So pretty much on the spur of the moment, I got a kitchen pass to go for a ride last weekend. I got home from work, had dinner with Joy and then threw a few things on the bike.
I departed Richardson at 1930 and headed east on I30, taking breaks in Mt Vernon (home of Don Meredith)and Texarkana (the Arkansas side of town).
By now it was dark. The 75 mph speed limit helped to move things along. At about midnight I pulled into my Motel6 in Arkadelphia. Didn't get to sleep til probably 1AM
Sat morning I slept in and walked a block to have a biscuit at McDonald's. KSU at 0930. Up the highway a few minutes to Malvern,AR, then back towards Hot Springs. My plan was to avoid riding into Hot Springs proper but I made a couple of wrong turns and found myself smack in the middle of historic downtown Hot Springs on the main drag where all the old bath houses were and some still are.
If you aren't familiar with Hot Springs, back in the 20s and 30s and possibly into the 40s, Hot Springs was "Vegas" before there was Vegas. It was the playground of some of the richest people in America, with luxury homes all around Lake Catherine and some on the many islands that dot the lake.
There was horse racing, and gaming abundant
Hot Springs was the favorite vacation spot for some of the most infamous mobsters of the time and was considered by all to be "Neutral Ground" where rival mobsters could unwind in safety and even socialize with one another.
The famous gambler Titanic Thompson spent lots of time in Hot Springs plying his trade also
Anyway, as luck would have it, if you are heading north on the main drag, it turns into Scenic Byway 7, my target run for the morning. So I pressed forward into the woods with anticipation.
Mellow had warned that there would be too many cars on 7 to have fun, but I got lucky and had the entire northern run to myself except for about 10 minutes. Once I dispatched the two cagers holding me up, I flew all the way into Ola, AR.
Let me stop here and try to describe the #7 byway. Best I can describe it is to say that it is mountain riding, but the road can be managed at highway speeds without being wreckless. A real pleasure to ride. You know the yellow signs that suggest how fast to go thru a corner?
Well, on AR7 most of these curves can be negotiated at 30 to 40 mph above the 'recommended' speed with no feeling of being dangerous or irresponsible.
Beauty was everywhere this weekend in Arkansas: All the highways were lined with Crimson Clover;All the unmown patures were ablaze with some kind f yellow wildflowers, but the most stunning detail was that all the mountain side understory was awash in Dogwood blooms. Just amazing.
So Ola, as far as I can tell is not much more than a crossroads with a general store and such. A favorite weigh station for bikers and a stop on many poker runs, ( I only know because there was a bin at the cash register with beads in it. The bin was marked 'poker run tokens')
Lots of fried comestibles at the ready and gas pumps. When I pulled in there were three or four separate groups of weekend pirates with their wives and girlfriends. All nice folks out for a run...
I headed on north towards Russellville . If you are a fan of the movie True Grit, you'll like this: as you head north on 7, you have to pass through Dardenelle in Yell County to get to Russellville.
Lunch at Firehouse Subs in Russellville, which sits on I40. I continued north on 7 and rode on into Jasper. Lots of ridgerunning now with vistas opening into valleys where the previous miles were mostly moutainside on both sides with no real vistas.
The 4 mile descent into Jasper is 7% all the way. Jasper is another crossroads in the hills that is a watering hole and food stop for bikers. Also a hub of tourism with lots of rental properties around the area.
Gas and go pitstop and then about 20 more miles north on 7. At some point I realized I should turn back south so I looked at my phone and took a little byway that got me to Bellafonte, where I turned east in search of the junction of 65 and 123.
123 is know as The Dragon in Arkansas. It is all fun but once you pass Mt Judea going South, things get serious. I wont use a lot of words to describe The Dragon
"Brilliant" is the word I would use if I were a Brit. A road that tests you at every turn but is not overly technical. I made most of the first 30 miles of the run in 3 and 4th gears, always between 5 and 6K rpm. Intense. Never used 5th gear in that hour. Pavement like butter; confidence inspiring smoothness; just lovely
Then I realized I was tired. I rode on another hour or two. I dodnt have reservations anywhere so I resolved to look for a Motel6 as I began to make my way back towards home. I came out of the woods in Clarksville but didn't see any Motel6, so I continued west on 40 until I reach the Ft Smith area and found a good Motel6 in Van Buren, a suburb of Ft Smith.
Stayed two nights in a row in refurbished Motel6s. Good experience
Now I had to worry about the weather everyone was in a dither about on the TV. But first a steak, some sleep and see what the morning brought.
Sunday awoke to no rain, but ominous skies in every direction.
I took off again about 9:40 and decided that since the weather was going to be a factor, I would forego the scenic route home (including the Talimena Drive) and take the slab to save time.
Not 5 minutes after heading west on 40, I rode about ten minutes thru a shower. Only my knees got wet. I pulled over and donned my rain pants, closed the vents on my jacket and rode on.
Once I saw the two teams of tornado hunters going east as I ode west, I knew my only worry would be getting wet. I saw one of those SUVS they turn into a tank for chasing tornadoes.
