Return To Mansfield 2008 – Day 1 – Amphibious Mountain Assault
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body…but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, champagne & strawberries in hand, loudly proclaiming “Wow–What a ride!”
On Friday May 16th, 2008 forty die hard Harley Davidson Enthusiasts from the First State HOG chapter in Delaware embarked on an adventure that will be remembered for a lifetime. We experienced rain, sleet, fog and cold temperatures. Like Marines training for amphibious assault missions we endured everything Mother Nature threw at us and kept to our mission. The wetter we got the more we laughed. The colder we got the more we huddled together in defiance. We were determined to enjoy our two wheeled vacation!
I was surprised that everyone showed up Friday morning at the Prices Corner Boston Market. It was drizzling and everyone one was wearing their raingear. All twenty six First State HOG riders and their passengers left at 0900 hrs as scheduled. Darrel Willis decided that he was going to pass on the trip, but he was present to see us off.
Forty minutes later we pulled into the Wawa in Gap, PA soaking wet for our first pit stop. I announced that this would be a good time for anyone who wanted to abandon the mission. No one was backing out. It was clear that we were all dedicated, or just insane. So far we had been assaulted by killer rain drops that were accumulating in tree branches and waiting for us to ride by. They nailed us in the face, often times right between the eyes. Those trees have taken sniper training, I know it! We regrouped and initiated our invasion into the Amish farmlands of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
