When we got to Riders Harley-Davison in Trussville Saturday morning, we found the front parking lot filling up quickly, so we parked near the front and went inside to meet this year’s Miss Alabama, Amanda Tapley. She was so cute and tiny! They had already gotten her “leathered up” for her first motorcycle ride—ever! She was in excellent hands as she had manager Tim Peek as her escort in his red “chariot” side car!

The people that work here are also a lot of fun to “get going.” They like to come out and party with us as they are cleaning up for the night, and they like it when Craig is here because he plays some funky stuff that they like, and we like watching them of course! As if you couldn’t tell, that was just an excuse to party!

A thick blanket of fog covered Lee’s Summit on Saturday, October 18, when I began the 90-mile ride to Warsaw, but the sun began to break through as I headed east. By the time I reached Sedalia, the skies were partly cloudy, and the temperature was becoming very comfortable. Running a bit behind schedule, I arrived at the registration site at Orscheln’s in Warsaw a little after 11 a.m., just as Carl was leading the pack out of the parking lot. After registering for the ride and topping off with gas, I joined a group that was just heading out on the route. We caught up with the main group at the first dice roll stop at the Iron Horse Steakhouse & Saloon near Roscoe.

Santa was in attendance, as usual, and gathered a couple of truckloads of toys, all being donated to Christian County children. With the tough economic times facing this country this year and job losses mounting, this kind of event might be the only source for some children to have gifts on Christmas. Since the time of year is one of giving, the motorcyclists of the area, in the true nature of their being, showed much support for the charity at hand and donated plenty of toys to ensure that needy children would have something under the tree.

After a few stops for gas and warm-up along the Lewis & Clark Trail on 24 Hwy, we made it to George and Lynne's in time for that homemade soup, and we had several bowls of the good stuff! Then George, aka Blue, led us on a fall ride through the old town of Hannibal, Missouri and out on 79 Hwy along the mighty Mississippi River for some awesome fall colors and colorful tree lines. We stopped at different places, like Lovers Leap for some great photos. From the top of the hill you could see for 10 miles or so up and down the mighty Mississippi and over into Illinois. We enjoyed the scenery, curves and switchback roads.