I sold the 99 Honda VFR In April and replaced it with a 2015 Yamaha R3 which is a blast to ride, averages 65 mpg and should make a great track bike. And while I was shopping for the R3 at Friendly Yamaha Honda I stumbled upon a beautiful black 2009 Concours 14 with only 10,000 miles on it and a price I couldn't resist. The silver 08 (with 164,000+ miles) has been demoted to commuter duty and Stacie and I will be touring in style on an almost new Black Beauty. I have spent the last 6 weeks getting the 09 ready, swapping the Ohlins shock and GP Suspension ZX forks, AST highway pegs, Madstad/Wunderlich windshield, new tires; etc, etc, etc.. She's ready and we're ready!

We have a five day route to STAR planned which includes most of the Natchez Trace, Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. Rod Fors and Kevin Yeats are the only other Louisiana members who will join us this year that I am aware of. We will miss the rest of you! We do have a couple of members heading out on some long trips out west in August and September, hopefully I can nag ride reports out of them! Hope you enjoy this newsletter.

HILL COUNTRY 2016

_{By "Ninja Bob" Chappuis}

As soon as winter, if you can even call it that, petered out Stacie and I decided it was time for a road trip. I picked the Texas Hill Country as our destination for a 7 day trip since recent trips had been to Arkansas and the Smokies.

We left after work on Friday April 22 and did a quick run to Opelousas and Evangeline downs. It was an easy 70 miles across the John James Audubon Bridge and west on US 190. The track has a nice motel, slot parlor and restaurants on premises. We ate all we could eat crab legs at the buffet before Stacie played the slots while I watched the races. The Opelousas Stakes was won by a long shot with a 30-1 payoff! Too bad I didn't bet on him..

Day 2 was our longest ride, 379 miles to Downtown Austin, less than 10 on Interstate. We headed west on 190 to Ragley then LA 12 to Beaumont then west north west through Conroe and Navasota.

After about an 8 hour ride we pulled into the Super 8 on the I-35 service road around 4:30. On the agenda in Austin was BBQ, Live Music and Pappy Van Winkle or or Booze, BBQ and Blues.

As a Bourbon lover I have been on a quest to sample some of the rarest Bourbon in the world. Only the largest liquor stores in each state get any and the limited number of bottles are sold out immediately and only to subscribers to waiting lists. There is a website that lists bars that reportedly have some in stock and I have begun following the nearby leads. A trip last fall to Bourbon Street in NOLA came up empty however. Word was the Mohawk Lounge on Red River St in downtown Austin had some Pappy so that was our first stop.

We cleaned up and then walked across the 12th st. over pass above I-35 to downtown and Red River St. The Mohawk was just two blocks down Red River. They didn't have any Pappy but they did have a bottle of Ole Rip Van Winkle. The really rare Van Winkles are the 12, 20 an 23 year old Pappy's Family Reserve. Bottles sell for from around $185 to $300 retail and as high as $2000 on the Internet scalper's market. Ole Rip Van Winkle is aged "just" 10 years but it is 107 proof. Suggested retail price is $50 but if you want a bottle before the next release in September it will cost you $250 or more. A glass of it at the Mohawk cost me $8.50 and it was money well spent. I can truthfully say I have not tasted a better Bourbon!

Next up was ribs at Stubbs BBQ. However, it turned out Stubb's was booked with a private party crawfish boil. What? The guy at the door was helpful though and directed us to the "second best bbq in Austin", Ironworks, 8 blocks down the street. This was a large, roomy place with cool Texas decor and a lively atmosphere. The ribs were very good and they had a good selection of beers.

After that fine meal we walked up and down 6th street checking out the music venues. We followed the sound of some wicked guitar riffs to Friends Bar There was no cover and we grabbed some seats right in front of the stage. For the next two hours we listened to the Eric Tessmer band. Tessmer is the closest thing to Jimi Hendrix I have ever heard and he played non-stop, many classic covers as well as his own songs.

