The 14th annual Ozarks BS Rally is over, and it was another Super Rally!
We can't believe we've been hosting the BS Rally for 14 years, but time flies when you're having fun!
We had 85 registered attendees from 14 states, including 3 new rider members. Attendance was down a little this year, maybe due a little to the economy, along with some rainy weather forcasts in some parts of the country.
The weather turned out great for the whole weekend, and everyone got in some really good riding, some riding well over 300 miles around the BS Routes!
We had a lot of good help with the BS Rally, and would like to thank the following folks for helping make this year's Rally another great success:
We want to thank Gary Hodge and Bill O'Brien for running the Friday Night Wiener Roast. These Guys worked hard and kept things going throughout the evening, turning out delicous giant hotdogs and both mild and hot polish sausage.
Thanks to Gary Hodge and Teresa Williams for helping to set up the tables and chairs for the Wiener Roast, along with the registration tables and also helping with the registration.
Thanks to Becky Wing and Denise Dickenson for helping with the door prize drawing and selling 50-50 tickets, which enabled us to donate $123.50 to the Branson Tri-Lakes Humane Society.
Thanks to Bill Wing for helping with the door prize drawing.
Thanks to Norm Kern for doing a great write-up for the STARview.
And a BIG "Thank You" to our Door Prize Sponsors who donated many fine door prizes that helped make the BS Rally a success! Please give them your business whenever possible, as they support the MSTA and the Ozarks BS Rally. Click on "Door Prize Sponsors" on the Index page for links to their Websites.
Thanks to Bill, Nadine, Mel, Mike and all the other folks at TMR that went out of there way to make sure that we all had a good time. They sure catered a great Banquet for us, with smoked ribs, fried chicken and ham, along with all the salads, and extras you could eat, finishing off with peach and cherry cobbler and ice cream!
And a special thanks to all the people that came to this years BS Rally, and had a great time. That's what makes all the work worthwhile.
Those of you that weren't there missed a great Rally, and we hope you can all make it next year.
Ed and Linda Young
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Arriving Welcome, although late to the Party Theodosia, Missouri, September 10-12, 2010 By Chuck Davis, Managing Editor STAReview Hurricane Igor pushed a wet weather pattern through the Midwest, separating my home in Chicago from great riding in the Ozarks and the Bull Shoal Rally this year. Perhaps wiser riders would have stayed home and waited for the next regional MSTA rally to come up in the calendar. Instead I was buoyed by the welcome emails of organizers Ed and Linda who've run this AMA sanctioned event for the last twelve years. I'd done everything wrong. Didn't plan in advance. Failed to pre-register. Rooms were long since solidly booked at the Theodosia Marina - motel and cabins alike. But I saw a note on the forum at http://www.sporttouring.us/forum.php that Ed and Linda were still trying to help all riders find a roll-out bed or room share arrangement, and sure enough one was found quickly after about five emails by Ed just trying to make sure I was accommodated. Welcome like this is rare and so despite the weather I left home, pointing my motorcycle straight towards Igor's rainclouds. 563 miles later I stood along the banks of the Bull Shoals Lake, was handed a cold bottle of water along with a big "Howdy!" and declaration, "Are you ready to do some BS'ing?" It's all about Volunteers, Friends, and New Members
Alongside Linda sat Teresa Williams, who while a new member nonetheless helped out as a registration volunteer. She has a big smile and tells of other events she's attended since joining MSTA at Bull Shoals the previous year. Fortunately Linda and Teresa still have a commemorative tee shirt available, so I'm now dressed and part of the party, even though I'm late to the party, wet, and a little saddle sore.
Spicy sausages and the world's fattest hotdogs are already grilling in the parking lot outside the motel, surrounded by tables and a variety of sodas, garnishes and carbohydrates. This was the welcoming meal included in the $30 registration fee, very tasty and accompanied by elevated conversation about the roads and routes ahead of us the next day. At this meal, I was glad to make the acquaintance of "Element" aka Randy Lacey who is a Kawasaki Versys rider; Randy is also new to the group, and one of eleven new riders joining MSTA at Bull Shoals.
Longtime volunteer Norm Kern had transcribed the five routes available for Bull Shoals into Garmin GDB and GPS-neutral GPX formats, which were uploaded to my Zumo 550. And the next morning I was lucky enough to get Norm himself as my road captain. He even did some vanity video for me from front and rear angles using so-called 808 Key Fob cameras - tiny video cameras housed within an ordinary looking key fob. They cost less than $15 each, purchased on
http://www.meritline.com/ direct from China.
Norm guided me along the Bill Wing Long Route, approximately 375 miles of some of the best of the best roads of NW Arkansas including the Pig Trail, Push Mountain, and a kaleidoscope of other lesser known corkscrews and sidewinders. Each was well paved, simply adorned by center stripping and generally without runoff - in fact, tall grass grew to edges of most roadways. We enjoyed little traffic, although passing through the small town of Green Forest there was a procession of Ferraris, Dodge Cobras and Carrera Porsches which had stopped to clog up the local gas station. Their engines were thirsty, just like ours.
Lunch was at the famous Cliff House, which is known for its view, cat fish and motorcycle friendly atmosphere. Upon my request, the restaurant owner volunteered to assemble a fried cat fish and onion ring salad, for which I was gladly fleeced while providing an afternoon of comedy for the kitchen staff. In case you're wondering, it was delectable!
The Bill Wing route was aptly named after Arkansas State Director Bill Wing, a club legend, Iron Butt rider, and collector of two wheel vehicles which he calls "motor-sickles", but I think that's because he looks at them all like agricultural tools. In short, they are made for use, and Bill puts on 10's of thousands of miles each year. Today's ride was a 1986 Moto Guzzi Lario with a fried exhaust valve. It didn't idle very well and burned oil, but Bill thrashed it through the Ozarks without trouble.
The decompression stroke of Bill's route occurs in Peal Missouri, and is on the last leg of the journey back into Theodosia. Between you and the evening banquet (also included in the registration fee) now lies a ferry which runs about every 40 minutes. It's a good time to get off the "motor-sickle", decompress and think about the day's ride while getting ready for the rider's feast that lies ahead. Tonight there will be fried chicken breasts, tender pork ribs, mashed potatoes and a vegetable - which I now forget - probably because there was no room on my plate for it. I did manage to place a generous dinner roll on top of my mountainous mound of food before heading back to the table. Not to be forgotten in degustation were the caregivers called waitresses who made sure a wheel barrow was handy for anyone unable to walk back to the cabin. Coffee, pie and ice cream were amply served while Ed and Linda gave away door prizes and recognition plaques. I got neither, but my name was called and everyone whopped and hollered like I was a Rock Star. It's fun being a MSTA volunteer!
So as Norm would say "here's a tip of the helmet" to Ed and Linda for being MSTA's most accommodating rally hosts within the regional event calendar. They lead from a volunteer spirit I've now ridden through rain to be a part of. And when I join them again next year, I'll be sure to pre-register and make my room reservation in advance.
This account of the 2010 Bull Shoals Rally is dedicated to Bruce Nall, MSTA Member #11560, who returned to his creator riding Push Mountain a few miles North of Highway 14. Keep the roads clear until we join you Bruce...
Bull Shoals 2010 by the Numbers
1. There were 102 registered attendees.
2. We had 11 new members join MSTA at the Rally.
3. Thanks to Teresa Williams for helping Linda with the registration.
4. Thanks to Gary Hodge and Bill O'Brien for Being the Friday Night BBQ'ers, and helping set things up. Also thanks to Gary and Rock Rhoades for checking wristbands at the Banquet door.
5. Thanks to Becky Wing and Denise Dickenson for selling 50-50 tickets and helping with the Door-Prizes.
6. Dan Thomas won the Award for "riding the farthest miles to attend the BS Rally" , riding 2,272 miles from Port Angeles, Washington.
7. Gary Hodge from Missouri was presented the "Best Ozarks BS'er Award" for always being ready to help out and doing his best to promote the MSTA.
8. Frank Chase won $139.00 in the 50-50 pot, with the other half going to the Branson Tri-Lakes Humane Society.
9. Dan Fike, a new member from St. Louis, Missouri, won a very nice full face helmet, which was donated by Fulmer for the door prize drawing. Dan then donated the helmet back to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, with the proceeds being donated to the Branson Tri-Lakes Humane Society, in memory of Bruce Nall. The helmet brought $80, and the donation price was matched with another very generous donation from Bob LaMear of Pacific, Missouri. Another $40 was then donated, making a total of $200 to be donated to the Humane Shelter in Bruce Nall's name.
10. Thanks to Robert Bashaw for being our MAP (Member Assistance Partner) at the Rally, and helping our new members get aquainted.
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Thanks to Bill, Nadine, Mel and all the other folks at TMR that went out of there way to make sure that we all had a good time. They sure catered a great Banquet for us, with smoked ribs, fried chicken and roast beef, along with all the salads, and extras you could eat, finishing off with peach and cherry cobbler and ice cream!
And a very BIG "Thank You" to our Door Prize Sponsors who donated many fine door prizes that helped make the BS Rally a success! Please give them your business whenever possible, as they support the MSTA and the Ozarks BS Rally. Click on "Door Prize Sponsors" on the Index page for links to their Websites.
And a special thanks to all the people that came to this years BS Rally, and had a great time. That's what makes all the work worthwhile.
Those of you that weren't there missed a great Rally, and we hope you can all make it next year.
