Steel Horse Rally 2021

Finally .. it's getting closer. As I write this portion, we leave tomorrow and I'm a lil' anxious. We were supposed to go last year, but the Wuhan Virus crap was in full force so they rescheduled it from May 2020 to Aug 2020. Then, it also canx'. I'd already payed for my VIB package and it'll carry over to 2021. I attended the rally back in 2019 and had a blast. I'm ready for round 2! It's a short weekend rally, but only about 200 miles away, so in the big picture.... perfect!

Well, I've been locked in from day one with Donnie and Stump, for a repeat. Lucy was like "I'm in!" so that's been on the schedule. Brother Dick and Sista Holly moved down last year and they are both in. Jimmy and Rozzie were going and are in as well. Then ... the changes. Brother Dick has surgery the Monday following the rally and has decided not to push his luck to hard. So Holly is also out. Lucy's sister is flying in and they are headed to the new home in Mississippi; so she's out. Rozzie has decided to lay back, so she's out. So what was an Iron Indian weekend with a upwards of a dozen .. has changed up.... but ..

CVMA 'event!' Few weeks ago, with our 23-11A detachment, Lucy brought up the rally when folks were asking "what's going on out there that we can attend?" Apparently this was new News, and a few have decided to go as well. Additionally, Snake and Knuckles say they are going out a day early (realized later on they've been booked since Jan), so I've decided to move the dates from Fri-Sun to Thur-Sun for myself. And, we've got a small group riding out so we'll meet up at Paris HD, then roll the next two hundred miles as a group. Boots has decided to roll in as well, so as I write this Jimmy, Boots and myself head out at 0930. Hoping Snake and Knuckles join up with us, though I'm not sure now since he's been sort of quiet about it all. Then on to HD to pick up Bubba and others. I've got a feeling deep down the people rolling may 'change' up.. but my ass is headed out tomorrow on my new Chieftain to break it in. So as a minimum, we'll leave my driveway with two Chieftains and a Roadmaster. Then hopefully pick up others for a mix of American Iron rolling up 271 into Oklahoma onward to AR. Weather looks awesome for the first two days, but Sat and Sun .. a lil iffy. Rain gear packed.. is a must. We'll see how that plays out. Now... off to get some plates on the new bike, do some dry run setup testing (luggage placement), and do some packing. Thursday is almost here! It's Cinco de Maya, so ... had to do the obligatory Mexican Restaurant and Margaritas... during dinner I'm texting with Snake.. .he's had some bike problems but thinks he's worked through them. I've done a quick pack for a quick 3 days .... I'll get up early to do the 'actual' packing of the bike. .. almost time...

Thursday morning, weather looks good and we're all a go. Boots rolls in, followed by Snake/Knuckles. With about 7 minutes to spare, Jimmy rolls up and we're a go! Approximately 0930, we are rolling to Paris HD to pick up the CVMA 23-11a folks. Few minutes before 11, we're rolling in and hugging. Looks like we've got about a dozen bikes and a chase vehicle. By 1130, we're off, headed up 271 the majority of the way. I'm Road Captain for this ride . .and .. we're off! We're all topped off so first stop is about 80 miles ahead; Clayton OK. We'll grab some lunch, then ... the final leg which is about another 90 or so ... and we're rolling up to the Double Tree / Hilton literally next to the vendors, and one block from the action. I hop off the bike, first in the door, checked in quickly ... and .. I'm thirsty! Bar is open in the lobby, no time wasted! Bubba has reached out to 7-3, and they are meeting us for dinner over at La Huerta, so Snake gives some good advice... it's a few blocks so lets just walk over. Good advice because Margaritas are about to start flowing! Well, over two dozen of us have a huge table in the middle of the place and it's a great mixer. Get to meet quite a few folks from 7-3, have some great spicy shrimp .. and .... we're headed back to the hotel. Jimmy and I meander across the street to the Prohibition bar for some cold ones in a nice quiet joint.. well , was most of the night. By the time I'm leaving some B'day gal is buying shots for us at the bar .. I bought a round .. Jimmy's bailed and called it a night.... my turn.. well, sorta. Shoulda', but headed back to the hotel bar.. just a few more.. then ... first night is in the books.

