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Talimena Autumn

Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Messages
13,467
Reaction score
2,822
Location
Centennial, CO
First Name
Tim
Last Name
Shelfer
I finally managed to pull off my Talimena trip. It was a windblown ride in both directions. In fact, the only time I was out of the wind for 3 days was when I was in a bathroom. But it was a good trip nevertheless. And most important, I found good roads and fall color.

With the wind like it is, the leaves won't last long. But if you go within the next 2-3 days, you may get lucky. The best color I saw was close to the Winding Stair NF campground, close to Mena, and along Hwy 8 west of Mena.

#1 This is Talimena State Park - the row where the tent sites are. Very secluded.
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#2 Some color close to my campsite.
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#3
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#4
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#5
Sunset in the campground.
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#6 The first thing you see when you turn onto the Talimena Scenic Highway. Take this sign seriously.
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#7 It was pretty overcast in the morning. But great riding, still.
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#8 Weird lighting as the sun and clouds duked it out for a while.
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#9
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#10 At 2,000 feet, the clouds won. I drove in pea soup, sometimes with my blinkers on, and visibility less than 50 yards.
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#11 Nice view.
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#12 It began to clear up, and the color improved, as I got close to Mena.
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#13
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#14 Yup, this is why we ride.
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#15
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#16 The next few pictures are heading back from Mena along Hwy 8/68. The riding is less challenging, but the fall color was excellent.
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#17
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#18
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#19
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#20 One of my very favorites.
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#21 I turned south on US 259, and went over the pass toward Beavers Bend. It was beautiful up there.
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#22
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#23
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#24 I shot these two Harley dudes in Heavener. The lead guy was a bit surprised and stopped to talk for a moment. I think he thought I was a cop.
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#25
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#26
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#27 Back in camp. The VStrom just loves to have her picture taken.
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#28 One more picture, just before the sun sets. Headed home tomorrow.
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Made it home to Arlington today in 4 hrs 20 minutes. According to weather.com, the wind was blowing better than 20mph and gusting much higher, so I took a beating - particularly once I turned west on I-30. Some of the gusts were the kind that try to screw your helmet around your head. And twice, my tank bag got ripped off - I caught it between my elbows & pinned it back down with my chest.

Still, I went for the fall color. I didn't come home empty-handed.
 
Agreed that you did not come home empty handed. Glad you went and took your camera with you, I am drooling!

#14 just puts a smile on my face!

Thanks for bringing some color back with you to share.
 
Rode there today also. The wind was tough to deal with, but the roads and colors on Talimena have never disappointed me. Only a few more days of leaves though. Thanks for sharing your pics.
 
Next time, I'm gonna number my pictures so I don't have to count my way through. The picture going up the pass?
 
Okay, I figured out which one #22 is. Yeah, I like that one. I've titled it "Addison's Walk."
 
I first saw these on my phone. What a treat to see them on the computer monitor at home. Wowzer. Those sure show the colors and roads! :clap:
 
I think #14 is my favorite, too. Of course, I can't see all the colors . . .
 
Dead leaves, Danny. They're green like Daddy's hair. :mrgreen: Sorry guys, inside family joke.
 
#7 pic - the first time I rode this as we were going on the drive at about 5 pm, the clouds suddenly dropped out of the sky and we were riding at 5-10 mph not able to see one car length in front of us. We literally stopped at the entrance, accidentally, to the Queen Wilhelmina lodge, and could not see the entrance sign for it because of the fog.

The Ozarks are pretty with some of the best riding in the region. If you haven't ridden in the west/northwest part of the state it should be on your bucket list.

Glad I moved to northern Arkansas.
 
I started off Sunday morning for coffee at Daingerfield , Ride snowballed up 259 then across to Mena. Back country roads to Lake Ouachita then back NorthWest into Oklahoma again then back home down 259...Yammie FJR worked for her keep this trip..

Tired - Happy - Sore--Was worth it:rider:
 
One of my favorite rides. Thanks for sharing all the pictures. In fact, one of them really made me smile. I never made it from Mena to the park this low cloud foggy day though. Got to zero vis a few miles West of this picture which I took heading back to Mena.
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Poor quality cell phone pic from the other end of the same stretch of the Talimena Drive back in 2011 -- we try to ride up there every September for the "Chain Gang" rally at the state park:
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Great pics! Bummed now that I missed a ride up there this past fall. I wanna really go there now.
 
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