Ed and Linda Young
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By: Walt Kocal BS, as it's affectionately called, has been going on since 1998 and I've only missed one or two in all that time. Originated and still organized by Missouri State Co-Directors Ed and Linda Young, BS has some of the best twisty and scenic roads Missouri and Arkansas have to offer not to mention some of the very nicest people you will ever meet on or off a motorcycle. Facilities include motel rooms, cabins and camping right on the shore of Bull Shoals Reservoir. Cookie's restaurant is on site and always has the coffee out back by 5:30 AM for the early risers, with a great breakfast buffet so you can stoke up for a full day of riding the Ozark Mountains. This year we had 100 registered attendees, including 6 new members. I bought a new colorful rally tshirt, as my 2000 issue shirt was starting to show just a bit of wear ;-) The BS rider's packet includes your choice of several different routes of varying lengths, and you can't go wrong with any of them. I re-connected with my old riding buddies from Iowa and Nebraska (Mike Stenger, Scott Johnson, Jim Roberts and the rest of the gang) and we chose the "Bill Wing Route", which we modified a bit and it turned out to be 325 miles of pure heaven-twisty roads with little traffic and plenty of scenery. If you rode Hwy 341 aka Push Mountain, be sure to check out PushMountainPics.com for September 12th as you may have had your picture taken as you went flying by! When I checked the website, TerryThompson was in good form as zipped by on his SV1000. The weather was absolutely perfect with only a bit of rain for a couple of miles before we headed to lunch at the Ozark Café in Jasper, AR. Another excellent lunch stop is the Cliff House, just south of town on scenic highway 7 with fantastic views right from your table. I always look forward to the ferry ride across the lake when returning to the rally headquarters at the end of the day…it's quite a site to see the entire deck packed full of bikes and riders. Thanks to Ed and Linda for coordinating a great banquet as always with plenty of good food (smoked ribs, fried chicken, ham, hot rolls, seafood salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, fresh tomato salad and peach & cherry cobbler with vanilla ice cream…yum). There were lots of really good door prizes including those from our friends and supporters at Fulmer Helmets who donated three super nice full face helmets, along with 6 very nice helmet bags and those were won by: Cecil Blount, Oklahoma, Gayla O'Brien, Arkansas, and Pat Smith, a new member from Missouri. The rider who got the award for riding the most miles to attend the BS Rally, was Dan Thomas, who rode 2,272 miles from Port Angeles, Washington. Dan also won the 50-50 drawing, which raised $150 for the Branson Tri-Lakes Humane Shelter. The "Best Ozarks BS'er" Award is always presented to someone one who has been a great asset to the MSTA, and this year it was presented to Dave Bricker, who is finishing up 6 years as President, and certainly qualifies for the Best BS'er award in more ways than one. Brick rode a very round about way to the BS Rally after leaving home in North Carolina by way of California, Washington, Canada and Mexico on the 3 Flags Run, before arriving at the BS Rally. When he finally arrived back home he had been gone for 38 days and ridden 13,820 miles! (Brick, you make me look bad, trailering my GSXR a measely 800 miles up from South Texas ;-) I trust everyone else had a safe trip home afterwards. Before leaving myself, I made my reservation for BS 2010. Don't miss it!
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By: Robert A. "Dog" Maddocks Anyone who rides sports motorcycles fast and well has experienced one of those major "Gee Whiz" moments when everything seems right in your world. A moment when the riding environment - the road, the machine, the weather, the scenery - reaches a level approaching virtual perfection and you become one with the motorcycle. You reach out and touch the face of……….Dave Brickner? Unfortunately, I'm too much of a slug to achieve that level of spiritual arousal on my motorcycle, but I sure did have a great trip to the HSTA Ozarks BS (Bull Shoals) Rally September 5-6, 2008. As usual, Ed and Linda Young put together a truly outstanding event in a near perfect riding location, the Ozarks of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. According to their website, the first BS Rally was in September of 1998, and had 76 attendees, a record for a first time HSTA event. Nowadays the Rally averages between 100 and 130 attendees, and 2008 was another banner year with over 100 participants. See http://come.to/The_Ozarks_BS_Rally. This year I tried to talk Granny into this relatively long weekend trip from Clear Lake south of Houston by offering her a spa stop in Hot Springs. She had church commitments that prevented her attending, so I loaded up my '07 Yammie FJR1300 ("Barney") and headed solo for the Springs on Thursday afternoon, a trip of about 420 miles through "Love Bug Heaven" (east Texas in September). Foremost on my mind was the contemplation of a Friday morning short-stack of buckwheat pancakes and homemade sausage at The Pancake Shop in Hot Springs, across from the Arlington Hotel where I had a reservation for Thursday night. I got an early start (after pancakes) Friday, and warmed up enroute to Russellville, Arkansas on AR 7, then cut west to Lamar to pick up AR 123, 235, 14 and 125 north to Bull Shoals. Last trip we had strafed AR 21 and 23 to exhaustion, so it was a nice change to work AR 123 and the others. Of note, hurricane Gustaf had caused a major road slide and closure on AR 7 just south of Pelsor, so my choice of AR 123 was a good one for more reasons than the fact that it's a magnificently curvy road. Arriving at the Theodosia Marina Resort (TMR) mid-afternoon Friday, I immediately ran into Arkansan Robert Bashaw and fellow Texican Max Hendrix. We bought some highly-chilled adult malt beverages in town, then registered and received our "Ride Packets," which contained complete Rally information and nice, fresh maps of Arkansas and Missouri. I destroy a lot of Arkansas maps while riding (I think they are designed to dissolve in rain water). The BS Rally officially kicked off around 6:00 p.m. on Friday with a gourmet wiener roast and lots of "BS'ing." Max and I were part of the "wiener crew," along with Frank and Kenny Chase and others. Max wore his BBQ t-shirt that read "It's all fun and games until someone loses a wiener…" It was a hit. Ed, Linda and a host of Ozarks BS helpers reminded me of all the memorable reasons why we joined the HSTA. It's great to be around a motivated group of talented sport-touring enthusiasts with a passion for our sport, professional motorcyclists who ride well, ride fast, and ride safely. In addition to Ed and Linda Young, Max Hendrix (Texas), and Robert Bashaw, other HSTA folks we spotted right away included Ben and Mary Ann Anglin from Sulphur Springs, Texas, Bill and Becky Wing from Summers, Arkansas, Denise Dickenson from Oklahoma, Norm Kern from Ohio, Californian Don Clark, Eldon Rix from Pryor, Oklahoma, Jim Roberts from Iowa and a large group of Mid-South Sport Riders (MSSR). This trip I registered late and stayed at the Soak Up the Sun resort, one mile west of TMR on MO 160. The small cabins are well-equipped, clean and completely remodeled, and the owners are nice people. Call Lauri or Jeff at 417-273-4711 for reservations, or check out http://www.soakupthesuninc.com. Highly recommended and value-priced. After a great breakfast buffet at Cookie's next to the motel and campground at TMR, Max Hendrix, Robert Bashaw and I headed east on MO 160, then picked up MO 181/76/137 past Willow Springs, eventually jumping on county two-lanes "U," "N," and "JJ," fine roads all. After getting bathed in instant-on Ka-band microwave energy only twice, we rolled into the Rockbridge Trout Farm around noon, where Bashaw managed to down a couple of immense, fried fish. Texans Max and I, being more dainty and refined, ordered trout samplers, which turned out to be about 3.7 pounds of smoked, fried, broiled, baked and blackened rainbow trout served with two boxes of Wheat Thins. Yum. Yum. The only real difficulty we experienced during lunch was having to watch Eldon Rix whammo a 1/2-pound cheeseburger in about 3 minutes. It's not a pretty sight, ladies and gentlemen…. We were able to leverage Robert back on to his ST and make it back to TMR in time for a short fighter nap, more "tire-kicking" and "BS'ing," and the gourmet banquet and awards ceremony that evening. The buffet dinner was outstanding, as usual. Of note, Ed and Linda registered 10 new HSTA members for the Ozarks BS Rally, a truly commendable accomplishment. After just paying the Rally fee, new members receive a FREE one year membership in HSTA!
Max Hendrix was awarded the "Best BS'er" award for 2008, and Dan Thomas was awarded a plaque for riding the most miles to attend the BS Rally, riding 2,375 miles from Port Angeles, Washington. One of the other cool things about the Ozarks BS Rally is that it is dedicated in loving memory of two of the HSTA's finest members, Keith Huckabey and Alan Wilson. We miss them both. To find out more about the Ozarks BS Rally, go to the HSTA homepage and click on "Events." You can check out the area and make motel reservations at TMR (Rally Headquarters) by calling 417-273-4444. Additionally, Ed and Linda usually reserve the best camping spots several months in advance, but due to the higher than normal lake water, the Corps of Engineers did not rent any camp sites this year. TMR has a limited number of campsites very close to the Restaurant and Motel available for a modest fee. Cottages are $112 per night for up to 4 people, additional people $10 each. TMR also has a double wide mobile home, 3BR with 4 queen beds, for $157.50 per night. Team up for a bargain deal. Ed and Linda advise that you might want to check with TMR to get your name on the waiting list for the motel early for 2009. The Ozarks BS Rally really exemplifies everything that's great about the HSTA - incredible roads, magnificent scenery, exceptionally delicious food, and, most of all, great people who share a passion for riding well.
Keep an eye on the BS Rally website for more details about next year's event in September, 2009. See you next year!!!
