Running through Iowa to Wisconsin to Michigan

Iowa was my state to run on Monday, Sept. 21.  I have only a few words to sum up this state – cornfields, feed lots and wind generators.  But I still love my beef.

As I was loading up the bike to continue my run there was a little wizened up old lady in a red puffy jacket outside the hotel smoking cigarette-after-cigarette.  She came over and asked if it was my bike.  Yep.  She said since it was parked next to a couple of antique vehicles owned by the hotel folks, that she thought it was theirs, too, especially since it had a license plate that said CHIPS after the TV show, and the tags on it were expired. 

Expired.

Oh crap.  I was riding with expired tags.  I’d gotten them and brought them with me but had forgotten to put them on the bike.  I did it right away.  But … I’d ridden 1,400 miles from Phoenix to Iowa with no one paying my expired tags any mind.

Legal again.

Today I wanted to get through Iowa and over east of Madison, Wisconsin.  But there were also a couple of Harley shops I wanted to visit since I didn’t have pins for my map from these places, Waterloo and Dubuque.  I made my goal just as the sun was setting.  East of Madison put me into position to get to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.  I had a new friend there that I wanted to stop to visit for a little bit.  I’d met her at the Wisconsin State HOG Rally a few months earlier and we’d been chatting.  One thing was that she had a motorcycle but no guardian angel bell.  I’d told her I had a bell for her, and that I’d be hand delivering it.

I got on the road early on Tuesday, Sept. 22, and followed the road to Mischler’s Harley-Davidson in Beaver Dam where I was meeting up with Catt.  She was waiting, waving largely at me when I rode in.  It was great to see her.  

We wandered into the shop and she introduced me to the owners.  Then we went to Chili John’s a local hole-in-the-wall café.

This is the place.  And my friend, Catt, introduced me to it.

My iron horse stayed outside.

Chris cooking our breakfast.

This guy, Chris, is the owner, and chef.  He bakes his own bread and pies.  And he makes the best chili omelette.  He’s been approached by Guy from Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, but he’s not real willing to do the show as it would change everything.  He likes cooking, he likes serving people and doing it all himself.  The publicity the show would bring would change it all … so he goes along making a living and loving what he’s doing.  However, if you’re ever in Beaver Dam, that’s the place to have a bite to eat.

A little write-up on Chili John's.  It's been around for 93 years.

 

While there I also met Jeff.  He rides a Road King and pulls a casket.  He’s currently recovering from a motorcycle accident where they think he was struck by lightning.  Ouch.  Catt and I visited with the guys while eating our breakfasts. 

Then it was time to ride.  Catt rode with me to Oshkosh, and then we parted ways, waving madly at each other.  Then it was just me, heading north toward Peshtigo.  Again there were two more Harley shops where I’d obtain two more pins, Appleton and Green Bay. 

At the Green Bay shop I found out that the Peshtigo shop had closed.  They owned that one, too, and luckily for me, they at least had a poker chip I could get to put on my map.  I called and left Biker Bill a message telling him it was closed, but that I was on my way.

Green Bay shop is fine looking.  It does remind me of a Cabela's, though.

This metal horse is outside of the Harley shop.  It reminds me of the one Barry had made for the House of Harley-Davidson in Anchorage.  It was very cool.

I approached Peshtigo, pretty much on time.  Once again I couldn’t find the shop.  I had to stop to ask.  On down the road I went.  I still didn’t know where the place was.  Then I spotted the dead head bike, Biker Bill’s bike with all the animals painted on it, ones he’s killed with a bow and arrow in Alaska.  He was at a gas station exchanging stories with a guy on a bicycle and another on a motorcycle.  I pulled in and he seemed pretty pleased to see me.

We were ready to ride although I needed to gas up first.  Then we hit the highway and passed that old Peshtigo Harley shop.  I was glad it was closed since twice I’d had so much trouble finding it … and I flipped it off, too.  Made me feel better, it did.

Escanaba was our destination, and we arrived in plenty of time to get the bikes parked in the garage, get unloaded, get some fresh corn and tomatoes grown and delivered by the neighbors, and get settled in for the night.  The house is right on the lake, and it was a beautiful setting.  I saw Canada geese and a couple of egrets.  Biker Bill said the swans come in October.  I wonder if they will come while I’m here.

The two bikes hardly take up any room in this garage.

This is the back of the house and I'm near the water.

This is the view from the back of the house.

Biker Bill had turned down the bed for me.  Wow, very nice.  But where’s the mint?  I slept well, with the lake outside my window and the sound of the waves gently hitting the shore.  It would be a good place to stay for a few days.