A Little Ride North....OK MO AR ..U Ready ?? Fri-Mon Sept 9th-12th RIDE REPORT

[Cycledelic Relic]

REPRINTING THIS MOSTLY FROM ADV RIDER FORUM TO AVOID ENDLESS KEYBOARD PECKING

SLOWOLDGUY...
Hopefully some of our travelers will post some ride pics.
DAHVEED...
Greetings from Yellville AR. Yes, it was a very long day riding the twisty roads of OK, Misery (aka Missouri) and AR. Apparently they don't have straight roads in Misery. Mr2mch will provide a more complete ride report upon our return. Its hard to type a long story on this phone keyboard. We started this morning in Talahina OK. left there this morning at 8:00 am. Traveled north and hit Welling Road by Tenkiller. Very nice. We worked our way birth into Southern Missouri. We started there in 90, then 76. From there we rode 160, then H, then 125 to the ferry on bull shoals lake in AR and then down to Yellville at 6:30. We passed several large groups of sport and sport touring bikes heading north from the ferry into Missouri.
SLOWOLDGUY...
Yeah! Sounds great!
I told Rod about the ferry. Glad he found it. That sounds like a great ride. Now I'll go live vicariously by tracing it on google maps. Thanks. I'm super jealous of both y'all and shick. Hey, I'm jealous of anybody riding anywhere, much less Ruidoso or the 'zarks.
DAHVEED...
It's not an adventure until something goes wrong and we had us some adventure today. More later after some beers.
SLOWOLDGUY...
Adventure? Hopefully nothing too serious.
DAHVEED...
Well, the day started well. We rolled out sorta late at 9:00 and went east. We rode the push mountain road. It was a blast and very little traffic on it. We then worked our way to the Cliff House for a piece of pie. We continued riding the curvy roads of NWA until we hit the "Pavement Ends" sign. Steve was riding his FJR, so we gave him the choice to continue on the dirt or turn around. He blasted ahead and neither Mr2mch or I caught him until he stopped and waited for us at the restart of the pavement. I guess racing in those 3 Baja 1000s really helps your bike handing skills on gravel roads.

He was so happy with his bike handling skills he rode that FJR down the gravel rode and back for photos. It was during this "show off" run that he found a nail with his rear tire. We plugged it after some discussion about plugging techniques and it seemed to hold. For about 30 minutes anyway. So now we're parked on the edge of some road. I turned on my flashers and so did Mr2mch and we went to work on it again. The original plug had pulled back out. So we tried some new fangled plugs Mr2mch had. Well it went in well, but started leaking when we pumped up the tire. So I tried sone plugs I had. A similar failure. So we went back to the old fashioned plugs and this one held.

As everyone repacked their stuff, Mr2mch announces that his flashers have drained his battery too much and it wouldn't crank. So back out all the tools come and we piece together a cable to hook to his batty and the FJR. It was charging to slowly, so we try my GS. Our attempts blow out one of my fuses. As a last ditch effort, we still attempt to bump start it. It worked, so we repacked everything and, now running about 2 hours behind schedule, we rode the short distance to Fort Smith where we got hotel rooms. Were really hoping that Steve's tire hold tonight and mr2mch's bike starts tomorrow morning.It's late and I'm tired.
SCHICKMEISTER (ADV)...
Hope it works out for you guys.
As I was riding in NM I kept thinking to myself...dang it would suck if I broke down here.Desolate like I've never seen before out there...
DAHVEED...
It's always a lot better fixing stuff on the side of the road with a small group.
SLOWOLDGUY...
Dahveed..Flat tires do suck. And I'd know. Hope y'all get going without any further problems.
WOODBUTCHER...
Jason, glad you got to NM. And I hope the AR crew is mechanically okay for the rest of the ride.
SLOWOLDGUY...
Hope the Arky boys are OK.
PIZZABOY (ADV)...
Suppose to be rolling in this evening
SLOWOLDGUY...
I'm hoping. But when that ball of fate starts rolling south, sometimes it's hard to stop it.
MR2MCH...
I'm home......15 till 7 actually
Dahveed & MacDaddy beat me by a few hours.....Imagine that???
SLOWOLDGUY...
Glad y'all are home safe. I'm assuming the tire held if they made it home 5-ish.
SCHIZZMAN (ADV)...
Glad y'all are back! Had to resort to the Pirate Parade while y'all were gone. Look forward to hearing some embellishments of the trip.
DAHVEED...
I'll be posting some pictures with a RR later, but now I've got to catch up on work.Steve I know made it to I-20 and 67 where he exited. The tire was holding fine at that point.
SLOWOLDGUY...
Glad that plug seated. As a flat tire magnet myself, I was feeling a little nervy for him.

