Texas Hill Country 2024 / April 22 - 26

[Lee]

Made it home early afternoon. 57 when we left Clinton, Mo and 63 when we arrived home. I think today was the only day the temps dropped into the 50s.
Our rain gauge was full at home. The neighbor said they had 7 inches while we were gone and the weather was cool and crappy.
Our trip weather was the best we've had for a Texas and Arkansas trip.

On the trip some pictures were not visible for me. I figured it had to do with mobile devices or weak wifi or cell signal.
Now that I'm on a desktop, I noticed I can't see my picture in post #60.

[justjoe]

Refresh your browser and the pics appear. I have no idea why...

[Lee]

Thanks Joe

[Lee]

If anyone noticed, the group did not stay at The Gordon in Jasper.
The Gordon did not meet the low standards of the Riders Pace

[Capnrip]

OK, you can't just say that and leave it there. Inquiring minds want to know! So y'all moved the party to Yellville?

[K1DUDE]

I'm glad we called Tyson at the last minute, instead of trying to surprise in on you. It was great riding and great to see y'all.

[cabnfvr]

THCR 2024 had a bit of weather. We made the first 4 miles from home dry.



Lunch stop in Mentone, AL.


More weather.


Natchez Trace.


Did you know that there is a petrified forest in Mississippi? We didn't either.


Can't get by with anything around her.


Define "bait".


The Mississippi with water in it.


Lovely petina.


Welcome to Dime Box, TX.

[wildbears]

How much of the Trace did you ride?

[justjoe]

Bait is defined by what you are trying to catch...

[cabnfvr]

This trip, just south of Tupelo to Natchez with a detour to Vicksburg for the night. We've done Nashville to Tupelo on previous trips. It's one of the few roads that goes southwest and works for us heading to Texas on back roads. We like it.

[cabnfvr]

THCR 2024, part II

We just love this chit.


We haven't eaten in hours. Pocket's Grill, Smithville TX. They have beverages for all tastes.


... and healthy food.


Suspension riseroctomy.


Hooning on the Three Sisters.


Chicken Earl's.


On the way to Pie.




What happens at the Vaqueros Motel in Bandera stays there.


On the way to Alamo Springs.

[cabnfvr]

THCR 2024, part III

We haven't eaten in hours.




Texas rose.


Steak Night.







The next morning, visiting.




Ready to rumble.

[cabnfvr]

THCR 2024 part IV

Eden, TX.


Cook's Garage, Lubbock, TX.




Paying our respects.


Guess where.


Headed east.


We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year.


Pie stop.


Uncle Willie's, Arkansas.


Push Mountain, Arkansas

[cabnfvr]

THCR part V

We thought Tyson was right behind us, but he stopped to fulfill his obligation to perform his umbrella pole dance. Yeah, surprised us too.


Yellville, AR. The line-up.


Karl heads out.


Jeff heads out.


Buffalo River, with water in it.


Low Gap Cafe. Now located in Jasper, Arkansas.


Less than a mile out of Yellville.


Fordyce, Arkansas. No sign of Mick and the boys.


Mammoth Orange Cafe, Redfield, Arkansas. Having breakfast with the Constable Chief.


Corner Booth Cafe, Hardy, Arkansas. We haven't eaten in hours.

[cabnfvr]

THCR 2024 part VI

Guess where we are.


Let sleeping dogs lie. (He's not dead. That's just where he sleeps. Oark General Store.)


Bell Buckle Cafe, Tennessee. Cobbler with a side of bbq.


TN30, headed home.


Same old same old, different state.




Cullasaja Gorge. 30 miles from home.


All in all it was a good trip. Looking forward to the next. Y'all stay dry now, ya hear.

[955i]

Tim and Susan, it was so good to ride (and eat) with you guys. Thanks for taking so many photos and then posting them. Great trip in Bandera and then a few more days in Yellville.

I hardly got wet. However, I think U.S. Divers is still in business and sells wet-suits and scuba equipment online. You two might do well to at least visit their website.

[802Mike]

Thanks for bringing us along Tim and Susan.

[K1DUDE]

Great pictures and write-up!

[Lee]

OK, you can't just say that and leave it there. Inquiring minds want to know! So y'all moved the party to Yellville?