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By: Tom Sullivan Another great time was had by all that attended the September 2007, Ozarks BS (Bull Shoals) Rally at Theodosia, Missouri, hosted by Ed and Linda Young. One of the drawing cards of the event is overlooking beautiful Bull Shoals Lake at the Theodosia Marina. In spite of the threat of scattered showers, 45 pre-registered and a total of 109, cabin fever suffering, sport-touring riders showed up for the 10th Anniversary of this very popular event. I had originally planned to head out a full day early to this years Rally, but after flogging my Pacific Coast unmercifully around Ashville during Star, I figured I had better give it a rest and get some tires mounted on the RC51. I finally got away from the office around lunchtime. The RC was still on the trailer and hooked to the van and the thought of having to pack three days worth of gear on the bike was working against my get out of town plans. Plus 100 miles of Tennessee and Arkansas Delta farm land lay ahead of me, and now the beginnings of threatening looking skies, the temptation of just throwing everything into the van was way more than I could resist. It did not take me long to enjoy the radio, air conditioning, and later the windshield wipers to be convinced that I had made the right decision. Several Arkansas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma members converged at Alison just north of Mountain View, Arkansas, for lunch. After a mad dash up popular Highways 14 and 341 we arrived at the Theodosia Marina & Resort about 5pm. The registration and cookout was moved from the usual water front location into the covered banquet room area due to the chance of rain. However, as usual when you plan for rain, not a drop fell all evening. Hot dog chiefs were Mark, David and Frank Chase. Along with some huge dogs, there were hot sausages and plenty of sides including chips, cookies, and lots of socialization with new and old friends. Many more beverage toastings and lie telling in the parking lot rounded out Friday evening's activities. Saturday morning we woke up to a damp parking lot and gray skies. However, breakfast at Cookies Restaurant next door brightened things up. The weather channel showed no rain just south of us, so a large group geared up and headed for the ferry. We headed west on scenic Highway 160, then south on my favorite road, Highway 125, then on to the ferry. After a short ferry ride we headed to sweeping Highway 14 and on to Yellville. Just south of Yellville, surprise Highway, 235 takes us over toward Western Grove and on to must do, Highway 123. We rode both the north and south parts of 123 on each side of scenic Highway 7 before breaking for lunch at a motorcyclist favorite, The Cliff House, overlooking the amazing Ozark Grand Canyon. A large number of rally attendees were on hand for lunch. After lunch the sky started to look threatening so a direct route was planned back to the Marina via a new section of 125 west of Yellville that I had never ridden, which took us back to the ferry. Loaded with only one car, so many bikes were on board they actually had to turn a couple of bikes away. When the loading ramp touched down on the other side, the massive group quickly spread out by way of bragging rights. Fortunately we all made it back to the Marina safely. Another great 300 mile day for the books. The Saturday evening banquet was accompanied by a little rainfall, but thankfully it did not last long and did not become a river flowing under our feet as in a previous event, a few years back. The buffet was fantastic and the peach cobbler and ice cream was to die for. Ed and Linda said there were 11 New Rider Members attending and 3 New Members of Household. Farthest Rider Award was presented to Dan Thomas, with 2,360 miles from Port Angeles, Washington. Best BS'er Award, no contest here, went to our own Bob LaMear of Missouri. This award is always presented to someone who is an asset to HSTA, plus being able to hold his own in the after hours BS'ing. The 50/50 drawing netted lucky recipient, Eldon Rix, $137, with matching funds going to the Branson-Tri Lakes Humane Animal Shelter. Winners of some of the door prizes were James Jones, from Texas winning a Free Rally for 2008, along with Dennis Hedrick from Louisiana, and Barbara Redwine from Arkansas, each winning a very nice full-face helmet, donated by our friends at Fulmer Helmets. Lynn Frosch from Missouri won a Signature Edition Electric Jacket Liner, donated by our friends at Gerbing Heated Clothing, Inc. After a great banquet we adjourned to the motel and cabins, to again kick tires and talk until the late hours of the evening. We got up Sunday morning to glorious sunshine, had another great breakfast, and waved goodbye to many happy friends on bikes, leaving with the sun. Another great BS Rally in the books. I'm counting down the days until next year.................................. |
The Ozarks BS Rally 2006 This year the weather at the HSTA's BS Rally was as perfect as it gets. We have had a long hot summer and for me, the BS Rally signals the beginning of fall. The heat is over and September is a wonderful riding month. I started the day in central Kansas in a light rain but the day had cleared and the riding was rewarding. I arrived on Friday afternoon on the north shore of Bull Shoals Lake in Theodosia, MO to pick up my registration packet. I was greeted by the smiling faces of Ed & Linda Young who have been hosting the BS Rally since its inception. Ed and Linda are meticulous in their planning and execution of the areas best motorcycle rally. After I had taken care of the formalities, I made a beeline for the BBQ Grill where JT Taylor and Don Aggeler were busy grilling dogs. JT & Don grill the dogs every year and have perfected this art form. I had been on the road all day salivating like Pavlov's Dog thinking about those plump juicy hotdogs. I made up two hot dog buns, chips and cookies. Then JT dropped two of the largest hot dogs I have ever seen into those waiting buns. One and a half dogs later, Becky Wing laughed at me and asked if I had room for the cookies. It seemed as if everyone at the rally gathered around me to shake hands, slap me on the back or to sit and watch me eat. Everyone had a comment, a joke or a slap on the back for me. It was like coming home. I had the thought that I was so very lucky to have this many friends wanting to talk to me. How can I be this lucky? There are many reasons why I will attend an HSTA Rally. Some of the reasons are that I like the area or the roads. That is a prime consideration and of course, the HSTA as a group, has a huge knowledge base of these roads. Then there are local items of interest, national & state parks, museums, libraries and people I want to see... People I want to see. I think that is the main reason some of us go to the BS Rally. We know we will see people that we have not seen since the last rally, a year ago. We all know the HSTA is composed of some of the best people in the world and it is always good to see Wayne, Josh, Andray, Keith, Ed, Linda, Bill, Becky, Joe, J.T., Dan, Max or whomever. Some of these folks hail from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or way out west in Washington State, Texas or Alabama. It is always good to see them again. If one of them fails to show, it is a disappointment. Saturday morning I woke up to the sound of a Ducati engine igniting and idling outside my window. That will always get my blood pumping. I gathered my stuff and wandered over to the café for breakfast. I love breakfast especially when everyone is waving and greeting you. There were several routes outlined in the registration packet. Ed and Linda had scouted out newly resurfaced paved roads and marked "Smooth Pavement" on one loop. Bill Wing had also outlined a Big Dog ride into Arkansas that covered 320 miles. Andray Hubble and I had taken the morning loop. As we were about to cross the Buffalo River, I made a short diversion to the ranger headquarters. Andray said he was going to take a picture while I went inside to get a National Parks cancellation stamp for my book. Andray cautioned me not to spend too much time talking to the girls. Well, we spent at least thirty minutes chit chatting with the ranger who said she also rides. Andray and I then made our way to the café in Fifty-Six, Arkansas on the Sylamore Scenic Byway. I wanted pie and coffee for lunch. We had a slice of homemade Coconut Crème pie that covered our plate. I think they have the best pie in the world. I knew to have a light lunch as the BS Rally always has a fantastic Saturday evening banquet. As I have stated before there are many considerations as to why I attend a rally. One thing is the food. You always remember if the food was good. Or not. There is always good food at the BS Rally. In fact, the BS Banquet qualifies as a feast in biblical terms. We gather near the swimming pool at tables that stretch from doorway to doorway seating over a hundred people. Trust me, the food is wonderful. After the consumption of mass quantities, Ed and Linda present awards and draw ticket numbers to pass out a large number of door prizes. The longest rider award was presented to Dan Thomas from Port Angeles, WA. He rode 2,700 miles to get to the BS Rally. There were 98 Registered attendees. In addition, the Best Ozarks Rally BS'er Award was presented to some guy from LoweST Arkansas. Ed says this award is always presented each year to someone for outstanding service to the HSTA. (Along with being able to hold his own when the tales start coming out late each night.) As I said earlier, I am lucky to have friends like Ed & Linda. There were no accidents were reported to the BS Rally HQ by any HSTA members. (Although we think, some non-members had a few accidents the same weekend). It seems there are some folks who like to admire the rally from a distance. |
 The 2005 Ozarks BS Rally
