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The whole truth and (almost) nothing but the truth!
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December 11th, 2004 Kaufman County Children's Home Benefit - Kaufman, Texas
This time of year, the Highway Riders spend a great
deal of time (and money) helping those less fortunate than ourselves.
It's not very often that we actually get to see and spend time with the people
we are trying to help. That's what made this benefit so special.
The kids at the Norvill Center have been displaced from their real
family, but they quickly find a new family at the Norvill Center. It is
a wonderful place, The kids got to see Santa and the Reindeer, and they were
all given rides on the motorcycles. Everyone who participated came away
feeling like they made a big difference, because they did. We really
can't wait until next
year!
November 28th, 2004 Max Tague Memorial Toy Run - Tarrant County, Texas
A fierce northerly wind (oh, I used that line
yesterday). It was cold and windy again today, ...blah,,,blah,,,blah,,,
We rode over to a parking lot and waited ...blah,,,blah,,,blah,,, We led
the parade to Chances Nite Club in Joshua to drop off the toys ...blah,,,blah,,,blah,,,
There were tons of bikes there ...blah,,,blah,,,blah,,, then we went to
eat. Thanks to everyone who participated. Can't wait until next
year!
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 November 27th, 2004 Marshall County Toy Run - Madill, Oklahoma
A fierce easterly wind came sweepin' down the
plains, and hammered the Highway Riders all the way to Kingston Oklahoma,
where the Marshall County toy run began. I'm pretty sure Santa's sleigh
was on one wheel most of the time. Despite the cold winds, we were well
represented as members from Hood, Kaufman, Tarrant and Atoka counties appeared
to help support this worthy cause. The parade left Kingston and headed
to the Madill courthouse square to deliver gifts. The Highway Riders won
an award for the largest group present, and our own Texx-Mexx won a plaque for
having ridden the farthest to attend (Granbury). Thanks to the Marine
Corps Reserve for the pins and the great door prizes. Semper Fidelis !!!
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 November 21st, 2004 3rd Annual Motorcops for Kids Toy Run - Garland, Texas
The rain stayed all night, but the skies were
clearing as the Highway Riders pulled away from McDonalds and headed east to
the Land of Gar. At Town East Mall, we stopped to dress, and meet up
with more members from the Kaufman, Ellis, and Collin County chapters.
New members Robert and Denise suited up for their first reindeer ride.
We even stuck an elf suit on their friend they brought along. At 1:30pm,
an estimated 1,500 bikes (led by HoHo Santa, Reindeer, and assorted support
personnel) were escorted by Garland's finest on the short trip to the
Shriner's Hella Temple where the toys were dropped off. Thank you
Garland Police and Shriners for putting on such a great run. See you
next year.
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 November 20th, 2004 Denton County Toy Run - Denton, Texas
Santa HoHo and assorted Reindeer and Elves
descended on upper Denton today to help bring a smile to some needy children.
All proceeds went to the Denton Police Association and the Lake Cities
Community Food Bank. Rain was threatening all day, but held off until
mid afternoon. Thanks to all who attended.
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 October 30th, 2004 Tarrant County Halloween Party - Arlington, Texas
Ghouls, goblins, and assorted Highway Riders
descended on the beautifully decorated back yard of Bb and Big-O to help
celebrate All Hallows Eve. It was quite the sight as strange people in
heavy makeup appeared at the door with coolers full of refreshment. The
kitchen was filled with a wonderful assortment of snacks and desserts.
Unfortunately, someone left the
cat's litter box on the table, and several people were seen eating from
it. Yummy. There was a big crock of eyeballs in sauce, and a large
bowl of pickled garlic cloves. Presumably to keep vampires away. (It
didn't work). There were
mousepads & WebMasters, tampons,
goth girls,
scarecrows, nipple cream,
partly cloudy skys,
vampires,
Pee Wee's and a cereal killer,
medical personnel,
boners,
Red Riding Hood and
her ride, and various
instruments of pain and delight. But nobody fell in the pool except
this poor guy. If I left
anything out, it was just too horrible to report.
October 8th-10th, 2004 Fall Talihina Campout - Lake Sardis, Oklahoma
A large group of north Texas area Highway Riders
made their annual sojourn to see the fall colors in the Kiamichi Mountains of
eastern Oklahoma this weekend. The weekend forecast called for a serious
chance of rain, but a fearless (ie: uninformed) group went anyway. Bucky
and Duchess arrived first and secured an area for camping. Spooky and
Sharon were delayed after being attacked by a giant yellow egg, which tried to
pass on the wrong side and dumped them in the mud. The rumor is that
while waiting for Sharon to regain consciousness, Kenny and Ding took pictures
of her posed in funny positions with a cigarette in her mouth. I'm still
waiting to see those. Anyway, all arrived safely. Dirty but safe.
