Mid-South ride, eat, and meet

[barryg]

Just picked a load up in Memphis. Made a pitstop back at my house before I take off. Reading the local paper the Evening Times, I see where the County Judge Melton Holt, 68 was in the ICU at a Memphis hospital, due to a motorcycle mishap. Struck my a Memphis driver. No further details. Article stated he was an occasional rider and he rode a Harley. County Judge's in Aransas do not hold court , but are the chief executive officer of the county. Our county is Crittenden. Hope he pulls thru. Off to Ft. Smith with my load. ps After delivering my load will make a Civil War stop at the Battle of Massard Prairie, just out side of ft. Smith.

[barryg]

Just rolled in from my run to Ft. Smith, got my load delivered. Went over and found the battle field. Had a pretty large group of volunteers working on the site. Reading the marker, the battle took place July 27, 1864. Those folks were probably getting it ready for the 147 th, aniversary event. July 27 is also my birthday. Didn't see one BMW on the rode and I covered almost 600 miles. Well it's Bike Nite,I'm taking a hour nap and hope to head over to Beale St.

[barryg]

Bad planning on my part. Seems like everyone's out of town, gone to Mid-Ohio for the vintage bike meet or to Bloomberg to the MOA National. I'm home trying to get motivated to study for a CDL hazemat test, I gotta take Monday. Yuk. I think the Old Bike Club out of Memphis has a short run going Sunday. Might hook up with them or go down to Southaven and attend the bikers church down in Southaven Ms..

[barryg]

I'm going to do the Old Bike Club Breakfest ride tomorrow. Their meeting in Memphis at 7:00 at the Circle K at the corner of Austin Peay and Covinton Pike, then riding to the Shelby Store. I'm leaving at 7:00 from my house and will join them at the Shelby Forest Store. Feel free to join them or me for the ride for the ride. I'm leaving from 141 Surrey Trace, Marion, Ar. at 7:00. Or just meet us at the Store around 8:00. I may ride my '71 R50/5. Bring your antique, classic or whatever ya got. Let's Ride, Meet, Eat.

[barryg]

I said tomorrow, more precisely Sunday July 23.

[barryg]

Sorry not to precise. More precise Sunday July 24.

[barryg]

Rode the '71 R50/5 to the Shelby Forest Store. Bike has several things not working. Battery not strong enough to start the bike so I just kick started it. Turn signals due not work, so I just manually flipped them on and off or gave hand signals. Bike runs like a top. Felt good going down the road. Met the guys at the store, probably 15 rode in the group ride. Another 10 to 20 riders there. Lots of cycleists there, may have been more of them. After sausage biscuits and gravy, visited with club riders. Took about 10 kicks to start the bike, I gotta get a new battery. Took a scenic ride home.

[barryg]

On my ride last weekend, I learned the passing of one of our members who posted pretty regularly on this MOA website. James R. Coleman, aka JR or Robin to his friends, died last week. His health had been in decline for some time. I'd only known him for about a year. He went by 'copandengr' on this web site. He got a lot of pleasure out of this club and website. His favorite thing was watching the rebuild sites and seeing members progress with the rebuilding and restoration of their bikes. In his past he had rebuilt and customized a large variety of bikes. He brought out his folders and note books and showed me all the pictures. Quite impressive. We were also almost exactly the same age. He 7-7-53, Me 7-27-53. He wanted me to help find another BMW to restore. I found him a nice restorable R60/6, the owner was going to the Bloomsburg National, then Alaska. We were going to go see the bike after their return. I was looking forward to watching him work on his bike and getting to learn some of his techniques. My regards to his wife Lynn and the rest of his family. Barry

[barryg]

I turn the big 58 today. Donna Sue Clark just texted me a Happy Birthday and wanted me to join her and her husband Steve to celebrate at Joe's Crabshack. Steve play's with The Stunning Cunning Band and their playing at Joe's tonight. I checked my calender and since I have an open date I accepted the invitation. It's Bike Nite at Joe's. It's also Bikes on Beale St. tonight. So I'll probably go by and see Leo Goff, who's playing with The Erik Hughes Band at Alfreds. Gotta full nite ahead, Looking forward to the ride and Blues. Here's one to you JR.

[barryg]

Finally found a new battery in my pile of stuff/junk, a new Yuasa YB18L-A. Went out to the shed and found some acid. Filled her up and let it stand for an hour. Got it on a slow charge. Will be nice to have a electric start and not have to kick start the R50. The temp high today is right at 100' with an index around 105'. Will be nice not to have to ride that hot K100. It's already 90+ out there.

[barryg]

Road the R50 over to Bikes on Beale Wendesday nite. I was parked next to Marshall's R50 and R27. A lot of people stopped and admired them. How old are they was the most asked question. Got the R50 back out Sunday and rode over to SideCar Cafe. I was surrounded by Harley's. Again the #1 question was , how old it is. It was hot so I came back early. With the new battery installed I now have working turn signals. A good battery solves a lot of problems.

[barryg]

Well I'm thinnin the herd. Just sold my '71 Norton Commando. Nice bike, it had been slightly bobberized. Finally decided that I wasn't going to ride the bike. I sent it to a good home. The new owner is a top self mechanic and engine builder and He will give it a good home and proper maintenence. It will allow me to concentrate on the bikes I will ride.

[barryg]

Went to Bikes on Beale last nite, the usual Wendesday nite Bike nite. Good crowd, we had a bout 6 of the crew who met down at Superior BBQ. Steve Clark was on his '61 R50/2. His bike had a continuous never ending crowd around it. It was definently the most popular bike of the nite. I rode over on the k100RT. Bike runs good and it was past time to get it out. Went down to Alfreds and listened to the Erik Hughes Band, featuring Leo Goff on bass. Forgot tomentionthat Tom Race wasthere and that he had helped Pat pull out my Norton so Pat could buy it. I knew it was a lot of work. I bought Tom a large beer for his yeomen effort. Good man.

[barryg]

Gotta Ride, Eat, and Meet going for tomorrow; the Rams are havin their August lunch and meeting tomorrow the 13th. My Favorite Place at 880 N. Germantown Pkwy, Cordova, Tn. 11:00 lunch then the meeting to follow about 12:00. Really enjoyed the meeting last year. If you can't make this one the Old Bike club has a ride for Sunday mourning . Meet at Circle K 7:00AM 8971 Hwy 64 at Rockcreek Pkwy; then ride to Joe's Diner in Boliver, Tn. for lunch. Got a busy weekend of riding and eating goin in the Mid-South. No excuses not havin a place to ride. Or eat.

[barryg]

Well I made the BMW RAMS lunch and meeting. I even won one of the prizes and I can't even remember what it was. Went over to Leo's after the meeting. I hope to get the R90 movin along to being brought back to life. The Old Bike Club ride today was too early a ride for me, so I skipped it. I talked to some who rode it and appartently it was a great success. Later in the day I took a solo ride north of town,Marion, about 50 miles to a scenic overlook of the Mississippi river. I've known for a long time that it was basicaaly the scene of one of the two great Civil War naval battles on the Mississippi River. The Battle of Plum Bend and it was a Confederate tatical victory. Nice to see markers in place to tell the story for those interested. The area had a local French name early on called Sans Souci. My translation, Don't Worry Be Happy.