Here is my ride report for the GOTF ride. Man, first off, let me tell you, we passed a very, very large time over in Texas!
Well, on Wednesday, Bonnie told me, why don't you ride over today and miss the weather and enjoy your friends - it has been a long time and you deserve it. Either that or you can help me paint the trim in the bathroom - "Ok baby!" "I know the bathroom is important to you..........so,...........call me and let me know how it comes out!" WHOOOO-HOOOOOOO!
So, ran over to Billeaud's Grocery and picked up 3 boxes of Boudin and two cans of "Slap Ya Mama" spice mix........
Threw it on the back of Traveler (after checking with HG and FB to make sure it was OK to come on over) and as Vanna White said, "And you win..........a trip to Texas since this was a prize puzzle"
And about 10:30, it was kickstands up time............BLAST OFF!
Rode some back roads to Crowley and got on the superslab over to Lake Charles....Time to visit an old, old friend again!
Got to visit with Hard 6 and Donna for awhile and then got back up on the superslab and a little while later, rolled in the frontier of Texas.
Rode over to Winnie, stopped for some gas and then dropped south on two lanes to the coast. It was good to see them getting things built up again after the hurricane took it out a few years ago. GLORIOUS day for riding.
Rode the coast rode and got up on the ferry over to Galveston.
Arrived on the other side of the bay into Galveston and got up on the superslab and had a great ride up to ground zero of the GOTF in Friendswood, Texas! WHOOO-HOOO! Let the lie telling begin! There was HG, FB, TP, Ms TP (from Minnesota - yeah sure, you betcha) and myself - so there were already trained professionals for lie telling there....we had an awesome night of fellowship and belly laughter.......
Slept in the man shack and the next morning, over coffee, brother Early Bird rolled up so we had fellowship and love with our coffee.....
We were out in the shop looking at bikes, when a message came in that Brother Kendall had a breakdown and it sounded like a U-Joint. Hotglue asked if anyone would be willing to run over and get him! Whoooo-Hoooo....sounds like another ROAD TRIP! Tell him, we are on the way. So, the trailer that Lyn Del had brought over was thrown onto HG's truck and Early Bird, TP and I headed west. "Where are we going?" "They said, somewhere west of San Antonio" Well, in Texas, just west of San Antonio was over 200 miles west of a town that was over 200 miles away! ROAD TRIP BABY!
So, for the next 7 hours, we told lies and kept texting Kendall...."Whatchadoin?" He kept giving us a brick count of the side of the building. After about 4 hours or so, man, I needed to drain the BIG PAPA! So, I drained the big papa on the tire of the trailer.
The Big Papa pickle that I got at the gas station - what did you think I was talking about? I didnt want to get any juice in HG's truck - geez......
A little while later, Brother TP needed to drain his BIG PAPA as well.
Well, after about 7 hours, we finally got to Brother Kendall after driving through some weather (it was coming in) in San Antonio and the hill country around Kerrville. The great thing was that I had not seen TP or Early Bird for a LOOOONG time, so we were able to catch up on old times and I sure got to see some pretty country! Since Kendall wasnt going anywhere, he was easy to find. My dear Brother Kendall - my roomie from the great Colorado ride of '06 and the post Tucemcari ride out west.....DANG, sure was good to see him again.
Got his bike up on the trailer and strapped down....
Early Bird checked everything out and gave us a thumbs up and time to roll back east.
We got to catch up on old times with brother Kendall for the next 7 hours or so and got into a gully washer just west of Houston. Rolled back into the GOTF around 12:30 am on Friday morning. We had already done over 800 miles....i figured we could just roll on for another 200 miles and consider it an iron butt.....
The ladies and HG had a ham and makings waiting for us for sandwiches when we got back! Early Bird took Kendall over to his hotel and everyone crashed early into the morning.
Friday had folks rolling in and Kendall's bike was off the trailer, rolled into the shop and torn down before Kendall even got there from the hotel.
When Kendall's U-Joint came out in 2 pieces, we figured that there may have been a problem. Good thing was that we were able to tack weld it and auctioned it off at the Q.
Kendall's bike was apart before lunch and he needed to run over and get a tire mounted on the rim, so Brother Misfit said, "Hey, let's ride to Galveston for lunch - any reason to ride, right?" So, a group of Cajuns, a group from Minnesota and a great group from Colorado hit the road - LUNCH BABY!
What a Motley Crew......
We had the same waitress we had 3 years ago and she remembered us. Food was awesome.....I know it is hard to believe, but I took a food shot.....this was a rare thing for me.
