August 2013 Trip Details

I. Itinerary:

                A. Thursday August 15.   Meet at Mill's Fleet Farm in Lexington at 3:30.

                               1.Goal is to get to my place before the deer start dancing on the road.

                               2. Stop in Turtle Lake DQ for supper.

                B. Thursday night.  Wayne's Huntin' Shack.  Couderay Wisc.  (County C and Ortwig Lane)    

                C. Friday August 16.  Ride east through northern Wisc and U.P.. 

                                 1. 320 Miles direct but we will be taking some twisty side roads and other diversions as they present themselves.

                 D. Friday night.  Michihistrigan Resort and C.G., Gould City.

                                  1. We have a large cabin reserved (four double beds) plus tent sites.  

                                   2. Restaurant on site, Lumberjack museum north, Lake Michigan south.

                  E. Saturday August 17.  Ride east to Mackinac Bridge then south and west to sand dunes, etc. 217 miles direct, but again, we will not be going direct.

                  F.  Saturday night. Portage Lake Bible Camp.  Onekama.      

                                    1. stay in a dorm or pitch a tent.  Free will offering.

                  G. Sunday August 18.  ride to Ludington  (one hour ride)  get on ferry to Manitowoc, WI, 8:00 AM  (want to get there early to purchase tickets or purchase on-line ahead of time).                                      Arrive in Manitowoc WI at noon.  Ticket will be $119.  Bring your own ratchet straps.

                   H. Sunday night.  Somewhere in central Wisconsin (no reservation yet) or just ride home 

                            (320 miles, 5hours)

                   I.    Monday. Aug 19. Ride across central Wisc to home. Less than 300 miles depending on where we lodge 

II. Who's going:  right now 8 Fossils: Rick, Jim, Greg, Lloyd, Bill, Keith, Steve, Wayne.  Let me know if you also want to come: 6 one 2  / Tree6 nine  double six ninetynine

III.  Bible Study?  I Tim 4 "A Good Servant of Jesus Christ" 

IV.  Remember ratchet straps, bible, sleeping bag, tent(or not).    

                   

Breakfast Planning Meeting

Hey Fossils.  

We will be having a breakfast meeting at the Maple Grove Old Country Buffet, 13603 Grove Dr, Saturday morning, July 27, 8:00 AM.

The primary agenda item will be discussion of the Fossil Apostles Motorcycle Gang Summer Trip which is  August 16-19.  

The trip planed is through northern Wisc, the south end of the U.P. of Mich, across the giant bridge into Lower Michigan, along the sand dunes, a ferry across the lake back to Wisc and back home.

If you'd like to come on the trip, try to make the breakfast meeting, otherwise the details will be posted here.

Feel free to come and visit even if you're not going on the trip.

Grace and peace through our Lord, Jesus the Christ.

Fossil Wayne.

6 one 2  / Tree6 nine  double six ninetynine

2013 Spring Ride Report

Our Annual Spring Ride came off without a hitch.  A good time was had by all.  We were 11 Fossils strong: Jeff, Bill, Steve, Greg, Rick, Lloyd, Keith, Matt, Wayne and new Fossils: Chao and Dave.  An eclectic bunch of bikes again as well.  The oldest was Dave's 1981 CX500 to Matt's 2011 VStrom.  Everything a Japanese brand except for my lone Kraut bike.  No token Harley's this time.  All bikes ran well though there was a concern at first with a leaky gas tank that turned out to just be a totally filled gas tank that didn't like being on it's side stand.

The northern guys meet at the Maple Grove Covenant Church at 8:00 AM and met the southern guys in Chaska at 9 (except for Jeff who's story is below).  Scripture reading was Psalm 113: "Praise the Lord... from the rising of the sun to it's setting the Name of the Lord is to be praised... Praise the Lord"!

