Spring “Chicken” Ride; 2014

The first full weekend in May – that means it is time for the annual Spring Chicken Ride. The rubber chicken goes to anybody who screws up during the trip.

Day 1; May 2, 2014

Carl, Larry, Mel, Bruce and I met in Shawnee for the ride to Gail’s Harley Davidson in Grandview, MO to meet up with the other riders. It was a little chilly (48) when we met at 6:30 am but it was shaping up to be a very nice day. At Gail’s there were nine more riders for a total of 14. We took off south on 71 Hwy at about 7:15. Chuck started with the chicken because he was the one who had it when we concluded the 2013 Chicken Ride.

A short distance down the road, in Archie, MO, we had breakfast at B.J.’s Rise and Shine Restaurant.  Further south on 71 Hwy we stopped outside Lamar, MO where Doug joined the ride. Now there were 15.

Where 71 Hwy intersects with I-44 east of Joplin we continued south on Hwy 59, which took us through Neosho to Noel, Missouri. Hwy 59 around Noel is a fun ride along the Elk River and beside overhanging rock, also giving us our first taste of twisties.

At Hwy 62 we shot west into Oklahoma and south on another Hwy 59. After lunch at Sonic in Westville, OK we continued south to Hwy 271 and Hwy 1 east, which is the Talimena Scenic Byway (http://www.talimenascenicdrive.com/). This is a beautiful ride over, through and on the Ouachita Mountains into Arkansas and terminating at Mena, AR. The weather today was perfect for this ride and the scenery was fantastic.

When we stopped at a scenic pull-out Eric dropped his Goldwing. So we had our first chicken transfer ceremony, from Chuck to Eric. The Goldwing was not damaged and Eric was not hurt.

We called it a day in Mena and holed up at the Sun Country Inn.  Today we rode 418 miles and our high temperature was in the 70’s. Later in the evening we walked across the street and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

Day 2; May 3, 2014

Before departing Mena we attempted to eat breakfast at a downtown café. It was small and packed so there was no way 15 of us would be able to sit down for breakfast. We ended up at a restaurant attached to the Limetree Inn and enjoyed a buffet breakfast. I always eat too much on these rides.

When we left Mena at about 8:40 it was 60 degrees with blue clear skies. We rode east to Hot Springs, AR and did a quick ride-through of the National Park down bathhouse row.

From Hot Springs we rode north and east through Owensville, Paron and Perryville to Morrilton, AR. In Morrilton we ate lunch at the Blue Diamond Café. After lunch Joe and Eric took off for Wichita, KS, where they were to take an advanced rider course the following day. So our group now numbered 13. Eric was the official holder of the chicken so Gary took custody of it in case someone else “earned” it during the remainder of the ride.

When Ed tried to start his HD after lunch . . . . .  it wouldn’t. Gary determined it was getting no spark and there was no way to determine where the problem was without sophisticated diagnostic equipment. Arrangements were made for Ed’s HD to be towed to a dealership in Conway and Ed and Chuck went with the bike. So our group shrunk to 11. At this point the chicken was officially Ed’s due to the HD issue and holding up progress of the ride. A chicken transfer ceremony was not held and Ed never possessed the chicken. Gary held it for Ed, in case someone else earned it later . . . . and they would.

We rode Hwy 9 north to 65 north to 16 west. Hwy 16 was very scenic with bountiful twisties, a motorcyclist’s dream road.This section of the route, however, gave the chicken a workout. At one point Doug missed a turn. Shortly after that James rode off the edge of the road (no crash). So when we stopped at Pelsor, AR we had two chicken transfer ceremonies. The first was from Ed (represented by Gary) to Doug.The second was from Doug to James.

Then we were off northbound on Hwy 7 to Harrison, AR. Our lodging for the night was a nice Holiday Inn Express that had biker room rates (bueno). We walked to a nearby Western Sizzlin for dinner – another buffet.

It was a great day of riding, 306 miles aggressively attacking the twists and turns of the Arkansas byways. The weather was fantastic; blue clear skies with high temps in the 80’s. We found out that Ed’s HD had a bad sensor of some sort (I don’t remember the specifics) and they did not have the part in stock. They would not be able to get the part until Tuesday so Chuck was riding Ed home on the back of his Kawasaki. Ed would return later to retrieve his HD.

That evening, while socializing in front of the Holiday Inn Express, Mark was monkeying with his helmet and he dropped it. So the chicken was transferred from James to Mark. James was very happy. 

Day 3; May 4, 2014

After a fine Holiday Inn Express breakfast (their cinnamon rolls are very good) we took off for home on Hwy 65 north. It was 8:15 and a sunny 75 degrees.

At Springfield, Doug peeled off to take another route back to Lamar so then there were 10 of us. At Urbana we stopped for gas and a butt break. From there we rode north on 65 to NN west to 54 west to Collins, where we stopped for lunch at Smith’s Restaurant. Most of us had their pork tenderloin sandwiches. Some had their home made pie and cobblers. It was a LARRAPIN good lunch.

After lunch we continued west on 54 to Hwy 71 north. At Hwy 2 James took off east to head towards his home. The remaining 9 of us went west on 2 to Freeman, MO where we stopped for gas. Then it was home for all of us. I rode 300 miles today and the high temperature was 90 but when I arrived home in Shawnee it was 86.

It was a great Spring Chicken Ride covering 1024 miles. Mark was the last to be awarded the chicken so, should he join us next year, he will start with the chicken in 2015.

For more pictures from this ride click on the following link: https://plus.google.com/photos/104542123131082631220/albums/6009708931094036033?authkey=CJLP3-y5hJLJygE