Bullet Points

Sport Touring Corner

By Norm Kern, MSTA Editor / ReasonsToRide.com Contributor

“Should I buy heated grips or heated

MSTA National Sport Touring Rendezvous (STAR) 2022

Cape Girardeau, Missouri, June 18-23 - By guest author Jerry James, Moto Adrenaline Tours

This year’s MSTA national STAR rally headed to the shore of the Mississippi river in Cape Girardeau. Due to hot weather in the forecast, Jeff Dolence and I trailered the 460 miles to the event on Friday, June 17. On the way we encountered wind and thunderstorms in Kentucky so the truck and trailer were a good choice. There were already many folks hanging out in the lobby. It looked like old home week

as riders were smiling, laughing and hugging it out! It resembled a family reunion. Our hosts, Drury Hotel and Conference Center offered some unique benefits for food and drink. The large breakfast area off the lobby had a full hot breakfast buffet that included pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage, biscuits & gravy, scrambled eggs, potatoes- just about anything you could want. For dinner there was a nice bar/restaurant, but most of the attendees were quite happy with “Kickbacks.” From 5:30-7 PM in the breakfast area, Kickbacks is a free buffet including pork BBQ sliders, baked potatoes, salad, nachos & chips, soup, hot dogs, soft drinks etc. In addition, each guest gets a card that entitles them to three free drinks per day, including draft beer, wine, and mixed drinks. I enjoyed Margaritas and Bloody Marys each day, and it was a great opportunity for everyone to relax and socialize. I am told that this is a standard feature of Drury hotels nationwide.

On Saturday evening we took a shuttle bus to the old downtown by the river with some of the STAR faithful. We ate at the Minglewood Brewery on the patio, while a slight breeze kept everyone very comfortable. We enjoyed our pizza and conversation and got to see the beautiful murals painted on the walls by the banks of the Mississippi.