Tuesday, May 30, 2017

An Interesting Memorial Day Ride

An interesting Memorial Day ride.
With my daughter Linda Darelius, I headed for the Wheat Montana Deli in Three Forks for a Meet Up with a trio of riders from Atlanta and San Diego who were attempting an Iron Butt Association ride through 49 states in 10 days.
Montana was state #46 on their quest.
The ride was great, weather perfect and light traffic.
Arriving at the famous Deli we sat down with a cup of coffee to await the arrival of the intrepid Long Distance Riders.
My Cell phone rang and it was a call from the lead rider, Shareef AsSadiq informing us that they had gone to Plan B and instead of entering Montana from Wyoming at Billings, they were coming up through Monida Pass on I-15 and would be in Butte within a couple of hours.
It was a beautiful ride to Butte over Homstake Pass on !-90, with light traffic and a near cloudless sky.
Bill Ryder had the rig tuned up for our Alaska ride and it was a smooth run.
Arriving at the Rocker Truck stop west of Butte we once again settled in to await the arrival of the Ground Pounders.
Two of the three, "Reef", and Jim Saul showed up within the hour, the third rider Ksolo Harris missed a turn and said he would meet them in Spokane.
After a short gas stop, quick visit and pictures the riders resumed their quest and headed for state #47, Washington and then after a quick run up to Hyder, Alaska they were going to do the Iron Butt Border to Border run to Mexico.
As if the 49x10 and Border to Border rides weren't enough the riders had included the 4 Corner ride and had left Key West, Florida 8 days earlier, picked up the Northeast corner in Maine and would do the Northwest corner in Washington before heading for San Diego for corner #4.
These are tough riders who approach their rides with great passion and exult in the endurance rides they take part in.
All in all, a great Memorial Day ride and Meet Up with old Long Rider friends.
Watch for me, I'll be in the Right Lane America.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Busy Winter - Fun Filled and Exciting Summer Underway

Hi Everybody,
We have survived the snow filled Montana winter and are ready to ride.
My apologies for not keeping new BLOG posts coming.
It has been a busy winter as I worked on the new music CD called Celebrate Montana.
It's been a fun project for the last several Months.
For the past week I have been setting up schedules for programs and rides.
I'll be taking my banjo and guitar to many venues in the coming months and should have some exciting rides across Montana and America.
Free programs at Nursing homes and Assisted Living Centers make up the bulk of the programs and I'll be having some interesting rides to them.
In addition to the rides to nursing homes I'll be performing at the famous Lewis and Clark Caverns in July. This is Montana's first State Park and the caverns going deep into the earth with thousands of stalactites and stalagmites makes an interesting walk. I'll be headlining the 2PM hour at their annual Fun Days event.
My sidecar traveling partner, my daughter Linda will be joining me for a ride to Anchorage, Alaska to visit her daughter Meagan and the family. What an adventure that ride will be.
In July the rig will carry me through the Northwest and south to San Jose, California for the wedding of Grandson Vaughn and the lovely Pooja.

COMING EVENTS & PROGRAMSPLACES I'LL RIDE TO NEXT 
Chester, MT Retirement Center  2PMChester, MT 420 mile Round Trip5/23/17
Chester, MT Senior Center - 12 NoonChester, MT5/23/17
Grandview Senior Community 2PMGreat Falls, MT  200 mile Round Trip6/7/17
Anchorage, Alaska5,000 mile Round Trip6/12/17 to 6/26/17
Sweetwater Retirement - 3PMBillings, MT  500 mile Round Trip6/28/17
Grandson WeddingSan Jose, CA  3,000 Miles Round Trip7/15/17
Lewis & Clark Caverns - 2PMMontana's First State Park  150 mile Round Trip7/23/17

 The new CD is being well received and has been getting good comments from visitors to the Helena Farmers Market where it is being offered locally.
Proceeds from the sale of my three books and now the Celebrate Montana CD go toward travel expenses to the Nursing Homes and Retirement Centers so I can continue to offer the programs free as I travel through Montana and America.

Hard to believe it's been three years since Lois passed away, but last year I received a great surprise when I found a folder on her computer labeled "Songs Unfinished."
There were several songs she had been working on, including the one I get the most requests for, "Pictures."
      In the first verse she wrote:
I have pictures on my wall of my precious family
Pictures in an album that mean so much to me
But the pictures that I treasure, no one else can see
They are pictures I have saved, in my memory
   The pictures that I cherish, are the memories I see
   They have voices filled with laughter and they're singing just for me
   Those faces and those voices will always sing for me
   In pictures that I treasure, in my memory

What great lyrics.
As one listener said, "Lois was a great song writer.
Indeed.
 Three more songs from her folder are also included on the CD.
For anyone interested in hearing her songs and the other original songs on the CD  I have included information from the Right Lane America web page.
Looking forward to seeing many of you as I ride the roads of America during the coming months.
Be Fantastic
Watch for me, I'll be in the Right Lane America.
Del


Celebrate Montana CD
Featuring The Hit Song "Pictures" 

Guitar - Banjo - Vocal
Songs include:


 Montana Sunset
Celebrate Montana
Pictures
Do You Ever Miss Montana
Back Home On The Range For Me
Grandpa's Greatest Ride
Nightrider
Montana Rusty Rail Car Blues

You Played All My Memories Tonight 

To orderSend Check for $10 + $4.20 S&H ($14.20)
(Be sure to include your shipping address)
To: Del Lonnquist CD offer
Box 6444 - Helena, MT 59604

For Information 

DelLonnquist@Gmail.com

 




 I don't know how I got this table got in here, and I sure can't figure out how to remove it.
It's this high tech world we attempt to live in. Sorry.