Monday Morning Breakfast Ride with the Man!

June 11, 2018
Monday
Texas

It is Monday. Tim is off. So we rode out with the Man (aka Dad) early (just before 7 am) this morning. We decided on breakfast in Waurika OK at JW's Travel Stop. JW's is quickly becoming a favorite breakfast ride. First of all, the food is simply darn good, Second, the service (usually from the resident sassy waitress) is fun and good and Third, there are several roads in and out of there that keep the ride interesting. JW's is at the intersection of Oklahoma US 81 and US 70.

The ride to JW's took us east on Hwy 287 through Henrietta TX and a bit further east on US 82 to the community of Ringgold TX where we took a quick bypass (#19) to US 81 which heads north through small communities like Ryan OK and Terral OK. We were lucky to have clouds until just before we turned north on US 81 so the sun was not in our eyes.

The ride from JW's took us on a zig-zag course heading north/northwest. We call these Dad's stomping grounds. We rode through the small communities of Hastings OK and Temple OK on Hwy 5 and a bit further on where we headed south of 5B (I think) and finally west on US 70 again through the small community of Randlett OK to Hwy 44 where we rolled south and home. These roads in Oklahoma are low traffic, fairly well maintained and scenic if you know what to look for like the river winding lazy in the hazy distance, interesting architecture in the tiny towns, ol' glory waving in the stout breeze, combines working the wheat harvest, the corn crop looking fine and tall, and assorted wildlife like cranes on a tank, longhorns, a couple of turtles on the road and a snake or two, even a chicken on the porch of a farmhouse and so on). The crepe myrtles are in bloom as well as the prickly pear cactus. Roadsides are dotted with purple thistle, milkweed and the sunflowers are beginning their show. And, if all else fails there's always Dad's pretty red ride in front or in the rearview.

The day was heating up quickly as we crossed the Red River. We parted ways with Dad at the street he lives on and a few miles later rode up in our drive. Today we logged 138.8 s'miles.

Here's a slide show (46 photos plus a few video clips) of today's ride with music.

Wichita Mountain Ride with Friends

June 3, 2018

Sunday

Texas/Oklahoma

A minor cold front has put us in the mood to ride. Any day you get low 90s in the summer in Texas without rain - you better get out there and log a few miles. Sure, we ride in the heat but a nice day now and then sure is welcome.

Today, we rolled northeast to the small town of Waurika Oklahoma with the intent of having breakfast at JW's Travel Stop. Intersection of Hwy 70 and 81 in Oklahoma. We have visited JW's many times with Dad. It is a favorite breakfast/pie and coffee spot. They make a great breakfast and the dinner plate pancakes are delicious.

We lingered over breakfast and coffee hoping our friends from Bowie could meet us for the ride today after some business they conducted this morning.

Sure 'nuff, they rolled in ready to make a day of it.

So we rolled through windy rural Oklahoma along state highways and country roads through tiny Okie communities until we reached the wildlife refuge where longhorn cattle and buffalo roam. One of many attractions in the area is Mount Scott. It's what Oklahoma has to offer in the way of a mountain. No, it ain't the Rockies but it is still a fun ride. The view from the top is crystal clear on most days and reveals many lakes most do not realize are in the area.

A Harley, an Indian and a Spyder went up the mountain... sounds like the opening line to a bad joke - ha!

Afterwards, Ann led us down the mountain to what was once a gold camp called Meers where there is a restaurant and store of the same name. The famous Meers Burger is longhorn of course. We stopped for a burger this day but passed on the peach cobbler which is excellent. You can also get a steak at Meers.

The day was heating up fast but it was still great riding weather but we headed back in the general direction of home.

Ann and Larry - Let's do it again soon!

Slide show of today's ride (80+ photos - with music).

We logged 262.4 s'miles today.

Steak n Shake Ride

May 19, 2018
Saturday
Texas

Here we are rolling out again on a Saturday to Red River Harley-Davidson for donuts first and a ride after.

Sure, there's stuff to do but we know for certain it will keep. We are settled in the new house fairly well and whatever needs doing will get done eventually.

So, we roll out of RRHD after donuts and coffee and conversation with friends and family with no particular destination in mind and travel familiar country roads west and north into Oklahoma and then east and south until we get to Henrietta TX and we remember that the new truck stop at the junction of Hwy 287 and Hwy 148 has a Steak n Shake that we have not tried. So, we stop of course and wait our turn to get a delicious double meat burger and a shake. YUM!

