Arkansas Tour

[Fastfwd]

Well, I was stuck in my tent for two solid days with all the rain they were having in Arkansas last week, but at least it cleared up Saturday and Sunday for some really awesome riding and site seeing.

I was questioning the wisdom of my plans on my way out of OKC into Eastern Oklahoma Tuesday morning. It was cloudy and dreary and cold. The sun came out just as I hit into Talihina. I stopped by the local watering hole to grab a hot cheeseburger before heading up the drive to camp. The pack rode really well and made for a nice backrest to boot.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1732/arkansas004.th.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas004.jpg)

This was where I took my favorite picture last year on my trip down on the Nightster. I was hitting it closer to peak this year than last, but the sun was on the other side of the hill and didn’t light up the colors as well as my shot of it last year. Not bad though.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/33/arkansas008.th.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas008.jpg)

Winding Stair Campground scenic lookout…… you can see the ridgeline into Arkansas from here.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8866/arkansas012.th.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas012.jpg)

This tree is always brilliant. I noticed that a lot of the more colorful trees were in people’s yards. Not sure if that’s because of the kind of trees they were or if maybe they got more sun?

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7249/arkansas018.th.jpg (http://img97.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas018.jpg)

Camp at Winding Stair…..

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6124/arkansas020.th.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas020.jpg)

Winding Stair lookout at sunset……some cool little patches of fog in the valleys.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9486/talimenapanorama2.th.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=talimenapanorama2.jpg)

Wednesday the clouds were so thick you couldn’t see 10 ft. I finally just got off the mountain after the Queen Wilimena (sp?) state park.

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/6403/arkansas031.th.jpg (http://img692.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas031.jpg)

Spooky how those clouds envelope the roadway. I caught this break in the clouds and got a few photos.
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8929/arkansas034.th.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas034.jpg)

The sun came out just as I got into Hot Springs….. here’s camp at the Lake Ouachita State Park. They had pretty decent bath houses – not a bad park, but there were no tent pads in the section I was in. I got really tired of sliding down the hill in my bag.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1628/arkansas036.th.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas036.jpg)

A panorama from the top of the tower mountain overlooking Hot Springs…..

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/4638/hotspringspanorama2.th.jpg (http://img203.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hotspringspanorama2.jpg)

Then it rained for two days solid…….

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7898/arkansas044.th.jpg (http://img97.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas044.jpg)

I was cozy in my little tent. It sustained the thunderstorms pretty admirably. I was surprised I didn’t get more water inside with the intense rain that we had. It was pretty warm until Saturday morning too….. that Mont Bell bag was more than adequate for keeping me warm in the temps I had though.

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/618/arkansas045.th.jpg (http://img28.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas045.jpg)

All I could look at was the bugs that visited my tent for two days….LOL Lots of daddy long legs.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/232/arkansas053.th.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas053.jpg)

I had a $20 credit from Motorcycle Superstore from my tire purchase from them and used it to buy a balaclava from Schampa last month…… life saver! Kept my face from freezing on those cool mornings.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6709/arkansas062.th.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas062.jpg)

Me at Mt. Magazine State Park. Really, really glad that I took the time to shoot over there off of my trip up Highway 7. Some of the best views of the whole trip.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/4914/arkansas080.th.jpg (http://img3.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas080.jpg)

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8228/mtmagazinepanorama2.th.jpg (http://img20.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mtmagazinepanorama2.jpg) http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5858/mtmagazinepano2.th.jpg (http://img526.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mtmagazinepano2.jpg) http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/9891/mtmagazinepanorama4.th.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mtmagazinepanorama4.jpg)

My favorite of the panoramas of Mt. Magazine

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/1280/mtmagazinepanorama5.th.jpg (http://img526.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mtmagazinepanorama5.jpg)

I hit Mt. Nebo too on my trip up 7. Fun going up those switchbacks to the top of the mountain.

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/7743/mtnebopanorama1.th.jpg (http://img692.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mtnebopanorama1.jpg)

Stopped in the Cliff House restaurant south of Jasper….. the food was just so so, but the view was pretty awesome. Wish there had been some color down there. They call this the Grand Canyon of Arkansas. Tip: They don’t take credit cards for totals less than $15. I’ve never heard of such a high amount for that……

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/820/cliffhousepanorama.th.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cliffhousepanorama.jpg)

No pics Eureka Springs to speak of….. no pics of the awesome roads that I got to ride really either. 7 and 23 were all they say they are though. I took 23 (The Pig Trail) on my way back home Sunday and the weather was fabulous!

1,135 miles total…… some of the best riding I’ve done so far.

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/1943/arkansas157.th.jpg (http://img692.imageshack.us/my.php?image=arkansas157.jpg)

[Ironheadziggy76]

Great pics Fastfwd! Glad to hear all your gear worked out for you. P^

[Mellow]

Nice Ride report.. I'm heading to my Mom's place wed after work then on Friday will head across the Talimena Drive over to Magazine Mountain and then camp at Petit Jean SP in Arkansas.

I hope the colors hold out for me... the Talimena over the past few years has a very short time frame when you can catch the colors at full bore and it's usually just one weekend.

[Bug Dr.]

Nice report. I was glad to see things finally dry out here as well. There are plenty more roads here that you'd enjoy too. Gotta save something for next time. :D
Mike

[Fastfwd]

Nice Ride report.. I'm heading to my Mom's place wed after work then on Friday will head across the Talimena Drive over to Magazine Mountain and then camp at Petit Jean SP in Arkansas.

I hope the colors hold out for me... the Talimena over the past few years has a very short time frame when you can catch the colors at full bore and it's usually just one weekend.

Mt. Magazine appeared to be at about its peak to me. Maybe with the nice weather we’re supposed to have this week it will at least keep what color it had. I was super impressed with Mt. Magazine. I’d love to take a girlfriend to that lodge if she didn’t like to camp out.

Talimena seemed to be just shy of peak. I wonder if the sunshine will help bring on some better color this week? Hot Springs was just starting to turn actually. You’ll probably still see a lot of trees in people’s yards that are pretty brilliant on your trip over.

I’m not sure where it started, but somewhere north of Mt. Nebo it looked like they had a bad ice storm and there were no leaves on the trees anymore t speak of.

I bet it’s still going to be pretty nice over in Petit Jean State Park……

Nice report. I was glad to see things finally dry out here as well. There are plenty more roads here that you'd enjoy too. Gotta save something for next time. :D
Mike


I was amazed at all the motorcycles in Eureka Springs! I intended to have two days in Eureka Springs, but he rain kept me in Hot Springs. I intend to get back over there to check out Northern Arkansas a bit more someday soon.

[Trailace]

Great report and ride thanks for sharing. P^

[Arlo]

Yea, thanks for posting. I'm going to ride from Denton Tx up to OU to see my daughter this week. Looks like it will be via Arkansas after looking at your report.

[knolltop314]

In all that rain, isn't it amazing that rain doesn't get in tent but the bugs do??!!!
Good ride reports ... thanks!