~ Dragons on the Lake
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~ well...Dragons on the lake is nothing more then a sweet memory now...the weekend seemed to go by in a fast forward blur...but the great memories will always remain..
...All last week I kept an eye on the weather...and the weatherman was in our corner almost all the way, predicting sunny and 75 for most of the weekend....but up North here, things can change in the blink of an eye....and they did...right about Wednesday evening the weatherman changed his tune...and it was sounding sour...instead of 75 and sunny..he was now predicting ...around 80 degrees...with thunder showers all Friday and Saturday....starting late Friday night....but this group was not to be denied...indeed, we all had waited with building anticipation for this weekend...and by God we were gonna enjoy it !
....here we all are hanging out at our place...getting all the preliminaries together...and waiting till the mood was...just right..
. ...when the moment hit...we all saddled up...gassed up...and hit the super slab...5 Valks...Pam on her super sweet custom old style Wing...and George towing his bad ass .."Rat Bike".... off we rode...heading North and into a weekend aptly named...Dragons on the Lake..
...we kept a steady speed of 75 mph all the way up to the bridge, and the weather had cooperated...so far...after hitting a grocery store along the way for some "supplies"...bout an hour and a half later we were riding over the ..Mighty Mac Bridge...5 miles long...and the weather was a changing...dark clouds were blowing in from the horizon...and the wind on the bridge was..well...a blast...Chili and I have been over that bridge a many times over the years, and its always a different ride every time...this time the wind was blowng nicely through the Straights and ..creative riding...was definitely in order...but everyone made it over just fine...and soon we were turning into the site where our cabins ...and most excellent weekend...awaited us...we all dismounted and hurriedly paid for our cabins...you see..we were gonna rendezvous with our fellow Michigan Chapter for a nice little fish fry...so once we established ownership of our "digs" for the weekend...we were back in the wind once again...
...now ST Ignace is only about 5 miles away...but we were running a bit late...but not to worry...we got there just about on time and to our surprise....we were the first ones there...so we pulled a few tables together...and waited...we didnt have to wait long though, as soon all our fellow Michigan Members began to wander in, and before ya knew it the room was full and everyone was having a good ol time...I want to thank TonyZ though...seems there was a bit of a..mix up...in the buffet...apparently the group was promised an ...all you can eat Buffet...but when we began to order the waitress told us...there is no all you can eat "anything" ...so Tony related how the group was told there would be...and could they put something together for all of us...the Manager said she didnt have the authority...but she would make a phone call....she came back and told Tony that she had called the owner and was told that we could have an...All you can eat white fish...french fries...and coleslaw "Buffet" ...for 15.95.....which was just fine with everyone in the room...so we all feasted !
. ...most went back to the Hotel...but we had other plans...plans that included some cabins..right on Lake Michigan...so after a fine dinner we strolled outside only to find it was raining...steady....but that wasnt gonna stop us...rain suits on...stop at the super market for some..."beverages" ..and we made our way through a steady down pour and back to our nice warm cabins...where we opened all the windows..lit up some cigars...and drank and told some lies...
....the next morning we all rose...got some nice fresh brewed coffee...and hung out on the front porch...making our plans for the day....we decided to get breakfast in town...then get on our bikes and get in the wind headed towards Cut Bridge and maybe the Blueberry Festival in Paradise...always did like that name and it fit this tiny town way out in the Upper Peninsula just fine...
. ....the inside of our cabin...very comfortable..
. ....nice little fireplace
. ...so after breakfast we all rendezvoused back at the cabin...and made our plan....seems George and Pam were already gone in the wind...and that just suited us fine...George is just getting back in the wind after a long trying back operation...and he needs to get his confidence back...and we all want him to also...we were just all glad that he and his wife Pam were with us that weekend ....and back in the wind ! ..
. ....so in search of some sweet wind we went....after so long....Chili and I were finally back in the wind ..with true friends...and it felt so dam good !! ...we were riding fast and making time...a pattern that would set the tone for our adventure all weekend...and that suited us just fine...we knew all of those that were sharing the wind with us that day...folks that have been in the wind for decades...and we couldnt feel more comfortable as we tore down the road in a tight pack...5 Valks...engines in a steady roar...
...we hit Cut Bridge and stopped for a spell
. ....we decided to go for a little walk...down under the bridge...
.....Hmmmm...definitely looks like...trouble to me.....shameless..
. .....my...whats this ?
. ...just my lil Chili Gurl...looken so fine ..posing on the bridge..
. ....soon we were back in the wind...we had places to be...besides the wind that day was so damn sweet....sweetest Ive enjoyed in quite a long time..
. ...and soon we were at our destination...the Blueberry Festival..in Paradise....Ive been here many times in the past, and its one of favorite rides in the UP....and not just because I get to see....The Pies Ladies !!
. ....although visitng them everytime we are here ...is a MUST !
. ....Chili loves it too..
. ....but soon we were back in the wind....it was getting late in the day...and we had ..just a little bit more of "shopping" to do...for the nights festivites..
....Im thinkn Tony and Lara were feeling the same way. ...as was the entire pack....just good friends...sharing the wind...the weekend....and life...
. ....Now....this is ...without a doubt...THE BEST Wind....I had all weekend...or in the last couple of years for that matter....we left out of the Festival and we were back in the wind with a vengence...our good friend Dave Pettit was leading the group now...and this boy can Ride !