Day 3 destination was Fredericksburg only 70 miles away as the crow flies. In fact for the next few days we had only short distances between destinations so the plan was to search out twisty roads and territory I had not covered in my many previous Hill Country rides. We started out on winding, scenic RM 2222 built into the cliffs over Lake Austin to Lake Travis and then followed the banks of the Colorado River on RM 2769 to RM 1431. We turned onto TX 29 at Lake Buchanan and rode to Llano where we took a long lunch stop at Cooper's BBQ. There was a long, slow moving line to get in at Cooper's but we were next to an older couple wearing leather chaps from New Braunsfield who were long time members of the Kawasaki Voyager Club, dating back to the first inline 6 version but now rode the V-twin version. We had a nice conversation while waiting in line before eating way to much BBQ, potatoe salad and baked beans.

From Llano we headed northwest on TX 71 to Fredonia and turned south on 386 stopping for gas in Mason before the final leg of the 205 mile day. It was just after 3:00pm by the time we had checked in to the Super 8 on Main Street in historic downtown Fredericksburg so we freshened up and took a walk down Main to check it out and find some beer. I had ridden through the town several times but had never stopped except for gas. It is a pretty cool little town. First we stopped into a sports bar that had a good selection on tap. Next we had a beer in the outdoor patio at the Silver Creek Beer Garden & Restaurant where we had planned to eat dinner. The patio was quite pleasant and we looked forward to returning for a meal but the sound of live music had our attention. We followed the sound to a Mexican restaurant with a large outdoor seating area and bandstand where some young musicians were playing some classic rock. Surprisingly the band quit at 6:00 pm and the place was closing so we headed back to Silver Creek and grabbed a prime table on the patio. Guess what? Another live band was setting up. This was a trio consisting of two old coots, one trying to look and sing like Willie Nelson, and a young kid. They weren't very good in my opinion but I ain't no country music fan.

The meal was great. They had several authentic German dishes and I had the German sausage plate, bratwurst, knackwurst and pepperwurst grilled and served with red cabbage, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut and Stacie had the chicken fried quail. I think Stacie later said the quail was her favorite meal of the trip! Silver Creek claims the "biggest beer selection in the Hill Country". I don't know but I certainly enjoyed a couple of great Bavarian pints.

The next two nights we would be in Kerrville at the Inn of The Hills on the Guadalupe River, well almost. The Inn is about 50 years old and at one time it seems the property did stretch all the way to the river. Now there are condos between the Inn and the river but there is still a pool owned by the Inn on the bank of the river. I would think at one time the Inn was quite the spot but times change. Still the motel is quite nice and although it has a restaurant and lounge on premises they are not up to par. Fortunately, there are a couple of great places within walking distance and the main pool is in a beautiful central courtyard and we really enjoyed our stay.

Anyway, back to the ride. Kerrville is only 22 miles from Fredericksburg but I had no problem stretching that out to 217, I'd just enlist the help of a couple of well known sisters. The Twisted Sisters, also known as RM 335 and RM337. We left Fredericksburg around 9:30 on FM 2093 but soon turned south on White Oak Rd then north on RM 783 to Harper for gas and some coffee. The complimentary breakfast at the Super 8 had not included anything I'd actually call coffee. After the coffee stop we headed west on TX 41 to the first Twisted Sister, RM 335. It was in great shape, seemed freshly paved. We turned east at Camp Wood onto the second sister, 337. IIRC this one was rough in places. We stopped for lunch in Leakey and parked next to a couple of BMW GS's at the BBQ place, But the owner came out and said they were closed and that the riders were across the street at Rosalinda's an "authentic" Mexican restaurant housed in very nondescript building. The menu was limited and rather baffling but we figured it out with some help from Rosalinda and ended up with a great Mexican lunch for less than $10.

