Friday 06/02/17 Ride

Fellow Riders,

• I made it back home for at least one Friday, then I’m gone for a couple of more,  so I’m really hoping Friday is a good day for riding.  At least once more I’m going to challenge Mother Nature and try some mountain riding up to Brevard, NC for some lunch  at Duggan’s.  I sure hope that works out and you all can join me.  If so let’s plan to leave the Key Mart parking area about 10:30 AM this Friday.  Hope to see you then.     Dan

Dugan's Pub | Best Bar & Restaurant in Brevard

• It turned out to be a fabulous day to ride to Brevard - sunny skies and warm temperatures.  There were six riders that met up with Dan and included Chuck C. (welcome, a new rider, started last week), Steve G., Bill G. (two articles in the latest issue of Full Throttle Magazine), me, OG Bob (with temps in the 80's, the orange gloves are put away and he wears his "I'd rather be riding a" Harley gloves), and Bob B.  Dan had us on the back roads of Pickens in no time and then on to the very winding Hwy 178.  To make sure we didn't get there too soon, we took some more back roads around Rosman before arriving in Brevard.  Sue, as usual, called ahead and they pulled some tables together for the seven of us when we arrived.  The service always seems a little slow, but the food is always good at Dugan's.  Those feeling especially Irish tried bangers and mash, and some shepherds pie, while the rest of us were happy with more typical pub grub.  For the ride home, Dan took us down the mountain via Hwy 276, another of our favorite twisty roads.  There were some grey skies around, but they caused us no problem.  We didn't get wet, but thankfully for OG Bob, his bike was still "glistening" from the wet ride a couple weeks ago.  We finished the route by taking more back roads through Pickens county before gassing up and heading home.  It was another great day on two wheels.      Steve

Friday 05/26/17 Ride

Fellow Riders,

• Looks like Dan and I are both away this Friday, so if you want to ride, I suggest meeting at Key Mart at 10:30 am, and decide on a leader and a destination.The weather forecast looks good, so it should be a fine day to ride.  Steve

It will be off to the races for those that want to ride Friday.....

Friday 05/19/17 Ride

Fellow Riders,

• Dan is away this week, so I thought I'd plan a trip to The Purple Onion in Saluda.  If that sounds good to you, we'll plan to leave the Key Mart parking area at 10:30 am, on Friday.     Steve

Purple Onion Saluda

• Knowing there was only one possible rider that would not mind a ride in the rain (think OG Bob and free bike wash), I decided to head in a direction away from Saluda because the forecast had been deteriorating all morning.  I decided to try Hawg Wild BBQ and Catfish House in Clarkesville, GA.   The five riders joining me for the ride were Gadget, Len, David D., Russ, and OG Bob.  No one objected to the change in venue, but one rider did look disappointed.  We took the backroads through Oconee County and then into Georgia as we headed out for lunch.  As we got near Clarkesville, you could see clouds billowing in the north.  When we got to the restaurant, our table for six was ready, thanks to back-up concierge Paulette.  The restaurant was not crowded and we were served our drinks and food right away.  BBQ was a popular choice and  was quite good.  After the leisurely lunch, we made our way to the parking lot only to hear OG Bob say, "Uh-oh. I left my key on, again."  Thanks to the other five Harley riders being prepared, and after it was confirmed the battery was dead, OG Bob wheeled his bike around and got a jump to bring the beastly Yamaha back to life.  Feeling bad for OG Bob for the dead battery, especially after missing out on a bike wash opportunity, I succumbed to the suggestion to ride the tempting and curvaceous GA 197 to Lake Burton and return home through Clayton.  As you can imagine, by the time we reached the north end of Lake Burton, the billowing clouds we saw before lunch were now full fledged rain clouds and were settling in over Clayton.  Had it not been for a couple of slow drivers on GA 197 and Hwy 76, we probably could have stayed completely dry.  That was not to be.  As we sat at a light in Clayton, it began to rain pretty hard, but we were able to ride out of it in 3 - 4 miles.  It was dry and clear the rest of the way home.  All in all, it was still another great day on two wheels.    Steve

OG Bob tried rolling the bike and pop the clutch to start the bike, but that didn't work out so well.....

