Home form Pork in the Pines!!

[krispy]

Yep, we got home Sunday night from the PIP that ended a week earlier. Denise and I spent the next 7 days wandering northern MN, nw WI, and a bit of upper MI. Looked for the least straight country roads we could find and hopped from state park to state park, geo-caching as we went. Road some beautiful country, mostly in decent weather (we got absolutely drenched once by Two Harbors, MN) on our RSV, and really enjoyed ourselves. Highlight roads included county 71 around Ten Mile Lake south of Walker, MN (new tar, lines painted, but NO signs whatever had been replaced after the ditch re-building, and the road curved and carved the hills along the lake-way fun, right Norm and Kim?), Highway 1 from Ely, MN to Lake Superior, Pierce County (WI) O from near Red Wing, MN north toward River Falls, WI, and a handful of roads that took us south from Marenisco, MI toward Woodruff, WI. We spent Sat and Sun in SE MN around the Winona area, and you could ride there for days and not run out of good roads. Wish we could have spent more time there and in SW WI, but that will have to wait for another time.

 

Also have to echo what has been said about the PIP, great hosts, great place, great people, great food, great time. Such a diversity of people with the common interest of riding on 2 wheels, mostly Ventures.

 

I learned a lot getting in on Maintainance Time as well. To report on the carb sync results, my mileage increased to 43-44 mpg, after having faded to the 40-41 area prior to the sync. Can't say that I can notice a difference in performance or smoothness, but the mpg's are there again.

 

Owl, Denise made good use of the gaitors (sp) thru the week, sometimes when it was cool and they went over jeans, and sometimes when it was downright cold, and they went over everything else she had on. So thanks again.

 

Look forward to crossing paths with all the folks at PIP again in the future. Wish we could have got to know the Canadian contingent better, but they got in about the time we were going to head to the hotel for the night on Sat (definite disadvantage for not camping on the grounds) and they were out on a group ride by the time we got there on Sunday, and hadn't returned by the time we left. That's about enough. Thanks again to Gary, Ann, Owl, and everybody for a good time. Larry:thumbsup2:

[Norm]

Larry,

That was a great road. The only problem was it wasn't long enough. Glad to hear you are home safe. Kim & I enjoyed the Sunday morning ride.

 

Norm

[juggler]

Dang Larry, looks like you take a few short cuts? That was the longest return trip home considering you only live a 220 miles from Gary's place.

 

I've spent a fair amount of time on the road from Ely to Lake Superior back when I lived up in Ely. Good twists and turns.

 

SW Wisconsin is also great. If your looking to do a vacation there sometime check out the Brewery Creek bed and Breakfast. We've stayed there once. Great owners and great B&B. Plus if you like good beer they have there own micro-brewery and pub on site.

 

Cheers

[Grandpagak]

it was great to meet you and the wife. hope to see you again next year.. sounds like you had a great ride..

[wild hair 39]

that sounds like a WILD HAIR RIDE,

[krispy]

Juggler,

Yeah, we took a few "short" cuts. We could have been home Sunday evening and we were, just a week later. 2500 miles total for the trip. We'd love to ride SW WI and SE MN some more. Those are our kind of roads, windy and up and down, through the trees and valleys, not just pounding down the road to get there. Thanks for the tip on the Brewery Creek B&B. Here's one back for you....Pleasant Lake B&B by Osceola, WI. Ask for their "just because" special and the room is $99 a night. It's a couple miles out of Osceola, tar road to the drive, one lane drive thru the trees to basically a private little lake where the B&B is located. Jacuzzi for 2, deck overlooking the lake, great breakfast, and nice hosts. Even let us use their grill to make our supper that night. Also a great area to ride in. Make for a nice getaway for you and the Mrs.

 

Norm, we sure enjoyed the Sunday a.m. riding with you and Kim too. You must have survived the wind and rain getting home??

 

Grandpagak, thanks again for hosting the whole show. Always more work than what is imagined by those of us that just show up and partake.

 

Wild hair, it was a wild hair kinda ride, only scaled down somewhat. Any truth to the rumor that you were sighted on the Baja Peninsula since I last saw you?? Take care, Larry

[sarges46]

We are sorry to have missed you guys, Larry. We all wanted to be there for Friday because we know how things go. Lots of folks head out the Sunday...normal.

 

It was kind of mixed feelings going for our ride Sunday...but I guess someone was right....we did need it.

 

Next time....