We then headed south along the west side of the Minnesota River on Hwy 40 and 93.  The weather was perfect, not too cold, not to hot.  A bit overcast with a threat of rain but a good day for riding.  Shortly south of Chaska there was a guy on a hot bike and a high Viz green suit going the other way gesturing wildly.  I assumed he was warning us of a radar trap ahead or other problem so we slowed down a bit on increased  alert.  Turned out it was Jeff who had spent the night in Belle Plaine and was looking for us.  He turned around and caught us easily but I didn't know it.  I had been told previously that he would meet us in the town of Henderson so when we got there I pulled into a gas station and started searching up and down the street for a lone biker.  Greg walked up to me and said "are you looking for Jeff?"  "yep" "he already found us back on the highway".   So, we were now a full contingent and continued south.  Our goal was New Ulm and a meal.

South of Henderson the highway joins up with US169 just before St. Peter.  US169 is a four lane super slab, the kind of road that we normally try to avoid on motorcycle rides.  I thought I had a good plan to do that in that I found on Google Maps a nice twisty road that heads west just before the previously mentioned intersection.  Only trouble was that my chosen road was pure gravel.  Given the choice between a four lane and gravel we choose the four lane down to St. Peter.

From St. Peter we headed west into farm country on County 5.  Google Maps had shown this road as a bit twisty around a couple of lakes.  Or so I thought, turned out the "lakes" were just duck sloughs. But it was a fine ride anyway and we found our way to New Ulm.  The restaurant chosen was to be called Otto's which we found OK but Otto sold out to a guy named Torge.  But they served us anyway and we had the place to ourselves.

After a filling meal and good conversation the plan was to head down town and see "Hermann the German".  This is a huge statue along the river of an ancient German war lord.  Most of the guys hadn't been to this town before so it was a must see in my book.  I had hoped to walk around the park and get some pictures of Hermann but it was starting to sprinkle so we just drove into the park, waved and headed out of Dodge, so to speak.  Didn't even get a picture of him!  The rain was coming in from the southwest and fortunately we were heading northeast and rode out of the wet quickly.

Now we were on US 14 and MN 111 and back to St Peter.  From St Peter we continued east on MN99. 99 turned out to be a fairly boring, straight road and I wished I had taken the more interesting looking county 23 back near St. Peter.  I'm sure that would have been a much better ride.  Oh well, maybe next time.  Anyhow we found our way up MN13 to New Praque for  the mandatory DQ stop.

After our soft serve delights we continued north to Jordan and after a stop at the motorcycle junk yard "Sport Wheels" we split up for our individual rides home.

It was another great Fossil Spring Ride.  Good ride, good friends.  Thank you guys.  Praise the Lord!

Spring Ride June 8

Here are the details on our 2013 Spring Ride.  Saturday June 8:
The northern guys will meet at 8:00 AM at MGCC then head down to Chaska where the southern guys  will meet up at the Walgreens at the corner of 41 and 40.  Then head down 40 along the Minn River and other side roads to New Ulm for brunch.
After lunch it would be back to the cities east of the river.  On US169 if we're in a hurry or 99 and 21 through New Prague if not.

Here is a Google Map idea of the ride down:
http://goo.gl/maps/dYsc5   (copy/paste it)

Please let me know if you are joining us.

Fossil Wayne

six-one-2, 

three-six-9,

six- six- nine- 9

(MGCC= Maple Grove Covenant Church, 9350 Upland Lane N, Maple Grove)

Spring and Summer Plans, 2013

Fossils, 

About ten of us gathered this morning for breakfast and a planning meeting.   We had a great time joking, telling stories and reminiscing about rides of yore.  

In addition we made some decisions:

Spring Ride:  Sat June 8, details forth coming.

