Bursch Travel Blog

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas

submitted by Gretchen Winters Sales and Marketing Manager Bursch Travel

I was lucky enough to be invited on the inagural sailing of the Oasis of the Seas. Here is some highlights of this amazing ship along with some additional comments. Watch here for more info on this amazing ship.

Adult-dedicated Solarium
I will begin in the forward lobby on deck 16 where the two story adults only Solarium is located. This Solarium is so amazing with lots of space for people to find a quite place to relax on padded comfortable lounge chairs and enjoy the view. There is a freshwater pool and two whirlpools. They also have two cantilevered whirlpools which suspend 136 feet above the ocean. On the second level are more sitting areas and a bar. On the first level is the Solarium Bistro where at lunch they serve a healthy choice and in the evening it turns in to a romantic restaurant with specialty dining and dancing. The atmosphere in this area is so relaxing and serene it is a great place to escape all the action around the pool deck.

The Pool Deck
Deck 15 is where the Beach Pool is located which is a gently sloping “sand” beach that leads into the saltwater pool. It is a great place to put a lounge chair and splash water on you when it gets hot. There are tons of lounge chairs and sunning area both on this deck and the upper deck that overlooks the pool. Just beyond this area is the family pool area with a fun waterpark for the kids to enjoy. There are bars located on both the starboard and port sides of this area. There is also a sports pool where you can swim laps or play water polo with a sound system that will only project in this area and not disturb people in the other pool areas. Just beyond this family pool area is the Wipe Out Café that serves tacos, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and self-serve ice-cream. Just off the outdoor seating area of the Wipe Out Café is an enclosed badminton table area….so the ball doesn’t get away from you when you miss a shot. On the other side of the Wipe Out Café is the Teen Zone. There are 3 dedicated areas for teens. Fuel, The Living Room and just beyond this is the Back Deck where the badminton tables are located. Just beyond this area is the full basketball court and miniature golf. Just beyond that you go up the stairs to deck 16. Located in this area are the two Flowriders. Since the Oasis is twice as wide as all the other ships you barely even notice them where as on the Freedom class ships the one Flowrider really takes ups most of the space in the back of the ship.
This is also the area where you can do the zipline that takes you across the open atrium above the Boardwalk neighborhood. I didn’t do this but talked to several people that did and said it was awesome. To participate you need to sign up at the zipline area and are assigned a time.

Dazzles Nightclub
This was my favorite club on board. It is a two story glamorous lounge with beautiful color changing chandeliers. They have a live band and also disco covering music for all tastes. There is a big dance floor and floor to ceiling window behind the stage that overlooks the Boardwalk neighborhood.

Central Park on deck 8
This was my favorite area of the ship. So beautiful and relaxing with all the trees, shrubs, and beautiful flowers. In fact they even grow fresh herbs here just out side of Giovanni’s Table to use in the dishes they serve there. The Trellis bar is an open air bar located on the middle of the park. Several of the specialty restaurants are located here. Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, and 150 Central Park (which is their most expensive specialty restaurant). All are beautifully decorated with amazing art work and plush furnishings. Also located here is the Park Café which has a fantastic salad bar and great panni sandwiches for lunch. Vintages Wine bar is located her too. All these restaurants have outdoor dining overlooking the park. The only Coach store at sea is located in Central Park along with the neat An Art Gallery At Sea with over 9.300 pieces of art by 21 artists.

It is very easy to find your way around the ship and it doesn’t feel huge because of all the different neighborhoods. They have “smart boards” located everywhere where you can just tap the screen to find your cabin, restaurants, entertainment and it show you a path to get to your desired location. Everything anchors off the Promenade so it makes it easy to find your way around. The ship is built with the atriums for Central Park and the Boardwalk with the staterooms located on the outside of those atriums so there aren’t as many decks with the outdoor promenade around the outside of the ship. So for out door areas you need to go to Central Park and the Boardwalk. The check in went VERY well. They have 90 check-in spots and they check you in by deck so it was very smooth. The new terminal in Ft. Lauderdale was really nice. There is a special waiting area for suite guests in case they get there to early to board. Seeing the ship up close and next to other ships in port took my breath away it was very impressive. I was prepared to be disappointed when I finally boarded with all the hype about this ship but I have to admit I was blown away. Just as an FYI we flew in the night before and stayed at the Sheraton Airport and Pier and the hotel was nice but the location wasn’t very convenient to do things that evening. We took a cab over to Ft. Lauderdale Beach Blvd. where lots of restaurant and bars are located. This area is more convenient to the pier too. I would recommend the Westin Beach Resort for a pre-night stay. All in all this was an amazing experience and all the agents that were on this inaugural were all totally blown away by how amazing this ship is.

