My trip to the Mystery Supper Ride & Garage Party in The Valley

[Chuck & Susan]

May not be much to this but I'll post a bit more reading material.

Saturday, May, 15, 2021

I left out at daybreak heading north with my empty trailer in tow and the weather was mid 50's but very nice. I had set my GPS to take me to Hamilton Alabama and avoid Interstates. I decided to use the GPS as a guide but more like an old paper map. What I mean by that is; as I neared a town that looked like it might have more than one traffic light I would detour around on other roads. Unless I needed fuel or it just looked too far out of the way. I did need to be in Hamilton by 3:00 pm for KSU. Sounds weird I know but I found it an amusing challenge and areas that I had never been. Probably will never see them again ether, I could not tell you if I tried what roads I took, I have no idea. But was very enjoyable.

Along the way I picked up a few bad pics of the counties I traveled thru for the Ride to The County Thread:
http://www.motorcyclealabama.com/rides/index.php?board=71.0

I won't post all those bad pics again here. I did cross Baldwin, Monroe, Clarke, Wilcox, Marengo, Hale, Tuscaloosa, Fayette & into Marion County.

I reached Hamilton a little early and spotted a Motel 6 on the way. I went ahead and booked a room.

I met @polarissalesman and his group of bikes for the Mystery Supper Ride. He and I where the only members of Mc-Al.com there and he has posted a ride report at:
Mystery Supper Ride...
http://www.motorcyclealabama.com/rides/index.php?topic=4179.0

If you ever get the chance to attend one of these RTE events you will enjoy. @polarissalesman puts a lot of time into planning the route and arranging seating at a good restaurant. I was told we where in or just outside of Winfield, Al. I really didn't know I was just following the group. (I really hadn't known most of the day just where I was) Very friendly group too by the way. Very welcoming to a new guy joining the ride.

After dinner all of us then rode to get banana splits. After a nice day of ridding, socializing, talking motorcycles with great folks, and eating way too much food it was time for sleep. I headed back to the motel.

Mileage for the day: 416.8 on the clock



Stay tuned for more.

Chuck

[polarissalesman]

Chuck, it was great to finally get to meet you and have a chance to talk and share stories. I hope we get to meet again soon...I hate we didn't get a picture made together, Maybe next time..

[Chuck & Susan]

Chuck, it was great to finally get to meet you and have a chance to talk and share stories. I hope we get to meet again soon...I hate we didn't get a picture made together, Maybe next time..

I'll be back up there sometime. I can be like a bad penny, kinda hard to get rid of....

Already noted June 12th.

Chuck

[Chuck & Susan]

Sunday, May, 16, 2021

After coffee and topping the bike with fuel, it was time to head east. Destination for today was the Garage Party in The Valley that @jrobinson was having in Paint Rock area.

@polarissalesman had mentioned that Hwy-33 thru the Bankhead Forest would be the better way to go. Susan and I had traveled that road a few years back making the Flashmob Tour we did around the state. I agreed and pointed the bike that direction.

As I was headed north on Hwy-33 approaching The Bankhead Forest a State Trooper past me heading south. I saw in the mirror he hit the brakes and was turning around. I didn't think I was speeding this time but I pulled over at the entrance sign to get a pic anyway. He passed on by heading north again... Nope wasn't me... Not this time.... I wasn't speeding! And as Bobby Allison always said " Hey this is my story and I'm sticking to it!" But I did get a picture and a short break.



I was also still picked up a few bad pics of the counties I traveled thru for the Ride to The County Thread:
http://www.motorcyclealabama.com/rides/index.php?board=71.0

Today I left Marion County and crossed thru Winston, Lawrence, Morgan, Madison, Jackson, And later into Marshal County for the night.

Again I was dodging a few towns and trying to still arrive before 12:00 at Johnny's Garage. I was heading east on Hwy-36 and at the I-65 intersection there was a sign that of the Hwy was closed 5 miles ahead for a bridge out. I really didn't want to break Johnny's rule about No Interstates. The GPS was still saying to go straight on Hwy-36 and I figured it was only 10 miles if I had to double back so I kept going. The GPS had me turn north on Perkins Wood Rd. That was a nice road up to Hwy-67 and that lead me back to Hwy-36 again. Finally one time the GPS really knew what it was doing. I didn't have to break the rules.

I crossed the Tennessee river on Hwy-231, and trying to again stay out of town (which is hard to do in Madison Co.) I took a really super road across the hills, Cecil Ashburn Dr. Wow that was a nice ride with awesome views. That was a new one for me. If you are in the area give it a try.

