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MAY 22 - 28 Sunday
May 22, 2005 It rained most of the day. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow also.
Mileage: Day 125 Total 8,694 Monday
May 23, 2005
The weather was good for riding, until they got closer to Charleston, when it started clouding over. Arriving early in Charleston, our Rovers decided to search for coffee. Nearby was a Starbucks. The mochas were calling, the taste buds were salivating. They were ready, willing and able except for one thing....... In order to park to go in to Starbucks, they had to pay to park. $ 1.50 each to be exact. Well Starbucks has their coffee and Bob and Tony have their money. It seems that in the commercial areas in Charleston, there is no available parking. They cheered up at the sight of Pres. Pete Slicer and Joe Martin, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor and an official photographer. They all chatted for a bit, and Bob and Tony took photos and made their way out of Charleston. At a rest stop out side of Morehead, Kentucky, Bob and Tony were met by President Clay Hulette and Dennis van Horn on their motorcycles. Now, we know the Kentucky Derby is a horse race held in Kentucky, so one would expect to see many horse ranches/farms. So let's go see real horses not iron horses. And they did- at the Kentucky Horse Park. Kelli and Dean Sorg, and other Rotarians met the growing group at Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH) at the Kentucky Horse Park, a therapeutic horseback riding facility. Pat Klein, the Executive Director of CKRH (www.CKRH.org) gave a special VIP tour of this unique facility designed for disabled individuals to receive very supervised care, training and riding lessons. Byron Crawford, a well known columnist/journalist/TV personality interviewed our "horse riders", and the staff. Dean and Kelli are both volunteer at the facility. In fact Kelli was involved with a lesson. Carla, Jean and Kay were also involved with the horse lesson, Ingrid is the big blond Norwegian Fjord (horse!) Now if I were really clever I would come up with some way to equate the positive aspects of horse back riding with motorcycling. Bob has always told me he feels the best when he is on his bike. hmmmm At the next rest stop, the group grew a bit. Mike and Georgina Scrivner rode up and so did Deputy Sheriff David Rutledge. Ah-ha. Gotcha. No, David was to escort them into town, thanks to Sheriff Ted Collins. Next stop was the Capitol. Photos were taken, thank yous to the extra riders and of course the special escort. Bob and Tony were invited to Mike and Georgina's for the night. Some of you know that Bob not only plays the piano, but he plunks on a guitar now and then. On this ride he took along his backpacker guitar. Now it seems that the Scrivner's and Tony and Bob are all a bit musical and the conversation had veered that direction. So as the guys were unloading there bags, Bob said he had this guitar, and he would bring it in if any one wanted to play it. Mike said that was nice, but he thought he had a guitar somewhere. Upon entering their home, Bob noticed a music room with a Steinway grand piano and wall to wall vintage guitars. oh--wow They indulged in a dinner of spaghetti, and music and laundry for desert. The musical backgrounds of this merry little group is something like this:
Let's see-conversation probably went music, Rotary, music, Rotary..........until Bob was the party pooper and turned in for the night.
Mileage: Day 427 Total 9,121
Tuesday
May 24, 2005 The Scrivner's prepared a breakfast of bacon, pancakes and the trimmings. Gratefully satiated, the guys loaded up and headed to the TV studio where Bill Miller conducted two 30minute interviews with both Bob and Tony. On to the motorcycle shop where Bob's rear tire was changed and other things were tightened. Tony's tire was still doing very well. Thanks to the Sunrise Frankfort Club for taking care of the repairs. Then to the Capitol for photos and farewells. On to Nashville. At the Capitol the Guys were met by DG Jim Johnston. He and his wife treated Bob and Tony to dinner at Amerigo's Restaurant where they not only delved into delicious food but the wonders of Rotary. They rested the night at the Double Tree, courtesy of the Nashville Rotary Club. Even though we remembered the time changes this Ride, they snuck in a fast one on us. Bob found out the time change was today not tomorrow. Fortunately, Bob and Tony are able to compensate, and were still on time. Mileage: Day 220 Total: 9,341
Wednesday
May 25, 2005 Blast off was at 0-700 this morning. The statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Springfield Capitol was the meeting point for Bob and Tony and the reception committee. Lisa Ellis and the Chamber of Commerce Director and a number or Rotarians were there waiting with a TV station. They did a television special interview and then every moved down the street to the Indiana National Bank where there was time for talk and lunch. A brief but positive visit. On to Jefferson City, Missouri. About 30 miles outside of Jefferson City, Bob and Tony met up with Royce Bervig and about 20 other bikes in Kingdom City . They formed up and headed on. About two miles from the Capitol, Columbia Motor Officers Shelley Jones and Jeff Forck met the group and escorted them the rest of the way. At the Capitol was a huge group, including the friendly face of Larry Neil, from the original PolioPlus Ride in 1998. Larry and his motorcycle shop had worked on Bob's bike, and hosted him for the night. After an interview with a news reporter/photographer, Bob was presented with hundreds and hundreds of checks for PolioPlus. DG Dee Corn will have a late addition to the District tally. After talking with everyone, motorcycles roared to the ready and on to Columbia where there were more Rotarians, and Natalie Fieleke from the News Tribune who did a lengthy interview with Bob and Tony. Then it happened. A divorce! Bob went with the Bervigs for the night, and Tony went with PDG Ross. You know it had to happen sooner or later.
