[St] Ozark tip, Day 2, Long

[Jack Hays <rude@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Saturday, May 17.
      What a spectacular morning, and it lasted all day!
The morning started off about sixty degrees and never got out of the high
seventies with crisp blue skies.
      Steve âDonutâ Duncan was leaving the Dallas area this morning in hope
of catching up with us at some point on the ride.
      We had gave him our route and suggested he ride it in reverse and we
would meet at some point.
      We had gassed the bikes earlier except for Walkerâs Foggy and we
found the gas station on the route north closed so we hopped Foggy Dawg
could make Turner Bend about twenty miles up the Pig Trail.
      Bird Dawg led us out followed by Foggy Dawg and then myself riding
tail gunner.
      As we cleared town the traffic was light but we caught three cars and
trucks right as we got to the Pig Trail that were quickly dispatched before
the good stuff.
      The Pig Trail, aka Highway 23, is a great ride with no high speed
turns, tons of medium turns, a few 10 MPH turns thrown in, heavily covered
with a dark green foliage canopy throughout.
      The tail gunner position was great as Bird Dawg set a nice pace and I
could watch the lime green Guzzi and red-white-green Foggy lean into and
out of the turns while popping in and out of sight on the many sharp rises.
      Great stuff in stereo with fantastic sounds from the three machines
and frosted by some of the best weather we have seen.
      We twisted and turned letting the bikes pull down with their
compression into the turns, bent them over, neutral throttle, and then
rolled on the power near the apex to come out while straightening up the
bike or pulling them from one lean angle to another on the close
switchbacks.
      I could do this all day and have often wished it were closer to home
but then again we saw some great roads getting here. Now if they could just
do something about that ninety mile stretch of Highway getting to
Stringtown!
      On most trips up and down the Pig Trail we run up behind and pass
lots of bikes but today we only encountered less than a dozen as we make
our way north.
      Approximately twelve miles into the Pig Trail we pull into the Turner
Bend store, gas stop, camping, and canoe rental on the banks of the
Mulberry River.
      Foggy get fueled as we wonder among several sport riders and bikes
who happen to be from Texas and members of the Texas Sport Riders
Association
      While talking to them we are told that they saw us at the Queen
Wilhelmina Lodge as they were having lunch and we then get to ask some
question about the Buell among other things.
      One of the shots I took here of the front ends of the various bikes
looks like a swarm of angry hornets with the pointed noses and angled
headlights in various colors.
      Throughout this trip we will run across this group another six or
seven times.
      The other riders pull out and head north and we finish our shopping
by picking up some new âPig Trailâ decals that have now. I guess they got
to match the Deals Gap sales plan.
      Once more Bird Dawg leads us out, Foggy Dawg, and then myself aboard
Merlin.
      This is the best section of the Pig Trail as far as Iâm concerned and
it just ROCKS!
      What a great way to relax while pumping up the heart with all the
sensations.
      We climb and fall as we bend the bikes back and forth through the top
part of the Pig Trail through Aurora and then turn right on Highway 74
toward Kingston.
      Highway 74 is another great road that twists through farm country
with little traffic and great country views as you blast from one curve to
another.
      About three miles outside of Kingston there is a road side park we
usually stop at and take a break but today we pull over and when Bird Dawg
ask if I want to stop I just say âLetâs go on and keep ridingâ.
      The day is just too good and with no traffic I just donât want to
stop.
      We top some nice rises and dips and pull onto the Kingston square and
park beside the small square gazebo.
      There is a local flower sale going on and we briefly talk with the
ladies selling the flowers, see three of the Texas riders, mount up and
head off east on 74.
      We are usually riding 74 east of Kingston early in the morning after
spending the night at the Kingston bed and breakfast as the morning breaks.
      It is a great warm up with nice views on both sides as it winds its
way out of Kingston staying on top of the ridge for several miles.
      Today is as good as morning and I really enjoy the ride and
isolation.
      Soon we reach the point where 74 starts falling into the Lost Valley
and we descend into the valley with tight turns that require some braking,
then just compression braking, lean, and go type stuff.
      Man itâs awful having to ride roads like this and Iâm grinning ear to
ear just trying to get over it.
      Down at the valley base we turn and stay on Highway 74 north to
Boxley and the old cabin across from the Buffalo River.
      We turn back right on Highway 74, cross the Buffalo, and see several
canoes below ready to take that float trip or shoot the Arkansas rapids.
      Now we are climbing like tree snakes as this section of 74 is tight
and steep and a blast to get into the flow on as we climb up Mount Sherman.
      No brakes required here as the elevation changes make the bike stop
in a hurry when off throttle.
      We twist our way up hill for several miles until we get to Highway
327 outside of Jasper.
      We turn south on 327 and ride a nice quite twisting road to the
Parthenon General Store and stop at the small isolated store for a few
minutes.
      I take a few more shots here including the great Arkansas road
direction signs.
      The road turns to gravel around the next left hander and I take a
shot of the turn from the store with a bright yellow left turn arrow on the
left side of the road.
      The issue is that on the right side of the road there is another
bright yellow sign with a black arrow pointing right.
