Eureka Springs Arkansas - More Hanging Out

We were up by 7:00 AM and heard Lanny and Stewey heading out on a run to Harrison to get a rear tire for the latter's new Voyager. It seems the OEM tire ran out of skin before the 5,000 mile mark. They were going for a ride afterwards, but there was nothing else planned so we got coffee from the office and visited with folks in the parking lot as usual. 

Sherm updating his awesome blog

Morning visiting

The sign-in table

Sherm, Cleve and Gambler

Nice banner over a Honda and a Suzuki

Sandy had a list of things we didn't get at WalMart last time and Sherm needed to get the ingredients for his patented Margaritas, so we jumped in the truck and drove to Berryville. After we got what we needed, we drove to the old town square and had a late breakfast at The Original Ozark Cafe. They stop serving breakfast at 10:45. Luckily, we sat down at 10:40 and had a fine breakfast of eggs, lots of bacon, home fries and toast. Another guy came in as our food was being served and was told that breakfast was over.

The Original Ozark Cafe - Berryville Arkansas

We'll come back and try this later

Don't let the look fool you - he's hungry

I ate some of it before I thought to take a picture

After breakfast, we walked around the old town square. The buildings were built in the 1890's if the one cornerstone we saw was anything to go by. There was a Senior Center Thrift Store Sandy checked out. We finally had to go in and collect her.

Great old Coke sign

I remember this

Probably hasn't changed much in 120 years

The first thrift shop of the day

Not everything is for sale

We didn't find anything in that thrift store, but Sandy was in the mood so we moved on to the Salvation Army store (Sally's) near the WalMart. While Sandy was poking around and Sherm was buying a bright pink Butler mug, I saw a print of a Ray Ellis watercolour (Brant Point Beach) on the wall. It was No. 353 of 750 signed limited edition lithographs done in the 1980's. More important, I liked it. But they wanted $150 for it, a bit rich. I decided to think on that, so we moved on the the St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store (AKA Vinnie's). We ran into Bass Man and Laura as we were perusing the merchandise there. Sandy got a mug and Sherm found a Brita jug to make margaritas in, while I found a ball personalizer. Golf balls, that is.

The gang at Vinnie's

Back at the motel, Badger and Susan rolled in from Florida And Razor arrived from south of us in Arkansas. We haven't seen Razor here in many years. Good to have him back. Sandy and Sherm decided to take naps in the room while I visited.

Susan, Bubbles and Gambler

Magellan and Badger

Sherm's manly mug

When Sandy was done napping, we got talking about the Ellis print. We figured they would take less than $150 for it, so we took Sherm as a negotiator and headed back in the truck. Lucky Al came along to do some business at WalMart. I dropped him off there and we continued across the lot to Sally's.

There weren't any staff in the store when we got there, but there was a lady trying out an exercise machine. Sherm shouted an offhand comment at her and she replied with a laugh. As he got closer, she let out a squeal of recognition. This was Margo, a former Mrs. Texas who lives in the area. Sherm has often mentioned her but hasn't seen her in about ten years. Sherm really does know everybody. Queue that nasty Disney song........

Sandy, Margo and Sherm

We sealed the deal on the print for $100. I paid and we loaded it in the truck after helping Margo get her new (to her) exercise machine in her SUV. The picture will look very nice if we can figure out where to hang it.

Back at the motel, many more riders had arrived. It was really starting to feel like a rally. We had issues with the supper at the Rockin' Pig last year because it was bike night and the place was packed so service was very slow. This year, it wasn't bike night so things should have been a lot better, and they were for many people. Unfortunately, our server Kayla wasn't that quick. We, sitting with Lanny and Razor, got our meals after many had finished. Sandy had a salad while the three of us had chicken fried filet mignon (just because we had never seen it before). I thought the it was very good,

Sandy, Han, Zeke and his rented trailer

 Badger, Phillip, Jaime and Caleb

My Rockin' Pig selection

We took over the Rockin' Pig

Chicken fried filet mignon

Back at the motel, the group broke into three sections and joyful noises could be heard until we went to bed at 11:00, and beyond. It was good to be here.

Our boy Bill.....

No map today because we really didn't go anywhere worth mapping.......

