- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 51,647
- Reaction score
- 9,224
- Location
- Huntsville
- First Name
- Scott
- Last Name
- Friday
Howdy,
So not long ago Beth informs me that her Dad has given her a free airline ticket, good for anywhere in the 48 states. However, it has to be used before the end of August. Also, she can't fly Fri-Sun. So now she's got a trip planned. With a niece coming to stay with Rachel and Daniel here in Huntsville and Sarah going with Beth, I find myself with a free weekend at the end of June... and the temps have been hitting 105-106 here daily... in the shade...
I wouldn't normally think of any weekend trips this time of year, but when you have time off, what else is there to do? It is not like my grass needs mowing... or is even alive... So I start poking around, making some plans, and soon have a trip planned to ride in NW Arkansas in the Ozark National Forest with Steve "Desmo" and John "Jredford". The forecast...? HOT!!
The plan is to leave relatively early Thursday morning. Steve and John arrive about 8:00am and we get the bikes loaded. 8:45am and we are on the road. The drive up through East Texas is pleasant, since we are riding in an air conditioned truck. After about 7-1/2 hours, we arrive in Clarksville, Arkansas, located about midway between Fort Smith and Little Rock on I-40. It sits right at the base of the mountains and is ideal for a base. We get checked into the hotel and unload the bikes, just in time for this...
The rain lasted maybe 45 minutes. According to the radar, this and one other cell are the only rain storms within several hundred miles. This one is dumping all over the areas where we plan to ride the next few days
Nothing to do but hang out and have a Shiner...
Soon the storm passes and the steam is on... It's about 5:30pm and I get the urge to do a short ride. There are some really fun roads just right outside of town. Steve and John don't require much arm twisting and we are soon geared up and heading North. The steam can be seen coming up off the roads and out of the woods. The air becomes hazy and thick. I can just feel it clinging to my skin almost like a second pair of riding tights...
Speaking of riding tights... I decided to try a new brand of tight to wear under my mesh gear. These are the LDComfort full length tights. They are supposed to keep the moisture off the skin and do away with the infamous Monkey butt. Given the heat and humidity, this seems like the ultimate test of their effectiveness. I don't know that they will matter for this short evening ride, but tomorrow will be telling...
So we head North and are soon climbing up the mountain on Weimar Rd. This is a favorite of mine and is basically a good ATV trail. You could probably get a small jeep or truck up it of you went nice and slow. You'd definitely be getting the sides of the vehicle scratched up by branches. Once on the trail, I am surprised that it is not muddier than it is given the rain that just came through. The ground really seems to have soaked up the rain and the puddles we do encounter are easily avoided or traversed.
After reaching the top of the mountain, we head up Hwy 21. The pavement is dry and twisty, so I let the KLR stretch its skinny legs and test the limits of the D606 knobbies. Lot's of folks like to make fun of KLR's, but the bike really is a hoot in the twisties, even on knobbies. It really rewards smooth control inputs and a flowing riding style, both of which I love to practice. Soon though we reach the start of FS 1405 and head East into the woods.
There is still plenty of daylight left. I really enjoy riding in the woods at this time of day. For starters, it is not quite as hot as midday. Mostly though, I like the way the waning sun's light comes through the trees in long piercing beams. Everything takes on a soft glow. Of course, the deer really seem to enjoy the woods at this time of day as well and I have already had several encounters with them since leaving the hotel!
We reach a short water crossing and continue East on FS 1405. The road gets really narrow and the trees close in on us. We reach another water crossing, the one where I dumped the KLR on the last trip up here Memorial Day weekend last month. This time I know to go about 20 feet further down stream before attempting the crossing and make it with no problems. The road on the far side of the creek is still covered with deep standing water. Last month, the water was not quite so nasty looking... Now it has obviously been sitting a long time and is starting to smell a bit funky. Nothing to do but chug through it for a few hundred feet until we get clear. This time through here, I decide to head Southeast and stay on 1405 rather than cutting Northeast on FS 1421.
This turns out to be a good decision and the road is really fun. It wanders through the woods roughly paralleling Little Piney Creek. In short order, we are at another water crossing, this time over Little Piney Creek. I pause to consider the terrain. There are a LOT of big round rocks making up the bed of the creek. If they are slippery, this could be tough. I note the biggest and get an idea in my head for the line I am going to attempt, hit the gas, stand up and start bouncing my way across. The bank on the far side is pretty steep and there are several BIG rocks right where I need to exit the water. The bike is bouncing around like a bronco, I just focus on the narrow gap between the rocks, trying to keep my momentum for the climb up the far bank. I reach the far side, thread the gap in the rocks and motor up the steep bank until I can find a relatively level place to park the bike. Steve comes next and makes it look simple, like he always does. John sits for a moment, as if steeling his nerves, and then guns it. He's looking pretty good most of the way across. At the last moment though, he veers off to one side at the start of the climb out and hits a really steep section on the side of the road, losing his balance and ejecting from the falling bike... right back down into the rocks in the creek!! We run back to check on him as he is climbing out of the rocks to get the bike. He's fine and we get the bike righted, fired back up, and head out again.
