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Goals
With the start of the new riding season firmly upon us I figure it’s time to set some goals for this year’s riding. Goal setting has always been one of those tasks that, for me, has normally associated with work, more oriented at helping the organization grow and be profitable than at bettering or benefiting me; higher sales, more profit, lower costs, etc. This time I decided to set some for me and for one of the fun things that I enjoy doing, riding.
We as individuals, an organization, or a chapter set goals, some long term and clearly stated and some short term and a little more ambiguous. All of these we want to obtain for any number of reasons, many however go unattained and forgotten as quickly as they are set.
The essence of goods goal are, so I’ve been taught, that they are meaningful, measurable, and obtainable. Meaningful – covered – it’s about riding and fun. Measurable – should be easy enough – count the miles and the smiles. Obtainable – definitely – it’s just going to take a few hours in the saddle. While I’m still two decades away from retirement my time is limited, so I’ll just have to squeeze in, between the drudgery and daily grind of the office, as much fun whenever and wherever I can.
It’s taken a few days but I think I’ve come up with a reasonable set of goals for this year.
Goal #1 – Ride more miles – 15,000 miles will make a good target and will be easy to track. Goal #2 – Attend the chapter meeting every month – work permitting, this should be easy enough also. Goal #3 – Attend at least one chapter meeting for another chapter every month, it’s a good reason to ride and helps support the organization. Goal #4 – Take at least one overnight trip on the bike every month and visit someplace new – budget willing. Goal #5 – Give the bike a through cleaning and polishing every month – this is the toughest one so far, I’d rather ride it than clean it. Goal #6 – Ride to work at least one day a week and take the long way home at night – 4 miles to work and 40 fun miles home. Goal #7 – Recruit at least one new member to GWRRA – I really need to share the fun.
Last year was a great year for Debbie and I, we purchased our 1500 in March, joined GWRRA and W2 in April, and have managed to put 11,000 miles on the bike in just under 12 months. We did 2 long weekends in Arkansas riding , Spring Fling, Americade, ran the Natchez trace, did an SOS run, assorted chapter rides, made some new friends and have had a lot of fun in the process. This year’s riding will include the Wing Ding, a trip to Virginia, and a trip to North Carolina. And that’s just the month of July!
We started off the easy with another trip to Arkansas this month. Heading out to the Hot Springs area on Friday afternoon we made our way to a bed and breakfast just north of Jessiville called Mountain Thyme. Run by Mike and Rhonda Hicks with the help of Polly Felker, Rhonda’s mother, the inn has eight guest rooms, a common room, and dinning room. A modern home, built just eight years ago by the Hick for the express purpose of being a bed and breakfast, the decor and landscaping are masterfully done giving the inn a feeling of being settle for a generation or two longer than its years.
The Hicks go out of their way to make you feel at home, homemade snacks and soft drinks are always available in the pantry. The always available coffee is some of the best I’ve ever had, good enough to make me consider changing brands after 15 years of loyalty to my current brand. Breakfast, prepared by Polly and Mike, was nothing short of fantastic. A two course meal, the first morning’s consisted of Irish oatmeal and apple-bacon-cheese-and-egg soufflé topped with a praline topping and served with bacon, orange slices and juice. Sunday morning’s breakfast was equally delicious; fresh fruit in a light cream followed by an English muffin casserole of eggs, bacon, and Portobello mushrooms. Ham, fresh tomatoes, biscuits, homemade jam, and juice rounded out the meal.
The inn sits on picturesque Arkansas Route 7 which we had the opportunity to ride from the Missouri border to Hot Springs last year. If you’ve not taken the opportunity to ride RT-7 then you are missing out on a ridding treat and a feast for the eyes. The road is a ribbon of smooth and unblemished asphalt, free of pot holes and road snakes; it takes graceful undulating curves through the rolling hills of the Arkansas country side. Traveling either north or south, the road delivers a completely different and enjoyable sets of views.
Late March finds this part of Arkansas in the first vestiges of spring with early blooms of pinks, lavenders, whites, reds, and yellows. The trees, still missing the majority of their annual foliage, give view to lakes and hills normally hidden during the warmer months of the year. The changes in spring growth are noticeable as you traverse north to south on RT-7; each mile you move south brings more color and life to the surrounding landscape. The hillsides seem to come alive with color and life with each passing minute.
Our first stop of the morning brought us to Petit Jean State Park. Arkansas’s first state park is located on RT-154 and offers breathtaking views of a waterfall and the Arkansas River valley. The park is named for a young French woman who died following her betrothed as he explored the wilds of the early America west, all the while disguised as a cabin boy. The views from the mountain overlook of the grave site of Petit Jean go on for dozens of miles in almost all directions.
Heading back west on RT-154 brings us back to RT-7 where we head north again to the town of Dardanelle on the Arkansas River. We head west again on RT-155 which leads to only one place, Mt. Nebo. This singular mountain in an expansive valley offers more stunning views of the countryside, but, they come at a price. As you leave Dardanelle, signs indicate no trailers over 24 feet long. At first I wasn’t sure why, the reasons became readily apparent as I started to climb the side of the mountain. The road performs a series of steep climbs and switchbacks as you make your way up the mountain that will test the metal of most drivers as their vehicle claw their way to the top. The trip is well worth it as you take in the scenic vistas of the countryside below. Of course you have to make the trip down the mountain and RT-155 is the only road up or down.
Following our trek up and down Mt. Nebo we made our way south again down RT-7 back to our accommodations. Getting in just before dusk we made our way south a little further to The Shack for one of the best burgers I’ve had the pleasure of in several years. The owner of The Shack grinds his own meat to make the burgers and the draw for them is obvious. As the closest restaurant to Mountain Thyme, we made trips there each evening for dinner and each time the place was packed.
Sunday morning after breakfast we loaded our trailer and made plans to head back to Memphis. RT-7 south for several miles and then east on RT-5 we decided to take the back roads to Little Rock where we picked up I-40 again. A half hour of super slab and trucks and we were ready to turn back to Jessiville again. Instead, we dropped south US-70 and ran parallel to the Interstate the rest of the trip home. If you never taken US-70 through Arkansas, you’ll find it to be a wonderful respite from the blinding speed and constant company of tractor-trailer traffic you normally encounter on I-40. This parallel path takes you through small farming communities that only appear as names, a few gas stations, and burger joints from the Interstate. The slightly slower pace and improved traffic conditions make the extra half hour it takes to make it home well worth it.
A thousand miles into the year and I’ve made significant inroads into my goals. I still haven’t managed to clean my bike this month but almost anything is possible with 4 days left in the month.
The question to ask yourself this year is; have you set yourself any goals for this year and what are you doing to obtain them?
Ride Safe,
Don |