The tents were going up fast as more and more Riders filtered in to camp. Our own Nurse Pokey went to the rescue of a young boy after a terrible car accident occurred near our camp. She help keep him calm and conscious while the EMT's worked on the driver who was pinned in the car. He was very fortunate to have her there to help. Good job Margaret! Semi-reformed arsonist Ding built the best campfire you have ever seen. (I think it is still going.) (Here is a movie of Doughboy gathering wood Highway Rider style.) Soon Angie arrived with the gigantic Chateau Snapper hauling a new pet horse that looked just like John Kerry. The sky was so crystal clear, you could see the Milky Way. We gathered around the fire, drinking, cracking jokes, biting butts (don't ask), and singing every stupid song you could name. The neighbors were pissed until about 2:00AM. On Saturday morning, we awoke to a low overcast sky. Ding was up early to make coffee for everyone. It had been drizzling a bit, so after breakfast, we waited around until about noon to see what the sky was going to do. Then, we decided to chance it. We saddled up and headed east on Highway 1 towards the Talimena Scenic Highway. The low clouds that enveloped the mountain tops soon enveloped the Highway Riders as we rapidly gained altitude on the mountain. Suddenly, you couldn't see anything except the tail light in front of you. If you were lucky. We were in white out conditions. There was no way we could do this for 50 more miles, so we turned around and stayed on the low roads until we got back to camp. And what do Highway Riders to when they can't ride? They EAT and DRINK of course. The local grocery was raided for brats, steaks and beer, The Strawberry Daiquiri machine was fired up and bartender Bug made sure everyone was happy. After a killer brain freeze (ouch), bartender Bug started some serious drinking of his own. Before long, we had a drunk bartender Bug working the crowd. All this while learning some new Indian phrases. (Woo woo, not dot dot) There were search parties, foot races, pants falling down, breezy rides, and some alleged snoring. (I never heard it myself.) After midnight, the rain came and rocked us all to sleep. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 Pic15 September 19th, 2004 Fall Oil Change Party - Grand Prairie, Texas
Once again, Bucky and Duchess hosted their
semi-annual oil changing party today. Ray "Gargoyle" Rapp decided it
would be an excellent time to adjust his valves. He should have known
what kind of day it would turn out to be, when his bike fell over on the
trailer enroute to Bucky's place. After many Margaritas and bloody
knuckles, I think he began to regret his decision. He finally did get
the job done (with a little help from sympathetic onlookers), only to have his
ramp break while loading his trailer afterwards. After picking up the
bike again, he was so mad that if someone had offered him $20 for the whole
rig, he may have taken it. The oil change party is usually entertaining
on one level or another, and I guess it was his turn this time. Next
time you see him, tell Ray his valves are making too much noise!!! Oh
yeah... Bucky fed us chopped brisket sandwiches, potato salad and cole slaw,
along with a few beers for good measure.
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 September 16th, 2004 Shriner Hospital Check Presentation - Garland, Texas
Back on May 22nd, the USA Highway Riders held a Fun
Run to help collect money to donate to Shriner's Hospitals. Tonight, we
were invited to the Hella Temple for the check presentation ceremony.
HoHo, Doughboy, Snapper, and Bucky were all in attendance to represent the
club. After an excellent dinner, we were ushered to the stage where
Doughboy presented the Grand Potentate a check for $800. The Shriners
then presented the Highway Riders with a Certificate of Appreciation.
Thank you Shriners for all the great work you do, and thanks to everyone who
worked and attended the Fun Run.
September 9th - 13th, 2004 Del Rio Trip - The Valley, Texas
Day 1 - Wayne & Olga met Wendy and myself. We took
off Thursday morning with temp at 62. Rode scenic roads to the Catfish Barge
for lunch. However they are only open Fri-Sun. So we rode into Llano and had
lunch at Coopers BBQ. Rode more scenic roads
to Ozona.
Day 2 - Left Friday morning with temp at 64 and
rode a very scenic road to Seminole Canyon state park. Then went to Langtry to
visit Judge Ray Bean saloon. On way to Del Rio we stopped and took pictures of
the Pecos river off the highest bridge in Texas. Beautiful place. Stopped at
Amistad Lake also.
Day 3 - Rode to Brackettville to tour the Alamo
Village movie set. Then rode back to Del Rio and visited a local winery. Took
a taxi
into Mexico for a great Mexican food lunch and cold
Corona beers. Shopped a little and returned to Del Rio. The border crossing
back to Texas was interesting. Since Olga is a Russian with a green card it
took a few minutes.
Day 4 - Took off for Marble Falls. Rode some of the
prettiest hill county roads in Texas. Arrived in time to watch the Cowboys
play. Had a very good dinner at The Dock seafood restaurant.
Day 5 - Left early for home and were back by noon.
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 September 11th, 2004 Honor Ride - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
On this very important date in American history, it
seemed appropriate to reflect and honor those who give their all to ensure our
continued freedom. To that end, a small contingent of Highway Riders
joined Bikers
for Christ for a ride to the
National Memorial in
Oklahoma City. We left Carrollton at 7:30am, with about 26 bikes.
We stopped in Marietta and Paul's Valley Oklahoma for gas and to pickup
additional riders. Arriving in Mustang Oklahoma (just west of OKC), we
were treated to a wonderful lunch by a local church group. After lunch,
our OKC Police motorcycle escort arrived to take us downtown to the Memorial.
After lining up for departure, we realized that our own Bucky, Duchess, and
Purple Knight would have the honor of leading the procession of 67 bikes on
the 18 mile journey to the downtown Memorial site.