RIDE "EMBELLISHMENTS" SOON...

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

RIDE EMBELLISHMENTS....I "relish" any opportunity

I'll leave the pics to Dahveed to add since I didn't take many....but here are my notes from the ride....

We all met up in Ennis about 10:45 Friday & headed east on FM85 to get further away from the DFW traffic before headin north. I kept us on mainly FMs to avoid the boring drone of 19 up to Paris & it was still a pretty direct route,not adding much in the way of time....so it was FM85/TX334/198/FM90/47/514/TX19/FM71/TX37/US271/FM410/195/TX37/....OK

Into OK & over to US259/70 thru Broken Bow where we stopped for some good Mexican food. Heading north,we diverted on 259A thru Beaver Bend State Park for a few minutes...(Nice place to stay).

Now the good part....INDIAN HIGHWAY
Up US259 past Mt Herman...Take the paved road to Bethel (left on D4610) It barely has a sign so watch for it. Once in Bethel (a few buildings) take the paved road to the right. This is the southern stretch of The Indian Highway (labeled OK144 on mapquest..but no actual signs at intersect) (which is interesting in that OK144 also shows to intersect further north & go east back over to US259/west to US271. 144 also shows to go into Honobia which is where the road is now listed as Indian Hwy.
The southern stretch below 144 is a really cool ride with nice sweepers thru the hills on good pavement. North of Honobia..the road surface isn't as great..but the curviness tightens up considerably in places before a long straight north to US271 just below Talihina.
TAKE THIS ROAD...YOU'RE GONNA LIKE IT...

We stayed in Talihina at the "KIMCHI" (Kiamichi Motel)...weird room with 3 beds...First time I've seen that. Got up & ate breakfast at Pam's Hateful Hussy Diner...Food was good...but nothin to rave about. Headed outta town on OK82 north up to Lequire where we had to endure the boringness of OKs finest roads...31/26/9 to US59 across the river into Sallisaw & 64 back west to OK82 again. OK82 is worth ridin...both north & south of I40. It's got some nice tight sections with hills to wind around on the southern section & lake TenKiller nearby on the north section.

WELLING ROAD...
At the intersect where OK100 splits east from OK82....Stay on 100 for just a bit (maybe a mile)....Although Welling Road is clearly marked on MapQuest..in the real world it is just another county road that cuts off thru the trees. There is a sign for a school or something there & a shop or business of some sort caticornered across 100 with a big gravel parking area. Welling Road is kinda like the northern section of The Indian Highway with rolling hills...some curviness...houses here & there..trees. It links up to US62/OK51 just east of the intersect with OK10. Another cool little county road.
GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO THE STRAIGHTER SECTION OF OK82 THRU TAHLEQUAH

OK10...
Another nice road that winds alongside the Illinois River right up next to the rock ledges & hills. Lots of traffic in the Summer though I'd bet,since we saw bunches of river canoe/rafting businesses/campgrounds (& attendant customers everywhere)..busses too. Still ..worth the ride....After that US59 north to OK20 east & into the northernmost corner of AR were kinda forgettable. I'd like to find a better route to link up stuff in that part of OK.

