Road Trip #3 - Texas HOG Rally - Day 2 - Checking in at the rally

September 2, 2010
Colorado, USA

Wichita Falls, TX -- So much for a good night's rest at our scuzzy motel in Memphis, TX. Well, Tim rested - he can sleep through anything. The trains (tracks were just across the highway) were on an hourly schedule throughout the night. They came through at the 24th minute of the hour, except for the 3:24 am train which ran two minutes late. Tsk. Tsk. At 5:24 two trains came through as we were getting ready to ride out. Their loud and boisterous greeting to each other was enough to wake the dead and every baby in six counties. I cannot imagine how anyone gets any sleep in that town.

After last nights rain, the morning was warm and muggy. The rain stopped sometime around midnight I think. We stopped for gas and a $1 menu breakfast at McDonald's in Childress, TX before riding on to Wichita Falls, TX arriving in plenty of time to wash the bike, grab a shower and some lunch. It was great to see the Folks! Registration check in at the rally was at 1 pm. We were there shortly after that. It was very warm and I noticed as we rode up to the MPEC (the rally site) that bikes were scattered helter-skelter throughout the parking lot under whatever shade tree was available. A steady stream of people filed in all afternoon and sales appeared to be brisk for the extremely limited quantities of rally merchandise. We said hello to friends Joe at the registration desk, Charlie and Brenda at the no-one-but-HOG-members-beyond-this-point desk, ran into Greg Burt and his wife, Nubbin, Tex, Laura and a few others.

We spent some time at the rally, visiting with people we knew, standing in line at the Red River H-D booth to buy a couple of t-shirts, roaming through the vendor booths and looking at motorcycles. It was a decent selection of vendors, most offering motorcycle related items including pins and patches, hats, shirts and leather goods, pin-striping and more. We went to dinner with the Folks at Pioneer (P3) where Dad treated us to Famous Enchiladas. Yum! Afterwards we rode over to Red River H-D to attend the welcome party. Lots of riders were already there and the line was long for the BBQ/Burger feed. It was HOT! We were glad we had stopped elsewhere for dinner.


Dad arriving RRHD Welcome Party - Texas State HOG Rally 2010

Ran into friend John at the welcome party at RRHD. John generously shares photos of the Folks when he catches them out and about and writes an excellent motorcycle blog called North Texas Bikers. You'll find lots more rally photos over there.

When I found out Malford Milligan was performing at Red RIver H-D a few weeks ago, we adjusted our ride in by a day so we could catch his concert. Malford is a homegrown Texas bluesy/jazzy/southern rock singer who has fronted or helped form many bands including Storyville. Tim purchased the CD available on site for little ol' me... An Evening With the Songs of Stephen Bruton (1948-2009). It's a good one. The Folks left early, because an ornery looking cloud was approaching quickly. We stayed for most of the concert. I enjoyed every minute of it. Friends Tex, Laura, Gary and Jean Ann hung around, too.

Photo on right - Malford Milligan concert - RRHD - that's me in the black H-D t-shirt in the middle, Tex (in white) and Laura (in orange) on either side, Gary and Jean Ann in the background

I think Malford had about fifteen minutes left when the cloud turned black on top of us. We all got the heck out of there. The Folks said they were worried we would not make it in. Rightfully so. About half an hour after we tucked The Ride in next to Dad's Ride for the night, that nasty little storm came through. We didn't get the lightning out of it that Oklahoma got, or the hail that other parts of town got, high winds and rain was enough.

We were up late visiting. Did I mention? It is great to see the Folks!
Tim - The Folks and Me - RRHD - Texas State HOG Rally - photo compliments of John Bailey

Here is the slide show for today (36 photos):

And a few photos of the Malford Milligan Concert - close-ups compliments of Tim (11 photos):

Here's a link to a video clip - if you watch it to the end you'll see me and Tim ride off with a wave... ha! http://www.timesrecordnews.com/videos/detail/hog-state-motorcycle-rally/