October 4, 2009
Fort Collins, CO
Life isn't about how to survive the storm
but how to ride in the rain...
Mother Nature was not on her best behavior again... We knew the weather was due to turn cold and wet today, but when we rode out this morning it was dry. Cloudy and cold, but not unbearably so. The temperature was in the low 40s.
We didn't have that far to go. Thunder Mountain is about ten miles from the house or perhaps a bit further if you take the scenic route. Registration for the Toy Run began at 9 am. We arrived about 9:45 am along with a good many other riders. I think most of us waited to see how the weather would play out this morning. We had about 75 to 100 bikes for the 22nd Annual Toy Run for Santa Cops. We registered and warmed ourselves with a cup of coffee and roamed in and out of the 2010 bikes, admiring in particular a 2010 Electra Glide. I was hoping to see the new Street Glide Trike but they didn't have one on the floor.
When Santa called for us to gather and announced the route, we learned we would be riding back to Fort Collins passing through only a few blocks from our neighborhood. This seemed rather odd since Loveland has many good rides and roads. I made a face when Santa said we would ride through downtown Fort Collins instead of downtown Loveland. Neither downtown is good for riding... cramped streets with back-out parking... too much traffic... too many lights. No scheduled stops were planned. We would ride a circuitous route back to Thunder Mountain to deliver the toys (which had us scratching our heads - uh - that didn't make a whole lot of sense - did it?).
We had a fire truck escort to Loveland's city limits, but no police escort which meant we had to stop at all red lights and stop signs and deal with regular traffic cutting in and blocking the procession. Weird. At one point, starting out, the fire truck led us into a Safeway/Strip Mall parking lot where we waited (most of us puzzled at the unexpected detour) for about a half dozen bikers to catch up. I guess. I'm guessing again that the leaders were trying to get us all lined out in a pack before heading to Fort Collins or maybe they didn't know about the road construction on this part of the route until they ran up on the signs. The traffic did not cooperate. We rode with campers and horse trailers and impatient people on their way to church or breakfast and other Sunday morning destinations.
The ride was painfully slow with lots of stops and starts. It was getting colder. We rode through Fort Collins, to the town of LaPorte (both of us thinking wistfully of hot coffee and warm cinnamon rolls at Vern's which was not far away) and on to the northern edge of downtown Fort Collins where we cut off to go to the house, take bathroom breaks, and warm up. We weren't the only ones peeling off here and there throughout the run. One of the HOG guys riding sweep said they lost about 50 bikes along the way. I couldn't help but notice at the onset that many of the bikers were not dressed warmly enough. We actually caught up with the remaining riders on the southern edge of Fort Collins and rode back to Loveland with them.
Like I said, it was getting colder and we rode several miles in a fine, mist-like rain. We had our toys protected. Many riders did not. Arriving at Thunder Mountain, we handed over our toys to the girls at the front desk. There were lots of toys and that's a good thing. I estimate the donations would fit in the back of a regular-size pickup with only a little room to spare. I finally got the grumpy Santa to smile for a photo. Then, we stood in line with the rest of the cold, damp group (most of whom seemed to be local HOG members) for what turned out to be a cold hot dog for me, cold chili dog for Tim, chips, cookies and a warm Pepsi. Naw - we're not complaining - we didn't ride for the food - although I did wonder about what was apparent lack of timely preparation.
The rain looked like it was setting in and it was coming down a little harder. It didn't take long for most of us on bikes (some had ditched bikes and returned in cars) to clear out. We rode home in cold rain that turned to tiny sleet that turned to snow flurries in the few miles back to Fort Collins where the weather improved somewhat. At least, the streets were dry. It took a good while and another pot of coffee for us to thaw out properly.
We're glad to help the kids and would do it again in a minute. In retrospect, I can't help thinking that after 22 years - this Toy Run could have been better organized and also it had a rather poor turnout for such a huge bike population as there is in this area. Perhaps the weather was a factor, I don't know. And, other than a soggy slip of paper with the map of the route (which, in the end, was not adhered to) we have nothing to show we attended the event. We haven't ridden in many organized rides so we don't have a large frame of reference. We have heard Dad and his buddies talk about some of the runs they participate in so, we had a few expectations.
