Retired and Trippin

Before I comment on today I feel compelled to comment on our lodging last night. While it was very nice to have a motel so near the restaurant where we ate dinner, the 1876 Inn ( http://www.1876inn.com/ ) was not good. It was relatively inexpensive but even at that it was not worth what we paid. My bed had a big ole brown stain of suspicious origin on the bedspread. The bed had no blanket so if you needed more than a sheet you had to use the bedspread . . . NASTY! The fitted sheet, which would not stay on, had grease stains on it. The counter and sink were about thigh height. (It was a good height for Wild Bill but not for me.) There was mold around the sink faucet and on the shower tiles. The shower itself had good pressure but the nozzle was about tit high. (Again – good for Bill but not me.) The pillows were like rags. I would not recommend this motel for future stays. When we went outside in the morning it was quickly obvious that it was colder this morning th...

We left our motel around 9:00 am under cloudy skies with a temperature of 46. We hit a gas station in Mountain Home before leaving the town at approximately 9:15 am. We rode south on Hwy 5 through Calico Rock to Mountain View . At Mountain View we took Hwy 9 south through Rushing and Shirley to Clinton , AR. We wanted to stop at a DQ for a break but, since there was none, we stopped at a McDonalds. After snarfing down mocha lattes, cappuccinos, coffee, and/or ice cream we rode west on Hwy 16 through very small towns like Crabtree, Alread, Witt Springs, and Ben Hur. I believe it was near Witt Springs, where we had to make an acute angle left turn, that Carl decided to test the off-road capabilities of his Goldwing. He was able to maneuver it back on the road with the assistance of Marge, who was screeching in his ear and beating on his back. At Sand Gap we turned north on Hwy 7 and rode to the Who-Da-Thought-It store for gas. They had two pumps out front so it took awhile for ...

This was a couples ride south into Arkansas to see the fall foliage (hence the name). Four couples made the ride; Gary & Judy, Rod & Maureen, Bill & Shannon, and Carl & Marge. Bill and Charlie went as singles because their wives could not make it. They both knew it would not be as enjoyable without their trophy brides but they decided to go anyway. The plan was to meet at 1:00 pm at Gail’s Harley Davidson in Grandview , MO. Carl and Marge were late. I think it was Carl’s fault. We departed Gail’s at about 1:20 pm. We rode east on Hwy 150 to 291 south to 58 east to 131 south to 2 east to Windsor, MO, where we stopped for a break. Some folks decided to put on more clothes due to the chilly temperature. In Windsor we caught Hwy 52 east to Holden , MO where we got on Hwy 65 south. Just south of Warsaw , MO we crossed a river (or a narrow section of Lake of the Ozarks , I’m not sure which) and there was some very colorful foliage along the water. T...