I WAS UP THIS MORNING BEFORE DAYLIGHT, PACKING MY BAGS AND GETTING READY TO DEPART THE MOTEL, AND THE OTHER 3 STOOGES. AFTER EATING A SMALL BREAKFAST, I HIT THE ROAD ABOUT 6:45 A.M. I KNEW WHEN I LEFT THE MOTEL I WAS GOING TO GET WET WITHIN THE FIRST 200 MILES, SO I DRESSED FOR IT.
NOT ONLY DID IT RAIN HARD AROUND MEMPHIS, BUT THE WIND WAS HOWLING. I WAS THINKING I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS TRIP WITHOUT RIDING IN THE WIND, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK THAT WAY.
THE TREES IN ARKANSAS WERE IN FULL COLOR, AND THIS HAPPENED IN JUST A MATTER OF DAYS, BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T THAT WAY THE FIRST OF THE WEEK.
I ARRIVED HOME TONIGHT, AFTER RIDING A TOTAL OF 823 MILES TODAY IN ABOUT 14.5 HOURS.
THIS WAS THE LAST THUMPERCAFE OF THE YEAR, AND IT WAS A GOOD YEAR. THANKS TO ALL THOSE THAT ATTENDED, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.
MOTOR MIKE
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
DAY #6...119 MILES (1339)...JASPER, ALABAMA TO BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA TO JASPER, ALABAMA
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY ALL THE STOOGES WILL BE TOGETHER, AS SOME OF US ARE DEPARTING FOR HOME. WE ALL RODE TO BIRMINGHAM THIS MORNING TO THE BARBER MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM. THIS WEEKEND WAS THE ANNUAL VINTAGE DAYS, AND THEY EXPECTED 60,000-80,000 PEOPLE TO ATTEND. I THINK MOST WERE IN LINE TO GET INTO THE PARK WHEN WE ARRIVED. I DIDN'T THINK WE WERE EVER GOING TO MAKE IT INSIDE.
THERE WERE SO MANY MOTORCYCLES IT WAS ALMOST OVERWHELMING. WE WALKED AROUND FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS, THEN DECIDED TO GET OUT OF TOWN BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE HAD THE SAME IDEA. THIS MUSEUM IS A FIRST CLASS MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, AND THE RACE TRACK IS REALLY NICE.
CURLY DID BUY HIMSELF ANOTHER MOTORCYCLE. WE SHOULD SEE HIM BACK HOME IN SEVERAL MONTHS.
I ALSO FOUND THE PERFECT BIKE FOR TRAVEL. IF THE CARS CUT YOU OFF, YOU JUST TAKE CARE OF THEM WITH YOUR MACHINE GUN.
ANOTHER BIKE THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE WAS THE NERACAR.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST WAS THIS GIRL SWIMMING IN THE LAKE, WHEN SHE STOOD UP, ALL EYES WERE ON HER. LARRY TRIED TO GO SWIMMING WITH HER, AND ENDED UP RIDING BACK TO JASPER IN WET CLOTHES.
WELL......THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. TOMORROW (SUNDAY) I START MY TREK HOME, HOPEFULLY ARRIVING SUNDAY EVENING. I'LL POST ONE MORE TIME AFTER I ARRIVE.
MOTOR MIKE (AKA MOE)
THERE WERE SO MANY MOTORCYCLES IT WAS ALMOST OVERWHELMING. WE WALKED AROUND FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS, THEN DECIDED TO GET OUT OF TOWN BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE HAD THE SAME IDEA. THIS MUSEUM IS A FIRST CLASS MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, AND THE RACE TRACK IS REALLY NICE.
CURLY DID BUY HIMSELF ANOTHER MOTORCYCLE. WE SHOULD SEE HIM BACK HOME IN SEVERAL MONTHS.
I ALSO FOUND THE PERFECT BIKE FOR TRAVEL. IF THE CARS CUT YOU OFF, YOU JUST TAKE CARE OF THEM WITH YOUR MACHINE GUN.
ANOTHER BIKE THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE WAS THE NERACAR.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST WAS THIS GIRL SWIMMING IN THE LAKE, WHEN SHE STOOD UP, ALL EYES WERE ON HER. LARRY TRIED TO GO SWIMMING WITH HER, AND ENDED UP RIDING BACK TO JASPER IN WET CLOTHES.
