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Monday Ride

BFE buddy Tim took a couple days off so we could go do some riding while I was back and today was one of them.  Joining us is BFE Wataga boonie resident Jeff Sutor who owns a Harley.   I think we are going to do some back road cruising to Muscatine, have a couple beers, lunch and return.  



Another BFE buddy, Christopher, walked over and it was great to see him before he was off for his morning jog.  He is working in the security field after being in Corrections.  Nice guy and a hunter so I off-handed mentioned I'd like a deer shed sometime.  Christopher views hunting like I view Fantasy drafts, or Christmas morning.  It's a magical time.  He goes out and finds all these shed antlers in fields and I understand them to be rather special.  Leave it to Christopher to head back to his house and pick out a nice one for me.   


  

Deer sheds are one year's growth.  The one Christopher picked out for me is a pretty good sized one, and has a nick in one of its prongs, which suggests he may have been in a fight with another guy over the affections of a lady.  Since this has become one of my prized possessions, it was heading back to Florida with me and I can now reveal that it made it back safely.   It must have induced comments during the trip back with it resting atop my luggage as proud as you please.  Thanks Christopher, really nice of you and I appreciate your generosity.



We stopped for a beer at Jeronimo's in Reynolds.   That's Tim on the left and Jeff on the right.  I'm the oldest one and with a full head of hair.  Go figure. The one who has the camera almost always gets to be OUT of the picture, just the way the guy with the camera wants it.  Ass comfort level after trip up and now riding all day:  achin' real bad.  I've lost nerve endings I didn't even know I had.  But the ride puts me in a good place.  I can handle a little Monkey Butt. 




We then decided to run over to Illinois City to see the Fireman's Memorial in front of the fire station.  Of course if the status was real copper it would have been carved up by thieves long ago.   A lot of these small towns across America have done their part in honoring veterans, firemen and EMT personnel since 9-11.  Always nice to see.  I've never seen a bad Veteran's memorial yet, cause there ain't one.

 From Reynolds we made it over to Muscatine and ate at the Missipi (I think that is the correct spelling) Brewing Company and had a couple beers and my 23rd tenderloin since I've been back.  Simply can't get them in the South.

 Mr. Sutor always arrives with a six inch vertical beard and after riding it ends up two inches and horizontal.  Kind of a variation on Yosemite Sam.  It's practically tickling his ears.  Next stop, The Barn, for a beer in new Boston.




The Barn in New Boston is a typical small town saloon and we had the pleasure or misfortune to be there when one of the locals seemed to have reached his limit.  Chummy with Tim he struck up a conversation and Tim, never shying away from friendly banter himself returned the favor.  This guy must have been in here since it opened and he is wound up about his wife, life and is pulling one of those drunken bipolar routines: slamming his hands down and threatening his wife, then turning around to Chum Tim and making nice.  He also must have left his teeth at home because he was also doing the old bottom of the chin on the tip of his nose thing, too.  

 It didn't take long for Tim to turn the conversation toward Jeff and I and let Mad Dog simmer.  Anyway, it was an interesting and humorous side trip which is what makes these little adventures so memorable.  Without Mad Dogs we'd be relying on ourselves for entertainment.  And what fun would that be?

 Best thing about riding with friends: seeing them in front, or your rear view mirror.  Just having them there is just about the best!

 It was a good day of riding.  Good roads and excellent company.  This is why I came up.   

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