We had never visited the Memorial before, but had been wanting to for quite some time. It is an awesome experience. At each end of the reflecting pool stand the "Gates of Time". On one end, the number "9:01" which represents the time before the blast. On the other end, you'll find "9:03" which indicates the time after the blast. Between the two gates, 168 chairs stand on one side of the reflecting pool. One chair for each life lost that day. Large chairs for adults, and small chairs for the children. Each person's name is engraved on the chair. On the other side of the pool, stands the "Survivor's Tree". An American Elm, which amazingly survived the blast, and now stands as a symbol of human resilience. On a brick wall behind the Survivor's Tree, angry words left by rescue workers. A "Memorial Fence" contains mementos left by passersby. Visiting the Memorial sort of puts life in perspective. Things can change very quickly. In the blink of an eye. If you know a policeman, fireman, emergency response worker, current or former military person, say a prayer for them as often as possible. Life is too short and so precious. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 Pic15 Pic16 Pic17 Pic18 Pic19 August 28th, 2004 Moonlight Poker Run - Mansfield, Texas
The Highway Riders always have a good turn out for
this annual event, and this year was no exception. The local GWRRA
Chapter "M" (The Moonlighters) hold this unusual night time poker run, which
is a welcome break from the Texas summer heat. Summer thunderstorms
threatened the event in the morning, but by late afternoon, the clouds parted.
There was a full moon rising in the clearing night sky. As we gathered
for registration, the setting sun painted the remaining clouds with
spectacular colors. Riding through the dark countryside at night, the
twisting road ahead was illuminated with one hundred dancing headlights.
I imagined people seeing this from an aircraft, and wondering what the heck it
could be. Thank you MoonLighters. See you next year.
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 August 27th, 2004 Pokey's B.A.P. (Big Ass Party) - Arlington, Texas
On the eve of another 21st birthday, our own
Margaret (Pokey) decided to have a party for about 50 of her closest friends,
Having just spent millions of pesos on backyard landscaping, fencing and
adding a hot tub, Pokey want to see if it could withstand the rigors of a
Highway Riders party. Our own El Presidente "HoHo" presided over the
BBQ, and helped entertain a bowling ball smuggler he happened upon. A
search party had to look for "Evil Twin" after a mysterious woman in a red
shirt spirited him away (don't worry folks, he's OK). Melanie
broke the ice in the hot tub, and before long there was 8 people in it,
including "Sock Stuffer" Sippy who was wearing Pokey's frog shorts. He
looked VERY glad to see everyone (or the frogs were trying to escape).
Big-O and Bb set a new personal Olympic record by staying until 12:18AM !!!
Then Big-O attempted to drive the porcelain bus home. After 10 minutes
of going nowhere, Bb drove him home. Drunk Dixie and the Singing Red
Snapper sang the Super Chicken song (and several others) before Trashman took
her home. Thanks for the party Margaret!!!
Can't wait until your next 21st birthday!!!
Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 Pic15 August 21th & 22nd, 2004 Pam's Roofing Project - Arlington, Texas
In an unbelievable display of love and support, the
USA Highway Riders came together this weekend not to ride, but to help a
fellow member replace the shingles on their roof. Led by the expertise
of HoHo, QBall and Pooreboy, the friends and family that are the Highway
Riders banded together to tackle a very unpleasant job. It was hot and
muggy, and the threat of rain was nearby all weekend. It took all of
Saturday and a lot of Sunday, but we got it done. Everyone worked hard,
and had the blisters and screaming muscles to prove it. What a great
group this is !!! Thanks to HoHo, QBall, Pooreboy, Shortcut, Redbeard,
Miss Frilly, Texx-Mex, Dixie, Trashman, Bucky, Bulldog, Big O, Jimmy F, and
anyone else I missed.
August 20th, 2004 There's a New Rapper in Town - Grand Prairie, Texas
The newest Rapper in town is "Brandon Michael
Rapp", grandson of our own Ray Rapp. Born on 08-11-2004 at 8:44AM.
Weighs 8lbs 14oz, and is 21 inches long. Congratulations Ray.
August 19th, 2004 Sonic Bike Night - Justin, Texas
The newest chapter of the USA Highway Riders hosted
their first ever Bike Night at the Sonic in Justin tonight. The Denton
County chapter rolled out the red carpet and had an excellent turnout.
Especially considering the weather gods probably kept many riders at home.
It turned out to be a beautiful evening, with cool breezes, and no rain in
sight. There are plenty of riders in the area, and they hope to grow
this into a big monthly event. Thanks to the Denton County group for a
great evening.
July 11th, 2004 Longview Balloon Festival - Longview, TX
A small but dedicated pair of Highway Riders (Steve
and Karl) left Forney Saturday afternoon headed to Longview. They left about
6pm (took out time with a few stops), and parked in the special motorcycle
parking in the front row next to the entrance gate.
They had a kids game area, arts and craft vendors,
food, Air Force Fighter jet, East Texas Corvette club, Blue Knight simulator,
and a live band playing good old rock and roll on stage. I forgot to mention
the balloons. About 8:15 they filled up about 30 or 40, maybe more, all across
the field. They filled them up in the midst of the spectators. We were
literally standing with the balloon crews. We got to watch them "fill em up,"
that was interesting. Steve took some pictures of the process and got a shot
looking directly into the balloons as they were being inflated. After the
National Anthem, all the ballooner fired up the burners in unison, looked like
something out of land of the lost. All over the field you could see flames
shooting up twenty feet in the air, and you could feel the heat.
About 9pm, with all the balloons filled, they did a
night glow. I guess you can't fly at night. All the ballooners hit their
burners and "lit up the balloons." In the darkness it was a fantastic site.
