MERRY CHRISTMAS 12-25-09

I have lived in Wichita Falls Texas since 1975 and have not seen a white Christmas here. It is usually in the 60's or 70's. So, I have been ragging all my friends & family that live in snow country about having PMS (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome) and the snow & cold weather they are having. As a matter of fact, Wednesday (1-23-09) it was like 60 degrees and I was out (medically illegally) riding the Harley.. Then, Thursday morning, Christmas Eve 12-24-09, at 7:49 a.m., what went around, came back around...It got cold here and started snowing..Scroll down and check out this snow event that the news media is now calling the "Blizzard of 2009". They said this happens every decade or so...REMEMBER; IF YOU WANT O SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.




Christmas Eve, 12-24-09 at 7:49 a.m. it quit raining and started to snow. I had just gotten in from taking Janice to work. If you like, here is a link to a CHRISTMAS SONG JUKEBOX. CLICK ON IT, PULL IT UP, START IT UP. THEN DOWNSIZE IT AND LISTEN TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC AS YOU BROWSE: http://www.x-entertainment.com/christmasjukebox2008.html

A view out the garage as it starts to snow.. Snow is unusual here and is usually a big event..

With the day looking bleak, I thought I might go ahead and get the saddlebags fixed. I had removed them after yesterdays ride... I have the Saddlebag Shapers to install and it looks like no big deal..

A view out the garage door about 45 minutes later..

A view from in front of the bikes... No riding for today...

Another view from in front of the bikes

The view an hour later. They upgraded the weather from a Winter Storm Warning to a Blizzard Warning.. Can you believe it? I hoped they shut the city down soon because I had to drive back downtown & pick up Janice.

Another view as the snow picks up pace

Almost an hour later, our neighbor gets stuck in the snow & Janice hasn't called yet

A view from in front of the Harley

The backyard towards the shed. The first level along the fence is about a foot or so off the ground. The snow was starting to pile up

looking back toward the Texas Sage. It was starting to bend under the weight of the snow..

A view out the front door

Looking down the street from the front door. The snow continues to fall

Janice calls a little after 11 a.m. and the city was sending everyone home except, fire, police & street dept. personnel. The view ahead as I drive down Barnett Rd. heading North to US 82.

Normally its about a 10 minute drive from the house to city hall. Today it took about 45 minutes. Janice takes this picture out of my window of a giant Teddy Bear on Seymour Highway as we head home...

News Channel 6 was out on Seymour Highway videoing the traffic. I made the trip downtown at 25 mph and at this point going home, we were down to 20 mph...

A while later Janice takes this picture of Evangel Temple off of Barnett Rd. This church is impressive but is almost hidden by the falling, blowing snow..

The snow has accumulated on Barnett Rd since I left to pick up Janice, over an hour ago...

The car made it half way up the driveway before getting stuck. I got out and immediately slipped and fell on my butt. Janice captured this "Kodak" moment..

We wanted to get the car back inside the garage so as not to be out in the forecasted 8 degree low tonight. Here is Janice trying to clear some of the snow..

Janice shoveling snow.. She is a pure bred Texan and does not like the snow or cold weather.....

I told her to wait until the snow slacked up & then we would go rescue the car. A view out the garage about 2 hrs later. Still snowing, blowing & drifting

Had to move the Harley up farther out of range of the garage door. When the door opened, it dropped snow & water on top of the Harley and I didn't want SO to catch a cold.. lol

An hour or so later, the snow slacked up. We opened the garage door, viewed outside and went to rescue Janice's Ford Focus..

Janice stands by, shovel in hand

Our outside Christmas lights were buried. Here I am trying to find them

The only shovel we had was a regular shovel & a coal shovel. Who'da thunk we'd ever need a real snow shovel. But as the ARMY says, I also say, I GUARANTEE you we will have one next time this happens. Like I told Janice, better to have one and not need it, than to need one and not have it..

While we are shoveling snow, the sun starts to break out of the storm clouds. Janice grabs the camera and gets a great picture of it....Good pic, Janice!

Finally, we dig the snow out from in front of the car & around the car. Janice jumps in, fires it up and makes it into the garage... Here's what it was stuck in.

Janice, after working out with a shovel...A little on the cold side. The wind chill at 4: 30 p.m. was 9 degrees.

