Patriot Guard Honors Soldier's Grandfather

July 29, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Mom (Inez) stands the flagline yesterday with riders of the Patriot Guard to honor Mack Bronough, a Marine veteran and grandfather of Blake Bronough (Army) who died stateside shortly after returning from a tour in Iraq last year.



Dad (Ted) and other Patriot Guard Riders attended the funeral services for Mr Bronough today. Here are a few photos of the PGR members gathering for the mission. These photos are compliments of friend John in Wichita Falls, also a proud Patriot Guard Rider and author of an excellent motorcycle blog, North Texas Bikers III.






You can read John's post and see more pictures here:
http://jjskewlstuff3.blogspot.com/2009/07/pgr-mission-wichita-falls-texas-7-29-09.html

And... this is Dad messing with friend John...

Devil's Gulch to Estes Park Ride

July 26, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

After proving Tim was good-to-ride yesterday with a 330 mile somewhat soggy ride, we rolled out of the drive this morning for a mountain ride, duration to be determined by Mother Nature. The forecast for our area was rain again, but we rode anyway.

Mountain is a fairly general term in our neck of the woods so eventually we had to define what that meant. Tim uttered two words. Estes Park. I responded. Devil's Gulch. So, our route and destination was more-or-less set.

Devil's Gulch is an indirect route up to Estes Park via a road that branches off of Hwy 34 out of Drake, CO which winds its way through a scenic gulch. Glenhaven is a tiny town on the route which is home to a popular B&B. The road is an easy, scenic ride except for a couple of harsh switchbacks with severe grades coming one right after the other near the end closest to Estes Park. They are marked 15 mph although I don't think we've done them at that speed yet.

The day was fine starting out. We were riding in hoodies although we had light jackets in the bags. The clouds were gathering over the mountains early. As we climbed out of that last switchback and topped out where you can see Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains beyond, we knew this trip would be strictly a ride-on-through.

We negotiated our way through heavy traffic to the Visitor Center on the east side of town, but we did not linger. When you see blue clouds hanging low over the Rockies, it means get the heck out of there, especially if you're on two wheels. We headed down to Lyons PDQ. Lyons was having a festival of some sort that was about to get wet and the traffic was getting nasty, so we didn't make our customary stop in the park. Oskar's (a restaurant) was doing a booming biker business. So was Wild Bill's Saloon. We weren't the only ones calling it an early day in the mountains.

On the road home, I glanced over my shoulder and noticed the clouds roll over and consume Boulder in a matter of minutes. We didn't hurry, but we didn't stay out much longer either.

On the way, we saw a lone biker on a Harley wearing a patch that said "No Rules Riders". I looked it up. NO RULES RIDERS is NOT a Motorcycle Club. It is people who like to ride for the freedom of riding. That's it, plain and simple. THE NAME SAYS IT ALL. I'm not sure I entirely buy that concept. I think most of us ride for the freedom of riding. I think we all ride with rules, even if they are our own rules. I suspect the trick here is to ride without others inflicting their rules upon you. Hmmmm... good luck with that.

Tim's Recovery Ride

July 25, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

After having knee surgery July 8th and sitting (not too patiently mind you) through some really nice riding days (the best we've seen all year), Tim announced yesterday (Friday) he was ready to ride more than a few miles. I casually mentioned the dour weekend forecast in passing but being the enabler I am when it comes to riding the Harley... well... OK, says I - where to?

We decide a Poudre Canyon to Walden ride and if the knee is holding up, perhaps beyond. After taking a look at the map, we remember we have never been over the pass of the Snowy Range in Wyoming so that's sort of what beyond meant today.

The first part of our ride took us out of Fort Collins about 7:30 am to the mouth of the Poudre Canyon and up alongside the Cache La Poudre River. It was warm enough down in the city but we rode out in full leathers knowing our ride would take us to higher altitudes and lower temps. The river was flowing hard the last time we rode through here. This time, it was flowing about normal. The sun was barely up over the walls of the canyon, but rafters and kayakers were already gathering in little knots along the side of the road. We have driven and camped and now ridden the Poudre many times. Along the way are a few landmarks... the tunnel, the falls, profile rock, another lesser known profile rock and the Sleeping Elephant to name a few. Our first stop was at Sportsman's Lodge where decent coffee can still be purchased for fifty cents a cup and one can be entertained by hundreds of hummingbirds. Sportsman's Lodge, a mom and pop operation, offers rustic cabins for rent. Across the highway the Big Thompson flows and we've seen deer and elk in the meadow that can be viewed from the lodge.

