A number of members attended a trip to Wisconsin set up by Randy and Deb Heath primarily to see a fireworks show that is supposed to be a one of a kind show to see. Randy and Deb have been to this previously and have attested to this.
It all started on August 12th. Everyone pretty much made their own way, as their personal schedules allowed, to the first overnight stop which was in Anamosa. We all met up at the hotel and went across the street for dinner. All except Randy and Deb who got a later start than the rest. We had a good dinner and some good conversation. Afterwords we went back to the hotel for more conversations and then hit the sack.
Friday morning we got up and went to the same restaurant for breakfast. Then we went to the new motorcycle museum. Some did the exhibit while others stayed in the lobby and chatted. We left there and made a stop at J&P Cycles for a little shopping. We split up some here as some were ready to go before others and we decided we'd hook up down the road.
Heading north and east toward Wisconsin we encountered some rain and lightning. About 20 miles NE of Dickeyville, it got bad enough that we had to get off and get geared up. Another short distance down the road, we pulled off because it was getting hard to see and we needed a break. While there, the rest of the group, who we thought were in front of us, came rolling in. We took this opportunity to get something to eat and tried to wait the storm out. Unfortunately, it did not let up and after eating, we could see it was moving up behind us even worse so we all saddled up and took off trying to outrun the stuff behind us while trying to not hit the worst of it in front of us.
We pretty much rode in the rain all day from here on out. We managed to stay as a group until we got around Madison and the heavy road construction along with the limited CB reception we were getting caused me to take a different route than those in front of me. It turned out OK. We were still able to find our way to Appleton, the second overnight stop on this trip, and we met up with the rest of the group. We actually did get out of the rain for the last 45 minutes or so of this trip.
We all ate at Texas Roadhouse, although we had to sit in several different tables. Thanks to Randy for getting them to hold us a table so we didn't have to wait in the crowd. After eating, we got together at the hotel and spent time swapping stories of the day and making plans for the next day. Unfortunately, due to the weather, the fireworks show had been canceled and rescheduled for Saturday night.
The fireworks being rescheduled was really a downer. We really wanted to see that but we had other plans for Saturday and just thought they were more important. The fireworks show goes on every year and in a few years, it will actually be in Iowa again if we don't get a chance to go to it somewhere else.
Randy's original plans had a trip to a tall ships festival and some hanging out in Green Bay. Some of us didn't feel that was going to be of a lot of interest to us. We may regret having not going to this festival but we just thought other things were of more interest to us. Saturday morning we split up at the hotel and went our separate ways. A group going with me made our way to Marinette where we got our hotel set up for the evening. The original plan was to go up to the Mackinac bridge, which goes from the upper penninsula of Michigan to the lower part, then turn around and come back to the motel. Well, we got a late start Saturday morning and didn't get to the hotel until like noon. We thought it would have been getting back too late to go up and back so we decided to get up early in the morning on Sunday and get rolling. We spent the rest of the afternoon looking around the area of Marinette. Found a nice honda shop so Ray could get a headlight put in. We did some other window type shopping and did some riding around. We spent the night outside like we always do, sharing some food and drink and talking.
Sunday we got up early and headed for the Mackinac Bridge. The roads up that way were absolutely wonderful. Very scenic, well maintained. Great morning for a ride. We ate breakfast along the way at a nice little place. We got to the bridge and discussed going over. It was windy and I was concerned it might be too much for some people, including myself. We all decided to go for it. Approaching the bridge, waiting in line to pay our toll, I was watching the whitecaps and feeling the wind and was wondering if this was a good idea or not. Once we got on the the bridge, it was not as bad as I was expecting. I was not unnerved like I as on the Lake Ponchatrain bridge in Louisiana. We got bounced around some and it even tore an awning off of a motorhome. Some of the bridge is steel grate and that is not fun. I think I was able to avoid the grate but others were not so lucky. We got off at the other end of the bridge at a little convenience store / souveiner place. Took a break, got something to drink, had some ice cream and made plans for the rest of our ride. It was the general concensus that no one wanted to go back across the bridge and go back the way we came which was the original plan. I would have gone but it was not my first choice. I had plenty of riding in Wisconsin on the way back home I had wanted to do but since I didn't plan it right on Saturday, and since we really didn't want to go back across the bridge, we decided to just head south and west back towards home. We ended up finding a room in Wyoming, just outside Grand Rapids.
We got up on Monday, got and early start and made a pretty much straight shot home. I had my usual obligitory error in routing judgement which Ben corrected for me and got us back on the right track before we got to the Chicago area. Once we hit I-80, we just deadheaded it home. We got home in time to join the group at the dinner location for that night.
All in all, it was a good trip. Lots of good times and good sights. I would like to go to that area again although maybe do more riding in Wisconsin. Thanks to everyone who went along.
No comments:
Post a Comment