East Texas Biker: February 2022

REGION 1 Rally 2022

Had this on my calendar, but didn't realize where exactly it was going to be.... when I reached out to 44-1 yesterday to apologize for not making the meeting got some good news. They are hosting the regional this year! I'm thinking.. SCORE! Immediately invited Rocky/Snoopy and Boudreaux/Nance to head this way for it... I feel an awesome weekend coming on!

Update 21Feb : Looks like Dittels and Kennedys are in!

SCOM and Shindig: The Ride

Wrote about this previously in " SCOM and Shindig "

UPDATE to Depart to El Paso. Leave Wed, ride to Snyder 6 hours. El Paso On Thurs https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cash,+Texas/''/Snyder,+TX+79549/@33.04586,-99.6370839,8z/data=!4m22!4m21!1m5!1m1!1s0x864be0e1aad2d395:0xa026567a04638cf9!2m2!1d-96.107778!2d32.994444!1m5!1m1!1s0x864c130a7eac31b7:0x1cbf1126da038d15!2m2!1d-96.640186!2d33.217507!1m5!1m1!1s0x86ff40dcc45a88e3:0xc19b251ad6c22dd!2m2!1d-100.9176184!2d32.7178862!2m1!1b1!3e0

Well.... time to plan the Ride! Looks like it's around 12 hours or so. Add an hour for BS stops, etc. So .. 13 hours.... I'm thinking, leave at sunrise to make the best time. That looks to be around 0700 hrs.. but ... I don't like it. So, 0600 it is! Sun will be up as we roll through McKinney west on Hwy 380.

Sunrise

From there, it's get the hell out of Dodge and onto 2 laners, which Hwy 180 is for us, then onward to Hwy 62

Headed West ... perfecto'

Temps should be perfect this time of year. Last time I did this run, it was to El Paso in June for Nationals and it got HOT! We'll head out on Thursday. Hoping to have ~~Boudreaux~~ and Chief (still trying to convince!) with me, then connect up with Rocky in the McKinney area. Then, 600 + miles of good times. Boudreaux and I ran this direction back around '16 or so on the way to Durango, CO; loved it then will love it now. We should roll in around 13 hours later, 1800 hrs local time. Perfect. Only thing that will suck is about an hour or so of the sun in our eyes as we approach our destination. Some of these legs are over 100 miles with no gas stations but we'll have bikes with 200+ mile ranges so no issues anticipated. Still, I'll pack a 1 gallon saddle bag gas can ... just in case?

Now .. we need a head count ...... If one of the Road Captains join this mix, they are welcome to take over this ride. As I'd mentioned before, nice leisurely ride out West on Thursday. Me personally, I'll be rolling back Interstate on Sunday ONLY because my ass needs to be back sooner than later due to family coming in that day and travel plans following that.

CEB Hotel

HEAD COUNT (I'll update as we go)

Rickkcir | ~~Boudreaux~~ | Rocky | Chief (?)

Out of Pocket

I'm not a big fan of riding to Garland or Allen to the HD dealers for crap .. but somethings... call my name. Can't make this Saturday that our chapter is supporting. Demo Days, hell I wouldn't mind trying out of the new models. Crawifsh? Damned it! Third Annual devil dogs... hey .. I'd roll in to show the patch .... but ... 4 in a row I can't make...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Leather and Lace ... Bam!

Wrote about this last week:

Leather and Lace here we come! https://cvmaeasttexas.blogspot.com/2022/02/leather-lace.html

Got to admit, I wasn't a fan when I first heard of this. We were at the Texas State Meeting last fall when it first came up ... I was like "WTF?" ... I for sure thought Lucy wouldn't want to do it. I think it came up between us that night and we moved on .... but then our 23-11 Aux began scheming and the next thing you know ... Lucy is like 'hell yes.'. Then Nancy grabbed several rooms for the Kennedys / Dittels / Lossners and ... we're now going. Huh :) Well, as the date gets closer I have to admit, I'm getting a lil more pumped about it all. With a week to go, I'm ready! I've been all about the 'road trip' thought process, but looking at the weather report I'm starting to scheme about riding to Waco instead. Lucy is cool about it, but of course nothing is ever simple. We are car pooling so I have to take that into account. I haven't asked Boudreaux if he wants to yet, and I know Rocky can't due to work schedule. Rouge chimes in a few days prior about folks riding but I've flipped the switch into Road Trip mode and I'm out. When the smoke clears only Boots will ride his bike from our area representing 23-11. The rest of us are in Cage mode. And ... I'm about to break one of my long standing rules. Brought the vest with me for the event..... that I'm not riding to. I ain't wearing any Lace ... so .. gotz to bring my Leather!

Friday morning is finally here and I've loaded up the Biggun with a crap load of booze and clothes are we're headed over to the Kennedys'. Load up their booze and luggage and we're headed South. I rarely do this but I've got the mindset. Pop open a few along the way and we're smiling and rolling. Less than three hours later we're pulling up at the Hyatt in Waco, checking in, unloading and ... the weekend is officially here. I've left my laptop at home, done one more email check and I've mentally checked out. Lets get this party on! After an hour or so, we cage it a mile over to our meet and greet and we've soon got about a hundred folks on the back patio sipping and eating and catching up others. I had no idea how many from our chapter are rolling in but we soon have one table full then two .. and more folks rolling in. When the smoke clears, our chapter will be the biggest in attendance this weekend; bam! I believe there were at least 26 of us, so that's over 10% of all attendees. Few hours of cold beers and some munchies and we're sneaking out to head back to the hotel. We've got coolers full of cold adult refreshments and I'm 'full' of beer and ready to flip over to some Bourbon. Eventually the whole downstairs is full of CVMA; pays to be at the host hotel? Sometime after midnight .... headed upstairs to get to sleep.

