Entry for November 15, 2006

 

Picture:  Abilene, KS boyhood home of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the USA.

Abilene is about 25 miles from Salina and most of it due East.  The temperature was 40 degrees at 10:45 when five of us meet at Wendy's for the ride to lunch at Mr K's Farmhouse.  Richard said, "let's meet on the South side of Wendy's so the building will block the wind.  That was a good plan as the wind was steady out of the North at 30mph.  Twenty plus miles on a beam reach with the bikes leaning (make that heeling) at what felt 30 degrees brought us to Mr K's.  One other ROMEO was there, John only lived two blocks away but, bless his heart, he rode his scoot to lunch.  That made Six total and another that had driven and was having lunch with his wife but stopped by to visit.  It was a day for smaller bikes, I was on the REB, Neil had his KLR, Louie on the DR200 , Richard on the scoot (no wife this ride) and Evan on the only big ride his V-Star.

  Mr K's has been around for years and is much more fancy than most of the places we eat.  I had the Orange Chicken and it was top notch.  Thanks to Evan for

entertaining us with wind chill data during lunch.  It seems that going 55 into a 30 mph wind at 40 degrees is a chill factor on 3 degrees.  Well that made the ride home much more enjoyable.

  It hadn't warmed up any as we cast off for the starboard reach back to Salina.  Since we came into town on the North end of town we made a stop at the H-D store to ogle all the shinny new bikes and drink their free coffee.  Nice folks there but they thought we were nuts riding in such conditions and I agreed.

  About 45 minutes and I was warm enough to take my reward for all the riding in the cross winds and run the 10 miles or so with the wind to get home.  ".  A friend of mine publishes a motorcycle magazine entitled "Riding South".  Today gave new meaning to term.

  Very invigorating day.