Summer Trip:  Around Lake Michigan.  The trip this year will be a long weekend, August 15-19.   We will be heading to my Huntin' Shack near Hayward, WI on Thursday evening, then head across Wisc to the Upper Peninsula where we will stay Friday Night.  Saturday across the U.P., then over the Mackinac Bridge and down to the Sand Dunes of the east shore of Lake Michigan.  Saturday night at the Portage Lake Bible Camp, Onekama, MI.   Sunday will find us taking the Ferry across the lake from Luddington, MI to Manitowoc, WI.  Spending the night somewhere in Eastern Wisconsin.  Then Monday back across Wisc to home.

Should be a fun time, hope you can make it.

Grace and Peace,

Fossil Wayne

Breakfast and a Show

Hi guys, Merry Christmas.

It's almost time for our annual winter breakfast meeting.  It will be Saturday morning, January 12, at 8:00 AM.  We will meet at the Perkins in Golden Valley at I394 and Louisiana Ave. 

Afterwards, those who can will head downtown and go to the Motorcycle Show at the Convention Center.

Bring your calendar so we can plan our 2013 rides.


Hope to see you there.

Feel free to invite any who you think may be interested.

Please send me a reply if you are coming so I'll know how many tables to push together.


Grace and Peace,
Fossil Wayne

2012 Fall Ride

Our fall ride came about in spite of some threatening weather thanks to some creative, impromptu ride planning by Lloyd.   The story is that the weatherman was promising cold and rain for the day which was worrying us a bit, perhaps we might even have to cancel.  But as the day got closer it became apparent that the worst of the weather would go south and east of the Twin Cities.  Our original plan was to ride south along the Minnesota River to New Ulm.  With the threatening weather I (Wayne) sent an email out suggesting we ride north and west to get out of it.  Problem was, I am not familiar with the roads in that direction so perhaps someone who lives up there could put a quick ride plan together. Lloyd was gracious enough, (or perhaps guilted enough) to throw together a plan on some local twisty roads to the west.

So, Sat morning Oct 13 began cold and overcast as promised but it still looked as though the rain would stay  south and east.  We met at MGCC and there we were eight Fossils foolish enough to attempt to ride on such a cold, damp, mid October day in Minnesota.  There were myself, Lloyd, Keith, Bill, Greg, Matt, Rick and Randy.  All dressed like we were planning a snowmobile ride rather than a motorcycle ride.

Our meeting place, huddled together for prayer, warmth and/or both.

After a scripture reading and some prayer we headed out following Lloyd along some nice twisty roads through the sub-divisions of NW Suburban Mpls working our way north and west.  At one point there was a little drizzle so those without waterproof pants stopped to add that layer.   Eventually we got out of the suburbs and through some confusion on Lloyd's GPS we went to Buffalo, MN twice.   The second time there, we stopped and talked about how hungry and cold we were, let's find a warm restaurant!   Supposedly the next town down Hwy 55 had a place to eat.  Unfortunately, the next town did not.  And we were still cold and now hungrier.   But, our GPS's all agreed that in Annandale, the next town west had a joint called the Homestyle Country Cafe.  Sounded just like our kind of place.

Bill and Keith out side the Homestyle Country Cafe.  (&Wayne's Beemer)

All of us getting warm and fed.

After a great meal and fellowship it was time to do some more exploring in the now slight drizzle.   More than a couple of people we met wondered about how we could be having any fun riding in weather like that.  But, we assured them we were having a great time and pressed on.   Now we were going to head down some county roads south and then start heading east back towards the Cities.  One nice road that my GPS showed as being appropriately twisty turned out to be closed due to construction.  This plus the fact that it was getting wetter and certainly not any warmer led us to abandon county roads and started east on US Hwy 12.  We took this to our required DQ stop in Delano, MN so the ride could be official.  (Required in that no Fossil ride can be considered complete unless there is at least one DQ stop).

Lloyd and Matt enjoying our required DQ stop.

From there it was back north on county roads to Hwy 55 then on home.   

Once again, it was a great opportunity to ride with some great friends.   We are all looking forward to getting the cold winter out of the way so we can start up again.   Thanks, guys!

