Betty & I arrived at Chippewa Falls, WI, Thursday afternoon, July 21, for the BMW Rider Association Rally. We checked into our motel and then went out to the rally sight to check in. It was held at the Northern WI State Fair Grounds, which had plenty of room etc. I didn’t tent this time but I’m sure some of the Rally attendee’s would have liked to see a few more trees for shade.
After we checked in we walked around a little and ran into Tom Meister and Dave Mc Bride. Tom and Dave were relaxing on a bench under a big shade tree close to the Beer Garden (these guys had their priorities straight). We left the grounds and explored Chippewa Falls, looking for a place to eat and get some much needed ice cream. You see “IT WAS HOT”.
Friday morning our phone rang and Gerald Winter was on the phone. They made it OK last night, and do we want to go for a ride together today? I said well it’s going to be hot, but sure we would go. So we met at the Rally site and headed north. It was very pretty scenery but it got hotter and hotter. When we finally got far enough north and decided to start heading back we saw a thermometer that said 99 degrees. It felt good when you were moving but when you stopped for a break “It Was Hot”. I found out later they set a record high temp that day. I’ve only been to two Rally’s this year so far and they both set record high temp’s while I was there, my luck I guess. Anyway we had a good ride and we found some really nice riding roads.
Friday night the Rally had a fish fry which Gerald and Sandy attended, Betty and I dined with the Veteran BMW Riders’ group. They had brats and all the fixin’s for a donation. I like this group, as we meet new people every time we get together. We sit around and tell how we won the war and how we’d win this one. Have to give Mike Johnson credit for keeping this group going and informed, he and his wife do everything. That evening we were beat from the heat. We went back to our air-conditioned room and crashed.
Saturday morning Sandy called inviting us to join them and Gary Johnson and Dale Nordlie for breakfast. “Thanks for the invite” but we weren’t moving too fast. We ate a little later. Saturday was a lot cooler. A weather system went through in the night and dried out and cooled off the air. Betty and I did some shopping and looking around down town in the morning then went for a ride north east of town. That turned out to be a real nice ride also.
Had to get back to the Rally for the Closing Ceremony and the last walk through the vendor area before they closed. We had supper and hung out with our group waiting for the band to start. And “Start They Did”. I will have to say that band had their sh-t together. Just hanging out there and listening was the highlight of the Rally (that’s only my opinion). I’m sure Betty would say the same thing. Oh, yes, the Mason Shoe Factory Outlet Store would probably be her close 2nd highlight.
Sunday we took our time coming home. Had to stop at Lanesboro, MN, for lunch and a walk, then on to Harmony, MN, for a stop at that big Antique Mall. You never know what you might find there.
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