2011 CMA Colors Rally

Our annual vacation to Mena/Hatfield to the CMA Colors Rally was just the respite we needed this year after a teribly hot summer in Arkansas. The weather was wonderful on Sunday for our trip there and our Monday ride across Wilhemena Mountain into Oklahoma. We rode with Todd over to Rune Stone State Park and had a picnic lunch before returning to Iron Mountain. The trees were just beginning to turn and it was a wonderful ride on a beautiful sunny day. Just what the doctor ordered!

Then on Tuesday we had much needed rain which allowed us to have a camp fire later that week. There had been a fire ban due to the excessive hot and dry summer. On Wed. our trike began to have a problem and we ended up on foot most of the rest of the week as it will need some repairs before next spring. We had a wonderful visit from our CMA buddy from McKinney, TX, who stopped by to see us. She let us borrow her truck to go to the annual lunch in Oden.

The church services were wonderful as usual and the gospel singing Friday night was really special. But the sad part of the rally was the loss of CMA's dear founder Herb Shreve. He had not been well after open heart surgery earlier this year but had been able to attend his birthday party earlier Sat. afternoon. I had a chance to speak to him briefly Sat. evening in the pavilion just prior to his going home before the evening service. He appeared very tired when we spoke. We found out later that evening that he went home to be with the Lord. Praise God for his obedience and his service to the Lord all these years. We will never forget him and his special ministry to bikers that begun in 1975 with him and his son and is now a ministry around the world in 26 countries with thousands of bikers "riding for the son."