After that bit of tasty fun we travel south around Lake Arrowhead and home. The winds were stout and the lake was choppy but there are still plenty of wildflowers blooming and the prickly pear cactus is looking good!

We logged 132 s'miles today.

Slide show (32 pics) with music.

BBQ Ride - it's all Dad's fault

May 5, 2018
Saturday
Texas

As usual this Saturday started out at RRHD for donuts only I was busy elsewhere for the morning so after donuts Tim and Dad logged 103.3 s'miles. I can tell you though as soon as I was free I changed and met Tim at the door with my boots on. We pointed the Ride out of the drive and rolled out and all thoughts of doing anything other than enjoying warm temps and sunshine were set aside.

The ride got a bit longer than we thought and we're blaming it on Dad. Yep, it's all Dad's fault that we rode right on through Graham (our tentative destination) and on to Mineral Wells in search of The Mesquite Pit. Dad had talked about the grill so we went in search of it. Found it! Yep. the food was worth talking about.

The ride through Mineral Wells ride took us by the grand old Baker Hotel (world famous at one time). It once served Hollywood elite and other notorious celebrities who came to take the healing waters in the 1930s. The Baker closed in the 1970s. It is said to be haunted. There is talk of foreign investors resurrecting the Hotel to its former glory and it isn't the first time. It will be a daunting task - one that is yet to be set in stone (no pun intended). The Baker Hotel

The National Vietnam War Museum is in Mineral Wells, not far from the Mesquite Pit. I did not get good pics as we rode by. Dad and friends helped dedicate the helicopter that is on static display at the museum.

After BBQ sandwiches and banana pudding at The Mesquite Grill we reluctantly pointed the ride toward home travelling torugh Weatherford where the historic Parker County Courthouse is undergoing renovation. This courthouse was built in 1886 and is the fourth courthouse for the are. Previous courthouses and a good many records were destroyed in fires.

Aside from assorted historical buildings of interest the ride took us along highways with an abundance of wildflowers blooming by the roadsides, fields greening and trees in full leaf, lakes like glass and best of all the skies were clear and the temps were warm. It's the first lengthy ride of the season and we are happy to get on with it.

Total s'miles = 353.7 (Vickie's s'miles = 250.4)

Slide show of today's ride (about 37 pics)

Ride to see the Travelling Vietnam Wall

April 27, 2018
Friday
Bowie TX

Well Tim has to work tonight and through the weekend so he should have been snoozing this afternoon. Instead, we decided to roll out with Dad for a short trip to Bowie to see the Travelling Vietnam Wall. Today was our last opportunity to see it.

It was a pleasant ride starting off cool and warming up nicely in the afternoon. Skies were clear. Winds were light.

No matter how many times we see the Wall it is always a memorable and heart-wrenching and humbling experience. We looked up a couple of the names that we know personally connected to friends. We paid our respects.

On the way back to our rides, Dad ran across an old acquaintance. Monica Harvey aka Lil' Sis whom he met years ago at a memorial mission. Monica is from Nebraska but she follows the Wall all over the USA. She said she stopped counting somewhere around mission 250. She sang a "Welcome Home" song to Dad. Her musical ministry is often referred to as Band-aid for your Heart. She gifted us with the vest pin with that logo. When we got back to our rides, Dad showed me his original pin still pinned to his vest.

The ride home was interrupted only by a stop at the Dairy Queen in Henrietta.

Approximate s'miles for this ride is 100 round trip.

Slide show of today's ride about 26 photos - no music.

Bandaid for your Heart

Veterans Music Ministry - Monica Harvey - aka Lil' Sis

Lil' Sis on Facebook

Dad rides over mile marker 82

April 18, 2018
Wednesday
Texas/Oklahoma

It does not look like Mother Nature is going to cooperate on April 21st so we tagged along on a pre-82nd birthday ride with Dad to log over 82 windy s'miles! It is cool today as Spring mornings in Texas are so we rode out in jackets and hoodies. There is a promise of sun and warmth later but we are not counting on it as the winds have the flags standing straight out today.

