Texas Road Trip

I have attended the Scootercade Rally and the Renegade Rally in Eureka Springs, AR since 2003. One of my rally friends and I decided to visit another rally friend and his wife in east TX. We both have 2002 SilverWings.

April 29, I headed west and south to visit a scooter buddy in Tyler, TX. A riding buddy, Art Myracle, met me in Dexter, MO and we headed west then south on US 67 to Little Rock, AR. Straight roads, small towns and rice fields were the most common scenery. After 301 miles in six and a half hours, we checked into a motel about 7:00 p.m. The rains we had missed all afternoon came down "in buckets" most of the night.

Thursday morning the rain had passed and we covered the 135 miles on US 30 west to Texarkana in good time. Back on US 67 to Mt. Pleasant, TX we traveled beside a railroad line that interested my traveling buddy. A couple hours down Hwy 271 put us in Tyler where our host, Jim Harvey (Burgman 650) met us and led us out to his house, another 300 mile day.

Friday's ride kept us in the Jacksonville, Rusk and Kerlaw, TX area. The story of Kerlaw's name in interesting. It seems the original choice of Walker had already been used in TX so they reversed the letters. We visited the monument at the site of the Killough family Massacre in 1836, Loves Lookout near Jacksonville, then were joined by another rally pal, Sam Carothers, on his Burger 650. We enjoyed the roads of east TX for a couple hours then got a nice tour of the Motor Trike and Thoroughbred Stallion factory in Troup, TX.

Saturday we joined our host and six chapters of East TX Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA) riders at Loves Lookout as they gathered for a "Run For The Son". That afternoon it was east to Marshall, TX and a visit with my sister, nieces and nephews. Dark clouds were in the sky, thunderstorm and tornado warnings dominated the news all evening and into the night. Art and I decide we would probably be stuck in the Motel 6 an extra day as we awoke to rain, lightning, and thunder Sunday morning. The worst of the weather had passed by 9:00 a.m. so we headed up hwy 59 toward Texarkana. It rained on us most of the day as we traveled up I 30 and US 67 through AR. At 4:00 with 300 miles on the trip meter we spent the night in Newport, AR where it was nice to finally be dry and warm.

The final 220 miles home Monday were rather uneventful. I did make a brief visit to the jr. college near Walnut Ridge, AR that I attended in the late 60's. The current president was one of my professors and we had a quick chat.

My mileage averaged 40 -45 mpg pulling a trailer traveling at 55 to 65 mph. Six days and 1377 miles.

A link to the pix taken is included.

https://s218.photobucket.com/albums/cc182/showannouncer/Texas%20Road%20Trip%202009/

Haskell,

Thanks for taking us along with you. Looks like y'all had fun.

sound like a good trip (i need to get out more)

Sounds like a very nice trip. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Great report Haskell. There's something about riding that just feels good........and there's something more about riding with friends that feels even better!

I don't have to ride in the rain much where I live. I have some decent rain gear and I have to admit that the first time my wife and I got caught in a T-storm it was just kinda fun......but I was also glad the storm was fairly short lived!