Ennis bluebonnets last Sunday

Gilk51 · Apr 20, 2005

It was a last minute thing but sharkey (Chris) had said something about a ride from south Arlington late Sunday morning: http://www.twtex.com/viewtopic.php?t=4164 I didn't hear back but I told my wife that someone may call when I left for church.

I had ridden my 'Strom, so I figured that I would ride some more anyway and parked in the street. When the garage door came open, I saw that all 3 bikes were gone - mine (of course), the wife's scooter - she was working up at school, and the son's ZR7s - who knows where he went.

I talked a bit with my neighbor who was washing his car (my bike still has some grime from the first pie run) when I noticed the note on the house door in the garage. Yikes! Chris had called and his group was leaving the parking lot at Green Oaks & I20 at 11:15. It was 11:05!

I scrambled to change clothes and check the dogs' water and then headed back up to the Minyards (I had passed it on the way home). I see some bikes but they are all cruisers and Chris had mentioned "Couple cruisers, my Burgman scooter, and maybe 2 sport bike riders". I slow and pass the scooter with 2-up, Chris says "Chuck?". Whew! It was the right place.

Everyone was mounted up since I was a hair late. Everyone nodded "Hello" but were ready to go. Chris says it will be US287 to Midlothian, an FM or two to Waxahachie, and then lunch. Off we go.

When we get going south on US287 (slab), I noticed that it is pretty windy. I seem to be the one most affected since Chris and Marcy are fairly low on the Burgman and the scruisers (5 of 'em) seem pretty low and heavy.

Other than the wind, we cruise into Midlothian and hang a right just past the Sante Fe tracks onto FM663. This eventually turns somewhat twisty and we take FM875 into Waxahatchie. Chris is leading, I am right behind him, and the cruisers are tightly packed after that.

Chris motors around and almost loses the cruisers circling in a shopping center to get to the KFC. Over lunch, I get to meet Chris and Marcy's friend Bob, who had gotten the others to ride down from Trophy Club with him. I am terrible with names, but remember "Puppy" and his wife who are riding 2-up. They have a gal friend that is riding her own bike. Bob and two other guys ("Sarge" was one) are riding various flavors of cruisers. They are a cool bunch and I enjoyed talking with them during lunch.

http://www.texasarlingtoncs.us/pics/mc/ennis_bb041705/wax_lunch0732.jpg

Turns out that Puppy and the 2 gals need to get back to meet Puppy's daughter at 3 so they head back after lunch.

So Chris leads out of town on FM 813 and 878 to Palmer. There are some good curves and Chris and Marcy take advantage of them. I try to split the difference so we don't lose the cruisers but Chris stops at the first turn choice to wait. So I decide to enjoy the twisties with him and just let the others catch up. He had done the same on the other FM road before Waxahatchie. These were all fun & it was unusual for me to be hanging with the front runner for a change.

Since Chris knew the route from the day before when he came with his church group, he took the route into the big batch of bluebonnets. We all stopped for pictures. Of course, Chris took some of Marcy:

Lots of folks in cars, trucks, and bikes were stopping at the same spot. On the way out, I spotted a sign that said "best picture 1.5 mile" but the other way from where we were headed. Since I had no idea where we were, I decided to follow Chris. We ended up taking SH34 through Ennis (quite crowded on the main drag) and then US287 home. I took US67 and FM1382 up to Grand Prairie to work. :-(

The other folks kept going & intended to take 1187 (Sarge) and SH360 back home. Chris and Marcy stayed on 287.

I was impressed with their Burgman 650 - they didn't seem to lose any smiles on the turns... :-)

rickmillertx · Apr 22, 2005

Great pictures Chuck. Looks like you were riding with some pretty heavy iron (the cruisers and Vmax). I like it when there is a wide variety of bikes in a group. Makes for good conversation.
Rick

Ennis bluebonnets last Sunday

Gilk51

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rickmillertx

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