TIME....................1:00
Here it is.............. Sommerset Hall Cafe
5701 SW DOUGLAS RD
DOVER KS
(785) 256-6223
Facebook page........ https://www.facebook.com/SommersetHallC ... s/?fref=ts
Web Page.............
Map site.............http://bit.ly/1uLkbOc
Tuesday rolled around in Milwaukee and with a favorable forecast I decided to hit the road. At least the weather cooperated. I figured that if I could make it about 50 miles past Des Moines I could get a room for the night. About halfway through Des Moines the low fuel light came on telling me that my noble steed was getting hungry. So I press on planning for a fuel stop when I got out of town. Suddenly I find myself surrounded by countryside and no exits to be found. About 20 miles into my reserve I see a sign promising that magic elixir of motion. I pulled off into a small town whos name escapes me at the moment. It was something like East Nowhere. There was a lot of construction going on and when I got off the slab I saw a sign on a tower saying Kum n Go. A common gas station chain in Iowa. When I got there I found that I came too late, because they had gone. There were 2 other stations in town. One was out of business and the other was under construction. In short NO GAS!! OK, I'll just head for the next exit. The best laid plans of mice and men failed again. The entrance ramp to the slab was closed and my only option was to backtrack to the previous exit and then turn around to go the right way. Now I'm 20+ miles into my reserve and headed back to where I know there is no gas! Butterflies were flying combat in my stomach as I pressed on in the wrong direction. I knew I couldn't get turned round and hope to make it to a fuel stop, so I kept heading back to Des Moines. I finally found a Hy Vee grocery store that had gas and tanked up there. Back on the road it was about 20 miles before I could pick up where I left off. Another 10 miles I found another gas station which was denied me by the closed entrance ramp. Up to this time I knew where I was going so I never mounted the GPS. I pressed on til I got to Lamoni IA and Leo and I got a room for the night. I figured if I got back on the road by 8:00 AM I would get to Dover on time to meet the guys for lunch. After I got past Topeka my steel trap mind snapped shut and wouldn't release any recollection of which road I needed to take to get to Dover. Taking a WAG at it I found myself on a rather scenic country road that took me back toward Topeka. I finally got the GPS out and found that I was a mere 6 miles from Dover. Homing in on Dover I found my way to K4 and rolled into town from the west. I parked on the north side of the restaurant thinking I was first one there. I got Leo settled, grabbed my camera and headed around the front of the building only to find Emory, Randy, Dave and an old friend and the one who got me into the Romeo's Niel Longbach. It wasn't long before bikes came rolling from all directions. I continued snapping pictures and then filed in to get the inside shots. The special of the day was shepherds pie. Now that's a very flexible recipe and their version was different from what I'm accustomed to but it was quite good and I think I might try it myself at home. By the time I got to eat the shepherds pie was pretty well worked over, so I didn't get seconds, and I was too late for the pie I had hoped for. Oh well. Ya snooze ya loose. It came time to head out and true to form I forgot how to get out of town and launched off the wrong way. I did realize it before long and turned around in time to join a group headed to Eskridge to gas up. When we got there I was disappointed to find all they had to offer was 87 octane. My Guzzi doesn't like 87 too well. It likes to knock on it. So I opted to search out other fuel. It wasn't long before desperation set in and I would have taken anything that would flow through a pipe and burn in the engine. Bruce and I agreed that my best chance was to head for Junction City so off we went. We got to Junk town and I decided I had enough joy riding for one day and I would take the slab back home. It has taken me from then til now to recuperate from this adventure.
We had riders from Salina, Minneapolis, Overland Park Chapman, Hollyrood, Chapman, Carlton, Topeka, Council Grove, Junction City, Denmark, McPherson, Milwaukee, and Canton. This week's high mileage shout out goes to Steve Errbo from Denmark at 185 miles.
We were riding Honda, Harley, Yamaha, Suzuki, BMW, Kawasaki, CanAm, Victory, And Moto Guzzi.
GREAT PICTURES MARK.
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