When we arrived at the Gordon, Tim, Susan and Tyson were getting ready to leave and get rooms at Yellville.
The water had been shut off for a long time and when Tim turned on the sink the water was brown. They also had water on the bathroom floor.
We checked our room and and did not find anything wrong except the normal crappy rooms. We had stopped at the Gordon a couple times in 2022 and 2023 to check on the updates and knew the conditions of the rooms.
Debbie and I were worried about losing $424 and tried to contact one of the owners after Tim and Susan left. I knew that would be hopeless as in the past they usually did not answer calls, emails or text.
We lucked out when a cleaning lady showed up and went to bat for us getting a refund and not having to pay for any of the nights. She was able to contact one owner ( there's 4 owners) and convince her to refund our deposits and not charge us for the other nights.
It all worked out and we were able to get rooms in Yellville.

[Capnrip]

Thanks Lee. It's a shame nothing has really changed for the better.

[Lee]

They gutted one or 2 rooms down by the old office and had one I looked at that was nice but it appears no work has been done in the last year.
About all they did in the upper units is paint and new beds. Thin paper shades that would make for interesting shadow shows at night

[Capnrip]

So in the end nostalgia couldn't overcome inertia.

[Lee]

Maybe next year we'll see Mike and Renee at THCR 2025.
They're back in the saddle.
Renee just got a Yamaha MT-07 and Mike said his bike is on a truck.
I'm guessing he bought his K1300S Motorsport back.

[Mike W]

Maybe next year we'll see Mike and Renee at THCR 2025.
They're back in the saddle.
Renee just got a Yamaha MT-07 and Mike said his bike is on a truck.
I'm guessing he bought his K1300S Motorsport back.

Yes! And hopefully this fall also! Do we have dates yet?

Last year was rough. The few preceding it were not that great either building the barndo through CV shortages and price increases. A weird feeling last April (not chest pain) in my upper chest/throat/jaw turned into a triple bypass I still feel sketchy about. No issues preceding it at all felt great. Not even much hypertension. Now not so great anymore. Always improving but it seems like some form of spark for life is missing. I'm less motivated and ambitious to be productive in general.

A couple weeks later we experienced a 100-year-flood on our little creek here and a few inches got into the nearly-completed barndo. That disaster destroyed the entire summer and was so much fun to deal with post-op.

Renee is well, happily still working from home as a paralegal for a Dallas-Austin firm. I'm finally back to work but no longer servicing med devices because no-vax, but instead working as a CS Field Engineer for Huisman Equipment on offshore cranes. Hence the need to block some fall PTO ASAP.

Been enjoying talking to Mike and he encouraged us to come back. The yearly email to the new owner of my bike finally yeilded results and he let it go for 11 and only 5600 miles. I sold it with 3k. Not sure if buying bikes again was a wise decision in this world affairs climate, but the reckless grab-what's-left-of-life-by-the-horns methodology won over the buckle-up-and-be-financially-responsible.

Looking forward to seeing everybody and riding again. Been most busy lately farkling Renee's bike with windscreen, tailbag, cell holder, sliders, and Akra. Heading offshore to work on the Q5000 Friday. Hopefully my bike doesn't arrive when I'm gone but if it does I have a plan in place for my SIL to grab it at the local truck stop.

[955i]

Great news, Mike - about bikes and getting back on your feet. The flood and heart attack? . . . not so much.
Thanks for the detailed update. Knox has kept us informed, but it's always a task to decipher truth from fiction or just plain old disinformation when he's relaying a story. He sometimes gets sidetracked,

[cabnfvr]

Looking forward to seeing you two in October at AHR!

[Lee]

Yes! And hopefully this fall also! Do we have dates yet?

.

Mike Knox has kept me and Debbie informed about your health. Hope you get back to 100% soon.
Did not know about the flood damage. That was a bummer.
Dates for Arkansas are Oct 7, 8, 9,10, 4 nights.
Location is the Carlton Marion in Yellville.
http://carltonmarion.com/
It's probably easiest to reserve online instead of calling. If there's a spot for comments mention you're with the BMW motorcycle group.
Thread for Arkansas 2024.
https://theriderspace.com/forum/rall...-2024-oct-7-11

[Susan]

We're ready for THCR 2025! When is it?

[Lee]

We're ready for THCR 2025! When is it?

Easter is the 20th.
2 weeks before Easter or a week after to avoid travel during Easter weekend??

[cabnfvr]

Easter is April 21 so I'd go with 2 weeks before. Either date works though.

[Lee]

2 weeks before would work for us. We could discuss it at Arkansas unless you think we should set it up before then.

[cabnfvr]

Either works, but 2 weeks seems a little better.

[955i]

Guys, Wildbears just posted some Hill Country stuff in the Epic Rides sub section. He should come to THCR 2025, even if he has to buy or rent a new motorcycle.