Mostly an uneventful trip from Little Rock to Weatherford, Texas. Left Little rock in 50 degree weather and landed in Texas at 95 degrees. What a swing of temps. Little Rock has an area like our beloved Ybor City with the exception it was done right. Lots of places to ear, several bars and tons of tourists. Ate at place called the Flying Fish. Catfish was outstanding and the decor is pretty funny. Fish with wings hanging on the walls.
The road to Texas was what some would say boring, straight, flat with little to see but miles and miles.
Speaking of boring, this posting is smack in the middle of boring but hope to liven it up later.
It's now later and I have at least something to report. I arrived at Brother Rick's and his lovely bride Gloria's house. Oh yeah, their two dogs greeted me at the gate.
Had a great time catching up with Brother Rick and his lovely bride Gloria, the old dog Sam (it was was too old and tired to care who I was) and the new dog Hanna who was a bit standoffish and liked to bark at me. Maybe she thought I was a new (old) dog coming into the household. We did come to an agreement. She would bark and I would ignore her.
Got a tour of Ft. Worth and the surrounding area. I've been gone too long and things sure have changed. The even a new Cowboy new stadium (photo). Made a trip to
TCU football field. Someone left the door open and Rick and I just walked in. (Little know fact. I attended TCU about a hundred years ago). (photo)
Made it to north side of Ft. Worth where the famous Billy Bob's Texas bar and rodeo arena are located . Got to see some wild and not so wild cattle on the way to the Northside. Met some honest to goodness cowboys and cattle drivers and the new watering system they recently installed and lots of fresh road apples. (Photos
Rode in the rain to my daughter's house. first rain I have been in for 2600 miles. (see photo of me in my fancy rain suit)
Now at my Daughter Kellie's house and being entertained by her kids Kayla (her artwork) and Jared his itouch he won. We spent some of the time in the garage with their dad Wayne looking for a tornado that was sighted nearby. No tornado touched down so no photo. Dag-nab-it!
I guess that is it for a while unless a tornado hits and then there will be lots of photos.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Don't drop that, road to little rock and Clinton Library
I guess I gotta confess to something. I dropped my bike. Standing still in front of the motel yesterday down it went. I've always heard it happens to everyone and I got my turn yesterday. No major damage to the bike but my ego sure took a hit along with a few very sore ribs. Hard to explain unless you saw it happen. I've a sneaky suspicion the frog had something to do with it for keeping him confined during the trip. Can't prove it but there were frog prints on the tank.
After a good nights rest it was off to Little Rock, Arkansas. Stopped off to see a concrete wall that is supposed to hold back the Mississippi River. Yeah
right. Made one last shot of a corn field and was surprised to see some of my friends there. Almost got to the fair city when I begin to see pigs everywhere, on the road, off the road, at gas stations and even in front of the hotel. After checking around I discovered they were really razorbacks as Arkansas had a football game planned for that day. Go Hogs! Go Gators with their first win of this year. They sure better get better.
I got a bit of an education today. Went to the President Clinton Library. Five bucks with a senior citizen discount got me in the front door. Pretty impressive place. Saw his Limo, and tons of photos of his campaign and all manor of presidential things. There was even a replica of the Oval Office. Couldn't believe the photo that was on the wall. (look closely at the photos).
Back in the room and resting up for tomorrow when I take off for Fort Worth, Texas.
After a good nights rest it was off to Little Rock, Arkansas. Stopped off to see a concrete wall that is supposed to hold back the Mississippi River. Yeah
right. Made one last shot of a corn field and was surprised to see some of my friends there. Almost got to the fair city when I begin to see pigs everywhere, on the road, off the road, at gas stations and even in front of the hotel. After checking around I discovered they were really razorbacks as Arkansas had a football game planned for that day. Go Hogs! Go Gators with their first win of this year. They sure better get better.
I got a bit of an education today. Went to the President Clinton Library. Five bucks with a senior citizen discount got me in the front door. Pretty impressive place. Saw his Limo, and tons of photos of his campaign and all manor of presidential things. There was even a replica of the Oval Office. Couldn't believe the photo that was on the wall. (look closely at the photos).