They seemed to glow. They had some interesting balloons. Felix the Cat, a
Flying Pig, Purple People Eater and more.
Next year, if we go at night, Friday is better
(less crowd they say). Or early in the morning when they actually launch and
fly the balloons (6:30am) and have a flying competition with a ring toss onto
a flag pole by the ballooners..
July 2nd thru 4th, 2004 Illinois River Rafting Trip - Tahlequah, OK Threatening weather radar images of Oklahoma kept the bikes at home this weekend. Friday morning, Bucky, Duchess, Spooky & Shorty headed north towards Okieland. We met Dawn & Wade in Stringtown and headed to Tahlequah (Tell-a-quah), home of the Illinois river valley. At the resort, we headed down to the river to assess the situation, and plan our river attack strategy. Miss Frilly & Wide Turn showed up later, along with Kanepole & Linda, Sippy & Eva, and Thelma from Talihina. HoHo came in late. On Friday night, anticipation of the morning rafting trip (and beer) had some Highway Riders so giddy, they broke into spontaneous dance steps. (pic1, pic2, pic3, pic4) Giant thunderstorms provided a great light show off to the north. Later, we settled into our bunks for an all night snore-fest, courtesy of Bucky-Snore-Nips. (He SAYS never heard it) Saturday morning, we start cooking breakfast and preparing for the wet day ahead. Then comes the bad news... "The river is closed due to severe rising water conditions." Those thunderstorms we saw Friday night dumped enough water to raise the river 10 feet in 24 hours. Bummer. SO... we went sightseeing, took a nap, drank beer, took a nap, played dominos, drank beer, took a nap, etc, etc. You get the picture. We were bikeless, and raftless, but not clueless. However, we had a great time anyway. The area was beautiful, and next time, we'll go back on the bikes. Thanks to Dawn and Wade for putting it all together. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 June 19th thru 27th, 2004 HRRC Colorado Trip Day 1 - Saturday We head out of Fort Worth on our way to Clayton, New Mexico escorted by HoHo, Bucky, Chuck and Kenny for our first night. We get about 15 minutes up 287 from the I-35 ramp and it starts to pour down rain. This didn’t dampen the spirits of our adventurers, but the 4 escorts turned around quickly and headed back home. After a good soaking in the rain, it stopped and we dried out, just in time to get another soaking an hour later. We stop for fuel and put on the rain gear and head down the road. The sun comes out dries up and starts to get warm out, the rest of the day was great. We made our hotel (pic) (pic) and get all checked in, bikes unloaded and a bite to eat. A storm blows in that looks pretty wild. Pea size hail and lots of heavy rain. Glad we were already there. Day 2 - Sunday The next morning we all got up loaded the bikes and headed west along Highway 84, when a call on the radio says, ”I got a flat”. We get off the road with no problems and plug Bugs tire, pump it up and off we go again. We catch up with the rest of the group and get everybody situated and head out again. About a mile down the road that radio blares out those 4 little words again, “I got a flat”. The group goes on and Bug, Jack and Ed fix the flat again, (plug came out). After about 15 minutes the flat is fixed and we are off again. We catch up with the others in Raton, NM, get fuel and we all head to Colorado (pic). We make a stop at the scenic overlook (pic) for some pictures and leg stretching. On we go (pic) until we are about 20-30 minutes south of Colorado Springs, where the weather was looking real bad (pic) Tornado warnings were posted for the area (pic) so we decided to wait it out. After 30 minutes the storm past and we went on into the town of Manitou Springs (pic). We unpacked our bikes and went for a short ride to the Garden of the Gods (pic) where we had to hold the boulders in place (pic). Spooky just had to play King of the Rock (pic). After a tour around the garden we headed for Hellen Falls (pic) and then to Seven Falls (pic). During the day it all natural look (pic) but at night they light it up (pic) and change the colors (pic) every 30 seconds (pic) through the night (pic). As we start head to the lodge for the night, a little fox (pic) strolls right past us for a bite to eat. Day 3 - Monday Today is the day we go to the top of the world, or we thought so anyway, as we headed out. Miss Frilly’s bike had a touch of altitude sickness, but after an hour of massaging, brushing and spraying, we were on our way again to Pikes Peak. We get to the parks entrance and gathered the money to pay for all of us. Ed walks up to the pay booth, tells the park ranger we have 17 people riding, and she looks out there and says, ”That is the largest group of motorcyclist we have ever had!” After receiving a discount we mount up and head on up the mountain. (pic) The farther we go up the more the clouds came down. (pic) Visibility was dropping to about ¼ mile and temperature was dropping with them. About ½ way up we loose the asphalt and the road turns to a dirt & mud that becomes slick. Jack starts around a hairpin corner, only to have the Queen Mary decided she didn’t want to go, and was finding interest in the edge of the road. Everybody was stopping, and when Spooky stopped he lost his footing and fell over in the slick mud. At this point we decided to turn the group around. Everybody got turned around and headed back down. Bug (the leader of this trip) decided to go on up to see the rest of the road and reported back. Ed and Jim waited at the corner in case it got bad and he needed help. Bug calls out on the radio, he was at the lodge. Jim and Ed decided to go on up. We met up with rain, sleet, and snow once we got there and lots of cold wind. (pic) The very top of the peak was closed so we couldn’t go any further if we wanted to. After a pit stop, we headed back down, got a free trip back, and headed back to the motel since all it was doing was raining this day. There were a few people that decided to take the train (pic) up and here is a view (pic) of what they saw.Day 4 - Tuesday We get up in the morning (pic) and take a look at Pikes Peak (pic) with 2 feet of snow on it and figured we couldn’t go up this morning, so we headed for Cripple Creek to get mended (pic). Just before (pic) town we came upon the Mollie Kathleen Mine (pic) and stopped to check it out.