East Texas Biker: LA 6 State Mtg 2025

Let me just sum up that one ... Great Time!

Five Bikes and a Chase Vehicle rolled out Friday morning down Hwy 69 bright and early around 0700 to beat the heat. When we hit Mineola, I tapped an orange cone in a construction area with my left hwy peg and sent it flying behind me which had several bikes zig zagging to miss it .... succesfully. Whew! Then, grabbed Hwy 80 to Longview then headed SE for the next 150 miles. We zipped along on 2 lanes at 10 over, riding fairly tight the entire way to our destination in Marksville LA. Pulled up to the Paragon Casino around 1330, unloaded the bikes and checked in. Well, 1/2 of us got checked in early and other half had to wait until 1500..... so .. off to play some slots and sip some cold ones. Once we got checked in, borrowed Kathy's Kage and headed a block down on a liquor run, grabbed some fast food and ... we're ready for night one.

I'd been here last year, same event and location but rode it myself. Rained most of the way there,but not this time. Didn't know many last year, but not this time; we're here in force. There's a meet n greet of sorts in the back area of the casinos that we migrate to, couple of bar stations set up, folks are rolling in and mingling. Often, I'm not a fan of these (meet n greets in a conference room) but tonight it goes well. Meet up with a few other Texas Folks, Wingnut's Brother and his bride are in attendance, Puddin and his bride from 23-3(?), Ozzy our new R5 rep and his wife, Ollie the LA State treasurer and his bride, Skrape rolls in (he's a wealth of info!) and I got to spend some time chatting with Bender getting to know him better. We'd spend a lot of time with Boogeyman getting to know him; he rolled in by himself from the Beaumont chapter. After a few hours, many of us migrated to the Casino to throw some money away. I don't know of anyone that won anything to brag about. Me; down $100 then off to bed ....

Wake up and 'googled' the buffett and told it's open. Few of us head down for the breakfast buffett .... that doesn't exist. Whoops. It's only open on Sunday Mornings. Fucking AI bullshit lied ... but find a place for grub and java and visit with the team. CVMA vests everywhere this morning so should be a good turnout. Meeting starts at 1100hrs and it's a pretty full house. Not as packed as the previous year I'm told, but guessing because the weather has been acting up. We'd gotten lucky and beat the rain the previous day. It'll rain on Saturday and get a few wet that roll out early. Well, meeting kicks off, lots of 50/50 tickets, raffle tickets for a gun, and an auction will occur right afterwards. Meeting... one hour.. BAM! Wthin 90 minutes, everything is done, bars have been setup for a few hours, bloody marys pounded ... and ... we're 'done'. We're aware of a Pool Party at 1400 in the Casino so that's the plan for all. Damned that was a quick meeting .... I like it.

I'm scratching my head at the pool area. Lot of kids everywhere in the water . All the chairs around the pool are taken. DJ is setting up and I'm thinking "God help us this is going to get Loud." Swamprat finds an area on the backside of the Grotto bar with plenty of chairs and we're at the bar in the 'adult area' and I'm thinking ... "okay .. this will work" .. which it did. Bartenders were nice guys and made some stiff drinks. Music wasn't too bad after all. And on this end, don't notice all the other people in the area. Perfecto'.

Dinner... that Buffett is rocking with all you can eat Steak, Shrimp and Crab legs. Best part is... Seniors (50+) 2 for 1. So instead of $40 a person, it's 1/2 that. Score! I'll end up stuffing my face with 5 plus buckets of Crab Clusters and other goodies getting my money worth. Most at seconds and got a good deal. Still .... $20? Nice. Aftwards back to the Blackjack tables where me personally, dropped another $100, but gained back my previous nights losses plus more. Pushed the $200 to the side, played with 'their' money for awhile until an hour or so later ..... they take it back. Still, broke even and all them drinks were now 'free.'. Not too shappy. Hell, I was back upstairs before 10 and getting a good nights sleep .... gotta ride home the following day.

Plan is to be back on the bikes by 0700 but most of us are downstairs closer to 0600 BSing and ready. But by 0700 all are ready to roll and we're doing it different this time. To beat the heat, we're rolling up I-49 to I-20 and will be hauling ass. Scooting 10-15 over, WAZE keeps us out of trouble with the PoPo and soon after noon, We're back in Hunt County. Me personnaly, pull up to the house, jump off the bike, clean up and ten minutes later we're caging off for Brunch. It's Sunday Funday!

Can't believe that trip came and went so fast. Next up ...... AR State Rally ... praying the rain stays away!