[St] Ozarks, Day 3 END

[Jack Hays <rude@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sunday, May 19.
      What a spectacular morning this is with about seventy degrees outside
and cloudlessâ deep blue skies.
      I told Bird Dawg I wanted to stay the extra day we had talked about,
riding the Pig Trail again, and adding in another hundred and fifty miles
or so.
      I regretted that decision but I didnât want to take a chance in case
the Slime failed and then being further from home.
      Iâve had two great days of riding anyway and there will be more to
come and  I told Bird Dawg, Foggy, and Donut my plan.
      Donut was heading home anyway so we decided to ride together and
Foggy was going with Bird Dawg until some point and then heading back to
Tulsa as he had his train engineerâs simulator test the next morning.
      I used the kit, removed the valve stem, pumped the bottle of Slim
inside, rotated until the puncture was down, and started the air pump.
      Soon it was up to forty pounds, I disconnected the pump, and placed
the bike in gear to spin the rear wheel and even out the Slime.
      It appeared to work and I almost changed my mind about heading home
but let the safest route rule my thoughts.
      I geared up then Donut and I rode to the station to distribute the
Slime further, get fuel, and check the pressure before heading out at
higher speeds.
      All looked well and we headed south out of Ozark, crossed the bridge
across the Arkansas River, and wicked the speed up down Highway 23.
      Merlin sure wanted to take the left at Highway 309 and cross Mount
Magazine but again there will be another time.
      Heading south I really expected more traffic as it is open and
usually has a lot of cages crusing up and down between towns.
      But today must be another lucky day for us as traffic is almost
nonexistent.
      In just over an hour we hit Y City and I have to check my map to make
sure there are not two Y Cities in Arkansas.
      There is just one and we have made really good time over an almost
empty road with great farm scenery and slow sweepers surrounded my
mountains all the way.
      Once we entered Mena we stopped for fuel and another pressure check
and all still looked well.
      We then started the climb up the Talimena Parkway and again found
almost zero traffic.
      The skies were blue and the road twisted and turned as we climbed and
fell across the parkwayâs peaks.
      The triple was just singing and then howling as we let the motors
pull us down for the turns and then accelerated out and down the short
straights.
      I could honestly ride this road back and worth all day as it is
totally different from each direction and it never gets boring.
      The quick glimpses off the sides gave great views of the valleys and
we made great time.
      We stopped at one overlook and re-checked the pressure but the bike
felt great and the gauge proved it was well.
      There was however an ever so slight bubble at the puncture. Whether
from a leak or the heat compressing the rubber I still donât know.
      I do know that it is getting me home and my tire buddy will hate me
when we dismount it for the permanent inside patch and clean up. Sorry
Mike.
      We passed two bikes up to this point on the parkway and when I looked
at my watch it was about 12:45 and a perfect Sunday.
      Where are all the bikes that are usually passing stones for us!
      One bike pulled up to the overlook and we were soon off for more
great riding.
      Again, we twisted across the parkway and all too soon found ourselves
at the base and turned toward Talihina.
      At Talihina we went south on Highway 271 and rode another open road
with slow sweepers to Antlers, Oklahoma.
      We kept on Highway 271 south until we hit Highway 70 and turned west.
      Highway 70 was BORING! End of story.
      We made good time but it is straight and I will avoid it in the
future.
      It looks like some smaller roads could be thrown in to break up the
boring stuff but not today.
      When we got to Durant, Oklahoma Donut kept straight on Highway 70 as
I headed south on Highway 75/69 toward Texas as I and decided to stop by my
momâs house in Celina.
      At least it was only twenty miles to Texas and as I crossed the Red
River I gave her my normal proud salute and pulled into a station in
Sherman for gas and to check the rear tire.
      The temperature was in the upper eighties now just to let me know
that I was back in Texas.
      I headed south on 75 and then went west on 59 to Preston Road where I
turned back south to ride through my old stomping grounds of Gunter with a
stop in Celina to see my mom.
      As luck would have it my mom was neither at home nor my brother when
I went by his house.
      I headed south and hit the Tollway through Frisco to Highway 121 and
home.
      As I was going down the Tollway through the middle of Frisco a parade
of cars with their lights on lead by a dark blue Ford expedition with black
wheels and tires, followed by a purple bus, and more cars entered beside me
and wanted two of the three lanes.
      I rolled Merlin up and heaved hard left to avoid them and sailed by.
      Once at Highway 121 I went west about four miles and entered The
Colony and was back home.
      Only about 1,050 miles for this trip but it was fun and safe.
      I later found out that the LA Galaxy and Beckam was playing FC Dallas
at the Frisco soccer stadium and that was them leaving in park.
      I think the price of gas is hitting a lot of people and businesses we
donât even think about.
      Mike at the Cliff House said business was about half of normal
because people are not driving.
      The Talimena on the way up was almost clear except for the Gold Wing
train and only had three other bikes on the way home. On a Sunday!
      The restaurants, vacation spots, and motels are feeling it.
      I hope it changes but I seriously doubt it.
      Thanks for sharing the road Bird Dawg, Foggy, and Donut.
      Thanks for doing your thing Merlin.
      Thanks for the nail. Honestly, as it put everything into perspective.
      And thanks for reading along fellow riders.
      See you on the road soon I hope. Ride safe.




Jack "Rude Dog" Hays
972-952-5065
"I'll see you on the dark side of the Moon"
4 - 8 - 15 - 16 - 23 - 42
_______________________________________________
Triumph Sprint ST/RS mailing list
Send list posts to ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Change your list options at www.Triumphnet.com