WELL......THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. TOMORROW (SUNDAY) I START MY TREK HOME, HOPEFULLY ARRIVING SUNDAY EVENING. I'LL POST ONE MORE TIME AFTER I ARRIVE.
MOTOR MIKE (AKA MOE)
Friday, October 12, 2012
DAY #5...313 MILES (1220)...CROSSETT, AR. TO JASPER, ALABAMA
FIRST THERE WERE THREE, THEN THERE WERE FOUR. NOW WE HAVE ONE "MOE" RIDING WITH US. DOES THAT MEAN THERE ARE TWO "MOES" NOW, BECAUSE THERE WAS ALREADY ONE "MOE". MOE IS ONCE AGAIN CONFUSED, BECAUSE SOMEHOW WE ENDED UP WITH FOUR MOTORCYCLES.
WE LEFT ARKANSAS THIS MORNING, RIDING ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER (ACTUALLY WE RODE ACROSS THE BRIDGE), THROUGH THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THEN INTO ALABAMA. WE ARE IN JASPER, ALABAMA FOR THE NIGHT.
THAT'S LARRY AND I, AND THE FOURTH STOOGE BEHIND THE WEEDS, UNDER THE SIGN ABOVE. CURLY FELL INTO THE DITCH, SO WE JUST THREW HIM THE CAMERA AND TOLD HIM TO TAKE OUR PICTURE WHILE HE WAS THERE. I WAS AFRAID TO STOP AT THE ALABAMA SIGN FOR FEAR WE WOULD RUN OUT OF DAYLIGHT BEFORE WE GOT THE PICTURE.
MOST OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD OF MOUNT RUSHMORE, BUT I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS LANDMARK EVEN EXISTED. WE VISITED IT THIS AFTERNOON, AND WERE A BIG HIT WITH ALL THE VISITORS. SOMETIMES IT'S TOUGH BEING FAMOUS.......
WELL......TOMORROW (SATURDAY) WE'RE GOING TO BIRMINGHAM AND TRY TO FIND THE MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM AND ATTEND THE BARBER VINTAGE DAYS.
STAY TUNED FOR SATURDAY NIGHTS NEWS.
MOTOR MIKE
WE LEFT ARKANSAS THIS MORNING, RIDING ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER (ACTUALLY WE RODE ACROSS THE BRIDGE), THROUGH THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THEN INTO ALABAMA. WE ARE IN JASPER, ALABAMA FOR THE NIGHT.
THAT'S LARRY AND I, AND THE FOURTH STOOGE BEHIND THE WEEDS, UNDER THE SIGN ABOVE. CURLY FELL INTO THE DITCH, SO WE JUST THREW HIM THE CAMERA AND TOLD HIM TO TAKE OUR PICTURE WHILE HE WAS THERE. I WAS AFRAID TO STOP AT THE ALABAMA SIGN FOR FEAR WE WOULD RUN OUT OF DAYLIGHT BEFORE WE GOT THE PICTURE.
MOST OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD OF MOUNT RUSHMORE, BUT I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS LANDMARK EVEN EXISTED. WE VISITED IT THIS AFTERNOON, AND WERE A BIG HIT WITH ALL THE VISITORS. SOMETIMES IT'S TOUGH BEING FAMOUS.......
WELL......TOMORROW (SATURDAY) WE'RE GOING TO BIRMINGHAM AND TRY TO FIND THE MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM AND ATTEND THE BARBER VINTAGE DAYS.
STAY TUNED FOR SATURDAY NIGHTS NEWS.
MOTOR MIKE
Thursday, October 11, 2012
DAY #4...98 MILES (907)...SMACKOVER, AR. TO SPEARSVILLE, LA. TO CROSSETT, AR.
IT'S US AGAIN.........
WE AROSE THIS MORNING TO THE WARMEST MORNING OF THE TRIP. IT WAS KIND OF NICE TO BE ABLE TO JUST RELAX AROUND THE MOTEL, AS WE DIDN'T NEED TO BE IN LOUISIANA UNTIL 11:30 THIS MORNING.
LEAVING ABOUT 10:45, WE HEADED SOUTH TOWARDS LOUISIANA, AND THE TOWN OF SPEARSVILLE.THE STATE LINE WAS ONLY A LITTLE OVER 20 MILES AWAY, SO IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO ARRIVE.
