East Texas Biker: Nationals 2024

MN... my old stomping grounds! I'd never actually been to Rochester that I recall, so ... I'm in! Twin Cites was NOT where I'd wanted it to be so this worked out perfect.

I started planning this last year the minute we got back from CO. Hell, I'm already planning Georgia next year. Anyways, figured out my FTM patch requirements to ensure we were over 1k miles, then ... waited. When they announced Host Hotel, I realized there was a Marriott next door. Score! What I didn't realize.. it was LITERALLY next door. Double score!

As time went on .... Dutch had locked in early. Wingnut had to bail due to personal reasons. Chief bailed due to personal reasons. Lucy had considered flying in but decided not to. And a few weeks out, Squatch was in! I'd personally planning on headed up Wednesday, straight through. Dutch was going to roll up with Chief over two days. Then Chief was out and Dutch decided to hang with me as my wingman which was awesome. Understand he had ZERO desire to do a FTM run, but had my back. Squatch however couldn't leave until Thursday due to a work conflict and was going to do an FTM then. I REALLY wanted to roll up Wednesday ... hell, I'd have preferred Tuesday .... but ... when the smoke cleared ... we all 3 rolled up together on Thursday and in retrospect.... worked out PERFECT for all.

Well, at approx. 0300 we were rolling from QT in Greenville. Bikes topped off, fuel receipts and pics and we're rolling up Hwy 69. I'd gotten some sleep (5 hours?) thanks to a sleep aid pill, and dragging ass a lil. Hour north and our two lane splits with a concrete median suddenly popping up and I almost clipped it and ended that trip out the gate early. Good news is I didn't literally shit my pants, thanked the man upstairs and .... rest of the trip would be without any issues. Well, our sore asses were hurting. The heat sucked. And the rain threatened us up in Sioux Falls SD, so we diverted from Omaha to Des Moines with a couple of modifications to ensure we were over 1000 miles. As we crossed into MN, we came up on a Rest Area just as the rain began. So, quick stop, don the gear and ... we're rolling again. Now, we're moving slower than previously and losing time. Rain really starts coming down but .. .we never found ourselves in monsoon or dangerous situation. It'd be about 2145 when we roll up into downtown, finally figure out where the hotel is , check in and .... park the bikes in a covered garage. We're here! Squatch is a few blocks away at a Hilton property burning points for his room, but I'm a Marriott guy and Dutch and I are here. Location is perfect. We're soon in the hotel bar downstairs throwing back a couple, it's late and the restaurant is closed but hour later thanks to Room Service were munching on some great burgers!!! And .. I'm beat. ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz

Maze

I'm at a Marriott so breakfast is at the Concierge lounge on the 8th floor (I'm that guy with the Beni's). Get Dutch in there and we're a snacking. Pretty quiet here since the hotel is near the Mayo Clinic and guessing that's their main clientele .. patients and family. Hell, even downstairs at the restaurant seemed quiet. We have thousands in attendance but .... literally 150' feet away is the Host Hotel that is slammed fulll and folks are spread out among many hotels and Airbnb's. Point is.... not busy, and part of the reason I chose it. Once we get our grub on and get cleaned up ... time to figure this place out. Was sort of confusing at first because of the way they do the parking. And each building has skyways that intertwine. There is a subway sort of level as well. it's been raining so staying 'inside' is paramount. We connect up with 2 other members and working our way slowly to the Convention Center. Shouldn't have been that difficult ... but .. was. Finally, several streets over we pop out on the Skyway into the Convention Center. Then work our way to the vendor area and the National Store area. Gotta get the Swag, right!?!?

One of my buddies from my IIRA days and MN trips has been calling. Well, two actually. One to meet up with Friday, one for Saturday. He's about an hour away and headed my way. Then I realize I've got to be in an XO above meeting (well.... should is probably a better word, but ... that's why I'm here) .. give the bad news to my buddy and he's totally cool about it. He's soon rolling up at my hotel, and takes me to a bad ass lil place about 10 min away; John Hardy's BBQ. Hour of catching up on some great times, his current MC up in the cities he's with, and .... drops my ass off at the Convention Center. Hell, was better than limo service? Share some Bro' love and he's off. Hundreds and Hundreds of us XO, CC and above roll in ..... interesting stuff. Lot of emotions. Put 250 A type personalities in the same room, those that have skin in the game with the CVMA ... and .... let the fun begin. Hour or so later, headed back to the hotel.

Our hopping place would turn out to be the Irish Pub next door. Place was PACKED every day/night. Someone was making $$!. Finally get a beer .... and it's game on. Then had to grab dinner of course. YUM YUM!!! Had the Dick Titus Commercial.....Ribeye sammich. Then the alcohol was flowing. Brothers and Sisters coming out of the wood work. New friends made, shots bought, shots consumed. Get the Pic? Thank God I was only there for 2 nights... not sure I could have survived the week had I rolled in a few days early?? From there, we find ... "The Parking Garage." Folks wanted to smoke cigars. Smoke some weed. Drink their own Bourbons and Scotch. Well, they found the fifth floor of the Parking Garage. Crazy party going on there EVERY night.... who'd have figured? Well... found our way there... then found my way back to the Lobby Bar downstairs. I then stumble across a couple of Brothers who had also been in Panama. Hour of swapping stories of the good ol days down there... and.... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The big day is here. Our National Meeting is rolling at 0900. We get to the front at exactly 0815 and .. the bozos already took the State Pic out front. But, Dutch being Dutch .. fixed it. Put our lil group up front... almost... looks legit? Anyways, headed in with thousands of Brothers and Sisters in the mix and ..... meeting is on. Pledge of Allegiance with that many will always put a smile on ones' face. Then .... it's on. Few hours later, we've covered all the bases, voted for the new NPRO and NSSA ... and ... done. I work my way back a few blocks with a stop at bar/grill from some grub and a few cold ones.. then ... some down time. I'm beat. Tim , another buddy of mine from the cities was going to come down with his wife and we'd meet up but had a change. I was exhausted so backed out. . Then awhile later, Dutch is messaging me that .. he's at the SAME place I just left... so .. back for a few more cold ones. We find ourselves in a situation where someone needed some help out of the bar and the good news is.. same hotel as ourselves. We then find ourselves back at the Irish Bar... damned.. this shit is wearing me out! BUT.. .we've got a road trip the next day so keep it in check .... ZZZzzzzzzz

We're all up and moving that morning by 0700 or so ... by 0800 the three of us are headed south. We do 450 miles Day 1, 450 or so Day 2. Kicker is .. was hot!!! Day 1, we pull the plug in Harrisonville, Missouri. Small hole in the wall hotel with clean sheets and floors. Grab some grub around the corner and Applebee's. Spend a few hours putting down adult beverages back at the motel and... pull the plug. One more day to go. Next day, by 0930, it's coming up on 90 Deg. By 1100, it's full on. We'd spend 90 percent of this day in the upper 90s... most around 99-102. BRUTAL. Every stop, chugged a water, poured a bottle of it over the head. Then.. .100 miles later, repeat. Highlight of it all was getting out of Fayetteville AR and traveling down I-49 which is a beautiful view. Then onward to Hwy 271 through OK which has some beautiful view. Now we're talking. Hotter than Hell, but worth the Ride? Before dark, we're rolling down driveways. Hell, probably closer to 1600? Me, after saying Hi to my Bride, I'm in the pool and she's bringing me a Prosecco to celebrate.

Five Days, 2,000 miles of good times with two of my Brothers. And.. can't wait until next year!