Riding with Friends

This page is dedicated to all of our friends we have met along the way. Cathy and I have had a great time over the past five years with our “new” and “old” friends. We have found much in common with those that share the excitement of the 2-wheel world. It seems that no longer are there time schedules, worries about finances or health issues to address when you ride with friends.

This page will continue to grow with future ride pictures. To view the ones already uploaded simply hit on this link titled Rides and make sure you enter the password “chrome” to view them.

Sturgis Rally

Ah, Sturgis Bike Week (password "chrome") in August of 2006 was something that must be experienced sooner or later! Marc and I left from home on a Tuesday and rode to Sioux Falls, South Dakota the first day (560 miles). The Corn Palace was on our list of things to do on Wednesday, then The Badlands, Wall Drug and Rapid City Harley-Davidson all before checking into Black Hills University at Spearfish.

You can pay upwards of $200 or more per night to stay close to Sturgis during the Rally in a hotel with all the amenities or do what we did, stay at Spearfish University for a total of $80 per night in a dorm room. The campus offers a breakfast buffet every morning except on weekends for $5.25 (yes it’s all you can eat)! They also have an indoor pool and weight room (both of which were closed for remodeling). The Dorm hosts made coffee every morning and there was a big screen TV in the lobby. We met many riders from throughout the US at the University. When you split the costs, it was only $40 per night. Its college dorm living at it’s best! What more do you need?

We saw lots of sites during our time in South Dakota. Must sees include, Spearfish Canyon, Mount Rushmore, Needles Highway, the National Cemetery, Devil’s Tower (Wyoming), Sturgis itself, Full Throttle Saloon, Deadwood, and the list goes on.
My only regrets when looking back on our travels was that we didn’t get to Full Throttle Saloon earlier in the week and didn’t spend anytime with my friends from home and the east coast. I apologize for this Steve, Mark and Steve! We arrived back home on the following Tuesday after riding over 2400 miles! What a RUSH!

Daytona Rally

Back by popular demand are sites from past Daytona Bike Week (password "chrome") celebrations. Daytona is one of the largest Motorcycle Rallies along with Sturgis in South Dakota and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. Daytona Bike Week is held in late February some years, but mainly in early March. For us in the Midwest, Daytona is just the ticket when helping to squash the blues of winter. For most of us, we are forced to either ship our rides or trailer them. In the past I have done both. Shipping is much faster as you contact a local shipper; I’ve used Haul Bikes now named, Daily Direct from the Milwaukee Area. Daily Direct will take your ride anywhere in the US you want to be. Of course there is a fee! The very first year I attended Daytona Bike Week (the year I picked up my 2000 Ultra in Orlando) the roundtrip fee was $450, which no doubt has raised due to gasoline increases. In 2004, when Cathy and I attended the Rally we shipped again with Daily Direct, then I purchased an open double trailer at Orlando Harley-Davidson. This trailer of ours, made by Rocket Trailers has been used to trailer bikes to Myrtle Beach in May of 2004 and Daytona in March of 2005.

Enjoy the photos and links to various websites as this blog continues to grow. Don’t forget to leave comments as time permits. It’s always good to hear from fellow riders throughout the country. As always, be safe!

Myrtle Beach Rally

Here are some of my Myrtle Beach Bike Week (password "chrome") photos from May of 2004. In the coming days I will attempt to upload some of the many Bike pictures that I took too! These photos are posted on my Shutter Fly account and may require you to type in a password of “chrome” to view.

4th Annual Ride

4th Annual Overnight HOG Ride - Christmas In July

This year’s themed ride was, “Christmas in July”. Our route took us to Shullsburg, Wisconsin for their Christmas in July celebration. This year instead of a lunch prepared by Glenn’s Meats, we decided to do it ourselves. Cathy purchased all the fixings and it was basically a build your own. We gave everyone the choice of beef, turkey or ham. Along with the sealed envelope everyone receive a candy cane with a poem. At the lunch stop Cathy and I had wrapped enough gifts (white elephants) so everyone got into the “mood”. Everyone drew numbers and we went in order picking from the gifts on the table. The next person in line could “steal” an already opened gift or try their luck at one that was wrapped. By opening gifts this way, the social time was extended and friendships made. Once in Schullsburg the majority of us visited a homemade ice cream store to partake in the simpler things in life!

