Great American Campground and Dive Bar! Part 1 of 2

Part 1 of 2 Checking in and the Sandwich

   Brad made reservations at The Great American Campground and Dive Bar because it is near the Lake of the Ozarks.  Our plan is to have a good RV camping location so we could have daily rides around the lake and surrounding area.  It is an unfamiliar area, which we agreed to explore.  Gravois Mills was also about the halfway point from Conesville, Iowa, to Depew, Oklahoma.  We have Depew marked on our road atlas because we plan to go to the Rt. 66 Motorcycle Rally there during the following week. 

  We arrived at the Great American Campground and Dive Bar in the late afternoon.  It had a pretty decent-sized RV camp area.  We checked in.  A few campers remained after the Memorial Day weekend.  The campground was full during the holiday weekend. There is a centralized shower and bathhouse. Facilities were very clean and well taken care of.  We were told there are plans to expand the facilities with cabins around the pond. There was an outside and inside bar.  There is a stage outside for the bands and a large custom fire pit in the seating area.  The host checked us in and gave us the lay of the land.  We discovered that besides the Dive Bar, there was a bar named Whiskey Dicks down the road in one direction.  In the opposite direction, there was a bar named Big Dicks.  Brad proclaimed that we were sandwiched between two dicks.  The camp host turned a little red with embarrassment of Brad’s observation.  Hey, we didn’t come up with the names.  Makes us wonder what is on folks’ minds around here! 

  Brad and I usually park the bikes and walk to a bar and restaurant for the evening and walk back.  This lets us have a drink without risking a motorcycle accident.  The location is fantastic as a basecamp with easy access to adventurous ride routes for our motorcycle rides. The location is not so good for walking off the campgrounds.  There are no sidewalks.  It is a rural area which we like.  The two-lane road has a blind hill and high speed limit that isn’t very safe for pedestrians.  Regardless of the verbal warnings voiced by our host, we decided to walk the road to Whiskey Dicks, which is the closest of the two bars.  The Great American Dive Bar wasn’t open every night of the week.  We discovered some local restaurants and bars alternated open days in order not to take customers from each other.   Possibly a concept many will not understand until they visit and discover for themselves.  Brad and I begin our walk to Whiskey Dicks. 

Check back next week for Part 2. Whiskey Dicks!

  

Trailering from Iowa to Missouri

  Brad is driving the Rock Star Bus and pulling our motorcycles. Once upon a time, we observed what was referred to as “trailer queens.” Motorcycles being pulled on a trailer instead of being ridden. In those younger days, I looked at the motorcycles on trailers, mumbling to myself that the bikes are built to be ridden. I failed to consider why the older guys chose to trailer their bikes.  I am sure they had their reasons.  Fast forward two decades later, Brad and I are discussing plans for the upcoming year.  We have a revelation. Hey, those old guys trailering their bikes were onto something.  It is much more comfortable to be able to place the motorcycle on a trailer and travel safely inside a cage out of the weather.  An extra bonus is that we have space for our comfort gear.  Besides, after all the miles we’ve ridden together, we have nothing to prove.  We do what makes sense to us. 

  First stop is near the Lake of the Ozarks.  Travel is much easier when Brad plans ahead for where we are going to park the Rock Star Bus.  Not sure of the length of the bus, but there are two bathrooms and bedrooms onboard.  A full kitchen, washer and dryer, liquor cabinet, and food pantry.  Brad calls the bus a diesel pusher.  I just know it is pulling a trailer loaded with our motorcycles.  We ended up at a new to us place called The Great American Campground and Dive Bar in Gravois Mills, Missouri.  I think Brad was sold on the name alone!