Return to Mississippi
Van Buren, AR to Memphis, TN
Our route today was straight east on I-40. There weren’t too many trucks on the road, so we zoomed along. When we stopped for gas, Beth suggested we get off the interstate and take US-64. We found a Donut shop in Conway, AR.
Beth was a happy camper.
We stopped at a park-like rest area back on I-40 for picnic lunch.
We went to Southern Thunder Harley-Davidson to check on the status of my bike. The dealership was hosting a big party. The service department was very busy. We discussed various options and finally decided that the best option was to have them deliver the bike to our home.
From the dealer we headed to our Bunk-a-Biker host, Glen. We ordered pizza and Greek salads for dinner. Gene likes to watch music videos on YouTube, and we discovered we like some of the same musicians. We also showed him some of the channels we like, including the Tesla Quartet.
Memphis, TN to Tupelo, MS
We had a busy schedule for the day. I started by washing the bugs off the loaner bike. We took the obligatory selfie for the Bunk-a-Biker Facebook group before shoving off.
We passed several signs along the highways – “Slow down, Memphis.” We encountered quite a few fast, reckless drivers, which explained the signs.
We got to the dealership at 11 a.m. when they opened. We stashed some stuff and Beth took me to the airport to pick up a rental car. We rode into the parking garage and the customer drop off area. The sign on the elevator said Avis was on Level 2. I went up to Level 2. The clerk there said that was the Preferred Customer Desk. I had to go to Level 1. I checked in at the Level 1 desk and was directed to Level 2 to pick up the car. (I hope you are laughing at the absurdity.) Back at the dealership I turned in the loaner, we put my stuff in the car, and headed out of town for Tupelo.
We had a few sprinkles as we left, but rain never developed. The weather was just hot (94 degrees) and very humid.
We checked into the hotel and drove to Walmart for dinner fixins.
Two more days and we’ll be home for a couple of days before heading to Asheville for Shark Week.
Statistics:
Saturday: 324 miles.
Sunday: 137 miles
Total miles: 6454
How did you like the loaner bike? Was the ride and performance much different then your bike?
The loaner was powerful and quick to deliver that power, but the low-profile tires and solid axle make for a harsh ride over bumps.
Tim, Harley had a motor rebuild program , have you checked to see if that is an option. You would send the motor to them and they would rebuild it and return it to you.
I’m going to explore several options after we get back.
I feel your pain about driving through Memphis. I take great pains to avoid Memphis if I can…there’s a nice route, Hwy. 412, that intersects I-40 at Jackson and goes all the way up into Arkansas. While maybe not the top city for violent crime, Memphis ranks high on the list, with 4X the national average. I guess that lawlessness extends to driving as well…
Our Bunk-a-Biker stay was in a nice neighborhood. We weren’t concerned for our safety there.