A Walking Tour.....and LOTS of motorcycles

Yesterday we went to Bikes, Blues and BBQ as we do every year.  I am a fish out of water there in my pink shirt and pink tote bag.  Lots of leather, orange and black.  This is a very clean rally - no flashing or toplessness or other bad behavior.  I saw a cop put duct tape across the shirt of a guy that made reference to a "cat" a few years ago.  Just a line over the word to keep it clean.

*Don't look if you are offended......

Since we go on the first day, we do see a few naughty t-shirts and badges before they have been asked to move them to the back a bit.  It's interesting to me, these bikers.  Motorcycles are very expensive, puls most of them have campers and toy haulers and they are wearing a thousand dollars worth of leather.  I know most of them are hard working Americans - lawyers, doctors, teachers, etc.  I walked behind a lady yesterday in her leather and chaps and I heard her say "Let's get something for the grand kids".  Whoa, someone's got a cool Granny!

So, as we walked and the boys looked at the motorcycles, I looked at the old storefronts and architecture along the street.  There is a lot and it is wonderful to see up close.  So, here we go - Welcome to Fayetteville, Arkansas!

My favorite photo of the day.  This is US Pizza Company.  The motorcycles were the perfect colors.

Old wrought iron staircase.  Or if it were for sale on Craigslist - ROD IRON.  

The rich folk live up in that mighty fine skyscraper.  Well, it's a skyscraper by our standards.  I would LOVE to be able to go up and sit on a balcony and just watch all the commotion.  

The very old UARK theater.  Another place I would love to prowl.  I'm not sure what it even is now.

This jewelry store has been around my whole life.  They have the nicest jewelry and I think it is open by appointment only which means I cannot afford anything in there.  Luckily, I like feedsack pendants.  :)

Here's the light fixture outside Underwood's.  It is amazing.  

I would really like to put that on ebay. It would take a helluva box.  

George's - THE beer joint, THE outside music venue, THE place to go.  THE place THE Breadman and I told each other we were in love.  BLECH.  That sounds soooo cornball.  But it is where it happened."  (Pay no attention to that lady in the reflection.)

This leads down under a building to a parking garage.  I love all the old exposed brick and stone.  And that is an old fireplace, I guess.  I just noticed it.  

There were motorcycles, I promise.

The train tracks.  We took the train about 3 miles so we could leave our cars in one spot.  Curtis had to go to work.  OH, I mean The Breadman, sorry.  Anyway, he had to go to work, so we go get in line for the train and they say, "It broke down.  It will be a three to four hour wait."  So, here we are on one side of the rally and our cars are on the other side of the rally and he needs to get to his truck PRONTO so he can go to work.  You might say, "Oh, you could walk" and we could have - but it would have killed us.  Fayetteville and especially the area where we were is totally hilly and curvy. Plus we would have had to negotiate the University traffic, the regular traffic and the 200,000 motorcycles.  There is a nice quiet walking trail, but it curves around in a weird route and isn't "as the crow flies" like the train tracks.  Anyway, we were just about to start walking and try to figure out how to get him to work when, I kid you not - the actual conductor in his full conductor uniform pulled up in his personal pick-up and said, "Does anyone HAVE to get to the parking lot right now?" Talk about right place at the right time!  We shoved him in that truck and got him on his way. 

WHEW.  Big relief.  

Then we went back to check on the train and they said it would be another couple of hours.  

Here. We.Go.Again.  

But, then GUESS WHO pulled up again?  The conductor!  ALL ABOARD!  See him driving the truck?  I totally felt like I was still on the train!  He even let out a couple WooWoo's for us.  It actually turned out ot be much more fun that actually riding the train back.

Although, riding the train is pretty awesome.  

Lest you all think it was just greenery and architecture - may I present to you - Bikes, Blues and BBQ.

I love the look of a carnival food truck thingy.  I would NEVER eat from one.  I am too picky and too cheap.  I saw half eaten turkey legs laying by the trash cans.  Those things were $9.00 each.  I would eat the whole thing even if it killed me.  

Sweet sidecar.  I joke that The Bean will drive the motorcycle and I will ride in a sidecar.  I joke because how sad would that be for the kid to take his MOM?  

Oh, another carnival food dealybopper.  This one is my favorite.  

Favorite to LOOK at.  I saw so, so many people eating those foot long corn dogs.  I guess I have a dirty mind, because they just look so...wrong.  But, I have never eaten a corn dog, so maybe that is it. 

Motorcycles.

Motorcycles.

Motorcycles.

Motorcycles.

And a shadow shot to end the day.  Time to go home ans sort out the swag.  

(Awesome free stuff at a motorcycle rally - if you ever have a chance - GO!)

What did you do yesterday?