The Toy Run in Texas we attended the last couple of years at Thanksgiving was much more fun, better organized, a pin came with the registration and t-shirts were for sale. Better yet, the Texas Santa was approachable... jolly and friendly, posing for photos with everyone. The ride was escorted by hard-working motorcycle cops and the food (BBQ not hot dogs) at the end of the route was actually cooked and hot when it hit our plates. More people than just bikers turned out at the destination. And the donations filled large delivery trucks. Yes, plural. There was even a 50/50 pot. Needless to say, I have made a few mental notes about how to screen future benefit runs.
Being mostly gray and damp, the day didn't lend itself well to photography but I did shoot a few stills and video clips. Enjoy!
Slide Show movies and videos take a few seconds to load so -- patience please.
FYI:
Sometimes after blogger maintenance, the code for the movies embedded in the posts gets scrambled... but a duplicate is always posted in the Movie section at the bottom of the page... enjoy.
Toy Run – October 4, 2009
Wichita Falls, TX - The Folks were out and about today treating the employees of Red River Harley-Davidson with cookies and stuff. The employees were decked out in costume, even Jim, the Harley-Davidson Salesman (dressed as a Harley-Davidson Salesman).
It started snowing last night about 8 pm. It is still snowing. We are in the midst of the first major winter storm and it's a doozie. So, we rose this morning, made the first of three pots of coffee, lit a fire log and I opened a few packages and cards filled with lots of nice things.a.jpg)
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They had a really good time. The event T-Shirt was awesome... Petrolia Pirate on a motorcyle. The photos below include some of the petting zoo and a guy with a goat (which Mom loved and I'm surprised she didn't try to bring home).
Wichita Falls, TX - I R loving it!! says friend John about his new Harley. John has been talkin' and plannin' and schemin' to get a Harley for a good while now. He found a 2001 Softtail Heritage that won his heart a few days ago. Now SO sits beside John's Vulcan known as Ms. Clone. SO = Sierra Oscar. Sierra Oscar is military phonetics for Significant Other... Explains John -- Janice is the wife but the Harley is my SO.a.jpg)
One photo had me curious. It depicts a friend (Nubbin) sprinkling rice near John's new bike. John hadn't posted to his blog yet, so curiosity got the better of me and I asked Nubbin. What's the deal with the rice? Nubbin explained that John had been riding a rice-burner for so long, they brought along the rice so John would feel more comfortable on the Harley. Whew! I told Nubbin they had me worried that the rice was part of some weirdo biker blessing. As it turns out, it was more of a rice-burner banishing. Too funny!
In case you haven't noticed... the Biker Witch video should have been your first clue... Fall is my favorite time of year and Hallowe'en is my favorite holiday... I (actually WE since Tim is such a good sport) deck the place out in spooky splendor... the whole place - inside and out - nearly every room.
Much of our Hallowe'en decor (inside and out) is manufactured by friends, family and ourselves. The excellent silhouette yard signs that are the foundation for the yard decor were made by The Folks back in 2000/2001. That's my Mummy Texas Mom in 2001 in the photo. The signs have traveled from Texas to Wyoming and now, Colorado. Year before last they got a new coat of paint, but otherwise are holding up well.
The scarecrow frames are made by Tim. He makes something new every year. One year he made giant jacks out of tree trunks. Those are inside. This year's addition is five evil punkin'head (the ones with black heads) trick-or-treaters. (Last year the evil tots were on giant springs.) This is the project we kept putting off because it was such great riding weather. I've dropped a hint that I wouldn't mind a stick cat to go with them. Let's see how I do. Ha! If the weekend isn't good for riding - it's a sure bet. Otherwise, who cares? Let's ride. lalalalalalala...a.jpg)
Wichita Falls, TX - Dad and fellow Patriot Guard Riders honored a local veteran today on a Patriot Guard Mission for Fred Tibbets (88 yrs old). Tibbets was a 20 year veteran of the US Navy and US Air Force. He was also a veteran of the Korean Conflict & Vietnam War.a.jpg)
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What a beautiful day! The sun was shining with only high wind clouds marring the skies. After sharing about a pot of coffee, we rode out of here about mid-morning with nothing on the agenda beyond a late breakfast at Johnson's Corner. We took the long way around down familiar country lanes until we arrived at Johnson's Corner. A cinnamon roll was not going to do the trick today. We both had a full breakfast. YUM! The place was full of motorcycle riders.
