11 July Breakfast & River Road Ride
Photos & Write-up by Skip Surre
I Called Mike Mills this week and we decided to try to eat at Grumpy’s followed by an easy ride. Mike and I met at YOSA at 0710. We discussed several ride options and decided to give River Rd. a try. Soon riders began arriving. We were joined by John McClinton, Guy Custer, Jack Dowda, Mike McDaniels, and Court VanSickler. Mike gave a short safety brief and we were on the road.
Mike Mills took the lead and Court was drag. It was a short ride to Grumpy’s. Charlie Brown had let us know he would join us at Grumpy’s and Joan Custer also joined the group there. The food was excellent and the service was great. Now that we had our nutritional upload for the day it was time to ride. Jack Dowda had an appointment so he could not join us for the ride.
Mike took the lead with Court riding drag and we were off to River Rd. There were some concerns about trying this ride at this time. With the help of a short cut that Court suggested we were soon at the River Rd. We rode from Hueco Springs Rd to 2673 in Sattler.
I still enjoy riding this road. This was the first road I really wanted to ride when I bought my 1980 Goldwing. I looked at the Hill Country map and searched for the road with the most curves. I found my way to River Rd. I rode it twice that first day and it seems I never tire of the curves and the water crossings.
We had on the entire road the traffic was very light. We stopped at the Valero station for a pit stop and for liquid refreshment. Charlie Brown typified the feelings of all the riders when he said ”God, I like riding with you”. We talked for a few minutes among the group and then we went or separate ways. We had completed our ride by about 1100 and everyone could make it home before the heat of the day.
I think we accomplished the goals of GWRRA on this ride today. We rode safely, we gained in our riding education because every time you ride you learn, and as you can tell by the pictures we had a fun time.
Court is planning our next ride and I want to encourage everyone who still wants to ride avoiding the heat to come and join us.
© Copyright 2009 Chapter U, Texas District, Gold Wing Road Riders Association, Inc.