June 7-10, 2018 Palo Duro Canyon and Amarillo, Texas Museums, Adventures, and the Texas Outdoor Musical

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June 7-10, 2018 Palo Duro Canyon and Amarillo, Texas Museums, Adventures, and the Texas Outdoor Musical Tux always likes a riding challenge, and when he can combine it with riding with the best GWRRA

To set the stage for this adventure, Tux thanks Pat Wall for the insight on where to go, what to do, and coordinating the agenda to ensure all had a good ride and a full plate of activities upon

1 June 7-10, 2018 Palo Duro Canyon and Amarillo, Texas Museums, Adventures, and the Texas Outdoor Musical Tux always likes a riding challenge, and when he can combine it with riding with the best GWRRA Chapter in the state of Texas, and do a myriad of adventurous things coming and going, he is always one of the first penguins to sign up. To set the stage for this adventure, Tux thanks Pat Wall for the insight on where to go, what to do, and coordinating the agenda to ensure all had a good ride and a full plate of activities upon arrival in the Amarillo area. Pat is a great Ride Coordinator! A quick stop in the Panhandle, near the Cadillac Ranch We had 10 bikes and 14 Riders/Co-Riders gearing up for a one-way ride of approximately 525 miles who departed Kent Power Sports at 5:00 a.m. on 7 June. Included in this illustrious bunch were Pat Wall, Ed and Helen Smith, Tom Hendricks, Ron Perry and Shonale Burke, Pete Ryson, Gary Ellis, Steve and Donna Van Gilder, Michael Harris, Scott and Debbie Hay, and Tim Gressler, Sr. accompanied by his wife, Barbara Gressler and mother-in-law, Jackie Stanford, in their car.

We rode, we ate, and enjoyed what we did! The road to Amarillo was very familiar to some of our Riders, as they had completed an Iron Butt ride to Amarillo and back in 20 hours in September 2017.

We knew we would be tired, hot, and sweaty, but using due diligence most of us were able to stay hydrated, took breaks on a recurring basis, and ensured vehicles and Riders were in top shape and

2 We rode, we ate, and enjoyed what we did! The road to Amarillo was very familiar to some of our Riders, as they had completed an Iron Butt ride to Amarillo and back in 20 hours in September Our goal this trip wasn t to ride 1,000 miles in 24 hours or less, but in order to do everything on our agenda, we scheduled one long day going, and another one returning from Amarillo. We knew we would be tired, hot, and sweaty, but using due diligence most of us were able to stay hydrated, took breaks on a recurring basis, and ensured vehicles and Riders were in top shape and could make it successfully through the degree heat of Texas in the spring/summer. Pete s Posse Starting out in the cool of the morning ensured the beginning of the ride to Amarillo was pleasant. It was a great feeling moving down the road and seeing the sunrise. We knew the cool of the morning would soon be replaced by the heat of the day, so we kept the pedal to the metal and made as much progress as possible before the heat really set in. Friday was a day of rest and rehydration, and an occasion to explore the Texas Panhandle. Believe it or not, there is more to the Amarillo/Canyon area than wind farms, oil wells, and cattle ranches.

They all had layers of spray paint where tourists had posted their graffiti. Believe it or not, this practice seemed to be encouraged.

3 Scott and Debbie at the Cadillac Ranch After breakfast Pat gave us his Amarillo Special tour. Our first stop was the Cadillac Ranch, where we saw the ten Cadillacs buried half-in and half-out of the ground. They all had layers of spray paint where tourists had posted their graffiti. Believe it or not, this practice seemed to be encouraged. There were 25 folks, in addition to our group, partaking in this piece of American graffiti. Only in Texas, LOL! Donna and Helen near the Cadillac Ranch Next we stopped at the American Quarter Horse Museum. This was a horse lover s dream and showed the importance of the horse in history, and provided a background on the evolution of the Quarter Horse.

Tom paid 25 cents to ride a Quarter Horse Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum Our final museum stop for the day was the Jack Sisemore Traveland (Recreational Vehicle) RV Museum which displays various

Here you can see how the evolution of RV's progressed as you take a tour of vehicles from the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.

