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Arkansas ride.

Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
3,600
Reaction score
4,346
Location
Bryan, TX
First Name
Dennie
Last Name
Spears
5 of us did a reunion ride in Arkansas this last weekend. I got home Monday night around 10:30 after a 550 mile ride with a high temp of 35. Awesome ride all 4 days. Thanks TWT members for all the tips on where to ride. We did Petit Jean, Magazine Mountain, Highway 7 and 9, The Talimena Trail, Ouachita Lake, and more. Will post a few pics and short story tonight. Posted in Story Telling because I might lie a little if my co-riders don't post anything.
 
We left Bryan, Tx. on Friday in very bad weather. Due to time constraints and ice on the roads, we decided to trailer to Hot Springs. It was slow going and took longer to get to Buffalo than it did to get from Buffalo to Hot Springs. We arrived around 4:00 and decided a short ride was a good idea. It certainly was. We took the advice of TWT members and rode up to the tower above the national park.

Along the road. B-King that was shined up for the ride.
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My superhawk that was not shined up for the ride. Loaned to Maurice.
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Notice that my white FZ1 is strategically placed out of line with the rear tires of the truck.

The tower above the park. The ride up consisted of many first gear turns. It was a 1 way street or it would have been extremely dangerous.
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View of Hot Springs below.
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Ray, Mo, Phil and Mark. Mo looks like his bladder may have recently been emptied.
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More later, I have a dinner date with my 91 year old mother in law. We go out once a week without my wife, just to get away.
 
Our cabin and all the bikes except the superhawk. I guess it was embarrassed to be seen with the other bikes. We had originally planned to camp, but 2 of our riders didn't have tents or sleeping bags. With the cool temps, it was nice to have a roof and a fireplace.

As soon as we unpacked, I knew that we were not going to take any advice from TWT on where to eat. I saw my riding buddies unpack a bottle of Jim Beam, a bottle labeled VODCA with no brand name, many dented cans of Bud Lite, and some chicken jerky with only a little mold that needed to be scraped off. One exclaimed, “It looks like we’re set to go.”
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The next morning we ate at the Waffle House and it took over an hour and a half before we were out of there. We’ll cook our own eggs and sausage for the next 2 mornings. Today’s ride is to Petit Jean State Park and the car museum that is just outside the park. We also decided to hike down to a waterfall in Petit Jean park. Back to Lake Catherine on highway 7, one we would ride several times.

The lakes were all low. This is the boat dock behind our cabin.
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The car museum outside Petit Jean park had 2 vehicles that I once owned. Well, not the exact same vehicles, but facsimiles. This was my second motorcycle, bought very used in 1968. The kick starter just below the gas tank did not have a spring return. One had to bend down and pick up the lever for each kick.
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And this was the luckiest car ever. I dated my wife in a '57 Chevy convertible. While I was in boot camp, my uncle was arrested while driving my car. When I came home on leave, I owed $250 in towing and storage. "Keep it!," I said. The guy in charge of the museum said this one was worth around $100K.
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Mine did not have the wheel skirts.

My favorite in the museum. Note the wooden spokes. The spare doesn't have spokes, but is bolted to the inner rim.
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After the car museum, we did a little hike down to a waterfall. For scale,4 teens are behind the falls. Beautiful place. Lots of ice frozen from the mist.
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The pond in front of the museum did not thaw all day. This pic was taken around 3:00.
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On the way to the falls, my buddies held up this rock so I could safely pass. I don't know why, but photobucket will not let me turn this picture 90 degrees.
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A welcome fireplace inside the lodge at Petit Jean SP.
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Maurice with a smile on his face and a 60 MPH wind blowing his ample beard.
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Mark riding side by side. His hands are cold in those BMX gloves, but not as cold as my naked hand. I had to take off one of my gloves in order to take pictures while riding.
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The first day, I came to the conclusion that there are no bad motorcycle roads around Hot Springs, only good, better and best.
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I'm not sure whether they are expressing friendship or holding hands to warm them.
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On top of Petit Jean Mountain. Well, at least as far up as I wanted to go without taking off some of my riding gear in order to safely leap to the higher boulder.
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The river and an erosion control levee. Ray's so happy because the sun is shining.
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The second day, we decided to ride to Magazine Mountain. The scenery in Arkansas is not dramatic like it is in the rockies or even the smokies, so my photographic abilities do not allow me to capture the true beauty like M38A1, Woodbutcher or others could. Trust me when I tell you that it's hard to concentrate on the road while riding beside a beautiful lake or crossing multiple creeks and rivers. Arkansas is a fisherman's paradise and a state full of beauty. The roads around Jean Petit and Magazine Mountain rival those in Colorado.

