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Onkel Neal · 04-23-12, 09:53 PM

Moto-Dude checking in!

Day 1
The journey begins!

Well, it begins right after I take my daughter to school. But first she has to go by her mother's house to get some book or something. So, I take her to get breakfast, a book, and then to school. And then return home to load the bike. The plan is to exploit America's chain of cheapo independent motels so I don't need the camping gear this time (which saves packing time and gives me more space on the bike.)

So, bike is loaded, gear secure, chain lubed, iPod charged, maps ready--and I'm off! Before you know it, I remember three things I forgot to pack. Things like the balaclava and heated vest, in case it gets really cold up in the Dakotas. Oh well, the regret of freezing cold a thousand miles away can't overpower the reluctance to turn back after three blocks, can it now?

Right. Off we go, me and my trusty Suzuki V-Strom 650. For those unfamiliar with the Strom, it's Suzuki's version of an adventure bike; affordable, stone reliable, and great fun to ride. And really yellow. Her name is Wendy (postcard to the first reader to correctly guess why). I've had this bike since new in 2008 and it has 42,000 miles on it. I really cannot say enough about this bike, it's great fun to ride and gets 50~53 mpg.

As outlined in the preamble post, this journey is very unscripted. The main goal is to ride through the US to the Badlands in South Dakota, pivot there and return through the western US. I aim to get some good riding in northern Arkansas; they have some great roads and wonderful scenic drives. I would also like to pass through Cross Plains, Texas on the return home to pay homage to Robert E. Howard.

I've scheduled only one social stop on this trip, that's a quick hello in Livingston with an old high school friend. We haven't seen each other since the 10 year reunion, and that was quite a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Livingston is only an hour and a half away, so after I parse the Houston traffic, I meet up with Suzi at the Fain Theater, which is one of the oldest movie houses in Texas. Suzi and her husband run it and right now they are undergoing a massive restoration. Suzi greets me with a cheer of "Moto-Dude!" and gives me a tour of the theater and answers a bunch of geeky questions I've always had about how a projector works. Thankfully, Suzi knows her cinema tech.

Afterwards we go to El Burrito for some Tex Mex (another facet of my motorcycle trips--dining; let the gorging begin). We reminisce old times, friends, and get each other up to date on our lives. Suzi is not a Livingston devotee, shall we say. She tells me some of the area's shortcomings. She says there are backwoods areas where the sheriff deputies never venture. I listen breathlessly as she describes endless miles of deep woods roads where you see hillbillies sitting in their underwear in front of abandoned shells of trailer homes, in tattered lawn chairs, surrounded by numerous plastic water containers to beat the heat, with a dog chained to every tree. I nearly chuck the whole South Dakota trip right there, to go explore these Deliverance outposts!

After the waitress brings the check, we part and the journey north continues. East Texas is pine trees and gently rolling hills. There is a VFW hall in Corrigan with an M42 Duster armored vehicle. My route takes me up through Marshall, the setting for the move We Are Marshall.

Around 2:30 I began to get really sleepy. Lunch wasn't part of my original plan, and I began flirting with the idea of pulling off onto a county road and taking a nap in a field.

I crossed into Arkansas at Texarkana. I picked up a map at the Welcome Center. The lady behind the desk suggests a route through Hope and then North through Nashville (Arkansas, not Tennessee). She says it's very scenic and she was right. This part of Arkansas is very pretty, almost as pretty as Texas. Or maybe more. And very fragrant, the air is fresh and naturally scented. I rode through Arkansas on my return from Chicago a couple years ago and they have some of the best roads and scenic routes I've seen.

Arkansas is famous for Johnny Cash, former President Bill Clinton, the only natural diamond mine in the US, Wal-Mart, and General Douglas MacArthur. But what Arkansas is really known for is being the place where early Texas settlers paused before venturing on to the eventual Lone Star state. "Ma, I think we can do better, let's keep going."

Speaking of Bill, I took a turn in Hope to visit the first home of former President Bill Clinton. I admire him for his rise from middle class roots. I voted for him in his first election, thinking that George Bush had broken his "Read my lips, no new taxes" pledge from his first '88 campaign. Sadly, Clinton would teach me the difference between a politician breaking a campaign promise and a politician lying under oath. His house was closed, I got there about 15 minutes too late.

Along the way to Nashville, I came across this charming little village, Washington State Park. The town is "a lovely, peaceful tree-shaded town in and one of the most amazing historic places in Arkansas that you'll want to experience. Here you will time travel back to the 19th century as you stroll the plank board sidewalks alongside streets that have never been paved, and tour the historic public buildings and former residences. Established on George Washington's birthday in 1824, the town of Washington today is one of America's premier historic villages." It really was cool, but as luck would have it, everything closed at 5pm, and I rolled in at 5:45.

I want to get an early start Tues, so maybe some things will still be open when I get there, so I decided to end the first day in the small town of Murfreesboro. I found a small motel advertising $49, and after some sweet talk, the front desk girl lowered it to an even $50 with tax. Winning!

Had dinner at the Rattler's Den. The service was good, cheerful and friendly, but the food was pretty bland, and the pie - blech!

Map link
Close calls: saw a 2x4 in the highway, but in plenty of time
Song of the Day: Long Time -- Boston
Philosophical thought: Take care when being chivalrous around Russian women
Dining: El Burrito: fajita nachos, B-
Rattler's Den: CFS, Coconut cream pie F.

