Flood Run and a New Pair of Chaps

When Alice and I went to the Donny Smith show I bought a new pair of chaps. Since I lost 40 pounds over the last 2 years my chaps were so big on me, they kept sliding down my legs and I was literally walking on them. So I got a pair of chaps that were even cooler looking than my old ones. I tried on a size small and they seemed to fit ok. So when I got home I tried them on again to show my husband. I struggled to get the left leg zipped by myself as it was pretty tight. Apparently it was easier to zip up when someone else was doing it for me. I attempted to sit down with the chaps on Should have tried that when I was purchasing. They were so tight, I could barely sit in them. So…too small. The vendor was from Chicago, so when I called to arrange to exchange them she suggested that instead of hassling with shipping I could meet up with them at the Flood Run. The Flood Run is an annual run in April riding down Hwy 35 in Wisconsin next to the river bordering Minnesota and Wisconsin that I was aware of, but had never participated in. So, a great opportunity to check it out. Too bad I had a broken foot, so I wasn’t able to ride. That sucks. Oh well, I invited a friend to go on a Road Trip in my truck.

We had a blast! It was an hour and a half down to a bar near Red Wing where the vendor was at. It is such a beautiful drive down the river on the Wisconsin wide. As we arrived in Prescott it took nearly a half hour to make the right turn to head south because there was so much traffic with all the bikes in addition to a city wide garage sale. But, we just creeped along and watched all the bikes. It was still fun to be among all the riders even though we were in a vehicle. My friend is single and she was checking out all the bikers in addition to checking out the bikes.

Eventually we made our turn and proceeded south, the city was filled with motorcycles parked all over and driving through. We enjoyed the scenery and seeing more bikes as we headed down the highway. With a lot of help from Google maps we found the place. We were really concerned about whether I was going to be able to park the truck close enough to the vendors so I wouldn’t have to walk too far with my crutches. But, we were early enough for that stop that we got lucky and found a good parking space.

The first thing I spied was a different vendor that Alice and I had talked to at length when we were at the Donny Smith show. They were very interested in the 50-state ride we were going to be going on and wanted to start following us on our website. During our first conversation he spent some time looking for a Gremlin to give me. Apparently since I was on crutches after dumping my bike on my foot, he figured I could really use one. A Gremlin is a small bell shaped unit, usually decorated in some fashion. It is meant to be hung on your bike, typically near the bottom of the bike. It is purported to keep you safe from any hazards while riding and works best when given to you as a gift. He couldn’t find one at the time. A week or so later we received a package from him with a gremlin for both Alice and me (he had Alice’s address cuz she had ordered some boots from him). We were really impressed by his thoughtfulness and had bought a thank you card to send him, but here I got an opportunity to talk to him and his wife again and thank them in person.

I got my chaps exchanged, we spent time shopping and talking to other vendors. I ended up buying a leather vest with 2 gun pockets (just in case I need them) and purple stitching, which is the real reason I bought the vest. Purple is my favorite color, so the vest was just begging me to buy it. I couldn’t say no. Then, on the way out I found the “macho mitties” I had been looking for also. Macho mitties are fingerless leather gloves for riding. And, no surprise, purple stitching…go figure.

So, I got everything and more than I bargained for on this little Road Trip. A great time with my friend, the opportunity to hang out with bikers, fine purchases and the opportunity to network as we prepare for our ride. Getting really excited for what’s to come.

Note to myself and all, whether you ride motorcycles or not: When you approach a group of bikers on the highway, give them plenty of space. A group of bikers usually ride either staggered or two-up in a lane. This means that the motorcycle riding the inside is very close to the center line. Since that’s where I ride, I also tend to drive close to the center of the road vs. the shoulder. Well, as we approached this particular group, one of the riders briefly crossed the yellow line (this can sometimes happen deliberately in order to avoid a road hazard or inadvertently while riding). Fortunately we were still a ways away, but I realized that had I been there at that moment it could have been pretty scary for both of us and I’m sure my truck would have fared better than he would’ve. After that I started driving a little closer to the shoulder in my lane in order to give them respect on the road and give them the necessary room they may need.