Motorcycles, Mutton, & More

[Bill Hagan]

Yes, motorcycles -- mostly Guzzis -- and mutton   (tho the incognoscenti might that emoticon unapt), and  "bourbon," too.  

 

Some reading this may have seen my posting about this event over on wildguzzi, but as not all here "go there," I'll restate some of that in this thread.

 

So ... for the past several years, I've been attending a church picnic in western Kentucky, specifically, St. Mary of the Woods parish in Whitesville, near Owensboro.    

 

"My people" -- my paternal side's that is, Irish-Catholics who came to the New World in 1662 -- left Maryland in the 1790's and wandered over to Kentucky, with, for my 6th & 7th great-grandfathers, an interim stop for a few years near where we now live in Frederick County, Virginia.  But, yes, again, as always, I digress. 

 

For many years -- as in since just after the Civil War -- St. Mary of the Woods parish in Whitesville, Kentucky, has held a picnic.  This has become a big deal locally, with two each year.

 

The focus is on BBQ.  Mutton (my favorite), beef, pork, chicken.  The parishioners at St. Mary's are most mindful that the Lord's Prayer mentions "our daily bread," not salad, so this not a vegan event.  

 

When is it? Sunday, 28 May 2017.

 

My plan and that of the several of us who have done this for a few years now is to arrive in Owensboro on Saturday afternoon; sightsee a bit; have supper at Moonlite, http://www.moonlite.com;  then sip bourbon until past the time we should have stopped.  

 

The next morning (earlyish), we'll ride the

 

Anyway, things start getting really serious about 11, when the parish hall opens its doors to serve the food.  

 

For a visual of the fun some of us had last May at St. Mary's, see the attached pix and this slideshow:

 

https://bill-and-kathi.smugmug.com/Men-Motorcycles-Mutton/

 

So, let me know here, by PM. or email (wrhagan earthlink.net) if interested in being a Moto-Guzzi Mutton Glutton.  I'll put you on a distro for the several of those already planning on it.

 

Ciao ... & chow.  Hope to see you in Whitesville!

 

Bill

 

P.S. Docc, Whitesville is a short jaunt for you and some of your Volunteer State Guzzisti. See https://goo.gl/maps/hYY5eeicDxE2.  Consider it.  

[footgoose]

Superb documentation and journalism sir! Well done. Great ride in the veil of Heaven. Whitesville is a short jaunt for me as well, through Indiana's best ground. I can lunch at The Overlook http://www.theoverlook.com/upload/vault/1/overlook_menu.pdfIn Leavenworth IN., on fried chicken, and dally around till dinner by Moonlight.

Some great shots there, as usual. Beautiful home, rig, and ride. I am blasphemously entranced however, by Dennis' RS! A sweetheart.

 

Inspirational and inviting. Thanks

[docc]

MotoMuttonism on Memorial Day weekend!

 

I will sound the alert to Team404 and lay in a course . . .

 

What are the recommended accommodations for Saturday night?

[Bill Hagan]

Superb documentation and journalism sir! Well done. Great ride in the veil of Heaven. Whitesville is a short jaunt for me as well, through Indiana's best ground. I can lunch at The Overlook http://www.theoverlook.com/upload/vault/1/overlook_menu.pdfIn Leavenworth IN., on fried chicken, and dally around till dinner by Moonlight.

Some great shots there, as usual. Beautiful home, rig, and ride. I am blasphemously entranced however, by Dennis' RS! A sweetheart.

 

Inspirational and inviting. Thanks

 

Many folks do not know what grand riding there is in southern Indiana.  I grew up -- assuming that has yet occurred  -- in Owensboro, and rode small-displacement Yamahas in the mid-60's.  Those and lust of another kind   took me over the river many times.  

 

Have not been to Walter's Pub at Leavenworth, but "I approve."   

 

MotoMuttonism on Memorial Day weekend!

 

I will sound the alert to Team404 and lay in a course . . .