After lunch we continued on 337 to 16 and on to Kerrville and checked into our room at the Inn of the Hills. Our room was spacious and really nice with a front door facing the parking lot and a back door opening onto the courtyard and pool.We obtained provisions at the conveniently located liquor store across the street and then lounged out by the pool with some adult beverages. We had the pool to ourselves, there seemed to be only a handful of other guests at the inn. We enjoyed the serenity lounging by the pool listening to the birds until we started to get hungry. An earlier conversation with the manager at the Inn had convinced us to look elsewhere for supper. Google found us the Guadalupe River Club half a mile down the road and we set out on foot. It seemed more like a mile but a little exercise never hurts. The place is on the river and the building shaped sorta like a boat. But the inside is nicely decorated and there is an outdoor dining area over the water. More importantly the food was great. I had one of the best rib eyes I've eaten in years (not counting my own backyard grilling ;) ).

After dinner we hung out at the pool until it closed at 10:00 pm when we had to move some 30 feet to the table and chairs outside our room. The weather was great as it was on the whole trip and we had another very pleasant evening.

For Day 5 I would ride the remaining Twisted Sister solo while Stacie hung out in town. I headed west on 39 following the Guadalupe to Hunt then south along the south fork to US 83. Some nice wildflowers alongside the road and I stopped to take a few pictures. North on US 83 to TX 41 then over to RM 336, the last sister. I stopped at Leakey and had lunch at the Bent Rim Grill, part of the recently expanded Frio Canyon Motorcycle Stop. After lunch I rode US 83 to Concan then turned east on TX 127 to Sabinal and US 90 to Hondo. The return to Kerrville was 462 to Tarpley, 470 to Bandera and finally 173.

Back at the Inn I found Stacie and we walked down to the river and discovered the outdoor observation deck of 1011 Bistro overlooking the river. We had a beer on the deck before walking along the rivers edge and heading back to our room. We returned to the Bistro later that evening for an excellent meal. I had a superb Seafood Pasta with sea scallops, gulf shrimp and mussels and Stacie had an appetizer sampler plate.

Day 6 we would ride to San Antonio. We'd heard a lot about the River Walk but had never been. Kerrville to San Antonio is 66 miles. We'd stretch it to 240. We retraced my previous days first leg on 39 along the Guadalupe but turned south on 187 following the Sabinal River to Vanderpool and on to Utopia where we stopped for lunch at the Lost Maples Cafe. We had a nice lunch and were entertained by several locals who came by to chat with the owner lady about life in Utopia. Next we rode west on TX 1050 to Garner State Park. The Nuvi suggested a shortcut down County Road 350 but we were stopped by high water at the Frio River and had to back track and take US83 to Uvalde. Then 117 to Dilley where we caught I-35 to San Antonio.

We had a room at the O'Brien Hotel a restored old, "Boutique Hotel", part of the Choice Hotels chain, located a block from the River Walk. We spent the afternoon walking the walk and scouting a good place to eat dinner, having a few beers along the way. On returning to our room we sat out on our 2nd floor balcony enjoying the sights and sounds of the city..

We heard the sound of live music and decided to investigate. A couple of blocks away and around a corner we found an outside party going on and crashed it. There was a teenage band playing some pretty good rock music and people watching and playing games. There was food and refreshments. I tried to buy a couple of beers but they would not take my money! It was an employee appreciation party for the City of San Antonio. The band were children of employees and the food and beer was free. I asked the old guy handing out beers if it was a private party. He said "yes, enjoy the party" and handed me two beers.

Toward supper time we strolled back to the River Walk and had some good Mexican food at an outdoor table at the River's Edge Restaurant just across the canal from one of the tour barge landings.

Our final night on the road was in Beaumont after a 284 mile Day 7, most of it on I-10. The Holiday Inn Express had a nice pool and the adjacent White Horse Bar and Grill. We swam and lounged by the pool for a while before heading to the White Horse. The place had an odd fortress-like architecture on the outside and inside it looked like a artsy sports bar with waitresses in scanty but weird fish net costumes. The menu was fancy however and the food was top notch. I had a perfectly grilled salmon steak topped with a delicious spicy mango sauce and Stacie had a tilapia filet. A fitting meal for our final night of a great trip.