Mileage Day 650 Total 9,991
Thursday
May 26 Back together again for a quick breakfast at the Bull Pen with Royce and others; then off to a talk radio show before leaving for Topeka, Kansas. Somehow a reporter in Des Moines managed to reach Bob on the road. That's quite a feat, since he only takes 4 minutes for a fuel stop and to check the cell phone. Timing is everything.
It was The long ride to Des Moines was worth the headwinds crosswinds and upon nearing the city, a deluge of rain from the heavens. But that bit of water did not deter our two bikers nor the Ch 8 TV crew, Department of Health representative and Rotarians waiting at the Capitol. There was the TV interview and discussion about the need to finish immunizing all children and the consequences if we don't. Then, a lovely dinner at a Greek restaurant. The guys rode on out of Des Moines and spent the night somewhere on the way towards Omaha.
Mileage: Day 545 miles Total 10,536
Friday May 27, 2005 Another whirlwind day began where they left off.
Would you believe the boys were back on the road shortly after 1pm? Thank you Nicki Klein, for making all this happen, and doing it with so little time for their visit. Later in the afternoon, I received a call from Bob saying they were fighting strong headwinds that were slowing them down. He thought they would be 30 minutes late getting into Denver. Later, he called saying they might be right on time. ( I think they are doing better at their ETA's than most airlines!). At 7:30pm Bob called from the Capitol. Stephanie and Jim Ursini hosted the guys to dinner at Pappadeaux, a French Cajun Sea Food restaurant. It was quite late, hitting midnight, when they hit the sack. Mileage: Day 615 Total 11,151
Saturday
May 28,2005 The boys arose to find their trusty steeds awaiting them. The Ursini's loaded them with gifts and goodies for the journey. Five other riders rode about fifty miles with Bob and Tony. In Cheyenne, about 10 minutes late (sorry), the crowd still waited and so did the media. The Boys gave their talk, and some generous Rotarians gave them a donation to help defray Ride costs.
More hard
headwinds into Salt Lake City. In Evanston, Wyoming, Rob Peek, another
rider of Iron Butt fame
joined up. They arrived about 20 minutes early at the Honda-Suzuki dealership
where more bikes were waiting for the ride to the Capitol. Since the Capitol is
under massive construction, they did photo ops from across the street. Two TV
crews were there and did dual interviews. It was a good group and a good event.
Dick Peek send this in:
Mileage: Day 590 very hard miles Total
11,741 |
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Bob and Tony
met George for breakfast. They had a nice visit and then as they were getting
ready to leave, George gave Bob a donation for the Ride, and loaded them with
power bars and snacks. Thank you George. See you in Chicago.
another great sight to see that a WIBW TV camera crew and a reception of
Rotarians were waiting for Bob and Tony when they arrived at the Capitol in
Topeka. The ball is rolling now.
Bob and Tony arrived just inside Lincoln and met Jack and Mary Garrison and a
large group of riders. They formed up and rode in to the Capitol at noon.
There were Rotarians, Rotaractors, balloons, banners and proclamations from the
State of Nebraska and City of Lincoln. I'm sure Bob spoke. It was officially
PolioPlus Day in Nebraska. Everyone adjourned inside where an exhibit about
polio had been set up by the Director of Health Services . Lunch was available
and then Governor Dave Heineman Awarded Bob a "commission" Nebraska Navy.
We can now call him Admiral Bob.