The Oklahoma camp out

[Guzzistajohn]

 9 Oh , yes the ride on Sat was spirited , fun to ride with folks that are so competent on their motorbikes 

Man, now your killin' me, that's one of my favorite parts of a rally out here in "flyover" country. No this time I hope?

[Guzzistajohn]

Well on the way home, after some rides in the twisties Darren and I got as far as Stigler.  Stopped for breakfast and my rear tire was GONE.  I mean huge chunks of rubber missing.  Even some of the cord was shredded.  (I thought the bike was handling poorly.)  I tiptoed it at 30 mph until we got to I-40.  I thought I might get my sister at her lake house but she was gone on vacation.  I was about to look for a UHaul when Darren called his son to bring the trailer. 

Darren and I watched Moto GP on his phone while we waited.  We got home after 4 today.

Thanks Darren.  Yes, I was stupid.

Well Johnny, @ least you didn't loose yer dipstick

[biking sailor]

Well Johnny, @ least you didn't loose yer dipstick

Wouldn't be fun without something to talk about when we get home.  I always end up having great memories when I hang with you guys! 

I'm just gonna chalk this last one up to John having to hammer that EV and unleash some serious tire eating torque to keep up with the pace of the riding this weekend.   

[cj750]

I wasn't able to hang around very long, or take many pics, but FWIW...

Saturday's gaggle:



Rocker enjoying his V7:



Bonafide Bob's black 2013 Stelvio, and my orange '12:



Thanks to everyone who made the event happen.

[SmithSwede]

Thanks to Doug and Dusty and all the rest who made this happen.  Great rally.   Nice to meet in person some of the folks I only know from this forum. 

I was amused to hear you guys telling tales about how JN was always riding at a safe and sensible 55 to 62 mph.   I have a great deal of respect for the man, but never rode any significant distance with him, so this was interesting news to me. 

So in honor of the man, on my trip back to Terrell I tried riding JN-style.  Kept the Stone in 4th gear.  Steady 60 mph.  Studying the scenery.

Guys, I could only take it for about an hour, and then I reverted back to my wicked ways.  Oh well, I tried. 

[rocker59]

JN was always riding at a safe and sensible 55 to 62 mph.   I have a great deal of respect for the man, but never rode any significant distance with him, so this was interesting news to me. 

So in honor of the man, on my trip back to Terrell I tried riding JN-style.  Kept the Stone in 4th gear.  Steady 60 mph.  Studying the scenery.

Guys, I could only take it for about an hour, and then I reverted back to my wicked ways.  Oh well, I tried.

I tried the same thing from Castle Rock overlook on Talimena Drive (where CJ750 and I left the group ride) to Fort Smith.  A sensible speed, never exceeding 65 mph, and not passing anyone.

I had to shake that out of my system, though, from Fort Smith To Fayetteville.  I hooked up with a Porsche 911 on I-49 North for some WOT time, kissing the ton a couple times.

 

[biking sailor]

Surely not  Had a close encounter with an impolite Camry driver just North of Whitefield OK on the way home . Riding my slightly normal elevated pace , Camry doing 50 MPH , pull out to pass , and the car driver decides it is a race . Thought maybe a mile or so at 85 MPH might shake him , no luck , finally found a safe spot to let the Camry pass , and then this guy slows back down to 50 MPH . I decided discretion was the better part of valor and pulled off in Porum to create some separation . Was kind of hoping to see the Camry stopped by a  up the road 

  Dusty

Riding back from the Springfield Mile in 2014 and had an encounter with someone that didn't wanted to be passed, I guess that was his thought process.  Guzzistajohn pushed him a bit to see if he could blow up the guys motor.  We did have a bit of a fun run till he turned off on another direction.

[LowRyter]

I took a few photos but the sun was my enemy most of the way.

[oldbike54]

I took a few photos but the sun was my enemy most of the way.

 Yeah , unusually sunny on Sat , thanks John . The two guys from Texas that showed up just before we left to ride the Mountain and joined in for the fun on the Aprillia and the Griso , anyone remember the Griso rider's name ? Seems like the other fellas name is Tim .

  Dusty

[rocker59]

I took a few photos but the sun was my enemy most of the way.
 

Clear Blue Skies are beautiful, but tough on a photographer...

[PJPR01]

Dusty...that would be Tim Powers from Austin and his cousin Dave (I think) from Wisconsin.  I ran into them at the Gas station in Mena and pointed them your direction...glad they made it.  Tim probably will show up at Harvest Classic in Luckenbach as well...

For those of you speak 'Skansin (Wisconsin)...you'll appreciate his T-shirt as we spoke about our common family roots...

A few pics from Mena:

[oldbike54]

Dusty...that would be Tim Powers from Austin and his cousin Dave (I think) from Wisconsin.  I ran into them at the Gas station in Mena and pointed them your direction...glad they made it.  Tim probably will show up at Harvest Classic in Luckenbach as well...

For those of you speak 'Skansin (Wisconsin)...you'll appreciate this T-shirt as we spoke about our common family roots...

A few pics from Mena:

 Thanks Paul . Oh , pics didn't come through .

  Dusty

[PJPR01]

Link fixed...try again?  Thanks!

[oldbike54]

Link fixed...try again?  Thanks!

