Well, got back this afternoon from Texas Ranger and Catfish's BBQ and Pepper Poppin Weekend Show and let me tell you - I had a blast!!!! The wind sure was sweet as my brother Timbrwolf likes to say. After being gone for 6 weeks in Africa and Scotland, the wind was even sweeter.
Left out Friday morning about 7:00am with 16 pounds of frozen Louisiana boudin strapped on the back of Traveler. Got on I-49 and rode north-west through Louisiana. My morning coffee began to wear off about 160 miles later, so I stopped in Natchitoches for a bite at a Huddle House (and I needed some gas anyway). You know, a good Huddle House or Waffle House lets you savor the flavor of some of the locals like nowhere else, especially if you enjoy talking and ummm, I do - Ok, my first food shot.
Got back on I-49 and shot up to Shreveport, Louisiana where I took I-20 and rolled over into Texas. Got off the superslab in Marshall and took 154 over to Gilmer and 852 across the lake to 2088 and then to the Casa in the Woods. Those were some nice roads through some pretty country.
When I arrived, there were already folks there from Minnesota and New Mexico. Well, the lie telling got started....
F6Banger turned us onto Geocaching and there was one just about 1/4 mile away or so from Ranger and Catfish's. How cool. They found another in Winnsboro later that evening. Scarecrow came by and Banger turned him onto it as well. We got to meet F6 or Dee-Dee from New Mexico - most cool!!
Well, Ranger and Catfish started us out with some Pepper Poppin - Jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese and sausage, cooked on the pit and covered with cheese. AWESOME! The next day we had them wrapped in maple bacon - boy howdy!
About 10lbs of the boudin hit the pit and life was good.
Well, Friday night the lie telling got started in earnest and we finally shut it down about midnight. I was given the varmit room at the casa. I got to make friends with my new buddy that would be looking at me every morning for the next couple of days. Kind of made it where I wasn't so homesick for not sharing a room with Hard6 I reckon.
The next morning we awoke to the smell of smoke from Ranger's pit, unending coffee and breakfast of burritos and boudin casserole. Life is even better.
F6Banger was kind enough to install the light kit he makes that my brother got for me in Tucemcari two years ago that have been in my bags ever since - ummmm, I am kind of mechanically slow if you know what I mean - I am a "righty tighty - lefty loosy" kind of guy. Anyway, Crow lent us some wire and Banger had brought a soldering iron, so away he went.....
We (we, now that's funny) mounted two switches - one for the other lights and one for the ones on the reservoir covers since they are red and forward facing. That way, I can turn those on separately.
Well, they came out great and look awesome.
F6Banger, F6 and I got to share some wind to Winnsboro for some ice cream. At a red light, we met up with Crow, so we rode over together to a Dairy Queen for some sundaes and blizzards.
When we got back, the bacon wrapped poppers were done that were just going into the smoker when we left.
The afternoon was spent in awesome fellowship with a lie or two being told. From here there was 5-19 (that is his height - yes, that translates to 6' 7"), Peggy, Laserpat, TexasDeb, TP, Mrs TP, Gearjammer, Mrs Gearjammer, F6Banger, F6, Ranger, Catfish and Boom-Boom. Ranger's brother came by - a very nice fellow and his gun club along with Scarecrow from down the hill. Man, what a great group of people and in the end, that is what it is all about - THE PEOPLE!
That evening, a prayer was given and the food came off the pit for the main round of the Ranger and Catfish BBQ....BOY HOWDY! If you left hungry, it was your own dang fault let me tell you. AWESOME FEAST!!!!!!!
Followed by desert!!!! And ummm.......I hate to say this - but this WAS JUST MINE!!!!
Well, it was a great time had by all. GREAT FOOD, GOOD TIMES and AWESOME FRIENDSHIP - Life just don't get any better. As night rolled on, alas, all good things have to end so with many hugs and hearty handshakes, fond farewells were given.
I stayed over on Sunday and Ranger took me out through some beautiful country of east Texas. We ate dinner at an all you can eat catfish place that was great.
I left out this morning and headed south again - bummed that I was having to say farewell to my friend until next time. Rode the same way home as I came up through that awesome country of the piney woods.
Okay, now the electrical thing. Crossed over into Louisiana and stopped for gas about 3 miles in....
I filled my tank to the brim and went inside the store for a water and buy Red a fridge magnet - yes, a cheap wife I have I guess. Well, I got back on Traveler and when I cranked her up, smoke started pouring from the neck in front of the gas tank, around the gas tank and out the fairing. I pushed Traveler away from the gas pump in case she caught on fire. You could smell the ozone smell that it was electrical so I pulled the key and started pulling wires away from the gas tank where they ran. I burnt my finger on the melting insulation on the wires. After a couple of minutes, the smoke stopped and I figured it was out, so I popped the seat, disconnected all the wires except the main and got a pair of wire cutters and cut out as much wiring as I could just in case with the exposed wire, that it wouldn't get a feed from somewhere on the main and short out again. Not that big of a thing. Tomorrow, I will open the fairing and everything and see what all burnt. It was the wiring harness that feeds the accessory lighter up front that burnt. It may have rubbed against something and shorted since I had used the lighter and the lights that Banger had run into the harness for a couple of days before. I think I will put in a strip near the battery and run new wires to everything. Heck, gives me something to do tomorrow.
(By the side cover)
(Up front)
Well, that is the ride report for the Texas Ranger and Catfish BBQ and Pepper Poppin' Weekend Show. I can not thank those two enough for putting this on. The work they put into it. You brought together old friends and allowed them to meet new family members. Your hospitality knows no bounds. You are fine, fine people and I am proud to call you friends. All I can say is, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU! I passed a VERY, VERY large time - as did everyone who was there. See ya'll next year! Of course, you know, I am going to see you a lot sooner than that my friends!
It was a great time had by all!!!! You opened your home to some lowly biker folks and showed us fellowship second to none.
