First Spring Ride 2014

**biscuitsngravy** · 03-20-2014, 02:25 AM

On Monday, March 10th, I took a ride south to meet and old friend who was working a job near Ottumwa, IA. We had served together in the Air Force and he was also my instructor pilot when I was learning to fly light aircraft. The night before, I had prepared my bike and sidecar for the trip but had forgotten to install my "Hippo Hands" on the grips. So that morning I got them tied on before I left.

The temp was about 41 degrees when I left home but I knew it was suppose to warm up to about 60 degrees that afternoon. It was a bit cold when I left home but the wind was behind me so it wasn't too bad. My hands got a bit cold even though I had gloves on inside the Hippo Hands.

When I got down to Des Moines I got on I-35. Traffic was light and big trucks were few. I eventually reached Osceola, IA and turned east toward Ottumwa. The weather was good and getting warmer. I saw two other bikes as they waved going west. They were the only motorcycles I saw the whole trip.

I arrived at Ottumwa about 1PM and checked into the Quality Inn. It had been redone not long ago and really was nice and everyone was nice and helpful. I talked with a few railroad employees who stayed there from time to time.

That afternoon my old buddy and I had a great dinner and he showed me around the area where he worked. That evening we talked for a long time in the hotel and finally called it a night.

The next morning proved to be cold and windy. Before I left the hotel, I realized I had put the Hippo Hands on upside down so that is why they had been drafty. My hands stayed a lot warmer going home.

I traveled back the way I had come. When I was on the country roads heading west, it was fairly pleasant and I was enjoying the ride. When I turned north on I-35 the wind grew strong as I was heading right into it. The further north the stronger the wind. Later I heard that were gusts to 50 mph. It was not real fun going into the wind like that but I made it home just fine. About 160 miles each way. So that was my first ride this year. And hey... I didn't fall over this time.

I just posted a couple new photos on this site, so take a look. Hope to see you all in the Ozarks this summer. BnG

Bud2rat · 03-20-2014, 07:04 AM

Glad to hear you finally got a ride in. This winter has been terrible all over the country.

**GIBBY** · 03-20-2014, 07:24 AM

Happy to hear you didn't drop your bike on this trip Dave

Hope you and your old friend had a great time reminiscing.
See you this June buddy.

cactusjack · 03-20-2014, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud2rat

Glad to hear you finally got a ride in. This winter has been terrible all over the country.

Not all over the country. It's been very pleasant here.

**Top Cat** · 03-20-2014, 10:35 AM

Riding is supposed to be fun.
The only part of that trip that sounded like fun was talking to your friend.
If it had been me I would have taken the car.
Glad you had a good time.

davidhollinger · 03-20-2014, 11:49 AM

Sounds like a nice trip, great write up...thanks for sharing. Now I have to Google Hippo Hands. :)

George · 03-20-2014, 01:07 PM

Sounds like a nice trip [

as I look out the window at an average of 2 1/1 ft of snow

and today is the first day of spring, maybe its around the corner waiting to surprise all of us waiting to get on our bikes

] Glad you had a good time

**Rasta** · 03-20-2014, 10:35 PM

Dave
You should have stopped at my place on your way back home and warmed up. You probably were just ready to just get home and stay inside. I got my bike out of the shed a week ago and have been riding since.I thought about making a run to your place right after work and probably would have made it back home before dark but thought I better stay near home since the wife was going to work tonight.

**biscuitsngravy** · 03-24-2014, 11:54 AM

I knew I would have been welcomed at your home, Amin, but you are right.... I just wanted to get home. You are always welcome at our home. Hope we can ride together again soon!

**Rasta** · 03-24-2014, 09:25 PM

Yeah hopefully we can ride together a few times before we head down south in June.

**glwilson** · 03-24-2014, 09:32 PM

I missed this post Dave... Glad to hear you were able to ride this early. But then again, your picture shows you have already been riding this year!