(pic) A few brave souls (pic) packed into a cage (pic), 5 of them…oops one more (pic) “NO WAY”! said the woman, but after some coaxing, she did. (pic) Down the hole they went. 1,000 ft below the surface the stop in a shaft below (pic) where they were let out of the cage to look around (pic) at all the shafts (pic) and holes (pic) trying not to get lost (pic). They come up for a breath of fresh air and head on into Cripple Creek (pic) to see the rest of town. (pic) The old train (pic) was on its way out as we went by. And on the opposite side of town was the Westward Ho Motel. (pic) Clouds were starting to build to the south in the mountains, but it was clear over the top of Pikes Peak. It was stated to get a quick bite to eat, and head for the Peak. We went straight there stopping only for gas. At the check station they warned us it was slick and sloppy, we had our mind was set…we are going! Up the hill we go. As we get to “Spooky’s Corner”, we notices the road was hard pack, this lifted all of our spirits. We get to Glens Cove at the safety check and they warned us it was sloppy in spots and to be careful. About ½ hour later (pic) we start cresting (pic) the hill (pic) until we (pic) all made (pic) it up. Here your sign (Pikes Peak). How can you top a day like this ??? Day 5 - Wednesday We pack up our gear and say goodbye to the great people at the Buffalo Lodge www.buffalolodge.com with a send off picture (pic). Along the way down the twisty roads (pic) thru the canyons (pic) enjoying the views from the road (pic) passing by lakes (pic) and into the canyon of Ouray (pic). We checked into our cabin (pic) where we met up with some more Texans (pic) staying next to us. They had lots of food on the grill, and invited us over for dinner. We filled their margarita machine with the necessary ingredients, and we all partied for as long as we could (pic)Day 6 - Thursday We had people going everywhere today, some went to 4 Corners and visited 4 states at the same time. Others took to the Million-Dollar Highway (pic) where the scenery was awesome. Waterfalls (pic) of all sizes (pic) were abundant. Rolling down the road through a tunnel, (pic) we find a “Snow Shed” (pic) used to protect and shelter from an avalanche. On into Silverton Co., to visit all the little shops and catch the train (pic) that comes down to the center of town. A coal fired (pic) steam engine, don’t see those much anymore. A look at a local mine (pic) it was back to the cabin for this guy, where we found a little friend (pic) brave enough to come visit us.Day 7 - Friday 4 Jeeps (pic) and 12 hours took us into some real country for some rock climbing (pic) that gave us some great views (pic) of land you just can't see off the main highways (pic). How would you like to snow sled in June? Spooky does (pic). Again waterfalls were plentiful (pic) along this area, along with old shacks (pic) and processing facilities (pic) and caves (pic). Snow was everywhere at Engineers Pass (pic) where Pokey did her snow angel (pic). Further down the path, an old kiln, (pic) a broken dam, (pic) deer, (pic) and ground hogs (pic). How about a waterfall in your back yard (pic)? This is just too much to handle. Day 8 - Saturday This is a sad day, we all have to pack up to head back home, and leave this beautiful part of our country behind. We could have spent weeks here and still not seen all the sights. Down 550 we go, headed for Albuquerque NM, (pic) then on over to Tucumcari, NM. Just east of Santa Rosa and all the way to the motel it came a rain, not too heavy but just enough to make us slow down and take it easy. We pull into the motel and head over to K-Bob’s Steak house for a good meal, and call it a night. Day 9 - Sunday We all get up and head out at 7:00am for home. We are all tired but we stop for fuel and eats until we get close enough to home where we start breaking up and people are going home. We had 20 bikes leave and 20 bikes return home with only 2 flat tires, a couple fouled plugs and a 2 close calls. Excellent for 3,000 mile trip and 26 people. Next year….Arizona and California…You wanna Go?? June 13th, 2004 Sharkey's Last Ride - Granbury, Texas In honor of our good friend and Hood County First Officer Bob "Sharkbite" Withers moving from lovely Granbury to a desolate and barren area of Texas near Waco, we decided to grace him with our presence, and cook hot dogs at his house. But first, we had to take a short blast down Highway 51 (both directions of course) and run up the river road. It was H-O-T hot outside, so Spooky and Shorty decided to cool off at the river crossing. There was plenty of twisty roads, standing on the side of the road, a near miss in front of the Dollar General, massive numbers of phone calls to somebody named HoHo, and lots of chili and onions for the dogs. We hope you'll send us your new address Bob. May 31th, 2004 Memorial Day Observance - Dallas, Texas In an effort to support and honor area military veterans, a group of Highway Riders helped American Legion Post 424 escort a bus filled with patients from the Dallas Veterans Hospital to the Texas Vietnam Memorial at Fair Park. There, a group of former Special Forces "Green Berets" along with a South Vietnamese Honor Guard held a flag ceremony at the Memorial site in honor of veterans worldwide. Afterwards, we returned to Post 424 for a fantastic lunch provided at no charge. After lunch, we headed to the National Cemetery in Grand Prairie to visit an old friend. If you have never been before, there is no better time than Memorial Day. It was an honor to ride for such a great cause. It was an honor to stand among those permanently residing in that Garden of Stone. God bless the veterans, everywhere. They all deserve our undying gratitude. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 Pic15 Pic16 Pic17 Pic18 Pic19 Pic20 May 29th, 2004 HRRC Founders Day Party - Alma, Texas Always on the lookout for a good party, the USA Highway Riders headed to Fred's place in Alma for our annual Founders Day celebration. I'm not sure what a "Founder" is (some kind of fish maybe), but if there is beer involved, we're there! The smoker was going all day, and dinner was served at 5:00pm by Chef HoHo and Chef Fred. The SoulBinders band kicked off their first set at 6:00pm, and the party was on. We had water balloons, dancing, virtual rides, toe sucking, and breezy rides. And, that was before it got weird. Can't wait till next year. Maybe I'll know what a "Founder" is by then. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 Pic15 Pic16 Pic17 Pic18 Pic19 Pic20 Pic21 Pic22 Pic23 Pic24 Pic25 Pic26 Pic27 May 29th, 2004 National Polka Festival Parade - Ennis, Texas Always on the lookout for a good parade, the USA Highway Riders headed to Ennis for the annual National Polka Festival. There was a large crowd on hand for the parade. The kids loved the bikes, and everyone had a great time. Next time, maybe we can watch the parade from their vantage point. It would be much easier on the clutch hand. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 May 23rd, 2004 The HRRC Fun Run - Fort Worth, Texas The second annual USA Highway Riders Fun Run benefiting Shriner's Hospitals kicked off today from Sammies Bar-B-Que on Belknap in the Town of the Cow. Tarrant County 1st Officer Ed "Doughboy" Beilfuss gathered the worker bees for last minute instructions before sending them off to man their assigned positions along the ride route. At each stop, riders played a different game to win tickets for a chance at the prize drawings. It was a warm, windy Sunday, which accounted for the brisk beer sales at Sammies before and after the ride. Guitarist Kim Younkin was playin' the blues in the gazebo as the appreciative audience looked on. It didn't take long for Fred to do his famous table dance. Thanks to everyone to came out to support a great cause. Thanks to Ed and all the HRRC worker bees, thanks to Kim Younkin, and special thanks to Sammies BBQ for doing a great job, Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 May 8th, 2004 The USA Highway Riders Iron Butt Ride After much hype and hoopla (whatever that is), a small dedicated group of riders with questionable judgment (along with their support team) met at 4:00AM to begin an adventure of pain. The Iron Butt Association's "SaddleSore 1000". 1,000 miles in 24 hours. The ride started heading east on I-20. Riding through the chilly pre-dawn mist and fog in east Texas, the smell of flowers and pine trees floated by. Shortly after sunrise, we crossed the Louisiana state line (about 7:30am). Tall trees in the western section gave way to bad drivers and flat land in the east. The clouds parted and the sun began to warm up. As we approached the Mississippi river valley, we rode past miles and miles of farmland. Crossing the Mississippi river at Vicksburg, we were overcome with the sheer size of the mighty river, and the Civil War history associated with Vicksburg. The flat land of Arkansas gave way to the trees and hills of western Mississippi. Turning north at Jackson, (11:40am) we headed up I-55 towards Memphis. A scenic 200 miles filled with numerous sights and smells. It was starting to get hot. Approaching the land of Elvis, the country scenery faded and turned into the urban sprawl which surrounds most large cities. At I-40, we turned west and again crossed over the Mississippi river (1:00pm). Passing through miles and miles of rice fields in eastern Arkansas, we fought the wind and the large semi-trailers which stirred it up. Fortunate, we managed to reach Little Rock around 5:30pm, where we headed west on I-30. South of Little Rock, the tall trees again lined the divided two lane highway which would lead us back home. We were getting anxious now and were moving pretty fast. We flew by Texarkana around 7:30pm. Just past Greenville, we rode by a fireworks display, which I assumed was done just for us. We arrived back at our starting point at 11:30pm, where to our surprise, we were met by a HRRC welcoming committee. Congratulations and hand shaking were offered all around. We had finally done it. Thanks go out to all participants and our welcoming committee. Special thanks to Jack for being my wingman for 1,129 miles, to Miss Frilly and Duchess for driving the chase truck (actually they were going so fast, it was the follow truck), and to Gregg for providing the trailer. Great job everyone. I'm going to soak in the tub now. Don't wake me up. April 21st - 24th, 2004 The HRRC Does Dawgs On Hawgs - Somerville, Texas An advanced scout patrol setup a forward camp Wednesday evening at Lake Somerville, home of the giant Dawgs on Hawgs rally for 2004. The platoon setup tents and prepared a very special honeymoon tent for Raccoon and Gator. Wednesday afternoon was very busy with many riders descending on the area. The scout patrol had little sleep as they guarded the camp from noisy intruders. Thursday was a beautiful day. The second in command and his troops arrived Thursday afternoon to take command of the camp. Signs were prepared, and camera lenses were polished in preparation for the usual evening activities. Bikers poured in from all over the area by the thousands. The road scene was very busy for a Thursday. Early Friday, we headed to Mom's Cafe for breakfast. Afterwards, we headed to Brenham for the required Walmart visit. We then descended on the Blue Bell Creamery for a quick snack. Afterwards, the group split with half going back to camp, and half to ride. Bucky, Duchess, Pokey, Trouble, and Wide Turn headed to Chappell Hill, Washington on the Brazos, and Independence to soak up a little Texas history. Meanwhile, back at camp, the place was filling fast. People watching and acting foolish is considered an Olympic sport at these events. And, there were several gold medal winners to be found, including our own Duchess, celebrating her last day under the age of 50 (you go girl). Our own nurse Feelgood and nurse Naughty setup station on the main road, offering comfort (shots), killer cherries, and sponge baths to the naked masses. Is this a great country or what? Later that night, the rain moved in, and didn't leave. It rained all night. Saturday, we awoke to a muddy mess. Tents were full of water. Bikes, campers, trucks, and trailers were all stuck in the mud. After hearing a weather report for more rain all day, we decided to pack it up and head home early. Lunch as Denny's in Waco was interesting. It seemed to take forever, but we finally made it home around 9:00PM, very tired and very wet. I can't wait until next year.