We returned home the way we came, via TX and LA 12 and US 190, stopping for lunch at a Waffle House in Opelousas not far from where we stayed on our first night. This would be our last trip on the best motorcycle I've ever owned. My 08 Kawasaki Concours 14 now has 164,000+ miles on her and about as many fond memories. She has never required repairs or replacement parts other than normal wear items or stuff we've busted due to mishaps She will be relegated to commuter duty while the fun stuff is reserved for a black 09 Concours 14 I acquired with just 10,000 miles.

Hill County 2016 was fabulous. For seven days and 1820 miles we had a total of 10 minutes of light rain and riding temperatures were mostly between 60 and 80. Great weather, roads, scenery and food but I was glad to get home to begin getting the new Concours 14 ready for STAR 2016 in Vermont! See you there!

Pikes Peak or Bust!

_{By Tony Crowell}

In early 2016 circumstances conspired to keep me from attending the annual STAR in Vermont. However, I could not go through the riding season without going somewhere. So it was; that I decided to take a quick trip to Colorado.

As retirement is rapidly approaching (200 days, 16 hours, 5 minutes) but who’s counting, I started to consider the future of touring and how I could take longer trips and still keep the budget in check. It was then that the idea of tent camping at least a couple of times per week entered my increasingly feeble mind.

I have stayed at KOA Kamping Kabins before and knew that I would throw those into the mix of Motels and tents. So I planned a small trip accordingly. At first I was going solo, but after word got out several friends decided to join me. Father and son team Tim and Caleb Smith from north LLA and Scott Stewart from Illinois. Tim is a noted VFR rider from way back and Caleb was mounted upon the mighty green 650 Kawasaki. Scott was astride the pride of Austria...KTM1190 and I would be leading the pack on my R1200GS.

The plan was to meet in the small town of Canadian, Texas in the Panhandle. Canadian is a pretty little town with many refurbished buildings, very clean streets and a cool refurbed theater that harkens back to the fifty’s and last but not least, a lively saloon where we spent some time.

I departed Baton Rouge at 3 AM with the threat of rain lurking on my route though Texas. By daylight I was stuck in traffic in Shreveport and just as I rolled to a stop the clouds open up with rain as if to say “Take THAT”! The rain only got worse in Texas. By Canton, I cried Uncle and sought refuge in one of the nastiest Super 8’s I have ever seen. It looked normal and clean on the exterior, but the inside….

Most of the state was covered in storms so I tried to time my next day’s ride to miss the bands of storms associated with a gigantic Low pressure system that was centered over the state. The next morning I awoke to find a window of opportunity. It appeared that if I left about 3 am… I could squeeze through a band and make it to refuge in Oklahoma. Well, I almost made it. Around Ardmore I caught more rain but it was light and completely done by Paul’s Valley. The rest of the day was beautiful all the way to the Texas Panhandle, even had a tail wind.

On Saturday, the boys departed their locations and headed to Canadian, where I had already set up headquarters. Tim and Caleb dodged huge thunderstorms near Wichita Falls while Scott fought the wind all the way across Kansas and Oklahoma. All arrived within an hour of each other and after the usual pleasantries were exchanged we walked down to the local saloon and saw a very unusual sight; a reggae band in a small town in the panhandle. Who would have thunk it?

After a good night’s rest we awoke to temps in the low 50’s and beautiful clear sky. For those of you who think that the plains states are all billiard table flat think again.We rode north on US 83 and enjoyed some nice rolling hills and very low mesas; quite beautiful in the morning light. When we ride together we usually try to find a nice Mom and Pop café to for breakfast. Unfortunately, we could only find a McDonalds open in Guymon, OK.

Their computers were down as we tried to order and that that threw the entire staff into a tizzy. If Electro Magnetic Pulse ever hits Oklahoma, be advised, you will not be able to eat at McDonalds.

