Fall Foliage Ride 2013; #2

Day 1; Friday, November 1, 2013

A beautiful day for a ride!  A little cool but beautiful.  Ride Meister, Gary, planned this ride so we could enjoy the changing of the leaves in Missouri and Arkansas.  Chris and I made a similar trip over a week ago but the leaves should be near their peak color this weekend.

When Chris and I left home at 8:30 it was 50 degrees.  We rode to Gail’s Harley Davidson in Grandview, MO to meet with the other riders; Gary (ride leader), Larry, and Bill with his wife, Jamie.  All of us were riding Goldwings.  Rod and his wife, Maureen, riding their Harley were to hook up with us later.

We departed Gail’s shortly after 9:00.  Gary planned a route on back roads, avoiding interstates and four lane highways when possible.  We rode east and south through Pleasant Hill, Holden, and Chillhowee to Windsor, where highways 2 and 52 intersect.  Gary is famous among our group for turning right on 52 here when we really need to turn left to continue eastbound.  He did it again today . . . . . Day 1; Gary just turned the wrong way on Hwy 52 - AGAINbut he realized it right away.  Gary seldom makes mistakes so we like to point it out when he does.

We stopped at the Casey’s in Cole Camp for gas and a break.  From Cole Camp we rode south on B, a beautiful route.  Gary’s map showed that B went through, across the lake, to Hwy 7 . . . . . . but we found that it ended in Lakeview Heights.  We had to turn around on the appropriately named Roundabout Road.  Locals offered their input on Gary’s route alteration.Day 1; route check in Lakeview Heights, MOWe rode H (another pretty route) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Day 1; H westbound from Lakeview Heights, MOwest to Hwy 65 and south to Warsaw for lunch at a Subway.

Gary’s circuitous route took us by Climax Springs, through Macks Creek and Buffalo to Marshfield, where we stopped for a DQ.  It was a little cool for ice cream but what the heck.  We had ridden in and out of very light rain (sprinkles at best) for some time but while we sat in DQ it really rained for a few minutes.

Route A took us south out of Marshfield to 60 east to 5 south to Mountain Home, AR.  Our lodging for the night was the Executive Inn, where we arrived shortly before 6:00.  Our high temp for the day was 65 and we rode 383 miles.

Day 2; Saturday, November 2, 2013

At 8:00 we mounted the Wings and rode two blocks to Mel’s Diner for breakfast.  It was 45 under blue clear skies.  As we were finishing, Rod and Maureen arrived.  After they had breakfast we took off at 9:40 and the temp had climbed to 50.Day 2; breakfast in Mountain Home, AR

Our destination today was Eureka Springs, AR.  Our route was 201 south, 341 south, 14 east, 9 south, 16 west, 21 north, and 62 west.  It was beautiful riding through some of Arkansas’ finest motorcycling roads.

At one point on the route, on Hwy 16, Chris lost the rubber pad off her left floor board.  We were riding last in the group so I radioed ahead letting the others know we were turning around to look for a part.  We found it in the road less than a mile back.  I was able to snap it back in place.  When we started back westbound we came upon Gary and Larry stopped at a scenic overlook.  It was a beautiful view.view along Hwy 16We caught up with the rest of our group a short distance farther west.

There’s not much to Pelsor, AR at the junction of Hwys 16, 7, and 123.  There is Sand Gap, however, where we took a break and had a little lunch at about 2:00.Day 2; lunch @ Sand Gap; Pelsor, AR

We took a break later at the Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area located along Hwy 21.  Jamie loaded up Bill’s trailer with rocks and we took a few pictures.Day 2; our crew at a stop - the Upper Buffalo Wilderness along Hwy 21

There was a craft fair going on in Eureka Springs so our preferred lodging was filled up when we arrived.  We ended up in the Traveler’s Inn.  We had dinner at the nearby Café Amore . . . . . LARRAPIN good Italian food.

Our high temp today was 57 but it was mostly sunny and GREAT riding.  We enjoyed some fantastic scenery over the 260 miles of motorcycling.

Day 3; Sunday, November 3, 2013

At 7:45 we met for a buffet breakfast at a pancake/waffle house across the street.  At 8:30 we left Eureka Springs westbound on 62.  It was a balmy 48 degrees.  We stopped at Inspiration Point, where the fog in the valley made for a good photo opportunity.Day 3; stop along Hwy 62; fog in the low land

We rode north on 37 to Golden City for gas, through Lamar to 71 north and 2 west to Louisburg, KS for a buffet lunch at the Timbercreek Grill.  Two buffets in one day . . . . I need to go on a diet.Day 3; lunch at Timbercreek; Louisburg, KShttp://www.timbercreeklouisburg.com/

The skies were clouding up by the time we arrived home shortly after 3:00.  We rode 269 miles today and our high temperature was 61.

THANKS to Gary, who orchestrated another great ride.

THE  END

For more pictures from this trip click on the following link: https://plus.google.com/photos/104542123131082631220/albums/5942216800076824785?authkey=CMn1zOq8_8-SggE

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