By: Steve long Ed and Linda Young are two of the nicest people on the planet and they put on a wonderful event on the shores of Bull Shoals Lake (hence the name BS Rally). Two years ago I attended the BS Rally, my very first motorcycle rally and I was very eager to return and sample the great roads in the area. The plan was to leave Eureka, Missouri (a suburb of St. Louis) at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, but due to a luggage malfunction, the actual departure was about 9:40. A fairly talented and witty group of motorcyclists headed south down our usual well-worn side roads, no interstates for us, thank you very much. Our group consisted of "Mother" Bob LaMear, our fearless leader on the Mother Ship ST1300; Steve "Woof" Plegge, an endless fountain of arcane knowledge riding the Yellow Peril Superhawk; Mike "Wrong Way" Wirrick, quite quick in corners upon his R1100S; Alma "Awesome Aussie" Belfield, with a newly hot-rodded SV650S, "Smiling" Bruce Nall, conquering corners on his Concourse; and of course, your humble scribe on his faithful FZ1. The ride down to Potosi was fairly sedate as we all woke up a bit. In Potosi we met up with Bronce "Smitty" Smith riding the Lazarus FJR1300 and Troy "Fish" Mullet on his Joe Rocket sponsored ZZR1200. Mike Wirrick quit the party in Potosi, too bad for him. Civilization stops at Potosi and coincidently the good roads begin. Hwy P is a favorite, rolling red granite chip seal, fast sweepers, very nice, more familiar than the back of my hand. Really, who spends much time studying the back of their hand? DD, another favorite follows immediately afterward. This well kept secret is known only to locals and to those who've attended the Friends of Freddie Rally. It is a true zen road; graceful arcs of smooth gray asphalt with hardly a break in its tree-lined visage. We had lunch in Piedmont, at a nifty little cafŽ with some excellent catfish. You learn the strangest things about people when you have lunch with them. For instance, Smitty admitted that he was the 1986 three-wheeler state champion. Such an admission is like throwing gas on a flame to this bunch. Smitty endured many barbs and put up with it fairly well as befits a state champion. We also learned that Woof knows way too much. Each table was equipped with Trivial Pursuit playing cards and Woof seemed to know all the answers. If you see a large hairy man with a Trivial Pursuit game who wants to play for money ... well ... you've been warned. Woof left us after Piedmont and we really missed having someone around to ask all those arcane physics questions that pop up in after ride debates. There are a couple of excellent roads in and around Piedmont. HH and Hwy 34 have excellent switchbacks and sweepers, highly recommended. South of Piedmont we had to run some nice, smooth, straight four lane that had no traffic. While most motorcyclists would find this boring and it is, unless of course you have an FZ1 or a ZZR1200. If you are lucky enough to own one of these motorcycles and you have little or no compunction about speed limits, you get to play a game I like to call "Test the bungie cords." I am happy to report that my bungie cords have been tested and passed the test. My luggage stayed put nicely despite the fact that my speedometer never exceeded it's maximum value. Beyond that I cannot comment, for I plead the fifth. I have a map. I know a lot of members in this club have those techno-wiz-bang GPS thingies, but I have a map. A map is a piece of paper that shows you where you are. It's a wonderful invention that requires no batteries, no electrical outlet for recharging. It folds up neatly into an extremely small space and it costs about $2. The other thing I like about maps is that I can take a highlighter and mark all the roads I've ridden on. My map has a lot of yellow highlighter all over the area surrounding St. Louis. But once we passed Piedmont the map was naked. Knowing there's nothing worse than a naked map, I gleefully passed beyond the borders of my personal knowledge and explored my ignorance. We followed Hwy 142 across the bottom of the state of Missouri. It's a nice road with a couple of good corners, but for the most part it is straight lines between cows. Unfortunately from St. Louis it is impossible to get to Theodosia without a least some straight lines between cows, but Mother did an excellent job of avoiding the worst of it. The only thing worse than straight lines between cows is straight lines between pigs (for obvious reasons). We made it to Theodosia with very little daylight to spare. Somehow Mother Bob turned a 250 mile trip into a 412 mile marathon. Excellent! Just in time for some spicy weiners and chocolate chip cookies. A very good day of riding. The next morning we ate at Cookie's Restaurant, I had some excellent steak and eggs. The buffet looked good, but I just can't pass up steak and eggs when I'm on the road. After getting fueled physically, but not motophysically, we headed east on 160 to Hwy 5. Bob convinced Bill and Becky Wing to give us the local tour of northwest Arkansas. Our first target: Push Mountain Road (Hwy 341). I've ridden the Dragon, I've ridden Mt. Palomar, but I really believe Push Mountain to be better than either of those. At the base of the mountain you start up 25 mph marked switchbacks on brand new smooth black asphalt. Lean the bike all the way over one way and then flip it over the other. Pine and ferns line the road in a way that visually reminded me of the lower section of the Cheraholla Parkway. On the ridge, the pavement turns into a buff colored chip seal that has a lot of grip. The cool thing about Push Mountain is these little dips in the ridge, you can see three corners ahead going up the next incline. Being able to see that far ahead you can push the corner speed a lot and plan your line accordingly. The road has a lot of grip, but be warned, it is possible to spin the rear tire of an FZ1, even on a hot day with perfectly dry pavement. How do I know? Well, let's just say I left my mark on the mountain. Troy and I had such a good time that we turned around and did a few more miles back down and up again while everyone else took a break. We headed west on 14 to 27 past Loafer's Glory. An appropriate name since I had my feet up on the frame sliders just loafing when I saw Troy carry his brakes deep into the next corner, "OH CRAP!" I said to myself. I pulled my feet off the sliders, back onto the pegs and trailbraked for all I was worth, pushing down on the handlebar until "crhhrrhrr", there's the peg. That was my sole "Oh Crap" moment for the weekend. I learned my lesson, Arkansas roads can not be trusted, feet stayed on the pegs after that. We headed west on 65 to our next target: Hwy 123. We headed south on 123. Hwy 123 was a little boring until we got to Mt. Judea. For some unknown reason the locals pronounce it Mt. Judah. I imagine they pronounce it that way to indentify strangers. After Mt. Judea the road got interesting. There are snarkey little switchbacks marked at 10 mph until we get to the top of the mountain. At the top, the pavement ends. I wasn't sure I was on the right road, but I saw pavement continuing about 100 yards away. We were a little south of Ed and Linda's recommended route so we had to trust our guides. Coming down the mountain was much more open, 25 mph roundabouts, lovely pine forests. That was a wonderful stretch of road. We eventually ended up in Clarksville, just north of I-40. Yes, we traveled half the length of Arkansas before we turned around and headed north on Hwy. 103. Now a crisis was coming. It's after 1:00 p.m. and I'm hungry. Mother Bob has promised that lunch will be something special, but my stomach doesn't care. I've been working hard keeping up with these guys. A candy bar will have to tide me over. Hwy 103 is another tight, twisty road with 10 mph switchbacks that climb up through the Ozark National Forest. One corner was so steep and tight it looked like a vertical wall, almost like riding slickrock out in Moab, Utah. Finally, we reach our lunch destination. It's 2:00 o'clock, do you know where your stomach is? Our lunch is in Oark (that's not a typo, there's no "z"). Oark is a little town that time didn't forget, I don't think it ever knew about it. The town has a pool hall and a general store and a few houses. The general store is the oldest operating original general store in America. Oark is the most remote school district in Arkansas. There are three roads into town and only one of them is paved all the way. The food was something special. I had a Texas burger, barbequed with grilled onions, mmm, mmm, good. Others raved about the buffet. It was certainly worth the trip. Of course, the 250 miles of tightly twisted roads and the late hour of our repast certainly contributed to my appreciation of the meal. As we were leaving, we found a few of the local teenagers just hanging out on the porch. Bob asked them what they do for fun around here. "We go swimming," one replied. Bob said you can't go swimming all year. "When swimming's done, it's time to go hunting," she replied. As we started for the bikes, one of them said, "Hey, any of y'all famous? You can sign my arm if'n y'are." I was tempted briefly to make something up, but hey! We've got a state champion here somewhere. Such innocence shouldn't be played upon. Like riding a dirt bike through the forest, you should leave a place like Oark exactly as you found it. We headed west on 215. This road follows the Mulberry River and the first six or seven miles is nicely groomed gravel and then you come to some very nice pavement. One of the locals at the general store said that the state of Arkansas has spent $1.2 million per mile to create this road. We rode about $10 million worth and I think it was money well spent. One corner after another marked at 25 mph with the river on the left side and steep hills on the right. The rest of the trip back to Theodosia is kind of a blur of beautiful scenery and carving corners. By the time we got back we had ridden over 400 miles and I was pooped. Just in time for the banquet! At the banquet, the "Farthest Rider" Award was given to Chuck Reynolds of Loveland, Colorado, for riding 906 miles to attend the BS Rally. The "Best Ozarks BS'er" Award was presented to Bill Wing of Summers, Arkansas. This award is always presented to someone that helps promote HSTA (plus being able to entertain folks with a few stories now and then.) And after riding with Bill all day, I can say the award was well-deserved. There were 105 registered attendees at the Rally, including 12 new members. $1,420 was donated by the great folks at the BS Rally for the HSTA Hurricane Relief Fund, for members who were hit by Hurricane Katrina, and need it the most. Fulmer Helmets donated 5 very nice helmets, along with 5 helmet bags for door prizes, and GenMar Mfg. donated 3 gift certificates for a set of GenMar Risers of choice. One of these was donated back to be auctioned off to help the HSTA Hurricane Relief Fund, and really helped add to the pot. Lots of other great door prizes were donated by the fine Dealers, Manufacturers and others that support the HSTA and the Ozarks BS (Bull Shoals) Rally. Complete names and links are on the BS Rally website at: http://come.to/The_Ozarks_BS_Rally. All the prizes donated were a big hit with the attendees, and helped make the Rally a huge success. So that's my BS Rally adventure, it's a great place to ride motorcycles (even if you don't want to do a 400 mile day). Thanks to Ed and Linda for doing such a great job of putting on the event and hopefully I'll see you there next year.