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New York City

submitted by: Stacy Beebee Pegasus Travel Omaha NE

I flew on Midwest airlines and it was an easy connection through Milwaukee. Overhead compartments are extremely tiny on the regional jet, everyone had to gate check their carryon (which is better than schlepping your bag inside the plane!). I used Limo Link, for the transfer to the hotel. Driver met us in baggage claim and took us right to the car. Took about 45 minutes. We took a taxi back to the airport on Sunday, and the driver asked whether I wanted a flat rate of $70 (plus $12 toll and tip) or pay the meter rate at the end. After doing some fancy calculating in my mind, I chose to roll the dice with the meter. I ended up paying $52 plus toll and tip. A driver service is definitely worth the extra money…you never know what traffic will be and it’s nerve wracking watching the meter tick away; I felt much safer with the driver service; and since it’s billed to your credit card, there’s no last minute digging for money and calculating the tip. Plus, it makes you feel like “you’re somebody”.
The New York Helmsley is on 42nd Street and 3rd Avenue, just a few blocks away from Grand Central Station and shopping on 5th Avenue. I’ve stayed in the Times Square area before which is great for nonstop action and entertainment, but the Helmsley is also perfect to use as a base to hop on the subway and explore. It’s a busy area during the weekdays but quite at night and even the weekends. I’d recommend the hotel for those who have been to New York City several times before, don’t want/need the hubbub of Times Square area, and are comfortable using the subway and/or taxis, especially at night.
We had dinner at the Blue Water Grill on Union Square, known for its great seafood and friendly, relaxed atmosphere. It is recommended in the Weissmann report, which I carried with me at all times. Appetizer, entrée, dessert, coffee and bottle of wine, and tip cost about $100 each, which I didn’t think was outrageous when compared to the $16 bowl of oatmeal and coffee I paid at a restaurant close to Grand Central Station. We also ate at The Red Flame, on 44th between 6th and 7th Avenue (by the Algonouin hotel). Hearty breakfast menu at reasonable prices.
We bought tickets at the TKTS booth in Times Square on Friday for “In the Heights” (which according to the 4- story billboard which was right in front of us while we waited in line for 1 ½ hrs, won the 2008 Tony award for best musical). We knew the drummer from the orchestra and after the performance, he graciously took us back stage and ON stage to meet the actors and a special guest in the audience, actress Rita Moreno. It was my first time on a Broadway stage, and I’m sure my last but what a great memory.
We took 2 Big Onion walking tours: Central Park and Park Slope (neighborhood in Brooklyn with remarkable brownstone architecture). All tours are two hours and are escorted by graduate students. A listing of future tours is on their website, www.bigonion.com Cost is $15 pp (discounts for seniors, students, and military). It’s a great way to hear the history of a particular area, and the group size is usually 15-20 people so you have good interaction with other tour members and the escort.
Here are some other tips 1. To go up in the crown at the Statue of Liberty requires advanced reservations which are full until mid-January. 2. I don’t care how comfortable your shoes are, your feet, legs and back take a beating. 3. Carry hand sanitizer with you…comes in handy after riding the subway.
People that would enjoy this destination woud be anyone open to new experiences.
Here are some other tips - Carry a detailed map with you at all times. Have a plan of action if you are separated on the subway (like say, one person gets off and the other stays on and looks at you as the doors are closing). Central Park on a nice weekend day is a zoo (there actually is a zoo in Central Park). Watch for joggers, horse-drawn carriages, bikers…stay out of their designated lanes. Avoid the weekends if you can…midweek is less hectic. Or try Prospect Park in Brooklyn (designed by Olmsted and Vaux, the same two that designed Central Park). Central Park is over 800 acres; Prospect Park is about 600 acres.

