JUNE 14TH, LUNCH ONLY, 11:00 AM, THE ELEVATOR, VALLEY FALLS, KS‬

[Al Hayes]

This week’s pick is to a destination we Romeo Riders haven’t been before. It’s a cozy traditional small town family bar located in the heart of Valley Falls, Kansas. Full of nostalgic decor and imagery of Valley Falls, The Elevator has maintained its rich cultural history. From rich tasty homemade food to warm and friendly service, there's plenty to enjoy here. TJ the owner says they will be open at 10:30am. Let’s try it, I think we’ll like it! Bring your wetsuits, as of now the weather forecast is showing a possible rain shower for Wednesday. Until then, “Happy Trails” to you all and hope to see you then.

HYW 16 NORTH OF TONGANOXIE, KS IS CLOSED: There is no easy detour North of Tonganoxie to Valley Falls on 16 Hyw. 16 Hyw is open West of McLouth, Ks. If you are coming from the East of Tonganoxie, you need to cut across by going to the North or South, then across to pick up 59 or 16 Hyw heading West.

PS: Some have been asking if they can still get a “Rome Riders Hat.” Absolutely! We are down to a limited supply and are going fast. See Brad Schoan, John English or myself, we still have a few hats left.

A CAVEAT: Any ROMEOS who are interested in touring the “National Motorcycle Museum” in Anamosa, IA. After September it will be no more. It’ll be worth seeing for one last time. Dates are, June 27th-29th (Tuesday - Thursday). It is a good one day ride up & one day back. It will be a 2-night stay in a motel for around $80 a night. SEE FURTHER DETAILS IN THE FOLLOWING POST BELOW:

THE ELEVATOR
305 Maple Street
Valley Falls, KS 66088
785-573-1667

Here is the link to all scheduled Romeo Rides:
https://tinyurl.com/wd4hsez

[Al Hayes]

IMG_3018.jpeg (135.98 KiB) Viewed 401 times

TJ owner and most excellent host for making the day enjoyable!

What more can I say, “what a grand day this was”. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, not too hot, not too cold, but just right for getting out riding and enjoying the day. I think we have found another “Keeper!” The Elevator was very inviting, and I heard many positive comments about their menu. Their burgers & chicken wings were among the delicious hot topics, right at the top. There was a count of at least 25 bikes & 27 riders and stopped counting. I kind of got the feeling that we’ll be back soon. Now, here is how the day unfolded.

[Al Hayes]

A NOTE FROM AL ROBERTSON: Here is some information concerning my proposed ride to Anamosa, Iowa to visit the National Motorcycle Museum and some information on the first ever Wing'd Rider rally in Litchfield, Illinois. First of all, here are some links with information on both events......https://nationalmcmuseum.org/........ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdnX8ds7w8w&t=348s...... https://wingdrider.com/wingd-rider-rally-2023/...

Group Riding.... Several of us have ridden together for years, however, there have been some requests for information concerning group riding and my riding style in general. Safety for everyone is always the main concern. We will be riding on both 2 lane and 4 lane roads. I will be riding the speed limit per GPS (not my Honda speedometer) depending on weather and traffic conditions. Safety is always the primary objective and riding too slow or too fast is not ideal. We will discuss the route prior to leaving and I will send out GPX files to anyone that wants to follow on their GPS. We will take comfort stops as needed, normally every 100 to 120 miles. We will always talk about stops prior to leaving, and we will always take into account the group's needs and safety concerns. The route from Basehor, Ks to Cedar Rapids, Iowa is approximately 340 miles (I haven't decided on the exact route), so that indicates probably 2 comfort stops, maybe 3.

Itinerary..... I plan on leaving Casey's in Basehor, Ks at 9:00 am on Tuesday June 27th. We should arrive in Cedar Rapids, Iowa mid afternoon. This gives us time to relax and scout out dinner options. Wednesday morning, we will head east about 25 miles to Anamosa and tour the museum. I figured 2 to 4 hours at the museum. Lunch and exploring the rest of the day. Some people might want to head back home on Wednesday. I plan on staying in the area and then heading to Litchfield first thing on Thursday. I would like to be at the hotel mid afternoon so I can attend an event starting at 5pm at the rally on Thursday. I plan on heading home on Sunday morning. July 2nd. I am scheduled for a Safety Training class and I hope to ride in one or more of the Adventure rides planned in the area.

Lodging..... I plan on staying at The Quality Inn, 5055 Rockwell Drive, Cedar Rapids, Ia 52402. I have 3 double rooms (2 queen beds) reserved in my name for 2 nights at $77.63 per night with a 48 hour free cancellation. If any of you want one of these rooms, please let me know as soon as possible. As a note, I reserved these rooms online using my AMA discount. I called the hotel directly (as well as other ones in the area) and in all situations, the online pricing was less than they quoted me on the phone. You may be able to get a cheaper price depending on discounts that may be available to you. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings I'll be staying at Quality Inn And Suites in Vandalia, Illinois. Vandalia is approximately 32 miles from Litchfield. Rooms in Litchfield are limited and booked, and Vandalia was the closest I could find. I have a double room with a rate of $74.77 + tx and I would be glad to share the room with someone.

Wing'd Rider Organization..... Wing'd Rider was started last year by John Lazzeroni after the sudden demise of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association. John was a long time supporter and member of GWRRA. John is also the owner of J & M Audio and Lazzeroni Firearms. John was very frustrated when GWRRA folded and started Wing'd Rider with the GWRRA format and much more. The organization is for ALL motorcycle enthusiasts and geared toward the touring segment. They are producing a magazine (included in membership) with a lot of features that we saw in Wing World. This organization is for all motorcyclists and not just Goldwing riders. The April issue of the magazine even featured a Harley on the front cover. GWRRA offered a great value for the cost of membership even if you never participated in any of the events or chapters. John is trying to enhance this idea and I have joined and am looking forward to the rally. The YouTube link above is an interview with John as he outlines the idea and future of the Wing'd Rider Association. As a note, the vendor area is open to all riders at no charge and they have several major motorcycle vendors attending. Niehaus Cycles and J & M Audio are hosting the event. John's letter to all members, about 2 months ago, indicated that 80% of the vendor space is leased at that time and they are expecting 3000 - 5000 attendees.

This idea to go to the National Motorcycle Museum was originally going to a Romeo Ride, however, anyone is welcome. Please pass this note along to anyone that might be interested in riding or participating in any or all of this trip. Call or contact me with any questions. Please let me know if you are planning on riding and If you want to use one of my rooms that I have reserved. The hotel will change the billing to your credit card at check in. The unused rooms will be cancelled on June 25. I can add more rooms under my name at the same price if needed.

Ride Safe,
Allen Robertson (Rattler)
785-979-4831
email allen.robertson1@gmail.com