Ron's last ride (At least for a little while)

Today we said farewell to our friends Lisa and Ron Barthman. They are embarking on a new stage of employed life in Norman, OK. Ron is going first (tomorrow) with Lisa to follow in a little while. It was decided to send them off with a ride, better this way then the alternative of just saying good bye. We will miss them both as they are a lot of fun and have a lot of great ideas.

We met at Lucy's Diner at 8:30. Brian, Rip, Smokey and Ronda, Jason and Larke, Mitch and Janet, Le...e and Lorie, Meena and I with the guests of honor Ron and Lisa. It was also good to see Rip (he's looking good), he and the Lee/Lorie combo weren't riding today (Lee's rear wheel bearings had to be replaced and Rip isn't up to riding yet). We missed Sam and Rick and Gloria who had other commitments.

After a quick breakfast, we rolled out for our 1st stop, Roaring River. We made it thru the new road work between Avoca and Garfield then over to Seligman and on to Roaring River. Taking a break there, then on thru Eagle Rock, Holiday Island and on to Beaver. As we crossed the old wooden bridge, Meena's song in my ear changed to “London Bridge is falling down, with all the motorcyclists on it". Not quite what you want to hear as you are navigating the dried out wooden planks with protruding nails but we made it.

Stuck behind a vehicle on the back road, we then had to follow him all the way to Garfield. Finally off the road there, we indulged in the ice cream cones dispensed at “The Shortstop Grill". An overflowing mound of soft serve for $1.47, the "baby size" is enough for a 6'4" man like myself and there is no shame in admitting it. We clustered around a table and had good conversations with all of our friends before we said our goodbyes and heading of to our respective homes.

A good ride with good friends is always nice, even if there is a good bye at the end of it.
"May the roads before you be well paved with no gravel patches, fresh oil, animals, texting drivers or severe rain storms as you go thru life in OK, remember your friends back here, see us when you can and ride whenever possible. Love goes with you"

Road Rash Reports
Scribe of the Open Road

 

The Traveling Diner June Dinner Ride

     Once again we returned to the Missouri based restaurant known as "Cotton Eyed Joe's". Just past the cliffs in Noel, opposite the Elk River Golf Course, is a low ramshackle wood building with a cook who makes pretty good food.

     A very good menu that offers everything a person could want within reason, they also have a buffet that will fill you up without overloading you with too many choices.

       There were 9 of us when we started out from Wal-Mart's HQ. Jason and Larke led the way followed by Ron and Lisa. I came next with Madison, Janet, Mitch and Blake Stewart behind. Thru Bentonville over to Gravette and into Missouri, our little band of intrepid diners rolled into Noel and up to the restaurant. There we met Rick and Gloria who came over to meet us.

       For $12.95, I had beef brisket, catfish, ribs and chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and pea salad. The food was good enough that I made a return trip for more cat and chicken with a rib chaser. A berry cobbler finished off my meal although they offered a Cheesecake, banana pudding, cookies and other desserts. The food is tempting enough that it requires will power to resist over consumption. The chicken chunks especially (Go Tyson).

       We returned via 90 to 71 then down thru Jane back home. It was a nice trip but I was left feeling a little melancholy when I thought back to previous rides there. I see the faces of our friends who used to ride with us that have moved on. Clyde and Marda who told us about "Cotton Eyed Joe's", Smokie and Ronda, the senior statesman Rip Collins, Curtis and Sherry, Jack and Tracy and my oldest friends Perry and Linda. Now there will be another loss but they will have to tell you about it (not my place).

      Oh well, next month will be another ride and another tale.

 

 RIDE-EAT-WRITE
 THE TRAVELING DINER

June Dinner Ride

Tonight we had our June dinner ride to Cotton Eyed Joe's in Noel. Ron, Lisa, Mitch, Janet, Madison, Doug, Larke and Jason left from the Walmart Home Office Parking lot and headed out Hwy 72 until we turned on Hwy 59 at Gravette. Rode through Sulphur Springs and when we arrived at Cotton Eyed Joe's we got an AWESOME surprise. Rick and Gloria were waiting for us as they had been our riding during the day. It was great to see them and catch up. We all talked about wasp and scorpion stings, having snakes get in the house and fishing as we enjoyed some very good ribs, catfish and other delicious things that Cotton Eyed Joe's cooks up. After some great fellowship and food we all headed back via Hwy 90 over the mountain and through the curves until all made it back home. Missed all the rest of the group who could not come tonight. Everyone have a great Father's Day and ride safe.

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.