Eureka Springs Arkansas - Hanging Out

We got up at 7:00 AM to find it was raining outside. That put a damper (pun intended) on our desire to go riding right away. Instead, we all lazed around the motel for a while. Eventually, the rain eased and we decided to go for breakfast. Although a couple took bikes, the rest of us figured the motorcycles were wet and so were the roads, so we took the Avi and Condi's car down to Forest Hill Restaurant for their breakfast buffet. The place was virtually empty and they set a long table for us up with no waiting.

Lucky Al attacks the Forest Hill buffet

Back at the motel, we kicked around ride ideas. What came up first was traditional because Sherm needed to make a run to WalMart in Berryville. We dried the bikes off and set out with Sherm in the lead on his Half-A-Busa (Burgman to everyone else). Behind the thundering Suzuki steed were Lanny, Sandy & I, Stewey and Brandon & No H. We got held up in the curves by a car, but that was understandable considering the Kansas licence plates. We arrived at Wally World unscathed.

Talking about riding

Harvest time at Wally World

Al found a hat that suited him

Shopping done, Lanny, Stewey and Brandon & Sheila decided they would ride north into Missouri. We joined Sherm for the ride back to the motel. As we got back, the skies started spitting lightly, so we repaired to our room to do some more blog updating.

A bit later, Sherm tackled the issue of Sandy's non-heating Gerbing jacket.I dug out my multimeter and we verified that there was power at the plug but none on the other side of the heat controller. This confirmed my suspicion that I had short circuited the plug the last time I checked it. We disassembled the controller after no small effort involving a Buck knife, some jeweler's screwdrivers and needle nose pliers. Unfortunately, we got into the electronic innards, which were much more complicated than we expected, and came to the conclusion that the unit was DOA. I'll order a new one for $69.99 when I get home.

Sherm attacking the heat controller

My Buck knife is no longer in "tip" top shape

As the afternoon wore on, the sky got bluer, the air got hotter and more people started to arrive. Gambler and Bubbles. Magellan. Bass Man and Laura. Cassie and Candy. The Missouri ride group arrived somewhere in the midst of all this.

Magellan pulls in

The Gambler Clan arrives

Most of us decided to head to the the western outskirts of town on Highway 62 and patronize the Rowdy Beaver for supper. They put us up in their back meeting room where we ordered wonderful things. Sandy and I ordered a full rack of ribs. She would have the sides, beans and slaw, and I got a chef salad. OK, this was a bad move. The salad was huge and the ribs were about the same. Very good but too much. We brought a half rack of ribs home with us.

Supper at the Rowdy Beaver

Most of us rode bikes

My chef salad minus a few bites

Excellent ribs

Back at the motel, Vickie, Kay and Debbie arrived from Texas. Debbie's headlight was missing 1 1/2 screws and had almost parted company with the 800. Sherm made plans to fix it. We mingled in the parking lot until long after sundown and, although we could see lightning on the horizon as it got darker, it didn't rain. With the additional people, it was starting to feel like a real rally was getting underway by the time we went to bed.

The Texas ladies arrive

Is the mug big enough, Stewey?

The last light

Today's Route (24 motorcycle miles):

Interactive map

Du Quoin Illinois to Eureka Springs Arkansas

We were up at 6:00 AM packing the bags and dragging them down to the truck. We met Bill and Joan while we were having breakfast of Raisin Bran, toast (me) and yogurt (Sandy). Another couple joined us. They were in a car but were riders and had stayed at the Iron Horse in Berryville a number of years ago. After breakfast, we stopped by the fairgrounds for coffee with Willie and Carlene before hitting the road. It was great to be able to spend some time with them this weekend. We finally hit the road at about 8:20 under clear skies, although it was still cool at 12C.

I was faced with a minimum of four route options to Eureka Springs. I opted to go northwest to I-44 and take the slab to Springfield. We took back roads through Pinckneyville, Red Bud and Columbia before crossing the Mississippi on US 50 (the same highway that is billed as the Loneliest Road In America when it crosses Nevada). The drive through Illinois to the river was idyllic, with green fields, trees and very few towns. Sherm called while we were traveling. The GPS said we should arrive at 2:25 so I gave him an ETA of 4:00 to allow for stops along the way.

