25 August Breakfast ride to Duke & Chela's house in Bandera
Thanks Duke & Chela for your pictures!!
Saturday, August 25th, turned out to be a great day to ride with Chapter U. Six bikes, two trikes and a car met at the Wal-Mart at I-36 and 3009 to head towards Duke and Chela Thompson's house in Bandera for a breakfast in the "Cowboy Capitol of the World!" After all the rain in July, even the humidity didn't seem to dampen the spirits of our group. After a round of introductions, and a brief safety and organizational time, two groups of four bikes and trikes followed by one car headed toward the next pick up point at the Exxon station. I felt very secure as the drag of the second element because I knew that Jack Dowda and Linda were riding shotgun behind me and woe to anyone who was going to try to get to close to our Gold Wings!:)
After a delightful, uneventful ride, we were happy to find three more bikes, a trike and another car waiting for us at the Exxon station. After another quick safety and organizational briefing, three groups of 4 bikes and trikes headed towards Bandera escorted by 2 cars in the rear!
We were very fortunate that the traffic seemed a little lighter Saturday morning and it proved that groups of 4 bikes/trikes seem able to move along, get into traffic and pass with a lot less difficulty. Special thanks to Kenny and Connie Jordan and John McClinton who joined Brad Severe to act as leads of the three elements, and Tom and Nancy Byrd and Olin and Martha Gover who joined me in acting as Drags. It was amazing that all three groups arrived at Duke and Chela's in very short time of each other!
Group at the first pickup point Just arrived at Duke and Chela's
Duke and Chela had made a big sign and put it out on the road, however, it is hard to miss an adorable yellow and white farmhouse with a Gold Wing already parked in the side yard! Either Duke or Chela had mowed a large parking area for the Gold Wings right off their drive way and mowed an area behind the house for the large cooking and eating area! We could tell this was a labor of love as there was a lawn mower out front by their gate...and it wasn't a riding lawn mower! All the Wings quickly parked and it looked like there was a Gold Wing rally at the Thompsons!
From the pictures you would think a rally was going on!!
Much to our delight, we found that our friends from Floresville and Pleasanton, Bill and Jane Johnson, and J.D. and Millie Kvapil had met us at the Thompsons! At this point we realized we had Chapter U members from south of San Antonio all the way to Canyon Lake (Buddy and Debbie Todd) and New Braunfels (Mike and Ako Mills) and lots of people from in-between! Truly a great gathering of Chapter U members! Lots of people were back from summer activities such as Mike and Dolores Hausman, or those having jobs that have hampered them from attending Chapter activities lately such as Ron and Maria DeLaughter and Glenn and Vinci Boswell. By the way, congratulate Ron and Maria on being recent first-time grandparents! Also joining in the festivities were Charlie and Candy Brown's newly-married daughter, and Lana, a first-time Gold Wing rider and a friend of Dave Weaver.
Duke and Chela with the help of the "southern contingent" had been busy cooking and setting up and somehow a line quickly formed and the eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes along with lots of coffee and juice started to disappear from the grill and serving line! Everyone seemed to find a place to sit, socialize and eat in quick order. My personal observation that women make pancakes differently than men seemed to hold up after Chela took to the pancake grill but that observation probably needs more scientific testing at a future Chapter event!
Our wonderful hosts, Duke & Chela All lined up to eat!!
Duke making pancakes and Jill assisting. Duke & Chela had it laid out nice!
Lots of happy folks! Great ride, great food and great friends!
Everyone found folks to eat and chat with!
Glenn & Vinci and Brad & Jill Dave Weaver with his co-rider Lana
Buddy & Debbie Todd Bill & Jane Johnson
JD & Millie Kvapil Jack Dowda & Linda
As the morning continued various bikes headed off to other obligations or home but 10 intrepid, hearty Chapter members headed into Bandera to check out the Frontier Museum! This museum has been in the paper several times and is in an old building that was originally a print shop. The museum holds 40,000 items (I seem to remember) which have been donated over the years and often times has very large collections such as 400 handbells and gongs! Bill Thompson seemed especially happy with the saddles and an old-time wood-burning steam-powered tractor that he insisted could be restored! Jane was fascinated by the paintings and hats. Brad seemed interested in the "dressed fleas" and I was thrilled to see an actual shrunken head from the Jivaro Indians in Ecuador. I had read a book during my graduate studies at Georgetown about the Jivaro Indians and their head-hunting which has spiritual and military implications but I had never seen a shrunken head in person! (Thank goodness I guess)
Lots of neat things to see in the museum. Jane like the art work!!
Arrowheads in the floor. Interesting mounting!
With a recommendation from the museum docent, we headed towards Brick's Riverside Cafe which has taken over the old Billy Gene's location behind a hotel. Though the wait for food was lengthy due to a party of 28 in front of us, everyone enjoyed socializing, eating the fresh bread (or root beer floats which I recommend!), and trying to figure out how to make 2 pieces of plastic into a pyramid (Jane had brought that little game!). J.D. was the first one successful and the rest of us eventually caught on! After some great food, the ten of us headed south towards home after enjoying a full, fun-filled day with Chapter U.
We have to end with a special thanks to Duke and Chela for their hospitality in hosting such a large group of Chapter U! It was a special day and we are so glad so many Chapter U members were able to attend!
Bill talking about the old steam tractor. Group at Brick's restaurant in Bandera