After an uninspiring breakfast we headed west, then north to Colorado. The plan was to take County Road “W”, south of Springfield and link up with US160 to Trinidad. County W is a dirt Road. Tim and Caleb were highly skeptical but went along anyway. The road could not have been better, no thick gravel or sand and in better shape than most paved roads in great State Louisianastan.

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Back on pavement and US160, we continued to our destination of the KOA at Colorado City. It was a lovely and peaceful stay. From our cabin’s front porch was a beautiful view of the snow-covered front range of the Rockies. Tim inquired about building a fire in the fire pit in front of our cabins and found the firewood was free. A weenie roast ensued and a good time was had by all.

The next morning started off auspiciously, first Caleb’s Arai helmet was dropped, causing the face shield to have to be taped into the closed position, then… I lost my balance reaching for some keys and dropped my overloaded BMW. Thankfully crash bars took the brunt with only a few scratches. Merely a flesh wound!

Afterward, it west into the mountains!An awesome ride up to Canon City where Scott and I continued north on Phantom Canyon Road and Tim and Caleb went west to Royal Gorge. We would meet up at the bottom of Pikes Peak later in the day. Scott and I had a great ride up Phantom Canyon to Cripple Creek. The road was in generally good shape but the four-wheelers caused lots of stutter bumps in the turns. The scenery made up for any and all imperfections in the road however.

By the time we met at Pikes Peak the weather had moved in and a light rain moistened the roadway. This turned to a light snow/sleet combo by the time we arrived at the summit. Scott and I had a little problem with altitude sickness at the top. I live at 82 feet above sea level, so going to 14,110 is quite a change for me. The clouds inhibited our view of the scenery, but it was definitely worth the ride up and down the big hill!

From Pike PeakP we grabbed some chow and then off to a National Forest campground just north of Woodland Park. The sun came out as we set up our tents, but then off and on light rain conspired to dampen our spirits. After camp was up I went into town to get some supplies for breakfast the next morning. We had a cold, damp night. I don’t think anyone really slept well. About daylight, we started breakfast which consisted of Bacon and cheese on tortillas with coffee. Pretty good stuff.

After breaking camp, Scott and I again separated from the two NORLA boys. They went south into to NM and Scott and I headed across the plains of Kansas as we wanted to see Monument Rocks.

We traveled backroads and US40 to Oakley, Kansas where we made camp inside a Sleep Inn. Very comfy! The next morning we went south to Monument Rocks down more dirt. Scott, who has very little experience on dirt, was traveling at 70 mph by the time we left the Rocks. As soon as we turned east onto pavement the winds kicked up and hammered us all the way to the Missouri border. It was brutal. I’ve been across Kansas many times, and NEVER have I enjoyed a tail wind, how’s that for bad luck?

Scott and I stayed in Clinton, MO for the night. I knew it would be hot the next day and had considered riding halfway home and then staying somewhere for several hours and leaving at night to beat the heat. As Scott and I split up, he heading for Illinois and; me for LA, I rode diagonally across MO from NW to SE and had an absolutely great ride. Southern MO is a great place for motorcycle riding for you that have not had the pleasure.

Meanwhile out west; Tim and Caleb departed Trinidad, CO for NM. I had pointed out a scenic road and suggested they try it. I had ridden NM72 about 6 years ago and although rough pavement, the view was great. Unfortunately for the boys, NM still hasn’t fixed the road. Sorry guys…

Scott arrived home sometime in the afternoon to IL, as did the Tim and Caleb. My ride was a bit longer however. I did 781 miles the last day and arrived home at 10:05 PM after a total of 3,053 miles for the trip.

The highlight of the trip for me was the relaxing time we spent at the KOA and the next morning’s ride into the mountains and Phantom Canyon. The lowlight was the uncomfortable camping experience. But hey... gotta take the good with bad.

As I was riding US 160 in SE MO on my last day I was already planning my next trip to that area. Join me won’t you?

Happy Trails!

That's it for quarter number two. Thanks again Tony for the ride report!
Ride safe,

Bob Chappuis, Editor