Retired and Trippin

Friday; October 25, 2013 It was brrr cold when we woke up this morning – 33 degrees.  After a very good complimentary breakfast at the Comfort Inn we departed at 10:30 and it was 46.  We rode west through Gateway and Pea Ridge to Bella Vista, AR before turning north.  After a stop south of Joplin for gas we rode north and west through Webb City on 171 to Hwy 69 and north to Ft. Scott, KS for lunch at the Nu Grille Restaurant.  http://kansastravel.org/nugrille.htm The late lunch was LARRAPIN good. From Ft. Scott we rode on home arriving around 4:00.  We rode 253 miles today under blue clear skies and our high temperature was 59. THE END

Thursday; October 24, 2013 When we woke up this morning it was in the low 40’s, but we hung out in the room and watched the sun rise from our balcony. We left the Lodge on Mount Magazine at 9:45.  It was 52 degrees and sunny.  Highway 309 southbound took us down off the mountain to Hwy 10, which we followed westbound to Booneville, where we caught Hwy 23 northbound.  After stopping for gas in Ozark we continued northbound on 23 to Eureka Springs.  A 19 mile section of Hwy 23 is the Pig Trail ( http://www.arkansas.com/places-to-go/scenic-byways/pig-trail/ ), a twisty hilly ride through tunnels of trees.  Most of Hwy 23 is pretty riding but the Pig Trail is especially nice. Along parts of Hwy 23 we saw brilliant red colors but every time we did I was busy guiding the beast through the turns and I did not have my camera out so I have no photos of those colors. When we left Ozark it was 62 degrees.  Shortly after starting into the Pig Trail it was 52....

Wednesday; October 23, 2013 We left Clarksville, AR northbound on Hwy 109 at 10:30.  It was 55 degrees under blue clear skies.  BEE U TEE FULL!  From Hwy 109 we turned west on Hwy 197 that took us into Subiaco.  Along the way we passed a farm house that had some unique hay-bale art in the yard. In Subiaco, AR we rode north on Subiaco Road.  It meandered north and west to Hwy 309 that took us to Magazine Mountain, the highest place in Arkansas. http://www.mountmagazinestatepark.com/ Our first stop at Magazine Mountain was the visitor center where we scored pamphlets on hiking trails and a map.  Our next stop was the Benefield picnic area were we enjoyed a picnic lunch.  In the 1880’s Benjamin Benefield  and his wife, Lou, homesteaded 160 acres here.  One of their seven children died and is buried by the entrance road to the picnic area. There are three hiking trails accessible from the Benefield picnic area.  We walked the east lo...

Tuesday; October 22, 2013 BRRRRR . . . . it was a nippy 34 degrees when we woke up at 7:00 this morning in Salem, MO.  So we waited to depart at 9:55 when it was a balmy 48. We rode south through Eminence and Winona to Thayer, MO, where we stopped for gas and a butt break.  Speaking about butts . . . . . this heated seat is nice.  When my butt is warm most of my body is warm.  It was mostly cloudy when we started but by the time we reached Thayer the sun was shining bright.   With a full tank of petrol we took off south to Mammoth Springs, AR and then west through Salem to Mountain Home, where we stopped for lunch at the El Chico Café.  It was good chow.  While there, I noticed that the ball of my trailer hitch was loose. It’s a good thing I noticed.  Otherwise I could have lost my new trailer somewhere down the road. With a tight ball (????) we rode west through Yellville to Hwy 65, then to Hwy 206 and south through Pruitt and Jasper to t...

Monday; October 21, 2013 When we woke up this morning it was 43 degrees in Salem, MO.  We were not in a hurry, however, so we showered and  had a good breakfast (the cinnamon rolls are LARRAPIN good) before taking off at 9:20 am.  By then it was cloudy and 50.  Our cold weather gear, heated grips and heated seat had us nice and toasty as we rode east towards Elephant Rocks State Park. The fall foliage along Highways 72 and 32 was very pretty in places.  It probably would have been more dramatic had the sun been shining. We arrived at Elephant Rocks State Park at about 10:30.  We’ve been to this park numerous times but we still enjoy it.  There is a very nice paved hiking path plus access to the large rocks where you can climb and explore to your heart’s content.  Years ago folks used to quarry granite here, evidenced by the drilling marks found on many rocks in the park.  Some day we’d like to bring our grandkids.  http://www.mostate...

Sunday; October 20, 2013 Chris and I hit the road after church, headed to southeast Missouri and northern Arkansas in hopes of seeing some pretty  fall foliage.  We knew it might be a little early but it was a good excuse for a motorcycle trip.  It was a crisp (59 degrees), clear autumn morning when we took off at 10:30. We rode east through Warrensburg, MO to Sedalia, where we had lunch at an Applebee’s. Continuing on, we rode east through Jefferson City and south through Westphalia, Vienna and St. James to Maramec Spring Park.  The ride from St. James to the park was beautiful and we really enjoyed walking around the park.  We’ve been here numerous times but still enjoy the spring and the surrounding park.  Years ago the locals used the non-stop flowing water to run a grist mill and an iron works. We left the park shortly after 5:00 and rode 25 miles south to Salem, where we holed-up in the Holiday Inn Express.  It was a wonderful day of riding...