I took this one on top of Magazine mountain before I saw the sign on the left side of the picture.
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Subtract Maurice and add me. As you can see, I'm about 20 years older than my riding partners. Later in the trip we'll talk about that. I'll share our conclusion later.
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Over my shoulder pic along highway 27, I believe. Headed back to the cabin.
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On the way back to the cabin, my camera battery went dead. It has always lasted much longer than 4 days so I hadn't bothered bringing a backup or the charger (remember, the original plan was to camp w/o electricity).
 
My hats off to you!:giveup: It would take a lot of Vodka(and I don't drink) to ride 4 days with a high of 35. lol Great story and pics.
 
Liability explanation: I don't suggest anyone ride side by side and take pictures of each other. I have done it for many years and many times per year without a crash. I have also been riding for 49 years and my 4 companions have well over 100 years of combined riding experience.

About our age difference: The 5 of us have been riding together for 25 years and some of us have been riding together for more than 30 years. We are all highly skilled riders, on the track, street and in the dirt, but I know that my mind and my skills are changing and fast. At breakfast the first morning, we were talking about a past riding companion that is no longer asked to come along because of other reasons than age and declining skills. He was never told that we didn't want him along, but we let him ride with us for a couple of years after we were fed up with his antics. I told my buddies that I realize my declining abilities will some day cause them to wish I wasn't riding along. I asked them to please just say, "It's time." It might be several years, but it's coming and I want to be told when it's time.
 
My hats off to you!:giveup: It would take a lot of Vodka(and I don't drink) to ride 4 days with a high of 35. lol Great story and pics.

The high of 35 was just the 550 mile ride home which included a ride along the Talimena Trail and a detour to see a relative. Fridays ride was in the mid 30s, but both Saturday and Sunday the temperature was between 28 and 60 degrees.
 
We all trailered to Hot springs because of the icy conditions when we left, however Maurice and I wanted to ride the Talimena Trail since it had been several years since he had done so and more 30 since I had ridden it.
My honey along the trail in 1981.
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And our 1980 850 Yamaha triple, complete with Samsonite luggage, also along the trail.
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On Sunday we rode the shore of lake Ouachita and that's the way we headed going to the trail. We rode 270 to 88 and the closer we got to Mena, the better the roads became. From Mena to 259, the good riding is continuous. I highly recommend the Talimena Trail. Our total mileage on the bikes was close to 1200 miles.
 
Hey Dennie thanks for the write up. This was the second best motorcycle trip I've been on. You were on the first 20years ago with me and I haven't done one since. Haha
I had a absolute blast and enjoyed every moment, even yelling at Moe.
Thanks for documenting everything!!
Can't wait to do it again.

Mark T
 
I also enjoyed it. It would be in my top 5 if it had been longer. Without my 4 companions, it wouldn't even be in my top 20. Unlike Mark and my other 3 companions, I didn't go home from our trip 22 years ago and immediately start having babies. Instead, I went riding. I have been blessed with many friends and family member that had wonderful children. Most like me until they reach the age of 10 and realize that they are more mature than me.:trust::lol2:
 
I told my buddies that I realize my declining abilities will some day cause them to wish I wasn't riding along. I asked them to please just say, "It's time." It might be several years, but it's coming and I want to be told when it's time.

"With age comes wisdom. But, sometimes age comes alone."

I hope it's many years but we should all be as considerate.
 
No VFR, superhawk VTR1000. You must have drank too much from the bottle labeled "Vodca".
 
Nice trip, humanrace! Arkansas 7 is amazing, and I love me some Petit Jean State Park!
 
Denny, AR is always a blast...not so sure I can do those temps. But best part of a ride is having good buddies with you. Good ride report. Glad you are all home safe & sound. See ya at the track.
 
You're right about the best part being the people you're with. It took 22 years for the 5 of us to all go on a ride together at the same time. We already have another planned for July in Colorado.
 
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