WE NEEDED TO BE THERE IN TIME TO GET OUR DRESS UP CLOTHES ON, BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG EVENT.
MOE DECIDED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE SPEARSVILLE SIGN, AND THE CRAZY STOOGE DROPPED HIS BIKE. OH WAIT!!!! THAT'S ME.........I'M NOT A STOOGE.....OR MAYBE I AM. WHO KNOWS....I'M CONFUSED. IT WAS ACTUALLY LARRY AND CURLY'S FAULT. THEY LEFT ME BY MYSELF FOR 5 MINUTES, AND I COULDN'T SURVIVE. YOU WILL NOTICE IN THIS PICTURE THAT THE SIGN IS VERTICAL. SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE I SNAPPED THIS PICTURE MY BIKE WAS HORIZONTAL. NOT A PRETTY SIGHT!!!! AND THE FIRST THING CURLY ASKED IS IF I GOT A PICTURE OF IT ON IT'S SIDE. HOW RUDE!!!!!!
NOW I HAVE TO READ MY BOOK SOME MORE TO LEARN HOW TO FIX MY BIKE. I GUESS I SHOULDN'T HAVE MADE FUN OF THEM YESTERDAY.
WE GOT THE SIGN HUNG FOR OUR EVENT, AND OF COURSE CURLY HAS TO SHOW OFF ALL THE TIME.
THE EVENT WAS GREAT, AND THE FOOD WAS TOO. I THINK EVERYONE LEFT WITH A FULL STOMACH.
AFTER WE HAD LUNCH AND THE EVENT WAS OVER, WE HEADED TOWARDS CROSSETT, ARKANSAS, OUR HOME FOR THE NIGHT. TOMORROW WE ARE HEADED TOWARDS BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA AND THE BARBER MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM.
NEWS FLASH!!!!!.......THE CAT IN OZONE ARKANSAS THAT LIKES THE CHOCOLATE SHAKES SO WELL SENT LARRY AN EMAIL. IT WAS READY FOR ANOTHER SHAKE AND LARRY DIDN'T PRODUCE. THE CAT WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS!!!!!
STAY TUNED FOR THURSDAY'S ADVENTURES OF THE THREE STOOGES. I HOPE
CURLY (JACK) IS FEELING OK TOMORROW. HE WAS LOOKING A LITTLE GHOSTLY TONIGHT.
GOOD NITE!!!!!!!!
MOTOR MIKE
WE AROSE THIS MORNING TO THE WARMEST MORNING OF THE TRIP. IT WAS KIND OF NICE TO BE ABLE TO JUST RELAX AROUND THE MOTEL, AS WE DIDN'T NEED TO BE IN LOUISIANA UNTIL 11:30 THIS MORNING.
LEAVING ABOUT 10:45, WE HEADED SOUTH TOWARDS LOUISIANA, AND THE TOWN OF SPEARSVILLE.THE STATE LINE WAS ONLY A LITTLE OVER 20 MILES AWAY, SO IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO ARRIVE.
WE NEEDED TO BE THERE IN TIME TO GET OUR DRESS UP CLOTHES ON, BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG EVENT.
MOE DECIDED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE SPEARSVILLE SIGN, AND THE CRAZY STOOGE DROPPED HIS BIKE. OH WAIT!!!! THAT'S ME.........I'M NOT A STOOGE.....OR MAYBE I AM. WHO KNOWS....I'M CONFUSED. IT WAS ACTUALLY LARRY AND CURLY'S FAULT. THEY LEFT ME BY MYSELF FOR 5 MINUTES, AND I COULDN'T SURVIVE. YOU WILL NOTICE IN THIS PICTURE THAT THE SIGN IS VERTICAL. SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE I SNAPPED THIS PICTURE MY BIKE WAS HORIZONTAL. NOT A PRETTY SIGHT!!!! AND THE FIRST THING CURLY ASKED IS IF I GOT A PICTURE OF IT ON IT'S SIDE. HOW RUDE!!!!!!
NOW I HAVE TO READ MY BOOK SOME MORE TO LEARN HOW TO FIX MY BIKE. I GUESS I SHOULDN'T HAVE MADE FUN OF THEM YESTERDAY.
WE GOT THE SIGN HUNG FOR OUR EVENT, AND OF COURSE CURLY HAS TO SHOW OFF ALL THE TIME.
