Harley Davidson Museum

Today we headed out to the Harley Davidson Museum which we had tickets for 9:00 am.  We were certainly glad that we had reserved tickets for the morning because once we got out the place was packed.  The museum was amazing, the history that has been preserved from the beginning of Harley Davidson is spectacular.  Bikes identified by year outlining all the changes each year as they were implemented.  You can see how the different challenges that America was experiencing also formed part of the changes and challenges that occurred for Harley Davidson.

After departing the museum there were several vendors outside that had paintings, museum t-shirts and again the 2014 line up of bikes.  As I was wandering through the vendors I came across Allan Frankhauser who is one of the HOG employees that organized the Route 66 and Rock Rhythm and Blues trip with HOG that I have attended in the past.  Always amazes me that you can be in the middle of thousands of people and you can meet up with people that you know!!  Allan indicated that there were several people from the Route 66 trip there and a few more that were coming in later today for the weekend.  

Bike signed by H-D employes on the 100th Anniversary

After leaving the Museum we headed to one of the dealers which had a number of vendors outside and music playing as well.  It is quite a party that happens here!  Once we had parked our bikes and walked quite a piece to get to the dealer we decided it was too hot and too crowded to actually enjoy anything so we did a quick tour through the vendors and headed back to the bikes.  On the way there was a guy that was driving a side by side that worked there.  I asked if he was going my way and would he mind if I hopped on!!  YES - I am so lucky as I got delivered right to my bike and smiled as we passed the guys walking back to the bikes.  As my dad always says - it never hurts to ask!

The weather was extremely hot today and the news reported that it had gotten as hot as 105 degrees which was truly tasking by mid-afternoon.  We headed back to the hotel where I immediately went to the room and had a shower to cool off and had a nap.  While I was napping a thunderstorm came through and cooled everything down.  

Went for supper at the Cheesecake Factory which thankfully had a skinnylicious menu for under 500 calories.  Unfortunately they did not have the same for the dessert so I did not have dessert even though the cheesecakes looked amazing.  Tonight I took a walk down to the Walgreens around the corner and upon my return ended up speaking with some guys that were outside the hotel.  Very nice guys from Idaho and of course we talked bikes, tours and more bikes!  Always fun comparing stories.    Tomorrow we head to the parade and then to pick up Cherif's wife who will arrive around noon.  Then we will see from there.