Thunder Roads Magazine of Oklahoma/Arkansas November 2017 | Page 21

your time and entertainment.
On to the ride! After a quick
blessing by the local small town
pastor, TJ Martin of Talihina
Cowboy Church. As we left the
Visitor’s Center with about 40
riders, our hoodies and leathers
felt good in the crisp morning air.
Again, I was looking forward to
the first stop with the group at
the Panorama Vista. Normally,
the early day view is grand as
you look out across the horizon
of the world. This day, the view
was not as magnificent as the
clouds had not yet lifted from the
valleys below. Onward we rode
stopping at a few vistas. It must
have been my day. As I left one
of the vistas, watching carefully
over the flock of riders behind
me, I made a quick stop decision
that caused me to dump my
bike right onto the asphalt.
While I nor the bike were hurt,
I was a bit surprised by how
quickly the riders had me and
the bike standing upright. Rarely
happening, it’s always such a
bizarre feeling when we dump
our bikes, especially when barely
moving! It leaves me scratching
my head and overanalyzing just
how it occurred! Bike up and
dusted off, I was ready to get on
with our ride.
Our lunch stop took us to
End Of The Trail Saloon. Steve
and Genise are the proprietors
of this small oasis just off the
North side of the mountain
along Hwy 59 near Hodgen.
This is a comfortable place
filled with motorcycle and music
collectables. From the seating
around the horseshoe bar to
the back patio, there’s plenty of
tall tales, yummy food and cold
beverages. This stop allowed