On A Gold Wing and a Prayer: Day18: Sunday July 6, 2014

We woke to mixed emotions today. The day was not normal as we had breakfast separately as we had a lot to pack and get ready to go. We really enjoyed our time at the Wing Ding and found Madison to be a great city and the weather was wonderful. But all good things end so we packed up our bikes and headed toward Green Bay. It was a good feeling to be back on the bikes and riding together. After a few miles I realized Dave and I didn't pray together before leaving the hotel. Generally we pray for safe travels during our breakfast but since we didn't eat together we didn't have that time. So we pulled over in a shopping center got off our bikes and prayed for safety. We took highway 41 past Oshkosh into Green Bay and Lombardi Avenue to Lambeau Field. Dave and I took the tour of the stadium which included the atrium, sky box, Packers game day tunnel and an opportunity to be on the field end zone area where the Lambeau Leap is made by the players after Packer touchdowns. We were not permitted to walk on the field grass. After the tour we visited the Packer gift shop (currently 6000 square feet and moving to a new 22,000 sq. ft. gift shop in a few months. They have everything you can imagine with a Green Bay Packer logo on it i.e. crock pots, toasters, tables, candy, etc. after the gift shop we had lunch at Curly's Pub (Curly Lambeau). Then got back on our bikes toward Eau Claire.

The iconic stadium marquee

One of the entrances

Packer practice field across the parking lot from the stadium.

Main entrance to the atrium

The coaches and staff have their offices in the atrium area of Lambeau

4th floor sky box atrium area

Outside sky box atrium

Inside a 20 seat sky box. Only $84,000 for the year

Diamond vision north end zone

North end zone

West side and Packers tunnel out of south end zone

East side

The recently enclosed south end zone

Gift shop second floor

Packer candy!

Because of the threat of thunderstorms Dave and I left without cruising over to view the actual bay that is fed by Lake Michigan. We got on highway 29 east toward Eau Claire. After about an hour of riding the skies were getting dark and we were beginning to get sprinkled on. We pulled over and put on our rain gear. Good thing we did because we got hammered with a downpour. We pulled off the highway and found refuge under the awning at a gas station. We waited it out for about 20 minutes then got back on the highway and had dry weather on the horizon. We rode for several miles then pulled over to take off our rain gear as it was warming up and the sun was out. I took a few pictures of the farms where we pulled over. We got back on the road and after about an hour the skies turned again and we pulled over and put our rain gear back on. Once again within minutes we were slammed with such heavy rain I could not see the road so I had to stand on my floor boards to look over my windshield and pull up the shield on my helmet to see where we were going. Once again we were able to safely pull off the road and seek shelter under an awning of a hotel. There was so much water on the roads and surface streets it looked like small rivers. One of the things Dave and I both noticed was how wonderful the Gold Wing handled the heavy rains. We never felt hydroplaning and the motorcycle was secure in these severe conditions. The thunderheads that were forming behind us (from the second storm) as we rode away were spectacular! I had never seen such wonderful majestic cloud formations. I wanted to stop and take a picture but the conditions were not safe to do so. We eventually made it to Eau Claire under sunning skies and 85 degree temperatures. We travelled 347 miles today total for the trip 4283.

By the way, thank you to those of you that have remembered us in your prayers!