Northern Arkansas - Memorial Day week

[Mighty Manfred]

I making a return trip to northern Arkansas with a couple other riders. This will be a jump from Houston to Hot Springs, then 6 days of the best roads in the Ozarks, then another 400 mile jump from Hot Springs to home in the swamp known as Houston. We'll be camping and riding about 200 miles a day once in state.

 

I researched many forums to plot the best roads that I haven't been on yet. Here they be:

 

Begin Route End Distance Cum May Lodging

Home http://snipurl.com/9fia8-dawg Hot Springs 457 457 23 http://hotspringsrv.com/

Hot Springs http://snipurl.com/gn71n-dawg Eureka Springs 205 662 24 http://www.ironhorsestables.com/

Eureka Springs http://snipurl.com/ao501-dawg-dawg Eureka Springs 240 902 25 http://www.ironhorsestables.com/

Eureka Springs http://snipurl.com/b0cnp-dawg Buffalo River 172 1,074 26 http://snipurl.com/am1mg-dawg-dawg

Buffalo River http://snipurl.com/b0cxh-dawg Buffalo River 173 1,247 27 same as above

Buffalo River http://snipurl.com/b0d07-dawg Petit Jean St Park 245 1,492 28 http://www.petitjeanstatepark.com/accommodations/camping.aspx booked

Petit Jean St Park http://snipurl.com/869n9-dawg-dawg Hot Springs 222 1,714 29 http://hotspringsrv.com/

Hot Springs http://snipurl.com/8ugaq-dawg-dawg Home 406 2,120 30

 

[flat_twin]

Arkansas highway engineers must have been motorcyclists.

Most of the Arkansas state roads I've been on were banked and curved perfectly. I see you're passing thru Mountain View. If you have any interest at all in old time acoustic music played outdoors in a casual setting you should spend a night or two there in Mountain View. My wife and I have stayed at Cabins by the Square which is an easy walk uptown. http://www.cabinsbythesquare.com/

If you'd rather camp, this place is real nice and just north of town. http://www.sylamorecreek.com/

The campground in town is geared for RV's and not very tent friendly.

The music uptown is always different every time we've been there but on our last visit we found a very talented group playing a mix of 40's swing and old standards. The lady who sang just blew me away with her vocals as well as her skills on the double bass. They didn't stop until 1am! On a weekend evening it's not unusual to find six or more goups playing all around the town square.

The Ozark Folk Center is interesting as is Blanchard Caverns just north of Mountain View.

One more thing....spring is chigger season. Stay out of the tall grass. DAMHIK!!!!!!

 

 

[Mighty Manfred]

Thanks for the note, flat_twin. I appreciate, especially, the caution about chiggers! Here in the swamp, we don't have those pests. But I've forgotten about them before - years ago - and learned how miserable they are.

 

We've already reserved a camp site at Buffalo River State Park, but we do have time to explore the sights and the culture while we're near Mountain Home.

 

I agree about the roads in Arkansas - fantastic! I spent a few days near Ozark in 2007; trip report here - Arkansas 2007.

[Paul Mihalka]

Two motorcycle/BMW related spots to visit near Eureka Springs: Cycle Gadgets http://www.cyclegadgets.com/ , and Bentonville BMW http://www.bentonvillebmw.com/ . If you need new tires, you can buy them at Bentonville and they will mount them free.

[Mighty Manfred]

Thanks, Paul!

 

My riding buddy is on a Harley - while he is off buying a T-shirt I can visit the BMW dealer :-)

 

I have less than 1,000 miles on a set of Avon RoadRiders so I hope I won't need tires while on this trip - but one never knows!

 

We plan on "lift-off" in less than 2 weeks - 23 May. Can't wait!

[Paul Mihalka]

Cycle Gadgets has lot of stuff for Harleys

[Deek]

"...Arkansas highway engineers must have been motorcyclists. ...."

 

Don't think I've heard it put better!

[Fugu]

"...Arkansas highway engineers must have been motorcyclists. ...."

 

Don't think I've heard it put better!

 

I am writing up my recent trip and AR was a major positive surprise. I had a blast in the Ouachita mountains and I hear the Ozarks are better.

 

 

[Kathy R]

Ick. I had to read up on Chiggers

 

One commonly known remedy for chigger bites is to apply nail polish to reduce itchiness

 

The color is up to you

 

 

[Mighty Manfred]

From that same article:

 

"it's much better to use a salve or cream that contains antihistamines (Caladryl or hydrocortisone salves are the most common). Like nail polish, these treatments will seal the bite from the surrounding air, but they will also help to prevent infection."

[Mighty Manfred]

About 13 hours to lift-off! All packed up and anxious to hit the road. Will keep a dairy and take lots of pix.

[Yeeha! Stephen]

Moo...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mighty Manfred]

Made it back a day early - my riding buddy ran his Harley off AR-9 about 10 miles west of Melborne. Had the good fortune to land in a ditch on the up hill side, as the down hill side would be about a 300 foot fall. Minor damage to his bike - inside of the fairing and the top of his trunk. His left knee was damaged. His wife drove up and towed him and the hog home. Most of Thursday was waiting with him for his wife adn getting the beats loaded. But I road 80% of the roads I planned and we both had a great time, even though it rained off and on for the first 4 days.

 

I rode home 550 miles from Pettit Jean state park for a total of 2,200 miles for the 7 days. I will write up a full trip report, with pix, and post it on my web site in a few days.

[Mighty Manfred]

Here's the trip report - hope you enjoy it.

 

http://brogdensmuse.menofhonorministry.org/Bikes/Arkansas_Part_Deux.htm

[Rinkydink]

Great ride report...Sorry the weather sucked so bad as this was the 2nd wettest May in AR since they started keeping records sometime in the 1800s.

 

Glad to hear Andy isn't hurt too badly as it sounds like the other side of the road could've ended his riding career permanantly.

[Mighty Manfred]

Tanks for the note, rinky. Andy is in his typical good humor. His wife is eager to sell the Harley - he's had 3 minor crashes on it; none on the old Goldwing he used to ride.

 

With the weather - ya takes your chances. I think Andy will get a good rain suit before next trip :-)

[lvnvbiker]

Big difference in handling between the Goldwing and the Roadglide, which may explian his misshaps... If he's riding the HD and expecting Honda brakes, well that just aint there for him, and the ground clearance in corners if way less also. Really in anything with a bend in it you need to take the HD down a few notches and leave alot of room for braking distances. Glad that he's OK and that y'all had a good ride other than that ditch nap.