Slice of Americana from the Dark Side

I've had my eye on the old airheads for some time now and after riding to Duluth, MN and selling my ST1300 I had some cash burning a hole in my pocket. I talked to Booj at the Eastern Rendevous about what I could expect to get for the money I wanted to spend. Then this pops up in the Flea Market.


After doing a little research and talking some more to Booj and Dlrides I contacted the seller and we struck a deal. Now the only issue was how to get it home. Then I remembered that I still had the return leg of the ticket I used in April to sell the ST. I contacted NWA and was able to change the ticket and fly from Asheville to Minneapolis for $25!! What a deal!!! I was going to get to ride the bike 1600 miles back home.


Quite fitting for this report that I flew up on July 4th.

Okay, ya got my interest. Where's the rest of the story?

Yeah - jump to it - he's had to wait three minutes already...

TEASE, wheres the rest of the story???
Nice ride BTW

Bill picked me up at the airport and we went to his shop to inspect the bike. Looks Gooooood! After taking care of the paperwork ($$), I got my GPS mounted, loaded up my dry bag, geared up and I was ready to roll.


Thanks Bill!!

I gassed up and hit the road.

My main goal on this ride was to take my time and see small town America. I wanted to avoid the slab as much as practically possible. I had 5 days to get back to NC by way of KC so I had plenty of time to see some sights.

I hit 169 out of MPLS and headed south. After a couple of hours I stopped to get gas and and snack and soon crossed into Iowa. In case you didn't know it, they've got a lot of this stuff in Iowa.


I starting seeing signs for Winterset, Iowa, Birthplace of John Wayne. John Wayne was and still is one of my favorite movie star cowboys. One of my favorite Duke movies is True Grit. What a great movie. As a bonus it also starred Robert Duvall, another of my favorites back when he still had hair. I got into Winterset and pulled up to the house/museum and walked up to the door and it was locked. Damn, they closed at 4:30. My timepiece said 4:40. I just missed it.


I considered staying the night and seeing it in the morning but it was still early so I decided to head on down the highway. I did spot this in he drive before I took off and snapped a pic.

That's clean! Nice old airhead. Have a great ride home!

A couple hours later I decided to stop near the IA/MO border and got a room at the only hotel in Mount Ayr.


I inquired at the front desk as to where I might be able to get a bite to eat and a beverage of my choice and was told that the only thing open in town was Subway. It being July 4th, most restaurants in town, and there were only a handful, had closed for the day. I showered and was ready to go get a sandwich without my beverage of choice when I noticed the info on the table. It had listing of a few bars and restaurants in town. I thumbed thru it and decided to call a couple on the chance that they might actually be open. On the third call I hit paydirt.

Larry answered the phone at the Office Bar and Grill.

Larry: "Hello"

Me: "Are you open for business?"

Larry? (In his best southern Iowa drawl) "Well no, not really."

Me? "I'm passing thru town and staying at the Inn and was wondering if there is anyplace in town where I might get a bite to eat and a cold beer.

Larry: "Well I could probably fix you a Tenderloin sandwich and some fries if you want.

Me: "I'll be there in 10 minutes"

I headed out the door and a couple minutes later pulled up to the apparently deserted Office Bar and Grill.


I eased on inside to find a couple sitting at the bar. I introduced myself to Larry the bartender/owner and had a seat. I ordered a beer and the previously offered tenderloin and struck up a conversation with Bert and Diane. In a few minutes another couple comes from the back and has a seat at the bar. It is obvious that they all know each other. Then a little later Bert and Diane's daughter Chandra shows up. They just keep coming in and they all come thru the back door. By the time I finish eating there must be 10-12 people in the bar and they all came in the back door. I had a couple more beers, shot a few games of pool, and generally had a great time at a bar that was for all intents and purposes closed. Everyone in the place knew everyone else except me but by the time I left I felt as if I had known them much longer than the couple hours I had been there.

Here's Larry, Diane, Chandra, Bert and all the rest whose names I don't remember. Sorry.


After a good nights sleep I stopped in town at Peggy Sue's for some breakfast. A great little diner where all the locals eat. Lot's of memorabilia on the walls.




