Hogs Trip 2024

This year we are heading to the Ozarks in Missouri and Arkansas. We plan to ride at least 3,800 miles (6115 kilometers.)

Sorry for the delay in writing. It has been some hard riding over the last few days so I didn’t get started on the blog right away so today I’m up early and decided to start writing.

Day 1 Wednesday 7-31-24. Home to Youngstown Ohio. 419 miles (674 kilometers)

An early morning start with Bobby to meet the three Buffalo boys by 12:30pm for lunch. All highway at about 70mph (113 Kilometers  per hour) Originally in our first few rides thirteen years ago there were four or five riders from Syracuse and now there are only two of us. One moved to Florida and one to Florida and now Denver.  On the way to Ohio we hit a little rain but just enough to soak the books and jeans, There are now three riders from Buffalo.

Day 2 – Thursday 8-1-24. Youngstown Ohio to Coshocton Ohio – 301 miles (484 kilometers)

The boys wanted to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio so they set off at 8:30am. I decided to wait at the hotel for an hour and then join them once they were done. The morning was very hot and I set out to find where they had parked. Finally I found out they had taken the shuttle bus from about a mile or two from the museum, They were then dropped off at a quarter mile from the entrance. I tried to enter the parking lot but they said I had to pay the thirty dollars fee even if it was just to find the exit. I parked at the entrance under the shade and waited an hour or so until the gang returned. It was very hot and humid. I wear my leather coat and full face helmet for safety. It keeps the sun off me and both are ventilated but still hot.

Day 3 – Friday 8-2-24. Coshocton Ohio to Evansville Indiana – 318 miles (512 kilometers)

Today the boys wanted to do a distillery tour after lunch in Louisville KY. We parked in a seedy car park under a highway underpass, had lunch and then I headed to the hotel early. For 120 miles. Some rain showers and heavy rain for twenty minutes. The boys arrived several hours later. Dillie with the only Honda in the grouppicked up a screw in his rear tire and had to get it repaired with a new tube. Of coursDay 4 – Saturday 8-3-24-. Evansville Indiana to  Osage Beach MO 374 miles (602 kilometers)

After a very warm ride we arrived at what we thought was the “resort”. Turns out we had the wrong address and had to back track six miles to the night’s accommodation. Apparently it is a very popular place for hen’s nights and young people. It had a huge pool with swim up bars. The restaurant was huge and very, very noisy.

So called Resort. Very ordinary.

Dinner at the resort, The noisiest restaurant in the world with hundreds of diners.

Day 5 – Sunday 8-4-24-. Osage Beach MO to Clarksville Arkansas 266 miles (428 kilometers)

Great day of riding with highway at mostly a 70 mph speed limit (113 Kilometers per hour) half the day we rode through the Ozarks on nice windy roads in beautiful country side.

Day 6 – Monday 8-5-24-. Clarksville Arkansas nil miles (nil kilometers)

Interesting morning. I awoke at five am and a building contractor for the hotel said they had to repair the roof in the front of the hotel where all our bikes were parked. I explained that my fellow riders would not be up until eight but he then explained that the scissor lift had to be located nearest to the front door and the bike would have to move. Guess which bike was there. Yes mine. Easily done and all the other bikes were safe.

The boys today were riding 320 miles round trip (515 kilometers) to see some caves and then return to Clarksville. I have decided to stay at the hotel today and have a rest to do some laundry and write the blog, On previous trips we have had a day off in the middle to rest but this trip is very well planned but full. J Dog (official nickname) is organizing and leading the team.

Great to see Dudly.

As it turned out the boys did not do the cave as they did not have enough time. They rode what Bobby thought was the best ride that he had ever been on. They all were very hot when they returned and I still think I made the best decision staying cool.

Fancy rest stop. Hard to find shade.

Day 7 – Tuesday 8-6-24-. Clarksville Arkansas to Southhaven Mississippi (near Memphis Tennessee 274 miles)

This morning Dudley decided to ride home to Denver instead of riding east for the day. He was expected to ride the 800 odd miles in two days but he got there in one day! 

For the rest of us it was a very hot ride with lots of adventures. J Dog is the leader of the group this trip and has been very thorough with planning. He does a great job mapping out rides that have less freeways and four lanes and taking two lane roads that are more interesting.

One of our riders is called “Rage” and he received the nickname from throwing a tantrum about not eating soon enough several years ago. I thought the name was unfair as he is a lovely chap with not an indication that he had a temper. In fact I thought we should rename him as “walnut” because he would pee more often than anyone else on the rides. Apparently he told us that the doctor said his bladder was the size of a walnut. Today changed that. The first twenty or thirty miles today was spend traveling on small roads as J Dog was trying to keep to backroads rather than the freeway. At our first pit stop Rage flew into a rage at J Dog because Rage thought we were going to take the freeway to cover more miles. He later apologized but it solidified his nickname.

There has always been a rivalry between the Harleys and the Hondas on the trips. The Harleys are very American and unfortunately do not have the best reputation for reliability whereas the Honda are probably more refined. So far the Harleys have generally had an issue on every trip and required us to visit a local dealer for repairs. So far the Harleys have had a motor blow up, two new batteries, a relay, broken gear lever and a bolt for the drink holder. The Honda have had only one issue with the bike stopping in the rain and one screw in the tire. One Honda did fall over and had to get a new rear-view mirror but that did not stop it running. The screw in the tire and could have been an issue with any bike.

