Running the Back Roads (the end)

365 Group



There is something to be said for running down I 40 at a 100 MPH early in the morning. I made a snap decision that I would wind the old bike up between Clarksville and Russellville and if absolutely necessary, I'd pay the ticket. After a few easy miles, letting traffic sort of settle, I opened up and pushed the bike up to 100 and kept it there till the sputtering and coughing stopped. Once it cleaned out I eased back to about seventy and floated along. Several times before I got to the Highway 7 exit I would run it back up around 90 to 100 and was very pleased. For a bike that's third handed and thirty two years old it ran smooth. Like a song.
I highly recommend The Hampton Inn in Russellville. The rooms are great and they have everything you could ask for including wireless Internet connection. The coffee maker was quick each time I used it and their breakfast wasn't bad at all.
After running down I 40 I slid off at the Highway 7 exit and went to the motel and got a room. stashing my junk I headed out to find some place to eat and got lucky. There is a Dixie Cafe just across the street. The food was excellent.
I fired back up and tooled the area to see how much it had changed since college a whole big bunch of years ago. About all I could see was the business names had changed.
After running around for a couple of hours I pulled into an older looking Phillips gas station with a service bay. I asked the attendant if I could change the oil and service my bike there. he started to stutter a little until I pointed out that I was buying my oil from him and that I would do the work. Actually all I needed was a place to dump the oil and old filter. He finally agreed and I rolled over to the side of the shop and started taking the lower side cover off to get to the oil filter. Once I got it all apart and the old filter off I did a good check of the old filter and the oil for metal shavings. Finding none, I washed everything down with Diesel and got my new filter out of my tool bag. Everything went back together without any of the stubbornness I have experienced in the past. Buying four quarts of 10w 40 the guy looked sorta relieved. I think he was worried that I was going to have him do something.
All topped off I told the attendant thanks and fired up.
I pulled out into moderate traffic and headed back North. My intent was to just run around town for a few miles and make sure there were no problems related to the oil change. So, I literally just cruised the side streets for about fifteen miles. I had a blast.
Finally I headed back to the Hampton and a late lunch. After lunch I thought about heading out to the lake or over to some of the old party spots for a trip down memory lane but I ended up in a long conversation with some local riders and before I knew it it was time to grab some supper and pack it in. I saddled up and hit the first Mexican place that come up and Got a big Carnitas dinner. They were good,hot and enough to take some with me for breakfast.
Back at the motel I settled down at the laptop and checked in with work and friends that weren't able to come with me. With all that High Tech stuff done I crawled in to a hot shower the settled in in front of the TV for some NCIS or CSI or some other "shoot em up". next thing I knew it was almost Seven thirty A.M. The TV was still rattling away. Guess I was more tired than I thought.
I put coffee on to make and headed down to the breakfast area for some munchies. After a pot of coffee and a couple of boxes of Rice Krispies, I put on another pot of coffee for the thermos and I grabbed a shower.
All packed up I filled my thermos and headed out to hit Highway 7 north.
Russellville and the small town of Dover have just about grown together. It really didn't seem to take any time at all before I was coming into the main part of Dover. Aside from the growing toward each other, Dover really didn't seem to have changed that much.
A few miles outside Dover I opened up to Highway speeds, more or less. I hit a groove at about 65 and made good time most of the way. Highway 7 running North is a tourers delight. It really is a slower paced two lane that seems to be in pretty good shape. traffic was light and the only drawback that I could see was the Tree Length Log Trucks that you occasionally came up on. They were long and slow. I had to follow one of about five miles before I found enough room to pass. Other than that I had a great ride on 7.
A few miles out of Dover/Russellville is a roadside camp ground called Mac's Pines. I pulled in there and looked around a little. I remember way back in the dark ages when it was first put in. It looked like they were doing pretty good as a tourist campground. As I chugged a cup of coffee I talked with a couple from Little Rock. They had been to the Country Shows in Branson and were heading home. It was kind of funny how they both kept saying how high gas was and how they should get a bike for their vacations. I could tell they weren't the type to ride. I did appreciate their attempt at being friendly.
After Mac's I took a lazy approach the rest of the way up 7. This trip was coming to and end and that's always a bummer. I stopped again at Hankins store in Pelsor and tried my Cell phone. No service sent me on down the road. My plan had been to check on mom and then ease on back up to the house. I finally got a connection along the Cowell area and pulled over to talk to mom and let her know I was coming by.
Pulling into moms I was struck by all the Ice damage. It hurt to look at the place.
I had a good visit with Mom and saddled back up and headed up to Clayborns store in Deer. I topped off my tank and checked the air pressure in my tires and started my last leg home.
Running down Highway 16 to 21 was nice. No traffic and in fact I didn't meet a single vehicle until I got to the Bridge in the Boxley valley.
Now as I have stated before. There is a lot to be said for Hush puppies. Yep! I stopped at Marble and got a dozen for an afternoon snack.
Pulling into the house it felt good to be back. My Little Republicans were happy to see me.
Hope to catch ya on the road.