THE EVENT WAS GREAT, AND THE FOOD WAS TOO. I THINK EVERYONE LEFT WITH A FULL STOMACH.
AFTER WE HAD LUNCH AND THE EVENT WAS OVER, WE HEADED TOWARDS CROSSETT, ARKANSAS, OUR HOME FOR THE NIGHT. TOMORROW WE ARE HEADED TOWARDS BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA AND THE BARBER MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM.
NEWS FLASH!!!!!.......THE CAT IN OZONE ARKANSAS THAT LIKES THE CHOCOLATE SHAKES SO WELL SENT LARRY AN EMAIL. IT WAS READY FOR ANOTHER SHAKE AND LARRY DIDN'T PRODUCE. THE CAT WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS!!!!!
STAY TUNED FOR THURSDAY'S ADVENTURES OF THE THREE STOOGES. I HOPE
CURLY (JACK) IS FEELING OK TOMORROW. HE WAS LOOKING A LITTLE GHOSTLY TONIGHT.
GOOD NITE!!!!!!!!
MOTOR MIKE
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
DAY #3...189 MILES (809)...RUSSELVILLE, AR. TO SMACKOVER, AR.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.......IT'S FINALLY STARTED TO WARM UP A LITTLE. LARRY, CURLY, AND I ARE HAVING A GREAT TIME RIDING THE TWISTY ROADS OF ARKANSAS, AND WE'RE REALLY GOOD. CURLY (JACK) CAN GET A LITTLE CRAZY SOMETIMES, BUT WHAT A THRILL!!!!
AND......LARRY AND CURLY ARE ALWAYS BREAKING SOMETHING, SO I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I'M WELL STUDIED TO FIX ALL THE MINOR BREAKDOWNS.
WE LEFT THIS MORNING AND RODE A SHORT DISTANCE TO MIMA'S CAFE IN OLA FOR BREAKFAST. THIS WAS THE SITE OF A THUMPERCAFE SEVERAL YEARS BACK. WE HAD A GOOD TIME AND A GOOD BREAKFAST.
LARRY AND CURLY ALWAYS GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE BECAUSE I GET "MOE" HUGS THAN THEY DO.
RIDING DOWN HIGHWAY 7 TOWARDS SMACKOVER, ARKANSAS, WHICH IS WHERE OUR HOME IS FOR THE NIGHT, WE STOPPED FOR FUEL SEVERAL TIMES. I'VE READ THIS SIGN NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN THIS QUICK. I NEED TO START PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO DETAILS LIKE THIS. I HAD TO EAT SOUP FOR SUPPER TONIGHT, BECAUSE WITHOUT TEETH IT'S HARD TO EAT.
TOMORROW IS THE THUMPERCAFE IN SPEARSVILLE, LOUISIANA, THEN WE HEAD EAST TOWARDS BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA. I'M TELLING YOU THIS........THE LONGER WE'RE ON THE ROAD THE BETTER LOOKING WE GET.
STAY TUNED FOR THURSDAY NIGHTS REPORT ON THE THUMPERCAFE, SAME TIME, SAME CHANNEL.
MOTOR MIKE (AKA MOE)
AND......LARRY AND CURLY ARE ALWAYS BREAKING SOMETHING, SO I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I'M WELL STUDIED TO FIX ALL THE MINOR BREAKDOWNS.
WE LEFT THIS MORNING AND RODE A SHORT DISTANCE TO MIMA'S CAFE IN OLA FOR BREAKFAST. THIS WAS THE SITE OF A THUMPERCAFE SEVERAL YEARS BACK. WE HAD A GOOD TIME AND A GOOD BREAKFAST.
LARRY AND CURLY ALWAYS GET BENT OUT OF SHAPE BECAUSE I GET "MOE" HUGS THAN THEY DO.
RIDING DOWN HIGHWAY 7 TOWARDS SMACKOVER, ARKANSAS, WHICH IS WHERE OUR HOME IS FOR THE NIGHT, WE STOPPED FOR FUEL SEVERAL TIMES. I'VE READ THIS SIGN NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN THIS QUICK. I NEED TO START PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO DETAILS LIKE THIS. I HAD TO EAT SOUP FOR SUPPER TONIGHT, BECAUSE WITHOUT TEETH IT'S HARD TO EAT.
