Putt Putt, my DR650, is all dressed and ready to go riding.
Last week was fall break at UNK, and so it was one last chance for a multi-day ride before cold weather settles in for the season.
First things first – get the bike ready to go complete with saddlebags, tank panniers, maps, and navigation electronics.
After class on Friday, Oct. 18, I headed out. Started off with my local friend Mike Konz, picking up some remaining Team Strange’s States of Confusion Grand Tour bonus photos. (Sort of a multi-month, multi-state motorcycle-riding scavenger hunt.)
Minneapolis, KS
Wichita State University
Mike and I arrived in Wichita right about dark, and the only restaurant within easy walking distance of our motel was a Denny’s. Surprisingly, the chain has gotten significantly better in recent years. Still not a first or even second choice of a place to eat, but I must admit a fondness for their Slam Burger – sort of breakfast on top of a hamburger.
The next morning Mike was headed home and I was off for Ozark, Missouri to meet up with my old riding friend, Bishop Matthew Riegel. A planned stop for a bonus in Atlanta, KS got cut off by a missing bridge.
By two that afternoon, Matt and I had met up and made plans for our upcoming days of riding.
The bishop and I at Lord of the Lake Lutheran Church for Sunday services.
On Sunday we rode south through heavy fog on our way to Diamond City, AR, down four-lane highway. We were ok on the divided highway, but I was really nervous about how the fog would be once we turned off onto the twisty state roads. But once we left the main road the fog parted like the Red Sea before Moses.
When we arrived in Diamond City, Matt celebrated mass with the small congregation at Lord of the Lake Lutheran. Our hosts then took us to the local country club for a delicious buffet lunch.
Our ride back north put us on the Peel Ferry across the reservoir where we soon connected up with MO-95, one of the best motorcycle roads I’ve ever encountered. Miles of twisties and generally good pavement on our way up to Houston, MO for another States of Confusion bonus.
Matt on the ferry.
Claiming Houston, MO for States of Confusion Grand Tour.
From there it was back to Ozark by way of US-60, not the most exciting road, but it got us back in the barn before full dark.
At 1 a.m. Monday, piercing alarms went off on both our phones, alerting us to the tornado 10 miles north of us in the general area when had been riding on our way to the hotel. Ozark wasn’t hit, but we did have heavy rains and high winds. Catching up on work and the like kept us in town in the morning. In the afternoon, we decided that the aftermath of the storms made the back roads not the most attractive place to go given the level of tree trash likely to be on them. So instead we headed over to a nearby Civil War national battlefield for a fascinating afternoon of history.
Ralph at the visitor’s center for Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.
A gorgeous afternoon at Wilson’s Creek.
On Tuesday, it was time to head home at first light. The weather was good, but it was cold out there. Matt was headed back east to West Virginia not long after. Stopped in Nebraska City, NE for one last States of Confusion photo. And then it was time to just focus on getting home.
Late October can an iffy time for a motorcycle trip this far north. The weather was a bit chilly at times, and the winds were more than I would have liked, but what a great trip. Highly recommend visiting the Ozarks south and east of Ozark, MO. I will be back.
Spot satellite tracking of my ride. Thanks to Spotwalla for the great map. Click on the map if you want to see more detail (along with a ride I did earlier in the month.