Speaking of Arkansas...

[junior varsity]

Going to miss the meeting, but my 2cents are: Available to drive a 4dr tahoe and tow a trailer. Room for me +3 in the car with gear. Can bring tools and my limited experience with 2Vs.

i have 3 day weekends this spring, starting on thursday afternoons through Sunday. Good any weekend. Can't do late April.

[jdugger]

Wow, this thread is up to 4 pages already? If we can't agree on which town to stay in how in the world will we ever agree on the routes?? Then there is where, when and what to eat??

Experience tells me these things:

1.  Stay in Clarksville.  It's easy/close to get to, and it's right on the best roads.  It's best for those riding up because there's good twisties all the way there, and it's best for those trailering because it's right off I-40 and a shorter drive.  There's one OK place to get dinner called the Pasta Grill.  There's two completely reasonable hotels, a Holiday Inn Express and a Hampton.  Both are clean, comfortable, and relatively inexpensive, and right next door to each other and "93" gas.

2.  Plan lunch dynamically.  For the most part, all the places suck, so it's just a matter of what time you are rolling into what part of the route.  I know a handful of places from the Cliff House, to the Oark Diner, Jasper diner, to BBQ near Push mountain, to Anglers, etc... Just go with the flow.  If you need nightlife, *hands down* Fayetteville is the best, but that's a whole new hassle in making sure you aren't there on a college event weekend.

3.  A couple of routes are typical.  Maybe a Friday afternoon, a full day Saturday, and a 2/3rds day Sunday.  1x corner riders simply aren't going to get 400 of the tightest stuff done in a day, so let's be smart about it.  I'd rather ride 320-350, wait a little bit at the stops, and make sure everyone has a good time than stretch someone out to the point of crashing.  

4.  Be really flexible on dates.  We pick a date, then start watching weather.  Make the call on Thursday night or Friday morning before driving up.  Any sooner and the forecast for Saturday is uselessly inaccurate.  Be prepared to punt and ride the next weekend, or get really wet.  March is seriously testy up there.  There should be one good weekend, but that might be it.  In '09, we had a FANTASTIC trip up there in mid-march, and it was May before AR came out of the freeze again.


Basically, it's simple:

Pick a town, go when it looks dry, anything north of 40 and west of mid-state is fantastic.  Don't miss 123 or 341.

[fastwin]

I really like points 3 and 4. The sun goes down sooner than you think in March and early April. Four hundred miles of twisty roads is a work out and a time consumer. Even 300 miles of twisties is a GREAT day of riding any way you put it! DMF/Arkansas rides have had a mild curse when it comes to crashes (and wild animal attacks! ). A really long day of mile after mile of unfamiliar, twisty roads is a recipe for disaster for someone/anyone who is tired, sore and feels it necessary to keep up with faster riders and beat sundown. Just saying 400 a day may be optimistic.

I also like the flexibilty of dates. I usually have a "go date" and "back up date" due to the previously mentioned weather issues in OK and AR. I'm glad I backed out of my friend's ride last May due to all the rain. Hearing their after action report made me know it was the right thing to do. Why waste several days of riding the best roads in a 300 mile radius of DFW with it dumping rain on you the whole way? You might lose person or two going with the "back up date" but you might also gain a few riders who couldn't make the original "go date". And you would miss the nasty weather that made you go to plan B to begin with.

Food for thought.  

[muskrat]

300 miles a day leaves enough time to do the tourist things jdugger loves doing. 

[Cher]

Alrighty then, let's shoot for a 9 a.m. planning session at Motopia tomorrow, Sunday the 9th   I'd like to get a route set up at least.  Dates, with alternates, we can set later. 

Please try to make it if you can tomorrow for the planning - it will be beneficial in making a great Arkansas weekend even better!

[fastwin]

No offense but I will pass, too early on a weekend (not for an actual ride) and I didn't think they would accomodate non members. Am I wrong? It's a sleep in day for me but then again you don't need my input. Plan it, if it works I will go. All of AR is good for me! If not I'll go on my own when I can. That's worked for me since 1980. [moto]

[Cher]

I'd like for you to go if you can; no worries on the non-member part of it  Time tomorrow is flexible...

