TGIF - Wichita Mountain Ride and PIE

May 21, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Here's (Ted) Dad riding in after spending the whole day out riding with friend Nubbin.

What started out as a short morning ride to Henrietta, TX ended up being a 200+ mile ride through the Wichita Mountains and the Wildlife Refuge with a stop at Ann's Country Kitchen for catfish (Dad - just had to brag on that) and a burger (Nubbin) plus a large slice of PIE. Dad said they both ate half a pie, which is a comment on the size of the dessert offered at Ann's. Was it chocolate or coconut creme Dad? Mom says: I'm sure they took their time there because they bragged on their food and the pie.

Tomorrow Dad and some of the gang are riding out yet again in hopes of intercepting the Run for the Wall as they ride across Texas on their annual journey to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. Good Luck with that guys and somebody take a camera!

TGIF Dam Ride x2

May 21, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Today's BTGTWR was a ride over the dam, but we enjoyed it so much we rode back over it again on the way home.

It was a great day in northern Colorado. Sunny and warm, maybe a bit breezy. We rode out in chaps but not the leather jackets - it was great for riding in hoodies today. The horsetooth was looking good, the lake is at full level, we are greening up nicely and the poppies are in bloom... did I mention the sun was shining? And it was warm? YAY!

A great day to ride in Texas

May 20, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Dad rolled out of the drive this morning on the Red Rooster (a label Mom affectionately applied to Dad's Ride) on a solo ride to anywhere he said. Molly, the dog (also in this pic) knows her master is about to ride off and she's a bit disgusted. Mom tells me Dad said "Let's Roll"... as he headed out and "I'm gone, be back when you hear me coming".

Dad rolled back in about 1:30 this afternoon after 185 miles. He rode to Seymour, Windthorst, Archer City, Olney, Vernon and back to Wichita Falls. He says it was a perfect day for a ride to anywhere and he enjoyed every minute of it.

P.S. Tim wants to know how Ted got out of the driveway with such a buggy windshield Inez???

Texas: Mission - Sons of the Fallen

May 18, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Ted and Inez (Mom and Dad) joined with over 50 other Patriots to honor the sons and family members of USAF Major Troy Gilbert.

The Times Record News reports Major Gilbert died Nov. 26, 2006, when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed 30 miles southwest of Balad Air Base in Iraq. His sacrifice meant others might live. A crew of 22 Delta Force members credit him with saving them. Major Gilbert received the Purple Heart posthumously, as well as the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. Gilbert completed his undergraduate pilot training at Sheppard AFB in 2001, and his son, Greyson was born at Sheppard.

The sons of Troy Gilbert, Boston (age 12) and Greyson (age 10) traveled from Florida to Wichita Falls, Texas for the premiere showing of a documentary, Sons of the Fallen. This documentary was filmed in 2009 while the boys attended a summer camp with 23 other sons. The camp is located in Colorado and was inspired by Major Gilbert for boys who have lost their fathers in Iraq or Afghanistan. The One Good Turn Ranch is a foundation built by Joey (retired Indy race car driver) and Melinda Truscelli in 2005 with the intent of fostering events and activities for children faced with adversity.


Gold Star Parents, Nubbin and Angela Johnston (whose son, Marine Sgt Gary Johnston died in Iraq) gave the boys a ride to the event on their motorcycles. They were greeted at the theater by over 50 patriots proudly standing the flag line in honor of Gilbert's sons and family, including his parents Ron and Kay Gilbert who reside in Wichita Falls.

Here are a few pics (photos courtesy of Inez aka Mom):

BTGTW Let's ride the lakes

May 17, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

The Harley has a fan club.

Our neighbor LeAnn (who runs a daycare across the street) says to the kiddos we are rock stars. But, we know - it is really the motorcycle that makes them run and squeal and jump up and down. Today they loved the flags. They are very curious, get excited over the noise (despite some plugged ears) and are usually all smiles and all talking at once. They love it when Tim rides over and stops for a few minutes. They run out the door yelling HI!-HI!-HI! and run to the corner yelling BYE!BYE!BYE! as we head out.

Today, we rode the lakes... up and over the south end of Horsetooth Reservoir where we stopped to take a few photos of The Ride, through Masonville, around the Lake (we call it no-name lake) near the Chasteen's Grove water treatment plant, to Carter Lake and on the way home by Lake Loveland.

