Mena Ar - 4/29 & 4/30 - 2011

[EnduroRdr]

The Mena Arkansas area is one of my favorite places to ride!

I usually let others do the ride reports but since there were only 3 of us that actually made it, I suppose if it's gonna get done, I should do this in the "Spirit of Sharing a Great Ride".

The original plan was for me, 2 sons, and my usual riding buddies (my Brother-in-laws) to go during the Easter break. But the 2 B-I-L's couldn't make it. Then at last minute one of my sons bailed out also. For weeks I planned and fretted over the weather forecasts. Then once we saw a clear window I sent out an invite for any other inmates that could go.

AttoirRE took the bait, and I'm glad he could make it - even if only for one day.
He is very familiar with the area and gladly lead us around on Friday.

I know you guys want pictures, not a novel, so here goes.

Since I already had 3 bikes loaded we decided to just take the 3rd one along anyway as a spare.

We drove up Thursday and got to Mena around 3pm, checked in:
Talk about some luxurious accommodations,- We elected to just rent the April deal at Wolfpen for a Yurt, The savings on fuel from pulling the camper would offset the difference in cost. Well at least it was a bed.

Well I didn't consider having to take a leak during a rain storm and the bath house being across the campground.

So first order of business was a ride.

Headed out north on some roads I was familiar with then over to take in the views at Queen Wilhelmina State Park.
Of course we took some dirt on the way




Once there the view was great:

The Lodge, about this time I'm thinking maybe we should have stayed here

We had company up there:

The road back to camp - we took 88 back into Mena.
This one doesnt do this road real justice. Wish I had the camera out for some of the better curves.

Still uploading more to come:

 

[AttoirRE]

Ah, ze moment I've been waiting for.

 

[EnduroRdr]

Friday morning we geared up for another great day of riding.
Here's our ride leader for Friday: (AttoirRE)

Some vid of Wolfpen roads in Ouachita NF:
Last time I saw this road it was mid October - as the song goes - You should have seen it in color!



More views:

More road pictures:

It's getting late and I'm slow at uploading video.
Will continue once it gets saved.
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[EnduroRdr]

Easter weekend some really bad weather had blown through. Some of the effects can be seen in videos.

Here we took some ATV trails in Wolfpen on our way south toward Blue Hole.
I think this is polk rd 612.


Just prior to this ride I had fabricated a skid plate for the cx500 - good thing I had it. Otherwise I may have been bleeding oil all over the place

Skid plate:

I was beginning to think AttoirRE was trying to see just how bad of a trail the cx could handle - he headed straight over to "NF Dev Rd-512"

You know, the rocks sure don't look as bad in the video as they really are - but all I know is I sure didn't want to fall in them

Start of 512 heading east:


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[StarSapphire]

Looks like fun!

The next time you go, there's an awesome steak house - The Branding Iron - in Mena. Killer steaks, great burgers, and homemade desserts including PIE.

 

[AttoirRE]

Great vids, ready for the rest of 'em. =)

 

[EnduroRdr]

I hate editing video - takes forever on a slow computer
Even though all I have to do is cut it down to an acceptable file size for youtube upload it is a royal pain.

I still have a lot to cover and this is still just Friday I still have Saturday to go yet. I may be posting for days -

Here is the second part of 512 - now the rocks are getting a little bigger


Here is the third part of 512, right before the deep crossing.


The 512 water crossing: Not as bad as we thought it would be!



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[EnduroRdr]

And the last part of 512 that I recorded - the flat tire!



Didn't take many pictures of the tire change. But here's how that went down.

First had to find a log - no center stand (I was trying to save weight).

We had a spare tube, had tools, forgot CO2.
So I had to ride back to camp for air on Kevin's bike.

I got to ride 512 twice

Gettin tired - More tomorrow

 

[EnduroRdr]

Looks like fun!

The next time you go, there's an awesome steak house - The Branding Iron - in Mena. Killer steaks, great burgers, and homemade desserts including PIE.

Thanks for the tip! I'll remember that.

 

[AttoirRE]

Impatiently waiting. =) I wanna hear about K Trail man, how far did you guys run?

 

[EnduroRdr]

Sorry had to go back to work, I'll update soon.

 

[AttoirRE]

*cry*

 

[EnduroRdr]

OK work got in the way for a few days, now back to the RR:

Now here we sit in the middle of cr512 with a flat, we got a tube (we got 2)! We got tools, But I forgot to repack the co2 bottles I used from the last tire change.

