Saturday Ride for RRHD Donuts and more...

June 2, 2018
Saturday
Texas

Most Saturdays when we are off we ride a few miles northwest of the homeplace to visit with friends over coffee and donuts at Red River Harley-Davidson where some of us are known as the Donut Posse.

Today, we knew was going to be a hot one come afternoon so we rode out early for gas and to log a few miles before the dealership opened. We rolled in just after 9 am, the first of our gang to arrive but it wasn't long before Dad arrived (not riding today due to a gimpy foot), then Tex and Laura and a bit later Bobby.

We visited for a bit, said hello to the RRHD staff, drooled over a new tri-glide before rolling out with Bobby for a short before it gets too damn hot ride. Bobby is looking fine after nearly a year-long recovery from a medical condition. It is a pleasure to ride with him again and before long an anxious Tina (Bobby's other half) will be tagging along too.

We logged 100.8 s'miles before we parted ways and headed for a/c.

Looking good Bobby! See you again soon!

Slide Show - a few more photos... (double click for full screen view - escape to exit)

We are back... kinda...sorta...

May 31, 2018
Texas

After a three year hiatus - we are back - that is to say... we have been riding and working and moving and more... we (mostly me) simply have not taken the time to share all that with the world - stay tuned for a catch-up post and more. In the mean-time blog maintenance on videos, links and out-of-date code is underway - considering we're talking 2007 to date - it is a monster of a chore. In two days I have made it through 2008. That was light years ago when we were just learning to ride. Yikes! Still, we enjoy sharing so stay tuned...


My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society. - James Dean

The Ride rolls over 85K + 1

May 29, 2018
Tuesday
Texas

We were just going to roll out for a short ride, grab breakfast and back... then we noticed the odometer. The Ride was about to roll over 85K so we made this ride about that.

We took the long way around to the Truck Stop at Jolly for breakfast. Then we rode the long way around to home rolling in the drive with 85,001 miles on the odometer.

Don't you just love a shiny black truck... here we are riding for 85K today. Ha!

Combine sighting!

Jolly Truck Stop for breakfast.

Nothing but clear skies and 99.1 s'miles.

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.

Twilight Mother's Day Ride

May 13, 2018
Mother's Day Sunday
Texas

This is a pic from another day but we look pretty much the same every time we ride out. Today was Mother's Day and I spent the day as one should - with my lovely Mom. Tim had to do the nasty today - that is, work!

We normally do not ride after he pulls a twelve hour shift especially in summer but late in the afternoon the temperature broke and we had cloud cover so it was darn nice when he rode in and found me wondering if he was up for a short ride. He said he was thinking the same thing. Ha! I guess we have each other almost figured out after 46 years. I have never known the man not to be up for a ride so we took a turn around the country roads just outside the city limits and rode in about dark:30.

It's all better now.

In the haste to ride out, the camera got left behind so you're just going to have to imagine how much we loved 71.2 s'miles.

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

Quick Country Ride

April 26, 2018
Thursday
Texas

Today's ride was just a hop on and burn up a few miles before bad weather sets in. 50 some odd s'miles I think.

That grin on his face that say let's go...

Bluebonnets

Look for the spec - that's a pilot in training from Sheppard AFB

Another spec - pilot in training - looks like he's having as much fun as we are - ha!

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