Cassoday, KS 5-4-08

  On the first Sunday of the month tiny (pop. 95) Cassoday, at the southern end of the senic Flint Hills, is transformed into the motorcycle mecca of the plains.  Hundreds of motorcyclist converge on the self proclaimed Prairie Chicken Capital of the World once a month for what was once a biker breakfast but now is more akin to a day long rally.  Food vendors, sellers of cheap leather goods, motorcycle related clothing and patches, new bike displays, a screaming dyno testing rig and bikes of all years and brands all combine to make Cassoday THE  place to see and be seen.  From customs to rat bikes, bikers to motorcyclists, I saw everything except a Royal Enfield and a W650.

  My riding buddy, Richard, had a stack of Bike to the Borg flyers to pass out that touted Lindsborg's monthly biker breakfast.  We were joined by his neighbor, who is an Army Reservist, and another AR from Maryland that was in Salina undergoing some training.  Steve, the Maryland guy, had ridden his big Harley from Maryland and jumped at the chance to experience some midwest culture.  We joined some other Army types in Newton and the 12 of us rode together to Cassoday.  I thought Richard should lead the H-D parade with his scoot but he hung back so we brought up the rear with the scoot and the Dubya.

  Once the flyers were handed out the rest of our time in Cassoday was spent walking around checking out the bikes and the characters that ride them.  In the process we located some decent BBQ, not a bad day. 

  As we inched our way out of the congestion of bikes to head for home and guy walking by looked at the Dub and told me that he used to have one of those.  Finally someone knew what I was riding.

  Earlier, as we watched a group of foot padding cruiser riders snake into town, I commented that getting in and out of this mess of Sunday riders without crashing would be a major accomplishment.  That vision came true a few miles north of town where a rider had failed to negotiate a curve and was lying on his back a few feet from his upside down bike.  Up the road a ways we met the sheriff and the EMTs.  We heard later that a helicopter evaced the guy out.  Hope he is OK.

  The rest of the ride was uneventfully save for a few tourist stops so Steve could soak up the wonders of Kansas in the spring.  Except for my back screaming bloody murder by the time I got home it was a good day.