It is Dad's birthday ride so it was Dad's call where we rode. We never really have a destination in mind but darn if his rowdy red ride didn't find it's way to a favorite breakfast and pie stop just over the river in Waurika Oklahoma.

JW's Travel Stop (truck stop with a cafe) is at the intersection of US 81 and US 70.

Our travels today took us along familiar roads and state highways in Oklahoma and Texas. We rode across the old river bridge thinking this may be one of the last times we cross it as a new bridge is under construction. The bluebonnets (Texas State Wildflower) are like a carpet of blue on the roadside. The countryside is greening up.

It is perhaps a coincidence that we traveled west on Hwy 82 on Dad's 82nd birthday ride. About Brown Road on Hwy 287 Dad pulled away from us for a bit. I reckon that's where he got a stretch in at 82 mph (legal speed limit is 75 mph).

Breakaway Monday ride

April 16, 2018
Monday
Texas

Yep. Today's ride was a breakaway ride. We closed on a cozy little cottage in late March and we have been down-sizing and moving and settling in. Whew! There's still lots to do and will be for a while but riding season is upon us and the whole point of down-sizing was to make time for what is important so here we are doing that for the first time since the move. We travelled familiar country roads that took us by a dirt road and an old farmhouse where we lived once upon time, past the bridge near the Red River where swallows nest, past a pecan orchard, and bluebonnets and prickly pear cactus patches. And, we stopped to explore the new truck stop at the intersection of Hwy 148 and Hwy 287. Kool! Gas and eats and ice cream! We took the long way around to home... out past the lake this time. We have some sun on our noses and we are certainly happy about it.

We called this a freedom cloud because it looks like an eagle to us

Checking out a new truck stop in Henrietta

Bluebonnets

S'miles = 113

Slide show 23 photos - no music

Sometimes you get a perfect shot...

March 3, 2018
Saturday
Texas/Oklahoma

Saddle up! We're going for donuts.

Every Saturday our excellent local dealership, Red River Harley-Davidson serves up coffee and donuts. Some of us are regulars earning a label - Donut Posse. We hope that's an affectionate term. Ha! Today, we are shaking off a bit of cabin fever as we have been house bound since mid-January because Tim had back surgery. He's been out solo a couple of times but not very far. He thinks he is good to ride. We are happy to report we have indeed confirmed that he - make that we - are good to go.

A number anomaly (that's what we call them) rolled up on the odometer as we cruised the few miles to RRHD, registering 83083.

After donuts, we escorted one of our friends part way home. Mike is from Bowie. We rode with him to Henrietta. And sometimes you get the perfect shot from the back of the bike. You gotta love digital cameras!

We peeled off and wound our way north into Oklahoma and home - taking the long way around of course. It is chilly despite the sun. The landscape is still mostly brown and winter is far from gone.

Today's s'miles = 134.3

Slide show with a few pics (approx. 20) - no music.

Last Dam Ride 2014

It is our favorite local ride and right out our front door. In a matter of minutes we can be cruising the roads around Horsetooth Reservoir. It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon although a winter storm is in the forecast. By the time we turned The Ride towards home, the winds had kicked up and clouds were rolling in from the north. And now we will settle into the winter waiting game and sneak out on the rare warm day or two we see in northern Colorado.

October Color Ride + Lunch

Yep, there's plenty that needs doing around here but nothing so important that it won't keep because the opportunities for a Sunday afternoon ride are slowly dwindling.

It is October! The day was warm. The skies were crystal clear. The Ride was ready to go so nothing would do but we get out, enjoy the fall colors (mostly yellow up this way), ride around the lakes and add a few more miles. And what do you know! We got close enough to Aunt Alice's patio that it was a sin not to stop - burgers and green chili and all the fixins to round out a perfect day!

Slide show = 63 photos

Another birthday comes around for my favorite old guy

April 21, 2014

Happy Birthday Dad!
aka Ted aka Frosty aka Sidekick/Troublemaker...

What follows is Ted's ever-growing 78 and countin' slide show scrapbook - enjoy (we're up to 65 slides now):

I think the most important thing I have learned from this amazing man whom I call Dad is:

It ain't over 'til it's over...
so, appreciate the fact that you woke up this morning still in this world...
then get up, pull your boots on...
and keep on keepin' on...

Best of the Ride 2013

Just a few black and white shots of The Ride 2013

Best of the Ride 2012