CANCELLED - Arkansas Ducati Adventure

[swanny]

I still have Swanny's "Arkansas road manual" he handed out to the 2008 riders. His company is still wondering who printed off all those pages on their copy machine! Having been born and raised in AR Swanny has forgetten more than we will ever know about AR roads!

Holy crap....I just looked on my work computer and I still have every may from every trip that we made up to Arkansas back in the day.  Lisa, I would be more than happy to print off some copies of the different trips and bring them to you if they will help at all.

Swanny

[LYD]

I may be riding the monster,  I need to put it up and go over it. but it gets 150+ miles to a tank.

[Cher]

Holy crap....I just looked on my work computer and I still have every may from every trip that we made up to Arkansas back in the day.  Lisa, I would be more than happy to print off some copies of the different trips and bring them to you if they will help at all.

Swanny

I would be interested in that, Swanny.  Thanks 

Alan saved one of your route copies and I've combined one or two of your other trips to come up with the one I've got now.  All the fuel stops and hotels are sorted, plotted and stored in the GPS.  I've got paper map back-ups just in case.  I feel good about it but having a few of your cheat-sheets would make me feel even better! 

[fastwin]

First off, Swanny is still the man!

Secondly, LYD you have a Monster that will actually get 150 miles per tank? You do start it, put it in gear and ride it... right? Damn, my S2R1000 would be lucky to get 100-120 miles on a tank. And that's all downhill with a tail wind.

Last time I was in AR with some non DMF buddies we based out of Harrison at a cool restored old hotel (Hotel Seville).

http://www.ascendcollection.com/hotel-harrison-arkansas-AR219

On one ride we headed east toward Mountain Home and rode on some awesome roads. But the Busa is a gas hog and soon the "you're about to get screwed" dash light came on. I was coasting down hills in neutral, short shifting and nursing the throttle like crazy. One friend hung back with me in case I got stranded.

We passed un-told gas stations where the pump nozzles were "bagged"... ie: no gas available! We stopped at a couple where the nozzles weren't bagged but they too were out of gas. I kept thinking shit I'm going to run dry and there isn't a quart of gas within 50 miles. I still can't believe I limped it into Mountain Home. I was never so happy to see the gas pumps at the Wal-Mart!! I swear my tank took more gas than the owner's manual said it held!!

Lesson learned. Whenever you are deep in AR never pass up a working gas station. I don't care if you just gassed up 50 miles ago... do it again! Just sayin'.

[muskrat]

Alan has a metal tank monster and they hold more gas.   

[Cher]

First off, Swanny is still the man!

Secondly, LYD you have a Monster that will actually get 150 miles per tank? You do start it, put it in gear and ride it... right? Damn, my S2R1000 would be lucky to get 100-120 miles on a tank. And that's all downhill with a tail wind.

Last time I was in AR with some non DMF buddies we based out of Harrison at a cool restored old hotel (Hotel Seville).

http://www.ascendcollection.com/hotel-harrison-arkansas-AR219

On one ride we headed east toward Mountain Home and rode on some awesome roads. But the Busa is a gas hog and soon the "you're about to get screwed" dash light came on. I was coasting down hills in neutral, short shifting and nursing the throttle like crazy. One friend hung back with me in case I got stranded.

We passed un-told gas stations where the pump nozzles were "bagged"... ie: no gas available! We stopped at a couple where the nozzles weren't bagged but they too were out of gas. I kept thinking shit I'm going to run dry and there isn't a quart of gas within 50 miles. I still can't believe I limped it into Mountain Home. I was never so happy to see the gas pumps at the Wal-Mart!! I swear my tank took more gas than the owner's manual said it held!!

Lesson learned. Whenever you are deep in AR never pass up a working gas station. I don't care if you just gassed up 50 miles ago... do it again! Just sayin'.

Yup, the lack of strategically placed gas stations was a real concern.  When Sam and I drove the route several weeks ago, it is EXACTLY as you say; the mom-n-pop stations are literally boarded up and out of business.  And these stations were the ones you had to have to ride the really spectacular, completely isolated roads out in the middle of nowhere that we've all grown to know and love.  So, somewhere in the middle of our Day 2 pre-ride, I knew we'd be totally hosed if we were using the route I'd chosen.  The remaining two days were pretty much the same story.  

So I've re-plotted our ride route two more times since that initial run; it's not as exotic as years past, but there is only a 9 mile stretch of slab in-between Russellville and Havana/Hwy 309 into Mt Magazine that we'll have to ride, so I think the route is a good one with verified gas stations along the way.  

The one thing that made me feel 100% comfortable with this final route is a Googlemaps search function for locating individual gas stations anywhere in Arkansas.  The 20 stations I've chosen have a picture of the actual place and a phone number.  That's how I've verified they'll still be there when we get there.  And they're all "majors"; mostly Conoco and Exxon or Shell stations.  

So, the EXACT gas stations we'll need per day (5 stops each day) have been added to my GPS and to my highlighted paper back-up maps... one map per day... four maps total... Did I mention I'm a bit crazy?  I've got enough maps strewn all over the place I feel like I should be invading Normandy or something.

Anyway, we're good  

Wish you were going on this trip Brian, it's a fun one.

[Cher]

Alan has a metal tank monster and they hold more gas.   

Metal tank or not, system error is the smart one - he's on a friggin' Honda    They actually have gas tanks larger than a thimble, go figure.  Fortunately, he's volunteered to sacrifice all of his side case space to haul extra cans of gas for the Ducs.  He's an awesome guy.

[fastwin]

Wish I was going too. I LOVE riding in AR, it kicks ass and that is a GREAT time of year to go. Even though it's been dry and hot the fall foliage still should be awesome.

Noticed the ride dates. Just be aware that the Talimena Scenic Drive is patrolled by LEO in AR and OK on the weekends, starting on Fridays. Be mindful of that on Friday but you should be good to go on Monday on the return ride home.

http://www.cycleconnections.com/articledetail.asp?TypeID=3&ID=1569

Anal retentive reminder... gas the make the beast with two backs up when you can!!!!

You folks have fun, be safe and pray to the good weather gods!

[Cher]

Nice link on the Talamina Trail - thanks for posting    Fingers crossed for good weather.

[Cher]

I'm also plotting scenic photo stops for LYD    You're bringing a camera, right?  

[caffeinejunkee]

You're bringing a camera, right?  

Like asking if the skunk is brining the stink! 

[Cher]

Sooo.... does anyone have any problems leaving McKinney on the first day at 6:30 am?  Any later in the morning and we're going to be in prime-time deer dodging at the end of the day.

LYD if you want, you could cruise over to my house around 5:45 am and we'll leave together.

[fastwin]

Good Lord! 6:30AM? Aren't you required by law to be asleep at that time of day?

[Cher]

I'm going easy on them.  If this was a Swanny ride it'd be kickstands up at 5:30 am!

[LYD]

I am sorry to say this but I am out.  Some very near and dear to my heart issues have arose and I wont be able to make this.  Sorry gang