Into The Ozark Mountains

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(My apologies to Jim H. I should have called you about ths trip a long time ago, but I wasn't too sure if I would go here until I got back from Europe and I thought that would have been too short of notice.)

I knew that if I took all two lane roads on this leg to Fayetteville, Arkansas, it would take me forever to get there so I took Interstate 44 for about 175 miles to Springfield, Missouri. At least Interstate 44 is pretty scenic with hills and curves. After getting off the interstate I would have about 175 more miles of riding two-lane highways through the Ozarks. Once again the weather was wonderful and the riding was a lot of fun.

As I was riding the curves and hills of the Ozarks, I kept thinking that it sure would be great to stop for a cold beer. But, I then realized that I was in the Bible Belt. I slowed down and scoured every little town that I passed through. For miles and miles I couldn't find any bars to stop at (this sure ain't Wisconsin!). Finally, while approaching the town of Cassville, Missouri, I decided to take the business route through town. I pulled over to a liquor store and asked a customer who was leaving if he knew where any bars might be. He looked at me like I had two heads and asked if I was looking for someplace to eat. I said no, I'm just looking for somewhere to sit down and have a cold beer. He gave me directions to a place called the A Frame. It turned out to be a pizza place, but in the basement was a bar called the Pit.

It turned out to be a real friendly place. The barmaid was a great gal named Heather. I told her I was from Chicago and was heading to the Bike's Blues and BBQ rally in Fayetteville, Arkansas and she offered up some scenic routes for me to take to Fayetteville. She also turned out to be a fellow lover of Blues and we put a few dollars in the jukebox. Of course I played some Stevie Ray Vaughn and lamented to her that my favorite musicians are all dead. Heather turned me onto a blues guitarist named Kenny Wayne Shepherd and played one of his songs named Deja Voodoo. It was a great song and I'll have to check him out when I get home and put some of his music on my iPod. Heather also can sing like Janis Joplin (another of my dead favorites), and I told her if she can come up our way, I'd invite her to our karaoke party. We could use a Janis Joplin! Heather sure made me feel welcome and I told her I would stop back at the Pit on my way north Monday.

I headed down the road and my brother Jim met me at an airport in Rogers, Arkansas about 40 miles from his house. He rode his bike out there just to meet me and be able to ride together to his home, where I'll be staying for the weekend.

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