Back in the corn belt

On Monday the 15th we said good-by to our last big hill and headed north on I55  for the flat lands of the American corn belt.  We started our tour in the land of Lincoln, Illinois.  

On the way we just had to stop here

and here.  We didn't actually tour the gift shop which was directly to the right of the candy factory, but we did go in here and get some good dark chocolate bark.

St. Louis skyline

Flat and straight to the McLean Co. fairgrounds, which is about 15 miles from my big brother and his wife.

Big bro Ed, Sis-in law Paula getting a computer lesson from Duane.

 We did our stuff in the mornings and visited in the afternoons and evenings.  

One evening we joined my niece Michelle and her family for supper at a sports bar.  We ate outside while we chatted and watched Michelle's husband Pete play league volleyball.  There were two sand courts next to the patio dining area.

Pete is far left in gray on the back court

The weather was muggy air, hot sun, cool breezes and lovely soft clover grass--all just begging for shorts and bare feet.

Loved this 

Cookout at Michelle and Pete's.  That's Pete on the left, then Duane, Ed, and nephew Brian.  The other two boys live out of state so we didn't get to see them.

Nephew Tommy

Nephew Brian and wife Alice, sisters Heather and Michelle

Mom and daughters

Nieces--Michelle's two and Brian's two, plus Grandma

 One of the things we did on two mornings was tour along and alongside parts of old Rt 66.  The parts that are closed to motor vehicles are part of a hike bike path with occasional benched and picnic areas.  Other parts were too deteriorated for any use. 

One of the sites

We rode past miles and miles of corn fields.  Its not called the corn belt for nothing!

Old railroad depot and old store at Funks's Grove.  The town consisted of these two buildings and about 6 homes.

Atlanta's octagonal library and museum also the 40 foot clock tower which is hand wound every 8 days

The Bunyon Giant (formerly from Cicero, IL and brother to the Gemini Giant) and the Giant Hot Dog and the little Louise

 Giant smiley face

Train mural in Lincoln, IL

Giant Abe on the biggest Conestoga wagon in the world

On Sunday we paid one last visit to Ed and Paula. After a nice chat and pizza we had one last game of Mexican Train dominoes before we had to say good-by.  

We enjoyed our visit with relatives in IL and are now on our way to Ohio for more visits with family and friends.  

Louise and Duane

Perry Ferry

Sunday we took our other Missouri/Arkansas loop ride.  This time we rode north out of Branson and crossed Bull Shoals Lake by bridge.  We wound our way for an hour or more north then east, then south through rolling, curving scenery of sparsely populated forested hills and open fields and meadows before we came to the Perry Ferry down stream from our bridge crossing.  

 

 

Here we recrossed Bull Shoals Lake via a tiny ferry.

 

 

Two of our favorite hobbies

 

 

This free ferry is operated by the state of Arkansas.  It will hold about four of the rigs pictured.

View of our departure point under the sign, our arrival point at the bottom of the hill where we paused for a photo.  The little "building" on the left of the pier is actually the pilot house that runs the ferry.  The house swivels out at a right angle from the ferry to push it across the river, then swivels back the other way on the other side of the river.  Interesting!

 

 

There were quite a few nice views, but they were fleeting for the most part before the trees intervened.  I did get a few nice ones though. There were no pull offs to stop at for a great pic. 

 

 

Bull Shoals Lake down lake from where we crossed on the ferry.  This lake is really a dammed up river that goes on for miles.

 

We rode south and west through Arkansas before we turned north toward Branson again.  This was a nice Sunday morning ride.  The weather was cooler than on Friday and there were quite a few clouds to keep the air from getting hot.

 

 

This area--northwest corner of Arkansas and south west corner of Missouri is well known and loved by motorcycle riders.  It has several wonderful rides with all the elements bikers love--rolling hills, short, sharp curves, and long sweeping curves.  We hope to return to this area another time--possibly in the fall at color time for some more bike riding fun.  Until then we will be exploring other parts of the USA on the bike.  Next stop--my family in Illinois.

 

 

More down the road,

 

Louise and Duane

 

 

Pea Ridge

Monday, July 8 we left the Hot Springs  Elks Club and headed north on US 65.  Our destination was Hollister, MO, home to the Escapees Turkey Creek RV Park and right around the corner from Branson.  The weather was hot and humid, the truck cool and dry.  We had an uneventful and scenic drive with some nice ups and downs and some long sweeping curves. 

 

 

 

 

Duane's favorite building in Branson--the Hollywood Wax Museum--he likes King Kong 

 

 

My favorite building in Branson

 

 

Table Rock Lake outside Branson

 

 

Table Rock Lake with the paddlewheeled Showboat dinner cruise and theater--the little smoodge  just off the edge of the mirror.  Click to enlarge.



 

 



Road into Branson  (pix in and around Branson not in order.) 

 

 

We got registered, settled into our spot and all set up.  We spent the rest of the day picking out shows we thought we'd like to see and planning bike rides.  Because of the humidity and temps in high 90's, we laid low for the first few days.  Tues I did computer work and started a new Christmas present project.  Duane fixed the leak in our shower.  Wed we took a drive around town and found the purple 1/2 price ticket office.  We bought tickets to two shows.  That afternoon we attended our first show  Pure Comedy with Joey I.L.O.  It was ok.  After the show we joined park manager Charlie and work camper Jim and his wife Mary for supper at a local pizza joint.  Good food and good company.  Of course I remembered to take the camera and of course I forgot to use it!  Thursday afternoon we attended our second show--California Dreamin'  a 2 man 2 women quartet singing sings from the 60's.  We liked that one.  Friday we ignored the weather and left early for the 80 mile scenic ride to Pea Ridge National Military Park in Arkansas.  