      So here is this turn to the left with two signs. One shows left, one
shows right.
      BTW, if you turn right you pull into a drive way!
      We load back up and re-trace 327 back to 74, turn right on Highway 7
and enter Jasper where we find the first station only has regular gas.
      Once more we see some of the Texas riders and they tell us the Conoco
leaving town has premium so we saddle back up and hit the Conoco.
      Once gassed up we travel south on Highway 7 until we get to the Cliff
House Inn and restaurant about ten minute away.
      We pull into the parking lot and I notice that for a Saturday at
12:30 it sure has open parking spaces.
      We walk in and Bird Dawg is telling the owner that we need a table
for four when Mike looks up and shouts âRude Dogâ and we greet each other.
      Mike seats us next to the windows and we look out over the Grand
Canyon of the Ozarks as we enjoy our dinner. I can recommend the pork
cutlet sandwich which was very tasty washed down with good sweet iced tea.
      Afterward we relax on the patio and soak in some of the scenery.
      I leave and get the camera and take several shots of the valley and
several of the flowers in full bloom.
      Mike and I have several talks while we were there and when I asked
him how business was he replied that it is about half of normal because no
oneâs driving.
      The price of gas is hitting a lot of folks hard indirectly and will
eventually hurt our economy more than most realize.
      I think that is why there has been so little traffic on the Talimena,
Mount Magazine, and the Pig Trail.
      We are ready to go and head back north on Highway 7 until we get to
Highway 374 and turn right and down into the valley to Vendor.
      What can I say except one more nice twisty, elevation changing road?
      At Vendor we take Highway 123 south for a great rollicking treat.
      Man would I love to see some open road races on this thing as it too
ROCKS!
      After a very great ride we turn back on Highway 7 to Highway 16 which
is another favorite and ride through another dang twisting treat of a road
through Deer and Swain until we get to Highway 21 and then head east.
      We took a short break at a pull out to rest and as Bird Dawg said
âGive Duncan time to meet usâ.
      It was close to here that I got another good shot of an Esso gas pump
sitting by itself in a field.
      It was somewhere on Highway 16 between the two towns that I rounded a
fast sweeper to see a silver ST coming at me with the riders hands straight
up in the air.
      Donut!
      We meet each other out here as we figured we would, pulled over,
shook hands, and talked little as we saddled back up and rode on.
      The road speaks volumes and we all know it. We can talk later.
      Highway 21 is great and then we turn right on Highway 16 at
Fallsville and rock and roll on it for several miles to the Pig Trail.
      Donut is leading followed by Fogy, Bird Dawg, and I as we race across
16 with creeks to our left and deep foliage and a hill on our right.
      At the turn off onto the Pig Trail Donut and Foggy go straight.
      Bird Dawg and I stop a wit a little but figure they wanted to go
somewhere else so we head south on the Pig Trail and have another great
ride twisting through the top part of the trail and then the bottom part I
lead until we get to I40 at Ozark where I pull over.
      Bird Dawg pulls up and ask if I were going into the store to buy beer
but I reply âLetâs do it againâ.
      He ask what and I repeat and we take back off up the Pig Trail
enjoying every minute of it and stop at Turner Bend for a drink and to
watch others riders going by and/or stopping.
      The weather is great and we share a bag of mixed nuts on the front
porch watching the light traffic for this time of day.
      After about fifteen minutes we head back south on the Pig Trail and
pull into the parking lot of the Oxford Inn for the night.
      Soon Donut and Foggy pull up and they had missed the turn but itâs
OK.
      We clean up and then I hear those dreaded words from the boys âhey
Jack, your rear tire looks flatâ.
      It was and after Donut brings over his stripped air pump we find a
small puncture in the middle of the tire with a slow leak.
      I figure I must have picked it up within the last five miles as
Merlin handled great on the Pig Trail.
      We decide to fix it later and the owners pull out the Cadillac and
take us to the Riverside BBQ and leave us for pick up later.
      The food was great and in abundance and we all left with full
bellies.
      We were picked up quickly after we called and went into the room to
relax.
      Then Bird Dawg offered to go to Wally World and buy a bottle of
sealant to see if that fixed the leak.
      He rode to Wal-Mart and returned with a bottle of Slime to try and
repair my rear tire leak.
      He was saying he almost bought the kit that had a small compressor in
it as the kit was only ten dollars more than the bottle of Slime.
      We talked and he rode back to Wal-Mart and exchanged the bottle of
Slime for the Slime Smart Spair kit.
      Now that a ridding buddy!
      We decided to wait until morning to attempt the repair as we could
get on the road and distribute the Slime inside the tire carcass.
      We had picked up some beer and settled into our room to watch the
great classic movie âthe people that time forgotâ.
      I started making wise cracks and everybody else joined in and I
remarked that this reminded me of Mystery Science Theatre 2000 with the
robot shadows making wise cracks to bad sci-fi or horror movies.
      Great fun but then it was time for bad.
      Tomorrow is a day of great anticipation and I hope that Slime works.




Jack "Rude Dog" Hays
972-952-5065
"I'll see you on the dark side of the Moon"
4 - 8 - 15 - 16 - 23 - 42
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