Nancy and I .... Surfing the Halls as we usually do traveling!

Friday Night Meet n Greet

Friday Night

Saturday .. moving a lil' slow, slept in until after 9am and pouring mimosas. We're soon scheming on a lunch meetup with the three couples and eventually headed out for some Mexican brunch/lunch. We roll up to a place the Dittels have been to before and it won't disappoint. Service is over the top. Bloody Mary's and Marg's are awesome. Food is great. Score! Few hours of BSing .. and .. headed back to get ready. Eventually we decide to jump in the Dittel Cage and we're off to the Texas Ranger Museum where our event is being held. I had no idea how awesome this place is; I'd like to go back once more to enjoy it and take it all in with the exhibits once more. Off to the back side is our room setup for about 200 of us in attendance.

Saturday Brunch!

Six Amigos

We soon kick off the event in CVMA style with the posting of the colors, pledge of allegiance, patching in several new members (two from our chapter) and some words from our State Rep and Regional Rep. Cupcake (Dudeman's better half) has put this together for us leading the charge and knocked it out of the park. We're blessed with some words from her then ....... it's time to eat! We've also an 'open bar' where we brought our own, and the bartenders are serving them for us; perfect. During all this some raffles and giveaways take place eventually leading to the lights dimming and the DJ kicking it in gear for us. Lucy and I soon find ourselves on that dance floor for over half the music being played and kicking it up. I'm digging this and before you know it, party's over. What? I'm not ready! Sigh .... damned that was fun. Good news is Snoopy is our DD and we're all soon loaded up and 'home safe.'. Party as always continues on downstairs and we put a hurt on the bourbons' we brought..... then .... done

CVMA 23-11

Saturday Night

Hi Ho Silver!

Rocky | Skrape | RickkciR

Sunday ... we're supposed to do Brunch with the chapter but .... by the time 10am is upon us, we're ready to head home. So, on a beautiful sunny morning with the temps in the 50s we load up the cage and head back to Greenville. I'm wishing I was on my motorcycle but... that cold beer I'm sipping sure tastes good while sitting in a heated seat ... maybe next year I'll ride to it.....

Trying to use the marks in the elevator ..

..not even Lucy fits on that!

Da' Boyz

Leather & Lace .... here we come

Ready! Initially, farthest thing from my mind! Breaks my personal rules for wear of the vest when not riding. But , F' it! Got my boots, pants, shirts, and hat picked out .... overlaid with my vest. I'll leave my shooter at home this time though; didn't work out so well back in '19 .. js. Lucy and I are rolling down with Boudreaux and Nance'. Rocky and Snoopy are a few hours behind us. Simultaneously Orion and Fireshot are leading a Caravan down closer to DFW no doubt, before we all land on I35 and head south to Waco.

Gotz to prep a cooler for the trip, grab sufficient adult beverages and it's time. Farley's will hold down the homestead to pick off any low lifes jumping the fence ... lol.. had to throw that in there.

Is it the weekend yet? Bam!

Meet in the Middle

Overall, another great weekend of riding; 200 for me, lil more lil less for others. It was looking to be a cold and chilly day initially ... but .... as the date got closer, the forecast got better. I thought I'd have to don my chaps but by 0930hrs, it was 49 degrees and headed North! By the time we're KSU, it's low 50s. On the way home, it'd pop all the way to 67!

In Lone Oak, six bikes and one trike would roll out. Chief is our Road captain and leads the pack with myself, Honey Badger, Orion, Rocket, Fireshot and Shooter bringing up the rear on 3. Initially, we wanted to take the 'scenic' route... but... it's still a notch cold so we roll straight down 69 to 80 to Longview. We're some of the first to roll in with 23-20 and 23-14 there. We expected a contingent roll in from 23-26 but never heard from them, minus Abe but he's local.

It was fairly calm compared to last time with us all in the VFW pool hall area. Once everyone was there the mood kicked into gear and the good times were had. Good percentage were playing pool; hell I finally joined in and for once didn't suck. A pool tourney was underway and they had a kitchen pushing out Burgers and other treats. I have to admit .. my burger sucked. Was advertised as a half pounder and I'd be surprised if that mystery meat was a 1/4 pounder. Sigh. However others had some type of Philly / Cheese on fries or tots, and it looked awesome! Shoulda Coulda Woulda!

Well, few hours go buy and we're mounting up to leave. On the way down Fireshot experienced an electrical problem , most likely loose cables from the install of a new battery. Now... I'll be nice here, but for some reason they didn't take care of it on site, so ... on the way back .. it haunted her a few times .. but ... 1/2 way home, the problem calmed down and she made it home fine. However, 3 -4 times we had to pull over and wait for her. In that mix was a pee break that threw us a curve... since they pulled off without telling the lead bike. BUT... all in all .. a good time. Lessons learned? Bring a tool kit and if you've got to take a piss, run up to the lead bike and motion at your crotch? :)

Texas Chapters

Dudeman reported the other day .... we are up to 28 chapters.... 28! Took Texas a long time to get on the map (23rd state to join the Association) but we have a butt load of members today! Last I remember we constituted more than 10% of the entire membership? 28 Chapters PLUS 3 Detachments..... 31!