4 Tom paid 25 cents to ride a Quarter Horse Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum Our final museum stop for the day was the Jack Sisemore Traveland (Recreational Vehicle) RV Museum which displays various RV's from decades past, and is owned and operated by the Sisemore family, who've collected and restored these beloved homes on wheels for years. Here you can see how the evolution of RV's progressed as you take a tour of vehicles from the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. As many of us grew up witnessing the evolution of these RV s on the road, it was interesting to reflect on their progress over time and to hear numerous instances of I remember when. We had a great lunch at Abuelo s Mexican restaurant, then headed back to the hotel for a short siesta. Seeing the sights, sharing tall tales, and being in good company made for a good lunch experience. The highlight of our day was seeing the Texas Outdoor Musical. We left the motel at 4:30 p.m. for Palo Duro Canyon, and after a 20 minute ride we arrived, rode through the park, visited a bit, and enjoyed a delicious chuck wagon dinner catered by Feldman's Wrong Way Diner, which included three meats, trimmings, desert, and drinks surrounded by the beautiful, Palo Duro Canyon beneath the blue Texas sky.

After a short break to aid the digestive process, we proceeded to enjoy the Texas Outdoor Musical, which is: A family-friendly show set against an authentic tapestry of history, the show s fictional

Song and dance abound and a generous helping of good ol Texas humor too with spellbinding lighting, special effects and fireworks.

5 After a short break to aid the digestive process, we proceeded to enjoy the Texas Outdoor Musical, which is: A family-friendly show set against an authentic tapestry of history, the show s fictional characters bring to life the stories, struggles and triumphs of the settlers of the Texas Panhandle in the 1800's. Song and dance abound and a generous helping of good ol Texas humor too with spellbinding lighting, special effects and fireworks. Texas Outdoor Musical The play was very enjoyable and the outdoor setting, with the canyons of Palo Duro as a background, enhanced the mood. If you did not love Texas and her history before you sat through the play, you definitely had a greater appreciation of life on the frontier and what being a Texan entails. The finale for the Texas Outdoor Musical had a patriotic theme highllighting our Veterans and the sacrifices, devotion, and service they made to allow Texas and this country to grow and prosper over the years. Viva Texas!!! Pat and Pete at the Route 66 Museum

5-hour ride from our hotel, filled with some old cars, motorcycles, and other memorabilia. Once we ate and toured the museum we headed back via Cal Farley s Boys Ranch in Boys Ranch, TX.

6 Following a good night s sleep, we met Rafael Hernandez, Chapter Director for GWRRA, Chapter A in Amarillo. Rafael, and a few of his Chapter cohorts met us at our hotel at 9:00 and we took off to Bard, New Mexico, and lunch at the Route 66 Diner. We visited a small museum, about a 1.5-hour ride from our hotel, filled with some old cars, motorcycles, and other memorabilia. Once we ate and toured the museum we headed back via Cal Farley s Boys Ranch in Boys Ranch, TX. Boys Ranch is one of the nation s largest privately-funded child and family service organizations, and for nearly 80 years, it has worked to meet the needs of children and families. In our troubled world it was nice to see that some folks are still doing what they can to make the world a better place, especially for our younger generation. Thank you Chapter A for making our stay in Amarillo so much more enjoyable. Cal Farley s Boy s Ranch Completing our day, we retired to the hotel dining room area and started our rehydration process, and ordered a few pizzas for in-house consumption. One of the best parts of belonging to this group is sharing our experiences, present and past, and building strong relationships. It was a fitting evening finale to a memorable weekend. Good times with good friends

Sunday was going to be a long ride home, so after our meal everyone went to bed early Saturday night and dreamed of cool days, wet whistles, safe roads, and making good time on the homeward journey.

7 Sunday was going to be a long ride home, so after our meal everyone went to bed early Saturday night and dreamed of cool days, wet whistles, safe roads, and making good time on the homeward journey. To minimize riding in the heat of the day we elected to start our homeward bound trip at 4:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Fortunately, everyone made it home in a safe condition. Tux stated, It is super important to remember to hydrate throughout your ride. He also commented Remember to be aware of the physical condition of your fellow riders, and a special thanks to those who made sure everyone did get home safely! Tux loved the challenge of the Road to Amarillo and the return ride to San Antonio. Texas is a big state and riding through West Texas is always an experience. The Texas Outdoor Musical personifies much of what we saw and did. We rode through the West on our favorite steeds; experienced the heat of day and riding before the sun came up, and had a much greater appreciation of the gumption of the early settlers and explorers, and the type of people who had to be tough enough to develop our great state. Cadillac s and cool people, Ron and Shonale Tux said, Riding the Lone Star State with U, is always a pleasure. Tom Hendricks wrote this article; the Texas Outdoor Musical web site was also used as a source for quotes and pictures. Ed Smith, Scott Hay, and Tom Hendricks also provided photos.

