Ed's, Tim and I, along with Bob, headed to Bumsteads in Nixa. Joan and Ron were celebrating there 15th wedding anniversary and we wanted to stop by and say hello. It was a great ending to a great riding day.

Oh yeah, did I mention after leaving Mr. Ed's we got pulled over by State Patrol for speeding just north of Buffalo? Luckily we got off with just a warning! Geez!!!!

Cool Evenings and Good Friends

2009-08-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

We had a good turnout for bike night last night and what a beautiful evening it was. It's hard to believe it is August and by the time the evening was over we needed light jackets (well, some of us did!).

We hung out here at the store until about 8:00 and then once again headed over to Dairy Queen for some 'treats'. I so enjoy doing this as it gives us all an oppotunity to just sit, tell stories and enjoy each other's company. If you have not had the opportunity to join us, please don't let the summer slip by without at least stopping by once.

If you receive my emails or watch our website, you know that we got in 12 2009 Visions this week. We received these at a discount and we want to pass this discount on to you. Some of these units are priced as low as $16,000. Whether you have a bike now or need to trade yours in, don't hesitate to come and talk to us and let us see what we can work out. Don't let this opportunity to own one of these great bikes at a great price pass you by.

Join us this Sunday as we head up to Pomme de Terre and have ice cream at Mr. Ed's. Meet at the store at 1PM. It's about 60 miles up there and of course we will take the leisurely route. See you on Sunday.

Catching Up

2009-08-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I was a few weeks behind on updating my Blog. Well, it is August, time of relaxing on the porch with mint julips!

Our bike nights the last few weeks have continued to have a steady turnout of 'regulars'. This last Thursday, we went to Dairy Queen for some ice cream. We enjoyed this so much, we may do this more often. We had some new faces in the crowd and we missed some of our regulars who had other commitments. Bud and Carol and Bob went to the Victory Rally in Spirit Lake, Iowa - hope they are having a great time!

I did notice that the days are getting shorter and it is starting to get dark earlier in the evening. That means summer will be coming to an end all too soon. If you have not been to one of our bike nights, try to stop by before summer is over!

Victory Has Done It Again

2009-07-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

It has been a hectic couple of days here at the Victory Dealer Meeting. I had hoped to get something up last night after the Victory reveal, but there were so many people surrounding the new bike, that it was impossible to get a picture of the bikes.

If you have not gone to Victory Motorcycles website to see the new colors of the bikes as well as the two new models, the Cross Country and Cross Roads I will give you a peak here. These two new models are to complete the Touring lines for Victory that began 2 years ago with the introduction of the Vision. For those of you who want the comfort and ease of the ride of the Vision, but don't want or like something about the Vision, then the Cross Country or Cross Roads is the bike for you.

Here are a few pictures from the meeting today, which might give you a different perspective than what is on the Victory webiste.

Me with Michael Song and Roland Sands standing next to a Roland Sands version of the Hammer.

Me on a Cross Country and a Cross Roads. Theese 2 new bikes are AWESOME!

Tim on a Cross Country.

I thought this blog posted on Thursday night, but apparently I was too tired to do it correctly. Watch for another blog this weekend after I recover and collect my thoughts.

Who Says A 'Bike' Must Have A Motor

2009-07-17T07:42:00.001-07:00

If you missed Thursday Night Bike Night last night, you missed the opportunity to ride a 2 wheeler that was the hit of the evening. You just never know what will happen on Thursday nights in our parking lot. Click on the following link to see what you are missing!http://www.cruisin66cycles.com/2009bikenights.htm

The weather was perfect last night. It had cooled down considerably from the mid ninetys of earlier in the day after the brief afternoon thunderstorm that rolled through and I love the longer daylight hours. I do think the thunderstorms kept some bikes home, as I did not notice as many running up and down Glenstone as in the past few weeks. Too bad, as it was a beautiful evening.

There was much discussion among the regular crowd regarding our next two monthly Sunday afternoon rides. It looks like we may head to Jeff City for our 'Ice Cream Run' in August and maybe to Rogers, Arkansas for our'Fall In The Ozaks Ride'. If you are reading this blog, you know to watch for emails and our events website for the latest updates. If you haven't made it on one of these rides, you are missing out on some great fun. Check out the Gallery on our webpage to see some great pics!

Just a reminder, we will NOT have a Thursday Night Bike Night next week on Thursday, July 23rd. We'll be at the Victory Dealer Meeting in Minneapolis. See you on the 30th!

Good Friends, Good Food, Great Rides!

2009-07-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

What a great week it has been. Tim and I went to South Dakota for the 4th of July Weekend to visit friends. We did some riding while we were there, saw a lot of corn and a lot of bikes. We could not have asked for better riding weather. It was great to get away and relax with good friends. Thanks Jim and Thea!

