Trail of tears ride 9-20-08

[kawiman]

I'm riding for the first time in this one. Meeting a group of about 50 bikes as of now up in Bridgeport. I have no clue what to expect but I'm gunna be there. Our group is riding straight to Waterloo. If I understand correctly this was the original stopping point.

[gopjohnny]

be prepared for a HUGE crowd, be careful of idiots in front of you, there are always some who just bought their bikes and decide to ride with 100k people. Keep your distance and if they scare you drop off and ride your own ride. BE SAFE

[kawiman]

I havnt heard them actually say it but I believe we are just riding as a group out ahead of the main pack, and waiting at Waterloo for the rest of them to show. Dont really know all the details yet but thats the impression I get.

Ive been in enough group rides to understand what you are saying though. There are always 2 or 3 riders that have to make themselves noticed. Out of 100,000 that # could be 3,000 that want to be noticed! lol

[dkdixie]

Enjoy the experience....way too busy for me.

Be safe!!

[davidjones1]

Anybody going? I will be leaving out of chattanooga area around 7:30am

[gopjohnny]

I just got back, went to both ending points, some drizzle and light rain early but still a great turn out. Forgot that Waterloo has almost no cell phone coverage so several I was going to hook up with went un hooked up with because we couldnt call each other.

Bought more stuff than I needed but I guess its ok :)

[davidjones1]

we too went to borh ending points had a good time lots of great looking bikes. I seen at least ten nomads found only two owners neither had heard of kawanow, but they have now. we got rained on for only about 35 miles of the ride there, back was just great. sorry for not being able to hook up with any of the members that went, but we have the rally in custer to look forward too. we have a ride coming up in october that will go over the skyway out of tellico I will post the date when I have it.
ride safe.

[unwind2]

I looked for you guys but never ran across any body either. Sure was a mess of bikes!! We sat in fold up chairs and watched the parade of bikes coming into Florence. We also hit one good steady rain going back lasting 40 miles then just some on/off sprinkles.

Yep we bought a few things too. Bought a patch and had it sewn on my vest. Folks we went with had been to this event before and said this was the least amount of vendors at both Florence and Waterloo they had ever seen. Wonder of gas prices kept some from making trip to set up vendor booth?

I also ran into a few Nomads and told them about KawaNow. Wore my KawaNow tee shirt on Sat. Took some pics of a few for ideas for possible future mods to mine. ;)

[davidjones1]

hate that I miss seeing you and ken. hope you had a good time. a good showing for the bikes the vendors seem to have been less then in the passed. I think you might be right about the fuel cost having something to do with it I heard a couple of them talking about not going to as many rallies as they did last year because of the cost in getting there.
ride safe

[traveler]

Ive always wanted to ride but seems like something with kids and school activitys always come up . maybe next year. actually i think the cities of huntsville & madison caused some cofusion over the route. as far as the ending in florence not sure ,other than the number of bikes overwhelming waterloo.

[unwind2]

When the bikes on the ride started coming in (they were about one hour late) my hubbie and one of the other guys had wondered off. So I picked up my cell phone to call his. I dailed....male voice said 'hello'. I said 'Hey they are starting to come in now so if you want to see them ya need to get back here'. To which my son...who lives in Georgia and did not even know we had gone to a bike event said 'What are you talking about mom?'.......LOL I had hit 'Kenny' on my phone list instead of 'Ken'.......My son said he was worried about me there for a few minutes. ::)

[kawgirl]

DOH!!!

[unwind2]

First mistake I've ever made.

[oldbikers]

This was the first year I have missed the Trail Of Tears ride I meet them in Waterloo and ride to Helena AR with them there is only about 200 that go on to Okmulgee OK.