It was a gorgeous day. Bright and warm. Tim should have played hooky today because the day only got better and better. Fifty three miles is nothing to complain about... in fact, that fifty three miles is what made going to work and doing chores bearable.

Test the flags ride...

May 16, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Talk about a couple of people glad to see some sunshine - that would be us! Yesterday was a long, dreary day of rain and clouds. There's just something really wrong with a gloomy Saturday in May. We spent the day cussing the skies and tinkering with some of the features on the bike. We tried on the head set for size, listened to the weather band radio predict rain for our area, tuned in the CB, plugged in the MP3 player, listened to ACDC on CD and other stuff. Finally we got out and ran a few errands in the cage. Boring! As we called it a day with a couple of beers, the skies began to clear.

The sun streaming through the blinds this morning had us up early and more than ready to shake off the soggy Saturday blues with a healthy ride. We rode today with flags flying from the new brackets Tim manufactured last week. We looked at several designs and balked at the price a bit so Tim being the creative guy he is - simply adapted a design that would work for us.

The first part of the test-the-flags ride sent us riding north on I-25 at 75-80 mph toward the Wyoming border. We rode about half way (20 miles or so) and turned around and roared south on I-25 a few more miles. We rode on, exploring a couple of new stretches of road to the northern edge of the Denver suburbs, stopping for coffee a couple of times and ice cream. Motorcycles were everywhere.

Mother Nature cooperated for the most part, at least along the Front Range. It snowed in the high country today. At one point, we rode up under a little cloud that threatened to shorten our day with rain. I said to Tim - ride away from it - quick - and we did. Today's ride was just over 200 miles - we passed 1300 miles on the new bike shortly after rolling out of the drive, we'll easily break 1500 miles before the end of the next week.

Highway riding on this Ride is going to be really, really nice. We are ready. Riding in northern Colorado is fun -- there are so many roads with gorgeous views and plenty of twists and turns and humps, lakes to ride around, dams to cross, roads in and out of the foothills, farm roads and country lanes, various canyons... but, we long for the open road, longer roads, new sites. Vacation time is coming up soon... and we plan to spend every day of our holidays and vacations riding.

Here are a few more pics:

Happy Birthday Nubbin

May 16, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

The Folks out and about today in Texas

May 15, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Just a couple of pics of the Folks lookin' good going and coming from the Open House festivities at Red River Harley-Davidson in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Too soggy to ride - but the flags flew anyway

May 15, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

We really wanted to ride today in celebration of Armed Forces Day.

Tim worked up these really nice flag brackets for the tour pack rack on BB (Black Beauty) and saved us about $100. Soggy was the name of the game today. Just about the time we thought it would dry up enough to roll out of the drive, another shower came through. Some of the weather around us became severe (funnel clouds and hail) so I guess it is just as well we stayed in and stayed dry.

Tomorrow looks to be a better day for riding and we are looking forward to it. Any day is a good day for flying the flag... even if it is just in the garage.

Armed Forces Day - USA

May 15, 2010
Colorado, USA

I received this in an email yesterday and thought it fitting to share on Armed Forces Day. Please take a moment to spare a quiet thought of appreciation for our military and their families and friends. Fly the flag. Wear a flag on your lapel. And if you see a vet or a soldier today - give a nod, tip a hat, shake a hand. And teach your children respect for our armed forces. Explain why this is an important day.

THE ONLY FLAG THAT DOESN'T FLY

Aerial photo courtesy of Bill Morson

Between the fields where the flag is planted, there are 9+ miles of flower fields that go all the way to the ocean. The flowers are grown by seed companies. It's a beautiful place, close to Vandenberg AFB. Check out the dimensions of the flag. The Floral Flag is 740 feet long and 390 feet wide and maintains the proper Flag dimensions, as described in Executive Order #10834. This Flag is 6.65 acres and is the first Floral Flag to be planted with 5 pointed Stars, comprised of White Larkspur. Each Star is 24 feet in diameter; each Stripe is 30 feet wide. This Flag is estimated to contain more than 400,000 Larkspur plants, with 4-5 flower stems each, for a total of more than 2 million flowers.

FYI: In the United States, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. It falls near the end of Armed Forces Week, which begins on the second Saturday of May and ends on the third Sunday of May. The day was created in 1949 to honor Americans serving in the five U.S. military branches – the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard – following the consolidation of the military services in the Department of Defense.