After eating I mount up and head south for KC.

Cool I'm just in between Saturday chores and this is a perfect break

I reached Casa de Dick around noon. I first met Dick in 2005 in Presidio, TX. We were all converging on the Three Palms motel in advance of crossing the border and riding to Creel for the HU meeting. We rode together for most of that week and since then we have seen each other on occasion, mostly while i was passing thru KC and Dick always puts me up/puts up with me for the night. We also rode together in Baja/MX in 2006. Report here

Dick got on the phone with Pilot and set up a dinner at Famous Daves BBQ for the evening. Later we mounted up and took the half hour ride north for some "Que" It was good to meet some more ADVriders.

Pilot and Dick's son-in-law Chris. Chris went with us on the Baja/MX trip.


Dick with his too cool shades perched on his forehead.


FlashStrommer and his S.O.


I don't remember everyones names but I had a great time.

Dick decided to ride with me for a day so the next morning we loaded up and left KC about 6:00am to miss rush hour traffic. We stopped for gas about and hour south and Dicks bike wouldn't restart. Dick went inside and came back out with some jumper cables and the store clerk in tow. The clerk looked and my bike and asked me what was wrong with it. "Nothing" ,I replied, "It's the new one that won't start". A quick jump and we were on our way.


We took 71 and 13 south to Springfield and then headed east on 14 at Ozark. This is where the fun begins. Around Sparta we turned south on 125. Man, what a fantastic road!! Almost like a roller coaster. Up and down, back ond forth. What a blast!

We stopped here for a short break. I believe this is the old General store in Chadwick but I could be wrong.


Seeing this next photo reminds me. When I got to Dick's house in KC my ass was killing me. The foam on the seat is toast and after about half an hour you are sitting on the steel seatpan. Dick had an old sheepskin seat cover for a truck and we cut it up to make a buttpad for my tender ass. It sure made a big difference. Still no Rick Mayer recliner like Dick has but way better than before. Thanks Dick.


This road just keeps getting better and better. Dick sure knows how to find 'em. What a hoot.

Pee break in Bradleyville.


At the MO/AR state line we boarded Peel's Ferry for the ride into Arkansas. It is operated by the Arkansas Highway Dept. and it takes about 20 minutes to cross Bull Shoals Lake.




Leaving MO behind.


We continued south thru Peel and on into Summit where I spotted this old beauty and had to stop for a closer inspection.



It was on a used car lot but it didn't look like they were open so no luck in getting the asking price. Sure was a beauty though. And that bikes not too bad either.


We grabbed a bite to eat in Yellville and continued on.

We took Hwy 14 out of Yellville and all the way to Batesville (home of NASCAR driver Mark Martin) where we stopped for the night. We checked into the first hotel we saw and found out we were in a dry county. WTF!! We did find out that there were a few private clubs in the area though that sell alcoholic beverages.

After getting a room key, I pulled up to the end of the building and started to unload my gear when I noticed Dick waving at me. I walked back down to him and his bike was dead again. We pushed it over into a parking spot and went on into the room. Dick got on the phone with the BMW dealer in an attempt to remedy the no-start issue. He got the part # for a new Yuasa battery to fit his bike and called around the area to see if he could find one. Just so happens he finds a Suzuki dealer right across the street that has one in stock. Damn he has some good luck. We walk over and get the battery and Dick begins to disassemble his bike to install it.


Between Dick's tools, my tools and those zip-ties I am so fond of carrying we had everything we needed to get the old battery out and the new one in. What do you think of those zip-ties now Dick?

Zip-ties....their not just for KLR's anymore.

After getting the bike back together we cleaned up and headed down the hill into town for some grub at Josies on the river.


Nice little private restaurant/club so they serve beer. Mmm, Mmm my favorite beverage of choice.

The next morning Dick turned north for KC and I continued on toward NC and home. It was great seeing you again Dick. You are going to have to make it down here sometime. We have one or two good roads here in the mountains of WNC.

I left Batesville going south on 169. The fog was as thick as the proverbial pea soup in the early morning but it soon cleared up and became a gorgeous day.


