This year, our group of friends decided to meet at a campground in the Ozarks.  From there, I traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, for a few weeks of work (but still had fun), followed by a scenic ride to Phoenix, to surprise a friend for his birthday. The last stop was in a different section of the Ozarks, where several of us met for a music festival.

You can see the pictures from the trip, and view a map (both links open in new windows so you can follow along).

Table of Contents:

1. A Plan Starts to Form
2. The Trip Begins
3. A Fire-breathing Dragon
4. Group ride in the Ozarks
5. Wrapping up the Camping Trip
6. Riding to Des Moines
7. Two Weeks in Des Moines
8. Westward Bound
9. Visiting Beard and Peanut
10. Back to the Ozarks

A Plan Starts to Form

This was a fairly ‘organic’ trip, as there was just one event on the schedule, and then other circumstances, opportunities, and invitations sprouted up around it, some events even presenting themselves during the trip to fill the unplanned gaps later in the itinerary.  Events come from unexpected sources, over a period of weeks or months with an exclamation of “Hey, that sounds fun!”

The planned portion of my trip was to meet our group of biker friends in southwestern Missouri, for a week of riding, camping, and partying. Most of the group met at Sturgis, where the annual motorcycle rally meets each August. But we decided to add some variety, so now we meet in other parts of the country each year. While we’ll still meet at Sturgis every few years, this gives us all a reason to visit other places and meet other bikers in those regions.Part of my job is providing training (I won’t go into details), but the girl I teach with, Leeann, and I get along well, and we have a lot of fun teaching this material. The students have fun, they learn better, and it makes it easier to teach.  We’ve been wanting to go to our company’s remote offices and teach the class.  Of course, none of the other teachers were eager to go to Des Moines for two weeks.  But, I was going to be just 400 miles away in the Ozarks, so I can just make this part of my road trip.  I prefer not to fly – riding is so much more fun!  So, we discuss it, and Leeann and I schedule classes for the two weeks following the trip to the Ozarks.  This takes me away from home for three weeks (and I still have a few weeks of additional vacation time). What else will fit into the schedule?

Earlier in the year, our good friend Beard was riding his bike when a truck ran a light and hit him. He broke some bones, and lost his left leg.  He was recovering well, and has always held a positive outlook, and he had the care and support of his wife, Peanut.

Well, a few weeks before my trip, Peanut lets me know that Beard will be turning 50 this summer. His birthday was almost a week after I am done teaching in Des Moines, giving me ample time to do some touring along the way.  It is the perfect reason to see them, as I have not been to Arizona since they moved from Ohio years ago.  I can’t wait to surprise him!  Beard has been emailing me with the progress on getting his prosthetic leg, and it should be there by his birthday.  I have sufficient vacation time at work to enjoy a leisurely trip back to Ohio afterwards.

The road trip is developing nicely.

And the Ozarks are beautiful mountains.  While more the size of the Appalachians, they are far from the height of the Rockies.  Narrow roads curve up and down the hills, and there are small towns with interesting history.

Next: The trip begins…