When you get that new 2011 calendar out and start planning for a great year of riding, include STO. The Fourth Annual Scooting the Ozarks Rally will be in Eureka Springs, AR September 14-17. STO welcomes riders of all scooters, modern or classic, maxis to mopeds. Registration form and new host hotel information are now posted on the STO Forum http://scoottheozarks.proboards.com/index.cgi

This rally is a fun rally to attend because there are lots of roads to ride.

So if you are thinking of attending - go. Trailer in, boat in, cart your scooter in on a truck, back pack it there in pieces and assemble it in the parking lot. No one who will actually be attending to have a good time will care how you got there.

John, we don't make restrictions, STO is about riding and having fun. We make every effort to have as few rules as possible. What few rules exist are for safety, or in the case of poker run, show and shine, etc, for fairness.

Dale, thank you for the good words. Hope you will return to STO this year. We are using a different host hotel, which looks like it will work better for STO than the past two.

Whether you like to ride with a group, or alone, there are great roads in all directions. I've seen some who have ridden The Dragon write that the roads in the Ozarks are even better. Lots of curves and less traffic.

Hey John ... we can all talk about how clean the bathrooms are in Arkansas. And let me tell you I have been in about as many restrooms here as you have put miles on two wheelers... like you ride everyday... I go to restroom at least 10 times everyday.

EVERYTHING in that part of the state is clean and great to look at. No place on earth any prettier. But you are a world traveler and already know that.

One other thing I have learned about people. They tend to talk about a variety of things. Those that ride a specific bike or scoot tend to talk to similar bikers or scooterists... Truckers tend to talk to truckers. So if you come on a trailer, there will be others there to compare trailers with. I bet if you hire (or bring your own) a Huey to get you there, there will be folks to talk to about how fast, how many MPG, is your seat comfortable, what is your favorite oil brand ?

John, you and I could talk about our strokes. Come on, look me up and lets talk.

Only if you ride in!----Trailer bikers are not in my program.

Merry Xmas. Strokes with the US medical quality ranking 36th in the world can be quite a thrill. I was at Mayo----they got their money....told me to home watch TV and wait for the next big one, they suck.....so they could make more money.


John Grinsel

I am going to ride in. Unless I need the Huey.

If you had the Neurologist I have you would not rank quality of care lower than #1... he is fantastic. Best Doctor and human being I have ever met. On my first visit after the stoke, he spent 45 minutes with me and spent about as much time talking about Jesus as he did strokes. On my second visit, after going over the test results he had gotten back for me, he asked if he could pray with me. That is something I had NEVER had happen before. He took both of my hands and said the most sincere, beautiful prayer for me. I had tears streaming down both cheeks. What a man God has put in my life. Some would say that it is just coincidence, but I have told several people in the last week or so that I have felt better for the last few weeks than I have in probably 2 years. Went to my regular Primary Care Doctor today and got a good report. Sugar has improved since last visit... all other thing like BP, Cholesterol, swelling and handsomeness are all in the plus column. I feel good.

Look for me in Eureka Springs later.

John Grinsel,

Most here realize you have rode many miles on motor cycles and scooters, but please don't be so condesending to us here. We all have many different types of life experience that we can fall back on. This site is for all of those who enjoy it. We talk about many different things since riding is probably not the #1 thing in our lives.

When you say "You are probably not a real rider"... we don't need to hear that and it is disrespectful in my eyes. I'm 51, a former Marine Sergeant.. and I don't need to hear that. So If I don't want to hear it then I don't want the other members here to have to put up with this.

I realize you may be having health problems, and may not be too happy in life, but that is something you need to work on. Please don't make disrespectful remarks anymore here. Please give your opinion but don't think we are a bunch of 'Ya-hoo's" that don't know which shoe goes on which foot.

I don't want you to leave the site and hope you continue to be active, but please think twice before posting. We are all a very friendly bunch here and maybe I should have said something earlier than this, but I'm a pretty mellow person and I really believe in the 1st amendment for free speech and it is hard for me to restrict others speech...even here. But please don't be condesending with your remarks anymore.

And I would like to apologize to others for not stepping in before this, but it takes alot for me to want to ban anyone. I believe this site has only banned 1 or 2 people in the 2 years and that was for spamming I believe.

I hope you have a Merry Christman John.

JeffR... +1

Dale, Gary, JeffR, sunuvabug:

Well said. I have been on this site for the last couple of months, and it amazes me on how many members posts are positive and fun to read. With the exception of John Grinsel (who is condesending and arrogant) I am enjoying this forum very much. It is passing the winter months for me. Thank you all for making my days brighter and more informed on my new hobby of riding my SW.

One other question for you. Bob rides a BMW R1150R are they welcome at the STO Rally? I hope so because I am thinking of going this year.

Happy Holidays to all of you. Be safe.

Cathy

Only if not trailered.. <<<<<<<<< ONLY KIDDDING>>>>>>>>

If you happen to have a Blackhawk helicopter...That would be something to see.

I just hope I never attend any function where John is happy. Keep up the posts John, it makes everyone else look so much better.

There are some changes in store for the rally this year, but one thing that won't change is that this will still be a "riders rally", where the focus is rides and scooters. The Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas offer some of the best roads for scooter riding you will find.

The first change is in staff. Lou retired as Rally Coordinator, and Tim Kring, formerly the Ride Coordinator, is STO’s Rally Coordinator. Roy (Smorkle on the STO forum), who attended past rallies, is Ride Coordinator. This is my fourth year volunteering to get the word out about STO.