Our weekly Thursday night bike night, once again, had a great turnout. We cooked outside, but ate inside since temperatures were in the low 90's. This has quickly become my favorite night of the week as it gives me a chance to take the time to visit with everyone in a relaxed atmosphere. If you have yet to attend, you are missing a great time with a great group of riders. Not only do we cook hot dogs and sometimes burgers, but Pineapple Whip is available in the parking lot as well as Coffee Avenue with excellent fruit and coffee smoothies!

Saturday we had a 'Birthday Party' at the store to celebrate the July birthdays of America, Victory, Tim, Sharon, Bud, Dave, Jim and many of our other customers. If you missed the opportunity to 'celebrate' with us and have some cake, watch for a simular event in August.

Today, Sunday, we went on our monthly Sunday ride. We decided to attempt the Ferry Boat Run again and I must say this time it turned out to be a success. The rain tried to keep us from this ride again, but by 10AM it had moved east and just kept the humity high. Carol told me we should just do the ride whether it rains or not as that is why we all have rain gear. We headed south on Hwy 125 with 14 bikes, 23 riders. Some had been on the route before and some had not. I think going down 125 then to H hwy through the Mark Twain National Forest is one of the most beautiful rides and as everyone who has done it will tell you, it has some of the best twisties in the area. We ate lunch at Danna's BBQ in Forsyth. Danna's has quickly become one of our favorite places to stop. The food is great, the prices are reasonable, the staff is super friendly, but most of all they are QUICK! After lunch we headed on down Hwy 125 to the Peels Ferry to cross Bull Shoals lake into Arkansas. This is always fun, but today the temps were close to 100 so it would have been fun to take a dip to cool off. Thanks to everyone who went with us today, I hope you had as much fun as I did. Thanks to Bud and Carol for being tailgunners, it made it easy to know we had everyone in the group when the roads straightened back out.

So, if you want to meet some great people, eat some great food and enjoy a great ride, join us in August for our 'Ice Cream Ride'.

Firecrackers

2009-07-03T07:24:00.000-07:00

Last night was a beautiful evening to be out riding your bike and hanging out with everyone. We did not have as many for bike night as usual, and I hope it was because everyone is gearing up for the 4th of July weekend.

We heard that Governor Nixon vetoed SB202 yesterday which would have repealed the Missouri helmet law for those of us over 21. Even though I always wear a full face helmet (The older I get the more I realize I must proctect my skin) I do believe it should be my choice. It is amazing to me that the House and Senate passed this bill by a wide margin and yet the Governor felt the need to veto it. I guess he thought he knew better than the House and Senate, who are voting as their constituents ask them to. Feels alot like what is happening in Washington DC these days. That's all I have to say about politics, I'll leave that to Tim.

So, if you have been putting off buying that new helmet, thinking you would not need one, stop by because you know we are the best place to get a helmet!

4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, as I love fireworks. I have a lot of great childhood memories as well as great memories with our kids that revolve around the 4th of July. When we sit in our yard and watch the fireworks around us and the smoke fills the valley in front of the house, I can only imagine what our forefathers felt during that turbulent time in America's history as they were fighting to free us from the control of England. Nothing gives me goosebumps faster than the 1812 Overture during fireworks!

So, as you enjoy this 4th of July with your family, please remember our soldiers around the world who are 'just doing their job' to keep America as free today as it was meant to be in 1776.

Did I Miss June and July?

2009-06-26T12:56:00.000-07:00

Good Grief! It feels like August already! It's hard to believe that just a month ago I was whining that I didn't think it was ever going to warm up and now..... Not that I am complaining, I would rather it be hot than cold and rainy!

We had some of our diehards show up for bike night last night even though temperatures were in the mid 90s. We also had some new faces including Big Dog owners and some of our Sport Bike Crowd. Brett came and cooked hot dogs and we added hamburgers this week. I think he regretted his decision to volunteer to cook after just a few minutes of the heat next to the grill. Once again, I think pineapple whip was the place to cool off.

We have had some positive response from folks on their bikes who are glad we are open late on Thursday. There seems to always be something that someone needs after normal hours!

And just in case you think our bike nights are boring, check out this picture of Tim trying out a piece of exercise equipment from the thift store next door.

You just never know what can happen at bike night.

See you next week!

Boy - It's Hot Out There

2009-06-19T14:58:00.001-07:00

With temperatures reaching close to 90 degrees, I was not sure if we would have anyone turn up for bike night this week. But, around 6:30, everyone began to pull into the parking lot. Many of you came in and hung out in the air conditioning for a while, but by 7PM, most everyone was outside as a breeze began.

Brett stood by the HOT grill and cooked hot dogs for us. What a trooper. I think the drinks were on me after that! I do think Pineapple Whip is doing better this year with the heat arriving in June instead of August!

Stop by next week and hang out with us.

Open House and Bike Blessing

2009-06-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

WOW! We could not have asked for a more beautiful day today. The temperature was perfect and the clouds were just enough to keep it from being too hot. Dave Pantleo, the area motorcycle chaplain for the Assembly of God, did 89 bike blessings today. We have been doing this bike blessing for 5 years, I think, and he said this was the largest turnout ever.