Janice out in the drive after freeing the car. This will give you an idea of the snow fall amount ..Having grown up in Michigan, I was used to this, but a lot of folks down here aren't use to it and definitely don't like it. And believe it or not, this is the first snow that many have actually been in...

One last thing Janice wanted to do before going in and taking a nice warm shower & putting her PJ's on, was to make a snow Angel. She said the last time she did that was back about 1968, when she was 7 years old.. So, here she goes, in the backyard, thru the snow drifts to her Angel making spot..

After making her snow Angel, Janice the Angel couldn't get up. She kept slipping and falling down.. I was laughing too hard to help her right away. But I eventually made it thru the snow to her & helped her up. I can't post the pics of her making the snow angel because she said I would forfeit my life if I did...

The dogs, Ellie Mae & Scarlett, are a lot smaller than the snow drifts and they played around the edge of them.

Looking out the kitchen window toward Janices Snow Angel & the cactus garden..

Today is Christmas and this is the view from the porch. That drift in front is a little over 2 feet and the neighbor's truck is still out in the street...

Last view for this post is from boot level on my porch looking down the street. This is the latest from our little corner of the world. From my family to all of yours, have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY & SAFE NEW YEAR!!!

Scroll WAY down for more rides, events & posts and don't forget to click on the "older posts" link at the bottom of EACH page for more rides and posts. Check out North Texas Bikers (1) at http://www.jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from January 08-November 08. and North Texas Bikers II at: http://www.jjskewlstuffii.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from Nov. 08-July 09. Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, ride safe, keep the rubber on the road & pray for our Troops & Pattie & Manuel................JOHN

CURTIS, BLUE KNIGHTS TX XX, CHAPLAIN 12-19-09

On Tuesday, 12-15-09, the Blue Knights TX XX, had it's monthly Chapter meeting and one of the items on the agenda was electing and voting on a person to serve as our Chapter Chaplain. One of the prerequisites for the Chaplain position is that the person must be an ordained minister. One of the people interested in the position was Curtis. Several of the Blue Knights TX XX members, myself included, had worked with Curtis 20 years or so ago, and Curtis is now an ordained minister. He also just picked up an 08 Harley Ultra Classic with 3,000 miles on it. So on Tuesday night, the Chapter voted in Curtis as the Chaplain of the Blue Knights TX XX. Scroll down and meet Curtis and REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.



Yesterday, Friday, 12-18-09, Curtis rode over to my house to get an application to fill out. Before he left, I got a few pics of him & his Harley. This is Curtis & his 08 Ultra Classic

Curtis & his Harley. Its has a real sharp looking blue paint job

Curtis getting ready to leave.

His Harley's gas tank & Harley emblem. I didn't get a chance to find out his nickname for his bike, but as he will be riding with us now on Chapter runs and other rides, I will have plenty of opportunity to find out.

This will conclude this brief post. It was good seeing Curtis again and Congratulations Curtis on becoming the Chaplain of the Blue Knights TX XX. We look forward to you riding with us and getting involved with the Chapter.

Scroll down for more rides, events & posts and don't forget to click on the "older posts" link at the bottom of EACH page for more rides and posts. Check out North Texas Bikers (1) at http://www.jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from January 08-November 08. and North Texas Bikers II at: http://www.jjskewlstuffii.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from Nov. 08-July 09. Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, ride safe, keep the rubber on the road & pray for our Troops & Pattie & Manuel................JOHN

MIKE'S M/C TRAILER STOLEN IN DALLAS 12-14-09

The Snow Ball Express came to the Dallas area between Dec 10-14-2009. That was where 1800 kids, who had lost parents or a parent in the War, were flown into DFW airport, from around the country. They were met at DFW by the PGR and other riders and escorted to various Dallas hotels & Motels by these bikers. They were then, over the next 4 days, escorted to various functions across Dallas by the PGR members & other bikers. These riders were assigned to these kids to escort them to all the destinations and to make sure those kids got whatever they needed. For more info on this worthwhile & necessary event, see this link: http://www.snowballexpress.org/

Two of the PGR members that were involved in the event, were Mike & Barbara, both PGR Ride Captains and both dedicated to this event. They took off work to spend the entire time with the kids. They trailered their bikes down to Dallas, as they were also going to need their truck to pick stuff up, once in Dallas. While there, escorting the kids, some LOW LIFE SCUMBAG stole their trailer from the Hotel parking lot.