Fossil Wayne.

2012 Fall Ride Plans

Hey Fossils, it's time for our annual Fall Ride. Saturday Oct 13.

Let's head down the MN River this year along beautiful Hwy 40. Probably end up in New Ulm for lunch.

Meeting place:
Maple Grove Covenant Church: 9:00 AM
Walgreens Parking Lot, corner of 41/40 in Chaska: 9:30 AM

Please let me know if you are coming so we know who to wait for.

Thanks, have a blessed fall.

Fossil Wayne
612-369-6699


www.fossilapostles.com

Arrgh, all our pictures are gone!

Something has happened and all the images posted here for the past 8 years are gone. Apparently I need to start re-loading them all, one by one. Which will take a long time.

Please bear with me.

(BTW, I blame Google who now owns this blogger site and Picassa and the rest of the internet world and their incessant desire to tie their whole universe together.)

DQ Run

The forecast was for a nice Sunday afternoon so a couple of us decided to plan an impromptu ride to a DQ. We invited the rest of the Fossils and ended up with a total of six riders: Wayne, Greg, Lloyd, Jim, Steve and a new Fossil, Lloyd's young neighbor, Matt.

Fortunately the weather man told the truth this time and it truly was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The plan was to meet at Greg's house in Brooklyn Center at 2:00 PM then we'd head west and south of the city until we found that allusive Dairy Queen. Some motorcycle gangs frequent bars, but we much prefer DQ's.

I (Wayne) was having troubles finding Greg's house due to problems with my GPS. The problem was that I had misplaced the back to the unit so was unable to mount it on the windshield where I could see the dumb thing. I was forced to put it in my jacket pocket where it was pretty much no use whatsoever. I got into Greg's neighborhood and then pulled it out of my pocket to see if I was going the right direction. I wasn't and couldn't figure out where I was suppose to be. After I was 30 minutes late I finally called Greg and got verbal directions to his house. That's what I should have done in the first place and I would have been saved from all kinds of frustration.

I final showed up and no one was mad at me, so that helped my stress level. Turned out that Steve was having similar problems but caused by road construction in his neighborhood. But we finally were all there and ready to go. So we mounted up and started off. This was Greg's neighborhood and his ride so he was our fearless leader today. He did an excellent job of getting us out of the city and on to some nice county roads eventually down along the Minnesota River Valley.



Our first stop was in Delano, MN where it was time to figure out which of about 6 DQ's would be today's destination. After much deliberation it was decided that the fateful choice would be the Dairy Queen in Belle Plaine. There looked to be some nice county roads down that way and we did enjoy them very much. We pulled into the river town at around 4PM and ordered up the ice cream goodies. My choice was what I always get, a Butterfinger Blizzard... why fool with success?

After finishing our tasty treats it was time to find our way home. We could jump on the superslab and go home quickly or enjoy ourselves some more. Steve told us of a great road heading along the river that we should take. The decision was easy; "show us the way, Steveo!" It was a very nice road (MN40) and apparently well known to the motorcycling community. The road was covered with bikers going both directions. And, as near as I could tell we were all smiling ear to ear!




Hwy 40 ended up in a little river town called Carver. Steve's attempt to find a way through this town brought us to a city park along the river which became our final stopping point for this Fossil Ride, hence forth to be known as our "Sunday Afternoon DQ Run". After some more cheerful banter it was time to head home. I punched "Home" into my GPS and we headed north. Steve and myself who live on the south side split from the northwest Fossils in Chaska, except for Matt who didn't understand the frantic hand signals and horn honking and followed the southside Fossils across the river to US169. Fortunately, 169 heads north after Shakopee and hopefully Matt made it home after Steve and I headed east into Burnsville and onto our respective neighborhoods.

The Sunday Afternoon DQ Run was a great success. Thanks guys for coming, and especially thanks to Greg and Steve for finding such fun roads. And thanks to the Lord for the opportunity to ride one more time!

