GWTA Gold Rush Rally

     Walnut Creek Ca to Sioux Falls S.D. Hooray! We are on our way to Sioux Falls South Dakota to the Gold Wing Rally--OOPS, not yet! The starter on my wing broke last week & I took it to Don Allen's Wingnut for repairs & he ordered a new one but it turned out that it wouldn't be in until the Thursday after we were supposed to leave for the rally. Lo & behold Don found another one & worked on the night shift to get it together in time for the trip.

     We were leaving on Thursday morning the 12th of July. The night before, I got a call from George, his bike quit & refused to start, I asked if he could get it down to Don Allen's the next morning which is when we were leaving & he said that he would try.

     The next morning Leonard & I went to Fairfield to Wingnut & George arrived shortly after. Don wasn’t there so I called his house & he came right down. He found that it was a bad cell in George’s new battery & replaced it. That made Don our savior twice. (Thank you Don). So instead of leaving at 6:00 am we left at 10:30 am but at least we were finally on the road.

     Our original plans were to go to Elko NV the first night but it got late too soon so we spent our first night in Winnemucca NV which put us about 100 miles behind, but we figured that we could make it up the next day. 7/13/07 Up at 5:00 am & leaving at six. We went to Elko NV for breakfast & on through Wendover NV/UT & across the Bonneville Salt Flats to Salt Lake City.

     After getting through the maze, we started a search for fuel (nothing) so we left the freeway & started a search & about five miles we finally found one. After fueling up we went across the street & got a milkshake. While partaking of refreshments a fellow at the next table told George a quick way to eastbound hwy 80, there were two of them & they were ambulance drivers. We thanked them & true to their directions we went up the hill & got on the freeway beyond all the heavy downtown traffic & headed for Rawlins Wyo. but again fate intervened. For about seven miles we rode from 0 to 10 mph so of course we couldn’t make it to Rawlins so we stopped at Evanston Wyo. & were still 100 miles short on our trip.

     7/14/07 This morning we again left at 6:00 am & went to Rawlins for breakfast, then on through Muddy Gap & on to Casper Wyo. it was getting late but we decided to keep going. We went southeast on hwy 20 to Orin S.D. & turned east on hwy 20 & on through the town of Chadro & on to Gordon S.D. where we spent the night, still 100 miles short.

     7/15/07 The final day on the road! We went north on hwy 27 to hwy 18 then east to our destination. Fortunately with the extra 100 miles the distance was only 300 miles & we arrived at the hotel in Sioux Falls at 2:30 p.m. It was a long but fun ride with much new & pretty country, changing from dry desert to ranch land to farmland with many small towns as we went along. Sioux Falls & Casper Wy were the only big cities east of Salt Lake.

     We got our rooms & relaxed before going to the welcoming & birthday dinner at 6:00 p.m. There was a full house & the dinner was hamburger steak & mashed potatoes & southwestern corn. It was all good & then everyone got a very large cupcake with frosting & one candle that we lit & everyone sang happy birthday for GWTA's 20th birthday. Then the welcomes & again seeing our new & old friends & the 50/50 drawing which none of us won even though Ella was there (she always wins).

     After dinner the group went for a walk looking over all the bikes & I went to the gym to relax a little. We then went to our rooms to rest up for the morrow getting ready for registration & the opening ceremonies. Oh yes, Don’s group was there & Harry & Karen arrived bringing our group up to six.

     7/16/07 This morning we got up leisurely (for the first time) & went down for breakfast & on to the convention center for the ceremonies. Then we toured the many venders to see if there was anything that we absolutely couldn't do without. Funny how some things that you have never seen or heard of before upon seeing it you just have to have it.

     We joined in on the many activities & games through the day & after dinner we all went to the arena for the 1980's dance party, but being unable to dance I finally got frustrated & returned to my room but it was great & most of the people had on 1980's clothes.

     7/17/07 This morning our group, Leonard, George & Ella, Harry & Karen & two friends & I Left Sioux Falls & went east into Iowa & stopped at a small town of Rock Rapids. We went to the only restaurant, which was in a very old building & was filled with many articles of bowls & figurines along all the walls. The owner had a twelve-inch beard & owned a Harley.

     When the waitress came to take our orders she didn't know how. She went back to the other lady who was the cook & also the other owner & she gave the waitress a paper that had everything printed on it like eggs, ham, pancakes, etc., so as we ordered she marked it off with a felt pen. The meals were very good it turned out that there was going to be a very large group of bicyclists there over the weekend (around a thousand) & so the other two ladies who were relatives came to help out for the weekend.

     It was a real fun time & George wanted a pin of Iowa but they didn't have any so they got a piece of paper & wrote welcome to the state of Iowa & each one signed their name even with a couple hearts on it & that made George very happy. After leaving town we went north about 12 miles & entered Minnesota then went west & back into South Dakota & to the Hotel arriving at 12:30 p.m.

     After lunch we prepared to take a ride to town to see the drill teams perform & the evening light parade but heavy rains came down & the police dept that was in charge canceled because there was also lightning & hail. The next morning was a welcome sight of sunshine & I went out in the early morning for breakfast & fueled up my scooter for the day.

     Later in the morning Don, Judy & I went to the Falls Park for lunch & watch the fish jumping out of the water & there was also a lot of turtles swimming around. That evening was the closing ceremonies but before that there was many games of different regions competing against each other. Our region won one of them although I don’t recall which one. The closing ceremonies were where all the introductions & the acknowledgements & trophies were presented for longest distance riders male & female & the youngest & oldest rider.

     Guess who won the oldest? Of 1500 people I was the oldest biker & when I went up to get the trophy, the whole room stood up and cheered & it took me five minutes to get back to my seat after every one wanting to shake my hand. Boy, for a minute or two I felt like a celebrity or something. Oh yes, a fellow in Woodland won the Gold Wing & he works for the Honda shop there.

     Don Coons won the 50/50 & I was one number off, but close doesn't count.

     7/20/07 This morning Leonard, George & Ella & I left at 6:00 am & headed west for home, We stopped at Mitchell S.D. for breakfast & I told them about the corn palace there so we went over to see it. The whole outside is covered with murals made completely out of corn. The inside walls are the same & every year they are redone with new ones. The palace was built in the late 1800's it was very interesting.

     We then went to Rapid City S.D. & on to Mt Rushmore to see the presidents & on to Crazy Horse Mountain to see the progress being done it is really looking good. His face is done & the horse is beginning to shape up. We then traveled south through Custer, Edgemont & on down to Lusk Wyo where we spent the night.

     The next morning we continued through Orin, Douglas, and Casper then south through Muddy Gap & on to Rawlins & hwy 80. Then west to Rock Springs where we spent the night. The next morning we left at the usual 6:00 am heading west through Green River, Evanston Wyo & on to Salt Lake City Utah arriving about 4:00pm & decided to continue on to Wendover Nv/Ut border where we would gain an hour (wrong) the time didn't change until after we left. Anyway we did spent the night in Wendover & left again the next morning at the usual 6:00 am which turned in to 5:00 am shortly after leaving town but that was ok.

     We decided to try for Reno, arriving there at 2:00 p.m., we said lets go home & outside of the terrible traffic in Sacramento we got home in fine style at 4:00 p.m. ending a great ride with a great bunch of people. I want to give thanks again to Don Allen for his help on getting us on our way.

     The unimportant information Trip 11 days---3556 miles Two days of rain, both at the rally Out of California construction speeds ---slow to 65 miles per hour Fuel used 138.499 gallons 1726 miles going 1830 returning a different route.

     Just waiting for the next one knowing that it will be just as much fun!!!