Your dad only turns 80 once...

[FJmonkey]

Not camping out in a vineyard was definitely something I should have done differently! 

Cap'n Ron. . .

And we learn that we are enlightened by each step/decision we make. The decision was not wrong, what we learn is what is important... I hope to travel some miles with you Capt'n Ron, on land or by sea..... 

[Capn Ron]

Day 6:  Paris, TX to Coldwater, Mississippi (402 miles)

Today was my third day riding in Texas, but heck, I was in PARIS!!  Again, I checked for areas of rain and the smart move was to keep heading east...I thought I might like to visit Memphis so off I went!



Before you get too far ahead of me, remember...I'm in Paris!!  And what do people do in Paris?  Yep...visit the Eiffel Tower!



A 65-foot tall replica complete with a cowboy hat.    Howdy, Ma'am!



I did about 50 miles of interstate today...sometimes you just can't avoid it.  The other 350 miles was through more small towns with friendly people.  To pass the miles, I started my own little experiment.  Turns out that in a small town, a guy on a riding lawnmower will ALWAYS wave back at you.  I will continue to gather data on this... 

I really enjoyed Texas, but was happy to cross over into Arkansas.  The scenery changed quite a bit and I could check off another state!  I did a quick check on miles remaining to get to Memphis and decided to cut over into Missisippi and camp just south of Memphis.  I have a nice app for the iPhone called CampWhere that helps me find inexpensive places to pitch a tent.  I found a place on Arkabutla Lake that looked like it had promise and sure enough...it didn't disappoint!:



This was my first night camping on the trip and messing with my new tent.  This is the Redverz Series II which basically has a vestibule big enough to park the bike inside:



The sleeping side is on the right and has plenty of room!  I found the vestibule to be nice when it rained as it gave me a place to hang out, cook and has standing headroom so it makes it nice getting into riding gear in the morning.



I woke up with a nice view of the lake...had some breakfast and headed out.



Mmmm...dehydrated backpacker eggs!

Cap'n Ron. . .

[Capn Ron]

I hope to travel some miles with you Capt'n Ron, on land or by sea..... 

Welcome aboard my friend...welcome aboard...   

Cap'n Ron. . .

[Bminder]

Awesome story Ron!  Years ago I bought an old Jag xj12 down in Ft. Lauderdale, flew down and drove it the 2000 miles back to Cheyenne. Saw tons of our country, met some amazing people.  I want to do it again someday, maybe on my FJ.
Keep it coming!

[ribbert]

............an old Jag xj12............ drove it the 2000 miles back to Cheyenne........... met some amazing people. 

You drove an old XJ12 2000 miles? No wonder you met so many people!

[Bminder]

............an old Jag xj12............ drove it the 2000 miles back to Cheyenne........... met some amazing people. 

You drove an old XJ12 2000 miles? No wonder you met so many people!

Haha, yeah.
I have lots of stories from that trip. It was a blast!
One thing that shocked me was meeting people along the way that had a connection to Cheyenne. Even one guy who knew a friend of mine.
Every couple hours was a challenge of my improvisational repair skills. Before I left Ft Lauderdale I stopped at a Pep Boys and bought a cheap tool kit (that I still use,) duct tape, oil, antifreeze, and anything else I could think of.
But cool things happened the whole way.

For example, those old Jag V12's are notorious for overheating and dropping valve guides, so I was really worried about blowing a hose and losing the motor.
The 2nd day I was on I-75 north of Atlanta and I smelled antifreeze. Pulled off near Dalton, GA and into an empty lot in the woods next to an old, run down gas station.
It looked like the gas station from the movie "Deliverance."
Popped the hood and sure enough, one of the top radiator hoses had a slit in it. I thought, "Crap... where am I going to find a Jaguar radiator hose in BFE, Georgia?"
I walked into this filthy, ancient gas station that I wasn't even sure was open, and there was a lanky guy in a dirty baseball cap, greasy work shirt and pants, just sitting on a stool leaning back on the wall, chewing tobacco and swatting flies and staring at me.  Then in a slow, thick Southern drawl he said, "Kin I hep you?"
I swear I heard banjo music.
Told him my problem, we walked out to the Jag, he looked at the hose, and said real slow, "I might have somethin' that'll fit."
We walked back to the gas station, and he said, "Come back here."  And he took me back into this dark storeroom.
The banjo music got louder.
He pulled out this huge dusty box of old random radiator hoses, fished through them, and yanked one out.
"This un here oughta do the trick."
"What do I owe you?" I asked.
"Awww, nothin' I guess."
So I thanked him profusely, thankful that I didn't have to re-enact the "Squeal-like-a-pig" scene from "Deliverance," went back to the Jag, and sure enough, it was a perfect fit.
Topped off the radiator, and got back on the interstate as the banjo music slowly faded behind me.