STO 2011 is moving to a new Host Hotel. Tim has negotiated very good discounts at a nice hotel. See the STO Forum (link in signature) for details. On Sept. 17 there will be an Arkansas Razorback home football game in Fayetteville. While the stadium is more than 50 miles away, the hotels in Eureka host lots of the 70,000 fans that will attend the game. We suggest you get your hotel room reserved early.

Registration is still pro-rated, but the early-bird/lowest-price registration has been extended to include February. So get your registration form and fees mailed in before March. We are looking for STO 2011 to be even bigger and better than past rallies. Come join the fun!

That's right guys, Smorkle is gonna be the ride coordinator! And let me tell ya, he's one hell of a great guy! (if I do say so myself!)

hehe

I've already been working on some ride info and as of now I'm planning a 3 state tour as our long ride. Starting in Eureka Springs and heading north into Missouri then west over into Oklahoma south a ways and then back to Eureka Springs.

I really hope you guys make plans to attend. Hotel space is gonna fill up fast!

Bob and I made our hotel reservations. Has anyone from this very fine forum made any reservations for this rally? I would like to meet you in Sept. Gary you said you were planning on going hope to see you there.

Cathy

Cathy, my wife mentioned it again today. We do plan on making the rally. Haven't made reservations yet, but will. I made reservations last year for the St Louis rally, but had the wreck and didn't get to go. Yes, I hope to meet you and some other forum members there.

My birthday is in August. Me, three nephews, one daughter and one grandson are making plans to do a tandem jump together. I want to make sure I survive that adventure before sending in any money.

Gary,

Excuse my ignorance but what is a tandem jump? From the sound of it I would never try it. I'm afraid of heights if it involves jumping off something hi. Bob and I have only made hotel reservations which you can cancel 24 hrs prior to arriving. I still have to registar for the rally. I wanted to make sure we reserved a room. The host hotel looks very nice.

Did your wreck involve the bike or where you in a car? From your previous posts it sounds like you are doing well now.

Hope to meet you and your wife and other forum members at the rally.

Cathy

Will be attending the STO with a group of 4 - 3 from Minneapolis area and one from Des Moines - all of us have registered and reserved rooms.

At this time not sure if I will be riding my 2002 SW or my 2006 Aprilia Scarabeo - 2 others riding Burgy 650's and 1 another Scarabeo.

First time to STO so looking forward to meeting as many people as possible.

Rick V

Cathy... tandem jumps are with a professional parachutist on your back with him pulling the cord or leading the prayer in case the chute doesn't open... I was suppose to do it last summer, but my bone surgeon wouldn't let me.

On April 14th of 2010 around noon, I had a pickup truck pull into my lane causing me to fall,slide,roll and wipe a streak in the highway. I broke bones in my left foot/ankle. Yes, I am doing fine now... still a little discomfort, but the pain and swelling is all gone.
In the end of October of last year my wife, Debbie, with Dennis (DennisB) and Bill (honda_silver) and myself made a (approx) 1,600 mile ride through Louisiana and southern Texas... no problem. I did lose some confidence in my ability to support the Swing in an emergency, so I have decided to convert my scoot to a Trinity Trike. It is going to really be special and I can't wait to show it off in Eureka Springs.

We have at least 4 other trips planned for near future... Paper Clip Project in Whitwell, TN (Dirty bathrooms and all), Bucks Restaurant in Greenville, MS, Avery Island, LA, and Grand Canyon. Hope to get first three in very soon. The Grand Canyon may be in fall.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a grand rally for every Swinger on the planet. I know it is not possible, but it would be nice to meet some of our brothers from other countries. I would need an interpreter for Kurt. I just feel in my gut that he talks funny.

Meet you at the Scootn' Ozarks..

Gary, I thought it might do something with skydiving/parachuting. I certainly would not be able to do it. Hat's off to you

Bob and I have three trips planned this year. Knoxville, TN (dirty bathrooms and all), Bloomberg, PA (maybe, still waiting on my vaca request) for the BMW rally, and STO Rally. All in all I am looking forward to a full season of riding. I changed jobs this month and I now have weekends and holidays off. I still work in the hospital but I have changed departments. Normal hours finally.

Just saw the weather report we are supposed to be hit by a huge blizzard Tuesday into Wednesday. Just what I wanted to hear. Hopefully they are wrong.

Yes, it would be nice to see a grand rally.

See you at Scootn' the Ozarks.

Cathy

Glad to hear some of you are planning to attend STO. Tim (dacooks) has posted on the STO forum that of reservations received so far, 11 states are represented, including Mississippi, North Carolina, Michigan, Texas, and even California.

Made the reservation for motel last night. Will send in Rally registration Monday. Gonna be a great rally.

Be aware that trip advisor a couple of months ago released its 2010 worst/dirtiest hotels, and eureka springs days inn was voted the #2 nastiest hotel in America. Just letting you know, They may have cleaned up, who knows!

http://www.gadling.com/2010/01/22/tripadvisor-reveals-americas-dirtiest-hotels/

I just dont want anyone to come to my beautiful Ozarks and think ALL the bathrooms are dirty!

Ill be there BTW, but ill just drive in from home!

Tagg,

I looked at the site. We are not staying at the same place. The Days Inn is in Eureka, MO near Six Flags. The STO host hotel is The Comfort Inn in Eureka Springs, AR. Not the same place.

Bob and I will be sending in our registration this week for the Rally. See you there.

Cathy

Dang it Cathy... you beat me to it... I noticed that Tagg had a different motel he was referring to.

"Days Inn Eureka/Six Flags, Eureka, Missouri: "If Hell had a hotel it would be something like this."

We are at the Comfort Inn in Eureka Springs, Arkansas... not Eureka MO. He scared me a little before I caught that little discrepancy.

I too got scared. I can't imagine the STO group would have booked a nightmare like that. Am looking forward to meeting you all.