Moonshine Lunch Run 2011
Moonshine, IL
The Home of The World Famous Moonburger
"If you don't make it to Moonshine,,, you ain't a Motorcycle Rider,,, you're just a Motorcycle Owner!!!
Moonshine, IL
The Home of The World Famous Moonburger
"If you don't make it to Moonshine,,, you ain't a Motorcycle Rider,,, you're just a Motorcycle Owner!!!
Once again I plan to 1000 miles one way to eat a cheeseburger. This event has been going on for the last six years. It all started in 2005 when a farmer in Illinois invited a few friends to come to Moonshine (population 2) to have a hamburger with him. In 2005 there were 30 bikes from 6 states that made the run.
This is not an advertised event and word is spread via the Internet on forums and by word of mouth. The 6th annual lunch run had over 1000 bikes from all around the US and Canada and a ton Moonburgers were sold! (I am having trouble finding the official numbers. So you may be thinking to yourself big deal a lot of people ride long trips on motorcycles. Well yes they do however this lunch run takes place in April. Typically the weather is in the 30s with wind and snow. It has been said that the MLR was a wacky idea, held in a wacky place at a wacky time with wacky weather. Visit the MLR web page here.
So much like last year, here is the plan I will leave Denver on April 6, 2011 and ride to Bonneville, MO where I will spend the night with some friends. On the 7th I will head on to Moonshine. I will spend the 8th-10th in Moonshine and head back to Bonneville and then on to Denver on the 11th.
This is not an advertised event and word is spread via the Internet on forums and by word of mouth. The 6th annual lunch run had over 1000 bikes from all around the US and Canada and a ton Moonburgers were sold! (I am having trouble finding the official numbers. So you may be thinking to yourself big deal a lot of people ride long trips on motorcycles. Well yes they do however this lunch run takes place in April. Typically the weather is in the 30s with wind and snow. It has been said that the MLR was a wacky idea, held in a wacky place at a wacky time with wacky weather. Visit the MLR web page here.
So much like last year, here is the plan I will leave Denver on April 6, 2011 and ride to Bonneville, MO where I will spend the night with some friends. On the 7th I will head on to Moonshine. I will spend the 8th-10th in Moonshine and head back to Bonneville and then on to Denver on the 11th.
This year's MLR will be special. You see one of the biggest reason I wanted to attend was to meet Terry, the man who started it all. Well on November 19, 2010 Terry Hammond passed away. I will never get to meet the man, the myth, the legend behind the MLR. Instead I will be riding 1000 miles one way to pay last respects to a man I never had the honor to meet in person.
So the time to leave finally came. Like a kid waiting on Santa Clause to arrive I barely slept knowing that LeAnn was waiting in the garage for me to ride her.
(All packed and ready to go.)
I got out of bed bright and early and hit the road to make the 700 mile ride to Boonville, MO. The ride was uneventful until I crossed into Kansas. The first issue I encountered was missing the state line sign. I always take a photo of the state line sign when I cross into a new state. I stopped and considered my options. I could go to the next exit and turn around and come back but with this being Kansas I did not know how far that would be. I decided that since the sign was at a weigh station to just flip a u-turn and ride up the exit to the interstate and get the photo. Issue one solved!
I continued on in Kansas dealing with strong cross winds. Who would have thought that the winds would be this strong in Kansas????? Yes I too have watched the Wizard of Oz. I was not able to ride tank to tank like I normally do since I needed to stop every 50-100 miles to just get a break from the winds. I pressed on and made it into Missouri. Once again I was lied to by the weather man. It was only suppose to be in the 60s my entire trip. Riding in Missouri it was in the 90s and my mesh gear was home safe and sound in my garage.
(Welcome to Missouri)
I arrived at my stopping point at about 5:00 Central time. I had been keeping in contact with my friend Shannon who I was going to be staying with for updated road conditions since I knew she lived on a gravel road. She told me that the road was fine, not muddy, and just small gravel. No big deal, right? What she fail to mention was her driveway was large, loose rock and from the saddle appeared to go straight up.
After much consideration I decided that I could make it and hit the gas. What is the worst that could happen? I slipped around a bit and made it to the garage in the photo above.
I enjoyed my visit and a few cold ones with friends and headed out about 6:00 am on Thursday to make the last leg to Casey, IL.