DisneyWorld Orlando. Florida

submitted by Edie L Austin office
We stayed "on site" at Disney's Animal Kingdom Resort and I can’t say enough about staying on-site. Awesome location, minutes from everything and great transportation system, efficient and clean. We were able to take advantage of Disney’s “Free” Dining Plan. What a GREAT deal! My daughter was able to dine with characters each day and we did NOT have to buy one single additional meal while we were there. HUGE money saver…It’s nice to be able to experience that first hand, it sure helps in understanding how much money that really does save a family when they are traveling.We stayed in a Savannah Room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge….the rooms were great. They had a double sink area separate from the actual stool and tub/shower. They weren’t huge rooms, but adequate for a family of four or less. The views of the animals are AWESOME. Sometimes the giraffes were almost within reaching distance (especially at night). One thing I noticed is that the rooms are very quiet. During the evening when we would step out to see the animals, all we could here were crickets and frogs. You would think you were miles from anything. But, in actuality everything was within a 15 minute shuttle ride. One thing to watch for when using the Disney transportation system be sure to watch your drop off and pick up points – they are not always at the same place. Another good tip is it’s smart to purchase a Hopper Pass over the basic. The parades and fireworks shows aren’t always showing in the same park that you have chosen to visit for the day. So to make sure that a person can take in all of those activities a Park Hopper pass is almost a must

Alaska Cruises Aug 2009

submitted by Karen R. Baxter office
We stayed at the Comfort Suites Anchorage Airport (opened March 2009)the night before we sailed. This was a great location only a couple minutes from the airport. The hotel was very nice, clean and the staff was friendly and very accommodating! They know what customer service is all about.
Our crusie onboard Holland America's Veendam was wonderful the entire group loved it.
I had a group of 23 including myself on the Veendam for a Northbound cruise. We were very fortunate to have high 70's and low 80's with sunshine every day! The service on the ship was exceptional. With the smaller size of the ship we were able to get into smaller areas and turn around for 360 degree views that were absolutely stunning! Some people felt that there were limited activities during the days at sea and became alittle bored. The food was wonderful at dinner. The buffet selections didn't change much from day to day but was still very good. The pizza was good also. Our ports included Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. All 3 had good shopping but a lot of the same types of things. Juneau had the best deals and most variety. The scenery was breathtaking! Also, since we had all day in Anchorage before our red-eye flight, we found a tour that was great. Eight of us took a tour of the city on Segways! What a blast everyone had! If you ever have an extra 4-5 hours in Anchorage, this is a "must do"! The office is located in downtown Anchorage. The owner, Alan Weinstein, gives each person a few lessons and then he takes you on a guided tour. From start to finish is about 3-4 hours and the rate is $65 per person. All age groups can enjoy this one. the oldest we had in our group was 50 and the youngest was 10. They are developing a seat to be used on it so more seniors and/or physically challenged people can enjoy this mode of transportation. This was a beautiful way to see Alaska and was very relaxing. I would definitely do it again but probably try a different cruise line next time. The shore excursions were very good. Our group traveled together on the train in Skagway which was a wonderful trip. Many people enjoyed the Zipline and Rain Forest in Ketchikan and Panning for Gold with a Salmon Bake and Whale Watching in Juneau.

Submitted by John G Monticello office
My family and I cruised on Royal Caribbean's Serendade of the Seas. It was the perfect size ship and the service was excellent. The food was fantastic and I would really recommend eating at one of or both of the specialty restaurants - Portofino's or Chop's both are exceptional. The highlights or our cruise were the shore excursions we took. We did the helicoptor and dog sled tour in Skagway and the zipline in Juneau. We had a blast on both of them and highly recommend them. My wife was scared at first on the zipline tour but after 2 or 3 "runs" she was smiling and really enjoying the experience.