A STATE OF MISSOURI...(No...that was later after a gravel forest road run in far western Arkansas)
The very first order of business upon arriving in far SW (South West City) Missouri was ....eatin. We stopped at a little park & had some Ribs(see the Que thread for my post).

MO90
We picked up MO90 outta town & worked our way east over to MO37. 90 is a great ride up thru the hills.The roads in MO are similar to AR roads but with little differences to the layout. As Steve put it "Like fraternal twins"...I added "that grew up in different surroundings.....THEY'RE JUST LIKE A HUGE ROLLERCOASTER at times.

MO76
took MO37 up to Cassville where we turned onto MO76/112...76/86...& just 76.Another great rollercoaster ride over east to MO13 at Reed's Spring then 13/248 to US160. My original plan was to ride US160 all the way over to Poplar Bluff,but I changed that due to time limitations.

MO H & 125
Instead,we took 160 across US65..thru Walnut Shade & past Merriam Woods where we picked up MO H north. H is sort of a secondary road I guess & the condition was not quite as good as numbered roads....but the layout...!!! OH YEAH....this is one of the roads. It intersects with MO125...which is ANOTHER of the roads. Steve hooked me up on this one.Both of these roads had twists & fidgets galore. We took 125 all the way down & across 160 to the Free Ferry into AR toward Yellville.....
...While headin toward the ferry,we started seein bunches of bikes comin at us goin north. Later found out it was a rally with lots of the folks at Sport Touring. net. Saw even more bikes on the southern side after gettin off the ferry. GOOD FUN...ALL ROUND

Headed for Yellville on AR14 & a motel for the night......+ a stop at The Front Porch Cafe for supper.

 

[Tourmeister]

All great roads! I REALLY like MO 90 from Noel over to Hwy 37!! That short stretch of MO 86 is really good as well.

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

EMBELLISHMENTS cont...
AR341 (PUSH MOUNTAIN RD) AR14 235 123 & 374
We started the day Sunday by having to drone up US62 past Flippin (Flippin Auto Parts..Flippin Mortuary...Flippin This & Flippin That...Everything's Flippin In Flippin...Even the pancakes!) then past Gassville to take AR126 & 201 over & link up with AR341 (Push Mtn Rd) or the race track road as it's commonly known. 341 is a great fast riding road with limited houses & side roads. It meets up with AR14 which is another recommended ride.We took 14 back NW to Yellville & AR235. then SW to US65 & a jig jog up to AR123...Yet another really cool road thru Mt Judea (Judy). We didn't go thru there though...opting to take a little side road (AR374) back up the mountainside to AR7 just north of The Cliff House Inn/Resturant. After an excellent mid day snack of heir homade pies & cobbler,we headed up 7 to Jasper & my "favorite" NOT fuel stop. Highest prices around & you have to leave your card inside while pumping. (That'll be cash please....$7 outta be enough).

AR74
After the fuel stop in Jasper we headed west on AR74 all the way over to AR16 just outside Fayetteville. 74 is another can't miss ride if you're in NW AR. It intersects with several N/S roads on it's way E/W & provided lots o fun. An interesting note about 74....From AR16 we had to take a series of paved county roads to link up with the section of 74 to the west. South of Elkins on 16 take....
E BLACKOAK RD (as in Blackoak Arkansas..the old rock band??)S WHITEHOUSE RD...PACHAL RD...HAZEL VALLEY RD...CO47 & 38. These come out on US71 just north of Winslow where yo pick up AR74 again & take that section over to it's western end in Devil's Den State Park. A blast to ride this part....but the "interesting" section also began here......

