Mid American Freedom Rally

 

 

“F…ing lucky” is what I say, my better half says I make the luck. On this little rally jaunt I was one lucky devil. Both me and my ride ended up in the emergency room. On the trip east, coming into Junction City Kansas I saw the sign for City Cycle Harley Davidson, thinking as I cruised, do I need to stop for a break or keep rolling. The decision was to roll. A mile or two after the sign my bike quit making noise, deader than a wedge I rolled over to the side of the highway. A phone call and in a few minutes a trailer showed up and swept me off to the dealership. Within an hour and a half they had me back on the road. A faulty crank sensor had put a temporary stop to my journey. Over at City Cycles, Dean Mizes the mechanic on duty was excellent, he walked me through the issues and got me fixed in a flash. The crew at City Cycles comes highly recommended by this biker…

 

 

Getting to Buckhorn Missouri and the Mid American Freedom Rally took a little longer, some rain through Kansas City and a warm hotel room got me through the night. A relaxing ride through the hills and curves around the lake of the Ozarks dropped me into the rally. Amazing views as you roll around the curves and vistas of the Lake of the Ozarks come into view. 

 

The rally got off to a warm start. I was welcomed in like family Sue and Britt had the camp set up and a the cooler iced. Rallies are for visiting friends, making new ones, and letting your hair down. MAFR is what old school bikers look forward to all year. A rally with a great cause at just the right time. Memorial Day is a special day for bikers as we cherish freedom and those that have defended ours. 

 

The weekend started off with a concert and the party was on. As you would expect the weekend was filled with music, games, rides, and fun. Good conversation filled the evening. As we chatted around the campfire Britt told stories of times and rides past, his time in Colorado Springs and friends in common. We shared our stories and I told him about my luck and the blessing of being a photojournalist. Britt said he was a devout reader of Bikernet news and it was the only place he could get real truth on important stories like Waco. 

 

 

 

 

Did I mention beautiful women, this is the place to see them. Remember my luck, well you too can share in a little of my luck by heading over to the cantina and checking out a Little Retro Girl of Bikernet. The winner of Miss Freedom Rally met with me and we did a photo session at the rally. 

 

 

Once again I made slipped out for a few minutes of solitude and the open road and ended up at the Devils Elbow Inn. Crazy, earlier this year the place flooded. Now I don’t have any pictures to show it but this sets up above the river about 25’. So that river was rolling. The folks have cleaned the place up , replaced walls and all the damaged area. They were able to save the bar and some of the bras hanging from the ceiling. So if your in the neighborhood drop by and make a donation. While I was enjoying a cold one a couple of gals walked in and did just that. Gotta love this country…

The photos help tell the rest of the story. With attendance up this year and cooperative weather it was a rally work attending. Oh yes, my trip to the Emergency Room. Slipping around the curves in the Ozarks a little hornet found the opening in my jacket. Thought I was shot, and about 20 minutes later I was in anaphylactic shock. Never experienced this before I thought I could handle it but after the care of a friendly waitress and a volunteer fireman I ended up in an ambulance and a short term resident of the emergency room. My luck was I found the little restaurant where I was taken such good care of  and didn’t’ end up in the ditch another few miles down the road. 

 

 

 

 

Rallies are about journey and the people and this was one I will never forget. 
—Dangerous Dave