1st Annual "Bursch Biker Bake-off" Day 5 "End of the Line"

submitted by Fred Bursch owner Bursch TravelAgency
One of the great things about my annual road trip is that it gets me out of my office and away from all of the other distractions piled up on my desk. When I returned to Alexandria on June 29 I was inundated with a week’s worth of mail and all sorts of commitments. With those excuses, I know it is important to all of you to catch up on the final day of the road trip. (In fact, I was reminded of this weekend that I hadn’t written this yet)

Friday morning (June 26) I got up and finally had some time to clean the bugs off the motorcycle. Even though I hadn’t done much night riding, the bugs were pretty thick and it took several passes to get them off the windshield and the front of the bike. It was nice to finally be able to see clearly through the windshield. I had spent the night at Prairies Edge Casino Hotel, the Yellow Medicine Sioux complex a few miles south of Granite Falls. As I drove into town I marveled at where the flood waters had been a few years ago (maybe about 10 now.) I remember back to when the south side of Granite Falls was a large lake created by the flood waters and this whole area was closed to traffic. Since then there has been a lot of flood prevention and redevelopment, including the moving of several businesses.

When I arrived at the Granite Falls office that morning I had my first accident of the trip. I pulled into the parking lot and was moving into a parking spot in front of the office. I put out my foot to balance the bike and my foot slipped on some loose sand causing me to be off-balance on the bike. All of a sudden I felt the bike tipping from under me and I had no firm footing to arrest the fall. So there, right in front of the Bursch Travel office, lay 900 pounds of motorcycle, with me sitting somewhat askew. While I can lift it alone (it takes a bit of finesse) a gentleman watching from across the street came over and we righted the bike. The only thing damaged was my pride J Kristi Flaten and Ronda Kimpling were right there to greet me. Together we shared an apple coffee cake and some fruit; a very healthy breakfast to begin my last day on the road.

Because of the hot weather I had encountered, I had purchased a hydrating vest. It is made of gore-tex or some one-way fabric and can absorb up to a gallon of water. We put it in a pail of water for 10 minutes and then took it out and shook off the excess water. I wore it under my leather jacket and as I rode the wind passing through the vents on my jacket evaporates the water and it acts like an air-conditioner. It was so cool that in the 90 minute ride to Hutchinson I actually got cold. Of course when I arrived in Hutchinson I took off my jacket to find that I was wearing not only a hydrating vest but a wet t-shirt and wet jeans. Luckily I had a dry shirt that I could change into so that I looked somewhat presentable to the Hutchinson staff.

When I walked into the office Sheila’s first words of greeting were “You’re too early.” They had been watching for an empty parking space in front of the office and were going to block it off and put up a reserved sign with my name on it. Gayle was at home putting the finishing touches on our lunch so I spent some time catching up on my email until she got back. She had planned a healthy lunch with a chicken salad stuffed tomato, toasted garlic bagle slices, some lemonade to wash it all down and then a fruit pizza for dessert. We all sat around the table and it seemed like someone had shut off the phones. We had a very pleasant lunch catching up with what was new and exciting in Hutchinson.

Kathy Hall and her daughter Faith stopped by to greet us. They had been upstairs at the dentist office and Kathy said they were swearing off sweets because of it. Kathy sends me pictures of Faith from time to time so it was good to be able to see her in person for a change. Faith had just arrived from an orphanage in China about the time we purchased the office in Hutchinson so it has been fun to watch her grow up. Before we know it she’ll be graduating from high school (she is now in kindergarten)

Leaving Hutchinson, Gayle and Sheila had given me directions for a more scenic ride to Litchfield. I had taken a couple of different routes over the years but never this one, so it was a pleasant change. Hutchinson has one of the few roundabouts in the state (most are in the Twin Cities) so hanging a left at the roundabout took me on the “lake road” to Darwin, home of the famous ball of twine.

In Litchfield I was greeted not only by Dianne Mitchell but Jill Ward had ventured down from Cold Spring to cover while Dianne had a doctor appointment. Diane had prepared a couple of signs, complete with pictures of motorcycles, that welcomed me to the “End of the Line.” Though not stiff or tired, I was definitely anxious to be on my way home. Together we had some fruit kabobs and some peanut butter/chocolate bars. You know you can’t go wrong with those two ingredients and I had to have a second just to verify the recipe.

There was one final stop on my trip home. Just south of the city of Belgrade, on Hwy 71 is statue of a big black crow. Don’t ask me the significance of why a crow, but it was on my list of bird statues. I positioned my motorcycle in front of the statue, got my camera balanced on a parking post, set the self-timer and jumped back into the picture. Black leather with a black crow background; it is a good thing I wasn’t taking this picture at night.

