or Texas Goat Herders
HondaShadow.net TX/OK/AR/TN Run 6-4-2005
MSkinny ordered another run to meet up with DaveT from Tennessee who was coming down to Sherman to ride with his brother for the weekend. Rendell in Arkansas decided to make the trip with Dave and go visit a friend in Durant OK. Billy from Arkansas decided to meet up with Dave as well and just go for the ride!
Skinny organized a run from the Dallas area to go up and meet some of our Honda Shadow brethren and I was duly elected again to map out the route. Slim spoke up from OK and decided he and Crystal would come down and make the run with us. We planned on touring the Texoma Lake area. This is the area I scratched off of the last trip because the roads looked so straight and uneventful.
Dave, Billy, and Rendell decided to make the trip down to Rowlett and stayed with Skinny Friday night and met up at the theater meeting point Saturday morning at 9. Along with them were other members and friends from other forums, "Kingato" Jaime, "KC" Kelly, "HeKnows" Ralph, "Ruhk" Mike, and Gonzo (me). Slim met up with us in Van Alstyne later.
LTR = Rendell, Skinny, DaveT, Gonz, Mike, Jaime, Billy, Ralph, and Kelly
So we do the gawking over eachother's bikes, here checking out Ruhk's ride.
About 10 minutes before we head out we give DaddyD a call at the hospital in Jacksonville FLA, he was in due to a blood clot in his leg from an earlier accident. We passed the phone around so each of us could wish him well and let him know we are praying/pulling for him for a speedy recovery. Thanks Sadie for the number!! Doug sounded in good spirits....
Then it happened. Billy broke out Woody's journal and it was awe inspiring. I did not feel worthy of pulling it out of the zip lock that keeps it dry. unfortunately we did not have the time to read through it but next time it comes through I will take however long it takes to read all the trips dedicated to Woody. I know he would be honored that we even made such a fuss over him, he was truly an even tempered soul that helped me deal with a few problems with others online back in the day.
Here I got to sign in the journal, a fitting number 40 as I had just turned forty this past week. Slim let me have that entry and he took the next one. We all got signed in and plan on using one of the group photos to put with our ride entry that Rendell will do since he has it back in Arkansas.
We hang up teh phone with Doug "DaddyD" and put all the extra pegs down for Woody (Rendells were so far down they weren't on the bike!!), and we head out about 15 minutes later than planned and hit some local roads that I like to ride on...lots of overhanging trees and twisties, corn fields and a bunch of goats in someone's yard. I came real close to becoming the second Valk vs. Squirrel story to go public!! It darted out in the road and I tried to make it my 12th kill this year but it stopped in it's tracks when I lost sight of it under the massive six between my thighs... Rendell says I almost got it!! The other 11 kills were not bike related by the way!! Just plinking in the backyard and feeding the snapping turtles in the creek down the alley.
Here is a clip of part of that run. Erin impressed the others with the way she can twist 180 out to video behind us...though it was a windy day and the video and pictures do get choppy on the bike.
We travel north on Hwy 5 through corn fields and small towns. I get a call from Slim about 10:50 saying he is in Van Alstyne and waiting. We arrive at 11:02, exactly 2 minutes behind schedule, not too shabby!! Here is another group shot with everyone by their bikes: Kelly, Jaime, Dave, Mike, Billy, Rendell, Gonzo, Slim and Crystal, Skinny, and Ralph. Ten Bikes. With Kelly bringing up the rear on that yellow Suzuki and yellow helmet, it was easy to keep track of the pack!!
We left Van Alstyne and hit several back roads to get to 697 out of Whitewright. This was touted as Texas best kept secret, and it was a nice road with lots of scenery, lots of corn fields, and more goats!! I have never seen so many goats in one day in my life! What do people do with so many goats? Milk? Cheese? Burritos? lol Click on the link below for a choppy video...
So we get into Sherman and stop for fuel about 85 miles into our day. Dave gives his brother a call and we had all planned on rolling up to his brothers house to get him to come out riding with us but it wasn't in the cards today. So we head out to lunch. City Limits was packed so we head over to Cackle and Oink BBQ. Great little place with really good food and friendly service. I loaded up on the bbq beans since I was in front of the line up! LOL
From Sherman we head north into Denison and miss the first turn of the day. U- turn and back on track. This picture is somewhere in that area. We go across Lake Texoma Dam and Erin grabs a few video clips. Click on the icons below. This whole area was confusing and didn't offer a lot to look at until you came to the bridges over the lake. Would have liked to have had a picture under one of the bridges looking up, but I cannot drive and click at the same time! Not many of the roads here were labeled as they appears on the Yahoo Maps I used to pick my route. We managed to get back on track however.
Click this....
So we headed west on 70 into Kingston, couldn't find the fun sounding roads "Trill Hill Rd which leads to "Cliff Rd", nor did any of the next four roads appear as named on Yahoo Maps, but they mostly appeared to be dirt roads anyhow. Not good for our clan. Here are some more clips....
We take 199 East back to Durant and stop at a Dairy Queen "DQ" for you southerners, and grab some icy cold refreshments and another snap shot!
We say our goodbyes to DaveT who heads over to his brothers house, to Billy who heads back to Arkansas, and Slim and Crystal who head back towards Ardmore. Down to 7 riders, the rest of us follow Rendell down 78 and back to Texas. A mostly uneventful road that offered some nice scenery. We slowed up and let each rider pass as I got Erin to take pics of everyone on the road. I should have hopped into the oncoming lane for all these pictures so we could have gotten riders and their rides, but hindsight is 20/20. Next time this will be a quest. At least Ralphs pic is almost complete! Here is Shadow Rider Rendell ....
and VTX Rider Jaime (barely got him!!) Remember guys, you have to hold your pose as the digital is slow!!
....and Shadow Rider Ruhk (Mike)
....and Shadow Rider Skinny (Mike)
...our new friend Kelly who will be looking at more comfortable seats with envy after this trip!!!
....and Shadow Rider Ralph!!! "HeKnows"
Once behind the group, Erin captured a few more video clips... will have to try and get more pictures next time. Man I would love to have a real digital video camera!!
We stop again in Bonham and say adios to Rendell who heads back to Arkansas and we continue as 6 riders down 78. We saw a lot more goats and corn fields and were treated to a late 40's model Indian Chief painted yellow. Sweet looking ride. My Shadow will resemble one in a few more weeks...
Today Erin and I got to try out the new seats on the Valkyrie "Eragon". I outfitted Eragon with Ultimate Seats Friday before the trip. She loved the seat and was not sore at all for the approximate 300 miles we put on for the day. I thoroughly enjoyed having a backrest on this trip!! No soreness here either though the short gas stops were becoming things to look forward to. I ran 178 miles before hitting reserve on this tank so stops on the Iron Butt are going to be few and far between! Next weekend we do 1000 miles in 24 hours!!!
Next time we do one of these runs, someone grab my camera and take a picture of Erin and I would you? I do not think to do that when we get together and the stories start flying about. Rendell is a genuine story teller!! A real riot!!
Until our next episode of HondaShadow.net Texas escapades, maybe heading to Arkansas, stayed tuned to the same bike channel, same bike time, same bike frame of mind.... good night...
Gonz
Gonzo
02' Shadow Spirit "Vicious Cycle"
