Stable Scoop - Newsletter

Christmas 2005

Fresh Scoops

Bar & Grill
Renovations will be made during the winter months to open up some space, knock down some walls, make a large, handicap accessible restrooms, general improvements to the building, but keeping our delightfully tacky atmosphere.

Chrome Corral
Sleepy, our shop manager, will be available during the off season for any bike repairs, customizing, sales, etc.
479-253-5467

Gift Certificates
Iron Horse Stables Gift certificates are availabe here on our web site or by calling
479-253-0440

What a year 2005 turned out to be. There were so many highlights that it will be impossible to mention all of them. First and foremost of course is seeing and riding with old friends as well as introducing first time visitors to the Ozarks. Watching people's expressions the first time they visit the Grand Canyon of the Ozarks, the lookout over Beaver Dam, or the Golden Gate Bridge of Arkansas is priceless. We feel we are fortunate to be surrounded by great riding opportunities.

During the riding season the Iron Horse Stables staff, as well as both locals and guests, had a great time being included in the filming of some motorcycle commercials being produced by Arkansas Parks and Tourism. Finally, motorcycle riders are being recognized as great tourists and Arkansas is making an effort to invite and welcome everyone to our State.

Equally exciting was the filming of the television show "Hog Heaven" here in the Ozarks. The filming crew and the host (who was from Australia) stayed here at Iron Horse Stables. We had a magnificent day of riding and filming. It's kind of funny but they will shoot three hours of footage just to get a few minutes of quality air time.

The scene that will most undoubtedly stand out occurred when we were coming around a curve near Boxley Valley and a very large elk was standing next to the road. This big boy didn't take off like a deer but rather just stared at us for a while, like "what are you doing in my territory?". Needless to say it made for some good conversation when we got back to the Stables.

We have seen clips from some of their earlier shows and everyone here thinks it is a very good high quality motorcycle show. What is most pleasant is that instead of just doing builds, they feature some of the best riding areas imaginable. I do hope more stations pick this program up and each of you has an opportunity to view the show. Maybe we can orchestrate some type of request to local channels and provide some incentive.

For those of you who visited early in the season you most likely didn't get to meet our new "jack of all trades", Megan. If you didn't get to meet her you are in for a pleasant surprise.

Megan is enthusiastic and fits right in. She has helped manage the restaurant, worked in reservations, and like everyone here, cleaned rooms. She is now getting a pressure course on handling correspondence so you might here from her soon. Of course Sleepy is still managing the Chrome Corral and Ray is still operating Rawhide Leather.

We are making some changes at Silver Spoke Grill and the Back Door Saloon. Jim and Bonnie did a wonderful job for us and will always be a part of the Iron Horse Stables family, and hopefully, we can work it out so they can spend lots of time with us and still enjoy both their other shop and a level of retirement.

I am writing this as of December 13th and it sure is deserted around the grounds. Janie has already completed her column (that's a first) and she already mentioned that we are in the early stages of doing some remodeling. Hopefully the changes we make will enable your next visit to be better. We always want to improve, so if you have any ideas that would have made your stay more enjoyable, please let us know and we will sure try to include them.

The last little item I wanted to report is that I no longer have the relatively fast and cool (I thought) FXR but rather a comfortable (not so cool) Road Glide. By family and friends it is referred to as the Geezer Glide and they all in good spirit imply that I have earned the title of Old Geezer. I must confess that both Janie and I enjoy the higher level of comfort and we take advantage of every opportunity we have to ride.

In summary, everyone here had a great riding season and we hope you did as well. We again wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe 2006.

Phil Jackson

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Janie Jackson

EUREKA SPRINGS, AR We're not afraid to say it: Merry Christmas and may God bless you with a Happy New Year! The staff at Iron Horse Stables proudly professes our Christian faith and is humbly thankful for the powerful grace of the Lord.

Any motorcyclist riding on any road anywhere can't help but be inspired by the wondrous beauty of this world and give credit to the Creator. Even as a passenger on the back of a bike you are SO out there: seeing, smelling, tasting, feeling, touching surely the face of God.

Usually while riding some things will be relieved from our minds and different things are impressed upon it. For me, it is the letter "E", the most used letter in the English alphabet. So many wonderful descriptive words begin with the letter "E": exhilarating, enjoyment, exquisite, eventful, exciting, enticing, empowering, excellent, enveloping, enduring, experiencing, eternal, and of course, exhausting.

While the motorcycle is put up for the winter, snow and ice are on the way here in the Ozark Mountains. It offers us the opportunity for a little down time to reflect on the past season and the many friends we have made and the memories we have shared.

As the New Year rolls around we'll be making improvements and the usual, ever needful maintenance to ready ourselves for the 2006 riding season.

We have been exceedingly blessed by your friendship, and wait with great expectation, some for your return, and some for your new arrival at Iron Horse Stables. All of you are in our prayers and we are truly thankful for faith, hope, and love for everyone, everywhere, everlasting, forever and ever.

Amen