Spring Fling 2003

May 16-18, 2003

I wrote this once already, but my computer ate it! Gone in a flash! )-:

What another great Spring Fling! Great weather (it was snowing not that long ago..), great roads (all seemed to be pretty clean of oil and other salad fixings –leaves, branches, sand, etc.) and of course, the main ingredient, Great Maggots from near and far! (-:

The bike was drug up on my newly purchased kit trailer. It was fantastic. No problems at all. And it was so nice just being able to enjoy the main event riding, instead of having TB before the Saturday ride even started! ;-)

My wife, Chris, reluctantly came up with me, just looking for some moments away from home. Little did she know she would enjoy it as much as she did!

Our trip started Thursday night and we drove up to Bakersfield and rough it whilst staying at the Holiday Inn Express. I say roughed it, because the room didn’t have a spa in it! Dave said, when he & Gloria stayed there, they had a spa! So, where was mine? Friday morning, Chris and I got up, ate and on our way…oops..WalMart, okay, so we spent a little time in Wally World and again, we are on our way! (-:

Not more than 15 miles out of Bakersfield, I spotted a V65 Sabre coming up from behind. With a quick wave, he flew past us. Later Chris said she thought she spotted more Sabres at a rest stop, but that was never confirmed. We continued up 99 to just south of Stockton when we spied Hwy 4 to Angles Camp. Instead of waiting for 88, I decided to go that way. Bad idea. It took us a number of miles out of the way.

We made it up to the Pioneer Lodge and I saw that Dave wasn’t there yet! Haha, I beat him! ;-) I found out later that he blew the main fuse and the spare just crumbled, so he had to make a "side of the road fix" with some wire. Once he showed up at the lodge, he helped me take the bike off the trailer. Then Dave, Chris, Harry and I went down to the Friday Night gathering.

Lot’s of old and new faces, including one I didn’t recognize at first! Once I realized it was just our own loveable Wallace (‘Ye’), I wasn’t so worried that he was trying to make time with Chris. And even let him pose with her for a picture! ;-)

After some bbq’d sausages and such, we chatted for a little while and headed back to the lodge. Chris and I were able to visit with Dave & Gloria before heading to bed around 10pm. The next morning, we got together and headed down to get some breakfast. We were very lucky, we got there in plenty of time before a bunch of scrubby biker scum came strolling in! After introducing Pete Springer to Chris and Gloria we finished our meal while Pete and the rest of the scum were showed to the back of the restaurant.

After breakfast, Dave, Gloria and I suited up for the ride. We fired up the BIG V45s and off we went. The bike count continued to grow as the crowd gathered. I first counted 21 bikes. Thinking since it was 9:30am and we were ready for the rider’s meeting, but bikes kept coming in. I heard that we had around 35 bikes and at least three or four were doubled up. In my book, that’s a nice size group! (-:

We had the meeting and everyone got behind the leader they wanted to follow. And off everyone went. Dave and I stayed in the back group with Ron and Doe leading. I was 3rd in line with Ron/Doe, Pete (the other Pete) Salzman/Rhonda(?) (they are getting married on June 15th – which is a great day to get married, since it will be Chris’s and my 29th Wedding Anniversary) and I was in front of Lucy and then Dave & Gloria looking for stragglers.

This was a great position for me, because I was able to ride right behind Ron and Pete, then drift back, check on Lucy and Dave & Gloria and then zoom back up to Ron and Pete. Kind of setting my own pace…;-)

After lunch, Gloria decided to take a nap before the big BBQ, so Dave and I dropped her off and the high tailed it back to the group waiting for us at the Pizza place. At first I didn’t know they were waiting for us, so I kept expecting Dave to go up toward Volcano. After he past both turnoffs, I figured we would be way behind the pack. I was very surprised to see them waiting patiently for us.

The group had grown so we all took off for Volcano, Fiddletown and stopped at the post office in River Pines. At this point a number of riders were ready to go back and a few wanted to go on up 88. Dave and I decided to follow the group going up 88. I suggested to Dave, he try my bike out and I would ride his. So he took off on mine and I was right behind him on his. It was a little strange at first, because he still has regular tires on his bike and when I hit that first turn I was leaning, but the bike was still going straight! I had to muscle it over and had a heck of a time for about the first four or five curves. Soon I was use to the tires and keeping up just fine!

By the time we made it to 88, Dave’s Corbin seat was trying to give me TB, so I told Dave we had to swap back. My butt was not going to take it anymore! ;-) Back on my bike, I settled back into the saddle and off we went up 88. It didn’t take long before we were up in the snow and we continued up to 6,500ft were we found a very large parking area. We BSd for a short time and then headed back to Pine Grove. Dave and I stopped back at the Pioneer Lodge and met up again with our wives. It was such a great ride again! The weather sure cooperated!

The BBQ was a hit with all the great chicken, sausage and ribs! And the chance to talk about the ride and other "sensitive" subjects! ;-)

I was really pleased in the fact that Chris really enjoyed herself. I was worried that, since she doesn’t ride that she wouldn’t have as much in common with anyone. Boy was I wrong! She got to know a number of the Gals and started talking to Lucy about sewing! That was all she needed was someone that could talk sewing! ;-) Chris is looking forward to next year’s Spring Fling (and then I told her that there is a Fall Fling..;-) and she is even talking about going for the morning part of the ride and then heading out for some serious shopping!

Now, remember, we are talking about a woman that had no desire to jump on the back of a bike…;-) I knew she would love the trip at least, and now wants to go for a ride. This trip was well worth it! (-:

Donuts were in order before departing, so we chatted with folks and then took off to Sacramento for a very short visit to Dave’s and my mom! We left there and started on our way home when we got the sad news that our dog of 12 years had past away from cancer, Saturday night some time. One of my sons discovered him early Sunday afternoon and called to tell us. So that news took some of the excitement of the trip away, but we were still glad we went.

Thanks Ron & Doe and Dave & Gloria for going through all the trouble to put a great time together for us all!

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