It was cold this morning, the weather of winter just not letting go yet. Over a few cups of coffee my task is to determine how many layers to put on today. The good news: the sky will be mostly clear and that helps immensely.
Meetup at the QT in Eureka at 0900 and KU at 0930, I left a little after 0800, to give myself plenty of time. Thinking I might be early, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dan and Shari Chapman, ride leaders, had already arrived. Eventually we ended with 8 riders, and 7 motorcycles for the morning ride.
And at launch 0930, the whole stable of thoroughbreds eagerly waiting:
Our destination today was Cuba, MO and the Hicks Bar-B-Que restaurant, with one stop. Dan gave a quick briefing on the ride, route, breaks and ETA’s. Here is an overview of the route:
The trip started by riding north, back across I-44 on a few city side streets, a short time on 109, and then a beautifully narrow and winding path through the hills of Eureka, on Woods Ave , Melrose Rd, and Bouquet Rds. This a tight twisting narrow path of European feel, with quiet homes nestled in the oak woods, we eventually arrived near St Albans and Hwy T. Hwy T was quick and spectacular, with light traffic, undulating curves and sweeping views of the Missouri River and distant hills. Crossing Hwy 100 we continued on Hwy V to cross Hwy 47 at Clearview, intercepting Hwy A to the Conoco at Hwy YY, for our first break. We arrived in about 1 hour, as predicted.
After a short break, stretching our legs and sharing stories, Dan had us mount up to continue. The path was to take YY west until intercepting Y to the south and the small town of Gerald. We then started Hwy H to Hwy J, and Bourbon, MO. This segment characterized by rolling farmlands, pastures dotted with a variety of cows of various colors: Angus, Guernsey, and the occasional Brown Swiss. Here the pace and flow seems less hectic, with larger sweepers and longer straights, and bigger views to the horizons.
Here are the paths to Gerald:
From Gerald to Cuba:
At Bourbon, Dan fooled us by taking Hwy C northwest to Hwy P, then into Cuba and on to Hicks BBQ. Upon arriving at Hicks, we found it quite busy, and had a short 35 minute wait for a table. But it was worth the wait, as the food was exceptional and lived up to its reputation. Great food, great company, and great conversation, thanks Dan and Shari for an enjoyable ride.