I never saw another drop of rain that day
Got home about 1500 and had a hot meal waiting for me.
I departed Richardson at 1930 and headed east on I30, taking breaks in Mt Vernon (home of Don Meredith)and Texarkana (the Arkansas side of town).
By now it was dark. The 75 mph speed limit helped to move things along. At about midnight I pulled into my Motel6 in Arkadelphia. Didn't get to sleep til probably 1AM
Sat morning I slept in and walked a block to have a biscuit at McDonald's. KSU at 0930. Up the highway a few minutes to Malvern,AR, then back towards Hot Springs. My plan was to avoid riding into Hot Springs proper but I made a couple of wrong turns and found myself smack in the middle of historic downtown Hot Springs on the main drag where all the old bath houses were and some still are.
If you aren't familiar with Hot Springs, back in the 20s and 30s and possibly into the 40s, Hot Springs was "Vegas" before there was Vegas. It was the playground of some of the richest people in America, with luxury homes all around Lake Catherine and some on the many islands that dot the lake.
There was horse racing, and gaming abundant
Hot Springs was the favorite vacation spot for some of the most infamous mobsters of the time and was considered by all to be "Neutral Ground" where rival mobsters could unwind in safety and even socialize with one another.
The famous gambler Titanic Thompson spent lots of time in Hot Springs plying his trade also
Anyway, as luck would have it, if you are heading north on the main drag, it turns into Scenic Byway 7, my target run for the morning. So I pressed forward into the woods with anticipation.
Mellow had warned that there would be too many cars on 7 to have fun, but I got lucky and had the entire northern run to myself except for about 10 minutes. Once I dispatched the two cagers holding me up, I flew all the way into Ola, AR.
Let me stop here and try to describe the #7 byway. Best I can describe it is to say that it is mountain riding, but the road can be managed at highway speeds without being wreckless. A real pleasure to ride. You know the yellow signs that suggest how fast to go thru a corner?
Well, on AR7 most of these curves can be negotiated at 30 to 40 mph above the 'recommended' speed with no feeling of being dangerous or irresponsible.
Beauty was everywhere this weekend in Arkansas: All the highways were lined with Crimson Clover;All the unmown patures were ablaze with some kind f yellow wildflowers, but the most stunning detail was that all the mountain side understory was awash in Dogwood blooms. Just amazing.
So Ola, as far as I can tell is not much more than a crossroads with a general store and such. A favorite weigh station for bikers and a stop on many poker runs, ( I only know because there was a bin at the cash register with beads in it. The bin was marked 'poker run tokens')
Lots of fried comestibles at the ready and gas pumps. When I pulled in there were three or four separate groups of weekend pirates with their wives and girlfriends. All nice folks out for a run...
I headed on north towards Russellville . If you are a fan of the movie True Grit, you'll like this: as you head north on 7, you have to pass through Dardenelle in Yell County to get to Russellville.
Lunch at Firehouse Subs in Russellville, which sits on I40. I continued north on 7 and rode on into Jasper. Lots of ridgerunning now with vistas opening into valleys where the previous miles were mostly moutainside on both sides with no real vistas.
The 4 mile descent into Jasper is 7% all the way. Jasper is another crossroads in the hills that is a watering hole and food stop for bikers. Also a hub of tourism with lots of rental properties around the area.
Gas and go pitstop and then about 20 more miles north on 7. At some point I realized I should turn back south so I looked at my phone and took a little byway that got me to Bellafonte, where I turned east in search of the junction of 65 and 123.
123 is know as The Dragon in Arkansas. It is all fun but once you pass Mt Judea going South, things get serious. I wont use a lot of words to describe The Dragon
"Brilliant" is the word I would use if I were a Brit. A road that tests you at every turn but is not overly technical. I made most of the first 30 miles of the run in 3 and 4th gears, always between 5 and 6K rpm. Intense. Never used 5th gear in that hour. Pavement like butter; confidence inspiring smoothness; just lovely
Then I realized I was tired. I rode on another hour or two. I dodnt have reservations anywhere so I resolved to look for a Motel6 as I began to make my way back towards home. I came out of the woods in Clarksville but didn't see any Motel6, so I continued west on 40 until I reach the Ft Smith area and found a good Motel6 in Van Buren, a suburb of Ft Smith.
Stayed two nights in a row in refurbished Motel6s. Good experience
Now I had to worry about the weather everyone was in a dither about on the TV. But first a steak, some sleep and see what the morning brought.
Sunday awoke to no rain, but ominous skies in every direction.
I took off again about 9:40 and decided that since the weather was going to be a factor, I would forego the scenic route home (including the Talimena Drive) and take the slab to save time.
Not 5 minutes after heading west on 40, I rode about ten minutes thru a shower. Only my knees got wet. I pulled over and donned my rain pants, closed the vents on my jacket and rode on.
Once I saw the two teams of tornado hunters going east as I ode west, I knew my only worry would be getting wet. I saw one of those SUVS they turn into a tank for chasing tornadoes.
I never saw another drop of rain that day
Got home about 1500 and had a hot meal waiting for me.
