Riding With Todd - Doing the body count on the bike
As we pulled out of the cemetery onto northbound HWY 169, I saw the motorcycle coming up behind me. There was something familiar about the bike. Maybe it was red in color. Maybe the headlight was one I had seen before. The bike followed us through town. As I crossed the towns boarders, I looked in my rear view mirror one more time and the bike was gone.
Miles Traveled: 426
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This weeks ride was more of a mission to show love, honor and respect to family members. My little brother died in 1969 and was buried in a small country church cemetery in Lotts Creek, IA. This is the same cemetery location as my maternal grandparents. So today, LoriAnn and I road down to Lotts Creek to, as my father would say, do the body count. I am happy to say that everyone was where they were supposed to be. But more about that later.
We debated which day to make this ride. Because this was a mission, we knew that we were going this weekend. It was just a matter of choosing the better of the two days. I reached out to other family members to see if they wanted to meet in Iowa, pay homage, and have lunch. I didn't get any takers, so the choice of day was ours. Per the weatherman, Saturday was supposed to be the better of the two days. As it turned out, the weatherman was WRONG! On Saturday the temperature was right around 60; the sun was behind clouds, and the wind was cold coming out of the North. Sunday was 65-70 and sunny.
We left home and freeway blasted down to Faribault, MN. From there we took 2 lane roads down to Algona Iowa. There in Algona we did a quick pass through town, wondering what it was like when Dad and Mom went to high school there. After out tour we stopped and had lunch before traveling out of town for a visit to the family homestead in Lotts Creek, IA. Giving a shout out to the Algona Pizza Ranch for lunch!
Lotts Creek Township takes its name from the Lotts Creek, which in turn was named for Henry Lott, the figure made notorious for murdering Sidominadotah and Sidominadotah's family in the Spirit Lake Massacre. There isn't much left of the little town. As long as I can remember, my Grand Parents lived in Lotts Creek and ran the general store there. I have many fond memories of playing with cousins on the property.
In 1969, when my little brother was killed in an accident, the family buried him in the Immanuel Lutheran Church cemetery. The church was organized in 1875, and the first church building was completed in 1882 and destroyed by a tornado shortly after. A second church was erected in 1884 and survived a lightning strike which destroyed the steeple. In 1898, the church was again destroyed by a tornado. The congregation rebuilt once again and the next church survived until it was destroyed by a fire on October 10, 1990. It was then rebuilt again.
After paying our respects in Lotts Creek, we headed North-East to the town of Bancroft IA. There in Bancroft we stopped at the site where my oldest brother Doug had his fatal accident. Doug was riding home on his red BMW motorcycle after visiting the church in Lotts Creek. As he went around the corner into the town of Bancroft he had a collision with a truck. Near the site of the accident, there is a small memorial to him. Find the HWY 169 sign at the corner of the cemetery.
As we pulled out of the cemetery onto northbound HWY 169, I saw the motorcycle coming up behind me. There was something familiar about the bike. Maybe it was red in color. Maybe the headlight was one I had seen before. The bike followed us through town. As I crossed the towns boarders, I looked in my rear view mirror one more time and the bike was gone. Maybe this was Doug escorting us through town. If so, it wasn't there first time he has escorted me down the road.
Other than being cold and windy, the rest of the ride was uneventful. We stopped for gas in Blue Earth and then stopped again North of St Peter to warm up. Then we ran for home!
South 35E, 35; West 60, 7; South 13, 4, 11; West 30; South 22; West A16, South A34, R35; West 18; North P20; East B19; North 169; East 212; North 100; East 694; North 35WWe debated which day to make this ride. Because this was a mission, we knew that we were going this weekend. It was just a matter of choosing the better of the two days. I reached out to other family members to see if they wanted to meet in Iowa, pay homage, and have lunch. I didn't get any takers, so the choice of day was ours. Per the weatherman, Saturday was supposed to be the better of the two days. As it turned out, the weatherman was WRONG! On Saturday the temperature was right around 60; the sun was behind clouds, and the wind was cold coming out of the North. Sunday was 65-70 and sunny.
We left home and freeway blasted down to Faribault, MN. From there we took 2 lane roads down to Algona Iowa. There in Algona we did a quick pass through town, wondering what it was like when Dad and Mom went to high school there. After out tour we stopped and had lunch before traveling out of town for a visit to the family homestead in Lotts Creek, IA. Giving a shout out to the Algona Pizza Ranch for lunch!
Lotts Creek Township takes its name from the Lotts Creek, which in turn was named for Henry Lott, the figure made notorious for murdering Sidominadotah and Sidominadotah's family in the Spirit Lake Massacre. There isn't much left of the little town. As long as I can remember, my Grand Parents lived in Lotts Creek and ran the general store there. I have many fond memories of playing with cousins on the property.
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| Headstone for Brian Holmes |
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| Headstone for my Grandparents. |
As we pulled out of the cemetery onto northbound HWY 169, I saw the motorcycle coming up behind me. There was something familiar about the bike. Maybe it was red in color. Maybe the headlight was one I had seen before. The bike followed us through town. As I crossed the towns boarders, I looked in my rear view mirror one more time and the bike was gone. Maybe this was Doug escorting us through town. If so, it wasn't there first time he has escorted me down the road.
Other than being cold and windy, the rest of the ride was uneventful. We stopped for gas in Blue Earth and then stopped again North of St Peter to warm up. Then we ran for home!
Miles Traveled: 426
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