April 26, 2008
Starriders 124 Sanctioned Ride
Sadie Mae’s Café, Wilkinsville, SC
Ride Leaders - Andrea & Rick Collum

  WOW!  When Rick and I planned this ride, we had no idea what kind of turnout we’d get, especially with me leading the way up!  We had 18 bikes and 22 riders, all prepared for a slow ride to Gaffney!  I have to say, I was thrilled to see everyone at the Flying J, gassed up and ready to roll.  The day started well, with Cajun explaining the hand signals to the group and Carrie blessing our ride.  We headed up HWY 215 on our way to Sadie Mae’s.  The weather was perfect and we rode through some lovely countryside.  After a slight tense moment when I almost missed a turn, we found HWY 9 and went 10 miles in the wrong direction before we found some friendly English-speaking locals who got us turned in the right direction.  We went through the lovely town of Lockhart and hit HWY 105 soon after and I started looking for Sadie Mae’s.  I’d only been there once before on a Monday when Ricky, Paul and I did a test run and it was closed, so I really didn’t know what a treat we were in for!  Ricky keeps a good secret.  The road was really scenic, meandering through Fairfield, Union and Cherokee counties with very few rough spots.

  The absolute apex of our day was arriving at Sadie Mae’s.  I had called Tom, our Major Domo, the night before to make sure they could accommodate us.  I had figured on maybe 12 to 15 folks, so he was surprised to see the crowd that showed up, and I think very pleased.  Seats were found for all of us, and Angela, one of the sweetest waitresses ever, started getting our orders.   Tom provided entertainment, singing some hilarious songs, accompanying himself on guitar, and his singing donkey got in on the act, too.   Tom told us of his friend “Fish”, who built the dining room.  When Tom asked him to sign his work, Fish embedded a fish right into the face of the stone fireplace!    The building itself was an old country store that Tom and Sadie Mae turned into a two-table diner.  The dining room is a more recent addition that captures the feel of the original part of the building.  The cedar used in the building of it was cut off of Tom’s own property.   

  When the food started coming out, mouths were watering.   Sadie Mae should be named a National Treasure.  I know she’s a treasure to all of us.  Every dish was a delight to all five senses.  The ribs were amazing, the sandwiches astounding, and I saw salads that made my jaw drop.  We all were comparing our meals, each one dying for a taste of this, or a bite of that.  Even the burgers were unbelievable.  All the while, Tom kept us entertained and certainly made us feel welcome.  He asked if we’d be coming back and he got a resounding “YES!!!!”  Sadie Mae’s is a secret no more.  We were all making plans to come back before we went out the door. 

  After we’d eaten our fill and more, we headed outside to get ready to hit the rode home.  Unfortunately, Mike’s battery was dead and several of the guys tried to push start him.  It worked once, but they couldn’t get it to run for any length of time. While Mike went into town to get a new battery for his collection, entertainment was provided by the horse across the street.  I’ve seen horses do tricks, but none like that!

  We asked Sadie Mae, Tom and Angela to step out and gave them a standing “O” for the great food, entertainment and service they gave us.  Sadie Mae turned beet red and Tom and Angela were all grins.  Mike made it back and got his bike started and he and his family headed to the mountains.

  Rick led the beginning of the ride home, taking us down HWY 150 through Pacolet and some of the most beautiful scenery of the day.  Storm clouds loomed behind us, but we didn’t get a drop.  We rode down HWY 56 through Clinton, towards Newberry, and stopped there for gas.  We got on I-26 and I led from there to Chapin, where we made another gas stop (and ice cream for Lea & me), then got back on the highway for home.

  All in all it was a great day, if long; we all got our bellies full of tasty treats and we’ve all got a good story or two to tell.

  My sincere thanks go to all who came.  This was my first time as a ride leader and I can’t tell you how much it means to me.  I promise if you let me do it again, I’ll TRY to go slower on the highway.  Whodathunk a little 750 could book like that?  

Brightest Blessings to all who came,
Andrea

260 Miles