Aerobatic Demonstration

I received an email from Andy Darlington (Marion Airport manager) that there would be an Aerobatic Demonstration at Marion Airport, and the airport would be closed from 9:30AM until 10:30AM Saturday, 15, 2012. I emailed some of the riders and told them what was going on, and that they might like to go to the airport and see the demonstration. Merle Combs and Larry Miller were at the airport when I got there. We had to wait awhile, and then the demonstration started. A WW2 Stearman trainer airplane put on an aerobatic demonstration and then the airplane, and a fellow on a motorcycle raced each other down the 6008-foot  runway. The motorcycle was traveling approximately 180mph, at the end, and easily passed the airplane, which was flying at approximately 140mph. Then the motorcycle raced down the runway, and the pilot dipped his wing so the motorcycle rider could touch the wingtip of the airplane. It was pretty exciting and a nice show.

(Click pictures to enlarge)

Boeing Stearman PT-17

(Click to see movie)

(Click to see movie)

After the demonstration, we rode to Fairmount to pick up Jon Nave, as we were still early to meet at Gabriel's for Saturday's ride. The four of us rode back to Marion and were joined by Art Adrianson and David Payne. Merle led us up north to the junction of IN 15 and IN 14, the home of The Red Rose Pancake House where we ate lunch. After lunch, we rode east to IN 13 and rode north to Syracuse and Lake Wawasee. We had ice cream at McDonald's and then, rode around the lake. After the lake circuit, we headed home.

I rode 176 miles. The weather started out a little chilly (low 60s), but warmed up to 76F.

(Top of ride)

(Bottom of ride)

Riding today were Merle Combs, Larry Miller, John Nave, Larry Davis, Dave Payne, and Art Adrianson.

Trail of Death

Ominous title--"Trail of Death".

We rode to Ugalde's Restaurant, across from Grissom ARB on US 31, for lunch. Merle led us along the Wabash River (water is really high) from Peru to Logansport. West of Logansport we rode to Towpath Road, also called "The Trail of Death." The Potawatomi Indians were led along this road on their way to be relocated in Kansas. See this webpage: Trail of Death also: http://www.potawatomi-tda.org/

We crossed over the Wabash north of Delphi and quickly ran into 3-4 miles of newly graveled roads. Finally, we came to IN 25, and rode on into Delphi.

The Wabash and Erie Canal came through Delphi in the 1800s, thus Towpath Road as the towpath was where the mules/oxen/horses walked to pull the canal boats. There is a small section of the canal still in Delphi.

Also, Delphi is the hometown of William "Dick the Bruiser" Afflis - Professional wrestler, for you "old timers!" 

We had coffee and/or ice cream sundaes at McDonald's and continued on IN 18 back home.

Very nice ride, warm temperatures in the low 80s. Six of us rode today-Merle Combs, Larry Burk, Larry Miller, John Nave, Art Adrianson, and myself, Larry Davis.

I rode 145 miles:

(Click map to make larger)