AR170 & 220 (LEE CREEK RD)
In Devil's Den Park...AR220 heads SW down toward AR59...However...on MapQuest the road shows to be paved.....But the Park Attendant said that the first part was 9 miles of bad rocky gravel. Since Steve was on his FJR,we opted for another paved road instead. Detouring to the north up AR170 a bit. I must've turned on the wrong county road though (Co 220 Zinnamon Church Rd/Co 217 Strickler Rd).
Co Rd220 & the first part of Co 217 were fine pavement,but then the "FUN" started. Steve said he was ok with the gravel so on we went.....after seeing him dissappear into the distance & a cloud of dust!!!! (remember...he is on an FJR1300!!!). The road conditions varied from fairly easy gravel with rocks sticking up here & there...to TOTALLY NASTY WHITE CRUSHED ROCK that was freshly laid. Reviewing MapQuest,County 217 was a long N/S road that intersected AR220 at the county line maybe 2 miles from start in the park. SO...We rode at least 11-12 miles of this gravel instead of 9!!! Steve (MacDaddy) was waiting for us where the pavement started up on AR220 just before AR59. Bunch of 4 wheelers were out playin round near a bridge on 220. THAT"S WHEN THE FUN "REALLY" STARTED

FLAT TIRE TIME
What happened with Steve's tire was a rock puncture (tear) roughly 1/8-1/4" long. Prob made while gassin it in those rocky forest roads on that "photo op" run after the real accomplishment that was RIDING AN FJR1300 WITH FULL LUGGAGE FOR APPX 8 MILES OF UP & DOWN HILLS...ROCKY OUTCROPS...DEEP WHITE CRUSHED ROCK PATCHES...well you get the picture....Those tires just weren't meant for that stuff.

Due to the nature of the tear,a normal round mushroom type or similar "high tech" plug just ain't gonna work.Those are made for round holes made by nails & screws. The "old fashioned" string type plugs can conform to a tear better...if inserted at just the right orientation to the tear,filling it without leaving any gaps.

The "high tech" plugs consisted of Dahveed's Dyna plugs with a small pointed metal tip to insert first (about as big around as a couple of toothpics)....My Progressive brand mushroom type (kinda) with glue retaining grooves (similar size to a pencil). I have used those Progressive plugs before.They got ssdan's ZRX from the middle of US191 between Clifton & Alpine all the way over to Safford southwest of Clifton where he bought a new tire. They can "hold their own" in the right situations. I don't kno anything about the Dyna Plugs..Dahveed studied up on those.

DEAD BATTERY DELAY
South of Cedarville on AR59 we intended on riding AR220 to the state line where it changed to OK101...but it was so late after jacking with Steve's flat a second time & my battery problem (after leaving the key "on"... along with the headlights.. just to run the flashers....THANX FOR THE ENGINEERING SUZUKI!!!!!!!) We stayed in Van Buren for the night instead. Comfy Best Western rooms are nice after a day like that.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Geez, this is like trying to read an article in an adult magazine. Where's the pics!??!!?

I need something to keep me going for the next week and a half till my weekend at Arkansas.

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

Geez, this is like trying to read an article in an adult magazine. Where's the pics!??!!?

I need something to keep me going for the next week and a half till my weekend at Arkansas.

I'm postin my take on the ride as I have time while workin 10hr days...hence the long paragraphs, but I don't have much in the way of pics. Dahveed took more pics but prob hasn't had the time to post 'em yet. Sometimes work gets in the way....ya kno.

I'm sure they'll be up soon.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Oh I know...it's in my way of riding right this minute. I need me some mountain twisties.

 

[MacDaddy]

Geez, this is like trying to read an article in an adult magazine.

Dear Two Wheel Texans, I can't belive I'm writing this letter to you but...

First off, I HAD A GREAT TIME!

Mr2mch and Davheed were great traveling companions and made the traveling easy. Thanks guys.

I'll post a few pictures but I didn't take many. I got lazy about taking them when I saw Davheed taking a few. I also had a serious bout of lense envy but thats another story. The other reason was it was tough to take any good pictures while hitting so many curves and rolling hills. I was keeping both hands on the handlebars thank you very much.

