I got up the next morning and loaded the bike about 7am and headed out! I got to St Lewis just past rush hour so it was smooth sailing thru there! and on to Ill. The trip thru there was a nice cool ride! a couple of gas stops and I was into Indiana the ride was very pleasant. by the time I got to the forest and the winding roads it was getting pretty warm!  the ride thru the forest is such a pretty ride as long as the weather is good! there is lots of twisty winding thru it! just lots of pretty scenery to include some old barns and open fields valleys!   finally about 3 in the afternoon I got to the boogie! The party was well underway when I got there!  I made my way down to where I always camp, thinking I would sneak in behind a vender friend of mine but she was not there so I just found a spot up under the trees there in the area I always camp! I pick my camp site based on two things one there are porta pots not far away second 
I try to be close to one of the Christian groups! here I camp close to the Unchained Gang!  I enjoy their company in the morning when I have coffee! and water thru out the day! anyway I also try to stay in the same place so people can find me! I got camp setup and needed some of that water by the time I got done  was covered in sweat! after getting a drink and visiting there, I made my way to the top of the hill to what is dubbed party central I took time out to visit with several friends there Curly, and Ron I was looking for a new wheel since the guy at the harley shop told me I needed to replace mine( rust inside keeping loose spokes from being adjusted) but mostly I just wanted to say hi! from there I made my way around taking pic and visiting with more people I know! the number of folks I know is getting bigger each year. but even though it doesn't seem like it,  I have been to this event for 10 yrs now.

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 I just went out and looked at the band on my old iron head that I rode the first year and it was a 1999!  I remember the ride like it was yesterday but then any time you ride 500 miles in the rain you remember it! by the way it was worth it!  I have meet some really great people over the years! part of the joy of doing what I do is to get to recognize some of these people with photos! like many places I go this is a family! and not every one gets to attend the reunion every time! but it is always good to see them when they do make it! anyway on to the party there is always good music and fun times all through the camp grounds the rest of Thursday night I ran around shooting the bands on stage and around the big top. till about 2am then headed off to bed! I wanted to be up and around for the arm wresting! this year it was in a different location which worked out good!  

 there were a couple folks that didn't make it in time for the contest but it was good to see them anyway them missing  it gave the whole contest a different spin that is for sure! after the arm wrestling I went on a walk about if you will to try to hit the whole camp ground at least once! I can tell you it is a long walk to walk all the roads in the camp ground! it took me almost 4 hours to make the trip of course I did stop to take pic along the way and I also did a bit of visiting too. I stopped at a few camps where I have friends and they feed me water and gator aid so I would cool off. it was hot. I'm pretty sure if it were not for my friends I would fall over with a heat stroke! well I made it back to the big top about 6 in the evening in time to catch more of the bands! and some of the action under the big top.
                                                                                                                      
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