NOTE: Steve is a professional Photographer, check out his website at: |
Bull Shoals Rally 2004 112 persons participated in this year's rally. It may not have been the highest count ever, but I am sure that we made up for it with enthusiasm and verve. The 13 new members that signed up at the rally got a look at some of the best of this sport, gear, people and roads. Mike Stenger, Nebraska State Director, rolled in with ten riders in tow on Friday (rather like the Pied Piper), four of whom were first time HSTA'ers. One of the arrivals with Mike was actually a wayward Iowa Rider, while a couple of Mike's flock had arrived early in the afternoon and left with me to go ride Arkansas Highway 341. I don't think any one at the banquet was surprised when Mike Stenger received the "Honorary Ozark BS'er Award." This award is given to an attendee of the rally that has always given excellent service to the HSTA organization and Mike is every bit of that. Despite his occasional absence due to military service he manages to keep his enthusiasm high and to interest other riders he meets in the HSTA. Mike is helpful to the newer riders he brings along as well as the riders he has known for years. The award is well deserved. I am sure some of those riders with Mike were glad to see the Friday Night Weenie Roast in full swing. Hot dogs and fixin's were there for everyone, and it is a great opportunity for everyone to gather and get reacquainted. The food was grilled to perfection, some more perfect than others, and the drinks in the coolers were cool and wet. Granted the Friday Night Roast is enjoyable, but it is nothing in comparison to the Saturday Night Buffet. I don't know how Ed and Linda arrange it from such a small rally fee. Ribs, chicken and plenty of side dishes, desert with ice cream, food that was delicious and abundant served right at the resort. Cookies, the restaurant at the resort, should also not go without notice. From O-Dark-Hundred until every rider left for the day they served coffee and breakfast with a smile. I don't know if all 112 riders ate there, but even if everybody didn't, that is a lot of people to take care of. The weather was absolutely lovely, the days began with a brief bit of ground fog near the water, quickly burning off and gradually climbing to a high in mid-afternoon of 85-89 degrees Fahrenheit, low humidity, only the barest hint of fluffy clouds, light breeze here and there and a comfortable night time low of upper 50's to low 60's. If we had all pooled our extra funds and bribed someone to create the perfect weather to ride in we could have received no better. I don't know how Ed and Linda managed it and maybe we shouldn't ask their secret but I sure hope the magic works again next year. The route, as in years past, included Missouri and Arkansas roads, open sweeper and tight twisties, a ferry ride, and a trip through the two of the best roads to be had anywhere, Highway 341 in Arkansas and highway 125 in Missouri. Roger Williams, "Mac" McDaniel, Kelly Buckley and I managed to ride Highway 341 at least 3 times that weekend. It was great the first time, awesome the second time and a certified blast the third time. I don't remember a bad road all day, although a little traffic around Mountain Home kept us "honest" while passing through and Yellville had a series of tricky corners to negotiate (we only "misplaced" one or two riders who were quickly gathered up again). I can't say enough good things about the riding in this area. People travel from all over to ride in this area and for good reason. The "official" route involved about 166 miles in the morning and 150 miles in the afternoon, with a short ride option of about 54 miles for early arrivals on Friday or late risers on Saturday. And if that wasn't enough we were also provided with two more alternate routes of either 90 miles or 105 miles. You could make use of someone's hard work and follow the map or you could almost take any other road in the area and have a good time. Speaking of people traveling from all over, Joe Panek from Wisconsin gathered in the award for riding the most miles to attend the rally, racking up 820 miles on the odometer before arriving in Theodosia, while Chris McCarty of Maryland walked away (or should I say pulled away) with the Long Distance Trailering award, spinning his odometer over to the tune of 997 miles. Thanks for coming, guys. It was great having you there! Ed and Linda secured a nice round of door prizes that were distributed at the banquet, the "Grand Prize" in my opinion being a gift certificate for a free registration for next year's rally. A representative from Central Cycle in West Plains, Missouri was there, he had brought along a few gifts as well, but he made it clear that he was there to enjoy the riding and the people, just like the rest of us. What better endorsement? The "50-50" drawing provided funds for a local animal shelter. Mike Stenger made a nice donation to that "kitty" and if you need to know why you'll have to ask him in person. I can't speak for everyone, sometimes I shouldn't be speaking for myself, but I think everyone would again agree that this was a FANTASTIC rally, all the elements came together perfectly, with a little weather magic and a lot of hard work by the volunteers and in particular Ed and Linda Young. Ladies and gentleman I implore you to set aside time next year to attend this rally; I know you won't regret it. (Except maybe for Bruce Modlin from Nebraska, who this year wrestled with a faulty rear brake caliper, and in every year past has grappled with some problem or another, Good Luck Next Year Bruce!).
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 The 2003 Ozarks BS Rally By: Tom Trieschmann Riding down from St. Louis with MO/SIL Assistant Director Bob LaMear (new ST1300) and buddies Scott Lopez (1200 Bandit), Steve Long (FZ-1), and Pete Jensen (new SV650S), we took the long way down by capturing most of the southeast Missouri's best twisties. The highlight was, of course, DD road just south of Potosi due to its tight twisties… no, wait, the highlight was really KK, which allowed us to achieve West Texas-type velocities to "blow out the carbon." No, no… the true highlight on the way down was Hwy 19 north of Eminence due to its sweeping curves. Oh, what the heck, there were so many good roads on the way down it defies defining a "Best." But arrive safely, we did. Friday evening consisted of the traditional wiener and sausage roast at the beautiful Theodosia Marina Resort on the shores of Bull Shoals Lake. It was good to see cross-state friends like Brad & Cinda Mobley from Texas, Oklahoma's Denise Dickerson, and Tennessee's Tom Sullivan. Even James Plumb and James Plumb Jr. of Colorado showed up. (James Jr. was awarded the "Farthest Rider" award, for riding 1,113 miles to attend the BS Rally.) It just goes to show you that folks come from several of the surrounding states to participate in the BS. And for good reason, too. Ed and Linda are blessed with some of the best roads one could find anywhere. Arkansas' Hwy 14 and 341 (affectionately known as the Arkansas Gap) and Missouri's Hwy 125 were scrumptiously entertaining. Steve and Scott enjoyed Hwy 125 so much that they insisted on riding it back the other way instead of following the proposed loop. No harm done here, I was more than happy to oblige. The Ozarks Mountains are a sportbiker's fantasy, and the BS Rally makes it come true. The only "incident" of the weekend was when several of us were waiting for the ferry to cross Bull Shoals Lake. The road leading to the ferry has a considerable slop, and all of us kept our bikes in gear to prevent them from rolling forward. All of us except one, that is. Gary Hodge accidentally left his ST1100 in neutral, and after about 10 minutes delay, someone yells "Hey, your ST is…!" crash…! and off the sidestand it went. It only resulted in a broken mirror and some minor scratches, but still…. To honor the event, at the banquet Gary was given a rather large, wooden wheel chuck that he can place under his tires in the future. And speakin' of banquet, Saturday evening's BS Banquet is one to be modeled after. The food was excellent and there was plenty of it, with enough door prizes passed out that virtually everyone (except me) won something. Preston Juvenal of Texas won the coveted Fulmer flip-up helmet. Too bad Bob LaMear missed it all; he wasn't feeling well most of the trip and decided on an early departure Saturday so that he could be miserable at home rather than miserable at the rally. Ed and Linda have obviously made vast improvements to the BS since the last time I visited. They have done very well indeed, making the rally not only entertaining for the sportbike enthusiast, but also the family in general, as there are numerous things to see and do around Bull Shoals Lake (some, like Tom and Margarite Padden, and Kevin and Stephanie Gurlen, actually brought their boats rather than their motorcycles!). Make plans to come down next year, the weekend after Labor Day. I know I will; I'd forgotten just how good it is. St. Louis, MO |
 I just returned from the Ozarks. Not the cheesy Branson off-Vegas magic act Ozarks. Not the speedboat, hot tub and sunglasses Ozarks, but the real thing: The rugged, colorful, breath-taking, and decidedly real Ozarks. The Ozarks are like no other place I've been. The terrain and the vegetation conspire to make even the most carefully maintained pastures look wild and wooly. Topographically, the Ozarks are awash in rolling hills and low crags. Clear spring-fed streams have sliced their ways through the region's porous rocks for longer than anywhere else in America. The Rocky Mountains and Appalachians are youngsters compared to the Ozarks. Botanically, the Ozarks are smothered under every kind of grass, tree and bush that you can imagine, all in close proximity to one another. The Ozarks feature oak and hickory forested hills, scattered patches of high prairie, and scenic glades. There just aren't enough adjectives in the language to describe the incredible variety of scenery packed into that corner of the world. Perhaps the failings of the English tongue are to blame for the reputation of Ozarkers. It's said that the proud, self-proclaimed hillbillies that live in those parts tell some mighty tall tales. It's a part of the Ozark tradition that the truth can always be improved, and in some eyes, the measure of an Ozarker is his ability to tell you a whopper. Perhaps their reputation doesn't have so much to do with exaggeration of the facts. Maybe the Ozark landscape just defies so many superlatives that it can only be described with a little verbal "embellishment." At least that's the feeling I got while I was at the Ozarks B.S. Rally. Every year for the last five years, Ed and Linda Young, Missouri HSTA state directors, have organized and executed this gem of a rally, a real jewel on the HSTA calendar. The name of the rally is a clever double entendre: The B.S. could stand for "Bull Shoals", the name of the beautiful man-made recreational lake that serves as the backdrop for the rally registration. Or, of course, B.S. could be the polite abbreviation for an entirely different kind of Bull... the kind that describes the outlandish fabricated stories for which Ozarkers are known. Whatever you decide B.S. stands for, the rally stands on its own as a great motorcycling experience. Included on the suggested routes are some of the best motorcycling roads in the nation, like Arkansas' Push Mountain Highway (sometimes called the Arkansas Gap), and Missouri's crazy-twisty state highway 125. The Push Mountain Highway encompasses 143 curves in just 25 miles, with the best curves all packed into its Southern end. Those Southern curves are the ones that modern sport motorcycles were made for, smooth, tight, and with lots of visibility. The Push Mountain Highway favors riders with smooth, practiced technique. Missouri 125 is equally twisty, but in a very different way. The landscape is much more rugged and trees close to the road shade the majority of the route. The result: Almost every corner is partially blind and includes an elevation change. The road's saving grace is its astonishingly clean and smooth asphalt. Missouri 125 rewards the alert, focused rider with a thrilling ride. But riding is really only half of the rally experience. Ed & Linda Young served up a heaping helping of Ozark hospitality with the rally events on Friday and Saturday nights. The Ozarks B.S. Rally featured a gourmet hotdog cook-out by the lake on the night of registration. Ed & Linda signed up a record 124 attendees, 17 of which were brand new HSTA members. It was the perfect opportunity to kick tires and practice telling Ozark tall tales. Dozens of riders stayed until several hours after the sun went down, eating, laughing and making plans for the next day's ride. A crystal blue Ozark sky greeted the riders the next day, and small groups set off in different directions throughout the morning. Temperatures stayed low until noon, when riders started filtering back in from their morning rides. After lunch, most riders returned to explore more of the fabulous Ozark roads. The rising heat of the day triggered some fast moving and short lived thunderstorms. Those who went South after lunch got a little rain. But the net effect of the brief afternoon showers was to cool the air back down to pre-noon temps. By 6:00 the riders had all returned for a group photo at the Bull Shoals Marina. There they relived the stories of the day and compared notes on the best roads. At 7:00 the doors opened for the rally banquet. The Ozarks B.S. rally is notable for many reasons, not the least of which is the quality and quantity of the food served at its Saturday banquet. Hungry riders found a buffet featuring fried chicken, baked ham, BBQ ribs, seafood pasta salad, and too many side dishes to remember. Dessert was the rider's choice of peach cobbler or chocolate cake, with ice cream as a factory option. During the banquet, we watched two different slide presentations. The first was a collage of the photos taken during the rally by Butch Turner. It was great fun to see all the smiling faces and shining bikes. The second presentation was an audio-visual tribute to Keith Huckabey and Alan Wilson. Jim Sullivan and Keith's friends from the MSSR had assembled a beautiful retrospective of Keith's life. The pictures of Keith surrounded by his family and friends were truly moving. It's very clear that both Keith and Alan will be deeply missed. Next on the agenda for the banquet was the presentation of awards. Don Clark won two awards: The first was for being the rider who rode the farthest to attend the rally. Don rode 1700 miles from California! Don also received the annual "Biggest BSer" award in recognition of his Ozark-like story telling skills. Don accepted both awards only after making sure they had nothing to do with his age. Apparently, he has been instructed not to return home with any more "old man" awards. John Watts received an award for trailering the greatest distance to attend the rally, 1300 miles from Florida. The banquet closed with door prizes and a 50/50 raffle. Among the door prizes given were a Fulmer Helmet, free registration for the Ohio Mail Pouch Flyby rally, t-shirts, bike logs, subscriptions to Rider, Woman Rider and Cruiser Rider magazines, Discount coupons for Dennis Kirk catalog items and many other great prizes. The 50/50 drawing raised $221 for the "Keith Huckabey Memorial Fund" to assist with educational expenses for Keith's two sons. To sum it up, the Ozarks B.S. Rally had it all: Fabulous scenery, amazing motorcycle roads, outstanding food, and genuine Ozark hospitality. And that's no tall tale.
