2010 Short Trip Summary

Hello, Brad and I went on a short trip last week because I am moving to Japan soon. I almost did not go but I am thankful that I did. Here is a short version of our trip:

We met in Springfield Missouri then rode south through Branson, Missouri and into Arkansas. Nice curvy country roads in Arkansas. We stayed at a hotel built in 1929 which was pretty neat. Another guest told us it was haunted. Then we rode further south and stopped in Shreveport, Louisiana. We avoided the thunderstorms and tornadoes by riding west into Texas. Gave a fellow biker and retired Marine some gas money to go back to Wyoming because he lost his wallet. Then we stopped to get my oil changed at the Harley Davidson of North Texas.

We left Texas and stayed at the famous Sooner Legends Inn at Norman, Oklahoma. We arrived one day after the tornado leveled a Loves gas station in Norman. We were lucky the hotel was still there. They serve the most tender steaks that I've ever tasted in the Sooner Legends Restaurant.  If you are ever passing by you should get a steak.

When we left Norman, Oklahoma we stopped at Alefs Harley Davidson in Wichita, Kansas so Brad can get his oil changed. Yeah, we should have got the oil in both bikes changed at the same time...we'll it gave us a

chance to watch the weather channel so we could plan our route to avoid the tornadoes! Alefs had a nice customer lounge with the Weather Channel on the t.v.

We continued north on highway 81/135. We got close to McPherson, Kansas when I got a flat tire! Luckily there was a bridge overpass near so we could get out of the rain and hail. A little detail of a TORNADO crossing the highway about six miles ahead of us should be mentioned!

Luckily I got that flat tire!!

The HOG number for towing proved to work pretty well. I had the bike towed to a hotel in Salina, Kansas where luckily they were having 1/2 price hot wings at the hotel restaurant and bar. The folks at the Harley Davidson of Salina was kind enough to pick me and the bike up from the hotel and change my rear tire.

Brad continued north to Nebraska and turned west to go home. I waited for the tire to be repaired and headed north just across the Nebraska state line and turned east and took the small roads home.

I'll update the details of the ride soon!

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio

Oh, I got side tracked. That happens from time to time the same way I left Illinois heading for Sturgis in 2007 and ended up at the Four Corners Monument in New Mexico! OK back to Ohio and the AMA museum. We found the museum by accident. We were cruising along with our stomachs growling and I happened to see the sign for the AMA Museum. We decided to stop, check out the museum and ask for recommendations for a good spot for lunch. We spend about an hour looking at the neat exhibits. Later, we ended up at a sports bar eating pizza and wings watching the Ohio State vs. Navy Football game. Here are some pictures from the AMA Museum.

We saw the police motorcycle from the movie Terminator 2, the Captain America bike, the Aston Martin/James Bond bike, and a collection of Arlen Ness bikes to name a few.  There were many great displays.

Terminator 2 movie bike

Greatest American Hero tv show bike

                                            Captain America

Ashton Martin/James Bond movie Quantum of Solace

Arlen Ness Ferrari Bike

           Arlen Ness and Bill in Laughlin 2005.

Will Smith-- I, Robot movie bike