Friday 05/12/17 Ride

Fellow Riders,

• Last week Mother Nature prevented us from riding to Brevard, so I’m going to plan it again this week, even though the forecast is a bit sketchy.  I’m planning a ride to Brevard, NC for some lunch at Duggan’s Pub and if the weather doesn’t cooperate, we can change the plan.  If you would like to join me, let’s try leaving the Key Mart parking area about 10:30 AM this Friday.  Hope you can make it.   Dan

Dugan's Pub - Brevard

• Again, Mother Nature has conspired to upset our plans by bringing the rain in from the North this afternoon.  Therefore I’m planning just a short ride this morning, to the Village Bakery Café in Pendleton so we can maybe get back before any inclement weather.    Dan

Trip Advisor - The Village Baker and Café

• Quite a crowd came to the Key Mart parking area to join Dan for a ride to Plan B.  The riders included Leslie (great to see you again, been a while), Len, David D., Rob, me, Gary, Terry, Steve G., Russ, Rob, OG Bob, and Ed.  By the time we left the parking lot, the rain chances had increased and could start as early as noon.  Dan had a pretty direct route to Pendleton to ensure we could get there without getting wet.  OG Bob hated to miss a bike wash opportunity.  Someone commented, that as slow as the service can be sometimes at the Bakery, we might still get caught in the rain.  When we arrived in Pendleton, it quickly became obvious that a lot of Clemson graduation parties/lunches were underway.  As it turns out, super concierge Sue actually drove to Pendleton to tell us it wasn't going to be possible to get in to the Bakery due to the lunches and parties.  We had a couple of options - Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant, and the Islander Pub & Grille.  Rob and Len decided it would more to their liking to ride some more instead of eating, and away they went.  Once Ed confirmed the Islander was open, we all headed in.  Very few had eaten here before and there was some concern about how good they were when it was virtually empty, while the Bakery was overbooked.  Any concerns were put to rest once we got our meals.  Most people got a soup/sandwich combo and everyone seemed delighted with the food.  The route home was also direct to make sure we avoided the rain.  Even with the gray skies and moving to  option C for our destination, it was another great day on two wheels.   Steve

Friday 05/05/17 Ride

Fellow Riders,

• How about we snake our way up to Brevard, NC and have some lunch at an old standby, Duggan’s Pub?  If you want to go let’s plan to leave the Key Mart parking area about 10:30 AM this Friday.  Hope to see you there.   Dan

Duggan's Pub

• Still planning to ride but not in the mountains due to the higher probability of rain.  I’m thinking it might be safer to stay closer to the ranch by circling around to end up in Westminster, maybe at Peurto Nuevo.  After all it is “cinco de mayo.”   Dan

Facebook - Puerto Nuevo Mexican Restaurant

• It certainly did not feel like an Upstate spring day when four riders came to the Key Mart parking area to join Dan for a ride.  Dan made a good call changing the venue.  With ominous skies and temperatures peaking in the low sixties, it felt more like a late winter day.  Joining Dan were Bob D., me, Terry, and OG Bob (he was definitely wearing the infamous orange gloves today).  The Westminster location of Puerto Nuevo is about 20 miles south east of the Key Mart where we met, so, of course, Dan heads out in a north westerly direction to get us there.  This route took us through parts of Pickens and Anderson county as we looped around to head to Westminster.  With only a couple glimpses of the sun, everyone was feeling the cold by the time we got to the restaurant.  Our server, who gave off the impression he didn't really like being a server, took our drink orders right away and then came for the food orders.  As always at Mexican restaurants, the food arrived fairly soon on plates too hot to touch.  Everything was okay except he had left the word Deluxe off of OG's burrito order and this caused a delay in Bob getting his food.  By the time we finished, we had all warmed up for the more direct route home.  Even with the gray skies and cool temperatures, it was still another great day on two wheels.    Steve