August 6 - Pig Trail and More!
Today couldn’t have been better – great riding, amazing food, and time with a very good friend. I started off my day with an incredible ride along the “Pig Trail” from Ozark Arkansas to Eureka Springs. While my bike was getting serviced at Pig Trail Harley in Rogers, I was able to share lunch with a young woman who I think of as a second daughter. Then this evening I was able to visit the two last states I hadn’t yet been to on my own bike on my way to see a piece of Route 66.
As I headed north on Arkansas Highway 23 this morning, I could understand why so many sources rate this scenic route as a top ten or top 15 ride for motorcyclists. There are plenty of curves and turns on the road. But they are wide sweeping enough that no concentration is required to handle the technical aspects of the road, leaving the rider the time to enjoy the views of farms and fields, valleys and hills as they ride up, down, and around the route. It’s almost like eating a dessert with exactly the right amount of sugar – it tastes great but isn’t so sweet you have a stomach-ache afterwards.
Once I reached Eureka Springs, I headed west to Pig Trail Harley in Rogers for another service. While they were working on my bike, I was delighted to be able to share lunch at the Rockin’ Pig Saloon with my good friend Caitlyn Carkner. As one of my daughter’s best childhood friends, Caitlin spent numerous weekends at our house. It was wonderful to be able to catch up with her and spend time with her dog, Scarlett.
The lunch itself was one of the best I have ever had (thank you Teresa Silva for the recommendation). The burger had two wagyu beef patties with cheese, homemade special sauce, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles. It was incredibly flavorful, moist, and tender. What really blew me away, though, was their bread pudding. When I took my first bite I almost started crying with happiness. Because my battle with throat cancer left my taste buds badly damaged, it is difficult for me to fully taste dry things including bread. However, when I bit into the bread pudding there was a literal explosion of flavor in my mouth – butter, caramel, and bourbon from the sauce and toasted pecans from inside the bread. I got a little emotional because it has been so long since I have really been able to fully appreciate a dessert.
Apparently, the cooks soak the bread overnight in a homemade batter of melted butter and milk. Then they make the caramel and bourbon sauce from scratch using sugar. After baking the bread in the oven they finish it off by frying it. Absolutely amazing!
After eating and picking up my bike I decided to take a short ride over to Kansas, passing through Missouri. I wanted to ride through the last two of the 20 states I didn’t get to last year on my bike and also see a piece of the historic route 66. What an incredible day!