As we wind our way through the woods, it suddenly occurs to me that the area looks familiar I don't recall riding this road before. Soon we round a corner to see a cool old house sitting back under the trees with a neat old rock wall lining the road. Now I know I have been here before, but we came down off a ridge to the South of us on a "road" that many maps don't show. It was a great little trail with some fun water crossings. However, now that I recall where I am, I also recall a pretty hairy water crossing just a short way from here...
These are a few videos from our crossing a few years back at the same place. Only on that trip, there had been three inches of rain the night before we got there!!
This time, when we reach the waters edge, we are sitting at what was about the midway point for those crossings. There is MUCH less water in the creek and the crossing is relatively easy. We follow 1405 until it dead ends into FS 1004 and head Southeast. This road is wide and well maintained. Just before it reaches Hwy 123, there is a little cut off to the South, showing as CR 133 on my maps. Since I am making up the route as I go along, I decide to follow this and see if we can head South, coming out just West of Hagarville on Hwy 123.
The road starts out normal, looking fairly well traveled. Almost immediately we have to cross back over Little Piney Creek. Then the road starts following Murray Creek back into the woods. However, we don't go far before we reach the end of the obviously well traveled section. The road gets very narrow and the trees close down on us. There are a few more small water crossings and some good sized "puddles" that cannot be avoided. The light is starting to fade and I am thinking we really need to be getting on back to town. According to the GPS, we don't have far to go. All we need to do is find the point where FS 1424 turns off and heads due South, climbing up onto a ridge. I am so busy focusing on the riding, which is starting to get fairly technical, that I ride right past the turn off without seeing it. Once I realize this, I stop so we can reconsider. My maps, the US Topo and City Select 8 from Garmin, both show that we are on a dead end course heading West. However, John and Steve's Zumos both show the "road" continuing due West and hitting Hwy 21, which would then be a short trek back into town.
We decide to try their routes instead of backtracking to find the turn off for 1421. We go maybe another 1/4 mile and the road turns into basically a wide wash coming down the side of the mountain. I try to ride the high side to the left but my back tire has other plans. It tears into the soft damp dirt and and slides down into the rut. As I try to gas it and pull it back in line, it just slides out from under me, dropping the bike on the left side, allowing me to just step off. Looking up the hill, it looks like the road only gets worse and very technical. It is already fairly steep where I am. Steve finds a place to stop and comes to help me right the KLR. I get it turned around and pointing back down the hill. At this point, with the light fading, we decide to take the known route home versus exploring. We'll backtrack to 1004, hit Hwy 123 and just ride the pavement back into town. We have maybe another 20-30 minutes of light before it starts getting dark. Although, down here in the woods it is already getting fairly dark.
We backtrack without any problems and soon find ourselves on Hwy 123. The sun's last light is fading from the clear sky. Fog is coming out of the woods and settling in the low valleys, covering the road in places. The moon is climbing and shining brightly. I settle into a sedate pace back to town, maybe running 45-50 mph. There's almost no traffic. The ride back into town is really good, very peaceful, calming and DAMP!
Once back in town, we clean up and head over to the Waffle House for breakfast. Steve is reluctant at first, but has to admit afterward that it was actually pretty good. However, I think we could all have done without the arctic air conditioner settings which had the outside of the windows totally fogged over with condensation from the unearthly humidity. It was a great evening ride.
You might notice the distinct lack of pictures from this ride... Well, that would be because my battery died after taking the shot of Steve and John. So it was sitting at the hotel charging while we were out riding. I'd like a spare, but those little things cost around $50 each!! At that kind of price, I hate to think what batteries for a car might cost!!
Bellies full, we decide to call it a night early.
Here's a little teaser of things to come...
So not long ago Beth informs me that her Dad has given her a free airline ticket, good for anywhere in the 48 states. However, it has to be used before the end of August. Also, she can't fly Fri-Sun. So now she's got a trip planned. With a niece coming to stay with Rachel and Daniel here in Huntsville and Sarah going with Beth, I find myself with a free weekend at the end of June... and the temps have been hitting 105-106 here daily... in the shade...
