Annual Ozark Escape Event May 2023

I attended the 2018 Scooting the Ozarks rally back when I lived nearby in NE Oklahoma. The ride from the town where I lived at the time to the rally was in of itself wonderful.
We even went over that wooden bridge on a ride. It gave me the creeps to ride over what seemed like little spikes sticking up from the planks (which I guess were for traction?)
We often went into the downtown area and ate at various restaurants and shopped at various shops. What a great little town.
As for the architecture and design of the roads, in my travels I have noticed that it almost seems as if the same hand that designed Eureka Springs in Arkansas, also designed the town of Jerome in Arizona. Both were mining towns. Both have an intersection in the downtown area with a flatiron shaped building separating two streets set at different degrees of steepness. Both have your hippie type stores selling candles as well as overpriced coffee houses, wine tasting rooms and historic supposedly “haunted” hotels, etc. And both are a hit with the motorbike crowd. Well you get the picture. But their climates couldn’t be more different.
Eureka Springs is probably a bit larger with more outlying areas and a bit better in my book, but I enjoy riding up to and around Jerome as well.
But I do feel Cajun Cowboy’s pain about riding with others….which is why I almost never do so anymore. Not unless they are so similar to my riding style that we can almost finish each other’s sentences as it were. Nothing worse than being ‘prodded’ into a pace much faster than you feel comfortable with. A Burgman is great at being the pleasure cruise that it is, and although it has pretty good power, what’s the point of thrashing it? Or any motorbike for that matter? Speed demons?
Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
BTW, I’ve also bought the Grab On grip covers on Amazon and a local shop here which are the direct competitors with Grip Puppies. What I prefer about the Grab On Grip Covers is that they seem to be the exact length of our Burgman hand grips and don’t need to be trimmed shorter (which tends to lead to eventual tearing apart faster).

BurgyBill said:

I do feel Cajun Cowboy’s pain about riding with others….which is why I almost never do so anymore.

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I hear you; I lead rides for over 20 years and will not ride in a group anymore. It's like Hearding cats. I can honestly say the majority of group rides were not skilled riders, but newbies and foot draggers. A quick glance at slow speed parking lot maneuvers usually told me the story before we even got started. I would try to accommodate, changing meet times, length of ride, where to eat etc... Those folks are always free to "plan their own ride" but never do. They need good advice and guidance from somewhere otherwise they will become organ donors. I try to take a true motorcycle enthusiast under my wing, same as was done for me.

It is so refreshing to find a skilled rider that matches your riding style, whatever that style may be. It takes it to another level. I also enjoy riding alone and usually prefer it. It's easier on my planning (or lack of) No one else to please, stop when/where I want, eat where I want, stop for photos... (stopping for photo's will irritate a group in short order)

Cajun Cowboy said:

I'm right there with ya! Don't think I haven't already been on some real estate sites looking. While I was in Eureka I found a tiny house on the historic loop... only 1 bedroom... 1 bath... 664 sq. ft.... basically the size of a 2 car garage... maybe 3. Old woodframe house built on a rocky hillside. So I pulled a flyer out of the box at the roadside. I'm not joking here... they're asking $300k for it!!! If I move up there... it won't be to a tourist town.....

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Real Estate prices have skyrocketed but I believe have plateaued. 2 homes on my street sold last year for more than 4.5 times the price I paid. They were junk rentals, no landscaping, no irrigation, not maintained in any way. I have a newer pool, newer roof, newer kitchen. Replaced all windows and doors, flooring. Pretty much gone through everything in 20 years. Never in my wildest dreams would I think it's worth what the Junkers sold for. Even if...I couldn't afford to move. Kind of like the dealer that wants to give me more than I paid for my 4Runner and of course...
"place me in a new vehicle" Well that new vehicle won't be free, and I don't need payments. Jeepers creepers, some of the vehicles cost what a home used to. If I can sell, buy within my means, (out of Flor-e-duh) stuff a little bit in a box for a rainy day and ride on the sunny days, I could be a fair-weather rider.