Crazy man... you are just simply crazy!!

03-20-2014, 02:25 AM	#1
biscuitsngravy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Gowrie, IA Posts: 803	First Spring Ride 2014 On Monday, March 10th, I took a ride south to meet and old friend who was working a job near Ottumwa, IA. We had served together in the Air Force and he was also my instructor pilot when I was learning to fly light aircraft. The night before, I had prepared my bike and sidecar for the trip but had forgotten to install my "Hippo Hands" on the grips. So that morning I got them tied on before I left. The temp was about 41 degrees when I left home but I knew it was suppose to warm up to about 60 degrees that afternoon. It was a bit cold when I left home but the wind was behind me so it wasn't too bad. My hands got a bit cold even though I had gloves on inside the Hippo Hands. When I got down to Des Moines I got on I-35. Traffic was light and big trucks were few. I eventually reached Osceola, IA and turned east toward Ottumwa. The weather was good and getting warmer. I saw two other bikes as they waved going west. They were the only motorcycles I saw the whole trip. I arrived at Ottumwa about 1PM and checked into the Quality Inn. It had been redone not long ago and really was nice and everyone was nice and helpful. I talked with a few railroad employees who stayed there from time to time. That afternoon my old buddy and I had a great dinner and he showed me around the area where he worked. That evening we talked for a long time in the hotel and finally called it a night. The next morning proved to be cold and windy. Before I left the hotel, I realized I had put the Hippo Hands on upside down so that is why they had been drafty. My hands stayed a lot warmer going home. I traveled back the way I had come. When I was on the country roads heading west, it was fairly pleasant and I was enjoying the ride. When I turned north on I-35 the wind grew strong as I was heading right into it. The further north the stronger the wind. Later I heard that were gusts to 50 mph. It was not real fun going into the wind like that but I made it home just fine. About 160 miles each way. So that was my first ride this year. And hey... I didn't fall over this time. I just posted a couple new photos on this site, so take a look. Hope to see you all in the Ozarks this summer. BnG __________________ Dave Mills AKA BiscuitsNGravy 2006 Vulcan Nomad "BiscuitsNGravy" Kawanow #150 Vietnam @ Jan67-Jan68 Retired USAF Patriot Guard Riders/American Legion #431 Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-20-2014, 07:04 AM	#2
Bud2rat Sr. Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: St. Pauls, NC Posts: 2,089	Glad to hear you finally got a ride in. This winter has been terrible all over the country. __________________ Robert Torrey VBA# 02077 Vroc# 27672 1996 800A Customized (SOLD) 2001 1500 Nomad (The Mistress) 2013 Voyager 2014 SE Rally - Elkins, WV 2016 SE Rally - Helen, Ga
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03-20-2014, 07:24 AM	#3
GIBBY Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Osceola,WI Posts: 3,083	Happy to hear you didn't drop your bike on this trip Dave Hope you and your old friend had a great time reminiscing. See you this June buddy. __________________ Mike "GIBBY" Gibson Osceola, WI VBA # 1279 2011 National Rally 2012 NCR Rally 2012 Antlers Rally 2013 National Rally 2013 Antlers Rally 2014 NC/SC Rally 2014 Antlers Rally 2015 VRA/VBA Rally 2016 NCR Rally 2016 Antlers Rally 2017 Antlers Rally 2018 NC/SC Rally 2018 Antlers Rally 2019 Antlers Rally 2020 Antlers Rally 2022 Antlers Rally 2023 Antlers Rally 2021 Indian Roadmaster Limited 2022 Indian Roadmaster
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03-20-2014, 10:35 AM	#5
Top Cat Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Peoples Republic of New York State Posts: 15,154	Riding is supposed to be fun. The only part of that trip that sounded like fun was talking to your friend. If it had been me I would have taken the car. Glad you had a good time. __________________ Tim "TC" Conley VBA #9 2011 Victory Kingpin mine 2013 Victory Boardwalk -hers [LEFT][COLOR=#000000] [SIZE=4] Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-20-2014, 11:49 AM	#6