 

 

Pea Ridge

We rode through Missouri on our way to the park. 

The site consists of a very nice visitors center and museum with a short film and many displays explaining the Civil War battle that saved Missouri for the Union.  After getting our information and stamping my National Parks Passport, we took the circular driving tour around the battlefield.

 



 

The first stop was here--part of the Cherokee trail of tears relocation march goes through the battlefield 

 

The Confederate army just finished a 36 hour trek around this mountain and were dismayed to see 10,000 Union soldiers.  The Greys were headed for Elkhorn Tavern.  At first the Blues were facing the wrong way.  Expecting attack from Leetown, they were arrayed in front of their supply train.  They got their troops repositioned in record time.  The Grays, in a hurry to reach their comrades at Elkhorn Tavern, made the great error of leaving their supply train too far behind.  They were too exhausted to defeat the well supplied Union Army.  In the distance at the left you can just make out the visitor's center.  

For years after this battle, surviving troops from both sides would come to Elkhorn Tavern to remember fallen comrades.  Union memorial

 



 

 

and Confederate memorial.

 

 

 

The Elkhorn Tavern  was situated on the Telegraph Road and Huntsville Road crossroads--very strategic for the movement of troops and supplies.

 



 

After we exited the park, we rode south to Rogers to visit the local HD store and lunch before we backtracked to Rt 62.  We rode through Arkansas on the way home.

 

 

Home sweet home in Turkey Creek

 

 

We left home around 8am.  The wind temp was already in the mid 70's but the air temp was cool.  We arrived home around 3 hot and sweaty.  We found that our friends and former bosses the Lewis's had arrived.  After cooling off we went to dinner with them and had a very pleasant visit, once again forgetting all about taking pix!  We took one more ride though MO/AR, but that's another story.

 

 

Louise and Duane



ON THE ROAD AGAIN

I was released from doctors care and we hit the road on July 5. We left Kilgore, TX in our rear view mirror and headed for Hot Springs, Arkansas. We arrived at the Elks Lodge in Hot Springs in the middle of the afternoon, unloaded the bike and got settled in. After our visit to the lodge to get our free drink and pay for our stay here, we headed back to the rv for a rest. The lodge has 30 and 50 amp hook ups and water. There is a dump station here also. When we arrived there was another rv here. I looked for a 50 amp hook up and couldn't find one. I went over and looked at the other rv here and noticed that he an adapter in his line so I figured that his was 30 amp. After we got all hooked and I talked to the bar tender, she said that the 50 amp were sites 1,2 and 3. The other rv was on site 2 and had a 30 adapter in the 50 amp. I have no idea why someone would take the middle 50 amp hook up for a 30 amp rig. I would have had to pull in right next to him to get 50 amp, so we just settled for 30. We got along just fine on the 30 amp. I ran the water heater on propane and we shut the air off to run the microwave.  

On day two, we saddled up on the bike and headed out for a 150 mile ride north of Hot Springs. The visitors center has pamphlets of motorcycle rides in the area. Anyone heading to Arkansas with a bike should pick up the fliers at the state line. There are 4 different ones covering most of the state. With the afternoon temperatures in the mid 90s, we left the rv at 8 am to try and beat the heat. We had a great ride and stayed cool as long we were moving. When you stopped for a rest, it got hot right now. The ride we choose took us into the Ouachita Mountains north of Hot Springs. The road took us past the Petit Jean State Park. This park has a big lake and lots of hiking trails. The return took us down scenic route 7. It was a pretty ride but we both thought it was not as nice as some other roads we have ridden.

 

 

 

 

Petit Jean Lake

One of the historical sites along the way

 

Falls overlook the falls are hidden in the trees

 

Valley overlook

 



 

Some of the many sweeps and switchbacks

 

Saying hi.

DAY TWO

 This morning we took another of the rides in the pamphlet to the south. This one took us south on 7 to DeGray State Park. We stopped at the visitor's center in the park and then road around checking it out. The park is a Corp park, so they except the National Parks Pass for half price camping. The park is not to far off of I 30 so we may stop here on our way past in the future. The lake is very big..
 

We took route 128 back north. We stopped at a little carry out for something to drink and spotted these 3 babies 

 The mother flew into this picture.

 

 

This is the only building in this intersection of 3 roads but it had a clean restroom, a cold drink, and a very friendly clerk!

 

 

 

I think  route 128 ride was one of the prettiest roads we have ridden during our stay here.

We got back to the rv around noon and decided to stay in due to the heat. In the morning we will head for Branson, MO. Actually, Hollister, MO to the Escapees RV Park there. The park is located across the river from the town of Branson. We can stay there for free because of the free nights we earned while working for Escapees. I think we stay there for a week to 10 days. It looks like there are a lot of roads to ride in that area.

Till next time
Duane and Louise

An update to the update

I just realized that I had not updated this blog for a long time. I guess that's because we are still sitting in Kilgore, TX waiting for clearance from the doctor to travel. The kidney surgery went well as well as the recovery.

I had been having trouble with another problem that I will not reveal here. I made the decision to have that taken care of while we were here. On June 11 it was back the hospital for surgery number 2. I go to the doctor on Thursday for the follow-up for that one. Things are going pretty good after that surgery. I will say the recovery for 2 has been worse than the recovery from 1.

We hope that we can be out of here on July 5th.  We plan on going to Freeport, TX to visit son Jesse before heading out of Texas. I think we will head up through Arkansas and Missouri on our way to Il. then Ohio with stops along the way to rest and do some motorcycle rides in the Ozarks. We will see, as that is always up in the air. That is the best part of this life, you can change things on the fly. As rver's say, 'our plans are written in jello" and can be stirred at any time.

Till next time
Duane and Louise