Backroads Touring - Apr. 5, 2008

April 5, 2008. The first group ride of the season, and it was a dandy! The ride started in Cassoday, KS ... and the following riders were able to make the rendezvous point: Jim Foley, Shawnee - KLR650, Wayne Grant, Westwood Hills - KLR650, Mark & Ticia Trible, Maize - Ural/Sidecar, Bradley Hermon, Platte City, MO - KLR650, Jerry Huff, Topeka - KLR650, RD Woolsey, Derby - KLR650, Ken Clifford, Wichita - KLR650, and Roger Baugh, Wichita - KLX250.

Our morning started out fairly cool, but the day would warm to a comfortable level. Wind was in the 30 mph range, not that unusual for Springtime in Kansas!

We had hoped to catch the prairie being fired, and were not disappointed. Leaving Cassoday, we worked our way to the north towards Coyne Creek Road. Along the way, we could see evidence of recent prairie fires, and smoke plumes on the horizon showed we had not arrived too late to see areas in the process of burning. Running along the minimum maintenance Coyne Creek Road, we enjoyed several water crossings, then rode to the Clements Bridge. From there, we took the Camp Wood Road to Elmdale, then rode further east for lunch at the Emma Chase in Cottonwood Falls.

After lunch, we rode to the southwest, and down into the Den Creek valley. Crossing back to the east, we rode to Bazaar, then south along the Sharpes Creek valley in open range country. We rode to Texaco Hill, then continued south to the 777 Ranch, noting several small herds of wild mustangs. The day was starting to get late, so we made the short hop back to Cassoday to refuel before we made our rides home. It was a good day for the season's first group ride, no mishaps or mechanical problems of any kind ... and it felt especially good to be back in the saddle again! ... rb

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