davidhollinger Sr. Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 2,188	Sounds like a nice trip, great write up...thanks for sharing. Now I have to Google Hippo Hands. :) __________________ I would be patient, but it takes too long!! David Hollinger 2002 Beige 1500 "Hannah2" VBA # 02195
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03-20-2014, 01:07 PM	#7
George Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Wilberforce, Ontario Canada Posts: 455	Sounds like a nice trip [ as I look out the window at an average of 2 1/1 ft of snow and today is the first day of spring, maybe its around the corner waiting to surprise all of us waiting to get on our bikes ] Glad you had a good time
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03-20-2014, 10:35 PM	#8
Rasta Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ankeny Iowa Posts: 3,696	Dave You should have stopped at my place on your way back home and warmed up. You probably were just ready to just get home and stay inside. I got my bike out of the shed a week ago and have been riding since.I thought about making a run to your place right after work and probably would have made it back home before dark but thought I better stay near home since the wife was going to work tonight. __________________ VROC#34321 VBA#01867 2012 NCR Rally Savanna. IL. 2013 National Rally Estes Park, CO 2014 NC/SC Rally in the Ozarks, Mountain View AR 2014 NE US/Eastern Canada Rally,Lincoln NH 2015 VBA/VRA Eureka Springs AR 2015 Antlers Rally, Antlers OK. 2016 SCR Rally Salem MO. 2016 NCR Rally Hillsboro WI 2017 Eureka Springs AR 2017 National Rally Lake George NY 2004 Blue and Silver 1500 Nomad(RIP 9-26-19) 2000 Red and Silver 1500 Nomad 2012 Pearl White 1700 Voyager
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03-24-2014, 11:54 AM	#9
biscuitsngravy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Gowrie, IA Posts: 803	I knew I would have been welcomed at your home, Amin, but you are right.... I just wanted to get home. You are always welcome at our home. Hope we can ride together again soon! __________________ Dave Mills AKA BiscuitsNGravy 2006 Vulcan Nomad "BiscuitsNGravy" Kawanow #150 Vietnam @ Jan67-Jan68 Retired USAF Patriot Guard Riders/American Legion #431
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03-24-2014, 09:25 PM	#10
Rasta Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ankeny Iowa Posts: 3,696	Yeah hopefully we can ride together a few times before we head down south in June. __________________ VROC#34321 VBA#01867 2012 NCR Rally Savanna. IL. 2013 National Rally Estes Park, CO 2014 NC/SC Rally in the Ozarks, Mountain View AR 2014 NE US/Eastern Canada Rally,Lincoln NH 2015 VBA/VRA Eureka Springs AR 2015 Antlers Rally, Antlers OK. 2016 SCR Rally Salem MO. 2016 NCR Rally Hillsboro WI 2017 Eureka Springs AR 2017 National Rally Lake George NY 2004 Blue and Silver 1500 Nomad(RIP 9-26-19) 2000 Red and Silver 1500 Nomad 2012 Pearl White 1700 Voyager
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03-24-2014, 09:32 PM	#11
glwilson Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: North Central Illinois Posts: 8,575	I missed this post Dave... Glad to hear you were able to ride this early. But then again, your picture shows you have already been riding this year! Crazy man... you are just simply crazy!! __________________ "During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." "You can have your own opinion, but not your own facts." *Former VBA NCR Assist Regional Leader* Formerly: 2004 1500FI Bronze Nomad: 2009 & 2014 HD Ultra Current Rides: 2017 HD Ultra Limited & 2011 Can Am Spyder RTS-SE Attended: VBA National Rallies 2009, 2011, 2015; VBA/NCR Regional Rally 2010, 12, 14, 16 and several rides throughout with regional members. VBA Member #652 HOG Member #3935417
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