Rolled back to the GOTF to finish up Kendalls bike and start an AWESOME DAY OF FELLOWSHIP!
Time to light the pit........Mckenna got the honors this year! Man, what a SWEETHEART. She has grown into a special little lady.
That evening it was GUMBO time baby! I am not going to tell some of the secrets of HG's gumbo, but let me tell you - the best I have ever had (except my wife's) and I am only saying that in case she reads this. Not only does he cook a MEAN gumbo for a Texican, he cooks a MEAN gumbo for a CAJUN!
The ABSOLUTE BEST - and that is from a Louisiana boy. He put our gumbo to shame!
After everyone ate, the weather came in. BOY HOWDY!!!!!!! It was one heckuva gully washing frog floater. Rain was blowing sideways with 40-50 mph winds - then the hail hit and lighting was flashing everywhere - a wonderful light show of nature! It was a frog floater though. Then lightning took out the electricity. Awesome storm! I was starting to try and figure out how big a cubit was.....just in case.....it was blowing straight through the awning, so most folks took shelter in the shop. It was a very impressive storm - no doubt.
It may have rained, but never dampened the party. The lie telling just moved to another spot.....
During the break between cells, it gave folks a chance to bike to the hotel if they wanted, folks with cages took children and co riders back if needed. Then the party continued. Fire pit dried people out....gas lamps were lit, flashlights were pulled and everything was right with the world again....power, we dont need no stinking power.........
And HG played with his meat.....the 20 or so briskets to go in the smoker that is..by flashlights.....
Hang em, Hang em high...........
What some folks dont appreciated is that it had to be watched throughout the night - keeping the right amount of wood, keeping the wood dried and the temperature right. HG and FB work for days - day and night - making a happening, happen.........
Many a moist lie was told through the evening and fellowship shared.
Saturday rolled around - and the fools rushed in - folks came from all over the country to share in fellowship and to pass a large time and a large time was passed!
Troutdude figured his trailer might come in handy if the weather contined........
Ok fools - gather...........
Anybody seen my red and black?
Well, time to get the meat ready........
Hey, is there something here to cut the meat with?
There was a raffle and auction to raise money for the children to go to camp....psssst.....that was what it is all about!
Ummm, let's just say that there was a lie or two told and a tire or two kicked. Then, DING-DING-DING the dinner bell - belly up to the Q folks.
WOW! Can Texans throw a BBQ or what?????
Well, did I like it?
I LOVED IT!!!! WHOOOO-HOOOOOO - Man, che', dat was some fine, fine vittles yeah.
Even had room for desert - the secret is to pace yourself.......
Did we get some rain over the weekend?
Folks sat around until late into the evening catching up with each other, meeting new family members and sharing fellowship with old family members. A GLORIOUS DAY!!!!!!
Got up this morning and was able to see TP and Ms TP off. The group that was left sat around and had coffee and waved at the fools that were passing by on the way home to parts all over...........Ran up and picked up some doughnuts to go with the coffee.
Alas, as much as I hated it to end.........DAGNABIT, I had to head east again. So, with a lot of hugs (that had gone on throughout the weekend), I cranked Traveler and headed out on the superslab back home.
So, one bathroom stop and a gas stop after passing over to Louisiana where a couple pulled up to the pumps on their way back to North Carolina (coming from the GOTF).....what a great couple as well, it was back into the garage in Louisiana. 592 miles of sweet, sweet wind and a maximum speed on GPS of 92 mph. Traveller ran great!
I was able to play with nutdogs, spend some time with my wonderful bride and even able to clean up and make evening service.
Well, to sum up the ride report...........I PASSED ME A VERY LARGE TIME!!!!!!!! Food was great, the fellowship was AWESOME and the wind was sweet.
I sure spent some time with some of the finest folks on the planet. Got to catch up with old family members and met some new brothers and sisters (and even a Mom). The love and fellowship was second to none and is a GLORY. After spending the last two years taking care of Bonnie - it was like we had seen each other last month. More of family than flesh............
Hotglue and Flamingobabe -
YOU ARE TWO OF THE FINEST PEOPLE I KNOW! It is an honor and a privilege to be able to call you friends - a brother and a sister. I love you two! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
We passed a large time and as for the weather........hey..............
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAgFR_wmLiY (External Embedding Disabled)
Well, that is my ride report - Again, HG and FB, THANK YOU! It dont get no better - no way, no how...............