Bill & Amy Jones |
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Word of mouth counts for a lot in the Honda Sport Touring Association. Every motorcyclist I’ve met through the HSTA has, at his or her core, two attributes I admire. First, they’re decisive: Anyone who gets on a modern motorcycle year after year, weighing his or her skill against the uncertainty of public roads, must constantly make firm decisions to survive. Secondly, the motorcyclists of the HSTA all have a fundamental desire to share the motorcycling experience: They all know that the key to increasing their enjoyment of sport touring is to learn from and educate one another, whether it’s about the machinery, the techniques or the venues. So, when an HSTAer tells you that the annual Bull Shoals rally in Theodosia, MO is the best rally of the year, you should listen. When several HSTA'ers tell you not to miss the Bull Shoals rally, you better mark your calendar, gas up your bike, and head for the Ozarks. That’s precisely why my wife and I found ourselves winding our way Southward through Missouri towards the dot on the map that is Theodosia. There are two ways to get to Theodosia from St. Louis. You can travel 350+ miles on a combination of Interstate and US Highways, or you can shorten the trip to 300 miles on some of Missouri’s finer backroads. Amy and I chose the latter, and the day rewarded us amply. Just the right amount of twisty stuff, and we crossed the MO 160 bridge over Bull Shoals lake about two hours before rally check-in. Anyone who has ever attended a rally knows the excitement of arrival. The one horse town of Theodosia was nearly bursting at its seams with sport and touring motorcycles. When we pulled into our motel, every single unit had at least one bike parked out front, and the parking lot was full of tire-kickers. Men and women riders all waved to us as we rolled up, treating each new arrival like a long lost relative at the family reunion. The camaraderie continued at the rally check-in that evening. Conversations and laughter filled the campgrounds of the Theodosia Marina Resort as old friends from across the country greeted one another, and introduced themselves to the newly initiated. Our paid attendance got us some of the finest hot dogs anyone ever held over a fire, and it got us our official rally packet, filled with maps, ride suggestions, and other goodies too numerous to mention. 300 miles of twisty Missouri roads is enough to build a powerful hunger, the kind that only an endless supply of free hot dogs and soda pop could hope to sate. Ed and Linda Young, the 2001 Bull Shoals Rally co-directors, fed all 116 rally participants by keeping the grills burning until well after dark. The 2001 Bull Shoals rally was different from other rallies that we have attended. Instead of having a "short route" and a "long route," this rally had three suggested 150 mile loops intersecting one another that could be run in either direction. This arrangement is a work of motorcycle rally genius. It assured each participant the opportunity to do as little or as much riding as he or she wished, and it had everyone crossing each others’ paths. At every gas stop, we met up with riders coming from different directions and raved about our favorite roads of the day. "Did you ride MO 125 yet?" "Isn’t it incredible?" "Did you get down to Arkansas 341?" "We’re doing that this afternoon!" Amy and I rode the whole day with Matt Laury, a friend from St. Louis, but we hooked up and rode with 7 other riders throughout the day. We met many others at gas stations and passed virtually everyone else going the other way at some point during the rally. As good as the company was, the star of the day was the fabulous selection of roads on the suggested routes. Southwestern Missouri is hilly country. There are just enough beef cattle farms in this part of the world that the residents get nicely paved roads, but the farms are sparse enough, separated by patches of Ozark forest, to make the highway traffic very light. Hills, forest, new pavement, light traffic, just add good weather, and you have the basic ingredients for primo grade-A motorcycling goodness! After our breakfast at Cookie’s ("A Place To Eat"), Amy and Matt and I chose to ride the Southern loop through Northwestern Arkansas. This route, known on our rally maps as "Last Year’s Morning Route" took us West out of Theodosia on MO 160, and then South on MO/AR 125. The rolling hills and wide-open corners on 160 invited us to open it up a bit and test our tires’ grip on the cool, smooth tarmac. MO/AR 125 South was kinkier, and shaded by conifers, so we lightened our throttles and coasted down to the Bull Shoals ferry, just across the Arkansas border. The ferry ride was just long enough for us to stretch our legs and enjoy the warmth of the morning sun as it bounced off the still waters of Bull Shoals lake. At the end of our boat ride, we were stretched, warmed up, and ready to get back on the road. The Arkansas roads warmed up pretty well, too. The whole morning was 150 miles of uninterrupted twisties. The pavement was so fresh, and the camber so perfect that every sweeper invited us to bevel our footpegs, an invitation that Amy and I accepted more than once! Back in Theodosia, we had a relaxing lunch, and picked our afternoon route. We decided to head North on 125 this time, at the suggestion of Fred Ziglar, HSTA president. I’ll tell you what, you don’t get to be the commander in chief of the finest motorcycle club in the nation without learning a thing or two about where to ride. MO 125 North from Hwy 160 to Sparta, Missouri is one of the finest motorcycle roads anywhere. With nearly 200 corners in 20 miles, virgin blacktop, and spectacular Ozark scenery, 125 is the kind of road you could spend all day on. And 125 throws everything but the kitchen sink at you! Every possible combination of uphill and down hill, left and right, increasing and decreasing radii, deep banking and off-camber turns. The only constant was the excellent quality of the macadam. Every hill we crested and every turn we rounded had us wondering which way we would go next. Tired and happy, we rolled back into Theodosia with precisely 300 miles on the trip meter. After all the wonderful riding we’d done, we were plenty hungry. Ed and Linda Young took care of all the rallyers once again, hosting a buffet style banquet at the marina resort. It was during the banquet that the Ozark sky opened up and dumped a season’s worth of rain on Southwestern Missouri. It rained so hard that the makeshift banquet hall started to flood! In true HSTA style, all the participants stood their ground, preferring to eat their dessert and talk bikes rather than flee to safety. In fact, the flooding (which subsided as quickly as it started) served a good purpose, getting everyone out of their seats and moving about, so that more introductions could be made and more friendships could be re-kindled. The banquet closed with a drawing for door prizes, including helmets, tank bags, gift certificates and the most sought after prize of all, a rain suit! All in all, Amy and I were extremely pleased with the Bull Shoals rally. You can bet that next year, the weekend after Labor Day, we’ll be headed for the Ozarks again! Bill & Amy Jones |
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS FROM THE NEW GUY by: Bob Gallagher - Cabool, MO  After lunch, Tom Padden and I decided to return home riding some of those fine backroads from Rolla. Tom puts several miles on his bike, and he knew a nice route home that didn't involve riding back on Hwy 63. Although we got completely soaked in an afternoon thunderstorm, the first part on the ride was a blast and though throughly drenched, the last part of the ride was good also. I split from Tom at Willow Springs and he rode solo to Gainesville, MO (dry summer) to find the rain had stopped about 10 miles from his house. Well, first impressions are supposed to be the best, and everyone I had met so far seemed to be the kind of people I'd like to hang out with. I also got the impression that this group of riders was skilled, experienced, and practiced what they preached as far as riding as safe as possible. No soup bowl helmets and shorts here! So I filled out an application form for the HSTA and signed up for the B.S. Rally in Theodosia. Friday afternoon on Sept 7 and time to start my first rally. The weather was fine that day and Lloyd Ebert, his wife Debbie, and I headed south out of Cabool down Hwy 181 to the B.S.Rally in Theodosia. We hit the campground at about 5:30 or 6:00pm and found the area already full of people and bikes. It's a good thing no one pays too much attention to the Weather Channel, as they had predicted showers and thunderstorms throughout the weekend. Friday night a Gourmet Hotdog Dinner was provided by the HSTA with more tire kickin' and a little libation before heading for the sack. Saturday morning dawned clear. It looked like the rain might hold off long enough for a nice ride. Thanks to Tom & Marguerite Padden's hospitality, three of us stayed at their house over the weekend. Tom rode his new Fazer, with Ken on a 929RR, Ron on his ST1100 and me on a SV650. With Tom as the leader (this is his backyard) we took off for first loop. We ran north on Hwy 5 and made about a 150 mile tour over some of the best roads around. This ride also placed us at the Rock Bridge Restaurant right about lunchtime. Twisting our way down from some of the ridges to the valley on a great road we arrived at Rock Bridge Restaurant, a nice scenic spot on the banks of a clear, spring fed river. An old mill and dam and several trout fishermen catching their lunch was the view from the restaurant through the big picture windows we sat by. After lunch we walked down and checked out the old mill and dam, then rode out to head back to the campground. After gassing up, we decided we would take another ride. Tom suggested a short trip south to Arkansas to the little town of Buffalo City. More great winding roads and a view of some beautiful 200ft. limestone bluffs along the river greeted us at Buffalo City. Along the way, we also stopped at an overlook on one of the ridges above the White River Valley and were rewarded with a beautiful panoramic vista of the hills, valleys and river below us. Riding these roads is fun, but sometimes you have to get off and look around to appreciate things. We all had a great ride that day and the rain limited itself to just a few light showers towards the afternoon. Arriving at TMR's campground for the banquet Saturday evening, we found the place full of bikes and people. After getting our buffet dinner and sitting down to eat, the wind picked up and it RAINED. IT STORMED HARD! Since the pavilion had open ends, several people had a somewhat soggy dining experience. It rained hard on and off all night. Sunday dawned clear, but during the ride home it clouded up some and showered a little. All in all ... A GREAT WEEKEND! I'd like to thank Lloyd Ebert for introducing me to the Youngs and the HSTA. In addition, I would like to thank Ed and Linda Young for organizing the B.S.Rally, Tom and Marguerite Padden, for their hospitality, and all the people that I've met and ridden with these last few weeks. I highly recommend that anyone interested in sport touring and the camaraderie that goes with it, either join the HSTA or, at the very least, go with some of these people on a weekend ride. You WILL enjoy yourself. |
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What a great Rally! Ed and Linda Young put on a really fun event. Nice and relaxed, and well organized. The resort at Theodosia, MO. is perfect. Rooms, with the door just 10 feet from your bike, camp sites across the street, picnic area, good restaurant and banquet area, all overlooking the lake. And roads! Did I mention ROADS??? WOW!!! The rally had 105 registered, with 18 new members signed up! Along with many of the regulars, were Fred Zigler and "Moose" in attendance. There were plenty of door prizes, including rain suits, all kinds of goodies, and three new helmets! The weather was pleasant, with just brief light scattered showers now and then. For us from Texas, it was great to smell the damp grass after a shower. Do not miss this one next year......September 7-9, 2001.
