Riders, routes and locale are great.. Two father/son teams this year. Tje schedule is relaxed. Good times.
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2023 Dick Russell Memorial Rally - Mountain View, AR. May 4th - 7th, 2023. Hosted by the Yamaha 650 Society.
- Thread starter desmoman900
- Start date
I think I'm the first one home. Chaves & co. dropped me here about 20 minutes ago. I miss everyone already!
We made it to Hannibal Mo. for the night, home tomorrow. Stayed dry so far fingers crossed for tomorrow. Great get-together!
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Sitting in hotel room wondering what the weather is going to do.
desmoman900
650 Society Director
Arkansas invasion. Thanks everybody for coming! Cool video->
650 Society at Leslie AR
650 Society at Leslie AR
rhkansas
XS650 Enthusiast
Ok, folks - here are a few photos of the rally for your enjoyment and / or amusement. I had a fantastic time with some really great people.
I had the honor and privilege of leading the Thursday morning ride on a loop route featuring AR 341 - AKA Push Mountain Road - with our lunch destination being the Printing Press Cafe in Calico Rock (really cool place for lunch). The photos are from a stop along AR341 at a biker friendly store appropriately named 341 Market.
Friday found the group headed north toward Mountain Home, with lunch at Buffalo Point overlooking the Buffalo River - a National Scenic Riverway and a very popular float destination. The ride was marred a bit by Mikey's incident - fortunately not as serious as it easily could have been. I wish Mikey a speedy and full recovery, and hope you'll be able to attend the event again next year. Arkansas' first responders were fantastic, and the very attractive young lady who attended to Mikey had some of the group (I won't mention any names) feeling a bit jealous... A few of the group continued onward to lunch, while a few others made sure that his bike got transported back to the cabins. Those that were able to continue were treated to a great lunch, followed by a nice ride on a cool, cloudy day up to Mountain Home, then back south to Mountain View via AR210 and scenic AR5. Along the way, Marty experienced some issues with his Special (gunk in the fuel tank), but we managed to get him and his bike to the Angler's Restaurant parking lot, just a few miles from Mountain View - then a short trailer ride home to the park, where repair were successfully affected. Here are a few photos from a stop along the way at Big Flat.
And - a few photos from the restaurant at Buffalo Point above the Buffalo River.
The restaurant at Buffalo Point and the view from the bluff -
Saturday's ride was planned to head to Jasper and the Ozark Café for lunch. Unfortunately, we found that only valleys and hollows were free from fog. Any time we climbed out of a valley, we were socked in - at times, visibility was near zero. For the group's safety, the ride was called off about a third of the way along, as conditions were not improving. However, every cloud has a silver lining - in this case, it was lunch at Skylark Café in Leslie, where the fare was excellent! Here are a few photos of the group enjoying a great lunch.
After a final meal that evening at Mi Pueblito restaurant in Mountain View, we enjoyed listening to a live band in the town square for a while, then returned to the cabins for a final session of storytelling - ALL true, of course!
In summary, this rally is one of the high points for me every year. The riding is fantastic, the food is delicious, the venue is just about perfect - but by far the best part of it is the company of a really great bunch of individuals - it doesn't get better than this! I hope to see you all again next year, and maybe meet a few new folks.
I had the honor and privilege of leading the Thursday morning ride on a loop route featuring AR 341 - AKA Push Mountain Road - with our lunch destination being the Printing Press Cafe in Calico Rock (really cool place for lunch). The photos are from a stop along AR341 at a biker friendly store appropriately named 341 Market.
Friday found the group headed north toward Mountain Home, with lunch at Buffalo Point overlooking the Buffalo River - a National Scenic Riverway and a very popular float destination. The ride was marred a bit by Mikey's incident - fortunately not as serious as it easily could have been. I wish Mikey a speedy and full recovery, and hope you'll be able to attend the event again next year. Arkansas' first responders were fantastic, and the very attractive young lady who attended to Mikey had some of the group (I won't mention any names) feeling a bit jealous... A few of the group continued onward to lunch, while a few others made sure that his bike got transported back to the cabins. Those that were able to continue were treated to a great lunch, followed by a nice ride on a cool, cloudy day up to Mountain Home, then back south to Mountain View via AR210 and scenic AR5. Along the way, Marty experienced some issues with his Special (gunk in the fuel tank), but we managed to get him and his bike to the Angler's Restaurant parking lot, just a few miles from Mountain View - then a short trailer ride home to the park, where repair were successfully affected. Here are a few photos from a stop along the way at Big Flat.