2012 Spring Ride

We held our Spring Ride on Saturday, May 5. It was a good ride even though the weather man was wrong. He said there would be no rain until 7PM. By then we'd be home safe and dry... he was wrong.

Most met at MGCC at 8:00 AM. A scripture was read and a prayer prayed. Seven Fossils then joined two more in Roseville at the GolfSmith parking lot. Here's who was riding this day: Mark, Keith, Greg, Bill, Lloyd, Allan, Jim L, Wayne, and a new guy: Darren. Darren passed the prerequisite written and verbal test and is now an official Fossil Apostle.

The day was a gray day and a bit cool but a fine day for a motorcycle ride. We headed over to Stillwater, MN and then was happy to be out of the city and into the beautiful Wisconsin countryside. Next were side roads east and south over to Menomonie where we met up with another new Fossil: Kyle. Kyle is an old friend of most of the Fossils since he used to be a Youth Pastor at MGCC. Kyle led us to a nice restaurant downtown named Log Jam. After the long winter, it was fun to catch up with old friends over a juicy burger.

After lunch we headed back west a bit on US12 then turned north onto the nicest Alphabet road of the day: County Q. It was nice and twisty along some gorgeous Wisconsin hills. The beginning was smooth with new asphalt, but it turned into a bit rough after awhile. We then worked our ways further north and west on county roads for an hour or so until making it to a required Dairy Queen in Amery. As you veteran Blog readers know, it is not an official Fossil Apostles' Ride until we stop at a DQ.

While enjoying the ice cream and fellowship in the DQ one of the locals who had noticed our bikes or our biking apparel said; "Did you guys know there is a big storm heading this way?" We did not know that but one of the young Fossils had a smart phone and pulled up the weather radar (Us old Fossils don't have Smart Phones, we have Stupid Phones)! Sure enough, there was some tough weather coming up from the south and east. Our plans up to this point was to take some more Alphabet roads to the south and west back to Stillwater, MN. It was pretty obvious from the radar that this would be a recipe for some wet riding. We quickly decided to try and outrun the storm by heading north up to US8 and then west to Minnesota and I35. This was a good plan except that it didn't exactly work. By Taylors Falls the weather caught up to us and we were getting plenty wet. I did hear later that we did miss the worst of the storm in that Bill and Kyle who had split from us ended up in hail. At least we didn't see any of that!

The rain actually wasn't so bad but when we got on the Interstate the wind had picked up out of the east. This created some hairy moments as the cross wind tried it's best to blow us off the wet pavement. I decided I had enough of this so exited as quickly as possible and told the other guys that I was going to play it safe and take the side roads home. I was closer to home than they so I waived "goodbye" as they continued on to the northwest suburbs.

So in summary, the 2012 Spring Ride was very similar to many of our rides. We made some new friends, ate some good food, found some fun roads, had an adventure, enjoyed the fellowship and rode some motorcycles. Thanks to all you guys who came with and thanks to the Lord for the great time!

God Bless,
Fossil Wayne.

Ride Plans 2012

Hi guys, please mark your calendars:

Spring Ride: Saturday May 5. (unless the snow finally arrives) details to be determined.

Summer Trip: July 8-16. Tennessee.

To include the "Tail of the Dragon", other fine roads in the Great Smokies, helping at the CHIC conference.


Some details: Currently we are thinking of leaving here on Sunday, July 8 and zooming quickly to the Smokies. (It is a two day trip at 500 miles each). We will then spend a few days riding the twisties before ending up in Knoxville to help set up "The Wall" at the CHIC youth conference in Knoxville on Saturday, July 14. Most of us will be staying in motels, I hope to do some camping. If we leave Knoxville Sunday morning we'd be back home Monday, July 16, You, of course may stay longer or arrive later to just help at CHIC.



We hope you can join us!



Fossil Wayne
six one two 7 two nine five o three one