The route we took to Schullsburg and then to Platteville, WI winded through many farm fields. After the social hour in the pool at Country Inn of Platteville we walked across the street to Timbers Restaurant. During dinner we were told that there was a wedding reception in the lower level of the restaurant. We all encouraged Randy Dunn to make eyes at the bride in an attempt to score a few pieces of wedding cake. As luck would have it, Randy returned a short time later with the bride and enough wedding cake for all to enjoy! I wonder what the groom had to say about this!

The next morning we made our way to Prairie du Chien and crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa and had lunch at McGregor’s Beer and Brat Garden. The town of McGregor was featured on the cover of the 2005 Harley-Davidson parts catalog. McGregor’s has a deck that overlooks the Mississippi River. I think all of us ate inside because it was another warm day.
Cathy and I were surprised by our group with a “thank you card”, which is something they have done each year, except this year inside the card was money to help offset costs for next year’s ride! Next year, 2007 will be our 25th wedding anniversary, so we’ll see what the theme will be. Stay tuned for more information as the year progresses.

3rd Annual Ride

3rd Annual Overnight HOG Ride - Northwood’s Tour

This was the year Cathy and I became real tour guides! We had a total of 12 couples and 22 motorcycles. Having this many riders it made it very interesting when we maneuvered through the Wisconsin Dells on a Saturday afternoon in the summer! This year Cathy made green forest headbands for everyone. She also sewed two flags for the back of the Harley!

Having this many riders, we offered something new this year, a catered lunch! I contacted Glenn’s Market of Watertown, WI for help. With their help, we were able to offer our friends a full featured lunch for around $5 each. Glenn’s let us borrow their mini coolers to keep everything fresh. Once again our trailer came in handy.

On our way to Wausau for the night, we crossed the Wisconsin River via the Merrimac Ferry. The Merrimac Ferry is Wisconsin’s only “free” ferry. This ferry follows US 113 from one side of the river to the other. The ferry is pulled from side-to-side by cables.

We arrived at our hotel, Comfort Inn in Wausau mid afternoon on what turned out to be a beautiful day. After some swimming, pictures and drinks we made our way to Tony Romas for dinner.

Sunday those that wanted to stop and shop at Wausau Harley-Davidson (two blocks from the hotel) made the journey. We all decided to hit the road around 11:00 towards Wild Rose for lunch. We had made reservations for our gang at 1:00 and prior to arriving, the owner informed Cathy and I that they would put together a lunch that would be hot and waiting for us. The Pioneer Pub at 480 Main Street in Wild Rose (920-622-4550) had a décor of a north woods hunting cabin with its log exterior construction. The food and service was to our liking and would highly recommend the Pioneer Pub if in the area.

The ride from Wild Rose to Watertown was very hot and stops were needed; as we dipped our north woods headbands in the ice water for some relief! One of the places we stopped was on the east shores of Green Lake. From here we continued on towards Watertown stopping in Fox Lake for some ice cream. Prior to finally reaching home, we ran into a short but very soaking rainstorm just south of Beaver Dam.

Our 1st Harley

In 2002 a year prior to the birthday bash of enormous proportions, I informed my wife that I would be attending Harley-Davidson’s 100th Anniversary in Milwaukee in 2003. She replied, “Go ahead and take the mini-van!” Yeah right, we live within 50 miles of what would become the party of the century and I wasn’t about to view it from the confines of a soccer mom’s white Plymouth Voyager, even if it did have a Harley-Davison decal on it! I started shopping for what would become the best looking bike ever, a 1994 Heritage Classic. I found just what I was looking for at an Indian Motorcycle dealership in the Chicago area. I called them and placed the bike on hold for 24 hours. When I arrived, the bike was everything they promised it would be, in fact, there were two guys waiting and praying that I passed up this bike so they could fight over it! Since I hadn’t ridden for many years, one of the salesmen took me out in a subdivision and told me he had all night and we weren’t leaving until I felt comfortable.