I rode the final 40 miles back to Alexandria, I didn’t check the odometer for the exact reading but I rode somewhere around 1,700 miles visiting all of the great people that work for Bursch Travel. Along the way I was treated not only to some great bake goods but to genuine hospitality, the same type that you show to your customers every day. It is no wonder we are successful – we have a great team that works together and enjoys what they are doing. Thanks for the great goodies and great memories.

By the way, no rain on day 5 either. What an incredible stretch of good weather. And additionally, when I got on the scale on Saturday morning I hadn’t gained any weight. (Of course I hadn’t lost any either but that’s another story)

1st Annual "Bursch Biker Bake-off" Omaha to Marshall

submitted by Fred Bursch Nov 26, 2009

First let me begin with a mea culpa. Apparently the sun and the heat are getting to my brain. In yesterday’s edition I incorrectly credited the bunt cake in RST. I knew that BJ had baked it but apparently gave Marlene credit for it. Sorry about that BJ.

And then in Austin I gave Heather credit for the great raspberry dessert. Apparently it was all Mary Jo’s doing. Heather was honest enough to send me a disclaimer. I also forgot to mention that Mary Jo had fresh flowers on every desk. I mention this every year but they are as beautiful as ever and a nice touch. Thanks Mary Jo.

The miles are getting to me.

The shopping center where we have the OMA office is undergoing a complete makeover. Our sign is down as they put a new façade on the building and the parking lot is being dug up and repaved with concrete. Luckily I had my helmet on as I walked through the construction zone.

Audrey lives just a couple of blocks from the office and she brought an egg bake for all to share. She made this the night before because it needs to “rest” and then went off to attend the final game of the College World Series. We were joined Stacey and Robert, as well as Audrey’s daughter Allison, who has just moved back to the US after spending the last 3 years in Germany with the US Air Force (her husband’s duty), and Audrey’s grandsons. There seemed to be plenty of food for all, topped off with a blueberry streusel. It is nice to have a little something sweet in the morning

It was clear and hot as I drove on to Sioux Falls. When I stopped for gas I decided to put on a sleeveless t-shirt to stay a little cooler. Unfortunately I forgot the sun-block and ended up with a pretty good shoulder burn. (Today it is long-sleeves and a jacket to a avoid a repeat)

Denise in Sioux Falls works from her home so I made a “house call.” She made a smoothie with fresh strawberries, yogurt, apple juice, ice and a few other ingredients. After a hot day on the road this was very refreshing and accompanied by Denise’s home-made granola bars. She sent along a couple of spares packed in ice in case I had a break-down along the way and I ended up delivering them to Nancy and Dawn in Marshall. Joining us for the lunch was Denise’s husband, Nick, and poodle “Sammy.”

After leaving Sioux Falls I came across a truck hauling a wind-turbine blade. I have seen them on the highway before but never been up close. This one was in Pipestone and was turning a corner, quite a feat with an 80 foot trailer. The thing that was most unusual was that the tip of the blade was so flexible you could actually see it flex as the truck hit bumps. You would think they would be rigid but it was much more flexible than I had imagined.

I got to Marshall about 430 in the afternoon. Nancy and Dawn had a place setting with a folded napkin just like you would find on a cruise ship. They served me a chocolate brownie topped with ice cream; it was Schwan’s ice cream, of course, since the company is headquartered in Marshall. The also had a fruit drink, much like sangria but without any wine or alcohol. Dawn said that if I was spending the night in Marshall she would add some alcohol to it for a few bonus points. Unfortunately, I had to move on down the road to Granite Falls, just 30 miles away.

Only 301 miles today but still no rain!