We guess that around noon we had close to 200 bikes in the parking lot. When I went out at Noon to announce the winners of the bike show, I was amazed at how many people and bikes were in the parking lot. That is sometimes a disadvantage to good weather for those of us working inside the store. Some folks never come in. Our vendor reps, Joby, Mark, and Ryan along with a local fireman, Chris, were the judges of the bike show, so it was non-biased. They did a great job of choosing the 8 winners. Check out the winners pics in our gallery page.

Dave and Brenda Pantleo also manned the cooking of the hot dogs, burgers and nachos along with the help of Brent. Carol S. took the great pictures you can see in the Gallery. Carol takes most of our pictures when we have an event and when we all get together and ride. She does a great job and is really good at capturing someone in a real moment.

Thanks to everyone who came to our event today.

Thursday Night Bike Night 6/4/09

2009-06-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

The weather was perfect for a bike night last night! What a great evening to kick off our Open House Weekend. We had so many bikes coming and going, I couldn't keep up with the count.

Notorious and Johnny came and entertained us again with some great stunting on their sport bikes. Of course, I taught them everything they know!! (Not really)

The Pineapple Whip stand was busy serving up their cold treats and Brett was busy cooking up Hot Dogs. The parking lot was full of regulars and new folks, who came and enjoyed the evening. As always we had a great time catching up with everyone and look forward to seeing you again next Thursday; same time, same place.

Thursday Night Bike Night 5/28

2009-05-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure it's May, but yesterday felt like October. What began as a cool drizzly day ended up being a comfortable evening for bike night. I didn't anticipate many showing up due to the cooler temperatures and the continuous confusion of rain or no rain so I sent everyone home except Tim and I. Needless to say, that was probably a mistake as we had a steady stream of bikes all evening long. I always enjoy bike night as it gives me an opportunity to spend a little more time just visiting with everyone but last night was a little too hectic for my relaxation pleasure! In other words, I had to work!

Even with the cooler temperatures, some still had their weekly Pineapple Whip fix. I'm still working on getting a replacement for the BBQ vendor who bailed on us last week. If you know of anyone who might be interested have them contact me.

If you are looking for some place to just hang out with other bikers, but in a non-alcohol environment, then stop by on Thursday's throughout the summer. Next week's bike night will be a kickoff to our Open House, so you will not want to miss it.

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We Still Got Wet Afterall!

2009-05-27T14:52:00.000-07:00

I'm not a very good story teller, but at the end of the ride last Sunday, Carol suggested I write down our adventure in a blog. So, here goes my attempt.

If you follow our website, you know that we try to do a ride each month all year long. We try to avoid wet weather, but will ride even when it is cold (Except me, I always try to get out of it when the thermometer drops below 40). This past Sunday, the 24th, we had scheduled our annual Ferry Boat Ride. We were to take a leisurely ride down 125 to Forsyth, have lunch at Dannas BBQ and then take the Ferry across Bull Shoals into Arkansas. This is always a great ride. Needless to say, this ride was not going to occur due to the weather that day. None of us wanted to purposely ride in thunderstorms.

So, we decided to head north and end up at Smith's Restaurant in Bolivar. We headed out old Route 66 leaving around 11:30am to Phillipsburg and then north to Bennett Springs State Park. We decided to ride through Bennett Springs and have a motorcycle parade. We did get a lot of attention! After leaving Bennett Springs, we took a few back county roads and ended up on Hwy 32 which was to take us into Bolivar. Unfortunately, Hwy 32 going West was closed and we had to go all the way back to either Conway or Lebanon to be able to head back west. We pulled into a gas station just south of Bennett Springs and the lady asked if we were lost because she saw us go by earlier. No, we weren't lost, we just had to make a complete circle due to the highway being closed and no warning. By that time it was nearly 2pm, fuel for both people and motorcycles were running low.

We decided to head to Lebanon and eat at a Mexican Buffett that Tom knew about. We get to the restaurant and low and behold it's CLOSED!!!! Good grief! We then circled back through town and pulled into a little Italian restaurant that looked promising, but alas, was not. The service took forever, the pizza was great, but if you had some of the Blue Cheese dressing, you weren't feeling very well the rest of the evening.

It was close to 4PM when we left there and the sky was beginning to look ominus. We all headed out together, but some were smarter than others. Some put their rain gear on before we left the restaurant, some put it on after turning the corner towards I-44 and seeing the dark cloud ahead and some of us thought we could beat the weather! Those of us who thought we could beat the weather were very wet by the time we got home, but our rain gear was nice and dry! What started out as a perfectly planned ride and was still a beautiful day to ride, ended with a story that we will all still be talking about 20 years from now.

The next time you think you don't have time to take a ride with a group of friends, think again, as you never know what kind of adventure you could have!

To view Cody's helmet cam video of the ride in the rain click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fidrs_mmPAQ