And - a few photos from the restaurant at Buffalo Point above the Buffalo River.
The restaurant at Buffalo Point and the view from the bluff -
Saturday's ride was planned to head to Jasper and the Ozark Café for lunch. Unfortunately, we found that only valleys and hollows were free from fog. Any time we climbed out of a valley, we were socked in - at times, visibility was near zero. For the group's safety, the ride was called off about a third of the way along, as conditions were not improving. However, every cloud has a silver lining - in this case, it was lunch at Skylark Café in Leslie, where the fare was excellent! Here are a few photos of the group enjoying a great lunch.
After a final meal that evening at Mi Pueblito restaurant in Mountain View, we enjoyed listening to a live band in the town square for a while, then returned to the cabins for a final session of storytelling - ALL true, of course!
In summary, this rally is one of the high points for me every year. The riding is fantastic, the food is delicious, the venue is just about perfect - but by far the best part of it is the company of a really great bunch of individuals - it doesn't get better than this! I hope to see you all again next year, and maybe meet a few new folks.
JP with his shoes kicked off and pant legs rolled up.... 
See? I really am a hillbilly
And....at Society gatherings, I'm just Jeff (or doofus, depending on..) as there is an actual JP and, well, he's a lot bigger than me
Pretty much dry so far, only two more hours to home.
Ya'll were lucky yesterday; I had black clouds following me across Western Kentucky in my rearview and my NAV system received two different warning messages (3-4pm): Severe thunderstorm with 60mph winds and quarter-size hail
Musta been in between us..........
Musta been in between us..........
Got in the barn an hour or so ago. Last 40 some smiles in a light rain.
When Gary and I split up at the Quad Cities he was headed into a bunch of very dark/black clouds. Didn't look too bad in front of me. Not sure how he managed to stay dry and I got wet.
Had a great time, the guys with you make the ride not the roads.
When Gary and I split up at the Quad Cities he was headed into a bunch of very dark/black clouds. Didn't look too bad in front of me. Not sure how he managed to stay dry and I got wet.
Had a great time, the guys with you make the ride not the roads.
And I did stay dry, few minutes of light showers, got home at 5PM
Mikey's getting good care at a hospital in KC.
Mikey's getting good care at a hospital in KC.
Allison got the big zero turn fired up and did the first mowing of the year before I got home, love that woman!
Guess Madness' rear tire doesn't owe me anything?
On the square Saturday night.
Hit of the rally!
I've heard it's as much fun to ride as it is to look at.
Or just for Styl'n!
Guess Madness' rear tire doesn't owe me anything?
On the square Saturday night.
Hit of the rally!
I've heard it's as much fun to ride as it is to look at.
Or just for Styl'n!
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Don't know where else to put this, but I have to correct a misstatement:
There was a discussion of XS police bikes at Friday lunch and Motormike said they were not imported to the US; I then stated that I remembered the Parkersburg, WV police having them. I dug an old photo out and the bikes I remembered appear to be normal XS2’s with some extra equipment installed and not the actual police version.
Pardon the interruption - I feel better now - carry on.........
There was a discussion of XS police bikes at Friday lunch and Motormike said they were not imported to the US; I then stated that I remembered the Parkersburg, WV police having them. I dug an old photo out and the bikes I remembered appear to be normal XS2’s with some extra equipment installed and not the actual police version.
Pardon the interruption - I feel better now - carry on.........
Wonder why they didn't paint the Xs's in police trim. Looks like stock bikes with off the shelf bits ....
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Attended my first Ozark 650 rally. GREAT bunch of guys. The bikes were all very tidy and detailed. The roads were built for two wheels.... Morning drizzles and fog quickly burned off. One fellow did go down but he's upright and moving and the bike isn't too badly dinged. He'll have bragging rights at his local watering hole.... No one when home hungry. The group basecamp.... very nice cabins .... and it's been suggested that all attendees will have adjoining cabins next year. I'll entertain returning but this time on an Xs. I added 1954 miles to my Interceptor odometer... 
Attachments
Ben1
XS650 Member
Man what a great time that was! When leaving Sunday morning all I was thinking was I want one more day! You couldn't ask for a better group, it was definitely a bunch of right on individual's. Proud to meet everyone I did and can't wait until the next one. Gotta say if anyone is on the fence about heading to one of these runs the society puts on get off your ass and GO you won't regret it! The Smokies can't get here soon enough!
Ben you are welcome at any rally I'm at!
Good morning Mikey! hows the brand new day? You doing your sit ups this morning?
You were the star of the show Friday. Amazing what some guys will do to get the attention of a hot cop!
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