04-23-12, 09:53 PM	#31
Onkel Neal Born to Run Silent Join Date: Jan 1997 Location: Cougar Trap, Texas Posts: 21,385 Downloads: 541 Uploads: 224	Moto-Dude checking in! Day 1 The journey begins! Well, it begins right after I take my daughter to school. But first she has to go by her mother's house to get some book or something. So, I take her to get breakfast, a book, and then to school. And then return home to load the bike. The plan is to exploit America's chain of cheapo independent motels so I don't need the camping gear this time (which saves packing time and gives me more space on the bike.) So, bike is loaded, gear secure, chain lubed, iPod charged, maps ready--and I'm off! Before you know it, I remember three things I forgot to pack. Things like the balaclava and heated vest, in case it gets really cold up in the Dakotas. Oh well, the regret of freezing cold a thousand miles away can't overpower the reluctance to turn back after three blocks, can it now? Right. Off we go, me and my trusty Suzuki V-Strom 650. For those unfamiliar with the Strom, it's Suzuki's version of an adventure bike; affordable, stone reliable, and great fun to ride. And really yellow. Her name is Wendy (postcard to the first reader to correctly guess why). I've had this bike since new in 2008 and it has 42,000 miles on it. I really cannot say enough about this bike, it's great fun to ride and gets 50~53 mpg. As outlined in the preamble post, this journey is very unscripted. The main goal is to ride through the US to the Badlands in South Dakota, pivot there and return through the western US. I aim to get some good riding in northern Arkansas; they have some great roads and wonderful scenic drives. I would also like to pass through Cross Plains, Texas on the return home to pay homage to Robert E. Howard. I've scheduled only one social stop on this trip, that's a quick hello in Livingston with an old high school friend. We haven't seen each other since the 10 year reunion, and that was quite a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Livingston is only an hour and a half away, so after I parse the Houston traffic, I meet up with Suzi at the Fain Theater, which is one of the oldest movie houses in Texas. Suzi and her husband run it and right now they are undergoing a massive restoration. Suzi greets me with a cheer of "Moto-Dude!" and gives me a tour of the theater and answers a bunch of geeky questions I've always had about how a projector works. Thankfully, Suzi knows her cinema tech. Afterwards we go to El Burrito for some Tex Mex (another facet of my motorcycle trips--dining; let the gorging begin). We reminisce old times, friends, and get each other up to date on our lives. Suzi is not a Livingston devotee, shall we say. She tells me some of the area's shortcomings. She says there are backwoods areas where the sheriff deputies never venture. I listen breathlessly as she describes endless miles of deep woods roads where you see hillbillies sitting in their underwear in front of abandoned shells of trailer homes, in tattered lawn chairs, surrounded by numerous plastic water containers to beat the heat, with a dog chained to every tree. I nearly chuck the whole South Dakota trip right there, to go explore these Deliverance outposts! After the waitress brings the check, we part and the journey north continues. East Texas is pine trees and gently rolling hills. There is a VFW hall in Corrigan with an M42 Duster armored vehicle. My route takes me up through Marshall, the setting for the move We Are Marshall. Around 2:30 I began to get really sleepy. Lunch wasn't part of my original plan, and I began flirting with the idea of pulling off onto a county road and taking a nap in a field. I crossed into Arkansas at Texarkana. I picked up a map at the Welcome Center. The lady behind the desk suggests a route through Hope and then North through Nashville (Arkansas, not Tennessee). She says it's very scenic and she was right. This part of Arkansas is very pretty, almost as pretty as Texas. Or maybe more. And very fragrant, the air is fresh and naturally scented. I rode through Arkansas on my return from Chicago a couple years ago and they have some of the best roads and scenic routes I've seen. Arkansas is famous for Johnny Cash, former President Bill Clinton, the only natural diamond mine in the US, Wal-Mart, and General Douglas MacArthur. But what Arkansas is really known for is being the place where early Texas settlers paused before venturing on to the eventual Lone Star state. "Ma, I think we can do better, let's keep going." Speaking of Bill, I took a turn in Hope to visit the first home of former President Bill Clinton. I admire him for his rise from middle class roots. I voted for him in his first election, thinking that George Bush had broken his "Read my lips, no new taxes" pledge from his first '88 campaign. Sadly, Clinton would teach me the difference between a politician breaking a campaign promise and a politician lying under oath. His house was closed, I got there about 15 minutes too late. Along the way to Nashville, I came across this charming little village, Washington State Park. The town is "a lovely, peaceful tree-shaded town in and one of the most amazing historic places in Arkansas that you'll want to experience. Here you will time travel back to the 19th century as you stroll the plank board sidewalks alongside streets that have never been paved, and tour the historic public buildings and former residences. Established on George Washington's birthday in 1824, the town of Washington today is one of America's premier historic villages." It really was cool, but as luck would have it, everything closed at 5pm, and I rolled in at 5:45. I want to get an early start Tues, so maybe some things will still be open when I get there, so I decided to end the first day in the small town of Murfreesboro. I found a small motel advertising $49, and after some sweet talk, the front desk girl lowered it to an even $50 with tax. Winning! Had dinner at the Rattler's Den. The service was good, cheerful and friendly, but the food was pretty bland, and the pie - blech! Map link Close calls: saw a 2x4 in the highway, but in plenty of time Song of the Day: Long Time -- Boston Philosophical thought: Take care when being chivalrous around Russian women Dining: El Burrito: fajita nachos, B- Rattler's Den: CFS, Coconut cream pie F. Last edited by Onkel Neal; 04-23-12 at 10:28 PM.