SMOKEY MOUNTAIN ROUNDUP 2005
Written by George Ramsey, PA State Director
Ruthie and I awoke at 5 A.M. on Thursday September 15th to a steady downpour. It looked as though we were going to put on rain gear and ride in the rain at least for a while.
But lo and behold at exactly 6 A.M. when we had originally planned to leave, the rain came to a halt. So I backed Yellowhawk out of the garage, pulled the trailer out and hooked it up. I turned on the ignition to check the lights, and to my dismay, I had no trailer lights. Oh no!! So off came the left side panel to check the fuses. They all checked out fine. Then I put down a blanket to test for power at the plug. No juice. Now what? Do I have a loose wire somewhere? I wasn’t sure where the plug was wired so I traced it. Then I spot an inline fuse right near the fuse box and what do you know, it’s blown. Well, they say you learn something new every day. I didn’t have a 30 amp so I used a 25. Works fine. So an hour and a half late, we head for Tennessee.
Aside from being very hot, the ride was fairly uneventful. Three gas fill-ups got us 666 miles from home and we pulled into the Best Western 11 hours from home.
After checking in and saying Hi to some folks who were already there, we unloaded our trailer. Just then Bob and Linda Comeau knocked on the door and though they had already eaten, offered to join us at the Cracker Barrel while we ate supper. The rest of the evening was spent socializing. It started raining and continued into Friday morning.
After breakfast, which was courtesy of the motel, we rode with Bob and Linda in their Sebring convertible to the Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee, N.C. As usual, Ruthie and I had no luck with the slots and neither did Bob and Linda. So we left there a little lighter and stopped for supper. We thought about the buffet at Harrah’s but that would have been way too much food. Another scenic road back to the motel and more renewing of friendships.
Saturday at 9 A.M. we followed Paul and Linda Tennyson on a scenic ride over some beautiful winding, twisting roads. It seems as though any road in Tennessee and North Carolina is a motorcycle riders pleasure. We returned to the motel early enough to kick back and relax a little before our evening meal.
The meal was a catered barbecue by Buddys who does the Honda Hoot every year. Just like at the Hoot, it was delicious. As is always the case, our members had a great time talking about the good old days, friends who are no longer with us and new friends just made. Ruthie and I have many fond memories of dear friends who have passed on. These get-togethers reinforce how important their friendships are to us. I wish everyone in A.G.W.A. would attend as many of these functions as possible. They are the glue that will hold us together.
So to the folks of Tennessee that hosted the Roundup, well done. To our friends from other states and PA, it was good to see you again. And to new attendees, welcome to our family. We hope to see you again and again in the coming years.
Until we meet again, take good care and ride safe…… George Ramsey