In between stops we rode. The winds were supposed to howl today but we only encountered that a few times. The cottonwoods are finally dropping their freeze-dried foliage so we rode leaf strewn roads kicking them up in a fury behind us. In the city, we looked for other people's Hallowe'en decorations and found a few. Halfway through the afternoon we made a stop at the DQ for a dipped cone and a cherry coke. The day warmed considerably. The leather jackets and chaps we needed this morning were almost too warm in the afternoon. Because the day was so pleasant, we stayed out longer. Eventually, we wearied of shopping and took the long way home, east to Greeley, north for a spell and eventually west through Windsor and home to Fort Collins. East of Fort Collins heading back in, the view is spectacular. The Rockies already have lots of snow, an arbiter of winter days to come - much sooner than we would have them.
Wichita Falls, TX -- The Folks attended the Clay County Chrome Cruise Motorcycle and Classic Car Run out of Henrietta, TX today. The proceeds (entry fee) benefited the Clay County Firefighter's Association. The event included a concert and hot dogs on the square after the approximately two hour run through Clay County. Mom picked up a couple of boyfriends while loitering on the square. One offered her a ride in his pretty red mustang. Little did he know, Mom drove a pretty little black Mustang a few years back. She could put it through its paces, too. The other was really friendly, says Mom. Ha! Looks like a great turnout of motorcycles and the Folks say they had a good time. a.jpg)
We had every good intention of finishing the Hallowe'en decorating after Tim got off work. I had tinkered around with it outside and the longer I was out there, the prettier the day became.a.jpg)
The temperature drops fairly quick here, once the heat of the day has broken so much too soon we reluctantly aimed The Ride towards home, taking the long way around over the dam. We dropped off the bike and finished the day off with a meal and margaritas at our favorite Mexican Food restaurant in Fort Collins, Tortilla Marissa's. After that, we weren't much good for anything but watching Young Frankenstein for the umpteenth time.
About this time last year we were doing the same thing we'll be doing this afternoon. As soon as Tim gets in from work, we'll be trying to stay off the Harley long enough to finish spookin' up the yard and get it lit for all the little (and some big) ghosties and beasties in the neighborhood.a.jpg)
Wichita Falls, TX -- Dad and a few of his buddies (John, Bud, Nubbin, Gary and Joe) were out and about today on, as one friend puts it - a clear the cobwebs ride. Texas weather has been rainy, cloudy and cool for a couple of weeks now I think. Their ride took them through Jacksboro and a mandatory stop at the Green Frog Restaurant, Olney and another mandatory stop at the Dairy Queen and to Fort Belknap where there is a great little museum that we went to a good many years back. I'd like to go there again sometime - maybe next summer.
Wichita Falls, TX - Inez says: HEY, FOUR STAR AUTO RANCH, IS CO-SPONSORING THE "CLAY COUNTY CHROME CRUISE" -- A MOTORCYCLE AND CLASSIC CAR CRUISE THROUGH SCENIC CLAY COUNTY ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17TH, 2009. THE CRUISE WILL BEGIN AT 11 A.M. AT FOUR STARS AUTO RANCH AND END AT 1 PM AT THE CLAY COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN HENRIETTA, TEXAS.
We have snow, so no riding... which is OK once in a while. We like snow. We only have one thing about snow that we insist upon... and this is since we got the Harley. If it is too cold to ride, we want lots of snow - or as Bill Watterson said, Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery.
Wichita Falls, TX - Dad has been busy lately. He's ridden on several Patriot Guard Missions and in the Nuts and Bolts Run during FallsFest this year.