Back in the room and resting up for tomorrow when I take off for Fort Worth, Texas.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Connecting with my roots and back in the saddle
Sorry for the break in this great literary piece. I spent the last couple days with my cousin Judy and her husband. I was treated to some great home cooking, a night at their lake house complete with a boat ride as well as some great red wine. Judy and I went exploring the countryside looking for my past. I found the one-room-schoolhouse I started school, the farm where I spent lots of time with her family. Nice to see the barn that brought back memories of building forts in the hay loft and her dad teaching me to drive a truck.
I tried to find some of my ancestors head stones in a cemetery overgrown with 7 foot high prairie grass. No luck. I did find the farm that my Grandfather (Gramps) farmed over 40 years ago. That place brought back some memories of farming, and living with no indoor plumbing or electricity. Man things sure changed in the past four decades. It couldn't be that I waited abut forty years to go back. My bad.
There was one surprise for me. I spied a beautiful lady with shining hair that hung over her brooding long lashed eyes. I tried playing it cool, teasing and my own brand of flirting to no avail. I then thought of a gift of some wild flowers and that did it. She slowly come over and snatched the bouquet from my hands and walked away. All hopes of spending quality time with her were crushed. (click on the slide show to see a picture of my beauty.
Now off to another day on the road. A 7 a.m. departure planed. The temperature was a brisk 49 degrees which means that at 70MPH it's sub-artic. Planning payed off with a jacket I had tucked away but it still was chilly for a few hours.
I cruised south on Missouri highways nursing my sore butt and began thinking of alternate forms of transportation. In Hannibal, Missouri I ran across a different type of wheeled vehicle but after a trial ride it seemed too small and besides I looked a bit stupid on that thing. (click on the photo show to to pictures). I left Hannibal behind and then came across one more potential ride in Wellsville, Missouri. No pilot was found but as I began to think that the one only one capable of flying that thing was the scarecrow from Oz. (hint- it was made out of straw)
Anyway I made it to Hayti, Missouri. Hayti by the way is pronounced 'hey-tie'. just in case you might come through here to experience a little bit of nothing. I did find a pizza joint that would deliver a pie and cold beer. Ain't America great?
Off to Little Rock, Arkansas tomorrow. Staying across the street from the Clinton Library. Can't wait to see the dress.
Cheers.
I tried to find some of my ancestors head stones in a cemetery overgrown with 7 foot high prairie grass. No luck. I did find the farm that my Grandfather (Gramps) farmed over 40 years ago. That place brought back some memories of farming, and living with no indoor plumbing or electricity. Man things sure changed in the past four decades. It couldn't be that I waited abut forty years to go back. My bad.
There was one surprise for me. I spied a beautiful lady with shining hair that hung over her brooding long lashed eyes. I tried playing it cool, teasing and my own brand of flirting to no avail. I then thought of a gift of some wild flowers and that did it. She slowly come over and snatched the bouquet from my hands and walked away. All hopes of spending quality time with her were crushed. (click on the slide show to see a picture of my beauty.
Now off to another day on the road. A 7 a.m. departure planed. The temperature was a brisk 49 degrees which means that at 70MPH it's sub-artic. Planning payed off with a jacket I had tucked away but it still was chilly for a few hours.
I cruised south on Missouri highways nursing my sore butt and began thinking of alternate forms of transportation. In Hannibal, Missouri I ran across a different type of wheeled vehicle but after a trial ride it seemed too small and besides I looked a bit stupid on that thing. (click on the photo show to to pictures). I left Hannibal behind and then came across one more potential ride in Wellsville, Missouri. No pilot was found but as I began to think that the one only one capable of flying that thing was the scarecrow from Oz. (hint- it was made out of straw)
Anyway I made it to Hayti, Missouri. Hayti by the way is pronounced 'hey-tie'. just in case you might come through here to experience a little bit of nothing. I did find a pizza joint that would deliver a pie and cold beer. Ain't America great?
Off to Little Rock, Arkansas tomorrow. Staying across the street from the Clinton Library. Can't wait to see the dress.
