Mid-South ride, eat, and meet

[barryg]

If your in the Midsouth area looking for a ride and eat this weekend Saturday Feb 19., this is it. Memphis, Tn. is the center of the midsouth. The BMW RAMS are having a get to gather just north of Memphis in Kerrville. Their meeting at Pig-N-Whistle Restaurant. 6084 Kerr-Rosemark Rd. This is on the north side of Millington on the west side of Hwy 51. About 2 miles, off 51 down to the restaurant. Their tel.# 901 8722455. Be there for lunch at 12:00. The Rams will have their Feb. meeting at 1:30 Time to get your bike out and ride and eat. Temps Saturday are to be in the mid 60's and no rain, sleet or snow in the forecast. This place known for good BBQ. Rams will be out in force showing off their cool scoots.

[barryg]

I'm off to to chow down on some BBQ and see some bikes. Tell ya bout it later. The ride is on.

[barryg]

Just got back. It was just what I needed. Nice easy going ride over. Felt good to be back in the saddle. Road my '94 R1100RS and it purred like a kitten. I think it needed out for spin to stretch it's legs as much as I did. Lots of bikes out every where. Everyone had the same idea, get out and ride. Bikers waving back and forth, it was a never ending meet and greet going down the road. Got to the chow house first, got off and stretched my legs. Then the others started showing up. It was your basic family BMW club monthly reunion. Think we had about 30 in attendence. Got a rib plate, and filled up. Hit the spot. Got thru the meeting, mostly stuff about the RAMS directory and Return to Shiloh Rally. Back outside, every one was taking off in all directions. Got to talking with Paul Witworth, our club sec/trea., he said he was up for a little Ride. Rode over to see the Shake Rag. Recently burned down. It's been the Memphis go to weekend biker hangout for 30 years. Sad to see it like that. We took off for Mayor's Cove about 5 minutes away. Got there and they had a good crowd, due to no Shake Rag. Mayor's Cove has the look of, if you don't have a gun or knife, they issue you one at the door. Had a couple of cold ones, then headed back toward Memphis on the back roads. Took Paul by the Charles Limbergh monument, and had our history moment. After we split up, had a nice put back to the house. Just what I needed,a nice ride. Forgot to mention, at the meeting, I won one of the prize drawings The Ride is On, BMW dvd. Think I'll watch it now.

[barryg]

I noticed that on my ride over to and back from the meeting that my riding skills had diminished somewhat from a 2 month lay off from riding. Hopefully with the coming of some decent weather and some saddle time, I'll get back up to speed, and my riding skills will return to their normal razorsharp ability.

[barryg]

Anyone in the Midsouth or more specifically east Arkansas looking for a place to ride this weekend, this is it. The BMW RAMS and the DooDah Sidecar Riders are having their annual April meeting and get togather at Village Creek State Park this weekend. Apr. 15,16,17. Just outside Wynne, Ar. . Casual ride in and meeting. Camping available. Check the BMW RAMS web site for more details. Lots of comraderie with the focus on BMW's and sidecars. Barry

[barryg]

Just got back from the Rams meeting. Good ride over. Had to stop and put on another layer for warmth. Good to see everyone. Had probably 6 members of the Naturally Beemers show up and camp out. They had a pretty bunch, 25, for the campout and meeting. They survived a pretty tough storm front that came thru Thursday nite. Stopped outside the park and went to an almost unknown Civil War War Site. Wittsburg. The place were about 5000 Ark. Confederate soldiers surrendered at the end of the war. Good easy day of riding.

[barryg]

Since the demise of of Shake Rag. It burned down about a month ago or should I say torched as in arson. I'm headed over to Mayer's Cove. It's north and west of the Rag. in Tipton Co.. Went by a couple of weeks a ago and thet were remodeling it. I heard they were having bands on Sunday. Getting ready to go.

[barryg]

Turned out to be a nice ride. I first rode up to Covington on 51 Hiway, stopped in at a Cigar shop and got a box of my favorite cigars. Backwoods Sweet Aromatic. Then got my ride started. Headed west toward the Mississippi River. Rode to Randolph and stopped at John's Boatdock. Ol Man River was all the way up to the boat dock's back door. John'a ain't a real boat dock, but a real out of the way honky tonk bar and grill. Left there and headed to Mayor's Cove. A lot of real back roads close to the river. Up, down, around up the Chickasaw Bluff and back down to the river. Their's a lot of little 3 and 4 way stops, kinda confusing but that keeps the ride interesting. I carry a map, but I didn't have to look at it very often. Mostly rode by instinct. 20 years ago I rode up here with small groups and was lost the whole time; I'm glad I can now find my own way. Rode into Mayor's Cove and met up with Larry and a couple of his riding buddies . They were on Dual Sport bikes. All they could talk about was the TransAmerica ride across Ar.. Gotta get the KLR running and do that. Went into the Cove and got a cold one, the band was playing. As usual too loud for me. Back out side, Larry and his buddies were gone. I had leisurely ride back to Ar.