Cameron Pass (elevation 10,276) is a short ride up from the Sportsman's Lodge. It was a crisp morning. The smell of pine was strong through the canyon. Although we picked up high clouds, the ride was near perfect. The Crags (rugged mountains looming over the area near Gould, Colorado) still had a good bit of snow. As we rode up on the Moose Center, we stopped for thermos coffee and a brownie. It was surprisingly warm and we were shedding our jackets as quick as we dismounted. The Moose Center offers great information about the area including the time and location of recent moose sightings, a trail head, picnic tables, benches, and decent restrooms. A barbed wire moose, made by local craftsman stands seven foot tall in front of the center. Behind the center are bird feeders that attract hummingbirds and many other mountain birds as well as a healthy population of chipmunks and ground squirrels.

It is just over 20 miles from the Moose Center to Walden (elevation 8099) and the ride is spectacular through wide open you-can-see-forever terrain more typical of Wyoming than Colorado. From Walden, you can head southwest to Steamboat Springs or south into Granby or northeast into Laramie. We chose the northern route. Leaving Walden, headed north on Hwy 125, it is 22 miles to the state line, 62 miles to Saratoga and 62 miles to Laramie. Now, we've never been to Saratoga, and it was early in the day so it seemed the natural choice. From Saratoga, we'd only have to backtrack about eight miles to do the Snowy Range ride. Thus far on the trip the skies had only spit at us. Outside of Walden, we ran into a rain shower but rode out from under it soon enough.

So, we rode on, passing through the tiny town of Riverside, WY (elevation 7137), Population 59. Ha! Despite being blink-and-you-miss-it size, the tiny town was home to a couple of fun looking restaurant/bar establishments. I caught the name Mangy Moose Cafe as we rode on by.

Saratoga (elevation 6785) has a population of just over 1700. The Platte River runs through the town and it is home to a Mineral Hot Springs which visitors can swim in (at the Hobo Pool) free of charge, I believe. We stopped to stretch our legs at a busy park known as Island Park as it is located on an island in the middle of the river. The downtown area was bustling and home to some old west and turn of the 19th century architecture including a historical Hotel/Restaurant which dominates the downtown area. There were several restaurants and at least one bar on main street.

We didn't linger in Saratoga as the clouds were spitting again and looking heavy. We backtracked the eight miles to Hwy 130 and began the Snowy Range Scenic Byway Ride. The mile marker said 20 miles to Centennial, 47 miles to Laramie. This ride through the Medicine Bow National Forest was a pleasant surprise. The road was good, the grades gentle and the twists and turns easy. Wyoming has many beautiful places, but having lived there for two and a half years we learned seeing those places doesn't usually come without a price. Either you drive (or ride) forever through barren sage land only to find your destination is still 40 miles down a sandy road (check that - antelope trail), or the town you thought you'd stop in doesn't have so much as a place to buy a coca-cola much less a place to pee or you get caught out in a vicious thunder storm, or you encounter the world's nastiest winds that can sand blast a vehicle and your sun shades in a matter of minutes or take the hide right off your arm. All I'm saying is... do your homework if you plan to ride in Wyoming because the points of civilization (food and gas and shelter) are few and far in between on some routes and the weather can be quite harsh.

This time, the road, which has plenty of paved pull-offs, offered many sights to appreciate with names like Silver Lake, Mirror Lake, and Libby Flats all with little effort. About halfway up, as we rounded a bend in the road we caught sight of the Snowy Range (aka The Snowies) for the first time close-up. Wow! We stopped near the summit of Snowy Range Pass (elevation 10,847), at the base of these massive gray rock formations composed of granite for a picnic lunch of bologna and cheese sandwiches, chips, fresh peaches and ice-cream cookies. I know, it's pathetic - I am such a cheap date. Ha! It can snow up here at any time of year, ten foot drifts not uncommon in winter and snow fields linger throughout the summer. It wasn't exactly cold, but it didn't bother us to munch without shedding our jackets. About the time, we finished our lunch, we heard a rumble of thunder roll across the mountains... UH-OH!