April 10th, 2004 Gator-Nips and Raccoon Get Hitched !!! - Fort Worth, Texas A genuine biker wedding was in the offing today as our own Brenda (Gator-Nips) Scott and Preston (Raccoon) Baugh tied the knot in front of friends and family. By early afternoon, the kegs were delivered and the well wishers began to gather. There was much kissing, hugging and butt-cupping... and that was just the onlookers. Several people were seen holding up the V for victory sign in front of their mouth while their tongue darted quickly in and out. Obviously some biker good luck wish. (And, there was some mention of a hairball, although this reporter never saw one.) By 2:00PM, the crown began to swell with anticipation as the magic moment drew near. The wedding party arrived by motorcycle after an exhausting ride from the back yard. As the groom stood before the crowd wearing a funny hat, a hush fell over congregation as everyone waited, and waited, and waited for the arrival of the bride-to-be. The only sound came from the birds chirping in the trees above. Chirp. . . . chirp. . . . chirp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tweet. Q-Ball described the silence as "deafening". THEN, the muted rumble of a big v-twin was heard in the distance. The waiting crowd began to murmur. Suddenly, with a great engine roar, a blur of chrome, and a flash of thigh (nice), the HoHo-Mobile delivered the bride. As Kanepole elbowed Raccoon to wake him up, the most lovely Gator made her way up the rose petal covered pathway to centerstage. After the ceremony, Gator, Raccoon, and big Mason rode off into the setting sun, happily ever after. Honeymoon pics coming soon. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 Pic15 Pic16 Pic17 Pic18 Pic19 Pic20 Pic21 Pic22 Pic23 Pic24 Pic25 Pic26 Pic27 Pic28 Pic29 Pic30 Pic31 Pic32 Pic33 Pic34 Pic35 Pic36 April 9th, 2004 Willie Nelson Concert - Rose Amphitheater, Tyler Texas A small but determined group of Highway Riders from three chapters - Smith Co (Bug, Ladybug and MudDog), Tarrant Co and LeFlore Co (Wade and Dawn) decided to take a chance and brave the elements of Mother Nature to see Willie. After a very nice scenic country ride under blue skies this motivated group arrived to get front row seating and wait for Willie. The wait was not boring due to the numerous shows like Miss USA and others performed that occurred before and during the main event as well as a small rain shower to cool things off. After an eventful day of crowd watching we begin our road under wonderful wet road condition's trip back to Bug's place. After the speeding car event, the nail in Dawn's flat tire on Hwy 79, the two visits by the local lady Sheriff on the side of the road and the speeding Ditch Witch dealer we finally made it back to our resting place. After the tire patch job Sunday morning, the sun dance by Wade from carburetor cleaner in the open cut we all made our way out the door and back home. Thanks, Mike Dingler. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 April 9th, 2004 Garrett Volunteer Fire Dept Fish Fry - Ennis, Texas The Garrett VFD held their annual Easter fish fry today in Ennis. Our own Robert Wilkinson is not only the second officer of Ellis county, but he is also the Fire Chief in Garrett ( a small community just north of Ennis). A very large crowd was on hand to help raise money for the department. Fried fish, potatoes, hush puppies, beans, and homemade dessert help appease the hungry hoards. Thanks to Robert and all the volunteers who pulled this together. Great job! Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 April 3rd, 2004 Kaufman Easter Benefit - Kaufman, Texas Small and large bunnies, and the Highway Riders were out in force today to help raise money for the Kaufman County Children's Shelter Home. Coordinated by Rodney & Patty Ledbetter and the entire Kaufman County chapter, the benefit ride raised over $1,200 to help support the shelter. In addition the 50/50 winner donated their winnings to the shelter. Easter baskets were handed out to all the kids, and afterwards the bikers gave motorcycle rides to all the kids who wanted to ride. Thanks to the Black Sheep M/C, the Highway Riders, everyone else that participated, and especially to the Kaufman County chapter for all the hard work. Oh yeah... and the BIG BUNNY !!! Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 Pic11 Pic12 Pic13 Pic14 Pic15 March 28th, 2004 Spring Oil Change Party - Grand Prairie, Texas Bucky and Duchess hosted their semi-annual Oil Change Party today at their humble chapeau in lower GP. An opportunity for members with marginal mechanical skills to get help from the more experienced and save a little money as well. Franks and beans (ouch) were the fare of the day to slake the substantial appetites of the many in attendance. Trashman won the grand prize for the person with the most oil on their clothes (and skin) at the end of the day. (Take your vest off next time dude.) About 2:00pm the sky opened and the rain came down in buckets. The brave souls that still remained retired to the comfort of the garage to drink and tell stories. Thanks to all that attended. Especially to Doughboy for the oil buckets. March 21st, 2004 Tioga Ride - Tioga, Texas