Ok, we wake up, look outside and the Mavic tent has been blown away and it is raining sideways! This is what we were expecting...hurry, flip on the radar and see where this bad boy is! Whoa, just about gone and it is only 8 am! We didn't have to pull out until 11...just in time for the clouds to break, whoo-hoo!
After a 30 mile ride into St. Louis, we parked the bikes and figured we had time to hit the Hard Rock at Union Station for a quick burger. Chuck decided to clip off the "park loop" because at 7 am it was pretty much under water. The circuit went from a 14 mile loop to a 10 mile loop, 5 times around.
I remember last year the Star Spangled Banner was played with electric guitar...I remember because it didn't sound so great. Apparently I am the only one who thought that because guess what...they did it again.
The circuit was wide and plenty of room for passes. We hung out in the field shooting off the side and front for a while then we started looking for parking decks and places of interest. We worked back alleys cutting through and criss crossed streets to shoot the break and main field until the last lap. Jono sez....finish line James...Tour of Missouri is in the books.
After dropping him off at the line for the last time of the week we said our goodbyes and I started looking for Walt. We had to return the Buell on loan from Gateway HD. Dropped that at their display tent...motored over through caravan deviation and dropped off radios and vest then on to the hotel to retreive luggage and start heading toward Nashville.
This is always a bitter sweet moment because you don't know when you will see all the folks you have been with again. It is sweet knowing you have flirted with danger all week and managed to stay safe and keep your rider safe. The emotions for me run pretty high I must say. These guys are all just great folks and you hate to see everybody go, but you must return to reality. I have been on the road 9 days to this point, and I miss my wifey. It is time to go.
We got out around 5:15pm....Stevo, Deano, Dono, and myself. Frank's wife came up with a trailer to ferry him back home...he has to be at work Monday morning.
The ride to Clarksville, TN was gorgeous....full moon very little wind and very little traffic! We jibbered on the radio's and enjoyed some long periods of silence occasionally reminding ourselves how beautiful the evening was. We rolled into the Hampton about 10pm, had a night cap and a few laughs in the parking lot before hitting the hay....great day!
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