We were pelted with a hard rain before we could clear the pass. We rode as far down as we dared in a steady downpour before utilizing one of the paved pull-offs. We sheltered under the awning of a roadside outhouse until the rain let up a bit. Our reprieve from the elements was short-lived though as we rode the rest of the way down into the tiny town of Centennial, CO in a steady rain. We stopped at the first place that caught our attention to dry out. The Old Corral is a restaurant, hotel and gift shop all rolled into one charming, tourist trap setting. The decor is western log lodge and fun. We roamed through the country store on our way to the restaurant where we had pie and coffee. Tim says his peach pie and ice cream was good. My german-chocloate pie was served cold rather than room temperature. It was OK. I noticed the majority of the wait staff, the cook and others manning the restaurant were young to very young. The folks at the table next to us struck up a conversation with kind of wet out there for a ride huh? We learned they had waited 20 minutes to order and another 40 minutes for their meal (club sandwich and a chef salad). Some of the other entrees passing by looked good with what appeared to be healthy portions, but I'm not gonna recommend the restaurant until we try it again.

The rain continued for a good while. We managed to linger over two cups of coffee. Eventually it let up long enough for us to dry the seat on The Ride and convince ourselves we could make it into Laramie. That misconception lasted about three miles. ha! By the time we made it to Laramie, we had suffered a good soaking. And, there wasn't a road out of Laramie in any direction that looked good (meaning dry) so we chose the most direct route. We rode for a few miles in rain, but eventually rode out from under one storm and in between two others. As we approached Fort Collins on Hwy 287, the weather dried out and we even had sun. YAY!

The storms that had plagued us all day, arrived shortly after we had settled in on the patio with a beer and a Mike's with a fire blazing in the chiminea. It wasn't long before we had to abandon the patio for a seat at the edge of the garage. After a while, we gave up being outside altogether and settled in downstairs with a movie.

Despite being somewhat soggy, we enjoyed the day and our 330 mile recovery ride. We set out to prove Tim was good-to-go (at least as far as riding is concerned). We traveled a couple of new roads and experienced The Snowies of Wyoming for the first time. Yes, we will ride that way again - hopefully on a sunnier day.

Below are slide shows of the day's ride.

Part 1 - The Poudre Canyon to the Moose Center


Part 2 - From Walden to the Snowy Range Scenic Byway and Home

Patriot Guard Mission - Dad & Bro

July 25, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Dad (Ted) and my brother, (known as TedJr) attended a Patriot Guard Rider mission for the funeral of a fellow Patriot Guard member's mother. They rode with a large group of friends and fellow PGR members to Jacksboro, Texas for the services.

The following photos below were taken by Mom as Dad was headed out on the new Road King, flags flying from the flag mount Dad just made to fly the colors from the new bike.




The photos in the slide show that follows were shared with me by friend John in Wichita Falls, TX. John, kindly shares photos of the folks and other family and friends when he catches them out and about. John is a great photographer, taking many photos while he is rolling. He writes an excellent motorcycle blog currently found at North Texas Bikers III where you can see the rest of the photos from this Patriot Guard Mission and many more rides.

Dad's New Ride

July 24, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- While Tim and I were out riding the roads of Colorado and New Mexico, Dad was sittin' handsome (wanted to say pretty but that word doesn't fit Dad and would likely cause knuckle bumps to appear on my forehead next time we meet) on a brand new ride over Independence Day weekend.

Of course, Mom had a hand in getting the right deal on the 2009 Road King that replaced the 2007 Dyna Super-Glide. We'll miss the Dyna... it was a sweet little ride... but the Road King is a beauty and Dad's lovin' that cushy ride! Word is: Ruby or Red (which is it, Dad?) is ready for the 1000 mile maintenance.

Here are the pics I have on hand...

Birthday Ride

July 19, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Happy Birthday Tim!

We rolled out of the drive about 9 am after doing birthday stuff, opening cards and letters and gifts and taking calls. The plan was to ride to Johnson's Corner for a birthday breakfast.