I am posting pictures of their trailer on this post in hopes that some of you may have seen this trailer as a new item in your neighbor hood. If you see this trailer, contact you local police department or contact Mike at: weldermike@aol.com

REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.

Here is an email Mike sent out telling a little about the trailer:

As some of you know by now, my trailer was stolen from the motel parking lot in Dallas while Barbara and I were participating in the escorts for the kids of Snowball Express this week. It has been reported to the police, but I realize that a trailer may not be high on the list of priorities for the Dallas Police Department. So I am asking everyone to keep an eye out for it and either let me know or a local police department know if you see it. Since I took an old boat trailer and modified it quite a bit I imagine there is not another one any where that looks like it I imagine it has already been sold for drug money and even tho it was stolen in downtown Dallas Friday afternoon the 11th, it could be anywhere by now.

Thanks,

Mike ( weldermike) Johnson

So, let's all keep a lookout and lets see if we can get Mike's trailer returned to him, and the

SCUMBAG who stooped low enough to steal it, put in jail... Those of you that know Mike & Barbara, know they are not using the labels LOW LIFE SCUMBAG. They are much to classy for that. I, on the other hand, am not and will refrain from my normal descriptive language for the thieves. LOW LIFE SCUMBAGS is the best I can do for now, in case minors are reading this post.

Thanks to all of you for keeping a look out and we hope that ya'll can give Mike & Barbara a good Christmas present by locating their trailer.

Scroll down for more rides, events & posts and don't forget to click on the "older posts" link at the bottom of EACH page for more rides and posts. Check out North Texas Bikers (1) at http://www.jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from January 08-November 08. and North Texas Bikers II at: http://www.jjskewlstuffii.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from Nov. 08-July 09. Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, ride safe, keep the rubber on the road & pray for our Troops & Pattie & Manuel................JOHN

2010 TEXAS STATE HOG RALLY 12-7-09

The 2010 Texas State H.O.G. Rally will be held here in Wichita Falls Texas, Sept 2-5, 2010. I want to invite EVERYBODY that's a H.O.G. member, no matter what state you live in, to attend this event. If you own a Harley-Davidson and aren't a member of H.O.G. yet, join National & your local Chapter today and then come on down, over or up to Wichita Falls Texas next year for this great event. I look forward to meeting you there, getting your pic and then having a great post on this blog of that event. REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE H.O.G. PATCHES BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PATCH..






The NATIONAL H.O.G. PATCH

2010 TEXAS STATE H.O.G. RALLY

DATE
September 2 - September 5, 2010

CITY / STATE
Wichita Falls, Texas (TX) Get a Google Map of the Area.

DESCRIPTION
The Texas State HOG Rally will be held on September 2-5, 2010 in Wichita Falls, Texas (TX) Enjoy a great time with Activities, Rides, and much more. These Rallies are created and planned by Local HOG Members, under National HOG. Registration is Required by July 15th. This event is still in the planning stages, details will be provided as available.For more information about this event, Please see below.

WEBSITE
http://www.txstatehogrally.com/

My National HOG patch & local Chapter patch. I am waiting on a couple other patches to come in and then I will be taking the vest down to Sheila and getting them all sewn on.
( http://jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/2008/07/best-business-to-get-patches-sewn-on.html)

So, mark your calendars and plan on being here. I will run this post once a month, every month until September 2010. I also will be a volunteer on one of the activity committees and will post updates as we get them.