. ..this is where having 5 experienced riders on Valks, with years experience comes into play....ya see it was a...triple digits .."Plus"...kinda ride..and we were tearing up the wind....here we are passing a couple of slower bikes we came up on....take note of the speedometer in these next few shotzzz..
....yup....car after car....truck after truck....we passed em all ...in a hurried blurrrrr...as we moved through that sweet wind ...caught up in the moment....and just loving life..
....my favorite......115 mph Pass....had to slow up a bit...cuz we were comming up on the pack FAST !! ....what a day !!!!
. ...well...we finally made our way back to the Cabins...and I gotta tell ya...my adrenaline was flowing !!
. ...and it was time....time for the...Q du Jour...let the party BEGIN !!!
. ....inside Fran and Lara and Pam were getting the nights salads ready....
. ...Dave P and Mike did a fine job getting the grilles fired up and we were ready to go.....Dave got the corn going and Tony had the sausages laid out and smokinnnnnnn
. ..so I decided to chill on the porch with Pam and George while I waited for some grille space to open up for...you guessed it.....BABZZZZZZZZZZZ !!
. ...and soon....everybody was running round....gettin down..
. .....The Wolf and Dave grillin up some BAB,s. ...Tonys sausages and the salads were ready...Dave had grilled the corn to...friggin perfection....Dave Pettit came back from his cabin with some ..incredible friggin smoked white fish that he picked up in the UP somewhere...that stuff rocked !!
.....Oh man.....this CANT be good....Dave P had been giving out a ..ring tone..all afternoon for everyones cell phone from the movie ..."The Good..The Bad...and The Ugly"....so when these three characters got together it was a no brainer...and everyone immediately began to call us...you guessed it....The Good...The Bad...and The Ugly..
....I aint sayin ...who was who..
....and then it was...Grub Time !!
. ...Ohhhhhhh Yeahhhhhh. ...man we had ALL kinds of food...grilled sausages...Huge BABZZZZZZ....Awesome Smoked Whited Fish....the girls had whipped up some mouth watering salads...and Hyper Dave cooked this corn on the grille...and all I can say is...that corn was THE FRIGGIN BEST CORN...I EVER had off a bbq grille...rolled in a stick of butter until it was just a drrrrrriiiiiippppiiiinnnnnnn....it Rocked !!
.....one of my favorite people...Frannie...one of the nicest people you will ever meet...just a good hearted woman..
....Opps....sorry...I usually do a shot of...The Wolfs Plate...but this grub was so damn good..I forgot till I took ...a couple bites ! .. . ....Man...that corn was Awesome !!
...our good friend George...chowing down on some corn...see thats what a fine day in the wind...will do for ya....Make ya Hungarrrrrryyyyyy...
. . ....nice shirt George !
. ....and so we all ate...and ate.....sausage sammiches...BAB,s....smoked white fish....corn on the cob....awesome salads....it just went on and on...
. ...did I mention that....some of us had been drinking..wayyyyyy before the food was ready....like I had to tell ya that..
. ...and what goes better after a fine meal...then a nice lil fire ..lake side..
...so we all gathered round...and set our full bellies down to do some...serious story tellin..
.....seems after Dave eats....he gets Reeeeaaaaallllyyyyy thirsty..
....Tony and Lara were just a kickn back...and lovin life..
. . ...hey Mike....come join the party !!
....hmmmmm...ya see...this is where it alllllllllllll started to...blurrrrrrrrr
....Jim Beam..."Red Stag"....Black Cherry Bourbon...Hyper Dave had turned me onto this stuff at Tonys New Year Eves Party..and I,ll tell ya what..THIS is some.. ~ Evil Stuff ~ ...ya see ...they placed...TWO Bottles of this "Elixir of the Gods" ...in the freezer for a spell...then opened one....and before the evening was done....both bottles were toast...and so was ...just about everyone sitting around that fire..
....seems this is the stuff ...another Michigan boy enjoys also...Kid Rock..
....yep....soon as that bottle started going...down....the laughter and good times started goin...round..
....Mike started doing ...chants to the sky !!
....and Dave and Fran were...well....they were feelin no pain..
...now this IS...The Money Shot....seems Tony and Dave were ribbing our good friend George pretty good all night...and after a Bottle of Stag ...was gone...they got him pretty good !
....Georgieeeeeee....we love ya man !!
...so into the night we partied...the lies were flying...fast and furious...and the fellowship was superb..
....after a while Pam broke out her...little pie makers...seems she was a Girl Scout Leader for many years....and after having her ...bodacious Chili and Cornbread...when they were camping at Inzane...I just knew...these pies were gonna be awesome....and they were !!
...and so we all chowed down on em...just a bunch of drunk bikers...slobbering over some ...Bodacious pineapple piezzzzz..
....seems Dave P likes to contemplate some heavy stuff with a good ceegaaarrr...after munchin ..Fireside Pineapple Pieeeee..
....and the party just kept goin on....and on...and.. . .
....yup.....that thar is some.....Buzzzzzzzzed Peeplezzzzz..
....and so it was folks...a great group of friends...just enjoying life under a hazy moon....consuming copious amounts of Ice Friggin Cold Red Stag....tellin some amazing lies....and just enjoying each others friendship....
.....Dragons on the Lake...an excellent weekend of...friendship....hard riding...food...more food...more friendship....and a ...Passle O Lies....
. ...oh yeh....did I mention we managed to kill...TWO Friggin Bottles of...Red Stag !!!!
. ....Good Night and ...God Bless..
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~ A Wolf Klan Production
