May 11, 2008, Day 2

We slept in ‘till 8:30!  After a couple of cups of coffee, we headed out for a ride to Virginia City, Nevada.  We stopped for gas and Mary Beth had a mishap with the pump not clicking off.  An extra gallon of gas on her bike and on the ground.  I suggested that she not do that again.  She agreed! 

We next stopped at a store for pop & water.  Steve, Rich & Gary rode up to meet us.  Bruce was driving a van that had Grant (a wheelchair bound vet, who lost his legs due to “agent orange” (complications from Nam) and his wife EA. 

A short 25-mile ride brought us back in time to the old west town of Virginia City.  Some of us had lunch, and some had drinks.  We saw the arrival of Papa Smurf (Kent Wilson) from New Mexico. 

When we got back to our bikes, I found a note taped to my helmet.  It was from a guy that I met at the Redwood Run in 1994.  Pete Beers and I both got awards at the bike show.  Pete, for having a good-looking red bagger, and I for having a good-looking Rat Bike.  We parked wheel to wheel for pictures and ended up on the front page of the Thunder Press!  I called the # on the note and left a message for Pete.  He called me back while we were at a Jap bike shop looking for a helmet for Mary Beth.  He told me where his house was and we went to visit.  Pete is now 68 years old and still has three Harleys in his garage.  He had the front page of the Thunder Press that we were on, framed as well.  We put one of his bikes (he did not have the one in the picture anymore) wheel to wheel and took another picture. Pete and his daughter, Lizzy, and Shaun were very glad that we had met again! 

Back to the motel room and the four of us had just ordered dinner from room service to have a “Survivor” dinner party for the final show.