4th of July Fun
I had a couple of extra days off for the 4th and planned to ride somewhere.. though didn't finalize the destination until Monday night, a mere 48 hours before GO time. Three of us would take off from MN, another would meet up there. We were headed to Lake Okoboji... In Iowa. Yes, Iowa. Everyone gives me a look of 'you are crazy' when I say there is a super fun lake in IA.. considering there are 10,000 lakes in MN! But it is a great place and a lot of fun, so that was the plan. One of the girls found a kick ass little cabin right across the street from the lake and within walking distance to downtown shenanigans. We all met up in Lakeville the morning of the 4th - bikes all decked out in MERICA for the road.
We got a later than planned start because someone (ME) went out the night before and didn't wake up to my alarm...
We were cruising right along, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, with newly uploaded tunes blasting away.. We made it to I-90... a boring LONG straight freeway that seemingly never ends... and just before Fairmont, the temps literally dropped 15 degrees. We went from sweating and using our cooling gear to goosebumps in a matter of miles. It was crazy. The clouds were getting thicker and darker as we cruised along. We stopped for gas in Fairmont and the thunder was booming everywhere around us. Lightning was off in the distance. We checked the radar and tried to dodge the worst of the storms. We made it one whole mile before I decided to pull onto the exit ramp.. because just ahead was a GINORMOUS wall cloud and some nasty greenish-purple-black clouds. Hail and painful looking clouds!
We checked radar again, decided to turn around, go back one mile and head south to try to miss the majority of it. We started heading south and once again, nasty clouds ahead. We ended up riding into the storm.. to our left was clear sky, to the right was nasty black sky, and straight ahead was rain, rain, rain. Traffic slowed to 45-50mph just as the hard rain hit us... I just wanted to get out of the weather and there we were, stuck behind super slow traffic. We managed to pass a couple of times, but with visibility and riding unfamiliar roads... I was leery to blast past several vehicles with minimal distance sight. Once we hit Armstrong, the rain was getting painful, vision was 3' ahead and roads were flooding causing us to mini hydroplane. circled a few city blocks when up ahead I saw an overhang, just waiting to save us from the pelting hurtful rain. As I turned to the right on what I thought was a little roadway.. I realized (already too late.. I was on it) it was a sidewalk and the awning we were headed to was the high school. Oops. So the three of us drove the sidewalk and parked under the school awning. We shut the bikes off and there were a couple of older folks sitting on benches around the corner waiting out the rain. I am pretty sure we were all equally shocked - them from us riding a sidewalk to the school doors and us being we didn't see the benches until we got off the bikes.
We hung out and waited the storm out. It took quite awhile... especially since we were a mere 50 miles from our destination. Once the rain let up some, we were back on the road for the final stretch.
The rest of the trip included a lot of nightlife, walking to check out the local scene, relaxing on the dock in the sunshine, floating in the clean waters, and boating thanks to one of the girls knowing a super cool guy with a cabin on the lake! We had so much fun boating, we extended our stay another day... relaxing!!!!!!
Me and the bestie are OBSESSED with Independence Day - one of the top 5 fave holidays ever! We love to show our patriotic sides and have stashes of MERICA attire and goodies.. which we brought to share with the ladies! We were killin it in the fashion department all weekend (HA!) Fun sights of the weekend!
BREAKFAST Place - super good food, well worth the hike to get there in the heat Bikes parked beautifully in the sunshine for two whole days!
Fun rafts.... cranes everywhere to raise docks because the water levels were so high.. Huge stash of BOOM for later
This stuff. Great idea... BAD idea.
Beach time, floaty fun, shenanigans, and more sunshine on tap! And of course we were responsible and used LYFT to get to the cabin which was not walkable!
LATE night shenanigans... Shelly managed her way onto this guys bike He sat proudly on the P seat and let her hit the pipes. She was dainty at first.... but then! ---> hahahaha
Okoboji Shenanigan Survivors!!!!
We got a later than planned start because someone (ME) went out the night before and didn't wake up to my alarm... 
We were cruising right along, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, with newly uploaded tunes blasting away.. We made it to I-90... a boring LONG straight freeway that seemingly never ends... and just before Fairmont, the temps literally dropped 15 degrees. We went from sweating and using our cooling gear to goosebumps in a matter of miles. It was crazy. The clouds were getting thicker and darker as we cruised along. We stopped for gas in Fairmont and the thunder was booming everywhere around us. Lightning was off in the distance. We checked the radar and tried to dodge the worst of the storms. We made it one whole mile before I decided to pull onto the exit ramp.. because just ahead was a GINORMOUS wall cloud and some nasty greenish-purple-black clouds. Hail and painful looking clouds! 
We checked radar again, decided to turn around, go back one mile and head south to try to miss the majority of it. We started heading south and once again, nasty clouds ahead. We ended up riding into the storm.. to our left was clear sky, to the right was nasty black sky, and straight ahead was rain, rain, rain. Traffic slowed to 45-50mph just as the hard rain hit us... I just wanted to get out of the weather and there we were, stuck behind super slow traffic. We managed to pass a couple of times, but with visibility and riding unfamiliar roads... I was leery to blast past several vehicles with minimal distance sight. Once we hit Armstrong, the rain was getting painful, vision was 3' ahead and roads were flooding causing us to mini hydroplane. circled a few city blocks when up ahead I saw an overhang, just waiting to save us from the pelting hurtful rain. As I turned to the right on what I thought was a little roadway.. I realized (already too late.. I was on it) it was a sidewalk and the awning we were headed to was the high school. Oops. So the three of us drove the sidewalk and parked under the school awning. We shut the bikes off and there were a couple of older folks sitting on benches around the corner waiting out the rain. I am pretty sure we were all equally shocked - them from us riding a sidewalk to the school doors and us being we didn't see the benches until we got off the bikes.
The rain was coming down so hard, the gutters had water FLYING out of them. The puddle gathering along side of my bike eventually went over the sidewalk. To the other direction, there were 4-5 gutter spouts alongside the school that were GUSHING crazy amounts of water. It was def raining hard!
We hung out and waited the storm out. It took quite awhile... especially since we were a mere 50 miles from our destination. Once the rain let up some, we were back on the road for the final stretch. 
We arrived in Okoboji in the afternoon to find out adorable little cottage. We parked the bikes up the steep driveway and unloaded.
The rest of the trip included a lot of nightlife, walking to check out the local scene, relaxing on the dock in the sunshine, floating in the clean waters, and boating thanks to one of the girls knowing a super cool guy with a cabin on the lake! We had so much fun boating, we extended our stay another day... relaxing!!!!!!
Me and the bestie are OBSESSED with Independence Day - one of the top 5 fave holidays ever! We love to show our patriotic sides and have stashes of MERICA attire and goodies.. which we brought to share with the ladies! We were killin it in the fashion department all weekend (HA!) Fun sights of the weekend!
BREAKFAST Place - super good food, well worth the hike to get there in the heat Bikes parked beautifully in the sunshine for two whole days! 
Fun rafts.... cranes everywhere to raise docks because the water levels were so high.. Huge stash of BOOM for later
Beautiful sunsets and firework's in the distance
Hanging out with our new friends!
dfdf
This stuff. Great idea... BAD idea.
FUN in the sun
 |
| Those shorts though... |
LATE night shenanigans... Shelly managed her way onto this guys bike He sat proudly on the P seat and let her hit the pipes. She was dainty at first.... but then! ---> hahahaha
Okoboji Shenanigan Survivors!!!!
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