2012 Hooterville/Arkansas ride - October 4-7

[wheatonFJR]

I'll be getting info together this week regarding routes and ride groups for Friday's ride down from Hooterville to Arkansas. I have given Marty some gps route basics from a route I did down there in 2009..so maybe he can give you some prelim info...just watch the "surprise hugging" though. Marty is "enthusiastic". :lol:

 

[0Face]

I have the 360, 400, & Farmington to Clinton routes. I made them from the S&T map pics Mark posted. The 500 miler I put together from a GPX file from 2009. I kind of took it upon myself to throw these together, so they're not officially Wheaton endorsed. They should all be accurate but I'm not guaranteeing anything. If you see a cliff it's your responsibility to stop. Don't be a Lemming. It's also up to you to know the final routes Mark makes as these may not be what he ends up with. So double check. I can export them as GPX or GDB. Let me know if you want them.

martinbwalsh (at) gmail.com

Farmington to Clinton:

360:

400:

500:

 

[wheatonFJR]

Thanks Marty.

I'll double check....but at first glance nothing wrong stood out at all.

BTW, Marty will be glad to check everybody for ticks at each stop...free of charge. He is a known expert in this field. Do you use tweezers, swiss army knife or a zippo lighter Marty?

 

[0Face]

Inspections are free. Removal costs a shake... and a hug.

 

[Gramps]

Oh yippy, and he's my roommate for the trip. :yahoo:

 

[petey]

Good work Oface, however... I would suggest to ride "Push Mountain Rd", in the opposite direction. Going north, most of the switchbacks go down hill. It's more fun taking them up hill.

 

[beemerdons]

Riding motos with Wheatie and Petey? I think I will just shred my Driver's License and mail the pieces to the Arkansas Highway Patrol, a lot less muss and fuss that way! jes' sayin' and nuff' said!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Good work Oface, however... I would suggest to ride "Push Mountain Rd", in the opposite direction. Going north, most of the switchbacks go down hill. It's more fun taking them up hill.

Yeah, up hill is more funnerer for sure.

Marty is just posting routes that I sent him...so any blame goes to me. The Arkansas AAD just headed out west first then headed east...so coming from the west going downhill is what you end up with. Could run the route in the opposite direction to go up hill...for those that weant to do that.

I am all about making people happy...

...so if I can adjust the routes I will.

 

[0Face]

Good work Oface, however... I would suggest to ride "Push Mountain Rd", in the opposite direction. Going north, most of the switchbacks go down hill. It's more fun taking them up hill.

OK, jut to make sure I understand correctly , if we're coming down the Farmington to Clinton route, we should turn north on 5 and come around to 341 to head back south?

 

[wheatonFJR]

Good work Oface, however... I would suggest to ride "Push Mountain Rd", in the opposite direction. Going north, most of the switchbacks go down hill. It's more fun taking them up hill.

OK, jut to make sure I understand correctly , if we're coming down the Farmington to Clinton route, we should turn north on 5 and come around to 341 to head back south?

Yeah...that would be the thing to do for Friday's run for those that want to do Push Mtn....

I'm sure my route had that loop backwards.

 

[0Face]

Good work Oface, however... I would suggest to ride "Push Mountain Rd", in the opposite direction. Going north, most of the switchbacks go down hill. It's more fun taking them up hill.

OK, jut to make sure I understand correctly , if we're coming down the Farmington to Clinton route, we should turn north on 5 and come around to 341 to head back south?

Yeah...that would be the thing to do for Friday's run for those that want to do Push Mtn....

I'm sure my route had that loop backwards.

Got it. I'll look at/adjust the other ones too.

EDIT: Actually I'll leave adjusting the other ones to you unless you want me to. No need to have a bunch of different routes floating around. I'll only change Farmington to Clinton.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Got it. I'll look at/adjust the other ones too.

I think that the routes that come to Push Mountain from the south and west...the best thing to do would just be to head north (downhill) on Push Mtn...then when you get to the bottom, do a U-turn and head back up it going south.

Scott mentioned to me that that's what they did to the AAD 500 in subsequent years. Sounds like fun to me.

I have to get out a poll or questionaire to see whether people want to do Push Mtn again on Saturday. They will have done it on Friday on the way down from Hooterville if they want to. Saturday's 400 mile route does not include it...if you do the 500 mile ride it is included.

I'm planning on the main group doing the 400 mile route w/o it...and if others want to add it...or do a different route that includes it, they will be free to do so.

Look for lots of postings on this thread regarding ride planning in the next week.

 

[glory racing]

For the Push mountain loops...remember what Scott posted earlier. It is MUCH better to run north to the end of 341 and then turn around and run it south back to 14. Then turn east on 14 to a right on 87 down to Mountain View. MUCH better route with less traffic and you get to run Push both ways. As has been mentioned, Push is a completely different experience north vs south.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Thanks Mark...very helpful. :clapping:

 

[glory racing]

Thanks Mark...very helpful. :clapping:

Apparently great minds think alike and we were typing at the same time!

IMO and many others...Push mountain is the #1 or #2 road in the state! To do a 400 - 500 mile full days ride and not include Push would just not be right! Riding it one way on the day before certainly would not deter me from running it again the next day. Actually, on many days we run it 3 or 4 or more times. But to be totally accurate, usually just the southern half as it is a bit better.

If there is a vote...mine would obviously be to run it both North and South!

.

 

[0Face]

For the Push mountain loops...remember what Scott posted earlier. It is MUCH better to run north to the end of 341 and then turn around and run it south back to 14. Then turn east on 14 to a right on 87 down to Mountain View. MUCH better route with less traffic and you get to run Push both ways. As has been mentioned, Push is a completely different experience north vs south.

That sounds fun and I'm more than happy to throw together a variation or two for those who want it. However, since Mark is doing all the planning I'll wait for direction from him so we don't have a bunch of routes floating around. I'm just trying to help out, not get in the way.

Anybody planning on varying from the "official" main routes should let people know they're going to do so, that way we're not looking for "lost" riders.

Like I said, I'm just trying to help out, not confuse the issue. :dribble:

 

[wheatonFJR]

Like I said, I'm just trying to help out, not confuse the issue. :dribble:

I appreciate the help Marty...you aren't confusing me.

(except the hugging thing)

 

 

 

 

[0Face]

Here is Farmington to Clinton hitting Push Mountain from the North side.

Close up of Push Mountain from the North.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Thanks Marty.

Now, can you run get me a milkshake? I'm thirsty.



Seriously, you are the mapmeister, gps guru...

 

[Gramps]

Marty, I think you work less than me with all those routes you're kicking out.

Man this trip is all I've been thinking about since departing CFO, the wait is killing me. :yahoo: