Friday morning dawned warm and dry as our group headed west through Kingman and onto the drainage of Sacramento Wash.  As Jerry told us in our EZ66 Guide, “no turns, no stops, just ease along and watch the ragged ramparts of the Black Mountains.”  Our first stop was in Cool Springs.  This old station was recently rebuilt after being blown up for the movie, Universal Soldier. We also featured an image of the stop in some of our promotional materials so I was anxious to check it out.

Things got wild at this point as we headed up the mountain on the Oatman Highway.  It’s steep, crooked and has some crazy drop-offs and once we reached the peak at Sitgreaves Pass it was time to stop, relax and take a few more photographs, not for long however because you have to come down, plus we knew the next stop would be a fun one so we didn’t linger long!  Oatman, the town full of wild burros was next and although we didn’t get to witness any burros we found the Oatman Hotel and Café and I kid-you-not when I tell you there must have been $100,000 in one dollar bills stapled to the walls and ceilings in this great place.  Some date back to 1923!

Next stop California!  The heat kicked in and we decided we should have left a little earlier but the fun factor was making it all worth while as I had pulled together one of my early riding groups and we were having as much fun as we had had more than a week ago.  Once in California we rejoined Route 66 and made our way to Needles and then to Amboy where we stopped at Roy’s Café and Motel.  This great old place was recently purchased by a Route 66 Savior and I’m sure good times are ahead for this landmark.  It had really heated up by this point and the awnings over the pumps were a welcome respite from the blazing sun.

We decided we had to make up some time so we jumped on the super slab and headed to Victorville and the California Route 66 Museum where the volunteers were wonderful hosts and we all enjoyed cool beverages and the great exhibits.  This museum also had a great selection of souvenirs so of course, shopping was in order!  We jumped on the freeway for the final leg of the day and made our way to Pomona Valley Harley-Davidson, our final dealer stop of this magnificent trip.  Brian Law and his crew had fresh, hot fried chicken and all the fixins’ for us.  As a great band played inside the showroom everyone shopped and relaxed as the stories of the day began to be told.

Saturday morning dawned to the sound of motorcycles rumbling out of the hotel well before 7:00a.m. as most who had decided to make the trek to the Santa Monica Pier wanted to do so before the heat set in and the traffic got crazy!  We arrived just after 8:00 and made our way out to the pier where we met up with Dan Rice, one of Route 66’s newest and best ambassadors.  He and his wife run a souvenir cart out on the pier and as we learned about the end of the route from Dan we also learned that his shop sells only made in the USA t-shirts and products, what a refreshing change from so much of what we had seen!  Of course there were lots of pictures taken under the sign that crosses over the road as well as at the Will Rogers Highway Marker in Palisades Park.

Our trip back to Ontario included a stop at the very first In and Out Burger for a tasty lunch at the this famous Southern California eatery.  Once we arrived at the hotel reality set in, our time together was drawing to a close and it would soon be time to say our goodbyes, stuff everything onto the bikes and make our way back to the real world.  At the farewell celebration Saturday evening Schoony (Kris Schoonover, Director of H.O.G. and Consumer Events) shared stories from his two Survivor Rides and then teamed up with Shawn Hughes of Macanudo Cigars to raise more than $1,300 for Harley’s Heroes by auctioning off mementos of the tour.  Over the two weeks of this touring rally over $3,000 was raised from our members who generously donated to this program that benefits America’s Disabled Veterans.

I’ve been at this gig through four riding seasons now and as the evening came to a close and so many of my friends came by to say thanks, offer suggestions for future rides and to try and bribe me for information about 2011 plans I couldn’t help but be a little sad that I wouldn’t see some of these great folks for a year or more.  These H.O.G. members are infectious and every year I think our time together can’t get any better but it always does.

So to Jim and Robyn, Drew, J.Carolyn and Jerry, Louis and Patty, Larry and Betty, Carl and Rose, Paul and Lisa (and that whole crazy, wild group from Michigan), Jim and Joy, Eric and Peggy, Dave, Ben, Brian, Remy, Walt, Tampa Ted, Christie, and so many others that I’ve enjoyed spending time with the last couple of weeks I can only say THANK YOU for choosing to spend some of your valuable time with Schoony, Peggy, Brenda, Jenna, Chris, Angie, Leah, Shawn, Don, Wil and myself.  We are privileged to get to spend this time with you, our valuable members.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say thank you to and recognize our wonderful Route 66 hosts, Michael and Suzanne Wallis.  As I said in the beginning their love of the Mother Road is infectious and I know my life has been transformed from the time I’ve spent getting to know them and work with them over the past 18 months.  There truly is a Route 66 network out there and Michael is the main catalyst but as we found out, this is a lively group who talk often and Michael and Suzanne are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Route 66 enthusiasts.  I encourage all of you to put Route 66 on your “bucket list”!

Until next time, ride safe, ride often and keep the shiny side up.

The Kansas HOG

Talk about extremes, Thursday dawned with a temperature of 40 degrees in Flagstaff and I literally had to scrape the frozen rain off of the seat of that shiny new Road Glide Ultra.  It was deemed by all that a slightly later departure time was warranted and so shortly after 8:00a.m. we headed for Grand Canyon Harley-Davidson and some warm pancakes, sausage and hot coffee.  The dealership is located on an original stretch of Route 66 just down the road from the Pine Breeze Motel in Richfield, made famous by the Easy Rider movie.  Dealer Kyle Rose made sure everyone was well fed before we headed west and the temperatures began to head upwards!

For our group the first stop was Seligman, Arizona.  I first discovered this famous Route 66 stop nearly a year ago and it was probably the place I was looking forward to more than any other.  We parked in front of Angel Delgadillo’s Barber Shop and the Visitors Center and I was thrilled to find Angel just finishing a haircut when we arrived.  It was fun to show everyone where my business card was from my visit in 2009.  After getting an autograph and doing a little shopping we headed down the street to the historic Route 66 General Store and Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-in (Angel’s brother operates this eatery known for the pranks they pull on customers.)

It was fun to be off of the super-slab for the rest of the day.  We scooted along through the sagebrush covered hills and viewed the beautiful canyons as we motored to our next stop, the Hackberry General Store.  The old Corvette convertible that sits gracefully in the driveway was there just as it had been nearly a year ago.  By the time we stopped the temperature had risen and it was just plain hot!  Liberal doses of sunscreen were applied, the cool beverages were consumed and all of the Route 66 souvenirs were perused yet another time!

Next stop, Kingman and our home for the evening, the early arrival afforded several of us the opportunity to clean the road grime from the shiny steeds and do some exploring around the city of Kingman.  Our host for the evening was Mother Road Harley-Davidson.  John and Tony really know how to throw a party and as the sun sat on another beautiful riding day we enjoyed barbecued chicken, spicy cole-slaw and ranch beans, yummy!  The dealership gave everyone the opportunity to throw a couple of horseshoes to earn a discount on dealership merchandise, believe me when I tell you that we’ve got several ringers in this group!

This trip is winding down and we are all starting to realize that once we hit California our time together will be limited.  In the meantime though, we jump at every opportunity to see something new, strike up a conversation with someone you’ve met on a past tour or reach out to a new friend.  It won’t be long before we are planning the next great adventure.

Ride Safe everyone and I hope to see you on a future H.O.G. Touring Rally.

Live from the Motoring the Mother Road H.O.G. Touring Rally,

The Kansas HOG

It was a beautiful day for riding in the Land of Enchantment as everyone headed out on Tuesday for rides to Santa Fe and around Albuquerque.  Late afternoon brought us to Thunderbird Harley-Davidson where John Greene and crew treated us to some fantastic, authentic New Mexican grub – freshly roasted peppers, green chili and fajitas.  It was another great example of how supportive our dealers are of the H.O.G. touring rallies.  The dealership also arranged for a guided ride across town to where the Cannonball Express riders were landing so many of the members headed off to see what that was all about.

A group of us headed to downtown Albuquerque and the Nob Hill area to get a glimpse of some of the restored neon after dark.  I have to say some of the older icons are more than alive and well and it proved to be a beautiful Indian summer evening in the high desert.

Wednesday morning dawned with muggy and overcast conditions in Albuquerque and everyone had been watching the weather and knew what was ahead on our longest mileage day of the rally.  Most donned their rain suits before even departing from the hotel.  Some in our group decided we would take our chances and see how far we could get before stopping to “gear-up”.  We had just made it up Nine-Mile Hill and the Rio Puerco Bridge when the decision was made to pull over and get the gear on!

As the rain pelted us we zipped by Budville, Villa de Cubero, McCartys and Grants.  We finally made it to Gallup and discovered that the El Rancho Motel and Hotel had a nifty covered motorcycle parking area that was calling out our soaked names!  We pulled in, peeled off the wet gear and headed in for a look around and as the sky unloaded we decided an early lunch was in order.  It was great walking the halls of this fantastic place and seeing the famous actors name’s that graced each of the guest room doors.  Many of the classic westerns were filmed in the area and the hotel played host to all of the stars.

The time finally arrived where we knew if we were going to make it to Flagstaff we had to gear-up and head out.  What a miserable ride, but hey, this is what we do and by the time we arrived at Holbrook it had begun to dissipate and the Wigwam Motel was our next stop.  This place was the inspiration for the Cozy Cone Motel in Pixar’s CARS movie.  Next stop the Jackrabbit Trading Post.  Great photo opportunities as it is the only 8’ tall fiberglass jackrabbit that I have ever seen!  If you’ve ever driven along Interstate 40 and seen all of the yellow billboards this is one of those places and it’s worth the stop, at least once anyway!

As the sun started to jump in and out of the clouds we rolled into Winslow, Arizona, the town made famous by the Eagles, Take it Easy.  The city recently redid the famous Kinsley and Second streets corner and of course we were quick to “stand on the corner” and have our trusty photographers Wil and Don snap a few great shots.  There are several souvenir stores and of course the great mural that graces the corner.

We rolled into Flagstaff, our home for tonight and tomorrow morning and hunkered down before it started raining again.  Wednesday night was dinner in downtown Flagstaff at the historic Weatherford Hotel and then a visit to the Orpheum Theater for some live music from Mike Anthony Jones and Generation Jones.  It was an awfully long and tiring day, but certainly another great day on the Mother Road.

Ride Safe everyone and I hope to see you on a future H.O.G. Touring Rally.

Live from the Motoring the Mother Road H.O.G. Touring Rally,

The Kansas HOG

Sunday and Monday can only be described as a couple of days of extreme contrasts.  I think everyone would agree that as we moved west and gradually climbed in elevation the temperatures were more tolerable!  We were definitely entertained from both ends of the spectrum.  And finally, as I eluded to in my last post, we’ve reached the halfway point and you can see the great bonds that have formed between new friends and old alike and I have to tell you, it’s going to be tough to bid farewell when the time comes.

Sunday we had some great stops along the Mother Road as we crossed the Pony Bridge, stopped for a quick visit at Lucille’s outside Hydro, OK and then rolled into Clinton, OK.  This city is home to the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum and we were pleased to be included in their anniversary celebration that took place throughout the day on Sunday.  Pat and her staff greeted everyone personally and as is true with so much of the road we could not have felt more at home and welcomed.  The museum is truly a gem and even though it was my second time through in just the last year or so, I still enjoyed myself immensely.

Back on the road again we headed for Erick, OK in far western Oklahoma.  This is where the entertainment spectrum does a 180 degree turn.  Harley and Annabelle, the “Mediocre Music Makers” at the Sand Hill Curiosity Shop can only be described as the most bizarre site on the route to date and I have to tell you, in my mind it is probably the wildest thing this flatlander will see for years to come!  There were bologna sandwiches and Oreo cookies, some open bottles of liquor (as in half gallons and fifths), some rot-gut, horrid beer and open bags of stale chips everywhere.  As the tourist bus from the UK pulled away the show began for the members of the Harley Owners Group.  They sang and played their guitars while members grabbed the tambourines and shakers that Harley threw at them and joined in.  Some of the best photographs of this trip will come from the time spent with Harley and Annabelle and the memories of them hugging and kissing everyone are engrained in my memory forever.  Did I mention the restroom?  That’s a story for another time (and several cocktails!)

We saddled up and headed for Shamrock and the famous U-Drop-In, Groom’s huge cross and finally our home for the evening, Amarillo.  The famous Texas Panhandle town is home to the Big Texan Steakhouse and Tripp’s Harley-Davidson.  The fine folk’s at Tripp’s treated us to some great grub from Haufbrau’s Steak House and even though it had heated up a good time was had by all.  In the past year Tripp’s opened their expanded and upgraded dealership and it was special to help them celebrate this milestone in their dealer history.  Amarillo H.O.G. members and longtime Posse Riders Gary and Sheryl joined us at the party.  I enjoyed catching up with these great friends who weren’t able to join us for the tour but who made a point to stop by and see many of their fellow riders from over the years.

Monday morning dawned crisp and sunny as we headed west for the famous Cadillac Ranch.  We took over with spray painting and photographers.  We created our own version of the famous site, we spelled out H.O.G. using members and generally just “ran-a-muck” for most of an hour.  Next stop, Adrian, TX and the official half-way point of the ride.  The Midpoint Cafe was serving pie and fresh cinnamon rolls and it really didn’t matter that it was not even noon, yet!  Fran and her staff were geared up and we even got to witness a pie eating contest between 8 H.O.G. members who were participating in Schoony’s Survivor Ride.

We headed out for Tucumcari, New Mexico and the famous Blue Swallow Motel.  Back on the bikes we traveled to Santa Rosa, the Route 66 Auto Museum and the Blue Hole.  At last count I had heard of at least 4 members taking the plunge (one even went in with boots on and fully clothed!)  After lunch at Joseph’s Bar and Grill (excellent So papilla’s and Mexican fare!) we headed for Cline’s Corners and Albuquerque and our home for the next couple of nights.

It’s becoming very obvious to me why this road is so infectious.  The history, the stories and the fabulous and unique individuals that make up all of these iconic stops are the lifeline of the Mother Road and if you’re just along for the riding and not taking all of this in you are missing a great opportunity to experience something that is so unique to the American culture.  It’s easy to see why so many visitors from all of the continents make the trek to Chicago to drive and experience the Mother Road, it is truly an American Treasure and believe me when I tell you it is alive and coming back!

Ride Safe everyone and I hope to see you on a future H.O.G. Touring Rally.

Live from the Motoring the Mother Road H.O.G. Touring Rally,

The Kansas HOG

Hey Everybody! Guess what, we’ve reached the half-way point in time, but not quite yet in miles! That means we’ve got some long days on the road in front of us. Before we worry about that I’ve got to tell you about how exciting Friday was along Route 66 on the way to OKC.

The day started bright and early on Friday morning with a scrumptious pancake and sausage breakfast, compliments of Reba, Johnny and James McClanahan at Myers-Duren Harley-Davidson. The McClanahan’s then joined us up the street, along the banks of the Arkansas River at the Cyrus Avery Plaza where we took our group photograph. The background of the photograph will feature the roadway spanning the river. Michael Wallis explained the significance of the location as being the point along the route where East meets West. Following the full group photograph we took an equally important group photograph of all of the women who were riding their own motorcycles on the

rally. Can you guess how many of these great gals are in the picture? 35 female Road Warriors, I had no idea how many there would be, but that ends up being more than 10% of those members who are traveling the entire route. I’ve got to tell you, THESE GIRLS ROCK in my book!

After the picture concluded we head west on route 66 for Stroud and the famous Rock Café. Per usual, our resident foodie the “Wisconsin Custard King” Drew took charge upon our arrival and was clearing tables and orchestrating seating for one and all! Lunch was great, although we missed seeing the proprietor, Dawn as she was out for the day. Dawn is one of the characters in the Cars movie and a beautiful portrait of the movie character hangs above the fireplace in the newly, rebuilt eatery. (A fire destroyed the original building in 2008 but you never know it now.)

Our next stop was Chandler and the Route 66 Interpretive Center. A wonderful old armory building that now serves several purposes for the community. We had our choice of a craft fair and the great Route 66 exhibit. Up the street and around the corner was McJerry’s Route 66 Gallery. I’ve been visiting with Jerry McClanahan for months in preparation for the tour as he is the author of the EZ66 Guide, the great maps and directions that everyone is using to navigate the Mother Road. I’m sure everyone on the tour would have to agree that he has eliminated more than a couple of turn-a-rounds every day. Jerry’s artistry is feature in the gallery as well as at numerous places along the route.

The day was quickly getting away from us when we stumbled upon one of the newest additions to the route, the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum. Housed in a former DX Station that is a National Historic Site the museum features a number of great antique and unique motorcycles as well as lots of great Route 66 souvenirs. Back on the bikes Arcadia was our next destination.

The 1898 restored Round Barn and Route 66 exhibit was next up on the list. This great old structure features a loft that can be rented for dances, receptions and various other events and it was great fun looking out the upper level windows at the beautiful Oklahoma countryside. In the distance was Pop’s and as things heated up the giant white soda bottle with the bent straw was looking pretty tasty! We rolled up the road a couple of miles for our complimentary soda, my choice you ask, bugs splat (or something to that affect) a tasty combination of kiwi and pineapple!

We rolled into west Oklahoma City only to find the parking lot at Harley-Davidson World jam packed with Oklahoma City’s “Biggest Bike Night of the Year!” Dan and Sara Newman and the crew had a great country-rock band playing tunes, some tasty food and beverages and of course, lots of good company discussing the events of the day. It was nice to know that we would be in the same bed for a couple of nights and for me, a mini family reunion as my father and good friends Dennis and Jan were waiting for us at the hotel.

Saturday morning dawned and we were all headed off to Bricktown for some breakfast and more timely information from our friends, Michael and Suzanne Wallis. Saturday morning’s lesson included some great suggestions for our day in Oklahoma City and all kinds of great pointers for the next few riding days until we meet again in Albuquerque. People were lined up at the conclusion of the talk for autographs and Q&A. These great folks are true gems, and so gracious and knowledgeable.

Since all of my clothes had taken on a life of their own I decided to spend the afternoon at the laundry mat but I heard some great stories later in the day about trips to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, the Oklahoma City National Memorial, the Oklahoma State Fair and so much more. A good day to relax, re-group, repack and rejuvenate!

Ride Safe everyone and I hope to see you on a future H.O.G. Touring Rally.

Live from the Motoring the Mother Road H.O.G. Touring Rally,

The Kansas HOG

How in the world are we supposed to see all of this cool stuff????

We hit the road this morning with 9 motorcycles, 13 Fabulous H.O.G. members and 4 “Barbies”, yes I said bikini-clad Barbies for probably one of the coolest days of the trip!

Outside of Springfield, MO we rumbled into Paris Springs and the Gay Parita Sinclair Station where proprietor and builder, Gary Turner welcomed us with coffee and honey-buns – you know us H.O.G. members were all about the food!

Next stop was Cycle Connection in Joplin for a quick stop and yet another t-shirt, this one commemorating the 40th anniversary of Nancy and Scott Hutson’s dealership. It’s worth noting here than after talking with Nancy several times over the phone I was anxious to meet this bubbly personality in person. When I asked for her I was told she was out for an extended period but Scott was in-house and I was directed to him. Sounded a little odd since the last time we spoke Nancy was quite excited to be involved and have us coming through. Scott welcomed us and explained that recently a young Muscular Dystrophy patient that the Hutson know required some care and wheel chair work and Nancy had jumped at the chance to be involved so out the door she went. This MDA thing reaches far and wide and it is certainly humbling to see how far our company and our dealers will go to help Jerry’s kids.

Then we were on to my home state and the shortest stretch of Route 66 in any of the 8 states, KANSAS! We were headed for the vintage concrete-post viaduct (bridge) over the tracks only to be diverted around it because, YEA, it’s being refurbished and saved. After rolling into Galena our first stop was “4 Women on The Route.” The four woman are now just 3 and only 2 were there today but boy or boy could they talk and rattle off the information. This beautifully restored Kan-O-Tex gas station is the home of “Tow Tater, the inspiration for Mater from CARS. Great photo ops were had by all including our shiny red chase vehicle, the yet-to-be-named (in CARS lingo, anyway) Chevrolet Camaro SS.

After that was lunch at Eisler Bros. Grocery and Deli in Riverton and then we were off to see the famous Rainbow Bridge. This is the last of the Marsh Arch bridges as there were 3 once upon a time just along the Kansas leg of the route and the other two were lost in the name of progress.

We were on a feverish pace by now, especially if you consider that at every stop the Barbies had to be positioned and photographed! In Baxter Springs we saw the 1930s-era Phillips 66 Station that shows the other color option from our first sighting of one of these on Wednesday in Cuba, MO. Finally we visited a nifty new motorcycle museum and then headed for Oklahoma.

The afternoon was quickly getting away from us so we did a quick run by Waylan’s KuKu Burger in Miami (that’s ounced My-am-uh!) We tricked our group next as we headed them south out of Miami and headed towards the famous “9 foot highway” AKA Sidewalk Highway or Ribbon Road. I still remember the first time I traveled this famous stretch like it was yesterday and now here I was traveling along again with dirt and gravel on either side of the center paved stretch we eeked our way towards Afton. Next up was Foyil and just outside of town the world’s largest Totem Pole at a height exceeding 90 feet. The Totem Pole is in the process of being refurbished while the rest of the property contains a colorful collection of additional, smaller Totem Poles. Another awesome photo opportunity!

Finally, as the sun was starting to get into my eyes we were headed for the crowning jewel of the day, the Blue Whale in Catoosa, OK. This is the grinning, concrete cetacean star of a former swimming hole that now serves as a park and fishing hole. YEP, you guessed it, another crazy opportunity for numerous photographs of both the group and individual variety. The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is our home for the evening and I suspect the tables will be busy late into the night.

Let’s hope this never ends!  It was another banner day as H.O.G.’s September Road Warriors made their way west.

Our group of 8 gleaming Harley’s departed under sunny skies (more on that later!) for our first stop, the Route 66 Exhibit at Route 66 State Park.  The former Bridgehead Inn on the banks of the Meramec River is the old Roadhouse that plays host to this outstanding exhibit.  Back on the road our next stop was Bourbeuse Valley Harley-Davidson.  As a self-proclaimed H-D T-shirt connoisseur I have to admit that I just get chills when I go to this dealership.  They have the finest selection I’ve seen to date!  Michelle Edwards and the crew were running around at full speed offering dealer pins, snacks water and coffee.  They even had the local fire departments ladder truck onsite to lift up the photographers to get a picture of the parking lot full of travelers!  Of note, is the fact that this is the only Harley-Davidson dealership on the original Route 66.

Near Stanton was a quick stop at the Jesse James Wax Museum and the adjoining Antique Toy Museum.  Next up was Cuba, MO the Route 66 Mural City, an original version of a Phillips 66 Service Station and the Wagon Wheel Motel.  We strolled the streets admiring the 12 giant murals and then enjoyed lunch at the Bakery Café.

After lunch we headed west and discovered what has to be the largest rocking chair at the US 66 Outpost and General Store in Fanning.  Since we couldn’t climb up on it we managed to get a few photographs, imagine that!  At this point several took off for old 66 as it curls around Devils Elbow while part of the group headed for another great dealer stop at Ozark Harley-Davidson.  It was at this point that several in our group decided that they needed new rain gear as we got our first drenching of the trip, but hey, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Yikes, the day was quickly winding down and there was still so much to see we headed for Springfield.  This was one of those days when you know you’re going to have to come back some day because you just can’t possibly see it all.  Once again my friend Jim and I commented that even though he has traveled this storied route numerous times he still finds new and unique treasures on every trip and I know from past H.O.G. adventures that these tours just wet my appetite for a return trip.

We landed in beautiful sun-drenched Springfield just in time to head over to Denney’s Harley-Davidson and the hospitality of the Denney family.  As the party drew to a close the clouds had settled in and yep, you guessed it, we were about to get wet again.

It’s time to dry some things out, more tomorrow! Ride Safe everyone and I hope to see you on a future H.O.G. Touring Rally.

Live from the Motoring the Mother Road H.O.G. Touring Rally,

The Kansas HOG

We headed out to Cozy Dog in Springfield, IL for a little breakfast, yes I said Cozy Dog!  We slammed the place at 8:00 a.m. and I have to say that the Cozy Dog batter truly is the best.  What a way to start the day!  The place was full by the time we pulled a way at 8:45 and headed south.

On a personal note, I come from a family that was once upon a time in the drug store business and later in the ready mixed concrete business so that preface will make the next portion of this story make a little more sense.  As we made our way from Springfield south on the 1926 – 1930 alignment of Route 66 I was struck about how nostalgia took over my thoughts.  The narrow concrete roadways were lined with dry-land corn that was nearing the time of harvest and much of the time I felt like I was home in Southwest Kansas.  Also, I reminisced about the stories I have heard from my grandmother who talks of traveling to Chicago to attend the drug store conventions and I couldn’t help but think that the Fankhauser Chrysler might have traveled these very roads once or twice as they navigated towards the windy city for business.  As a side note, I think she also mentioned that they took the train a lot of the time!

 One of the highlights of this entire tour happened Tuesday afternoon when our group of 8 approached the famous Chain of Rocks Bridge.  We were on the east side of the mighty Mississippi River and we had arrived just in time to make the 1:30 crossing and I have to tell you it was BREATHTAKING!  We stopped for approximately 15 minutes on pristine concrete and steel and were allowed to take pictures with friends, motorcycles, our beautiful bright red Camaro SS and more black leather than that old bridge had probably ever seen as more than 100 motorcycles made up our group.  Our trusted guide, Kevin finally alerted us that the next group would be shorted this same opportunity if we did not move along.  So reluctantly, we mounted our steeds made the famous turn in the bridge and exited into the great state of Missouri.

Next stop was Blueberry Hill for more history, great late-lunch conversation and of course, food!  It wasn’t long until we were at our host for the evening, Doc’s Harley-Davidson, just off of the route in Kirkwood, MO.  Patty Bush is the proprietor of this 55-year-old family held dealership and the pictures and history that she shared tied right into our Route 66 lore.  Our hats are off to Patty, Rich and the staff for yet another great dealer party, especially since it was right on the heals of their weekend anniversary celebration.

 What I tell you next is what H.O.G., Harley-Davidson and these tours are all about.  After the party we headed off to Ted Drewes for one of the famous “Concrete Mixers”.  The place was packed and H.O.G. members trickled in the entire time we were there but it was what happened just as we were preparing to depart that made my day.  Two riders struck up a conversation about their bikes tourpaks.  As the conversation about that topic wound down and the one of the wives was ready to head out the gentlemen shook hands and exchanged names and it was at that time that they realized that they had worked together more than 30 years ago as young 20-somethings in a hospital in the Chicago area.  The look on their faces was priceless.  Now I can guarantee that Jeff and Jim will be spending some time reconnecting in the next few days and all I could think about was that this was a result of both being H.O.G. members! 

That’s all for now.  Ride Safe everyone and I hope to see you on a future H.O.G. Touring Rally.

Live from the Motoring the Mother Road H.O.G. Touring Rally,

The Kansas HOG