Pioneer Chapter Riders Club Meeting
16th Annual PCRC Rally 2015

We had a good turnout for the Rally this year. The Americas Best Value Inn in Albert Lea was the base for the Rally this year. We met Wednesday July 8th at Northstar Powersports & Marine in Albert Lea. Brian Berhow was our host there. This was our 16th year starting our Rally in Albert Lea. Several members arrived for the afternoon party at Northstar Powersports. Following that Brian had prearranged dinner for us at the Green Mill. This year Jennie and Dave Hanlon joined us for the Rally. It was great seeing them again after a number of years. We all went to the Motel’s patio and enjoyed conversation, libation and cigars until 2 AM. Not everybody had cigars.

Thursday we left at 8 AM for Savanna IL. It was a 295 mile ride. Some of the group rode over to the Mississippi River and rode down that in Wisconsin and Iowa and enjoyed a ferry ride across the river. The other group made a scenic ride thru the hill country of Iowa. We all arrived at Savanna without incident at about 6 PM. When we checked in each person got a beer or soft drink compliments of the L&M Motel. That evening we enjoyed going to Poopey’s Bar and the Iron Horse Bar. The motel has a shuttle to take you to the bars and will pick you up when called. We spent until 1:30 AM talking and sharing stories at the L&M Motel.

Friday we were planning on leaving Savanna at 8 AM to go to the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa IA. But as luck would have it when I was riding back to the motel after gassing up my battery light came on and I had lost my stator. Luckily I had one along and thanks to Rick Fries with assistance from Paul Michels it got replaced and we finally left at 10 AM. Also thanks to Ken Bretz for going and getting Blue Gasket sealer. After the MC Museum we stopped as a group at Strawberry Point IA for lunch. From there some of the group headed to the freeway for a fast run back to Albert Lea and some of took the leisurely route back. About 6 PM we had another stator scare on Cindy’s bike but determined it to be a loose battery connection. That was good as no one else had a stator along. We rode 290 miles in route to Albert Lea. Also because Jennie and Dave were leaving Saturday morning we decided to have our PCRC sponsored dinner and meeting at the Americas Best Value Inn. Paul Michels had the major agenda item which was next years Rally. He posed a question to the group about having the Rally in September 2016 at Jamie and Marty Jones’ in Virginia. There was some discussion but there was a general consensus of interest. Paul will do follow up.

Saturday we had a group ride. Dave a friend of Brian Berhow led us on a 155 mile ride mostly NW of Albert Lea. We thought it was going to rain but we lucked out and it was a cool day until the end when it got warm. Brian led us to Julio’s Bar in Hayward MN for dinner that evening. After that we rode back to Americas Best Value Inn and had drinks and cigars on the patio. There was discussion that we should still have a local PCRC Rally even if we have a PCRC Rally in Virginia.

We all had a great time. It was fun talking with Jennie and Dave and all the other participants. Watching Rick change out the stator we all learned what needs to be done should we be unfortunate enough to have it happen in the future. Friendships were renewed and some new friendships made. So we’re all looking forward to next year's get togethers.

Chuck Barsness