I've always wanted to do another trip like that.

[Capn Ron]

I've always wanted to do another trip like that.

Taking a cross-country trip in an airplane means you meet a ticket agent and maybe the person in the seat next to you.  Taking the same trip in an old car...or on a motorcycle...means you meet a great cross-section of people every day.  You learn from them...and hopefully, you leave some experience behind that they remember.  Either way, it's the difference between going out and absorbing life and it's experiences...or reading about it in a book.

I have a couple of future trips in the planning stages...I'd definitely like to get up to Alaska by motorcycle.  I'd like to spend some time exploring/riding/camping Australia.  I'm thinking of a four-corners ride in the states.  I'd be thrilled to ride around Great Britain for a month, but not even sure where to start on that one...

Cap'n Ron. . .

[ribbert]

............an old Jag xj12............ drove it the 2000 miles back to Cheyenne........... met some amazing people. 

You drove an old XJ12 2000 miles? No wonder you met so many people!

Haha, yeah.
I have lots of stories from that trip. It was a blast!

You paint a wonderful picture of the garage and it's proprietor and your exchange with him. I have an image in my mind as clear as if I had just watched the scene on a movie.

Picking up a V12 Jag you had presumeably not yet seen and driving it 2000 miles across country was truly an act of faith of biblical proportions.

I was still on the bench when they were popular. I love European cars, but what a shitbox they were. I have had and like older Jags but XJ's were shockers.

Only recently I saw a Series 1 XJ6 with interstate plates a long way from anywhere towing a big caravan. My first thought was I had just seen the worlds greatest optimist. Then I realised the caravan was probably a workshop full of spares, tools, special equipment and fluids.
There could be no other explanation for it making it that far from home.

It's funny you mention banjo's. My wife and I still use that term to describe certain places.

I don't know what would scare me more these days, breaking down in banjo country or seeing an XJ12 pull into the drive for repair.

You and Cap'n Ron are spot on about the road trips. They are mini adventures. I have always found people are way more likely to strike up conversation and offer hospitality when on the bike than in the car. Some of my fondest memories and experiences of generosity from strangers have been on bike trips.

To people who "don't get it" a road trip is what you do if for some reason you can't fly. They don't understand that if time permits, it is the preferred means.

Last year we went to a wedding interstate, about 1500 kms away. I managed to send my wife and children by road and plane and I got to ride. Not one person I spoke to at the wedding understood why I would do that when there was a perfectly good spare seat in the car. Nor did they understand why I would add 500 kms to the trip by choosing to come a different way when the shortest route has 1000kms of perfectly good 4 lane, straight, flat slab. "Why would you go through all those mountains and forests and windy, twisty coast roads if you didn't have too?" They just don't understand!

Noel

[ribbert]

I'd like to spend some time exploring/riding/camping Australia.

Cap'n Ron. . .

The "General" could probably use his rank to arrange an honorary promotion.

"Commodore Ron" has a nice ring too it.

You would then be known as, err, Com'n Ron.   Hmmmmm.....maybe not. Rear Admiral, Rear'n.... nah, forget it, we'll stick with Cap'n and bestow some other title on you should you make it here.
Australia is a very popular destination for motorcyclists from all over the world. The Outback being of particular interest to Europeans because of it's vastness.

It's not that hard to get here Cap'n but it is one trip you would be better off doing by plane.

Noel

[The General]

I've always wanted to do another trip like that.

 I'd like to spend some time exploring/riding/camping Australia.  
Cap'n Ron. . .

CAPTAIN RON!....FRONT AND CENTRE!

[Bminder]

I've always wanted to do another trip like that.

 I'd like to spend some time exploring/riding/camping Australia.  
Cap'n Ron. . .

CAPTAIN RON!....FRONT AND CENTRE!

You spelled center wrong.

[The General]

I've always wanted to do another trip like that.

 I'd like to spend some time exploring/riding/camping Australia.  
Cap'n Ron. . .

CAPTAIN RON!....FRONT AND CENTRE!

You spelled center wrong.

Insolant basteds them Yanks!....http://www.australia.com/explore/icons/red-centre.aspx

             Repeat....CAPTAIN RON!.....FRONT AND CENTRE!

[FJmonkey]

Insolant basteds them Yanks!....http://www.australia.com/explore/icons/red-centre.aspx

             Repeat....CAPTAIN RON!.....FRONT AND CENTRE!

What did you expect from convict scum? I bet they spell color wrong as well... 

[Pat Conlon]

I'm going thru withdrawals......

[ribbert]

You spelled center wrong.

I had never noticed until now, and had to consult the dictionary to confirm, that you guys can't spell centre. I can't believe I have never noticed that.