Florida, N. Carolina, Tennessee, & Arkansas 8/31 - 9/18

We left home 8/31 with several objectives in mind, visiting the younger brother & family in Florida, meeting our friends with Trike Owners Int'l in NC, riding the Natchez Trace, then to Eureka Springs, Ar to visit friends with the American Trike Riders.  Let's roll. 

When we left home, there was a hurricane stirring on the Florida Atlantic coast. Not really a concern, since it was mid-state and predicted to go back into the Atlantic, and we were going to visit the pan-handle, Panama City Beach. As we traveled, intending on making it a leisurely two day trip, Brother called and advised the hurricane Hermine had altered course & was due to cross the pan-handle area soon. We rode straight thru, encountering only light rain.  Hermine came ashore to the east of Panama City Beach the next evening, so we were spared the torrential rain & winds, but the weather did curtail riding. Brother's hospitality included chauffering us around to see the sites, and eat at his restaurant, MUY WAYNEO'S. Truly fine Tex-Mex cuisine.

Only managed one pic while in the area, sunset as Hermine was coming ashore to the east.

We needed to be in Maggie Valley, NC on Monday to meet friends for the TOI Reunion, see the bikes of the Geico Hot Bike Tour, and several days of riding the Blue Ridge Mtns. So we left the comfort of Brothers home, in rain suits, headed north. Finally ran out of the rain about 70 miles south of Atlanta, GA.

After Florida, the weather here was just perfect for riding. Cool mornings, hot afternoons.  A couple of pics of bikes at the Hot Bike Tour, courtesy of friend Zammy.

Of course, every biker wants to ride the 'Tail of the Dragon" while in the area. Below are pics from Deal's Gap at the top, NC, side of the Dragon.

Of course, we had to ride part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Very beautiful, twisty ride with lots of pull-outs for photo opportunities. Perhaps one day we can ride the entire length of the BRP.

Some of the riding buddies:

All good things must end, so we left Maggie Valley on 9/10 headed for Nashville TN and the beginning of the Natchez Trace. The Trace was a nice ride but not challenging. Few pics :

Wild turkeys, kinda blurry but we had to be quick.. at 50 mph

 

After the Trace, we pointed the trike back north, to meet friends with the ATR on 9/14 in Eureka Springs, Ar.  Lot's of good riding in the Ozark Mtns. 

On Thu we rode to the Original Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, MO. We toured the HUGE store, which also contains the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum.

On the ride back, we detoured to the Cliff House Inn for a great meal & vista

On Friday, we did some sight-seeing, and went to "the Cave" Restaurant for lunch. 

Stan's shortcut across the mountain

waiting to load on a ferry, crossing a lake to get back to ES

Our last day, Saturday, we had a pizza supper and.... ICE CREAM, home made to boot!!

All good things must come to an end, on Sunday we made an early start for home, arriving late, slightly stove up, but willing to go again. (Soon as we get some more money!!)

3,648 miles

Osage Beach, MO 6/18 - 6/25

We left our home Saturday, 6-18-2016 & met several members of Trike Owners Int'l a few miles up the road at Livingston, Tx, for the first leg of our trip to Osage Beach, MO. We stopped in Little Rock, AR for the night, then continued on to Osage Beach on Sunday.

Tho the weather was very hot, unusually so per the locals, and created thunderstorms many afternoons, we made the best of it for sight seeing. Unfortunately, one of the best rides a friend & I did, we have no pics. It was about 130 miles, thru the country side east of OBM, thru rolling hills & mild twisties, misty rain to full blown thunderstorms. Required too much attention to riding... and our old camera isn't water-proof.

One afternoon, we did ride to a local State Historical site, Ha-Ha-Tonka Castle. Built in the early 1900's, it indeed was a castle, but was destroyed by fire in 1942, leaving only the stone walls remaining.

The Castle ruins sat atop a mountain that overlooked an arm of The Lake of the Ozarks. Beautiful to look at from on high.

Too soon, our time in the area was done, time to head home on Friday 6-24-2016. A friend, Junior Adams (75, when are you no longer a Jr?) and wife Darlene, and I & Lanora, decided to do a little sight-seeing on the way back, via the old US Route 66 thru Kansas. This was the first complete part of Rte-66 to be black topped, but it is also the shortest state part at only approx 13 miles.

As went the entire week, we started out in thunder storms, which abated just as we entered Kansas, hence the rain gear we wear in some of the pics.

Junior & I enjoying a free cup of coffee at the stop. (Free???  Lanora spent $55 on souvenirs!!)

From there to Poteau, OK where we rested for the night, then home on 6-25-2016.

1966 miles

Mena, AR, Western OK & TX 5/11 - 5/22/2016

May 11, 2016 we left the home area with a group of triker friends, bound for Mena, AR and a few days of riding the hills in that area. We had a great time sight seeing and visiting with friends old & new at the Limetree Inn, especially the Oklahoma chapter of the American Trike Riders.

The group rode to the top of Magazine Mountain, where there is a Motel, restaurant, and great views.

Area in front of the Motel, at the top of Magazine Mtn:

The Motel & Restaurant & entrance:

Some views:

Me resting, after chasing the wife to keep her from buying more souveniers:

The riding group, and the ride back to Mena, AR:

Our time at Mena ended on Sunday 5/15, and we pointed the trike west, toward the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Preserve in western Oklahoma. Because of the stormy, rainy weather, we were unable to tour most of the preserve, or do much sight seeing at all. There are a few pics....

The mountain peak was obscured by fog & drizzle, traffic was not allowed because of zero visibility.

Some protected species, a beefalo I presume, a cross between a longhorn & buffalo

The Park HQ was open and had some interesting displays

We left the Preserve, and headed somewhat south/southwest, to the Caprock Canyons State Park of Western Texas. Sadly, the rain & thunder storms prohibited much riding, and no pictures. The closest place to stay was Childress, Tx, a good hours drive from the Park, so timing the storms was impossible.

We headed south, driving a good portion of the Texas Vietnam Veterans Highway, US-83, which extends from Brownsville to the Oklahoma line, near Perryton, Tx.

Home on the 22 of May, ready for another run.....

total 1788 miles