Drifters Newsletter September 2016
Presidents Message:
Summer’s End Message (or What I did on Vacation)
I am really thankful that I was able to get away from a day of glider towing to visit with club members at the cook out at Dewayne and Kathy’s hideaway. ‘Cause I’ve barely been able to do anything with the club since. Oh, the work-weary. Poor me! Well, thankfully, Ms. Dawn has been quietly covering for me. Shortly after a weekend spin to Death Valley, the lemon juice started dripping out of my Indian. All it took was a $1000 wiring harness to douse the check engine light. Followed by a pushrod oil leak, followed by (I think) the second or third recall or service bulletin to have the computer flashed. But other than that – it’s been a good bike, when I could ride it. It knows the way to and from St. George and Las Vegas. But glider towing and flight instruction through the summer kept me from much of a shake down. In July, two back to back weddings of long time friends’ kids interfered with any biking plans – although they were marvelous events in their own right. Then, suddenly, it was the end of July and I was all set for the highlight of my year – a week at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual fly in of 10,000 planes and as many vendors. It truly is like a World’s Fair of everything airplane – the Sturgis of aviation. But just before, I was invaded by 10,000 cold viruses that resulted in dousing that adventure.
So August arrived, and Barb, Huck and I decided to venture out in our never-used Camper RV to “execute” the Colorado Ride that failed to garner interest. We did it on four wheels with a few hundred gallons of diesel fuel. It turned out not too bad. The first day and night we motored across 1-70 to Grand Junction and parked in a not to remembered for too long KOA. But on the second day, we started to hit some of the Colorado roads that I travelled a couple of years ago on the Road King. East of Montrose on US 50, we turned north at the Gunnison reservoir on CO 92 and 133, stopping at a USFS campground just south of the coal town of Redstone. Breakfast in Carbondale and then a back road trial through the back country to Aspen and across Independence Pass to the cabin at Elbert Lodge west of Twin Lakes.
We downsized to a two bedroom cabin from the larger one I had reserved if the Drifters had decided to take the trip.
It was comfortable and had Satellite TV so Barbara could force me to watch three hours of the Bachelorette. She still owes me back for that time wasted. We spent the next three days doing day trips from there, as I had planned for the group.
We visited the mining museum in Leadville, almost took the train (raining day, so it would not have been much to see in the clouds); a down CO 91 into Dillion, then over Loveland pass on old US 6, back through the tunnel on 1-70 to Frisco for some shopping and beer; then south on CO 9 through Breckenridge, circling back through Buena Vista. Hoosier Pass was memorable – I had never been across it.
It was somewhat raining the day we left as we went south on US 24 through Buena Vista again, joining US 50 going west now across Monarch Pass and through Gunnison. We turned south on CO 149 and followed the “Silver Thread” through Lake City (A destination I would definitely put on a future trip) and past the headwaters of the Rio Grand, through Crete and into South Fork. Another night of camping in a small U S F S campground adjacent to a burbling creek just south of South Fork.
Next morning up over Wolf Creek Pass on US 160 in the rain and down into sunshine and Pagosa Springs. Finished the day early in Chama NM where we found a really nice RV park and did laundry and watched some of the Olympics. Passed on the train ride since it takes a full day and we had the aging Huckleberry.
Final day was a dead head back across Navaho Lands to the Promise Lands of the MoMo. All and all, we travelled across some roads that only Colorado can boast of, and still left enough things undone to be able to return again.
Home again now with a full slate of teaching assignments for September and October which will kill the rest of any riding opportunities. But, I’ll have some cash to drop on the 24×80 foot golf ball net/fence that we’re finally putting across the back of the house. We only had 150 broken roof tiles. It might look like a bird atrium, but I can have a cocktail without the risk of head injury.
El Jefe
Secretary’s Corner:
September is here with the promise of nicer weather. Can’t wait to get out and ride a bit more! Last couple of months have either been like a blast furnace or rain with lightning and thunder!
Dinner on August 6th at Rusty’s Ranch House was well attended, with more than 20 Drifters showing up to indulge in Rusty’s delicious offerings. Since our Prez was out doing his flight-training work, Mike brought some Drifter patches, and actually made a sale or two!
A few of us Drifters made the trip to Western Days in Kanab on Saturday August 27th. Please click on the Drifter Diversion Section of this site to check out the great parade pictures and a brief story about our outing. Very enjoyable, if not a bit soggy.
The next ride coming up is Saturday, Sep 10th. We’ll be riding up to Antimony for lunch at the Merc (here is your non-denominational request: please send positive thoughts to your higher power for nice weather). Meet up at Coral Canyon Texaco at 8:30am, pick up northern riders at Loves Cedar City exit 52 at 9:30am. Ride over beautiful Cedar Mountain on Hwy 14, to Hwy 89N to Hwy 12, take Hwy 22 north into Antimony. Hope to see you there!
One week later (Saturday, Sep 17th) we will be doing a Drifter Dinner at Sakura Japanese Restaurant on St George Blvd. Dinner is at 6pm, as always. Please remember to RSVP to me no later than Thursday Sep 15th so we can get seated together.
As always, I shamelessly solicit stories & pics for our website, so feel free to contribute anything you think might be interesting for our biker crowd.
Keep the shiny side up!
Dawn