Tim loved this card from the folks. It said: Son-In-Law Medal of Valor... For exceptional judgment in choosing a wife and for uncommon patience and bravery in the face of your in-laws! And... it came with some cold, hard cash.



Well, ride we did, but not before neighbor LeAnn wished Tim a happy birthday and sang a couple of bars from I can't drive 55! while doing a little jig on the sidewalk. After the brief serenade, we rode off to Johnson's Corner for breakfast. While we were inside enjoying our eggs, clouds rolled in. We looked at the clouds, looked at each other, shrugged and said so what. Daring Mother nature to rain on Tim's birthday ride - we took the long way home anyway.. riding through Berthoud, around Carter Lake and the no-name lake at Loveland (one of these days I'll look it up) and to Masonville, over the dam, stopped at Vern's for afternoon coffee and finally made it home just as the skies started spitting. Tim had a couple of hours rest, with the leg propped up before joining our friends, the Browns for Mexican Food and Margaritas at Tortilla Marissas.

Happy Birthday Tim

July 19, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

One more year down the road... but you have to admit - what a fun road it has been to travel. The places we have been... over 10,000 miles (correction: over 12,000 nearly 13,000 miles says the birthday boy) of road covered... who knows how many memories we've made... and places yet to see and memories yet to be... beckoning on yon horizon...

I'm thinking... let's start the day out right... say breakfast about 20 miles down the road and see where the day takes us...

Oh yeah - it's on the way...

Testing... testing...

July 18, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Thursday and Friday were the followup appointments on the knee. One to get a release from the surgeon, the other to get restrictions from the doctor at work. It's back to the grind Monday for Tim, but only half days for a week.

Of course, a trip to Loveland required a stop at Thunder Mountain on the way home.
With Big Ol' #55 just around the corner we needed to do some serious birthday shopping.



Tim picked out a set of engine guards (crash bars), mustache style for The Ride. No, he wasn't supposed to install them yet - can't a girl even take a shower these days? We also ordered a piece of Saddlemen luggage and we're thinking about the studded backrest.

Tim tested the knee this morning with a short ride to Vern's for a cinnamon roll. I'm happy to report he did really well. We were only out for just over three hours. Long about noon we brought the knee home and propped it up. That evening, we asked our friends, the Browns to join us for Serious Texas BBQ. That was fun and tasty!

Tim pronounced he was ready for a birthday ride, tomorrow.

Mom stands the flag line...

July 9, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Mom stands her first flag line with the Patriot Guard Riders at the funeral of Mike Stennet, a National Guard veteran. Dad has been a Patriot Guard member for a few years now and has stood the flag line and escorted many funeral processions. Although a solemn occasion , we are happy to see Mom able to do this after several years being all but disabled from serious back problems and several surgeries.

The first flag line was held at Owens and Brumley Funeral Home in Wichita Falls, Texas. It was hotter than blue blazes. If you are from Texas you know what that means - if not - it means fry an egg on the sidewalk HOT! So Mom did not go on to the grave site in that kind of heat. Dad went on to Buffalo Springs with many of his fellow Patriot Guard Riders and stood the flag line there as well. Mr Stennet's last ride was in a motorcycle hearse from Bryan, Texas.

I can't say enough good things about the Patriot Guard Riders. They are a class act and I'm proud to see my Dad and now my Mom stand tall for those who have served our country and bring comfort to those who remain behind.

Tim's Last Ride.... Before Surgery

July 7, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

After our Colorado Weekend ride, we had lots to do in the two days before Tim goes in for knee surgery. We shopped for groceries, picked up a prescription, mowed the lawn, filled up the cars and washed four days of road off The Ride.

Despite all that, we managed to squeak in enough time for a dam ride before work. We encountered some four-legged beasties up on the dam that had Tim showering down on the brakes. He noticed a cyclist waving wildly as we rode by him about the same time I tapped him on his sides and said deer-deer-deer! Someone had spooked about five deer who came bounding up over the ridge at a picnic area and headed straight for us. The sound of squalling tires and hollering scared most of them into altering their path of flight. One passed in front of us and the cyclist and three or four others passed behind us. Whew!

Otherwise, the ride went well and although it was short, it was a fine day to ride. Tomorrow, is surgery and at least of few days off the leg and the Harley. Here are a few pics of the dam ride... I know you seen 'em before - so what?