Stable Scoop - Newsletter

Volume 2, Number 2

In August we hosted the first Iron Horse Stampede. Hopefully, everyone had a great time. I know the entire staff sure did.

The weather for the poker run was perfect and Mike Matlock was the lucky winner for half the pot, the other half going to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

The motorcycle games were equally fun and we had the pleasure of watching some excellent riders demonstrate their talents. The gang from Oklahoma put on a clinic during the slow drags with Robin Kirby winning out over some excellent competition.

Friday and Saturday night was the first time we have provided entertainment here and it was again proven that motorcyclists truly know how to party! Our appreciation goes to Cricket Sparks and her son, Yo-Yo Guy, from Shawnee, KS and Robbie Bell from Green Forest, AR.

The event concluded Sunday morning with a worship service conducted by the Carroll County CMA group. We owe a special thanks to Bear and his helpers for reminding us that we do have a great deal to be thankful for and to whom we give our thanks.

...and around the bend

I think many motorcycle enthusiasts relate the seasons of the year to riding or non-riding. My favorite season is spring because it is the beginning of a new riding season. In Arkansas we had a shorter than normal spring but the riding was excellent as always.

Summer also offers some great riding opportunities. On those especially hot summer days the early morning and late evening hours are a great time to catch some wind. Of course, anytime we can ride is a good time.

The autumn season can be spectacular with the fall colors exploding across the mountainsides. The down side of autumn for me is knowing that winter is not far behind. Perhaps that is why Janie and I try extra hard to get away for even short rides prior to winter setting in.

Thanks to our guests, 2001 has been wonderful. We have been able to enjoy some wonderful riding experiences while visiting with old and making many new friends. Even as we approach late summer we can look back on some very special times.

This year Janie and I took our longest one day ride. I know that many of you log a lot of miles in a day, but for us, 585 miles on the FXR was a big day!

A unique opportunity for the Iron Horse Stables staff was to help coordinate the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America when the group crossed the state of Arkansas. I will tell you that although we didn't get to spend a lot of time with Kyle, he and his entire staff were great to work with. You can also read about their entire cross-country trip by logging on to www.kylepettycharityride.com .

Much credit must also go to Arkansas State Representative Jerry Allison and his friends in Eastern Arkansas for making the ride a huge success.

A very unique benefit of being here at Iron Horse is getting to see, and even on some occasions, ride different motorcycles. It seems that this year there is a growing number of makes and models being introduced in the market place. This indicates to me that our sport, hobby or way of life is continuing to grow. With all the competition the manufacturers are going to be very aggressive and innovative in their development programs.

Just out of curiosity, what do you think of the water cooled Harley? Must admit I am holding off judgment until I have the opportunity to see and hear it. As I stated earlier, 2001 is turning out to be one heck of a year and there is a lot of time remaining to enjoy some great riding and to create many more memorable experiences.

Humble thyself

Doing laundry, folding towels, cleaning toilets, scrubbing floors . . . mundane, you think? Not at all! Those are the best times for pondering. Our hectic lives leave us little time anymore to be quiet for awhile and just think.

I've come a long way in the past year in learning about motorcyclists; where they come from and where they are heading; what they do for a living and what they wish they were doing; who they are and who they dream of becoming.

I've met doctors, lawyers, sheriffs, and firemen. Teachers, insurance agents, travel agents, and real estate agents. Business managers, electricians, plumbers, and bankers. Veterans, factory workers, singers and dancers. Politicians, preachers, salesmen, writers, photographers, and computer whizzes. Corporate pilots, boat captains, bartenders, and waitresses. Policemen, energy brokers, stock brokers, and even just plain broke brokers.

I've met folks from all walks of life, from all parts of the country (even Canada), from every background imaginable. I feel blessed to have had this opportunity to come into contact with so many people in such a short amount of time.

One of the things I'm learning about, slowly I might add, is motorcycle clubs, or patch wearers. I've heard terms like "flying colors", and "1%'ers", and "brotherhood". I'm confused. Does that mean that the other 99% are a black and white sisterhood?

Now I've read "Cosmo" and I know there are more females than males in the world, but those percentages don't seem right. But if it was so, wouldn't there be strength in numbers? How could only 1% of the people not only feel, but believe, they were in control over territory? What territory do they mean? If I was running for election, I would feel a heck of a lot better if I could count on 51% of the vote in my district. My campaign speech would focus on the needs of those in my community and how I would work tirelessly to help meet those needs. I'm sure I would smile at everyone I met, shake hands, and give hugs. I would automatically know (and I'm a blonde) that arrogance and indifference would not bode well in the public viewpoint. Downright antagonism would be detrimental to my political career, and rudeness -- suicide.

And then I remembered, I used to be in the political scene for nineteen years at the courthouse serving as everyone's favorite official, a tax collector. I recalled how an irate taxpayer would come in to complain about their taxes using every word in the book. I understood though, that they would need to "get it off their chest " first before we could get down to business and work out a solution to the problem.

Nobody likes to feel like they are paying for absolutely nothing. It was my job to show them where their money was going and what services and benefits they received. It was a small investment, really, for them to pay to be able to enjoy the opportunity to live here, on their land, on their territory, until they died. After that, as we all know, you can't take it with you.

Our mission here at Iron Horse Stables is to provide for you, the motorcyclist, through the efforts of our blood, sweat, and tears, a haven where you will feel welcomed, as only family can do.

We haven't had any experience in the motel business before, but we have had plenty of experience in family, and friends, and relationships, and life, and even death. These things are important to us, so providing you with an atmosphere of relaxation to relieve your everyday stress is our only goal and leaves us with little time to worry about petty differences; like whether or not we are wearing the right colors, or riding the right bikes, or carrying the right membership cards, or even voting the right ticket.

All those things are a personal choice, a personal freedom guaranteed by our Constitution and should not to be shoved down the throats of others. We are only here on this earth for a little while anyway. And in the end, we all know who owns all territory, all of creation, no one but the Creator himself.

Wow! I can't believe I just made every bed in the motel and never noticed the time passing. Well, you never know just who will sleep here next. Could be entertaining angels. Which reminds me of a particularly short verse: Practice hospitality.

Silver Spoke Grill

Having the beer and wine permit has really made a big difference. Shocking as it may seem, some folks like to sit around and have a beer after a good day's ride. The deck has been very busy especially when the temperature has not been in the 90s. Come and join us for a fine meal whenever you are in the area. You might even catch a little jam session going on.

Iron Horse Memberships

In the last issue we mentioned that we may be going to start offering membership cards. Well, the response was quite favorable. So you can now obtain a membership by completing and returning the following information coupon, including your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address (if you've got one). In return for the $6.00 annual fee you will receive the Stable Scoop newsletter and will get discounts at the Chrome Corral on nonsale items as well as discounts at restaurants and attractions in Eureka Springs. Price may go up in 2002, so hurry!