I jumped on 64 and headed east and just outside of Memphis I ran through fields and fields of what appeared to be soybeans.




I cleared the clusterf**k of Memphis and continued on Hwy 64.

As I rode through Adamsville I saw a little sign indicating the home of Buford Pusser. I needed a break from the heat so I decided to stop in.


I don't know how well known Buford was in other parts of he country but in McNairy County and all along the Tennessee/Mississippi border he was legendary.

Buford was born and raised in McNairy County Tennessee and served as sheriff there from 1964-1970 while being shot 8 times and knifed 7 times. He was probably most known for his war on moonshiners and bootleggers. He busted up 87 stills in 1965 alone.

During the 70's 3 movies were made about him and his life; Walking Tall, Walking Tall Part II, and Walking Tall: Final Chapter. Thirty years later in 2004 "The Rock" did another remake of Walking Tall.

Buford Pusser died in 1974 in a car crash in McNairy County.



One of the stills confiscated by Buford.



Read more about Buford and his life here and here.

Back on the road again I'm headed for Lynchburg and some world famous Tennessee sipping whiskey.

Great report! Really nice find on the bike, too.

A nice read, thanks!

an incredible thread
wonderful words and images
and some old friendships re-kindled

you never know WHICH bike will break down
fantastic about the Suzuki dealer across the street carrying that battery

thanks for taking us along on your journey

oh.....
and that new airhead...... beautiful

This is the old general store in Garrison MO. Those of you old timers that use to ride in Chadwick, remember it as the end of the Garrison Trail. It was a gnarly single track that had a "point of no return". If you made it to the general store you were treated with the lady proprietor who would make you a sandwich for 25 cents and a bottle of pop from an old fashioned pop machine; all to be enjoyed while watching the old timers around the pot bellied stove.

Great report Kenny. It was a pleasure riding with you, as always. Glad to see you made it back ok. Looking forward to MX in Oct.

Very Nice Report, and Bike Kenny!!!!! That was a nice "Pick up a Bike" adventure! Sooooooooo, I expect to se you in Tellico Plains in October, right?????? I really like that Blue!


Boojum!

Nice going Kenny. I love the fact that the old girl just keeps going while the new one had issues.

Between that new girl and your KLR, you have a great stable.

Great pics and report.
Nice ride too

I arrived in Lynchburg just in time to make one of the last tours of the Jack Daniels Distillery. I pulled into the distillery and saw this bunch of Harley riders in the lot so I parked near them. Before I could get my helmet off there were probably 6 six of them standing around my bike admiring it.


They actually have designated motorcycle parking here right near the front door.



I got my ticket and stored my gear in a locker and began to check out the Welcome center.


Old Jack was quite the enterprising young lad. He bought his first still in 1863 when he was only 13 years old and began to make and sell whiskey.

In a few minutes my tour was called and we headed out the door. This is where the hard Maple is burned to make the charcoal for filtering the whiskey.




Spotted another old fire engine sitting under cover. Not sure of the year but it seemed to be in excellent shape.


The distillery is located in a dry county but if I remember correctly you used to get a free sample of whiskey at the end ot the tour but in recent years a new law was passed in TN that allowed whiskey to be sold at the place it is distilled. Now this is the only shot of Jack Daniels you can get in Lynchburg.


A few random pics.




My camera didn't capture it very well but the fuzzy part in the glass is the initial product of the still. Lots of whiskey coming out of here.


Sour mash anyone?


All of the trees in the area are covered with this black mold which I believe is caused by the CO2 created in the distilling process. According to our guide, it is not harmful to the trees and they did appear to be very healthy otherwise.


Whiskey dripping though a charcoal filter vat that is 14' deep.


It sure smells good in here. This is one of the many warehouses located around Lynchburg where the whiskey is aged.


I was tempted to buy a bottle but I was really maxed out as far as carrying capacity and I sure didn't want to get it broken. I loaded up and hit the road.


I rode the 12 miles to Tullahoma where I got a room for the night, a good meal and a couple of cold beers. I called my buddy John, who lives in Asheville, and he decided to ride west and meet me in Ducktown, TN the next day. It would be good to have some company for the last leg of the trip.