So we had no choice but for somebody to go get something to air it up. I took the DR back to camp riding as fast as I could. that was a mistake! I went a little faster than the Avon style tread front tire could handle on one particular sharp turn. Off the road I went into the trees and rocks Thankfully I slid off the road and was stopped by the trees and not off the side of a mountain.

Sorry no pictures of that moment, I was on a mission to get back to camp so I dusted off, rubbed the sore knee and proceeded back to camp this time somewhat cautiously slower!

Got there and strapped a foot pump to the DR rack, along with another 18" tube. Got back and with Joe's help we made quick work of replacing the tube.

Once back moving we finished 512 then on to Missouri Falls:

Along the way this sign seemed particularly appropriate for this trip:

this was Friday, it was only 2 days later on Sunday that the National Guard helicopters pulled a Louisiana Boy Scout group to high ground in Albert Pike area. the rains started Saturday and yes we rode in it

Arriving at Missouri Falls:

The previous rains had ended 4 days earlier so the falls were not too dramatic.

But they were much nicer than the drought during my last visit:
for comparison This shot is from our visit in Oct 2010: Weak stream! I think they need a little Flowmax
Sorry - Old Man Humor.

Break time!

 

[EnduroRdr]

Time to Ride! Our next stop would be Blue Hole. Joe again set the pace and off we went. With all the riding we had done that morning - we were gonna need fuel soon. Closest would be in Langley.

But first we will ride up to Blue Hole:

Now we wanted to go up to the top (the other side!).
Here's the ride up:


Joe elected to take the shortcut! I think I'll pass, the cx is probably pushing 400 lbs, I didnt really want to fight the pig so I'll take the easy route -



And one for posterity -

After this it is on to Langley for gas and food. Along the way we encountered a washout and a downed tree from the storms several days earlier.
Here is a shot of the blocked road:

Gettin late, I'll try to update more tomorrow.





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[EnduroRdr]

Wow, I seem to have gotten side tracked (like way side tracked), back in May I was supposed to get back to this RR "Tomorrow" to update it. Well I'm only 6+ months late for the update!

Ok seems where I left off we had just left Blue Hole, We slabbed it to Langly for some gas and lunch. Cant find any pictures of that part.

After we headed back toward wolfpen but stopped along the way at the High Point tower. - a familiar stop in wolfpen.

Shadows were getting longer and so we headed back. Got to camp and popped a cold one then AttoirRE said goodbye and headed home.

 

[EnduroRdr]

Next morning we woke up to cloud cover. Rode into town and picked up a few supplies at Walmart. In the process we seemed to loose the keys to the DR. Dang-it

After tracing our steps found them on the floor by the cashier. I suppose they dropped when digging out some money.

Finally now the bellies are full, tanks are full, and we can head out to K-trail.

We started our travels going east to west. Did I say it was over cast?
Well over cast soon turned into rain:

Which means mud:

Rode about 10 miles up onto the ridge then breakdown!
The fuel filter on the DR split open and was poring gas out on the motor.

Dont know for how long but after looking in the tank looks like we lost about half a gallon lower than the XR tank.

Repair options - Well simple enough - take the gas cap vent line and replace the gas line from petcock.

Actually there was still enough line to put back on the gas cap.

Ok DR repaired lets roll:

Got to Three Sticks - did I say it was over cast?

Visibility is getting worse as we ride!

Kevin looked like he was questioning our sanity, but he wanted to ride on every-bit as much as I did.

Ok next stop was the fire tower:

This ended up being the last shot of the day, sadly it kept raining. But we kept riding and had a great time. By the time we got off K-trail it was getting close to dark. So we slabbed it back to Mena via the Scenic OK#1 (AKA the Talimena Hwy). In the Rain, in the Dark, in the fog, We had the whole hwy to our selves, only problem in that crappy weather we could only go about 30mph. Got back to Mena around 10PM. And hit the rack for a good night sleep listening to the rain.

Woke up Sunday, rain had stopped (for now), but the creek by camp was rising.

this was normally the way I drive in - through the creek, but today we were gonna stick with the bridge.

We had toyed with the idea of another morning ride but since we were looking at an 8 hour drive home anyway we just loaded up the truck instead.

Good thing I think as the water kept rising: Took this pic of the creek as we were leaving:
No way I'm driving across that creek today!

Somewhere I had more pictures of the Saturday ride but for the life of me I cant seem to find them. I guess I shouldn't take 6 months updating a RR and I probably wouldn't struggle finding the photos -

Stick a fork in her - this RR's done!

 

[Tourmeister]

I have been known to let a few reports "linger"... Nice finish!