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It's my personal favorite rally! Great roads getting there, great accommodations, great commradery, great food, great roads around the rally, great banquet, great weather, and great roads getting home. As Arnald says: "I'll BE BACK" Tom, Bad "S", Sullivan |
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Well, we broke all the records again. What else would you expect from the MSSR (Mid-South Sport Riders)? Of the 105 riders and passengers who attended the BS rally this year a whopping twenty one were members of the MSSR. In fact I am proud to point out that Isabel and I were numbers 104 and 105. Some would say that is because we didn't plan well and as usual and put registration off until the last minute. I will have you know that we paid our dues after the ride Saturday and made sure we were legit before the last day came along. (I won't give the details of what time that night we finally found the folks from the HSTA...) This is my second time joining the HSTA for one of their events. So as an outsider looking in, their organization is quite impressive and the rally was a whole lot of fun. Even though I planned months in advance to get off work and ride with the group that Friday morning, my boss couldn't seem to remember that con-versation as vividly. As it turns out, Troy and Isabel were kind of in the same boat. So we all planned to ride over after work that Friday evening. A solid 4 1/2 hour ride was not what I looked forward to after a long week, but I was ready none the less. I can't say the same for Troy though. He comes up with this brilliant idea at 4 that afternoon to trailer over. Great! But. . . He did not have the right hitch on his car and had to pick up the trailer and yadda yadda, you know the story. Well-intentioned plans for leaving on time turned into a 9:30 departure from Memphis. Not so great. I hate not being the first person to drive on a long trip because when I am always wide awake and on top of that have to keep the driver company till it's his turn to be passenger. But when it is not your car you don't get to make the rules, right? It was rainy on the way there, the roads were slick and visibility was poor, except the view through the rear window. This trailer Troy borrowed must have been made out of paperclips the way it was bending and flexing around every cor-ner. When the bikes first started leaning we stopped and scratched our heads when we couldn't find any-thing loose. Sure enough, they were secure but that gut wrenching feeling of wondering which corner will be too much just killed me. It was not the kind of obstacle you need when you are running late and it is way past your bedtime. As we pulled in to the campgrounds we just looked at each other blankly trying to figure out which cabin the others had reserved. At 1AM in the morning everyone was fast asleep surely, but where? We figured the biggest cabin with TN license plates on the bikes outside must be the one, so on in we walked. There was this big den area with four closed doors all around, each one emanating snoring that sounded more like a herd of cows than the good guys of the MSSR. We tip-toed around for a bit and peeked in the rooms. The biggest scare of the night was seeing Dave Stockton with his snoring machine on. Have you ever seen the movie Predator? Looked something like that. Pretty scary in the dark even though it does make this cool Darth Vader sound. Then Isabel taps me on the shoulder barely able to hold in here laughter. She had to go to the bathroom so as she walked through one of the rooms to get there (mind you it is in the middle of the night) this guy she couldn't recognize sits up in bed, look squarely at her, and says "hey," kind of as if he were going to add the word "baby." It wasn't till the next morning that we found out who it was. Rick, I probably would have done the same thing, man. We finally see the note taped to the outside of the door, which we were too blind or road wired to notice earlier, and found our way to the right beds. I wouldn't call it a good night's rest because this group likes to get up early and make lot of noise. Then the first thing I find out is that my hand grips are loose, actually sliding on and off my bike as if I had sprayed WD40 in-side them rather than hair spray. This proved to be quite the annoy-ance for the start of the ride until Tim Bailey helped put some safety wire around each grip. This all but eliminated the problems of me twisting the throttle and not accelerating one bit. Before I get too far into Saturday's details, let me tell you the story of the guys who rode over on Friday and had their own share of misadventures. The radar detectors had been going off all morning until the guys reached the town of Shirley in Van Buren county. Terry Rhea, Rick Craig, Tom Sullivan, Kenny, and Keith with Penny on back came rounding a hill just clicking into 5th when the county's finest passes going in the other direction, not for long though. He braked and turned around in time to pass up Terry and Rick who had pulled over and go after Keith. Yeah, a ST two up looks more menacing than an R1 and a Blackbird. Anyway, he finally catches up to Huck and after pulling him over mysteriously takes off again. Should he stay or should he go? By the time the cop rounded up the entire bunch, except our infamous Tom and Kenny who always seems to get out of trouble, you could tell he was having a hard time figuring out the licenses from all over MS, AR, & TN. So a moderate dose of salesman schmooze was all it took to get the kind cop to realize there were no habitual speeders in the group (yeah right. . .) and that some other band of Yahoos must be out causing the trouble. The only other incident during the entire week-end was when Dave got excited about the upcoming Olympics and tried a gymnastics move mounting his bike and made it fall over on top of him. You should ask him to show you the bruise, which even now weeks after the event is bigger than any I have ever had. He says his sore leg gave him an excuse to put some miles on his cruiser. Ken recommended some really good pain-killers, so I think Dave is set. Keith finally gave me ammunition against him so that he will no longer poke fun at me about leaving for last year's Ozarks trip with a worn tire and having it wear out on me completely. His front was so bald you would think it was a slick if it weren't for the chord showing. He and Penny headed back for the cabin early Saturday to go do his taxes or watch football or something. He told me, but I can't quite remember. In all, 18 of us rode together Saturday and had a spectacular ride, even getting caught in some afternoon showers on the way back home. We got to ride a ferry across the lake to connect some nice roads—I don't keep track of highway #s; I just follow the rest who must know where they are going. For lunch we stopped at this great lodge that we defiantly entered despite the "Absolutely NO motorcycles" sign out front. The club did as agreed pay for half of the hotel for all members who attended the event, although we think Troy spent all that money on beer. Don't the club's bylaws say something about subsidizing alcohol? Another great thing about this whole trip was logging miles on what may be the finest highway anywhere for our riding styles. Missouri Hwy 125 is a must see for all you non-believers! So next time you think about coming along to an HSTA event, think no more. Signing up for their annual membership and the cost of the rally is so little for the fun. Think of measuring it in grins per dollar spent. I can't think of a better way to spend my trip money. And yes, pre-registering does have it's benefits. There were additional drawings on Saturday that allowed those who sent in their fees early additional chances to win more cool prizes. Keith won three things and I even won two. Anybody need a XXL Hein Gericke summer riding suit?