1st Annual "Bursch Biker Bake-off" - Day 3 Still no Rain

submitted by Fred Busrch June 25,2009

Yesterday morning I was up bright and early and to the Rochester office by 815 am. I was a bit surprised that I am not stiff or sore from all the riding but I guess I am spurred on by the thought of fresh baked goods. Marlene had taken some time off but made a special trip into the office just to serve me a piece of bunt cake with lime pudding frosting. They should really call it butt cake, because I think that is where I am putting on the pounds.
Marlene did a little research and found a statue of a goose in downtown RST. I rode downtown and took a picture of my motorcycle in front of this painted goose standing on the street corner before leaving town. There were some dark clouds on the horizon and the radar showed that I would have to race them to Austin, about 40 miles away.
The Austin office was ready and waiting for me. They had a lace table cloth spread out on the conference table, complete with china place settings and plastic champagne glasses. They definitely earned bonus points for presentation. They had prepared a raman noodle salad with fresh, home grown strawberries and grapes on the side. (Even the light lunches are filling me up)
The coup de grace was a raspberry dessert prepared by Heather. When I announced my trip and the theme both Mary Jo and Edie pointed to Heather and said that her raspberry dessert was the only choice possible. It is hard to describe but imagine a light meringue or sugar base covered with a raspberry sauce. It was very tasty and light; a perfect summer dessert. You are going to want to check out the recipe when we publish the results.
From Austin I traveled west on I-90 to Worthington MN. I didn’t get a picture of a bird in Austin (Edie had given me directions but I couldn’t find the statue) but I just about got a bird leaving town. I came under an underpass on a freeway and a bird swooped down in front of me and narrowly missed the windshield and my face. I ducked and blinked, all at 70 mph. I think it was only the slipstream off the windshield that blew the bird up and out of the way. No picture, but definitely a memory.
At Worthington I turned south on MN 60. This is a great 4 lane highway with limited traffic and goes all the way to Sioux City, IA. I made good time and drove 160 miles straight before having to stop for gas. Riding a motorcycle is not like driving a car and driving for a whole tankful without stopping is unusual. The temperature was 87 degrees but not as humid as the day before and it made for perfect riding.
Not knowing the area, I turned off the highway when the fuel warning light came on. As fate would have it, the only gas station in this small town was boarded up and I drove all over town looking for another. I finally fired up my GPS and found that the neighboring town had 3 stations and it was only about 5 miles away. I coasted into town on fumes and filled up both tanks (the motorcycle and mine.) I continued on I-29 into OMA, arriving about 930. I covered just over 400 miles on Wednesday but wasn’t stiff or sore this morning.
For all the thunderstorms that have moved through the area I can still say that I haven’t encountered any rain. Yesterday it started to sprinkle as I neared Austin but it stopped during my visit and it was clear sailing all the way to Omaha. There was a big thunderhead building on the horizon west of OMA. It made an impressive sight with the sun setting behind it. I pulled off along the highway to take a picture but there are some pictures that never quite look as impressive in the camera as they do to the human eye.
Today it is off to visit the OMA office and then headed North.