[jdugger]

9a works great for me.  I can provide Google maps for suggested ride-up/back routes as well, though I will personally trailer.  In 08, I made something like 15 trips to Arkansas, and all were ride up. 

Motopia:  Yes, it's a private club, but to my knowledge we have *NEVER* turned a non-member away, and guests are always welcome with any member.

[Cher]

9 a.m. then 

[jdugger]

Motopia to Hotel-in-Clarksville route.  This has some really fun roads on it including Indian Hwy, 27 and Magazine Mountain.  be real careful of the Mena/Talihina parkway on Sunday coming home since it's heavily patrolled and has a very low speed limit.

It might look long, but it's not really.  It's a full day's ride, for sure, but the entire Texas part has hardly a curve at all, and most of the Oklahoma roads, Indian excluded, are pleasant, but not technical and it's easy to maintain pace.

[fastwin]

Local LeFlore County law enforcement told me they only patrol the Talimena Scenic Drive on weekends, Fri.-Sunday. Not on weekdays. I was once responsible for an armed road block by Park Rangers. It was an expensive ticket. All 52 miles of that road is double yellow striped and has a 55mph max speed limit. Don't ask me how I know. During the "ticket experience" I was told that the Rangers were given orders to shut down the high speed motorcycle nonsense. Which translates to heavy weekend patrols and no sense of humor. Just saying... There's a reason I never had any trouble for 25 years. I always went on weekdays.

[jdugger]

Yea, the Talihina thing is kind of a sad loss.  It's not totally double yellow, but mostly -- there are a couple of passing zones, but not many.  If you do pass, though, the Harley types can and do call you in.  It's sort of a sad state of affairs, but I guess the jealously of not knowing how to ride very well is making sure no one else gets to, either.

The irony in all of it is the road actually isn't that good.  It's mostly up and down, and there aren't really that many good corners on it except right around the 259 intersection and at the Arkansas end of it.

The LeFlore guys are real douche bags, too.  I had one pull me over for 65 in a... get this... 65.  You know the twisties about 10 miles south of the parkway on 259, the marked 30 uphill set?  This guy proceeded to read me the riot act about irresponsible behavior and how he was a motorcycle instructor, and how leaning the bike over reduces contact patch, etc.  Basically, he gave me lecture about every common misunderstanding regarding how to ride a motorcycle well there is.  And you know what, I wasn't even breaking the law.

What an ass that guy was.

[junior varsity]

If you do pass, though, the Harley types can and do call you in.

wait, what?

I'm sorry I missed the planning meeting this morning, but I certainly do want to go and can drive/tow, and I'm not too picky on the route(s). I think I would fall somewhere near the back of the sport pack (i'm no rossi and am well aware of it, especially on unfamiliar roads).

[muskrat]

If you do pass, though, the Harley types can and do call you in.  It's sort of a sad state of affairs, but I guess the jealously of not knowing how to ride very well is making sure no one else gets to, either.

Sad state of affairs you think that Harley types as you call them are jealous of you and your riding abilities.    Being a HARLEY rider myself and knowing a few THOUSAND more HARLEY riders than you I can tell you NO ONE is calling you in because of your antics on the trail, I have yet to meet that person who gives a shit how you ride and especially those Harley riders.  Your life your bike your problem.  You obviously either were told that by the cop or acted in such a manner on the trail that they called you in for almost running someone over (whatever the issue I could care less)......PLUS, NEVER EVER EVER split a riding group or they will chase you down (not a threat but a fact) and it aint pretty.  If they let you in then go for it but just because you can go faster doesn't give you or anyone else the excuse to barrel through at warp speed.  Or maybe, just maybe you got that one guy who simply hates sport bikes but even so that does not give you a base to compare all of the slow and easy riding folks out there.   Composure in a riding group is just as important as knowing how to control your bike.  I've seen too many sport bike groups have no respect for either lane provisions, traffic or speed.....and cruisers.

Thanks for starting my morning off to a great start because I'm less a rider than you for owning a Harley, and for that matter my cruiser riding group as well.  Classy comparison.  I'll know go practice my riding skills so I can be an equal one day....as if I cared to be in the first place.

[junior varsity]

dax has been watching too much SoA again...   

which by the way, i just finished season 1. when does season 2 come out? very entertaining. sopranos on wheels.