Day: Jul 15, 2014

Jul 10 to Jul 13, 2014

43rd Moto Guzzi National Owners Club NATIONAL RALLY

Elkader, Iowa at the Elkader City Park and Campground, northeast Iowa,

I had two days at the rally – the first day looking at the bikes and meeting the guys. The second day, we went for a ride with Brian and 3 of his mates from Michigan.

First the rally photos:

Larry’s bike

Doug from Evanston (in the grey cap)Doug’s mate has got a health problem so he arrived in a hot rod

Queues for chow-down

Out and about the camp site

Three lovely Guzzi girls ON THE SECOND DAY, BRIAN AND THREE OF HIS MATES PLUS MYSELF, WENT FOR A RIDE TO LANSING IOWA, ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. WE RODE UP TO A SCENIC OVERLOOK, THEN WE RODE BACK DOWN THE HILL INTO LANSING, IOWA, AND FOUND A RESTAURANT BY THE RIVER WHERE WE HAD LUNCH AND THEN RODE OVER THE BRIDGE TO WISCONSIN – YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PHOTO
WE RODE A BIG LOOP AROUND WISCONSIN BUT THEN IT STARTED TO RAIN, SO WE STOPPED TO PUT RAIN GEAR ON; ALSO,  COS I NEEDED TO PROTECT THE FANNY PACK WITH THE CAMERA IN IT. WE RODE BACK TO THE RALLY SITE IN ELKADER, STOPPING ON THE WAY FOR FUEL & ICE AND NOW, THE SUN CAME BACK OUT

A GROUP OF HOT RODDERS, AND A GROUP OF HARLEYS PULLED IN TO THE SAME FILLING STATION,
WHICH SORT OF FILLED THE PLACE UP. I TOOK SOME PHOTOS OF THE BIKES AND ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING RESTORED CARS

THE POLICE STATION

THEN WE CARRIED ON, BACK TO ELKADER, WHERE BRIAN BOUGHT ME DINNER, A FANTASTIC HUGE PORK CHOP WITH COLESLAW AND A BAKED POTATO, AND A POT OF ICE CREAM FOR DESSERT
IT WAS RAINING WHEN I SET OFF BACK TO THE MOTEL IN MANCHESTER. AT ONE POINT IT HAMMERED DOWN, BUT I MANAGED TO GET UNDER A GAS STATION ROOF, SO I DID A FILL UP THEN HAD A HOT CHOCOLATE STANDING IN SQUELCHY BOOTS. AS THE RAIN EASED OFF, I SET OFF AGAIN – JUST IN TIME TO GET HIT BY A SECOND WAVE

IT RAINED SO HARD, THAT RAIN FORCED ITS WAY THROUGH THE RUBBER SEAL AT THE TOP OF MY VISOR SO I HAD WATER RUNNING DOWN IT, BOTH INSIDE & OUT. AS THOSE THAT HAVE TRIED IT KNOW, IT DOES NOT HELP YOUR VISION IN ANY WAY! THE RAIN CAN’T BE WIPED OFF SO YOU HAVE TO RIDE WITH YOUR HEAD AT AN ANGLE, TRYING TO PEER THROUGH THE CLEAR BITS; IT ALSO ENTAILS OVERTAKING ANY CARS OR TRUCKS THAT MIGHT BE AHEAD OF YOU AS THE SPRAY THEY THROW UP, DOES NOTHING TO HELP THE SITUATION. I THINK, AT ONE POINT I WAS DOING AROUND NINETY TO GET PAST SOME OLD LADY WHO FOR WHATEVER REASON DIDN’T WANT ME OVERTAKING HER

ANYWAY, AS I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO MY MOTEL, THE RAIN STOPPED AND PATCHES OF BLUE SKY COULD BE SEEN THROUGH THE RAIN CLOUDS

I GOT INTO MY ROOM, GOT MY RUCKSACK AND RAIN GEAR OFF, THEN REMOVED MY BOOTS, AND POURED WATER OUT OF THEM, INTO THE SINK

THEN IT WAS A CASE OF HANGING ALL THE WET GEAR UP. THANK GOD THE ROOM HAS MODERN AIR-CON UNIT THAT GOES BOTH HOT & COLD; I PUT IT ON LOW HEAT. NEXT, AFTER USING THE BATH FLOOR MAT TO SOAK AS MUCH WATER OUT OF MY BOOTS AS I COULD,  I PUT THE HAIR DRYER ON LOW AND HOOKED IT OVER A BOOT. I SPENT ALL EVENING SHIFTING THE HAIR DRYER FROM RUCKSACK TO BOOT, TO OTHER BOOT AND SLOWLY GOT EVERYTHING DRYI’VE HAD THE WEATHER CHANNEL WAS ON THIS MORNING AND THEY WARNED OF DANGEROUS STORMS HEADING EAST, OVER ME, SO I PAID FOR ANOTHER DAY AND WILL BE LEAVING IN THE MORNING

I’M HEADING FOR OHIO, BUT THE WEATHER WILL DETERMINE IF I GO ALL THE WAY, OR STOP SOMEWHERE.