Skid and Sandy On The Road: Eureka Springs, Arkansas

We got up at 7:00 and found that hotel manager Gary was true to his word. A large coffee pot was sitting on the table outside our room. That was partial compensation for not having in-room coffee makers.

Sherm did some searching and found a private motorcycle shop in Berryville. They had some jobs on the go today, but said that since we were travelers, they would try to help us if we could get the bike there right away. MoParMan had his truck and trailer and said we could go right after he had breakfast.

Sandy, Sherm, the Texas girls and I headed up the road to The Filling Station. As we pulled in, two sheriff's cars were pulling out. This was a good sign since they don't eat just anywhere. They had a nice little breakfast buffet that we thoroughly enjoyed.

The Filling Station - good breakfast

Vickie, Sandy, Debbie and Kay

After we ate, we headed back to the hotel where they pulled the saddlebags off the 900 to make it easier for the shop to work on. Sherm rode it up into the trailer and they were off to Berryville. I worked on the blog while they were away. They came back a little later in the truck and said the shop would call when the job was done.

Removing the saddlebags

Inflating the tire

Sherm loading the bike

A couple of the ladies decided to take the trolley to town to do some shopping. The rest of us sat around and I continued trying to catch my blog posts up, an almost impossible task. At noon, the shop phoned and said the bike was ready to go so Sherm took Debbie over there in his truck. They were soon back with Deb riding on two inflated tires.

Sheila and Vicki going shopping

Jetson, Gambler and Renee

Debbie and the fixed tire

Reinstalling the bags

Some more people started to arrive, including the infamous CheapB(astard) from Otto, North Carolina. We feared that the even more terrifying White Rooster of Bryson City NC was following in his wake.

CheapB has arrived

Sandy, Sherm and I decided late lunch was in order and got in the Equinox to head for the Ozark Cafe in Berryville. This was when I realized I had left my GPS in its mount on the windshield. In the hot Arkansas sun, the unit was almost too hot for me to handle. It didn't start up when I turned the power on. Horrors!! We drove to Berryville with no satellite guidance as I wondered if I had toasted the device.

The Ozark Cafe was mostly empty, so we seated ourselves and got served right away. Sandy and Sherm had BLT sandwiches while I had a clubhouse. We all finished with hot baked pies. While we were waiting for food, I tried to fire up the GPS but it told me that the battery was dead. I seem to remember that lithium batteries are temperature sensitive. I pulled the battery and let it cool down while we ate.

Lunch in Berryville

Well OK then.....

A rear table

Just the four of us...

After lunch, I put the GPS in the car, which was parked in the only shady spot in the town square. We walked down the street to the old thrift shop. I bought a little sign that said:

"Sometimes I sits and thinks. Sometimes I just sits."

Sandy said we rushed her and didn't give her enough time to pick something. I had pointed out a nice see-through tank top but she didn't want any part of that. I'll apologize right now for not just going outside and sitting on a bench until she was done.

The only shade in the square

I learned something new

Heading for the thrift shop

Berryville Arkansas town square

Picturesque

Back in the car, I plugged the Garmin back in and it slowly came to life. I still think the battery may have been permanently damaged, though, because it wouldn't take much of a charge. Still, it worked well enough to guide us south on Arkansas 221 and then back up County 302 to Eureka Springs. This alternate route was much more interesting than Highway 62. We arrived back at the hotel at 3:50 and I put the GPS somewhere the sun could not get at it.

It was getting hotter. Hot Sauce and Margot arrived from Oklahoma with his bike on a trailer and a new dog, Lady (in addition to trusty old Taz). Two of our favourite folks, Zeke and Hang from Illinois, were also here. They hauled their new (to them) Yamaha V-Star in an enclosed trailer. Boomer and Shannon arrived from Hawaii via Las Vegas. We see more of them now than we did when they lived near Toledo.

One couple, Cris and Jody, pulled in on a 2005 1500 Vulcan Classic they had just bought two days ago. I asked if they were looking for VROC and they said no. They were from Mountain Home and just stopped by because they saw the Kawasaki banner. They ended up spending the night at the hotel and buying two helmets from Sherm's inventory.

Have I mentioned that Sherman was running a used motorcycle clothing shop from our room? Good things for good prices. Sandy would have bought a full face HJC helmet with sharp graphics but it was too tight.

The intrepid shoppers return

Bassman, Sandy and Sherm's feet

Sherm's motorcycle apparel store

Hang and Zeke

Bassman questioning Hot Sauce's new riding method

Margot, Bubbles and new puppy Lady

You know these folks

The Hawaiian Chapter has arrived - Boomer and CheapB

Magellan arrives

CheapB and HotSauce and the new 2005 Vulcan

Bubbles took up a collection and ordered a bunch of pizzas. They didn't deliver them until after dark. Sandy had asked for a Hawaiian (ham and pineapple) which I was willing to share with her. I have no idea in what Universe a Hawaiian pizza would have jalapenos on it, but it looks like Eureka Springs was part of it. We scraped the peppers off before we ate them and only had a residual tang on the remaining toppings.