Mr2mch put in more curves then I thought possible between N. Texas and E. Oklahoma. After working 12 hours overnight, the curves helped keep me awake.

No pictures the first day but the Indian Hwy between Bethel Ok. and Talihina was awesome. I've spent a lot of time in that area and I never knew it was there. About as good as the Talimena Drive minus the overlooks but with hardly any traffic.

2/3's of the team heading out of the Kiamichi hotel. Rod and David, Rod's Wee is out of view behind my FJR (the only true adventure bike here )

Some of the last straight / flat roads for a few days as we pass through N. Oklahoma.

David on Adventure 1150

Rod.

Passing through South West City (I think) on the Oklahoma / Missouri border we passed a grocery store that was having a cookout on Main Street. We turned around and got ourselves a rack of their ribs. A couple of blocks later we we're having a nice little midday snack in the park.

Our own "Road of Bones."

Later on we took a little break on OK 10 where they do a lot of rafting. Very scenic area and some nice roads too.

Dave and Rod.

Rod uphead between the cliff and river.

On AR 374 just east of AR 7 Rod is trying to get a picture of the valley we'd just come through. (Whoo Hoo, pie at the Cliff House is just a couple of minutes away).

KTM RC8, Ducati 1198S and a Ducati 24, 9(+)9(+)6 = 24 right?

Thats it for my pictures.
The dirt was fun but I had to show off and flatten my rear tire. I guess thats where the adventure began on this trip. But thanks to my riding partners the repairs went about as well as they could have and I love my $100 Cycle Pump.

Everytime I ride up there I wonder why it took so long for me to return. All I can say is if you've never rode up there you need to and if you have, you still need to get back there soon. Awesome time, thanks guys.

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

Some great pics Steve.....You were an agreeable traveller...Dahveed too....even when I'd add another "15 minutes or so"?! to the ride just to get that last stretch of road in.
...I still didn't get to enough of the goodies up in MO on this "all to short" long weekend......(Hey...I got 3 more days of vacation comin up at Thanksgiving...?)

 

[Liteitup]

Rod rattles off road numbers so fast it makes my head spin. I never know where we are, but dam if they aren't always some bad mammerjammin roads.

Wish I could have gone.

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

Rod rattles off road numbers so fast it makes my head spin. I never know where we are, but dam if they aren't always some bad mammerjammin roads.

Wish I could have gone.

Phil....I wish you'da been with us too. Hopefully next time.....

Here's my couple a pics...

 

[Dahveed]

More pics (I left the ones out that were redundant of Mackdaddys)...

DSC_1446 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Mackdaddy and mr2mch outside our first breakfast establishment. Pam must have had the day off because our waitress was nice.



DSC_1452 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Mackdaddy taking a photo. We stopped along side a river to get some riding shots and take a break.

DSC_1485 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Waiting for the ferry...

DSC_1490 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Waiting for the ferry to make the opposite shore.

It was kind of neat riding a ferry with a motorcycle. I've never done it and the peel ferry is an easy one to do.

DSC_1493 by David G Photography, on Flickr

A fixer-upper in the Arkansas hills.

DSC_1507 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Why do we ride? Well obviously for the wonderful scenery....of the road map.

 

[Dahveed]

Even more pics....

DSC_1513 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Mackdaddy said he had a bald spot. We didn't believe him. Ok, now we do.

DSC_1526 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Here's Macdaddy demonstrating the best way to get a flat on an FJR.

DSC_1534 by David G Photography, on Flickr

How many middle aged guys does it take to plug a tire. Two look to be sufficient, so I'll take photos.

DSC_1536 by David G Photography, on Flickr

We had some supervision from the locals while we fixed the tire. They didn't offer to help or even a beer. Notice, nobody in Arkansas wears a helmet while riding an ATV.

DSC_1539 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Plug number 2. The first was pushed too far in. We failed to trim this one enough and it only lasted 30-45 minutes. We did trim it some, but not enough. This is the pre-trimmed photo.