1st Annual "Bursch Biker Bakeoff" - Eating My Way Across Minnesota

submitted by Fred Bursch, June 24, 2009

I left home yesterday morning to sunshine and cool weather. One of my favorite roads is Douglas County Rd 5 which winds its way along the Long Prairie river to the city of Long Prairie. The road curves through the hillsides passing an occasional Amish farmhouse with draft horses in the field; quite the contrast to a modern motorcycle rumbling through the countryside.
When I got to Little Falls I was greeted with some rum. Lois had baked a rum bunt cake which she swore would not get me arrested. I don’t know if she was right, since I never got pulled over, but the cake was delicious.
In most offices I have been taking pictures of the employees and their entry into the Bake Off but in Little Falls Lois was busy with a customer going to Disneyworld. I didn’t get a picture of Lois and the cake but instead I took a picture of Lois and her customers – three little girls complete with Disney tattoos. They had recently attended a birthday party and each of the kids was so proud of the different tattoos they had collected.
Then it was down the road to St. Cloud where the office lunchroom was roped off with yellow police tape. Spread out on the lunchroom table was a road-map of my trip. There was black construction paper, complete with yellow strips, representing the road well-traveled. Along the way were a number of stops demarked by plastic cups filled with M&M’s and a road sign labeling each branch office. Additionally there were a few additional yellow signs. One was labeled “Detour for Cheese-cake.”
What a detour that was. Jessica had baked the world’s best cheesecake. I am told it was only her second time doing it. The first had been tried out on the staff the week before to make sure it was Fred worthy. It was so moist and the crust was terrific. All of this accompanied a picnic lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches, potato salad, chips and several other desserts, including cookies made by Mozelle that contained crushed potato chips. They had to make sure I got my daily quota of fats.
I don’t know who all was responsible for this display but apparently the whole office had taken the week off to prepare. Actually. Mozelle said she got up in the middle of the night to bake.
And then there was the contribution from the group department. Last week when I was in STC Marcia Ring from the group department came in with her mother. Marcia has worked for me for over 30 years but I have never met her mother, who recently moved to an assisted living home in STC. When Marcia’s mother came shuffling in with her cane Marcia asked me to meet her. I stood up from my computer and reached out my hand to greet her. The first words out of her mother’s mouth were “I guess you could lose some weight.” So for their contribution the group department gave me a bowl of celery and carrots, which I washed down with more cheesecake.
Gretchen, one not to miss out on any social activity, was in STC for the day. She gave a bag of “Gretchen’s Extra Fancy Motorcycle Trail Mix” complete with cashews. I packed that away for dinner on the road last night.
The cheesecake had been such a hit that I was asked to take 2 pieces to Monticello, my next stop on this “Dine Around.” Keep in mind that I am on a motorcycle and it does not have air conditioning, so Gretchen packed the cheesecake in Tupperware and then set the Tupperware in a plastic bag filled with ice cubes which I had to pack in the motorcycle. It was 91 degrees when I got to Monticello but the cheesecake was intact and the ice cubes did not leave a deposit in my luggage compartment. John and Krisha were thankful for the delivery.
When I arrived in Monticello it was starting to get overcast and there were severe storms to the south. I watched the radar and decided to wait a couple of hours for the storms to move east. I was so full from my prior stops that we delayed any eating until late in the day. While John and Krisha did not enter the Bake Off, John had barbequed a 170 pound hog in my honor. (Actually, it was leftovers from his son’s graduation party last weekend.) John told me how he wrestled this greased pig onto the spit and then roasted it over coals for 9 hours. It was delicious.
When I left Monticello it was almost 95 and sunny. I drove about 20 miles but then had to ditch my jacket and ride in a t-shirt. I took back roads around MSP, ending up in Chaska, Shakopee, Mystic Lake, Prior Lake and eventually Lonsdale. I broke down and took out my GPS to figure out the rest of the trip to Rochester. I still so full from all my stops that I had only an orange for dinner.
Once of the great things about just setting out on this road trip is discovering some new roads less traveled. My father and nephew attended St. Olaf College but I think I had only been in Northfield once in my life. I drove through the shaded streets of Northfield, past St. Olaf and Carleton College, and ended up on a road to Stanton. I had never been there before but I had once seen a TV report about an airport glider base in Stanton, and here it was. A small grass strip with a few hangers and many gliders awaiting flight. Now I have to check this out on another trip, perhaps flying down to take a glider lesson.
Driving through the river valleys of SE Minnesota the weather cooled down dramatically. I pulled over to put my jacket back on and continued on to RST, listening to the Twin’s game on the radio.

