Another Dice Run on the Bike.

Last night, or two nights ago when you are reading this, was a really rainy one.  The rain came in torrents.  And then it was the lightening show.  Big claps of thunder, and one that seemed to be right over our house.

So imagine my surprise to awaken and find fire trucks and such in front of a neighbors house down in the end of our cul de sac at 4 AM.  It was still raining right along and the lightening was sill lacing the sky.  But ever so slowly the fire vehicles left.

Here in the big city, we only know these folks casually, and just nod at them in passing.  Loyce says that she is pregnant, but there didn't seem to be any ambulances, and we still don't know what was happening.

So once back to sleep, it came really early when I needed to get up and head out for the annual motor cycle ride that was to be held today.  The Saturday before fathers day.

This is advertised as the "Small town dice run in Kansas".  I went last year, and decided to go again this year if possible.  With the rain all night, I thought it would be out of the question, but by 9 AM when I left the house, it was sunny and rain was just a memory.

We gathered in Spring Hill, a small village just South of Olathe, here in the suburbs.  Bikes lined the entire street of the downtown area.  I had to go into the store and register for the ride which benefits a scholarship fund for the local high school.

     The ride leader is explaining his rules of the ride, out in the middle of the downtown street before the ride.  A chaplain said a prayer and we all said Amen and we were off.


The idea of a dice ride, is to go to other small towns and stop at a local restaurant or grill and roll the dice to get your score for that stop.  And after we rolled 5 times. the score was added up to decide a winner.

Our first roll was in the motor cycle clothing shop that sponsors the ride right there in Spring Hill.  I got a 15 using three big Vegas style dice.

Once on the road, we went to the town of Louisburg.  This is an old German village, but we only stopped at the local breakfast diner, called Miss B's.  It is advertised as the best food in town, and riders were ordering biscuits and gravy.  And the "to die for cinnamon rolls."  They are the size of a dinner plate and have frosting all over the top that looks a lot like the gravy on the biscuits.  Thick, but runny dripping off and down the side of the plate.  The roll was about 2 inches thick too.

I stuck to coffee!  Other riders were having scrambled eggs and country sausage.  I would bet we will be going back to this little country pig out!!   Oh, by the way, I rolled another 15 in the back of a pickup truck where they were recording everyones scores.

Anyway we were back on the road heading South on a big four lane highway that is almost an interstate.  It is divided and a 70 mph road.  Well the lead guy was going 70, but then the rest of us had to go way over that to keep up with his steady pace.   I saw about 84 once on my speedo.  I don't usually go that fast!

After about an hour, we reached the town of La Cygne.  (La Seen)  This is a sleepy little town about 50 miles South of our house here in Overland Park.  The ride stops at the Outpost Bar and Grill.  We rolled the dice again heading into the bar at a large table in the back.  And man alive, I rolled another 15.  I seem to be stuck on that number.

I decided along with many of the others to have some lunch here, as the special was Mushroom and Swiss Burger on light rye bread.  It came toasted on the grill with fries at the side.  That disappeared from my plate rather quickly...  Stories were told, and just like that they were rounding us up to move on.

We headed West from there toward the Kansas 7 highway, and turned North on that road.  This was to be the longest stretch of highway.  Passing thru the town of Osawatomie, we didn't stop, as they were having some sort of celebration that we weren't a part of.

On to the North we stopped at Paola, Ks where we had pre arranged use of the Eagles club.  With 35 or more people, they were glad to have us stop by.  We were glad to get out of the sun, as by now it was in the 90s.

After about 45 minutes at the Eagles, we headed on North and over the dam that makes Hillsdale Lake. This is an Army Corps of Engineers lake and has the COE campground.  But we usually camp at the State Park when we are in the RV.

Finally we came back to Spring Hill, and went to another Bar and Grill.  Oh, I rolled an eleven back at the Eagles club, and then a ten at BB's Bar when we were done riding.

To make this a little shorter, I will just explain that I won first place on the dice toss!!  A $40 gift certificate for anything in the motorcycle apparel shop.  Of course nothing the the shop only costs $40 so perhaps that is a mixed blessing kind of a win, but I'll figure out how to spend it without any trouble.

Talk about being surprised, I had no idea that I was in the lead, but thought I had to be in the money anyway.

They had an auction for more gifts that were donated to the ride from various vendors, with all the proceeds going to the school scholarship.  I think they will raise about $1,000 for that fund.

It was about 5 PM when I finally got back home, so I was glad to find air conditioning and my recliner for the rest of the evening.  We rode 130 miles today, and that is quite a distance for my small scooter.


Happy Father's Day!!

Retired Rod