Trip to Sturgis Day 1, Part 4

In La Crosse the dealership was giving out passes for a ’Ride to Sturgis’ event at the Oktoberfest grounds. We grabbed two tickets and left for our hotel. We checked in and unloaded our stuff from the bike. After a quick shower to wash the day off, we rode over to the Oktoberfest grounds. We had been here for the S & S 50th Anniversary party so we were somewhat familiar with the grounds. Once inside, there were booths for all things motorcycling. Most were run by volunteer organizations that were trying to raffle off something or sell something to raise money for their group. We went to the bar and ordered a beer and walked towards the band. They were called The Brat Pack and played 80’s music dressed in goofy costumes with props like a Star Wars light saber and Pac Man video games, reflecting the era they were trying to represent. They were really good. We were having a good time so we ordered a sandwich from the food vendor and another beer. A guy approached me offering a 1 in 10 chance to win 4 tickets to the Buffalo Chip for Tuesday night’s Dylan/Kid Rock concert at $20 per entry. I didn’t hesitate. I gave him twenty bucks for the chance and I would know before the end of the evening if I was the winner. We listened to the band for quite a while and the place was filling up. Just as we were getting ready to leave, the man with the raffle approached us to tell us we didn’t win but the winner was a girl from the La Crosse roller derby team who wasn’t going to Sturgis so maybe she would want to sell them. We decided to approach her and she was ready to sell them. I offered her $60. She asked me if I knew that they were worth $280. I said yes, I knew that but I had exactly $60 cash on my person and that was all. So I said good-night, I was tired and didn’t really care about them all that much any more. I was ready to walk away. She says, “now wait”, then looks at Jeff and asks him if he has any to add. He says that between the two of us we have exactly $100, take it or leave it. She rolls her eyes, repeats what they are worth and then hands me the envelope. We gave her the $100 cash. She did ask me to do her a favor; go see the Roller Derby at Monkey Rocks. We agreed.

I never thought I would go to a little La Crosse party and end up with 4 expensive tickets to the Buffalo Chip. And to the Dylan show on top of that. What a great day!

We left our house at 8:30 am and checked into our hotel at 5:30 pm. We logged 248 miles for the day.

Happy trails.

Trip to Sturgis Day 1, Part 3

We pulled out of Capital City Harley-Davidson and left for the Dells where we stopped at Monk’s for lunch. Jeff and I chose to sit at the bar and split an order of chicken sliders. Two guys from Connecticut sat next to us. We started chatting and I handed them some of Cindy’s maps. One of the guys had a faraway look and I asked him if he was feeling ok. He told us he rolled over a piece of loose luggage that fell off one of the bikes. He said his bike was airborne and he feels lucky to be here right now. The sick feeling he had was from watching his life flash before his eyes. Understandable. I guess I was wrong about that bag I saw between the lanes.

We got back on the bikes and had a somewhat uneventful ride to Mauston. When we ride in large groups, the rule is always safetly first, so sometimes the group gets split at a stoplight or when traffic merges between us. That happened at the off ramp to the Mauston H-D dealership. Unfortunately, the person at the front didn't know the area, but he had a GPS. Now, I have never been a believer in GPS's reliability so I was not sure we would get where we needed to go. Jeff didn't know the exact location of the dealership so we were at his mercy. And of course, we took a wrong turn. GPS could not adjust the mistake without taking us miles out of the way. One of the women in the group knew exactly where the wrong turn was made and we all turned around and followed her back in the right direction to the dealership.

This dealer seemed much more organized. The dealership set up a table for the Davidsons and allowed anyone to get in line for autographs. Jeff decided to take the opportunity to get his vest signed by the family so he got in line and got it done.

We met some guys from a local veterans group, as usual Jeff was making some new friends. These guys were on the Vietnam Vets ride to Lambeau just like Jeff so they had a few stories to share. While he was yapping I took the opportunity to get a photo with my favorite State Senator, David Zein. He is such a fun guy, I hope I run into him again some time.

From there we started out towards La Crosse. As we rode, we went under an overpass in Tomah that was lined with people waving and cheering us. I wondered if they knew it was Willie G. leading the group. I wondered why they were there at all. It felt good knowing we were getting close to the last stop. Riding in the sun all day is tiring, even as a passenger.