It has been a running joke for years that I was not a full member of “the Wild Hogs” The name of the group and was taken from the movie about a very urban group of riders who through away their cell phones and hit the trail to prove they were tough. It stared John Travolta, Tim Alan etc.

It was understood that I was only a probationary until the founding fathers voted me into the group. Each year they told me that it was a close vote but I would have to wait another year.

This year only two of the four founding fathers were on the trip. Mike moved to Florida and joined us for a couple of trips and he rode North to join us. He recently sold his bike and traded it in on a pontoon boat. .I think he did not like riding it around Florida as it is very flat and boring. Deak (who is a Deakin) stayed home this year for a family occasion. Dudley (one of the characters in the movie) rode in from Denver on his BMW bike,

The big news is they voted me into the group. As Bobby explained it was one vote for yes and one for no so they tossed a coin and Bobby lost. I was presented with an official Hogs patch to sew on my leather coat.  I asked what special options I get with full membership. The answer was nil. Asked if I could book future accommodation or special restaurants that answer was definitely no. Not after that famous trip to Novas Scotia where supposedly the days were cold and wet and the accommodation was seen as very basic. In fact there was were only two half days of rain and the accommodation was the best available. Well almost. Also it wasn’t that cool and certainly a lot better than ninety five degrees.

We like to park undercover near the entrance.

 Day 8 – Tuesday 8-7-24-. Southaven Mississippi (near Memphis Tennessee to Bowling Green Kentucky- 312 miles (502 kilometers.)

A lot cooler today with cloud cover all day. Mostly highway, plenty of trucks but easy going. We had to stop for a bolt for one of the boys and the other three went to the Corvette museum. Tomorrow we expect rain part of the way so fingers crossed we stay dry. Having wet boots is the worst part of rain as they take days to dry.

Day 9 – 8-8-24-. Bowling Green Kentucky to Portsmouth Ohio- 288 miles (464 kilometers.)

Last night I heard a strange noise emanating from the front of my bike and I was worried that it could be the front wheel bush. If this was the case it could have been dangerous so this morning I went to the local Harley dealer to have it checked. The boys wanted to wait either at the Harley place or te hotel. I suggested they ride on time and I would join them once it was either diagnosed and was good to drive or repair it. I was there from 8am so I was first in line for service. I convinced the guys to ride and said I would either meet them for lunch or at the hotel.

The service manager inspected the bike and said it was not the front wheel bush and was possibly the brake pad. Once I had the all clear I headed off to join the boys for lunch. The highway was not that busy and I ended up catching them five minutes after they sat down. A very warm welcome was my reward.

The rest of the day was spent riding through Kentucky with it beautiful horse farms. I have ridden a few times through the area and it really is special.

We arrive in Portsmouth and the place seemed deserted but it had some very old buildings that hopefully restored. The boys are smoking cigars and drinking bourbon whilst I type this blog.

Another dead bottle!

Day 10 – 8-9-24-. Portsmouth Ohio to Greensburg Pennsylvania - 300 miles (483 kilometers.)

No breakdowns and no parts needed today. An easy day with good weather that became hotter during the day. Nice local roads in the morning and crazy highway in the afternoon. Many big trucks overtaking us at seventy five miles per hour. Tonight we are not in walking distance to a restaurant so we ordered take away Italian. 

Relaxing after a hard days ride.

Day 11 – 8-10-24-. Greensburg Pennsylvania - 383 miles (615 kilometers.)

The last day. The group rode the first sixty miles together and then Buffalo boys headed off North to home and Bobby and myself went east to home. It was mostly fast freeways some city roads. We arrived home around 6pm. The morning was cool and the afternoon hot. It is amazing how easy it is to ride with just two riders.

Often on the trips we ask people which bike is the best looking. Normally they choose mine because it is the best looking. Disputes always happen about the quality of the selected judge. If I do not win I ascertain the judge is drunk, on medication, drugs, or all three. Yesterday we were in Kentucky and a old guy on a new white bike pulled into the gas station and I asked him to judge thinking the result would be favorable for a fellow white bike owner. He chose Bobby's bike. On this trip three other people judged his bike the best but did Bobby mention it? Every time he could he raised four fingers and smiled. Some riders are cruel.

Bobby wanted a photo of the best looking bike.

My Garmin GPS has been a faithful companion on all my riding over the last fifteen years (601 days) but it finally is dying. It has been going on and off over the last few days. Today it would not start but after lunch it was working perfectly. 

Summary

Buffalo Boys - 11 days riding 3,126 miles. Average per day 284

Dudley- Denver - 5 days riding 2,061 miles. Average per day 412

Bobby - 11 days riding 3,424 miles. Average 311 miles per day.

Tug - 10 days riding 3,234 miles. Average 323 per day.

17 fuel stops

Total US gallons 73.83

Average miles per US gallon 43.8 mpg

Total cost of fuel $317.67

Average cost per gallon $4.32

Highest price per gallon $4.70 Madison IN

Lowest price per gallon $3.82 (possibly 91 not 93)