I wouldn't normally think of any weekend trips this time of year, but when you have time off, what else is there to do? It is not like my grass needs mowing... or is even alive... So I start poking around, making some plans, and soon have a trip planned to ride in NW Arkansas in the Ozark National Forest with Steve "Desmo" and John "Jredford". The forecast...? HOT!!
The plan is to leave relatively early Thursday morning. Steve and John arrive about 8:00am and we get the bikes loaded. 8:45am and we are on the road. The drive up through East Texas is pleasant, since we are riding in an air conditioned truck. After about 7-1/2 hours, we arrive in Clarksville, Arkansas, located about midway between Fort Smith and Little Rock on I-40. It sits right at the base of the mountains and is ideal for a base. We get checked into the hotel and unload the bikes, just in time for this...
The rain lasted maybe 45 minutes. According to the radar, this and one other cell are the only rain storms within several hundred miles. This one is dumping all over the areas where we plan to ride the next few days
Nothing to do but hang out and have a Shiner...
Soon the storm passes and the steam is on... It's about 5:30pm and I get the urge to do a short ride. There are some really fun roads just right outside of town. Steve and John don't require much arm twisting and we are soon geared up and heading North. The steam can be seen coming up off the roads and out of the woods. The air becomes hazy and thick. I can just feel it clinging to my skin almost like a second pair of riding tights...
Speaking of riding tights... I decided to try a new brand of tight to wear under my mesh gear. These are the LDComfort full length tights. They are supposed to keep the moisture off the skin and do away with the infamous Monkey butt. Given the heat and humidity, this seems like the ultimate test of their effectiveness. I don't know that they will matter for this short evening ride, but tomorrow will be telling...
So we head North and are soon climbing up the mountain on Weimar Rd. This is a favorite of mine and is basically a good ATV trail. You could probably get a small jeep or truck up it of you went nice and slow. You'd definitely be getting the sides of the vehicle scratched up by branches. Once on the trail, I am surprised that it is not muddier than it is given the rain that just came through. The ground really seems to have soaked up the rain and the puddles we do encounter are easily avoided or traversed.
After reaching the top of the mountain, we head up Hwy 21. The pavement is dry and twisty, so I let the KLR stretch its skinny legs and test the limits of the D606 knobbies. Lot's of folks like to make fun of KLR's, but the bike really is a hoot in the twisties, even on knobbies. It really rewards smooth control inputs and a flowing riding style, both of which I love to practice. Soon though we reach the start of FS 1405 and head East into the woods.
There is still plenty of daylight left. I really enjoy riding in the woods at this time of day. For starters, it is not quite as hot as midday. Mostly though, I like the way the waning sun's light comes through the trees in long piercing beams. Everything takes on a soft glow. Of course, the deer really seem to enjoy the woods at this time of day as well and I have already had several encounters with them since leaving the hotel!
We reach a short water crossing and continue East on FS 1405. The road gets really narrow and the trees close in on us. We reach another water crossing, the one where I dumped the KLR on the last trip up here Memorial Day weekend last month. This time I know to go about 20 feet further down stream before attempting the crossing and make it with no problems. The road on the far side of the creek is still covered with deep standing water. Last month, the water was not quite so nasty looking... Now it has obviously been sitting a long time and is starting to smell a bit funky. Nothing to do but chug through it for a few hundred feet until we get clear. This time through here, I decide to head Southeast and stay on 1405 rather than cutting Northeast on FS 1421.
This turns out to be a good decision and the road is really fun. It wanders through the woods roughly paralleling Little Piney Creek. In short order, we are at another water crossing, this time over Little Piney Creek. I pause to consider the terrain. There are a LOT of big round rocks making up the bed of the creek. If they are slippery, this could be tough. I note the biggest and get an idea in my head for the line I am going to attempt, hit the gas, stand up and start bouncing my way across. The bank on the far side is pretty steep and there are several BIG rocks right where I need to exit the water. The bike is bouncing around like a bronco, I just focus on the narrow gap between the rocks, trying to keep my momentum for the climb up the far bank. I reach the far side, thread the gap in the rocks and motor up the steep bank until I can find a relatively level place to park the bike. Steve comes next and makes it look simple, like he always does. John sits for a moment, as if steeling his nerves, and then guns it. He's looking pretty good most of the way across. At the last moment though, he veers off to one side at the start of the climb out and hits a really steep section on the side of the road, losing his balance and ejecting from the falling bike... right back down into the rocks in the creek!! We run back to check on him as he is climbing out of the rocks to get the bike. He's fine and we get the bike righted, fired back up, and head out again.
