Four days, 1,865 km riden from Toronto, and this pin is all we have to show for it so far!
Tomorrow we hope to supplement it with a T-shirt, and lots of time spent in educational seminars, but for now this is it!
We rolled into the "Thrills in the Hills" rally, in Harrison, Arkansas around 3:00 pm this afternoon, and - believe it or not - the first person we bumped into was Jacques Day. When Jacques told me he had left Toronto yesterday morning I thought he was kidding, but Marie-Anne assures me he wasn't.
That's pretty impressive endurance riding by anyone's standards, but at 84-years young Jacques is surely one-of-a-kind?
Next we met up with Roy Eastwood and Ross Copas... it was beginning to feel like "old home week" for the BMW Club of Ontario!
Directory Assistance
The hardest part of todays 326 km trip was actually finding our way out of Poplar Bluff. Roads on the map are numbered, but signposts on the ground bore single letters. Like M, L, etc.
I was half expecting to see W, T, F! I know I was certainly thinking it.
Just when we needed an assist, along came a probation officer on his way to a client visit, on his Yamaha Star, with straight pipes. As luck would have it he was heading our way and he insisted on leading us out of town, through about 5-miles of construction, and on to beautiful AK 135 S before he headed on his way.
That's our guide on Ivan's right, waiting for the flagman to waive us ahead.
Two heads are better than one
It really is great to get off the Interstate (otherwise known as "slabbing"it) and onto the backroads.
The benefits include twisty roads, wildlife sightings (we saw an Armadillo today!), and interesting meetings with local folks but road signage can be spotty.
Here Marie-Anne and Ivan are gamely trying to decide a) Where in the world are we? and b) How are we going to get out of here.
The key is to "Keep Calm and ride on". Sooner or later we always end up back on track.
We crossed the state line into Arkansas just before 10:00, to much waiving and hollering.
For Josee
This picture is for my good friend Josee. She and I are locked in an ongoing competition to spot licence plates from every state and province. So far she's trouncing me, but that's all about to change!
Tomorrow I'll be touring the rally site with camera in hand.
Here's one new plate for starters.
Another day, another hotel
Today's visit to the rally was short and sweet. Just long enough to register, pick-up our goodie bags and head for the Quality Inn, Harrison where Marie-Anne had (rather brilliantly) snagged a ground floor room, with by-the-door parking, and Jamie's excellent restaurant within easy walking distance.
Be still my beating heart...it doesn't get much better than this.
We even have neighbours with a Moto Guzzi Norge.
Rally rats
Tomorrow we head off to the rally. Marie-Anne and Ivan have attended previous RA rallies but not for the past few years. I'm a complete novice and eager to soak up whatever the event has to offer.
Join us tomorrow evening to hear how the day pans out.
Calling all armchair adventurers
Click on the link https://share.delorme.com/The3BeemerAmigos to follow our journey.
Switch to the Aerial view to see what we are seeing on our adventure through mid-America.
No comments:
Post a Comment