Well, forgot to close the curtains and .. didn't wear a CPAP for whatever reason ...so .. lets just say .. I'm dragging ass the next morning. DD and Stump roll in around noon so we're out to meet them, but downtown is sloooooooow to open up the beer joints. Jesse and Daniela have rolled down from Fayetville as well for the day. We said screw it and headed back to La Huerta, got a great spot outside in the patio area, even got my same waiter from the night before. After a few great margaritas... it's game on again. I'm alive! Three hours quickly pass, we head back so the guys can check in .... now, back to main street. After checking out most of the joints, we're saddling up to head to the races at the Tri State Speedway. Met up with some CVMA boyz out of Hattiesburg MS and had a great time out there for a few hours. Few folks are hungry so, we sneak over to Hooters for some obligatory wings... but... then back to downtown to listen to some live music at the Majestic and close down the bars which isn't saying much since by 11pm ... everything was winding down. The good news is ... got a great night's sleep after the previous night! Well, most of us. The Davis' had a twist to their evening where they'd decided to crash, but instead .. .headed home .... late night for them. Ugh

I'm alive! Slept like a fat baby, headed down for breakfast with DD/Stump/Calvin, all in from Hot Springs. Today will be an "IIRA" day for me. This trip we won't do much 'riding' overall, but head out to a liquor store we discovered back in '19 that 's well.. pretty cool. After some taste testing, we pick out a few bottles and off to lunch at Walk-ons. This is my first time here and I'm digging it. Ice cold beer and food rocked. Apparently it's a chain out there, but I've never seen them before. Highlight for me was some kid was graduating from college locally and his pic was on the wall (huge wall/pic) and his proud family was there to take pics of him next to it. We moved out of the booth for it, offered it up to them .. but .. after the obligatory pics.. off they went. Back to the cold beer for us ... and then ... back to downtown with some fully bellies. Majestic's has some live music going with an old buddy of DD's up there playing. Then we start making the rounds ... finally ending up at the outdoor stage where our VIB tickets finally pay off with a covered tent and some comfy seats, with some good rock n roll music in the air. Our waitress Dianne looks like a true irish girl with white skin and red hair and has to put up with us for the next few hours. But, she's a rock star, handles it all and we tip accordingly ... It's already time for some grub .. few blocks away we find more great music on an outdoor patio at the Rib Room. Music was awesome, food was awesome.. but the service? Not so much. By the time Stump got done telling our waitress that the wait time for his food was unacceptable... we never saw her again. He's a ball buster.. and she was on the wrong end .. whoops. With full bellies.. back downtown ... but .. at least we've parked the bikes for all these escapades. We make it back to the hotel before the bars close, grab out bottles we acquired earlier in the day and find some couches in the hotel out of sight of security .. and .. time to put the feet up, talk with out yelling over all the noise.. and .. do some damage. Good news is... nobody over does it and ... calling it a night.

We've been thinking all week, Sunday we're going to get our asses wet on the ride home. In fact, the group I rode in with left the day before, to ensure they stayed dry. I'm thinking I've got all day to get home so I can always park it if necessary, or .. take the 'long' way whatever that means to escape any monsoons.... but... at 0930 when we go KSU .. the last sprinkle of the morning is done and we're off. There are really dark skies in the direction we're headed and it's not looking good. In fact we are soon on wet roads, just missing a downpour. The sky for the next two hours is ominous and you can see the rain in the distance .. but... we skirt it every time. After 100 miles or so, we're in Clayton OK to grab some grub, temps have fallen a notch ... and I just know we're going to get soaked eventually. But, after some grub and this 'hole in the wall' restaurant, the sun has popped out when we exit the joint ... nothing but sunshine and warm weather the new few hours. By the time we hit Texas the temps will suddenly jump from 80 to 93 degrees I swear, as we cross the State Line... feeling like home! Well, we're in the final stretch so we crank up the speedometer numbers and we quickly are back in Hunt County. Jimmy stays for a few cold ones (damned they tasted good after 250 mi on the bikes) and we're decompressing .... smirking we beat Mother Nature once again. Haven't used that rain gear in several years... I like it that way!

We've already locked in our rooms for the Steel Horse Rally 2022. I really thought we'd do more riding like back in '19 .. but you know... nothing wrong with parking the bike and hanging with one's Brothers. Don't mind if we do it again .. wouldn't change a thing..

Note to Self: Next time I get a new bike, do a hundred miles first to verify everything. Lets' say my ass HURT and I should have grabbed a diff' seat off another bike for the ride. And... HATE long rides w/o a backrest.. it's become a 'must have' .