As we wind our way through the woods, it suddenly occurs to me that the area looks familiar I don't recall riding this road before. Soon we round a corner to see a cool old house sitting back under the trees with a neat old rock wall lining the road. Now I know I have been here before, but we came down off a ridge to the South of us on a "road" that many maps don't show. It was a great little trail with some fun water crossings. However, now that I recall where I am, I also recall a pretty hairy water crossing just a short way from here...
These are a few videos from our crossing a few years back at the same place. Only on that trip, there had been three inches of rain the night before we got there!!
Bryan "dbdolan" says, "I'll go first if you shoot the vid..." and makes it look easy (right click, save as)
http://twtex.com/linkfiles/042906-ArkDS-Trip/MOV05231.MPG
Bill "Wasabi" gets caught by the strong current
http://twtex.com/linkfiles/042906-ArkDS-Trip/MOV05234.MPG
Going sideways on your bike is a strange experience...
Nace "Loose Bolt" gives his bike a much needed cleaning
http://twtex.com/linkfiles/042906-ArkDS-Trip/MOV05235.MPG
Took a while to get it refired after that dunking
Bob "Beemin"
http://twtex.com/linkfiles/042906-ArkDS-Trip/MOV05236.MPG
After the previous day's dunking, he was determined not to drop the bike here!!
Steve "Desmo"
http://twtex.com/linkfiles/042906-ArkDS-Trip/MOV05237.MPG
He made it. My camera CD filled up while he was midway across
This time, when we reach the waters edge, we are sitting at what was about the midway point for those crossings. There is MUCH less water in the creek and the crossing is relatively easy. We follow 1405 until it dead ends into FS 1004 and head Southeast. This road is wide and well maintained. Just before it reaches Hwy 123, there is a little cut off to the South, showing as CR 133 on my maps. Since I am making up the route as I go along, I decide to follow this and see if we can head South, coming out just West of Hagarville on Hwy 123.
The road starts out normal, looking fairly well traveled. Almost immediately we have to cross back over Little Piney Creek. Then the road starts following Murray Creek back into the woods. However, we don't go far before we reach the end of the obviously well traveled section. The road gets very narrow and the trees close down on us. There are a few more small water crossings and some good sized "puddles" that cannot be avoided. The light is starting to fade and I am thinking we really need to be getting on back to town. According to the GPS, we don't have far to go. All we need to do is find the point where FS 1424 turns off and heads due South, climbing up onto a ridge. I am so busy focusing on the riding, which is starting to get fairly technical, that I ride right past the turn off without seeing it. Once I realize this, I stop so we can reconsider. My maps, the US Topo and City Select 8 from Garmin, both show that we are on a dead end course heading West. However, John and Steve's Zumos both show the "road" continuing due West and hitting Hwy 21, which would then be a short trek back into town.
We decide to try their routes instead of backtracking to find the turn off for 1421. We go maybe another 1/4 mile and the road turns into basically a wide wash coming down the side of the mountain. I try to ride the high side to the left but my back tire has other plans. It tears into the soft damp dirt and and slides down into the rut. As I try to gas it and pull it back in line, it just slides out from under me, dropping the bike on the left side, allowing me to just step off. Looking up the hill, it looks like the road only gets worse and very technical. It is already fairly steep where I am. Steve finds a place to stop and comes to help me right the KLR. I get it turned around and pointing back down the hill. At this point, with the light fading, we decide to take the known route home versus exploring. We'll backtrack to 1004, hit Hwy 123 and just ride the pavement back into town. We have maybe another 20-30 minutes of light before it starts getting dark. Although, down here in the woods it is already getting fairly dark.
We backtrack without any problems and soon find ourselves on Hwy 123. The sun's last light is fading from the clear sky. Fog is coming out of the woods and settling in the low valleys, covering the road in places. The moon is climbing and shining brightly. I settle into a sedate pace back to town, maybe running 45-50 mph. There's almost no traffic. The ride back into town is really good, very peaceful, calming and DAMP!
Once back in town, we clean up and head over to the Waffle House for breakfast. Steve is reluctant at first, but has to admit afterward that it was actually pretty good. However, I think we could all have done without the arctic air conditioner settings which had the outside of the windows totally fogged over with condensation from the unearthly humidity. It was a great evening ride.
You might notice the distinct lack of pictures from this ride... Well, that would be because my battery died after taking the shot of Steve and John. So it was sitting at the hotel charging while we were out riding. I'd like a spare, but those little things cost around $50 each!! At that kind of price, I hate to think what batteries for a car might cost!!
Bellies full, we decide to call it a night early.
Here's a little teaser of things to come...