Route 66 World's largest Rocker

We went to SE Missouri and camped at a KOA at Stanton Missouri. We found some amazing roads to ride, near Pitousi.. We had one that was 2 miles long with 97 curves, Rosalee counted!!

We also found a quaint gas station, restaurant that had seating for people in an old Railroad cabboose. It looked like you walked back in time to an old General store. Pretty cool.

We did ride on Route 66 and found the World's largest rocking chair. Amazing. It is in the Guiness book.

It is 42 feet, 4 inches tall

Weighs 27, 500 pounds

is 20 feet across!

There was a gift shop at the same location.
You can click on pictures to enlarge and view closer.

Monday night supper rides

Monday night supper rides have started.. our first one was to Adel to the Italian villages. We had a good ride to it. Since Bill and Dee have retired, we have the option of someone different leading the rides if they choose. We also went to Benchwarmers in Ankeny.. no rain this time. We also got to watch Shawn Johnson on Dancing with the Stars.
We did a city/country ride to Los Tres Amigos.in Waukee. Ben and Sherrill met us there, as well as Jan.

Connie and i rode the Operation First Reponse Charity ride. PJ Sesker was really glad to see us. It was very chilly and windy so there were maybe a dozen bikes and several classic cars and trucks. The ride ended at the parking lot near Stoney Creek. Food was provided and a concert by Jason Brown, followed by an auction. It was a good day even though it was chilly.

We went to the Roadside Inn on June 1st, via 4 wheels because of the rain. We had a good time, as always.
June 8th is Smokey Row in Pleasantville. Several of us are going to go to Wisconsin early and ride and then end up at Chippewa Falls for Region C.
June 15th, we will ride to Georgio's in Colfax.
You can find a more complete list on the Iowa GWTA web site.

Happy May Day 1st Supper ride on Monday

Happy May Day
My wife was asking this one: Does anyone remember the days as a kid when you took a small May basket, one that was made of construction paper or a paper cup and pipe cleaner handles, filled with violets and cookies or candy in it, sneaked up to a friends door, knocked on it and ran so they wouldn't see who left it? At least this was done in our small town on May 1st, May day. I don't think kids these days know anything about May baskets. My favorite was the snickerdoodle cookies.... they didn't make it to my friends house :) Maybe that dates us.....

Our first Chapter H supper ride starts Monday, May 4th. We meet in Johnston, Iowa, just north of Interstate 80, at the Wynnsong theater parking lot, and leave at 6:30 p.m. We will be going to Adel's Italian Villages after a nice ride. Weather sounds like it will be in upper 60's lower 70's until the sun goes down.

Connie and I took off on a quick weekend trip last Friday, destination.. Harrison, Arkansas (sunshine and warm temperatures and lots of green trees and flowers in bloom) to surprise Bill, Dee, Jon and Rosalee. We connected with them and had a nice evening meal on Saturday, breakfast together and headed back on Sunday. We heard horror stories about large storms and huge amounts of rain in Iowa and all around us but we kept dry all the way home. 1100 miles... It was a great trip!

See you Monday night...
Ride safe!
Steve

May 16th Operation First Response Charity Ride

Schedule of events:
9:00am- 10:30am Registration 10:30am Drivers meeting
11:00am Cruise starts 12:00am- 3:00pm Car Show, auction & Concert
EMAIL: operationheroescruise@yahoo.com
_____________________________________________________________
Operation Heroes Cruise 2009 Registration and Release of Liability
Pre registration until May 1 - $15.00 After May 1 - $20.00
Mail to :Heroes Cruise 7102 Dakota Dr. West Des Moines, Ia. 50266
Make checks payable to: Operation Heroes Cruise
NAME_______________________________________________________
ADRESS_____________________________________________________
CITY __________________________ STATE___________ ZIP_______
PHONE_________________________
VEHICLE MAKE_______________ MODEL___________ YEAR_____

Release of Liability: In consideration of the acceptance of the right to participate, entrants and their guests, by the execution of this entry form release and discharge Operation First Response, the Rollin Relics Car Club, and anyone connected with the management and presentation of Operation Heroes Cruise of and from any and all known damages, injuries, losses, judgments and/or claims for any cause whatsoever that may be suffered to their person and/or property.

Signature of Participant_________________________ Date___________

Thanks to our Sponsors: Stoney Creek Inn & Buffalo Wild Wings

OPERATION



HEROES CRUISE
Presented by Stoney Creek Inn

WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2009
WHERE: Starting at the Iowa Capital Building
( East 9th & Finkbine St. Des Moines, Iowa)
Ending at Stoney Creek Inn, Johnston, Ia.