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The 1999 BS rally is now history and everyone who attended agrees that it was a wonderful event, but no one can agree on what the B. S. stands for. Some hold that it stands for the lovely Bull Shoals lake, but there were no boats and jet skis present at TMR resort on the morning of Sept. 11. Instead the dawn was greeted by the purr of Gold Wings, the muted growl of vintage BMWs, and finally the staccato cannonade of El Presidente Fred Ziglar's Erion piped Superhawk. This event had nothing to do lakes and boats and everything to do with motorcycles and twisty tarmac. 104 people officially registered for the BS Run which is in only its second year and is already one of the premier HSTA events. Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and other Midwestern states were all well represented, but it was John Watts from Florida who rode the farthest to get there, 1300 miles. Missouri state director Ed Young prepared several different route plans and they all included some of the best curvy roads in the country. Perhaps the BS stands for Beautiful Scenery because there were old stone buildings, farms , and mills along the various routes. Most of the riders who took the southern loop enjoyed a ferry boat ride over the lake as a great start to the day's ride. Expert videographer Marshall Spencer filmed all of the riders negotiating the curves of Missouri highway 125... except for a couple he might have missed when he fell off the fence. Riders more interested in sport riding than scenery were not disappointed. Between the 35 mph banked corners of US 160, and the endless sweepers of Missouri 125 it was hard to pick a favorite road, but most agreed that there is one "secret" road through the national forest in Arkansas that is just awesome. The Theodosia Marina Resort turned out to be the perfect place for an event. The accommodations were first rate with a campground right by the lodge and cottages. Hummingbirds whirled and soared all around and larger birds wheeled and dove over the lake every evening. TMR provided a real feast Saturday night. The Big Supper included barbecued chicken , ribs, and roast beef as well as salads , breads, and homemade peach cobbler and cake for desert. Chase Harper had provided all manner of bags to be strapped to body, belt, or bike to be given away as door prizes. Perhaps the nicest prize was a top of the line Nolan helmet from Competition Accessories which was won by John Askew. Twelve new members joined up just for this event... errr make that thirteen if you count past president (now member) Moose who could not wipe the smile from his face all weekend. A new member from TN said, "I never knew there were so many great roads around here! I had a great time and made a bunch of friends. " Sunday morning came way to soon, and everyone rushed to leave since the sky threatened rain. Rally coordinators Ed and Linda Young were just about the last to leave. They had brought their V65 Sabre to the rally but never found the time to ride it. Judging by their tired smiles I don't think they minded at all.. This rally provided an opportunity for them to share a part of the county that is special to them with friends from all over. It is clear that the BS stands for one Bloody Superb rally! |
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Ed, Linda, Again, thanks for a wonderful weekend.
Paul Cain |
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Open letter to Ed and Linda Young, You may remember me as the older guy at Bulls Shoals attending his first rally. You may have seen me putt by on my slightly seedy BMW. You may not have wondered why I was there, but I did. I've read the BMW Owner's News for years and read about the "rally experience" without feeling compelled to attend. But Paul Cain, an HSTA member from Indiana, urged me to come to Bull Shoals. We're old friends, and Bull Shoals is about half-way between our homes, so I agreed to meet him there. As it happened, Paul was delayed several hours, so I arrived at the Rally site not knowing a soul. Paul had told me that HSTA was about people and motorcycles, in that order. It's true. Nobody cared that both I and my bike are "mature". Within hours I had met Directors from Arkansas, Texas, Missouri (of course), Florida and Indiana, as well as HSTA president, treasurer, Moose and Young Moose. Frankly, I'm a shy person and slow to meet people, but the HSTA folks made it easy. Too, I had read a recent article in Rider magazine wherein Lawrence Grodsky had sorta given the impression that HSTA was full of crazed road warriors. I didn't think I would fit in such a group. I really study riding and constantly work on my lines and control and balance, but I'm certainly no racer. No matter. The thing that mattered to everyone I met was that I wear protective gear and stay within my limits. On the Saturday ride the fast guys went fast and we slow guys went slow and no one pointed and laughed. So I had a great time. I'm proud to be an HSTA member and wear my logo shirt. Ed, you and Linda had a well organized rally with plenty to do and enjoy. It seemed as though you even organized the weather. It sprinkled a little Saturday morning, but by the end of breakfast it was dry and clear. As soon as the rally was over, though, the rains came. My ride back to Texas began with a wet five hours. We've had such a drought in Texas that I didn't think to take any rain gear and I was soaked to the skin by Fort Smith. The dye in my leathers transfered to me and my clothes. My gloves turned my hands black and now, after hours of scrubbing, they are still slightly blue. I figure that's another aspect of the Rally Experience and part of the fun. So, rain or shine, HSTA can look for me at the rallys. Thanks again. James |
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Ozarks B.S. Rally: Deba and I just got back from Ozarks B.S. Rally. 104 intrepid bikers braved the wilds of South West Missouri to attend the second annual B.S. Rally at Theodosia Marina Resort at Bull Shoals Lake, Mo. All reports indicate that it was another typical HSTA success. Ed and Linda Young and the entire Missouri crew deserve a big pat on the back for putting together a great route, good company and the best food in the HSTA! Cookies Restaurant at T.M.R. is without a doubt the best source of fine fare that this club can offer (based on my own limited experience, of course.) It's good enough to turn a sport rider back into a Gold Winger (ride to eat, eat to ride!) The roads are pretty good, too. I can't personally recommend the route, because I tried to ride the whole thing on a flat front tire. Thanks to Greg Mitchell for finally diagnosing and fixing the problem. I was so focused on the tire wear that I couldn't see the real problem. Here's another reminder that basic maintenance is important to your day-to-day riding pleasure. The other 103 attendees will attest to the great roads, though. They all had a great time. Weather was a serious concern on Saturday. The roads were damp as we headed out on the designated routes. Some chose to go north, some south, but we were all taking a chance of running into rain. Didn't happen, though, except for a few isolated sprinkles. Everyone had a great time riding the rolling hills of Ozak country. Add the great dinner and company on Saturday evening and you have the makings for a typical HSTA event. Oh, yeah, common, run-of-the-mill member Don Parrish won the 50/50 drawing. You may remember him as past president Moose Parrish. His comment upon winning was, "It's about time! Give me the money." I'm sure Ed and Linda will do it again next year. Put it on your calendar and plan to be there. Do what we did: leave home on Thursday; tow to Rosener's in Park Hills, MO (FOF country); leave the trailer there and ride to Theodosia on Friday. After the event, ride back to Park Hills on Sunday. It's the easiest way I know of to turn a one day ride into a three day ride on really nice roads. The best thing about towing was missing the Sunday afternoon rain. We road 200 miles on Sunday morning in partly cloudy conditions. We drove the truck the rest of the way home on Sunday afternoon in dry and warm conditions inside, while the rain and thunderstorms soaked the outside. Pity those who had to 2-wheel it all the way home in the rain. How about it, Fred? |
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Thanks for having us Ed. The MSSR crowd had it's usual great time. Your rally really stands out as one that shows what southern hospitality is all about. It's dedicated peple like you that make the sport even greater than it naturally is! Keep up the good work, we need you! Thanks again. Look forward to next year. Tom Sullivan |
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1999 Bull Shoals Musings: The 1999 Bull Shoals Rally had passed its crescendo. Great times were had on the runs we made. There was nothing too harsh on the road, one minor (thank God) get off, that rode home slightly ruffled. It was Saturday night just past midnight when my head reached the pillow. Images of the road rushing up to meet me and the gorgeous country around us, came flashing, brilliant, through my mind. The GSX-R750 was well suited to the turns, my confidence grew, and I became much more at home with the bike and our capabilities. After the Saturday evening banquet, we watched some viddy's of us riders in action. A little more chatting with friends, and it was off to the room to gear up for the trip home. The waking hours had started early, with breakfast at Cookies, then off about 8:30. This was my first HSTA rally, my first serious road rally period. My friends Ed and Linda Young introduced me to Tom Sullivan, Friday night, who invited me to ride with his bunch, the Mid South Sport Riders. I gladly accepted. Uncertain what to expect, from the talk Friday evening I gleaned they liked to ride quick. Adopted by the gang from Memphis I was soon in the mix with an R1, 900RR, VFR800, Super Hawk, YZF750, 1100XX, F3, YZF1000, BMW?, etc. There was a dozen or so of us, riding together most of the day. The experience gained in their company was without comparison. I was able to improve my riding skills, and never let myself feel pushed or pulled. After lunch, we cooked it up a little more, before heading in for the evening. All in all, it was a ride that will always be happily remembered. I was amazed at the skill and machine control that Keith, Tom, Tim, and Peter, and the others, displayed. (Tim and Peter were both two-up!) Tim was so kind to offer to help me improve my cornering set up. He drafted the help of a couple of his fellow club members and the guys reset the suspension preloads. The bike was noticeably better. It had too much sag at the factory settings for a guy my size (6', 180#). I got to follow about everybody in the group at one point or another. Having better riders ahead to "plow the road" was a great confidence builder for me. I kept throttle control and forward planning foremost in my mind and the Gix responded with its wonderful temperament, and nary a surprise. Locked the back just a bit one time, braking hard on some bumps, but just eased up and got busy peeling in, no sweat. From a personal level, I never let safety considerations stray from my thoughts. I did not feel compelled to compete with myself, the machine, the terrain, or others. It was a ride that grew out of the desire to above all else to be smooth, exploit the opportunities, and leave a good margin for error. The reward was plenty of motorcycling joys. There is an interesting phenomenon, that I can relate from my years racing Formula Fords, which surfaces at these events. Driving at 8/10's for one guy, may be an entirely different velocity than 8/10's for another guy. Factors such as experience, equipment (this is a bigger factor than some people realize), preparation (the exact same machine can be a bear or a pussycat depending on set-up), ability to read the road ahead, intuition, and dare we say it, ...skill and technique. The last of this list, technique, is enhanced with training, study, and practice. After reading the posts about FOF, 10/9, some thoughts come to mind. When an accident occurs, why point fingers of blame at fellow riders? We should try to learn from what happened instead. We ride motorcycles by choice. We choose thus because of the freedom and enjoyment that lies therein. Let each of us examine our own conscience, and acknowledge that we alone control our own actions. Were it any other way, we would probably not choose to ride. Every rider must realize their limitations and only enlarge them in small steps. Egos must be left at the curb. Learning ones limitations is difficult, requires great patience, and is never fully mastered. We should also bear in mind the humility to admit that some riders are more skilled. We can admire them and maybe even keep them in sight for a few bends and learn something on the way. Last but not least two alternative thoughts for the day, post me back with the author if you know! "There are only three true sports. Mountain climbing, bull fighting, and motor racing. all the rest are merely games." "Technique is the religion of the dangerous trades." Happy trails. JW
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Mountain Grove, Missouri 65711
Phone: 417-926-3075
Fax: 417-926-5771
Email: magna@centurytel.net
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