 

What are the recommended accommodations for Saturday night?

 

 

Meraviglioso!

 

Am drafting an "OPLAN" now, with all sorts of -- Kathi  would (and will) say that's "code for too many"   -- details, and will post those soon.

 

Bill

[docc]

The Wildebeest say, nay, not that (holiday) weekend.

 

I may, still, plot an intercept course . . .

[Bill Hagan]

Yes, docc, it behooves   one to be careful of such things.   

 

I gnu   long ago that one ignores wildebeests at great peril.  

 

Long (& boring) story, but still up in the air if I (and some yankee buds) will be coming from Virginia or if that same Georgia crew in the 2016 Mutton Glutton vid -- with usual suspects George & "der Kanzler" -- and I will be riding up from Atlanta.

 

Stay tuned for OPLAN.

 

Bill

[Bill Hagan]

For those who have an interest in this event, I was going to wait a bit for sending along anything more on the Rutt'n for Mutt'n  or Mutton Runners, or whatever -- yes, I am constantly casting about for a label for this outing -- but after I looked at lodging for Kathi and me, thought I'd better pass along some information I got in that process.

 

First, there is not, of course, an "official" hotel for this.  Stay wherever pleases you.  

 

That said, because of its proximity to the iconic Moonlite BBQ -- https://www.moonlite.com -- several of us have found it convenient to stay before at the Country Inn & Suites.  Kathi and I also stayed there for my 50th H.S. reunion, but I remember nothing much of high school or the reunion.    

 

Anyway, when I tried booking there today, I found it was gone, replaced by, poof, the Wingfield Inn and Suites,  http://www.wingfieldinnandsuitesowensboroky.com.  Same location, and, allegedly, up-gunned a bit from our stay there last year in May.

 

If, after reading all of this, you wish to join us at the Wingfield, call the motel and ask for "Lilly" [with whom I spoke; a VERY nice lady from nearby Muhlenburg County; we'd have been showing each grandbaby pix if we'd talked much longer!] or "Chris," and mention you are part of "the Hagan group" in order to get the reduced-rate of $95 (from $100).  If you prefer, use email: frontdesk@wiasowensboroky.com.

 

Do NOT use the website for making a reservation or you'll pay more.  If you end up paying less than $95, all me so I can yell at Lilly.  

 

If you want to share a room, let me know and I'll connect you with others who want to do the same. 

 

If you want to see what else is available, here's a map of Owensboro lodging:

 

 

 

 

Link here: [http://tinyurl.com/OboroKyLodging]

 

Do NOT believe the google map prices shown for today.  May is high season for sports teams, and Lilly was not trying to sell me a bridge when she said walk-ins at that time of year might find what Mary and Joseph did in Bethlehem. 

 

Plus, this is Memorial Day weekend, so I am concerned about lodging en route, but especially worried that we can have rooms in Daviess County on arrival.  Our (as in Bill & Kathi's) present plan, btw, is to depart from home, not Atlanta, taking two days.  

 

I will send more coordination info about routes, etc., in due course, but suggest that if you are seriously thinking about this trip, you make reservations somewhere sooner than later.  Let me know sometime where you decided to stay.

 

Bill

 

P.S.  I am still exploring camping options in Owensboro & Whitesville, and will let those who have asked me about that know here or by email what I find.

[Chuck]

Talked to the Kid last night, and we are a definite maybe.

[Bill Hagan]

Great, Chuck.

 

As you well know, in motorcycling plans, that's as close as the cognoscenti get to certainty.  

 

FWIW, we -- along with a set of definite maybes of unknown size -- will likely gather here (as in Cross Junction, Va.) on Thursday sometime; launch at OH-Dark on Friday, RON somewhere c. 1/2 way, and not arrive in Owensboro until late on Saturday afternoon.

 

We'll then start return from Whitesville on Sunday shortly after noon.  I would much prefer to stay longer, but our reality trumps that ... darn it.