Waking to a brisk spring morning, the Highway Riders decided to head north to the birthplace of Gene Autry. We headed north on 156 past Ponder to Krum. Heading northwest on 1173 and 455, we got stuck behind the SLOWEST group of Porches this reporter has ever seen. Fortunately, they pulled over at Forestburg to admire our bikes. When they did, we hauled ass back east on 922 to Valley View, where we gassed up. Continuing east, we headed into Tioga for lunch where we were met by Dawn & Wade Ridgeway, and Lone Wolf from Ennis. After lunch, we blasted down to the ThunderHorse Saloon in Lewisville to see our own Trashman play keyboards with Voodoo Blue. March 20th, 2004 Spring Fling Party - Grand Prairie, Texas The proverbial "Blue Moon" rose over Grand Prairie today when our own Miss Frilly decided to shake off her winter blues and host a First Day of Spring celebration party at her new house. She must have saved all year, because I think there was 200 pounds of ribs on the menu. A huge supply of red snapper was donated from another famous HRRC trip. HoHo brought out the big cooker for this party. The party started at 3:00pm and lasted until well after midnight. It was a great way to start the spring. Check it out... Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 Pic10 March 13th, 2004 Texas State Railroad - Rusk, Texas I have no idea what happened, but from the looks of the pictures, everyone had fun. Check it out...
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Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 Pic9 March 6th, 2004 Multi-Chapter Ride - Piney Woods near Tyler, Texas A beautiful day was ready and waiting for a large contingent of Highway Riders today. Heading east from Arlington, members of Tarrant county and LeFlore (OK) chapters made a short stop at the famous Cotton Gin Restaurant to pickup Kaufman and Ellis county members. From there, we headed down the back roads towards Athens. Well actually Ennis for a while, but Lone Wolf Fred and a u-turn corrected that (U-Turn may be Doughboy's new road name). Anyway, we stopped in lovely Brownsboro at Hank's Country Cafe for lunch. To our surprise, President George Bush was there to meet us !!! (He is much shorter that I thought.) Here is Tinkerbell preparing to interview for a possible Cabinet post opening. From there, we headed down the west side of Lake Palestine to the city of Palestine. From there gassed up, then parted ways to head home. But the party did not stop there. After heading to the hospital to visit Preston, we headed to Kanepole and Linda's house for eats and drinks. Although the 300 mile ride left our tongue's hanging out (Pic1, Pic2) we managed to have a great time. Here is Tinkerbell again, considering a new tattoo location. Here is Trashman doing the same. Thanks to Ed, Bug, Greg, & Linda for a great day. February 28th, 2004 Pack the Pantry Food Drive - Fort Worth, Texas Waking to a cold and blustery Saturday morning, the USA Highway Riders geared up and headed out to help the Tarrant Area Food Bank, and the Eastside Ministries, a local community outreach program in Fort Worth collect food for those less fortunate. Hauling trailers and driving cars loaded with food, we made our way to the drop off point on Lancaster, where the volunteers collected the goodies. This reporter heard one volunteer telling another, "Those are the USA Highway Riders (that brought all that food). That's what they do." Thanks to everyone who participated. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 Pic8 February 22nd, 2004 HRRC Multi Chapter Ride - Granbury, Texas One of the largest rides in HRRC history occurred today, when the Kaufman, Tarrant and Hood county chapters merged for a leisurely ride through the country between Granbury and Glen Rose. Thirty nine bikes rumbled away from the Granbury courthouse square and headed down the twisty curves of the old Paluxy Highway. We then turned up the Paluxy river road and made our way to Hammond's BBQ in Glen Rose. Home of some of the best BBQ and buttermilk pie in north Texas. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 February 20th, 2004 HRRC Bowling Party - Arlington, Texas Twenty five or so dedicated Highway Riders risked second hand smoke and first hand beer poisoning at the Spare Time Lanes Friday night in Arlington in an attempt to shake off a bad case of cabin fever. Bucky started off great guns in the first game and had three quick strikes, but quickly came back to earth as his normal game quickly reappeared. Trashman managed to kick everyone's ass (as usual), but everyone has a great time as most of them can't keep score anyway. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 Pic4 Pic5 Pic6 Pic7 February 1st, 2004 SuperBowl Watching Party - Arlington, Texas Everyone converged on Spooky and Shorty's lovely home to watch the funny commercials shown between some sort of "football" game. It was raining like crazy while Spooky and Doughboy cooked burgers and dogs outside on the grill. The garage was cleared to make room for all the food and drinks, and the big screen was fired up in the living room. We were so busy eating and drinking, we missed Janet Jackson's brown boob flop. Good thing I recorded it! |