TOMORROW IS THE THUMPERCAFE IN SPEARSVILLE, LOUISIANA, THEN WE HEAD EAST TOWARDS BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA. I'M TELLING YOU THIS........THE LONGER WE'RE ON THE ROAD THE BETTER LOOKING WE GET.
STAY TUNED FOR THURSDAY NIGHTS REPORT ON THE THUMPERCAFE, SAME TIME, SAME CHANNEL.
MOTOR MIKE (AKA MOE)
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
DAY #2...250 MILES (620)...EUREKA SPRINGS, AR. TO RUSSELVILLE, AR.
ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS REALLY COOL THIS MORNING, SO WE DELAYED OUR DEPARTURE UNTIL IT WARMED UP A LITTLE.
WE RODE ABOUT 25 MILES AND HAD BREAKFAST, AND LET IT WARM UP EVEN MORE. WE ARE THE THREE STOOGES, BUT WE'RE SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW WE DON'T LIKE THE COLD.
AFTER BREAKFAST WE SPENT SEVERAL HOURS RIDING THE TWISTIES OF ARKANSAS, SOME OF THE BEST IN THE U.S.
WE STOPPED AT THE OZONE BURGER BARN FOR LUNCH, A UNIQUE LITTLE HAMBURGER STAND IN THE ARKANSAS WOODS. THEY CLAIM THEIR BURGERS ARE A 3 NAPKIN BURGER, AND THEY ARE PRETTY MESSY, BUT VERY GOOD. EVEN THE MILK SHAKES ARE GOOD, AS REFERENCED BY THE CAT ENJOYING THE SHAKE THROUGH THE STRAW.
IT WAS HERE THAT SOMEONE STOLE MY HANDLEBARS OFF MY KLR. WHEN WE WERE READY TO LEAVE, I SUDDENLY REALIZED THEY WERE GONE.
COULD THE GUILTY PARTY BE LARRY??
AFTER THREATENING BOTH OF THEM, THE BARS MYSTICALLY REAPPEARED, AND WE WERE ONCE AGAIN READY TO LEAVE. BUT.......I HATE HAVING TO KICK START THESE KLR'S, ESPECIALLY WITH A BUM LEG. WHY DID KAWASAKI PUT THE KICK STARTER SO HIGH??
WE FINALLY MADE IT TO RUSSELVILLE ARKANSAS FOR THE NIGHT, WHERE CURLY'S MOTORCYCLE SEEMED TO SHRINK ALONGSIDE THE REAL MAN'S BIKE. COME TO THINK OF IT, IT LOOKS LIKE CURLY HAS SHRUNK TOO.
TOMORROW WE'RE HEADED FOR SMACKOVER, ARKANSAS. WHAT A NAME FOR A TOWN!!!! WHEN WE LEFT EUREKA SPRINGS THIS MORNING WE WERE 300 MILES FROM SMACKOVER. WE RODE 250 MILES TODAY, AND WE'RE STILL 200 MILES AWAY. HOW CAN YOU RIDE 250 MILES AND ONLY COVER 100 MILES? THE MYSTERY BAFFLES ME!!
STAY TUNED FOR THE STOOGES WEDNESDAY'S ADVENTURES.
MOTOR MIKE (AKA MOE)
Monday, October 8, 2012
DAY #1...HUTCHINSON, KANSAS TO EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS...370 MILES
WE FINALLY MADE IT OUT OF TOWN THIS MORNING AROUND 10:30 A.M., WAITING FOR IT TO WARM UP A LITTLE FROM THE LOW IN THE 30'S. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, FRESH (ANOTHER WORD FOR COOL) DAY, WITH VERY LITTLE WIND. I RAN MY HEATED COAT THE ENTIRE DAY, AND IT WAS QUITE COMFORTABLE. WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH IN BURDEN, KANSAS, THEN ON TO EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS JUST AS THE SUN SET. THE LAST 2 HOURS WE FINALLY GOT TO THE ROLLER COASTER TWISTIES IN MISSOURI AND ARKANSAS. WHAT A GREAT DAY!!! TOMORROW WILL BE MORE RIDING IN ARKANSAS, ONE OF MY FAVORITE STATES TO RIDE IN.
STAY TUNED FOR TUESDAY RIDE REPORT......MAYBE SOME PICTURES TOMORROW.
MOTOR MIKE
STAY TUNED FOR TUESDAY RIDE REPORT......MAYBE SOME PICTURES TOMORROW.
MOTOR MIKE
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