Just Sayin'

[Dinero]

Reminiscing in the rain. Pulled some things from different threads. I'll have to come back here a couple of times to get me through the winter.

Pull up a chair and spend a little time enjoying it with me.







Once upon a time, not so very long ago, Dinero issued the invitation, and a very special group of folks came together in Junction, Texas. There was Dinero and Tailgunner, LittleBear and phreak, txhawg and submike, Shelley Belle, Sparky and ms_t. We gathered at the Lazy T and on Saturday rode out into the beautiful Texas Hill Country. We traversed raging low water crossings, we encountered kangaroos and peacocks and then, as we climbed the sacred RR 337, the clouds covered the sky above us. Up, up, the gallant steeds climbed, until, as we reached the summit, we touched the very clouds themselves. Upon decension from the magical apex of the 337, there was much grumbling from the daring knights who braved the dense cloud. But ms-t was enthralled and said to the knights, "How many times will you get the chance to say you rode a cloud?" Sir phreak then spoke, "Cloudriders. We are Cloudriders!" And so we were born.

http://ridetexas.com/Dynamic/8380/in...ter-crossings/

The first weekend in May (and sometimes in September) we return to Junction, bringing those brave enough to join us, and once again, ride the clouds on RR 337. Each new member must ride the 337 with a Cloudrider and then be initiated and annointed with the elixer from the crystal chalice.


Riders Of Texas, Cloud Riders Original.

Cloud Wrangler.

They came from the east, the west, the mid-west and all points in between. The riders encountered heat and wind and sometimes rain in their personal journies to my beloved Texas Hill Country. They arrived in groups of many or few and we greeted each other as old friends even upon first meeting.

My beloved Hill Country showed off a bit this weekend. She was sultry and hot on Friday, then tempestuous and very dramatic when the sun went down and through the night. Saturday morning she awoke cool and sweet. She donned her fresh green frock and adorned herself with wild flowers of many colors. Our riders took off in four groups under cloud covered skies Saturday morning and made the epic journey through the three sisters. As we rode burdens were lifted and souls were restored and renewed. I understand this because that's what my Texas Hill Country does for me too.


http://www.hillcountrycruising.com/wildflowers.html


The High Priestess took the stage Saturday night, recounted the tale of the first Cloud Rider ride and the crystal chalice was handed round so that all new Cloud Riders could partake of the holy elixir. Rumor has it other elixirs were being passed around as well.

Those of you who missed it need to start making plans for next year.

There will be cookies. . .

Easy enough to remedy some fine May.

http://www.jwimaging.exposuremanager...&photo_page=15
(Page 15, the bottom two rows and the first 5 1/2 rows on Page 16)

I so wanna go to this.......

And we so want you to go to this!

I'm really looking forward to this. It's always a great time with friends and cool roads to ride.

We're getting, like, more famouser.

http://www.hillcountrycruising.com/the3s.html

This is going to be magical.

Maybe mystical.

Certainly mythical.

http://www.mctourer.com/rides/2013/JunctionTX/#Routes

Any of y'all real sorry you are going to miss it?


And there's going to be cookies. . .....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=Q_KISkpq3bc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBR-i...layer_embedded


"You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back. You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast. These are some good times. So take a good look around. . . "


What happens in Ingram stays in Ingram.

Just remember to bring goats, prom dresses and tuxedos.

"No one moves until Margarita's bike starts."

"I don't have any metric wrenches".


Thanks to everyone who showed up. Thanks to everyone who is planning to be there next year. Thanks to everyone who has come before and made it a tradition.

[SafetyMan]

[Margarita]

"No one moves until Margarita's bike starts."

Maggie and I are so honored to have a place in Cloud Rider history and hope the stars will align to allow us to be there for May 2014.

By the way, despite any amount of tinkering and repair by a number of mechanics over the last couple of years, Maggie still occasionally declines to start on the first or second or third try. (Whisper: I think she has mild control issues re: running with Harleys.

[thedog]

very cool

[BillyB]

The first weekend of May is always one of my favorites of the year.

[MrSurly]

Continuously looking forward to it!

[ms_tapestry]

Beautiful memories. . .