(Welcome to Illinois)
I arrive at the Hammond Farm around lunch time and get camp setup before kicking back and watching a little Caveman TV.
Thursday night I head over for a BBQ and fellowship in Casey. Lots of bikes have already arrived in Casey for the big event. I spend some time talking with some great people and enjoying some great food!
I then head back to the farm for the night and enjoyed some my Caveman TV and some great conversation. It was great to sit around with like minded people and relax.
Little bit of rain Thursday night but so far the weather has been perfect for a motorcycle trip. Friday comes and I hang around the farm until lunch. I eat with some of the guys down the road at "The Oilfield" restaurant. After lunch Smash finally showed up. Smash is from Golden, CO and a member of Team Colorado. This dude is hard core, or insane I am not sure which one. He did a SS1K (Saddle Sore 1000, 1000 miles in 24 hours). He had some mechanical issues on the road but made the trip in 23 hours. In the company I was in a SS1K is no big deal. This guy did this one on a 600 Ninja, not a ST or Goldwing like most of us do!
Right after Smash showed up we head over to Richards Farm for the Banquet. That was a spread! You name it they had it on the buffet! If you left hungry it was your own fault. Lots of good conversations and the ability to see some old friends from around the country and meet some new ones, while putting faces to many names of guys and gals I have one talked to on the Internet. I also was able to meet up with the rest of Team Colorado for dinner.
Saturday morning started with Moonshine weather. It poured rain. We all holed up in the barn until the worst of the storm past and the put on the rain gear and headed to the Comfort Inn to meet up and head to get a Moonburger.
We ride out to Moonshine where I get my breakfast burger. Yep ate my Moonburger at 8:00 in the morning. You have to get in line early for a Moonburger. This is the first time that I got a true feel for how many people showed up for the main event. There was bikes parked as far as the eye could see and even as I was leaving tons more rolling in. You really have to attend to understand how huge this event is. And let me tell you the burger was well worth the trip.
(Waiting in line for my Moonburger, photo by Follow)
(Team Colorado at the Moonshine Store)
(New sticker on the bike)
After lunch I went back to the farm and packed up camp and took off back west back to Mid-Mo. Sunday I rode around my old stomping grounds and visited Kemper Military School. When I left there in 1997 I did so with the plan to never look back. I did not know at the time how much that school was a part of me and who I am today. The school closed down a few years ago and is in very sad shape. It really saddens me to see how much the school has been allowed to sit and rot.
While in Missouri I enjoyed being able to visit old friends and I went to lunch with Ma and Pa Bosma.
Monday I saddled up for the 700 mile trip back home. In the middle of Kansas I ran into Smash again and rode to Colorado with him.
We stopped at the Colorado state line for a photo opportunity.
Saturday morning started with Moonshine weather. It poured rain. We all holed up in the barn until the worst of the storm past and the put on the rain gear and headed to the Comfort Inn to meet up and head to get a Moonburger.
We ride out to Moonshine where I get my breakfast burger. Yep ate my Moonburger at 8:00 in the morning. You have to get in line early for a Moonburger. This is the first time that I got a true feel for how many people showed up for the main event. There was bikes parked as far as the eye could see and even as I was leaving tons more rolling in. You really have to attend to understand how huge this event is. And let me tell you the burger was well worth the trip.
(Waiting in line for my Moonburger, photo by Follow)
(Team Colorado at the Moonshine Store)
(New sticker on the bike)
After lunch I went back to the farm and packed up camp and took off back west back to Mid-Mo. Sunday I rode around my old stomping grounds and visited Kemper Military School. When I left there in 1997 I did so with the plan to never look back. I did not know at the time how much that school was a part of me and who I am today. The school closed down a few years ago and is in very sad shape. It really saddens me to see how much the school has been allowed to sit and rot.
While in Missouri I enjoyed being able to visit old friends and I went to lunch with Ma and Pa Bosma.
Monday I saddled up for the 700 mile trip back home. In the middle of Kansas I ran into Smash again and rode to Colorado with him.
We stopped at the Colorado state line for a photo opportunity.
(Welcome home, photo by Smash)
While taking our photos another ST pulled up. We were greeted by Larry (RealST) and his riding partner Lexie. We all rode into Denver together for the end of an great trip.
(Smash on the left me on the right photo by RealST)
(Me, photo by RealST)
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