Someone was being bad in Pinckneyville

Crossing the Mississippi River on US 50

As soon as we got into Missouri, we stopped at a McDonald's so I could get another coffee. Sandy opted for her usual Blueberry/Pomegranate Smoothie, although the smoothie machine had some difficulties. In the end, they got it sorted out. When I checked the bike, both tie-downs on the left side had come undone and the right mirror was folded back from touching the door. I redid the straps and we moved on to I-44.

Six Flags St. Louis

We stopped at the first rest area on I-44, interestingly located in the median. The bike was still secure in the trailer so we continued on. BTW, my forehead hurt because I sunburned it because I didn't wear a hat. And now I can't wear a hat because my forehead hurts because it is sunburned. So it will get more sunburned. Note to self. Wear a hat.

The hills are brutal on I-44. This section is straight but the grades are severe and following a big truck to save fuel doesn't work because they slow way down as they are climbing. I just put the truck in 3rd gear at 65 MPH and ignored the mileage readout. Although the truck was guzzling gas, it seemed happy.

I dialed up the NASCAR Channel on the satellite radio. The Sprint Cup drivers would be competing at Chicagoland today in the first race of the newly designed Chase. Last week, I slipped out of the first place spot in the VROC NASCAR Fantasy League so this race was important to me as I was trying to put Nomad Daddy back behind me.

We stopped at a Love's truck stop to get more fuel and check the oil. I also got Sandy a 12V to USB charger so that she could recharge her Kindle battery. This will be useful for many other things. I dug out a Meal-Mate ham and cheese package for lunch while Sandy picked up a cup of veggies and dip. Better for us than McDonald's.

Past Rolla, the highway continued to go up and down but started to curve as well. About thirty miles shy of Springfield, we stopped at another rest area for a bathroom break. This was a new spot and was laid out as a tribute to old Route 66, which had gone right through here before the Interstate System. I took a picture for Sherm, who is a big fan of the Mother Road.

Route 66 park in rest area

Pulled over by the police

I-44

The last 30 miles to Springfield was choked with big trucks trying to pass each other. On these grades, a pass could take five miles and the traffic was building up behind them. I saw gas advertised at $2.98 as we approached US 65, the lowest I have seen in a long time. We turned south on 65 into a headwind and down a highway whose hills make I-44 seem tame.

Approaching Branson

Some day we'll see Yakov

I decided to stay on US 65 almost all the way to Harrison instead of taking the back road down through Blue Eye. The latter is better on a bike but the bigger road suits the trailer. We stopped at a Conoco station just before the Arkansas line to use the facilities. The GPS, which had been posting an arrival time of 4:09 using US 62, recalculated and gave me a time of 4:18 using back roads. Then, when forced back to 62, it went back to 4:09. The Navigation option was set for Fastest Time. Go figure.

We turned onto US 62 and headed west. I saw the spot where Sandy took her awesome photo last year, right near the Alpena Monuments store west of Alpena. The road past the WalMart in Berryville was finished, wider and smoother. We wound on into ES, arriving at Motel 62 at 4:12.

US 62

We have arrived

There was a small crowd of great people waiting when we got in. Sherm of course. Lanny from Arizona on his first visit to ES. Stewey from Peoria. Plus organizers Condi, JR, Brandon and Sheila (No H) from Kansas. We unloaded the bike and parked the trailer. Hauling all the gear into the room we were sharing with Sherm was easier because we could park in front of our door.

Lanny's Wing and Stewey's new Voyager

Lanny, Condi, JR and Stewey

After visiting a while, we all went out to an Italian restaurant named Cafe Amore. The server was very good. JR had a monster calzone (I'm not sure how this compared to the one Mal & Yvette had in Bryson City) while Sandy and I shared Kate's Lasagna Amore. The half order was just right for us.

Cafe Amore - Eureka Springs Arkansas

Sherm, Lanny, Sandy, Stewey, Condi, JR, Brandon and Sheila

JR's calzone

Kate's Lasagna Amore

Back at the hotel, Sherm and Sandy were having issues connecting to the WiFi. My new (to me) Dell was doing well, which made me feel guilty. Lucky Al rolled in late after an 800 mile day. He was moving slowly because he damaged a few body parts when his bike fell over at a gas station yesterday, but he was here.

We finally retired to the room and went to bed. I think we must have been tired because it was all of 9:15.

Today's Route (384 Avalanche miles):

Interactive map