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Seven motorcycles met at the “C” Store at Centre & 131 for the Director’s Ride to the Ohio State H.O.G. Rally in Medina, OH. Nine seasoned riders made the trek to the 5 & 20 for breakfast and a discussion of the weekend’s events. Most of us had ridden together before however we did have one new participant. John Urban was joining us to return to his boyhood home in Ohio. As we approached Medina we watched several hundred Harleys being escorted the opposite direction to the opening ceremonies at the Akron/Medina regional airport. While we were a couple of hours behind schedule and were about to miss the opening ceremonies, only minutes after we arrived at the Holiday Inn (which was the host hotel) the skies opened up and rain and wind were the focus for the next few hours. After picking up our rally package it took a while to sort through all of the information and discount coupons. It was obvious we would not be able to take advantage of all they head prepared. Needless to say our riding had concluded for the day and we didn’t make it to the opening ceremonies or Century H-D for the evening’s festivities. If the riders returning wet on the outside were not indication enough for us that we had made a wise choice, pouring water out of their boots was a validation of our decision to stay at the hotel for the evening. On Friday morning we enjoyed a ride to Hale’s H-D for a free breakfast. Afterwards we toured the Ohio State Reformatory where the Shawshank Redemption was filmed. While now a national historical site the facility reflects a challenging time for enthusiast to preserve. A return to Hale’s H-D for some serious shopping allowed the ladies of our group to fill saddle bags and tour packs. We rode further west to Thiel’s Wheels in Upper Sandusky for another H-D experience. A band was standing by to entertain as the riders enjoyed a brake from the black ribbons. A country ride was in order after the highway miles and we appreciated a lunch stop at a restaurant that was not packed with hungry bikers. On Sunday the threat of rain had all of us starting out in our plastic and rubber suits. A quick breakfast before heading down the road allowed us to focus on the ride home. A lunch break in Napoleon, OH appeared to have been timely as when we got back on the road the pavement was wet. As we approached the Michigan border dark clouds and rain cells were all about us. Some alterations to our planned route kept us out of the majority of the heavy rains and we managed to only get some road spray and light sprinkles for our final leg home. State rallies are a great way to see parts of our country that we may not routinely get to enjoy. And as always, the company you keep really provides the opportunity to “Ride and Have Fun!”
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