8 The following is the route, distances, and times between stops we took going to and from Amarillo. The map provides a visual of the route and an idea of the country we covered and the distance we rode. Start Kent Power Sports Interstate 35 N Selma TX Depart: 6/7/18, 5:00 AM (CDT) Next: Valero From here: 75mi, 1hr, 11min WayPt 1+ Valero 308 N Llano St Fredericksburg TX Arrive: 6/7/18, 6:11 AM (CDT) From Start: 75mi, 1hr, 11min Next: McDonald's From here: 70mi, 1hr, 8min Depart: 6/7/18, 6:41 AM (CDT) WayPt 2+ McDonald's BREAKFAST 2106 S Bridge St Brady TX Arrive: 6/7/18, 7:50 AM (CDT) From Start: 145mi, 2hrs, 50min Next: Abilene From here: 112mi, 1hr, 43min Depart: 6/7/18, 8:20 AM (CDT) WayPt 3+ Abilene 202 W Interstate 20 Abilene TX Arrive: 6/7/18, 10:03 AM (CDT) From Start: 257mi, 5hrs, 3min Next: Phillips 66 From here: 121mi, 1hr, 51min Allsups Depart: 6/7/18, 10:33 AM (CDT) WayPt 4+ Phillips th St Paducah TX Arrive: 6/7/18, 12:24 PM (CDT) From Start: 378mi, 7hrs, 24min Next: Valero From here: 69mi, 1hr, 13min Depart: 6/7/18, 12:54 PM (CDT) WayPt 5+ Valero 109 Main St Quitaque TX Arrive: 6/7/18, 2:08 PM (CDT) From Start: 447mi, 9hrs, 8min Next: Best Western From here: 78mi, 1hr, 14min Depart: 6/7/18, 2:38 PM (CDT) WayPt 6+ Best Western th Ave Canyon TX Arrive: 6/7/18, 3:52 PM (CDT) From Start: 526mi, 10hrs, 52min

9 Thursday Night Recommendations for Dinner in Canyon, TX 1. Feldman s Wrong Way Diner 2. Fat Boys BBQ 3. McDonalds Friday Pick or venture out on your on. Ride time is from the motel. 1. Breakfast at the motel 2. Cadillac Ranch 45 minute ride 3. Coyote Bluff Café 45 minute ride 4. Panhandle Plains Museum Across from the motel 5. Big Texas Steak Ranch - 45 minute ride 6. American Quarter Horse Museum 35 minute ride 7. The RV Museum 30 minute ride We will be leaving the motel at 5:30 for Palo Duro Canyon & the Texas Outdoor Musical. Saturday Pick or venture out on your on. 1. Breakfast at the motel We will meet up with GWRRA Chapter A for a short ride for lunch and a follow up ride in the afternoon if there is any interest. 3. Try some of the places we didn t go on Friday. SUNDAY Leave Best Western 0500 Next: Love's Travel Stop From here: 101mi, 1hr, 25min WayPt 7 Love's Travel Stop 4221 N Interstate 27 Lubbock TX Arrive: 6/10/18, 6:22 AM (CDT) From Start: 626mi, 3days, 1hr, 22min Next: Allsup s From here: 90mi, 1hr, 20min Depart: 6/10/18, 6:52 AM (CDT) WayPt 8+ Allsup s 180 N US Highway 84 Snyder TX Arrive: 6/10/18, 8:12 AM (CDT) From Start: 716mi, 3days, 3hrs, 12min Next: Winters From here: 84mi, 1hr, 16min Depart: 6/10/18, 8:42 AM (CDT) WayPt 9+ Winters Winters TX Arrive: 6/10/18, 9:59 AM (CDT) From Start: 801mi, 3days, 4hrs, 59min Next: Junction From here: 105mi, 1hr, 41min Gas & Stretch Depart: 6/10/18, 10:29 AM (CDT) WayPt 10+ Junction LUNCH Junction TX Arrive: 6/10/18, 12:10 PM (CDT) From Start: 905mi, 3days, 7hrs, 10min Next: Kent Power sports From here: 124mi, 1hr, 52min Gas, Stretch Layover: 45min

Depart: 6/10/18, 12:55 PM (CDT) Destination Kent Power Sports 15664 Interstate 35 N Selma

10 Depart: 6/10/18, 12:55 PM (CDT) Destination Kent Power Sports Interstate 35 N Selma TX United States Arrive: 6/10/18, 2:48 PM (CDT) Completed: 1,029mi, 3days, 9hrs, 48min

We have had the pleasure to have those tickets given to us by one of our sponsors and been assured that he will continue to do so this year.

We have had the pleasure to have those tickets given to us by one of our sponsors and been assured that he will continue to do so this year. January 2019 It's been a couple of months since we had a newsletter. Last months was cancelled as Joe had to have emergency brain surgery. He is doing very well but we still need to keep him in our prayers.