2007 FORR Homecoming - Buckhorn, Missouri

We left on Friday afternoon from Springfield, Missouri and took the hour and a half ride up the interstate to the event. The weather was just plain gorgeous. This time of year you can never count on the weather, but this weekend it was perfect, and you couldn’t ask for a better weekend to hold the event. We pulled into the event area, and everyone was registered and back on their bikes in less than five minutes. Ample information was available at the sign-up tent, and as to be expected everyone received a warm welcome as they signed up. These people are genuinely happy to see you, and when you show up to an event and are treated this way, you know the organization holding the event really cares that you have a good time.

We set up camp in the trees, with more than enough shade to last all day. All attitudes were left at the door, and our neighbors were very friendly and sociable. The campground is kept up very well, with no big ruts, stumps, or other objects to contend with. This made getting around in the dark a safe venture. After camp was set up, it was time to make the customary trip down to the vendor area to see if we could find that special, elusive 'something' we just couldn't live without. All week my wife had to put up with my constant reminders that Jesus the Burrito Man might be there making his one-of-a-kind burritos, and I think she was about ready to shoot me. Boy, was I in luck, he was there! My wife just shook her head and gave up. She knew it was going to be one of those deals. When you are a big boy like me, you just hafta have that special meal, and you guys know what I mean. We don’t need wine with our meals, just some good ol' hot sauce. Make mine a double Jesus!

The vendors at this event, whether it was food, clothing, or specialty items, were priced within reason. My wife was able to eat a good meal for under five dollars, clothing was readily available for very affordable prices, and all in all, the vendor area was one of the best I've seen of anywhere. I personally don’t like going to an event with it being the same thing tent to tent. That was definitely not the case this time; they had a good variety of vendors selling some very interesting items. There was even one guy there that specialized in wood carvings, and he had some very interesting carvings.

The tunes were coming from the bandstand via Voodoo Kitchen, a great band. An interesting thing about Voodoo Kitchen is their lady drummer, something you don’t see very often. I didn't catch her name, but she really added flair to the act and played exceptionally well. They played well into the evening with a great display of enthusiasm that carried over into the crowd. People were pulling in all night, which kept the gatekeepers busy, with a better-than-average crowd. We finally got to bed around 3 a.m., excited about what the next day was going to hold.

Saturday morning didn’t disappoint. After a great breakfast from one of the vendors, we headed over to the bike games sign-up area to see what kind of activities were going to be held that day. The regular staples such as the weenie bite and slow race, as well as a few others were going to guarantee some good times, but one game really stood out. It was called “Honey! I’m Home!” It was a very funny race in which two guys competed to see who could get dressed in a pair of overalls, throw on their shoes, bail out of a window, and make it to their bikes. There was some really funny action with the window frames involved. A lot of people were on hand to watch the games, with bleachers and a covered tent providing ample area to sit. With a large group of contestants in every event, it made for a wonderful afternoon. A lot more people got into the Poker Runs held that afternoon, and from what I was told by some of the returning riders, the routes were very scenic. There were two routes, one short and one long, so the peeps that were into it could really do their thing and take home a nice prize for their efforts if they won.

After a slight break, the mandatory wet T-shirt contest was held. With a large crowd and an even larger appetite for cold water, the contestants were extremely accommodating to the crowd at hand. Lots of scantily clad women and hot weather really makes for an exciting time; especially when you add the water. It's too bad most recipes that call for “just add water” aren’t nearly as fun. If oatmeal was this fun, I sure would eat a lot more of it. Hmm, that kind of gives this old traveler some ideas; I had better store some away for future references. Just after that, a hometown band called Kricket Alley fired up. Playing a lot of old tunes, they really got the crowd going. They played with a lot of gusto, and played well into the evening, til' after dark. At the end of their show, FORR gave away a new Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider. I never caught the name of the winner, but some lucky stiff is getting to ride a helluva nice new scoot. One of these days, I will have that lucky ticket. I've gotta keep my hopes up or I won’t ever buy anymore; ya know what I mean?

At about 10 p.m., the Miss Freedom contest started. Some really hot bodies took the stage, and as usual you couldn’t get within five feet of the stage for all the guys pouring forward. The crowd got louder, the camera flashes lit up the night like fireflies, and soon the girls were narrowed down to one and we had our winner. Right after that another great band Against the Grain took the stage for some “social” rock. The more this band got going, the rowdier the party got. Belting out a lot of tunes that drive our lifestyle, the crowd really got into it. The harder it got the better. Ending out the set with a few great renditions of classic Skynyrd tunes, no one wanted them to quit. They had some real good tunes converted too, and one that really stood out was their version of “In Constant Sorrow” from the ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ movie. They ended the show with the classic 'Freebird,' and everyone dispersed for some more partying in the campground. We stayed up until well past 4:30 a.m. before finally laying down to get some much needed rest.

8:30 a.m. rolled around early, and the Christian Motorcycle Association (CMA) put on a nice service for all of those needing to hear a solid message to keep their lives in order. Later in the morning there were some more games for the crowd, and the bike show started. One motorcycle caught my eye as I tend to favor the antiques. It was a 1926 Harley-Davidson, and I hope to have some more close-up pictures of it in a future issue for your enjoyment. The folks that own it are very proud of it as you can see some pictures below. It is olive drab and a real nice rebuild. After the bike show, it was time for my customary Sunday lunch at the Burrito stand. I can’t get enough of those things! After a little rest and some early packing, we rode out of camp while things were a little quiet to spend some time in the saddle. I was stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood in the late 80s and I like to cruise around and look at some of the changes in the area. My wife, a friend, and I cruised on down to Waynesville, and then headed north towards Crocker. Right before you get to the Gasconade River, there is an old cave in the hillside that used to be a tourist staple in the early 1900s. Back in the late 90s I took a trip into the cave with a local grotto to help rescue a couple of guys, so I just wanted to take a peak. The entry is all grown over but you could still make out the old cave in the hillside, and just off the road are the concrete stairs to the old building that used to be the entry point to the tourist area. We respected the no trespassing signs on the trail, so we didn’t go up and do any exploring. After that we took the highway back to St. Roberts and headed north on H Hwy towards the Riddle Bridge access. To my dismay, the old trestle bridge I remember so fondly for the great times we had swinging from it was replaced by a newer concrete version. Sigh, I guess it is just a sign of the times. Oh well, you can’t get any nicer riding than some of the roads in this area. I made a mental note to take a trip back when the leaves are changing. That evening there was another round of wet T-shirt contest, followed by another really good band from the east side of the state, Blue Voodoo. Blues tunes wafting through the evening gave a great background to a perfect evening.

Labor Day weekend has always been considered the end of the summer per se, and what better way to finish it out. This kind of run really makes you long for the next one in the spring. I can honestly say this is one of the best events I have attended. Generally, I like the smaller runs, but this one never felt crowded, the people were really into the festivities, and I can’t say anything but good things about the people from FORR that coordinated this event. Having it in Buckhorn is a real plus as far as I am concerned because the traffic is more manageable and you don’t have to worry about many cages on the access roads. This run also had really good facilities, it was laid out perfectly for a motorcycle rally, and the weather was a huge plus. The hospitality of the crew was top notch, and I highly recommend you attend this event next year.

Thanks again for a great event; we look forward to coming back next year. You can find out more information on the Freedom of the Road Riders web site at: www.forr.net.

Safe roads!

Story by Jim Austin

Photos by Jim and Karey Austin