After the deal was made, $12,500 later I started my journey back to Wisconsin on I-90. It wasn’t long before the rain started hitting my face like small pebbles. As I got wetter I became more excited to be traveling on the open road, on a Harley without a care in the world. I stopped under a few bridge underpasses and tucked up underneath to stay warm for a few minutes at a time. As I huddled by myself, I never looked away from that bike sitting along side the highway, with its air cooled V-Twin engine saying “potato-potato.” With each passing semi truck I prayed, please don’t hit her! I finally made it to Janesville, WI and exited I-90, by this time the rain had stopped as I rode with my eyes wide opened north on Highway 26 to Watertown. I didn’t sleep much that night and when I did I dreamed of my first ride on a Harley-Davidson air cooled V-twin!

Days later I went to a buddy’s house to show off my bike. He took one look and said, “You’re not going to believe this.” He went into his garage and pulled the cover off his Harley, a 1993 Heritage Classic, and same exact color! Weeks passed and I decided to take my wife for a ride. After one ride she said she wasn’t comfortable! So I did what every husband would do in a similar situation, I divorced her! Yeah like hell I did! We went looking for a Harley bagger. She actually found one close to home. I sold the Heritage (I still miss it as I type this article) and bought the 2000 FLHT Standard, black of course. Many miles were added to this bike and I made a decision about the type of rider I was. I was a long distance junky. Riding a few miles every other day just didn’t come close to satisfying my hunger. I wanted all the comforts of my favorite recliner! I had to have a radio, cruise control and a back rest. I went searching on eBay and found a 2000 Suede Green & Black Ultra Classic with only 2,800 miles on it. I made the deal for $16,500 and met the owner outside Disney World in 2003 days prior to Daytona Bike Week. The deal was made and I traveled with my Heritage Classic buddy and others to Daytona Bike Week 2003.

2nd Annual Ride

2nd Annual Overnight HOG Ride - Whitehouse Connection Ride 2004

Our 2nd Annual Ride was titled “The Whitehouse Connection” because of it being an election year. Cathy did some searching and found the Ramada Whitehouse Supper Club in Richland Center, WI. The hotel is styled after the Whitehouse in Washington, DC. Each room is named after one of the 50 states. As I recall the night we all stayed, the Illinois room made lots of noise!

Once again each rider received the “sealed envelope” with all the pertinent information. This ride didn’t take place until October, so weather was an issue. As for the “goodies”, each person received a red, white and blue plastic mug for the pool area. I forgot to mention before, all hotels we stay at must have, 1.) An indoor pool and hot tub, 2.) A restaurant within walking distance! At dinner everyone also got a bag of red, white and blue M&Ms (damn those “special” colors are expensive).

When we left Watertown at 9:30 AM we had a total of 11 couples, this was up 4 from the 1st Annual Ride! The weather was cloudy, cold and threatened rain. Before arriving at Wollershiem Winery in Sauk City, Wisconsin, we made many stops to warm up. On the way to the winery we ran into rain, sleet and snow! We all went on the tour at the winery and sampled some of the homemade wines. Our next stop was Sauk City Harley-Davidson for lunch. It was Sauk’s annual apple pie contest. After shopping and eating we continued on our journey or should I say our “venture” to Richland Center. As soon as Cathy and I checked in, I turned the room temperature up to the highest setting! We all met in the pool area for some socializing. Some of us afterwards watched the Badgers kick butt in a Big 10 showdown in the bar area on the big screen TV. Dinner that night was Prime Rib, as it always is at the Whitehouse on a Saturday.

The ride home on Sunday led us to Portage for lunch at Full Throttle. Cathy and I wanted to find a place that served something unique, something other than hamburgers. Full Throttle has the usual menu, but then they also serve buffalo and elk burgers. The tavern has a motorcycle theme. If you find yourself in the area stop by (1101 De Witt Street 608-742-3964).