I stopped at a Mapco when I came up on Hwy-72 to fill the bike before arriving at Johnny's. Half of the parking lot was packed with sport bikes. The other half was covered with Jeeps. I felt a bit outa place on a Goldwing pulling a trailer..... No big deal... Everyone was enjoying the great weather.

Hwy-65 is a great ride and I pulled up to the Garage I think about 10:30 or so. Johnny heard me pull up. After a min of talking we got started on the trailer fix. His special bubble gum seems to have fixed the hinge problem. I borrowed some of his regular bubble gum to cover a hole in the floor. (Silver metal tape) That I'll add more about tomorrow. But all the "work" was done before the others rode up. It also gave Johnny a look at the amount of stuff we can pack heading out west in July. A LOT!

Check his planning thread for Vegas - Columbus in Summer 21
http://www.motorcyclealabama.com/rides/index.php?topic=4172.0

Thanks again for the special bubble gum!!

You can see more about the Garage Party in The Valley here:
http://www.motorcyclealabama.com/rides/index.php?topic=4173.0

Great to meet in person the legendary @Moto Guzzi , @TWJohn and his wife, along with Johnny's brother-in-law, and his sweet mother too. Very sweet lady. Oh and Lil Joe, the pet dog. Spent hours chatting about bikes and swapping stories of rides. Burgers, Hot Dogs along with chips was a plus too. The sun was starting to sink low and we started heading our own ways. Me, I headed on into Marshall County and found a room in Guntersville at a Regal Inn. Not one of my better picks BTW. Could have done better for the same price I'm sure.

Total miles for the day: 185.2



Tomorrow I'll type up the return trip home.

Chuck

[TWJohn]

That was a very nicely written. It was nice meeting you.

[Guidedawg]

When you came into where 36 ends at 231 you were in Lacey's Spring, which is where my MIL was living when Rebecca and I first got married.  In fact, we were married at a church just a few miles south of there, so over the years when visiting her mother and going into Huntsville, we went over the river on 231 many times (just past what the folks on Brindlee Mtn refer to as "gasoline alley"

It sounds like a nice ride; I've only been in the Bankhead Forest once and that was in a car.  I'd love to ride those roads on my bike sometime. 

You covered a lot of counties on this trip, so thanks for taking the time to photograph each.  It makes you the current leader in our members visiting counties, in fact.

[Chuck & Susan]

Monday, May, 17, 2021

The ride home was much of the same of trying to stay on back roads and just enjoy areas I had never rode before. I did choose a GPS route that would take me close to Wetumpka as to capture the tag photo @guidedog had placed in front of the mural. The plan was to move it over to the house used in the movie "Big Fish" also nearby. That didn't happen. Some where along the way the GPS chose another route home. I was miles off track before I realized it. There again for most of this trip I had no clue of where I really was at any given time. What I need to learn is to mark something like that as a waypoint to insure that the GPS will really take me there. Another one of those "old dog new trick" things. Maybe I'll learn, But my wife does say I am hard headed and stuck on my ways of doing things.... She is probably right.

At one point the right side tire of the trailer suddenly started sliding. Of course my first thought was the bearings had locked up.... CRAP!! I was able to slide it over to the side of the road to investigate. It turned out to be a simple problem. The 10 foot chain, that I keep in the trailer for locking it when not in use, had managed to find its way thru the hole that I had coved with @jrobinson regular bubble gum. Just enough had escaped to get under the tire and it was really the chain sliding. That was a easy fix. Pulled it back in the trailer and blocked the hole with the spare tire. I'll need to fix that better before the next trip.

Not much else to tell other than I paused for a few more bad pics of county road signs for St. Clair, Etowah, Shelby, Chilton, and Dallas Counties. 

I very much enjoyed this entire 3 day ride. I made 2 events with great people. I logged a few miles in perfect weather. Normally when Susan is not with me on a trip I have to weather at lease one rain storm, But not this time. Saw a lot of the countryside around Alabama. And got the trailer fixed for the trip out west in July. Very relaxing weekend away from my daily chores.

Total miles for the day: 341.2



Total miles for the 3 day trip: 943.2



Guess I should have logged just a few more miles to clear 1000 miles. I didn't notice that until after I was home. There is always next time.

Chuck

[Nice Goat]

Great ride report!  Sorry I missed you while you were up this way.

[Chuck & Susan]

Great ride report!  Sorry I missed you while you were up this way.

It will be good to catch up with you again! It has been a while...