Scroll down for more rides, events & posts and don't forget to click on the "older posts" link at the bottom of EACH page for more rides and posts. Check out North Texas Bikers (1) at http://www.jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from January 08-November 08. and North Texas Bikers II at: http://www.jjskewlstuffii.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from Nov. 08-July 09. Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, ride safe, keep the rubber on the road & pray for our Troops & Pattie & Manuel................JOHN

DOCTOR'S ORDERS 12-4-09

JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, THERE WILL NOT BE A WHOLE LOT OF BLOGGING FROM ME FOR THE NEXT 4-6 WEEKS. DOC SAYS IT WILL TAKE THAT LONG FOR MY FOOT TO HEAL... BUT, IF I RUN ACROSS ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO BIKERS, I WILL TAKE A PICTURE OF IT AND POST IT. UNTIL THEN, I WISH YA'LL A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY & SAFE NEW YEAR. IF YOU RIDE A BIKE, KEEP THE RUBBER ON THE ROAD & RIDE SAFE. IF YOU DRIVE A CAR OR TRUCK, DRIVE SAFE AND PLEASE KEEP AN EXTRA LOOKOUT FOR MY BROTHERS & SISTERS ON THEIR MOTORCYCLES. LET'S ALL TRY AND MAKE THIS AN INJURY & ACCIDENT FREE HOLIDAY SEASON..JOHN

RIDE TO GRAHAM TEXAS WITH RUSS 11-24-09

Last night (Monday 11-23-09) Russ called and asked if I wanted to make a run with him down to Graham Texas, which is about 65 miles South of here. I said I sure would and he said to meet him at his house in the morning (Tuesday 11-24-09). Scroll down and joined us on the short but great ride and REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.

Russ comes out, gets geared up and we head out. The temp was 43 degrees, the wind out of the NW at 10-15 mph and not a cloud in the sky in any direction. A great day for a ride with one of my best friends. Here is Russ on "THE ICEMAN"...

Looking South down US 281, we have clear skies & a clear road ahead...

Russ doing the "Hook 'em Horns" thing as we roll South.

Russ on "THE ICEMAN" rolling South on US 281. Russ calls his Harley that because the paint job on it is called "Black Ice". Depending on the light conditions, the bottom half of the Harley is either blue or purple. The top half remains black. If in a very low light, the entire bike is black. A very good looking motorcycle..

THE ICEMAN & SO parked on the side of TX 16, down in Graham Texas. We had stopped so Russ could look at this 25' trailer that was for sale.

As we get ready to leave, Russ puts his gel seat cover back on the bike. The wind had blown it off while we were looking at the trailer. I have one of those gel covers but I forgot to put it on before I left this morning. We left here and rode into Graham & ate at Sanderson's Restaurant. When we left there. we headed to Windthorst Texas. Check this link for more on Sanderson's: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-18914484R-sanderson_restaurant-i

As we head down TX 16, we prepare to top a small hill. Russ in front of me.

Russ, as we head down TX 16. Most of the leaves are off the trees, but a few remain..

Russ's wife, Linda, wanted Russ to check at the meat market in Windthorst Texas for some buffalo meat. They didn't have any but the butcher told Russ he could get all he wanted in Bowie Texas. Windthorst Texas is a dairy & cattle town.

The bikes in Windthorst Texas. for more on Windthorst Fine Meats Market, see this link: http://local.yahoo.com/info-18925298-windthorst-fine-meats-windthorst

THE ICEMAN & SO in Windthorst Texas

Me & SO doing the Captain Morgan thing in Windthorst Texas. Guess I just blew my chance at playing professional football by striking this pose... LOL

Russ & THE ICEMAN doing the Captain Morgan pose. He just blew his chances too. The NFL just lost a bunch of talent!!! Oh well, guess we will just have to keep riding the highways & byways....

As we roll North on US 281 back to Wichita Falls Texas, Russ appears to be stuck in his Captain Morgan pose...

I had talked to Janice on the phone before Russ & I left Graham Texas & she wanted me to stop by McDonald's, when we got back to town and bring her some lunch. Russ & I parted company out at US281 & Southwest Parkway. He went to gas up & go home and I went downtown to get Janice some lunch.

I enjoyed the ride with Russ today and thank you for inviting me to go with ya Russ. I needed it!! I look forward to our next ride whenever it occurs & where ever it takes us.

Ya'll have a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving and enjoy the time with whomever you spent the day with.

Scroll down for more rides, events & posts and don't forget to click on the "older posts" link at the bottom of EACH page for more rides and posts. Check out North Texas Bikers (1) at http://www.jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from January 08-November 08. and North Texas Bikers II at: http://www.jjskewlstuffii.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from Nov. 08-July 09. Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, ride safe, keep the rubber on the road & pray for our Troops & Pattie & Manuel................JOHN