Took this picture on top of Sandia Crest in New Mexico over the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was 28 degrees and the wind was howling at the 10,678' level. These poor birds were taking advantage of the kindness of the people that run the Restaurant on top of the mountain who place food for them on the bird feeder hanging on the deck.

Can you spot the three birds in this picture?

Wimberley Re-visited

What a difference 5 months make. The boys were having a blast with the rope swing into Cypress Creek in Wimberley. With the temperature in the high 90's, that cold water sure looked inviting. Made the shade a most sought after spot. This creek is so clear you can see the fish and the bottom even though the water must be at least 8 ~ 10 feet deep in spots. The peaceful serenity of this spot will always stand out in my memories. The sounds of boys having a summer splash is as refreshing as the morning dew.
This guy was doing back flips into the water. He had the act perfected as he did it at least four times for us. These guys are building memories that will last a lifetime. Can you remember the care free days of your summers as a child? I remember the summers of beach visits in Virginia.
This kid didn't use the rope. He simply jumped from the big limb. All three of these boys were accomplished swimmers and they were even joined by their dad a little later for a big plunge into the cool water.

Brenham Airport

Brenham Airport

This is a really great little restaurant. We have had great food both times we have been here. It is a nice ride through the country and we always enjoy the company of wonderful friends as we go.

Friends like Randy and Sharon. They always make for a great time when they are around. Randy has led some awesome rides and introduced me to some really fine eating establishments. He and Sharon do a terrific job as our Ways and Means Committee. Randy's keen sense of humor is a delight to behold as he works his magic of agitation (all in good fun I must add) as well as bringing interesting topics of conversation. I think he knows about everything about a Goldwing too.

Steve and Linda are always a pleasure to have on a ride. Steve can plan some awesome rides and lead them or he does a super job as the drag bike as well. Linda is always fun. She puts so much effort in the things that she does for our chapter. Our newsletters are without peers because of her diligence.
Karen did an outstanding job along with her husband Ricky as our Chapter Couple of the Year for 2007. She also braved the cooler temperatures this particular morning to come out on her own bike to join us on this ride while Ricky helped out a friend who was teaching a Motorcycle Safety course back home.

And what can I say about my lovely bride! She is the consumate companion. She is so supportive in all we do. She can put together a trip better than anyone I know. She is so detailed and does her homework on every place we have been. If you enjoy the pictures I take on our own little trips, thank Billie for setting them up. Without her, I couldn't do the things I do and life sure would lose its excitement and flavor.

The day started cool and clear but quickly warmed up as we made our way to Brenham by way of some back roads out of Chappell Hill. We arrived at the airport shortly before noon after making one rest stop along the way. After a great lunch, we headed back, taking a little scenic route through William Penn, Navasota, Anderson, Richards, Dacus and Montgomery ending up in Willis our final stop.

As I've stated before, it's great to be on the road with friends...

Until next time, We'll see you down the road.

Wimberley

A peaceful respite by the creek in Wimberley.

The decoys fooled me at a distance.

A monkey? No, just a root.

33rd Goldwing Invitational to San Antonio

There were four bikes from our chapter that made the trip to San Antonio for the 33rd Goldwing Invitational over the weekend of October 27th and 28th. We were joined by two other bikes and our little group of six had a great ride on a beautiful day. It was a little cool when we started out but the temperature rose to a very comfortable 79 degrees by the time we hit San Antonio.







We were met at Langham Creek High School by our daughter and family for a send off.


There were a few stops along the way and the route we took was really nice. The scenery was excellent on the Texas back roads.







We made a stop in La Grange for gas and lunch which were both provided by our sponsors, Northwest Honda, Pasadena Honda and Honda of Houston. All seemed to enjoy the BBQ and links before heading back out to finish the ride into San Antonio.

There was one mishap with a Goldwing in another group that we came upon. A woman hit a dog and was thrown from her Goldwing suffering a broken collar bone and some road rash. Thankfully that was the extent of her injuries because she was a long way from help. I'm sure it must have taken at least 30 minutes for an ambulance to get to her.





We arrived at the Radisson Resort around 4:30 PM and were greeted by free beer upon check-in. We gathered at the bar for some refreshments after freshening up and prepared for the evening festivities.

The Mexican Buffet was really good. We enjoyed the music of the band was entertaining. Some of us really had a good time. The trip was well worth the $50 registration and the cost of the hotel room. The sponsors provided the meals and a tank of gas. The comraderie of fellow riders is always a treat.

More pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/fleming49/GoldwingInvitational07

Florida Run

First stop was at the Alabama Welcome Center for a photo op. We took this little run to get the state of Florida for those in the group that didn't have it. As you can see in the picture, the weather was perfect for riding... not too hot and lots of sunshine.
The next stop was at the Florida Welcome Center and another photo op. We enjoyed fresh Florida orange and grapefruit juice courtesy of the State of Florida.
We were able to pull our bikes under this jet for a great photo.
Ed's Seafood Shed was the stop for lunch. Always good food here and the company around the table is the best, as always when a group of Goldwingers get together.
Looks like we got a really big one about to bite! I guess this means that Rex is hooked on Ed's... if you will pardon the pun.

More pictures are available at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/fleming49/FloridaRun

Mississippi Rally

Our trip started with a stop in Beaumont for breakfast at IHOP. They did an outstanding job in accommodating so many of us on such short notice. I didn't hear a single complaint and the food was served in a timely fashion.














We made a fuel stop in Louisiana at a place with a live tiger exhibit. The ride over was a very pleasant one. The weather was absolutely great for riding and the company couldn't have been any better.








The group getting registered for the rally. The people made us feel very welcomed and they expressed their gratitude for our attendance. The resilience of the people on the Gulf Coast in Mississippi is amazing to me. It makes me feel proud to have gotten to meet them and be a part of their efforts to rebuild and go on. It was a very emotional time for many of them and it showed.

Tickets, tickets everywhere! But did they win anything? You'll have to ask them.

















The bingo was fun, not because anyone won in our group, but because Mark was caught in the bull's-eye of the rubber band fight.







for more pictures, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/fleming49/BiloxiMississippiRally