Traveling Diner Memorial Day Recap

Well your Scribe of the Open Road is back with a briefing

on "Lee's Long Ride Home".  7 bikes and 9 people due to

prior obligations. We rolled out a little after 8:30 eastward

bound. Thru War Eagle, Clifty, Huntsville and Kingston, the

noble steeds rumbled. Stars, Hondas, Kawasaki and Harley,

all making time on relatively deserted roads for a holiday

weekend.

 

We didn't even have to wait to fuel up in Jasper,

that's usually a 30 minute wait and a table was waiting at the

"Ozark Café". Unfortunately, the table was waiting but the

waitress wasn't. Very poor management there as she would

ring up a sale then run off leaving customers with cash in

hand to take an order, get someone else a drink, then return

for another payer or two before she would disappear again.

The buffet is good there but they bring you a plate to the table

inside of having them at the buffet line. This results in a long

delay as she decided to take drink orders while 6 of us were

waiting to hit the chow line. Then another 20 minute delay to

get some BBQ sauce after several people had cleaned their

plates and the drinks still hadn't arrived.

Good brisket though and the roast beef had been seared prior

to roasting and immersion in a bath with potatoes. Fried shrimp

was not bad and the mashed potatoes were more than

adequate. The café has never been known for their speed(1 year

it took The TravelingDiner 45 minutes to get 1 baked potato-

microwaved) It is highly possible that next year's ride might see

us eating at 1 of the 2 other dining spots downtown.

 

We ran into some older GoldWingers from Paducah Kentucky,

who told me they had left the rest of the group in a hotel in

Harrison because the roads here were too curvy. Also 4 people

from Tupelo Ms. were in Jasper enjoying our roads so Meena

and I had a nice conversation with them.

 

After swinging thru lots of small towns we ended up at a Shell

station in Elkins/Fayetteville where we split up to head for our

individual homes. I took the scenic route up Crossover to Old

Misery, then Bethel Heights back to Rogers. A nice time with

good weather, same some of you missed it and we missed you.

 

 

Memorial Day Ride

What a beautiful day we had for a ride. Lee, Janet, Sam, Ron, Lisa, Doug, Mena, Jason and Larke left out of Rogers around 9 a.m. and headed for Huntsville. After stopping there for a quick top off of fuel for the bikes and the body (and not to mention seeing a mini van almost get hit by a big rig tractor because the drive ran a stop sign) we were off for Ponca valley.

At the pull off in Ponca we met up with some riders from Kentucky who were also enjoying the Arkansas hills. They left the other members of their group at the hotel in Harrison because the roads in Arkansas are too curvy! There was a couple there with a 2012 Gold Wing that had put over 47,000 miles on the bike in just 16 months. Now that is some serious riding.

We left Ponca Valley and headed towards Jasper. A female elk tried to race Lee but thought better of it and dove back off in the woods (thank goodness for Lee and the Elk). We arrived in Jasper and after another fuel pick up made our way to the Ozark café. After lunch we took a new route out Hwy 74 to then jump off onto Hwy 123. As always going up the Dragon is a blast and we all made it without a worry.

After sitting at the overlook for a little while we started the last leg of the route ending up at "The Sycamore Tree" in Pettigrew for a quick break then on into Elkins for our final fuel up. We parted ways shortly after and headed home.

A great day of riding with family. We missed all those who could not join us.

Sunday Memorial Day Weekend Ride

This Sunday we take our annual Memorial Day weekend ride. We will leave Rainbow Cycle in Rogers at 8:30 a.m. and head for Jasper. After lunch at the Ozark Café it is up the Arkansas Dragon (Hwy 123) and then back into Fayetteville for ice cream. Look forward to seeing everyone.

May Trash Pick Up

Part of the culture of our group is trying to give back to both individuals, families, charities and the environment. As part of this STAR 464 has adopted two miles of highway from the Pea Ridge National Military Park back west towards Rogers.

It was a cool morning as we gathered at Rainbow Cycle and made our way to the Pea Ridge National Military Park to participate in our bi-annual Adopt a Highway trash pick up. Ron, Lisa, Lee, Lorie, Bryan, Mitch, Janet, Larke and Jason all took time away from their busy schedules to help out this time.

Once at the park we gathered our gear (gloves, bags and trash pick ups) and headed out onto the road. We started out at the park entrance and part of us headed west while others headed east to the beginning of the park entrance to cover that area. Hwy 62 is being widened to four lanes so there was lots of construction barrels and flags which helped keep us safe as this highway is really busy.

We managed to fill about 20+ large contractor bags with trash before calling it quits. After loading up into Jason's truck and running back to the other vehicles we all headed to Sam's Old Tyme Hamburgers for some well deserved lunch and dessert.

It was a lot of work and everyone was tired at the end but it was a job well done and a great way to give back.

May Dinner Ride

 

          Well, the 1st dinner ride of the 2014 is in the history books. The Northern contingent met at Rainbow Honda to leave at 4:30. Jason and Larke, Mitch and Janet with Madison on her "Little Doll" and myself on the Red Mare.

        Big news though, Janet showed up on a 103 inch metal flake blue product of Milwaukee or York, Pa. Yep, she went Harley. We rolled out through the Springs (Cave and Elm), up the Tontitown/Springdale divide and then over into Fayetteville. When we struck College Avenue I pulled into the lead for the short distance to "Hawaiian Brian's" restaurant.

         Lee and Lori met us shortly thereafter and having seen what we had ordered followed promptly. The table became festooned with platters of Shoyu chicken, marinated chicken thighs, Kahlua Pork and Loco Moko (ground beef patty topped with a fried egg and gravy served on a bed of rice).

       Everything at the Fayetteville Brian's is good but in all honesty, I prefer the food and the waitress at the Springdale location. Just my preference I'm sure and other steady patrons would possibly disagree.

         After good food and a lot of conversation, we left for home. On the way through Lowell, Jason and Janet conversed and we found ourselves pulling in the DQ for ice cream before heading the rest of the way home. A nice time although we missed our friends who couldn't make it as well as those we have left.

       Next time (June) its "Cotton Eyed Joe's" in Missouri, hope to see all of you.

 

      Ride safe and eat well.

 

      The Traveling Diner