Rally Day 4 - Home

Got up around 6:30. All packed up by 7:15 (including spare tire - thanks Biglefti and heated gloves - thanks Dufu), said some good-byes in the parking lot, checked out and was on my way at 7:30.

At my first gas stop I put some air in the tires but overall the trip back was uneventful - and hot. Landed in my driveway at 1:30. About 400 miles and 6 hours, not bad.

Ended up doing some yard work the rest of the day - bummer.

Thanks to Tom Miller for coming up with the rally idea and all his hard work. Thanks to all the folks who helped make this a success, I know there were a lot of you. And thanks to all you VROCers out there - you're family.

Rally Day 3 - Evening

Drifted back to the parking lot and spent most of the evening there just chatting or saying good-bye to those who were retiring due to an early start. Other than one or two Lake Lure rallies, I think this was the largest gathering of VROCers I have seen. It was great!

The parking lot was packed - with both bikes and VROCers!


Mike Miller and Mas Tequila chatting it up.


Mrs. Scooter and Mrs. Scotty



Scotty, KT and LuckyAl.


Tom Miller and ... (oops, sorry missed this one)


Renata (Mrs. Flip), 2Soon and Mrs. 2Soon


There were groups all over the place!


Scotty, KT, Six Pack (?) and LuckyAl.


More people.


What happens at a VROC Rally, stays at a VROC Rally.
Just kidding, Julie had just come from a swim in the pool.



After that Cargo and I headed over to Hooters to watch the UFC fight. Shelby and his friend Rooster joined us after a bit. When we got back to the hotel, there were some stragglers left. I went to start packing up and heard that I had missed a few "amusing" runs through the parking lot.

Rally Day 3 - Maker's Mark

There were a few rides going out today, mostly to wineries. Kentucky wine? Let's do bourbon! As the weather looked doubtful and was predicted to rain until noon, Cargo and I decided to take his truck. That turned out great since it gave us a chance to chat.

We decided on one of the smaller distillers, Maker's Mark. It was rather out of the way but very worth the trip.


I guess fires used to be a worry...



Inside the old homestead house.



They dipped EVERYTHING!


Some useful bourbon-making tools.


The water source.



We are about to enter Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory!!

First Cargo..... then me!



Some nice coppery thingies.

Lots and lots of mash.

The mash was in large open barrels about 10 ft high (most below the floor). They let you dip your finger in and taste. Each vat tasted different, depending on how old it was.


Cargo looking for the way in.

More of the water source wending its way through the distillery grounds.


Spotted some pants for Yummy (um, the ones on the right).


Another storage house for the barrels.


A gizmo to figure out when to rotate the barrels.


Some lonely barrels need adopting.


We got to take the pre-aged stuff, basically shine. And then the barrel aged stuff. All paint thinner to me...


Cargo bought a bottle and got to dip it himself.

After the long drive home, we stopped at Wal-Mart so I could get some oil for the Wing (the oil filter had worked loose and dripped a bit). We then decided to stop a White Castle for a quick 4-pack even though it was only 5ish. We were planning on the UFC match at Hooters later, so were planning ahead!

Rally Day 2 - Evening

Tom, Kelly and I got back to the Best Western about 3:00 PM or so. Took time to relax in the AC and get ready for dinner. I wandered out around 7:00 PM and the dinner line was so long many of us decided to stay outside and mingle for awhile. We actually needed more than an hour but it was worth it.

Good to see Tazz again.

And this is just a small portion of the bikes there.

Little Snake's ride with the original side cover, to be signed by one and all.

My dinner, which I called "No Room for Sides!" It was just meat (OK, the bun)!!!

The auction afterward. Lots of goodies. I had met Max earlier in the day, sweet kid. Since I haven't fit into a medium in about 35 years, I passed it along to Patience - one more momento of her trip to Kentucky.

I made it an early night - around midnight and caught up on some reading. The BBR girls decided to bang on my door about 1:30 AM and treated me to fresh lemon wedges under the door.

Rally Day 2 - Kilo's Ride

It stayed dry long enough to get us to the park. I found Stewey along the way and then Tom Miller found us. We three took the most direct route and arrived at the Natural Bridge 15 minutes before the first group. The second group never arrived having gone to the wrong park.

Stewey is ready to roll, snapping others as they arrive.


All those who made it, get ready for the chair lift ride up to the Natural Bridge.

Tom wonders where Wompus led the other lambs.


Phillip and Jaime hang and wait with the rest of us.


Susan, Zmean1.


Kelly and Yummy.


Snap happy people!


Tom telling Phillip "which a way that there other group shoulda done gone" (or something like that).


Look close - those aren't bugs - they're BUZZARDS circling Susan!

I rode the chair lift with Blondy, Kelly is ahead of us with BillyG.

Great scenery, all that rain has made it very lush!


Kelly tries to get some spare change from the money rock.


Jaime and Phillip arrive at the top of the lift.


Followed by Utemike and Tony D.


Patience and Biglefti.


Susan was almost askeered as I was!


The group gathers for Kilo's memorial.


Patience, the daredevil.


A Good-Bye to Kilo.


Sending Kilo off to the earth, trees and sky.


The narrow passage to get under the bridge - claustrophobics need not apply.


First try at a bridge panoramic, 9 pictures. Will try again later.


More of the group arriving under the Bridge.


Another view of the trail back to the top of the Bridge.


Checking out some neat features at the base of the Bridge. Patience tried her hand at rock climbing but Grandpa scared her!


Interesting deposit marks left on the walls.


Kelly, don't look at this one - there's a spider in there.


Yet another view of the Bridge.


Another panoramic, this time using 19 pictures. Still learning...


The passageway facing back up the trail - very wet and muddy.


A couple more VROCers on their way to the Bridge.


Some riders headed of for more riding. Tom Miller, Kelly and I headed back to the hotel. Along the way, I scared Kelly with my riding as I made it a close call with oncoming traffic when executing a pass in order to catch up with Tom.