Cheers.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Flying saucer and a pink elephant
What day would not be complete if you didn't happen to see a flying saucer sitting in a field along I-55 just outside of Livingston, Illinois. After a quick exit and a ride back through town I came back to the saucer. Turns out to be an original Futuro home and as the web site says the Futuro house was designed by Matti Suuronen. Its design encapsulated the distinctive themes of 1960's Utopian architecture; mobility, increased leisure time and new materials. Residents of Tampa will recognize the distinctive shape. The 2001 Odyssey adult entertainment club on Dale Mabry Highway has one at their establishment. The saucer I found is empty but was once was a house until the Racoons got to it. The web site http://www.futuro-house.net/ says there are only 6 know homes left. Don't know if the one I saw is one of them. Bye the way, Zirky thinks it is a space ship sent by his planet Zirkonion friends to save him from this earthly life. But I wouldn't believe him since he's a plastic frog after all.
Along with the saucer is a 30' pink elephant and no I was not drinking and a 30 or so foot Harley Davidson Guy. (The statue began life as a Muffler Man who used to stand outside a muffler shop. Along side the The Pink Elephant Antique Mall is a giant Twisty Treat Ice Cream man who is claimed to have had a part in a 1990 Julia Roberts film called Flatliners. Anyway that was what i was told by the shop owners. If you are ever in Illinois and traveling along I-55 at exit 37, take some time and grab an ice cream and look over the collection. The owners are great.
I thought my day was complete with unusual things until I came across a Dutch
Windmill along side a back road outside the town of Industry,Illinois. Seems as it was part of a Tourist camp from around 1927.
I gotta say that Things have changed in the farm land since I was last here. Gone are most of the small farms with pigs, cows, some corn and replaced with thousand acre corn and bean operations with no fences as far as you can see. The equipment has gone from the small John Deere tractor to monster machines with more electronics than Best Buy.
Check out the photos. I'll be back in a couple day when I hit the road again heading towards Texas.
Along with the saucer is a 30' pink elephant and no I was not drinking and a 30 or so foot Harley Davidson Guy. (The statue began life as a Muffler Man who used to stand outside a muffler shop. Along side the The Pink Elephant Antique Mall is a giant Twisty Treat Ice Cream man who is claimed to have had a part in a 1990 Julia Roberts film called Flatliners. Anyway that was what i was told by the shop owners. If you are ever in Illinois and traveling along I-55 at exit 37, take some time and grab an ice cream and look over the collection. The owners are great.
I thought my day was complete with unusual things until I came across a Dutch
Windmill along side a back road outside the town of Industry,Illinois. Seems as it was part of a Tourist camp from around 1927.
I gotta say that Things have changed in the farm land since I was last here. Gone are most of the small farms with pigs, cows, some corn and replaced with thousand acre corn and bean operations with no fences as far as you can see. The equipment has gone from the small John Deere tractor to monster machines with more electronics than Best Buy.
Check out the photos. I'll be back in a couple day when I hit the road again heading towards Texas.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Day 2 and what a day it was
I guess if things go wrong it should all happen on the same day. Since I have a navigator and copilot named Zirky I defer all responsibility and accept no blame other than letting a small brained plastic frog take command. This was my day...Someone left the fuel switch in the wrong position and instead of having a small amount of reserve gas, the bike burned the every last drop 1/2 mile from an exit and gas. Needless to say the frog is also blamed for stopping the bike on the uphill not downhill for an easy coast to the station. The day was saved by Robert, another biker on the way home from work who stopped and took me to the station and back for a round trip of about 5 miles. He Would not take any payment, only a promise I would help the next stranded biker I saw. On the bright side I did however miss all the rain showers.
The next minor screw up was a fat frog finger punching the wrong destination into the GPS resulting in a scenic tour around Tennessee. All Zirky would say in plastic frog talk after my ranting was, #$@*# *&%, which is pretty strong language for a frog.
In spite of the above listed frog caused problems I did see some pretty cool places and sights.
Managed to make it to Lookout Mountain in North Georgia, Ruby Falls and Rock City. Now Rock City is that place that used to be advertised on barns around the nation. Well Rock City really isn't much. A local advised me not to waste the money, I did however make a photo of a Rock City souvenir. The craziest thing I found is a place called Sam's Tree House. (see photos) It's multi level conglomeration of a house, airplane, helicopter and submarine. According to info I found on the web it also features a submarine prop from an 1960's Elvis movie. It is supposed to be owned, built and lived in by Sam Edwards, author and adventurer, former aid to President Jimmy Carter. The airplane is a bedroom. There is also a den, library, kitchen. He has to duck under the branches to get around in his home. It was also featured on a network TV program on unusual homes. No one was home or maybe Sam just didn't want to get involved with a guy with a pet plastic frog.