Trip to Sturgis Day 1, Part 2

We rode from the H-D Museum to Capital City Harley. The route was straight up I-94. When it's just the two of us we try to stay on the back roads but we thought it would be fun to ride with this group no matter which route they took. But getting a group this large to stay together in Milwaukee traffic is difficult and we did get split in two separate groups. We were towards the front of the second group. Four bikes were in front of us, all with North Carolina plates. We knew they couldn't lead (they were switching into lanes that didn't make sense by the stadium) so at the first opportunity Jeff and two others passed them to take the lead. There was plenty of construction near Madison so it made for a stressful ride. Just before Sun Prairie, there was a travel bag lying on the white lane markers. Luckily it was between the lanes so no one would run over it. Somebody on this ride lost their luggage. That's gonna suck.

When we got to the Madison store, we talked to the North Carolina group and they were grateful that we got in front of them. They rode up to Milwaukee just to ride with Willie G. to Sturgis. I am surprised anyone would do that but I guess I should be surprised especially by the many people came out to greet the Davidsons. There were camera crews from the local news, reporters, and local fans. They were disappointed when we showed up without the majority of the Davidson family. So the reporters did an interview with the CEO, Keith Wandell.
20 minutes into our visit, the Davidsons pulled up on their motorcycles. The crowd went wild with applause. Even the Wandell interview stopped to turn the camera on the Davidsons.
As everyone crowded around them I stepped back and took a walk. It was nice to stretch, sit under a shady tree and enjoy the quiet. Just as I started walking back towards the building, a photographer approached me and asked if he could take my photo. I said yes, he took the shot, looked at the results and asked if I would be willing to do a series of shots. I needed more info first and he told me he is the photographer for Harley Davidson and he does all their promotional material. Then he asked me to sign a release form. So I did it.

After I found Jeff we saw Karen Davidson with just a few people hovering nearby. We took the opportunity to introduce ourselves as Jen's parents. The first thing she said was, "doesn't she make the most amazing cupcakes?" (Yeah, Jen and her Iron Cupcake competitions.) We had a nice conversation. The group started to get back together to head out and on the walk back to the bike, a reporter from Janesville approached me and started to ask questions. I gave her the details the best I could starting with the pancake breakfast. I am again surprised at the interest.

Trip to Sturgis Day 1, Part 1

We packed up the bike and left home around 7:30 to get to the Harley Museum. The museum held a pancake breakfast for riders heading out to Sturgis with the Harley Executives. When we arrived, there were lots and lots of bikes. About 25 employees were riding with the Davidsons and another 25 of us were tagging along.

After we parked, one of first people we encountered was a friendly face, Tony SanFelippo. Everyone knows Tony, he is familiar to bikers because he is the head road guard for the Governor's Ride and the County Executive's Ride. And non-bikers will know him from the Hupy & Abraham commercials where he says, "if you've been injured in a motorcycle accident..." That's Tony in those ads. When he saw me with Cindy's maps, he mentioned that her husband was handing them out last night.

Some of the people who will ride along with us this morning were going to go as far as they could and just turn around. Everyone wanted to ride with Willie G. even for a short while. Unfortunately, Willie, Nancy, and Karen were delayed and would catch up with the group in Madison which was a little disappointing for some.

After the breakfast Bill Davidson gave the group instructions for lining up for the ride then a Deacon from a south side church gave a blessing. The interesting thing about the guy is that he is a Deacon on Sundays and he works at the Harley Museum during the week. By 8:30 we were heading out of the parking lot and on our way.
(In the photos: Bill Davidson, Tony SanFelippo, State Senator David Zein, The Deacon)

Time for sturgis

The Pee Wee kick off

I found this ad tonight:

ONLINE CASTING CALL
Register for your chance to be selected by Pee-wee Herman to play a Biker Bar Patron Extra in “PEE-WEE’S BIG STURGIS ADVENTURE” being shot on-site at the Legendary Buffalo Chip on August 8-9 by a professional Hollywood production team. Be a part of the new version of the infamous Tequila dance biker bar scene from “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” cult-classic movie.

So I signed Jeff up. The requirement was to send 3 bad-ass photos and I did the best I could to dig some up. Good luck, hun.