DSC_1542 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Okay, same tire, different spot. I actually didn't get any photos of us fixing it again, but here we are trying to charge Mr2mch's battery with these flimsy cord we scavenged off of my slime brand pump. Our charging technique ended up blowing fuses in my and Mackdaddy's motorcycles. We eventually bump-started it down the hill in the background.



DSC_1547 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Mr2mch's beloved churo. Yes, you can get good churos in OK. Well, at least in Heavner, OK.



DSC_1549 by David G Photography, on Flickr

Checking out the Grand Canyon of Oklahoma.

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

Those pics came out pretty well Dahveed. Thanx for postin 'em

 

[Dahveed]

Those pics came out pretty well Dahveed. Thanx for postin 'em

Thanks, and thanks for letting me know this thread was here. I was gonna get around to posting these up, but now I'll just link to them.

 

[gixxerjasen]

 

[Simmons1]

Looks like you guys had a blast.

 

[Dahveed]

Looks like you guys had a blast.

Yes we did! We had great weather, great riding companions, and beautiful roads. And minimal trouble.

 

[Thrasherg]

Yes we did! We had great weather, great riding companions, and beautiful roads. And minimal trouble.

Always a good mix!! Love the pics.

Gary

 

[Simmons1]

Yes we did! We had great weather, great riding companions, and beautiful roads. And minimal trouble.

For future reference, do any of you guys have a GPS route or track you could provide?

 

[slowoldguy]

Good job, guys!! Loved it.

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

For future reference, do any of you guys have a GPS route or track you could provide?

Hey Rich....I don't own a GPS....I'm a visualist (maphead)
I do have a 1 track mind though.....I can give ya the list of roads we rode.
...so maybe you could make a GPS route yourself. lemme kno

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

EMBELLISHMENTS concl.....I Must Be Finnish.....

I never got around to finishin the trip report...so here it is.......
Kinda anti-climatic since we took care of all the good stuff previously (forrest roads & flats...dead batts)
We headed outta the Ft Smith area & into OK on US271 then down OK112 to Poteau & Heavener (where we stopped for those Churros....& a few other goodies). We did detour on Talimena Drive for a bit where MacDaddy & Dahveed took a forrest road back down the mountain (Mac on my Strom) While I rode his FJR back around the curvy pavement to meet up at the JFK Memorial on OK63/US259. From there it was mostly just headin south & west......with a bit of a twist (y)

TX FM195
We took part of 195 comin up on Friday (FM410 from near Bogata to FM195 then east to 37 & the state line). The rest of FM195 was a great stretch of curvy pavement into Paris with tree lined sections,,,,,Definately recommended.

Steve & David split off from me south of Paris..headed toward DFW on the BIG roads....I ,on the other hand, couldn't stop..so took even more FMs down near Tyler before headin west to Waco...... They got in about 4:30.....I returned home about 6:45! ..THE END

 

[Cycledelic Relic]

For future reference, do any of you guys have a GPS route or track you could provide?

Hi Rich,
Sorry it took sooo long to get back to ya,but..No I don't think Dahveed or MacDaddy either one had any GPS stuff goin on the trip. I kno I sure didn't!! (maphead ya kno). You can look at my ride notes at the beginning of this thread for some of the roads we rode & maybe piece something together from those.


OOPS...Saw that I had already posted a response earlier ....Oh Well.... Maybe I'll just say I'M READY TO GO BACK AGAIN!!!

 

[MacDaddy]

I had so much fun 3 weeks ago I'm going again this weekend. I have to take the wife this time so she and another couple are coming with. He's a good rider and the wife never tells me to slow down so it should be a pretty good time. Come to think of it, she's only told me to speed up and never to slow down. I must be a legend in my own mind.

Question for you Mr2mch. Looking at the map just north of Hugo OK, I can take Cloudy Rd from 93 up to to the Indian Hwy just outside Betel OK. I'm assuming its paved. Anyone know?