1st Annual Ride

Chili Ride

In 2003, my wife and I wanted to greet the many riders coming to Milwaukee for the 100th in La Crosse, WI. These riders were part of the NW Tour that had left days earlier from Washington. A route was planned from Watertown, WI to La Crosse via the Great River Road (along the Mississippi River). If you have never had a chance to ride any of the Great River Roads (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota or Wisconsin) then take the time! Along the way you will travel through many towns of yesteryear. These towns along the Mississippi River seem to have a much slower paced life style.

To get started on the trek, we sent out invitations to our Harley friends. Our 1st Overnight HOG Ride was going to be special and we wanted the destination to be a surprise. After planning the route, we needed a theme. The theme chosen for this Ride was the “Chili Ride” (Cool Harley Riders La Crosse Ride). Every couple was asked to bring their favorite Salsa, either homemade or store bought. We pulled a trailer that had the snacks and extra clothing for those who didn’t have saddle bags.

We decided at the very beginning of our Annual HOG Overnight Rides that the route and destination would always be a surprise for our friends. As we have done each year since, riders we receive a sealed envelope with the route, destination, hotel and all emergency telephone numbers. It is up to each couple as to whether or not to open the envelope. I can honestly say, in the 4 years we have been hosting such a ride only one person has chosen to open it. Since this was our very first year, Cathy made transparent vinyl decals for the motorcycle windshields. These vinyl decals had a picture of a chili pepper and the “Chili” logo artwork. Each rider also received a colorful chili bandanna.

We left Watertown around 9:30 AM on a Saturday (like most of our overnight rides) and traveled west to Sauk City Harley-Davidson. A stop was made for lunch in Mazomanie, WI at “The Old Feed Mill.” This historic feed mill dates back to 1857! At that time, it was a flouring mill. For many years it remained empty until 1992 when the new owners had plans of a historic restaurant.

After leaving The Old Feed Mill we continued on our venture to La Crosse. The route we took led us along the Wisconsin River west to Prairie du Shien. From here, we continued north along STH 35 or The Great River Road. Many articles have been written about the Great River Road of Wisconsin and Minnesota. The latest one I read was in HOG Tales magazine from 2006. If ever you want a venture of a life time, hit the Great River Road. Don’t be surprised if you see a bald eagle or two! There are many lookouts that need to be experienced. If you are in a hurry, then what the hell are you on a motorcycle for? We feel clocks no longer exist when you are on 2-wheels. Riding is all about being free. Free to enjoy what life has to offer, whether it be by yourself, your spouse or a group. Prior to heading for home we made a stop in Marquette, Iowa to try our hand at gambling at Isle of Capri Casio on a paddle boat! Since we all lost our money within ten minutes, the least we could do is enjoy the buffet lunch. The ride east into Wisconsin was hot and tiresome since we road I-151 most of the way. A final stop was made at Capital-City Harley-Davidson in Madison. Many of us decided to dip our chili bandannas in the ice water which was in a cooler on the trailer. This was the best relief there was!

Please come back to this site to read about our other Annual HOG Overnight rides.

Home Page

Within this blog which has been in the making for a few years, you will read articles about Bike Week celebrations and see photos taken of the bikes and babes. You will also be able to select links to take you to local Harley-Davidson dealerships as well as accessories to individualize your ride. I have tried to establish a blog that is not only functional but interactive as well. My wife and I have spent lots of time planning our yearly overnight HOG rides as you will see by selecting the posts on the left titled, “Annual Overnight Ride.” This blog is titled, V-Twin Ventures for a reason; I encourage you to share with the rest of the V-Twin World and those who ride other wonderfully made two-wheelers, your own personal ventures! We feel it isn’t the brand that makes the ride enjoyable, it’s the people, places, weather and food!

As I spent many hours and days selecting the right photo to share, I remember the many ventures we have had and the wonderful, friendly people we have met along the way. We thank God for allowing us the time to see this beautiful country of ours and to remember the freedoms we as Americans have.

So sit down, relax and enjoy what I feel can never truly be explained. As they say, “If I had to explain, you wouldn’t understand.” How right they are. How can you explain the smell of hamburgers cooking, a female driver who passes you and the scent of her perfume or the smell of a recent rain storm.