{"id":52,"date":"2014-06-16T18:04:20","date_gmt":"2014-06-16T18:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.zelda23publishing.com\/fktressle\/?p=52"},"modified":"2014-06-16T18:04:20","modified_gmt":"2014-06-16T18:04:20","slug":"beware-the-craters-of-beautiful-nwi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ridetowrite.com\/?p=52","title":{"rendered":"Beware the Craters of Beautiful NWI"},"content":{"rendered":"
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And they named it “Sturdy Road” Ha!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We\u2019d just survived a particularly brutal winter in Beautiful Northwest Indiana. I\u2019d had my fill of potholes and choppy corners and was looking forward to smooth pavement and sweeping curves. These I would find in abundance in south central Missouri. The night before I was to head out a giant crater less than a mile from my house transformed my Suzuki V-Strom 1000 into a fair approximation of bucking bronco. I didn\u2019t drop the bike, but the impact bent both rims. I stared in disbelief at the damage, ironic on a machine that had once carried me across the Alaskan Arctic with nary a scratch. With no time to fix the damage the Strom\u2019s Givi luggage was swapped to its brother bike, another Alaska veteran, my Bandit 1250.<\/p>\n

The interstates to Fort Leonard Wood Missouri were efficient to the nth degree. There isn\u2019t much else to say except that the crosswinds and driving rain on I-57 in Illinois beat me to death. I was almost happy to face the gale head-on once I swung west on I-44 at St. Louis.<\/p>\n

\"072\"<\/a>
Proud Dad with Captain Rayanna Joy Tressler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My daughter\u2019s captain course graduation had brought me to the fort, after which I was bound for the Kansas City area to visit a new grandchild. Desperately wanting to stay off the super-slab I was drawn to Missouri 7. Seeing the squiggly line on my well-worn map my daughter offered: \u201cThat road is nauseating but you\u2019ll love it on the bike.\u201d That was all I needed to hear.<\/p>\n

\"001\"<\/a>
Missouri 7 just north of I-44<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I struck north into the heart of the Ozarks on a clear spring day. Trees throughout the rolling countryside were greening up after their own winter hibernation, though not as deep as the one I\u2019d suffered through. They stretched as far as the eye could see.<\/p>\n

\"026\"<\/a>
Missouri 7, somewhere in the Ozarks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The curves I\u2019d been dreaming of appeared almost immediately. At times they lazily meandered through pastures and woodlands. Other times, they took on a more technical quality with rapid fire switchbacks and decreasing radius that challenged my bike handling skills. The kid was right. The road was a blast!<\/p>\n

\"031a\"<\/a>
Have fun on the curves, but beware of Bessie. This is cattle country!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Towns along the way were generally small. Montreal Missouri for example, features but two businesses, a gas station\/convenience store, along with a proud American tradition, the country gun shop.<\/p>\n

\"021<\/a>
Alamo Arms, Montreal Missouri<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Alamo Arms was undergoing a face lift when I visited, courtesy of prosperity driven by the high demand for firearms of all types. In an economic recovery that hasn\u2019t quite taken hold for many industries, guns and ammo sales are booming. As the proprietor showed me some of her wares, I was drawn to a rack of used rifles. There in the middle was a Chinese Mosin-Nagant M-53, the best example of the type I\u2019d ever seen. The price was reasonable and I wanted it. Strapping it to the bike though, would have been another matter. Sort of made me wish I\u2019d taken the Ural with its sidecar instead of the Bandit.<\/p>\n

\"010<\/a>
Acrylic dipped hog’s head. Who knows what you’ll find at the country guns shop?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By late morning I was getting hungry. The Smokeshack Barb-Que in Warsaw looked inviting. Reeled in by the $5.75 beef brisket special, I also couldn\u2019t resist the freshly baked blackberry cobbler. The food and service were great. As I was paying my bill the owner recommended I check out the Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir, just a short ride up the road.<\/p>\n

\"056\"<\/a>
Good food, good prices.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"055a\"<\/a>
A bit of humor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The sprawling conservation project is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who also maintains an impressive visitor\u2019s center. Situated high on Kaysinger Bluff, exhibits provide a fascinating look at fossils, fauna and history of the area. Across the parking lot in the woods is another attraction. There on ten acres leased from the Corps, a replica 1850s pioneer village is waiting to be explored. Demonstrations showcase just how tough everyday life was on the frontier. A festival held each October draws thousands of visitors and includes Civil War and mountain man camps. A tremendous amount of volunteer labor is required to keep the old-time traditions alive. Hopefully some of the legions of school children that are bussed in every year will catch the vision and help preserve it. Maybe one day I\u2019ll bring my own grand kids.<\/p>\n

\"117\"<\/a>
Harry S. Truman Visitor’s Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"097\"<\/a>
Elmore Cabin Area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"062a\"<\/a>
Lots to see and do.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"112\"<\/a>
The Bandit and the Bluff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the afternoon spent it was time to move on. I was in luck and the road over the dam was open. Views on the short ride were spectacular. A few more curves lay ahead as I passed through colorfully named towns like Tightwad and Coal. But all too soon the party was over and the squiggly lines were pulled taut. Yet another interstate awaited me. Still, I\u2019d spent the day riding on pothole-free roads, had some great food and seen some interesting sights. Plus the weather was perfect. What more could a rider could ask for?<\/p>\n

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