HILL COUNTRY 2010
  
 

Day 01

April 30

  
 

This should be a nice, easy run across Missouri to see my friend and riding buddy, Dennis in Kansas. It's a route I can almost do in my sleep. As I back out of my garage on SweetTreat, I tell the other two girls -

"Don't worry, you'll get your turn soon enough."

  
   
  I ease my way over to I24 and up to Paducah where I will be stopping for breakfast. Traffic is a little heavier than I expected, but not too bad. Fortunately I'm headed out of Nashville instead of in with the rest of the morning rush. I just set the cruise control, put my feet up on the Highway Wings and enjoy the bluegrass music that's piping into my helmet.  
   
  As I make my way into Kentucky via I24, I see the first of the old familiar double bridges that take me across the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers and reservoirs. I'm as comfortable on SweetTreat as I would be in an recliner - the difference is that the scenery keeps changing.  
   
  There's a Bob Evans right off on highway 60 where I will be taking some backroads through Missouri. We don't have but one in Nashville, so I try to hit them when I can. I love their sausage and their omelets - my basic breakfast food groups when you add some ice tea.  
   
  After I finish up breakfast, I call Dennis to let him know the spaceship has left the Holler. He warns me that there appears to be some nasty weather between where I am and where he is. So I decide I'd better go ahead and suit up for the rain while I've got the chance. Putting on rain gear on the side of the road or under a bridge in a major downpour is not one of my favorite activities! It also works as excellent insurance that I won't get rained on since I am all geared up. In fact, it works so well today that it will be 300 miles before I hit the rain - only to find out that my suit leaks. Soon I'm on highway 60 and out of Paducah and out of the traffic.  
   
  This is one of my favorite little runs in the area that crosses some interesting old bridges across the Ohio and then  
   
  across the Mississippi. So today before lunch I have already crossed the four major rivers in this part of the country. There's also some nice river bottom areas with lots of birds and such between these two bridges that I always like.  
   
  But the weather is rearing it's ugly head as I get hit with some unbelievable cross winds as I get into Missouri. Although I'm riding straight, the winds are forcing SweetTreat and me to do some 'bad leaning' usually reserved for the twisties.  
   
 

When the storm does hit, it rains so hard that I can hardly see through my glasses and the visors. And what a time to find out that my trusty rain suit needs a re-treating with water repellent as the wind driven rains comes right through it. As I move along, I strike up a conversation with a trucker on the CB. He tells me -

"It must be pretty nasty out there in this kind of weather".

"Well, it's not too bad. And at least it beats working!" I respond.

"You got that right, buddy" he comes back.

  
   
 

Finally when I reach highway 96, which was part of the original route 66, the rain stops and I start dry out a little bit. I give Dennis another call to let him know I'm getting closer ... just in case he wants to run and hide!

"How about we meet at the store where the manure spreader on wings is?" he asks. "I'll be in the Alfa since I've got my ST down for some work I'm doing".

"Yeah, any old excuse to keep from riding in the rain. I know how that works, buddy. Anyway, I'll see you there then" and I'm off.

  
   
  I get there a lot quicker that I thought I would at the familiar local landmark. I have to give somebody credit in doing a bang up job of welding and such. I think the Wright Brothers would be proud - or at least amused!  
   
  When I do some mental calculations, I decide it does not make sense for me to just sit here. There is only one road, he'll be in a white Alfa and the more miles I cover, the less miles he'll have to retrace. So I take off like a shot with my eyes watching every oncoming car. I make about an extra 20 miles before I see the car I've been looking for. After a quick greeting, he does a bat turn and I fall in behind for the ride to Oswego proper.  
   
 

As I follow him out to his place, I do the mental notes to see if I remember the correct turnoffs. My memory is good and we turn where I anticipated. It's a funny thing - I can easily remember roads, landmarks, signs, etc. but I have a real hard time remembering people's names. When we get to his place, I park SweetTreat in the shelter of his workshop/garage, glad to be out of the weather. Once I get inside, I get some dry clothes on and get my stuff pitched. Dennis insists that I take his bedroom and he will take the couch. I quit arguing with him over it, since I have argued with this particular fence post before with no success. With that out of the way, we load up in his Alfa and head to Coffeyville to a restaurant he has found. I ask him -

"Coffeyville - there's some history about it that I can't seem to remember".

"It was the site of the Dalton Gang's last robbery. When they entered two banks to rob them, the citizens recognized who they were and were waiting armed and ready. They laid them out and took pictures of them" he tells me.

As it turns out, it all took place very near where the restaurant is located.

 
   
 

The restaurant, Tavern On the Plaza, itself is in a historical building. From it's website -

Fine food and drink offered in the period atmosphere of a faithfully restored 1872 building a horseshoe's throw from scene of the Dalton brother's final and most notorious bank robbery.

And the feller standing in the lobby to greet you, sort of looks like he may have been around since the Daltons paid their last visit to Coffeyville.

  
   
  The building was originally built for a men's clothing store that grew and soon occupied an adjoining building. We get seated up in the balcony area where we enjoy good food, good service, and a time of catching up with what has been happening in our lives.  
   
  With the grub properly disposed of, we make our way back to the house where I proceed to make sonorous music pretty quickly after my head hits the pillow.