Off to Illinois tomorrow and meet up with my cousin Judy and her husband Jim. I may not get through the door after she reads about my misadventures.
CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS.
The next minor screw up was a fat frog finger punching the wrong destination into the GPS resulting in a scenic tour around Tennessee. All Zirky would say in plastic frog talk after my ranting was, #$@*# *&%, which is pretty strong language for a frog.
In spite of the above listed frog caused problems I did see some pretty cool places and sights.
Managed to make it to Lookout Mountain in North Georgia, Ruby Falls and Rock City. Now Rock City is that place that used to be advertised on barns around the nation. Well Rock City really isn't much. A local advised me not to waste the money, I did however make a photo of a Rock City souvenir. The craziest thing I found is a place called Sam's Tree House. (see photos) It's multi level conglomeration of a house, airplane, helicopter and submarine. According to info I found on the web it also features a submarine prop from an 1960's Elvis movie. It is supposed to be owned, built and lived in by Sam Edwards, author and adventurer, former aid to President Jimmy Carter. The airplane is a bedroom. There is also a den, library, kitchen. He has to duck under the branches to get around in his home. It was also featured on a network TV program on unusual homes. No one was home or maybe Sam just didn't want to get involved with a guy with a pet plastic frog.
Off to Illinois tomorrow and meet up with my cousin Judy and her husband Jim. I may not get through the door after she reads about my misadventures.
CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
First Day Out
I made it through the first day of riding. What was I thinking! Leaving Tampa at 7 a.m. with 476 miles on the first day out sounded OK but about half way through I said to myself, Self, this ain't too bad, until my butt chimed in and over-ruled my first thought. It took me a total of 7 hours 26 minutes of traveling time and a grand total of 8 1/2 hours total time. I am writing this standing up.
I managed to dodge rain the entire trip with just a few drops hitting me. Overcast all day and on the cool side.
I didn't see much along the way as I took the interstate. One big billboard I did see said
"What in Hell did I miss"? I'll try to find out what the hell that meant.
Traffic was unremarkable except for Atlanta. At least one million cars going bumper to bumper at 15 miles over the speed limit and me right in the middle. Maybe that sign was suggesting something. This was on a Sunday afternoon. I don't even want to see it during Monday rush hour.
In the future I'll eliminate Atlanta as a favorite place to drive. In comparison, Saigon and Paris seemed like a country drive.
Anyway, Zirky (my plastic frog traveling companion) are checked in a hotal so all is well here in beautiful downtown Kennesaw, Georgia.
I'm off for Paducah, KY in the morning. Not as far as today and maybe I'll see something worth writing about.
I managed to dodge rain the entire trip with just a few drops hitting me. Overcast all day and on the cool side.
I didn't see much along the way as I took the interstate. One big billboard I did see said
"What in Hell did I miss"? I'll try to find out what the hell that meant.
Traffic was unremarkable except for Atlanta. At least one million cars going bumper to bumper at 15 miles over the speed limit and me right in the middle. Maybe that sign was suggesting something. This was on a Sunday afternoon. I don't even want to see it during Monday rush hour.
In the future I'll eliminate Atlanta as a favorite place to drive. In comparison, Saigon and Paris seemed like a country drive.
Anyway, Zirky (my plastic frog traveling companion) are checked in a hotal so all is well here in beautiful downtown Kennesaw, Georgia.
I'm off for Paducah, KY in the morning. Not as far as today and maybe I'll see something worth writing about.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Aug 29th - Heading Out
It's Saturday and I'm all packed up with everything loaded but the big-screen TV. It seems as I just might have too much stuff, but I'll let you know. Tomorrow is Sunday, August 29 and I have about 400 miles ahead of me to my first stop in Kennesaw,Ga. That's my goal and here are my hopes...it's cool, It won't rain, I haven't forgotten something important, I won't run out of gas and 400 miles on the bike will be a piece of cake. Tomorrow night I'll check in and and let you know if any of the above came true so stay tuned.
I hope to make a few photos to add to the slide show you see on left of this post.
Mike
I hope to make a few photos to add to the slide show you see on left of this post.
Mike
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