 One does wonder how an Asian Indian accent filtered through Wisconsin would sound 

  Dusty

[PJPR01]

One does wonder how an Asian Indian accent filtered through Wisconsin would sound    Dusty

Ha ha...good one!!!  I'll get that one prepped for Cedar Vale, along with a few others!! :)

[oldbike54]

Ha ha...good one!!!  I'll get that one prepped for Cedar Vale, along with a few others!! :)

 Oh man , that will be fun . For those of you unfortunates that missed out on Paul's amazing facility with accents , he is a true master .

  Dusty

[PJPR01]

Too kind good sir!

[Bonafide Bob]

 Hey Folks,  My wife and I made it home today from our 1800 miles ride, when we left the campground we spent the next two days riding some of those great Arkansas roads and one day to get back down here to South Louisiana.
  It was great meeting some of the Guzzi forum folks, it is always good being able to put faces and names together.
 My Stelvio ran great and was a pleasure to ride on those curvy mountain roads.
 My thanks to all who had a hand in putting the camp out together and to those who posted pictures.
 
  Until next time
         Bob

[oldbike54]

 You are welcome Bob , glad the trip was fun 

  Dusty

[fubar guzzi]

Well boys an girls I know you've all been waiting to hear from me but I had to wait till I got out of county jail to get next to a computer. Some time back Ol Bike talked my S.O. of 33 years into joining us at Talihina(anyone who knows Ol Bike knows he will talk to you till you beg for mercy and will agree to most anything),Phyllis agreed to go but could not ride on the bike so she would have to drive herself in a car.Perfect weather Thursday and crusin along at about the speed limit it was a great ride. We survived Kansas City somehow and proceeded on to Bentonville AR.( I believe that's the home of Barby Benton before she got rich an famous modeling swimwear an such many many years ago). About one mile from our stop for the nite the clutch just stopped working as in no go neutral(BMW airhead),knowing we have a few members living there I thought Id put in a call to Ol bike cause he knows EVERYBODY. Ol bike put in a call to his and mine now ol friend JAY who at 10 oclock on a Thursday nite drives fifty miles with a trailer to get me off the road and store my bike at his place. It amazes me what lengths people will go to get a BMW off the road!!! This was one of those times I was glad I had a back up vehicle(side note to Chett   Ya I had a back up vehicle). So phyll an I slept in the car Thurs.nite an woke up with a big grin on cause it was raining cats and dogs,Ishould know cause I got up to leave a leak an stepped right in a POODLE !!! All day Friday it rained an I still had a grin on cause I was dry warm had music lots of food did I say the bar was OPEN?!! We made the to short of a trip to the State Park an set up in the wrong spot,twenty bucks a nite cause I was in an rv place with electric hook up. Now I don't want you boys an girls to think I was without  wheels all this time cause I took a spare tire an rim along in case I got a flat,I thought it was pretty funny who else would take a helmet an a wheel to a rally that's a real case of fubar pun intended!!!

Phyllis brought some dreamsicle moonshine and it was a hit.  She also brought some salsa that was given to a select few  and that was a real treat.  She is also standing over my shoulder.  This was my first time ever to ride a California EV and that was a real treat. After a good dinner prepared by Delrod and company we had the award ceremony the rally committee awarded me my gas expense to where I broke down.  that was pretty darn nice of them.  Of course that was because I was the "OLDEST RIDER".  can you imagine FUBAR the oldest rider...I just can't believe it.  Now I suppose I will have to grow a beard, ride a guzzi and wear a funny hat. 

After all the big events of the weekend and the good gumbo on the first night....coming to a close Phyllis tripped coming out of the ladies room and really did a job on her face, not knowing what to do...I asked ol bike (my hero) what to do.  he said hey its only Phyllis...so off to the ER we went.  She is healing rapidly and ready for the next rally next year.  I just might invite her to go to Cedarvale...maybe.. .if Dusty doesn't beat me to it.  again.  A big thank you to all the usual folks but especially to Dusty, Delrod and Jay and next  year I will be even older and PS...one more thing...I knew this would be long and you probably would not want to read the whole thing...so that bit about county jail...yea..i sucked you in.

[oldbike54]

 Here are the dates for the JN Smyth Okie camp out . Oct 7-9 . Talimena State park as always .

  Dusty

[oldbike54]

 Forgot to mention , when you post dates for an event on the calendar , it requires a general discussion post . Come on folks , let's see some dates .

 Dusty

[invicta1]

Sort of my neck of the woods.  Or close enough.  Will add to calendar, but a long way off!

[oldbike54]

Sort of my neck of the woods.  Or close enough.  Will add to calendar, but a long way off!

 Where are you located ,the Cedar Vale camp out is in Apr , only about 220 miles North of the Okie .

  Dusty

[LowRyter]

Whatever happened to the Winter time Dan Diego camp out?  No crying about el Nino. 

Now that you're keeping the Chargers, you have no excuses.

[Gliderjohn]

I will put in a plug for the rally as I attended for the first time last year and mucho enjoyed the people, the area, and the riding. Great times to be had.
GliderJohn

[PJPR01]

Very nice rally, great camping, good late night chats around the campfire, and...great riding nearby and to/fro. 

[oldbike54]

I wasn't able to hang around very long, or take many pics, but FWIW...

Saturday's gaggle:



Rocker enjoying his V7:



Bonafide Bob's black 2013 Stelvio, and my orange '12:



Thanks to everyone who made the event happen.

 
 Just a reminder .

 Dusty

[oldbike54]

I took a few photos but the sun was my enemy most of the way.

 And another .

  Dusty

[LowRyter]

geesss,  I was there but not in any of the photos?