Ride To The Little River ???

[Vance]

I would like to see how much interest there is in a planned ride form the Birmingham area for the Little River meeting near Atmore. Our meeting host Rickie Bonner suggested that we might want to head down that way with a stop at BMW Motorcycles of Pensacola before our final destination. I have not had the opportunity to visit this newly established BMW dealer but I hear great things about it and want to stop in! My thought is that we could leave on Friday or Saturday morning depending on how many can participate.

I will work on a route that will include the smallest amount of interstate as is practical considering the length of the trip. We could even vary the route as practical to meet up with any riders that would be starting from points south of Birmingham.

Let me know by posting here if you are interested in riding along. I will be looking at possible routes and hopefully we can put some final details to this plan by mid month. Let's see how many AL club members we can get to invade Florida on the way to some great Bonner Catfish!

[R90srider]

Hey Vance, I’m heading to Little River Friday (25th) and then on Saturday (26th), to Pensacola for a visit to the BMW dealership and the Naval Air Museum if it has re-opened after the “shut-down”. On the way to Little River we will cruise aboard the Gees Bend/Camden and the Davis Ferries and have some good soul food for lunch in Camden.

Erik and Tim are meeting me Friday morning at the Valleydale Road Hardees (I65 exit 247) at 8:00 am for breakfast and we will roll at 8:30 am. The first stop is in Selma (80 miles) at the Chevron on Hwy 22 to meet Don Drasheff and to top off. From Selma, we continue to the Gees Bend Ferry in time for the noon departure to Camden where we will have lunch at Redd’s Soul Food and BBQ or Jackson’s Fried Chicken. From Camden we continue to the Davis Ferry and cross the Alabama River again. So there will be no surprises, the road to and from the Davis Ferry is packed dirt which is not difficult to ride. The next stop (110 miles) will be for fuel in Perdue Hill at the Chevron, then on to Little River Forrest. Depending on our time while in Perdue Hill, we may be able to visit an interesting community of historical (early 1800s) buildings, one of which is the boyhood home of William Travis.

In order to have enough time Saturday to visit the BMW Dealership and the NAS we should leave Little River by 9 am. The route there and return will be on main roads in order to get back in time for the great Bonner family fish fry.

If this sounds like something you would like to do, please join us and that goes for our other club members too.

[Rickie Bonner]

Hey All Club members, hope you will make it to our meeting this month, planning on having great time at Little River State.. Here are some web sites to look at www.littleriverstatepark.com, www.windcreekcasino.com & www.hamptoninnatmore.com (phone #251-368-9090). Will be there Friday 24, and have pancake breakfast Saturday morning 7:00am.Asked Vance to headup ride to Pensacola BMW Dealership which will be a great ride and stop for visit with their staff. Saturday fish fry will start around 5:00PM. looking forward to seeing you. Will ask for head count around the 18th.

[lonewolf]

Do we need to make reservations at the camp ground ? Or just show up to camp.

[Vance]

If you are going to be tent camping, then you should not need reservations, just pay when you get there. RV or cabins do have to be reserved ahead of time (I think I heard the cabins are spoken for already). However you will need to let Rickie know what meals you will be eating there so he can make sure to have enough! lol...


Thanks Bob, sounds like another great ride you got planned down that way. I suggest we combine our ideas (or really just steal yours...lol..)! I will plan to ride down with you meeting you guys at Hardees in time for departure. We will plan to ride over to Pensacola then with you on Saturday morning to check out Courtney's new place!

[R90srider]

Vance, good, glad you will take us to Pensacola. This will be my first time to visit the new dealership.

For folks that haven't ridden on the Davis ferry, please know that the road to and from the ferry is packed dirt (about a mile on both sides of the river), but shouldn't cause a problem for non GS bikes. We will take it easy. Also, if the river current is flowing swiftly, riding onto the ferry will get your attention. The ferry will move sideways a bit, so just look ahead and keep your feet on the pegs and roll on enough power to keep enough speed to provide stability. In other words, don't idle onto to the ferry deck while duck walking your bike.

With the cautions out of the way, crossing the Alabama on the old Davis Ferry is a unique experience and a lot of fun. It is a side wheeler powered by an old (1930s) Chevy truck engine and connected to a cable that is attached to both banks.

[Rickie Bonner]

lonewolf, if you are primitive camping you don't need reservations. I would call for RV sites. 251-862-2511

[Vance]

Bob, are you going to plan the route for Saturday or do you want me to that? I am not sure how scenic that ride will be but...i can get us there and maybe even back! lol...

[R90srider]

Vance. Saturday is all yours. I did a MapsSourse route going to the dealership then to the NAS and returning to Little River. The software produced the route. I'll email the GPS routes to you.

[bikertaz]

I plan on going to Little River on Friday and am looking forward to the ride to Pensacola on Saturday.

[Vance]

great Tommy....we look forward to having you along. I hope there will be a good crowd headed to P'Cola on Sat morning. I just heard from Rickie that Todd there at the dealership is planning to roll out the red carpet to welcome us and feed us too! They are planning to grill burgers and dogs for us! That should...(stress should)hold us until we get back for that famous Bonner fish fry!! Lookin' forward to it. I'll start working on a route shortly so we can find our way!! lol...

[Gator]

We can't wait to get to Little River. We'll be arriving on Friday. I'll just put the bike on auto-pilot, it knows the way to Bama by heart. The ride to Pensecola sounds great. See y'all there

Gator

[Bikebum]

I am looking forward to "seeing everybody" at Little River. I put seeing in quotes since I am having cataract surgery Monday. Y'all come on to Atmore for some catfish!

[Vance]

best wishes for your procedure JJ. I am sure you will be "seeing" us much better!

[Bikebum]

Who knows, Vance, I may even be able to ride better. LOL