WHAT: A fundraising cruise thru Des Moines, past scenic
sites ending in a car /bike show, auction & barbeque
with a concert by country music star Jason Brown

WHY: Many of our wounded HEROES need financial
assistance after returning home. Operation First
Response offers that support & help! WHO: Tom Ladd (Rollin Relics Car Club) 515-224-9147
P.J. Sesker-Green (Operation First Response) 515-986-5211
Dick Larsen (Rollin Relics Car Club) 515-957-8901

April Chapter H meeting

Our April Chapter H meeting was held at Felix and Oscar's on Westtown Pkway and 50th. They are so attentive and really appreciate us being there. 2 couples rode to the meeting on their cycles.

After having a very filling meal, we had a short meeting. We had 18 members present. Some of our members are already traveling and enjoying the spring weather (Bill and Dee) :).

Our wallet ride schedules and member directory were handed out to all members. If you would like more please contact Steve Patton.

We discussed where we would have our fall meetings and it was decided to have them at the back meeting room at Felix and Oscar's in West Des Moines. They were very receptive and excited to have us come for monthly meetings in the fall, starting October 10th.

Monday night supper rides officially start Monday, May 4th leaving Wynnsong theater at 6:30 p.m.

Several members plan to attend Region C and to go to Goldrush. Some are leaving early and doing some riding before or after the events. Please check the Iowa site for more details on rides and events in our area.

Everyone ride safe, be safe and enjoy the wonderful riding season ahead.
Steve Patton,
Chapter H Director

Finally get to ride!

Saturday, April 11th, was a great day and we decided to go for a long ride (about 350 miles or so). We went through Winterset, and waved at Jon and Rosalee as we passed their house as they were preparing their camper for a trip south in the next week or so.

We traveled down through St Charles and had lunch at the Welcome Center just off the interstate at Lamoni. They have added on to the center and now have a Maid Rite. It now has Amish style decor including seating that looks like buggy seats and hand made tables. You can see the rings of the wood in each piece.
http://www.traveliowa.com/attractiondetails.aspx?destid=11

We were unable to go check out the Nine Eagles State Park due to road construction and closure.

Watch out as you are riding on the county roads, as the farmers are in the fields and there is mud and rock in the road now.

Just north of Promise City, we saw 2 separate herds of buffalo. It is so cool to watch them graze on the grass that is beginning to green. They are such huge animals.

We rode through the (Town) of Confidence. Not a lot there. It has a nice little park...No gas station though.

We went to Lake Rathbuns' Honey Creek Resort to check it out. It is a very nice place facing the lake. You can reserve rooms, and some of the landscaping is still being completed. There are several "cabins" already up but not completed. They look quite fancy with most having a satelite dish off the roof. There are several more to be built. There were some people out playing golf on the golf course there.
http://honeycreekresort.com/

We went through Moravia past Sundown Lake. More new homes are being built here, Unionville, Drakesville, north of Bloomfield, through Ottumwa, near Eddyville we saw the Elk Farm, Elk meat for sale, then through Oskaloosa, Pella, and Monroe.

In Prairie City, near the Caseys, is a large statue of a Buffalo and info about the
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. http://www.tallgrass.org/
I am not sure we would want to ride motorcycles through the Reserve. We have taken the car through it and it is quite an amazing place if you have not visited there.

We made it back just in time for our Chapter H meeting.

There is so much to see and do in our own state.

Chapter H April meeting

Our April meeting for GWTA Chapter H, Friendship Riders of Iowa is Saturday, April 11th at 6:30 p.m. at Okoboji Grill in Johnston. If anyone has something they want to discuss please let us know. We will have individual pocket directories listing names and phone numbers for our members, available for those that want them and hopefully the ride schedule as well. Think about where we want to have our fall meetings, since this will be our last meeting before ride season starts.

Monday night supper rides officially start Monday, May 4th, 6:30 p.m. leaving from the Wynnsong Theater parking lot, in Johnston, Iowa.

To see what is going on for rides and events, please check out the Iowa GWTA site at

http://www.iowagwta.com/

You can see pictures of the Region C Quilt that you can buy raffle tickets for as well.

If you are planning on attending Region C and Goldrush, if you register soon, you can save some money.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Ride safe and be safe
Steve