[deaconjones]

Had to participate in the thread - couldn't see you going it alone any more.

[barryg]

Thx. Deacon. Just sharing my bike rides and other BMW related stuff. It seems the Mid-South kinda gets looked over as a riding area. I'm relating rides that are about 100-150 radius around Memphis. I live in Marion, Ar. just across the river from Memphis. I'm including east to Crowley's Ridge down to Helena; up to the Boothill of Missouri, western tip of Ky. West Tn., North Miss.. With the price of fuel, I'm having to concentrate on that area. It's what my pocket book can handle. I belong to both the Naturally Beemers of Ar. and the BMW RAMS,and The Old Bike Club. So just going to their activities and meetings it gives me a chance to do a lot of riding in this area. I also do the Wendesday Bike nite at different places. Side Car, Joe's CrabShack, Bikes on Beale. I like the Blue's. I also like tech sessions, I'm getting my garage in shape to have some. I'm a bike nut and their ain't no reforming me. See you on the road or on this thread, everyone is welcome. Barry

[deaconjones]

Hey, I know a few of the RAMS and regularly go to Parkers Gro on Sunday mornings. Also, saw on your profile that you work at MMW. Never been there but familiar with the reputation. Always thought in the back of my mind that I might someday enlist their services in building a vintage racer - someday. Good on ya for the ride reports. Much of what you mention is in my backyard. Oh yeah, I've also participated in a couple of the rides put on by the Old Bike Club. I don't really know anybody but they seem to be a great bunch of people.

[barryg]

I'm not at MMW any more, been gone from there for awhile. Need to up date my profile. Where's Parker's Grocery store. Seems I read about in the Rams newsletter some time back. Yea, a little cafe style hot rod would be a nice build, wouldn't mind one for my self. I've got a long term project going on right now. I'm building up a '74 R90/6 into a Classic Bavarian Bagger. Engine pretty much built. Bored out the cylinders installed 1st over pistons, dual plugged the heads. I've been fortunate to accumulate quite a few parts to really dress it up. I'm not up to speed on posting pics and such. If you go to the RAMS web site look into the threads on meetings '07 you can see a pic of the engine and one of me standing behind the engine at the meeting. I'm the tall drink of water, next to my bud Marshall. Will probably be down on Beale tomorrow night.

[barryg]

Been hard at work the last couple of weeks. Getting my garage in shape, gettin ready to bring a couple of my bikes home. Been puttin up shelving, cleaning up, reorganizing, making room. Way past due. The '84 BMW R100 Escort and the Cushman Eagle are coming home. One of my lifts is also coming home, too. Time to start puttin some bikes back on the road.

[barryg]

Got the garage in shape to bring 2 bikes home. Just about wupped me. It's all good though. Spent all three days of the Holiday weekend on that garage. Didn't even ride. I did put pads on the rear brake of the R1100RS. Brakes were acting a little funny on last ride. Hope the new pads cure it. Found the pads during the clean up. Found all kinds of neat things during the clean up. Wished I could have rode to find out if that was the problem. I haul freight in a cargo van and I gotta a run from northwest Ms. to San Antonio tomorrow. So moving the 2 bikes home and test riding the bike will have to wait till I get back home. I may get the chance to visit S.A. BMW and Austin BMW. I'm also bringing my bike lift home, that will make servicing my bikes a lot easier.

[barryg]

Stopped in at Alamo BMW. Had a nice visit. Sid gave me 2 fine cigars. Cool. There is a GoCart shop and track connected to the dealership. A grandfather was there with his 2 grandsons and they all had their own personal machines. They were all fast and smooth on the track. The older grandson was really fast. While I was there watching he set a new track record. Neat. This dealership is diffenently becoming one of my favorites. On the rode with a load to Nogales, Az.; hope to stop in at Iron Horse BMW in Tucson. I havn't been there in a while. Posting this at the N.M. Welcome Center. Just rocking on down the hiway on I-10. I havn't seen one BMW motorcycle on the rode in over 600 miles. What's up with that?