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This set of blogs is another Group Vacation. Our 2008 trip was from KC up and around Lake Superior into Canada and then a slight detour to Milwaukee for a few days for the 25th and 105th celebrations for HOG and Harley Davidson. The blogs are broken into sections, each being a day in the trip. The first blog of this trip is here 08 Group Vacation Day 1 - to Iowa

Day 8 FRIDAY

Well we almost beat everyone to the factory, we were parked way up front . the tour was a self guided one, they had plaquards up explaining each of the stations and the line of people just moved through the plant. It was one continuous line. We started the line about 30 people outside the building. At the building they had staff there that handed you a bag had everyone in your group drop their cell phones and cameras in it. Jerry carried the bag through the factory.

After the tour and the t-shirt purchases the deal was I would show Marcia and Jerry down to Veterans Park where the Main Street activites were going on and then I would head out and do some riding in the country away from the crowds.

It didn’t take long before we are sitting on the interstate waiting in a long line to get down to the park. I had told them where to find the parking that they should park in for easy access to the area before we left the factory. As we sat there I turned to them and said this is the line just follow it okay? That was fine with them so I headed off. We would meet up again later.

Jerry had told me that Vinne and Cody from American Choppers the TV show were at one of the dealers. So I headed out to get a signature. While there I got aicture with them. I told Vinnie that I had 104K on my Sporty and he looked at me and said “you ride the piss out of that thing”. Anyway after getting my picture I headed out for some presidential race sites that were in the area. Port Washington was really neat it seemed that many of the business had really gone all out tying in to the sea theme of the city. Even the Mcdonalds was in the shape of a lighthouse, the Mobil station had a huge bouy out front.

After all the riding and activity of the last few days I was ready for a nap, so back to the hotel. Not long and Jerry comes up to get me for a trip to HOUSE HD. Judy a former work associate of Jerrys has joined the group. It was interesting to see the 12 year old Jerry that we all know and love suddenly become a responsible 30 year old. Transformed with in hours. No farting or burping at the dinner table…. Off to House.

We had to stop for gas, Judy was riding on the back of Jerrys bike. I was amazed when Marcia starts pumping her own gas. I was so amazed that I pulled out the camera to record the miracle.

Now HOUSE that was a dealership. They had the road out front blocked and filled with vendors. We enjoyed the activities and then headed back to the hotel. I wanted fish. The whole trip I had wanted some fresh fish as that is not common in KS at affordable prices, but you get near big bodies of water and the price drops. Judy said the best place for fish was actually at the hotel we were staying at. And she was right it was really good. They had an all you could eat for $15 or something like that so we all did that.

Somewhere in the conversations we had about Cody and Vinne it dawned on me that I could get an 8x10 made and get it autographed the next day, so I downloaded the picture file to walgreens.

Here are links to all the blogs for this trip:

1. 08 Group Vacation Day 1 - to Iowa
2. 08 Group Vacation Day 2 - John Wayne, Albert the Bull and Freedom Rock
3. 08 Group Vacation Day 3 - Buddy Holly, SPAM and the Joint
4. 08 Group Vacation Day 4 - Aerostitch and Canada
5. 08 Group Vacation Day 5 - Canada and Mackinac Bridge
6. 08 Group Vacation Day 6 - Yoppers, Pasties and outa gas John
7. 08 Group Vacation Day 7 - HOG 25th are you kidding me??
8. 08 Group Vacation Day 8 - Vinnie and Cody from American Chopper
9. 08 Group Vacation Day 9 - Last day of the 105th Anniversary Party
10. 08 Group Vacation Day 10 - Heading Home
11. 08 Group Vacation Day 11 - Snake Alley, Worldest Largest Pecan

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