 

Our time as a "group" will thus pretty much limited to scratching, spitting, and snapping suspenders in the parking lot; supper at the Moonlite; bourbon tasting 'til "too late" on Saturday night; breakfast at Wingfield; ride to Whitesville; mutton munching; and andiamo.

 

Bill

404.eight-oh-eight.8486

[Bill Hagan]

This is an update with Day 1's lodging and routing information.

 

Will send this to the email list, but for those still considering this event, here's some information for your consideration.

 

And, lest the most important point be lost in my usual torrent of words, I need to say that whatever route you take, you may want to make reservations now.  This trip is over the Memorial Day weekend, and into "wedding season," so I have found that many hotels are already full for our dates of travel.

 

I sure prefer not having fixed interim destinations on motorcycIe trips, but sometimes, well, sometimes ...

 

Anyway, if you are coming along with us or intend to meet us at end of first day, here's where we are staying:

 

http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/kentucky/hampton-inn-ashland-HTSKYHX/index.html

 

And here are our proposed routes for Days 1 & 2.

 

Our return will be 2.5 days and go through bourbon country on a more southerly route.  Will post more on that soon.

 

 

Day 1 - From Cross Junction to Ashland, Ky.

 

 

 

 

Details here: https://goo.gl/maps/otLugdF2f7x 

 

 

Day 2 - From Ashland, Ky., to Owensboro, Ky.

 

 

 

 

Details here: https://goo.gl/maps/cy4v5nMP6js

 

We all know that the reality of riding means that the routes won't be exactly those, but they should be close.

 

Looking forward to seeing others here munching mutton in Daviess County ... and some Mex food en route.  

 

Bill

[Bill Hagan]

FWIW, here is info about the proposed return route we intend take after muttoning. 

 

Kathi has exhibited unusual confidence in the Norge by agreeing to ride it for this trip rather than driving the Mini as a sagwagon.  

 

OTOH, I now have to convince her that she only needs two hair dryers, not three.  N.J. Nick is coming along, too, on both legs of this ride, so I’ll see if he has extra room in his sidebags.  

 

As the terrain-mode pix, below, show, these are great riding roads.  We plan to stop for a look, but no sips at Makers Mark distillery in Loretto, https://www.makersmark.com 

 

So, if this routing and lodging plan has any interest among those heading home to points east from Whitesville, here’s our thinking.

 

======

 

Sunday, 28 May -

 

Whitesville, Ky., to Lebanon, Ky. (Hampton Inn)

 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/SpMH2q8vMx62

 

 

Monday, 29 May -

 

Lebanon, Ky., to South Charleston, W.V. (Hampton Inn)

 

[275 miles; 6 hrs, 30 mins.]

 

 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/tjhrQjFHiwN2

 

Tuesday, 30 May -

 

South Charleston, W.V. to the Moto Grappa

 

 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/qfNsoxnUMa32

 

As noted, above, we have reservations at Hampton Inns in Lebanon, Ky., and South Charleston, W.V.

 

http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/kentucky/hampton-inn-lebanon-LBNKYHX/index.html

 

http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/west-virginia/hampton-inn-charleston-southridge-CRWSOHX/index.html

 

Should be fun.

 

Bill

404.eightzeroeight.8486

wrhaganATearthlinkdotcom

[Bill Hagan]

Just a reminding bump for April.

 

     

 

Bill

[Chuck]

The Kid and I are going to do our own (mini) southern Spine raid. After the Q and bourbon we're heading south and east into the Carolinas for a few days with the Mighty Scura and his 96 Spot if all goes as loosely planned.

[Bill Hagan]

It's May!

 

Can you smell the mmmmmutton? 

 

On this forum, looks to be Chuck and The Kid.  You still a go for this, footgoose?

 

Bill

[footgoose]

It's on the calendar! It'll be down and back on Sunday for me though, and on the Strom. The goose is in pieces and I'm slow with sorting.