Day 2 - 302 miles with plenty of heat but no rain

1st Annual "Bursch Biker Bakeoff" Road Trip - Day 1 Recap

submtted by Fred Bursch June 23, 2009

I just about didn’t leave home this morning. I figured yesterday was so close to a 10 that it would be hard to beat it, and with the forecast of severe heat for today the lake was looking pretty inviting. But then I got on the bike and drove out through some of the prettiest roads in my home county and I am anxious for another day on the bike.
Yesterday in Fargo I was treated to Molten Chocolate Cupcakes, warmed in the microwave until the chocolate center just oozed out when I took a bite. It was Karen Morlock’s recipe and baked by Carrie Darrah. They were topped with a raspberry and a little cool whip rounded out the calories. They were so rich that I was afraid I might fall asleep in mid-afternoon but the triple chocolate contained enough caffeine to keep me wide awake all the way to Baxter.
Driving Hwy 10 from Fargo to Baxter took me from the flats of the Red River valley into the hills and lake country of west central MN. Along the way I noticed a sign for the World’s Largest Turkey (other than me) so I stopped in Frazee to take a picture. This trip is taking on a bit of a “bird theme". So far I have the coot (that’s a black waterfowl) in Ashby, the prairie chicken in Rothsay (between Fergus Falls and Moorhead) and the turkey in Frazee.
I stopped for fuel in Detroit Lakes. Put in 4.7 gallons for 36.2 mpg. You can tell that I have been traveling a bit faster than usual and hot weather also decreases mileage. The good news is that the heat yesterday only hit 86 and I was able to wear my leather jacket all day. The jacket has protective body armor so I want to try and keep in on as much as possible but it may have to come off this afternoon as the temp hits the mid-90’s.
Elaine in Baxter was concerned when I didn’t show up until 4 PM. They were about send out the patrol to see if I was sleeping off the chocolate cake in some road-side rest. After a hot afternoon (well, hottest so far) the cool lemonade that they had waiting really hit the spot.
I have heard rumors that Elaine is an excellent baker and she had baked an old family recipe. Her pastry consisted of mostly butter and eggs, so there was no way she could go wrong. I had to limit myself to just two, as any more would have developed an addiction. Elaine, you did your mother good!
After spending much of Monday on 4 lane roads and going through a number of construction projects, my trip home from Baxter was very relaxing. Two lane roads winding through the countryside of fields and trees is certainly much more relaxing than the 4 lanes but you have to watch out for deer. Since it was approaching 7 PM as I got home I kept my eyes peeled since I never want another close encounter of the deer kind.
Day 1 – 356 Miles and 9.4 gallons of gas.
Culminated with a glass of wine and rib-eyes on the grill. Can life get any better?

1st Annual "Bursch Biker Bakeoff" Road Trip - The Journey Begins

submitted by Fred Bursch June 22, 2009

After spending most of yesterday trapped in-doors with rain and gusty winds, I feared that the forecast for my week-long motorcycle trip might be wrong. The long-term forecast for the week was to be sunny and hot, with scattered thunderstorms but it didn’t appear that way this morning. At dawn there was fog over the lake and Terri was afraid to let me venture into the fog on my motorcycle. Luckily by the time I left home the fog had burned off and the roads were dry.

My first stop this morning was the gas station to fill up the motorcycle. It is certainly nice to have gas less than $4 per gallon but it is still much higher than this past winter. I paid $2.93 per gallon for premium, which what I use in the motorcycle because of the high compression of the engine. Luckily I get better than 40 miles per gallon.

My second stop was at the bank to load up my wallet. When traveling the back roads ATM’s are not all that frequent and some of the gas stations don’t take credit cards. I make sure I have an extra $20 tucked away for emergencies.

I arrived at the Alex office shortly after 8 and found Lola Rademacher and Shelley Anderson already hard at work.

When it comes to the Bursch Biker Bake Off, they had a bit of an unfair advantage. Shelley first started working for me in Alexandria about 30 years ago and she knows most of my weaknesses. She had a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies waiting for my arrival. Luckily I had a light breakfast and there was still room for an adequate sampling – they were marvelous. I was going to pack them on the bike but thought the 90 degree forecast might be a bit too much. Now I wish I had taken them along but Shelley promised to freeze them for future consumption.

Unfortunately for me, Lola and Shelley also had a scale waiting for me. I feigned ignorance for a while but then they made me climb on the scale, complete with my heavy leather jacket and boots. That way we will have no accurate measure of actually how much weight I put on this week, because the jacket and boots have to weigh about 10 pounds, or more. We even got a customer to take a picture of the whole crew, plate of cookies and me on the scale.

Life is good. As I left Alexandria the sun started to appear through broken clouds and I entered the freeway to the tune of Harley pipes with Bonnie Raitt in the CD player. I cruised on up to Fargo with stops in Ashby to have my picture taken with a coot, and in Rothsay with a statue of a Prairie Chicken. I hope to get these pictures uploaded to Facebook sometime in the next day so you can all join in the adventure.

Sandie Anders commented to the Fargo staff about my noisy motorcycle pipes as I pulled into the parking lot in Fargo. Chicken Ceasar salad is awaiting and Susan has enough garlic in it to keep away the mosquitos as I continue the trip.

To be continued….