Let's go to Arkansas

[fjrchik]

Nice Install. Noticed your J & M CB FJRChik & it reminded me that we hadn't picked a CB channel or a chatterbox channel to monitor while in Arkansas. Your choice. Ron

yep, time to do that. let's go with 17 on the CB. nice and close to the trucker channel for easy flipping back and forth.

With impending server hosting changes on the board, I didn't want any unforseen problems in this move to impinge on our Arkansas plans, so I've PM'd fjrchik with my cell phone number so the DFW area riders who will meet Friday morning Oct. 6th can contact me if necessary. I'd hate for the board to go down for several days and not have a way to contact at least someone who's heading to Russellville. Maybe I can get fjrchik's or Bounce's cell number to me by PM or e-mail? I ride slow, but even with that, I'd hate to be left behind!

while they haven't set a date yet for the server changeover, Tim does have a good idea here. if you want your cel phone number shared amongst this group only, PM the digits and your email address to me and I'll make a list and send out to everyone. might be nice to have since we are coming from all different corners and doing different routes while we are there.

 

[FJRayJ]

Nice Install. Noticed your J & M CB FJRChik & it reminded me that we hadn't picked a CB channel or a chatterbox channel to monitor while in Arkansas. Your choice. Ron

yep, time to do that. let's go with 17 on the CB. nice and close to the trucker channel for easy flipping back and forth.

With impending server hosting changes on the board, I didn't want any unforseen problems in this move to impinge on our Arkansas plans, so I've PM'd fjrchik with my cell phone number so the DFW area riders who will meet Friday morning Oct. 6th can contact me if necessary. I'd hate for the board to go down for several days and not have a way to contact at least someone who's heading to Russellville. Maybe I can get fjrchik's or Bounce's cell number to me by PM or e-mail? I ride slow, but even with that, I'd hate to be left behind!

while they haven't set a date yet for the server changeover, Tim does have a good idea here. if you want your cel phone number shared amongst this group only, PM the digits and your email address to me and I'll make a list and send out to everyone. might be nice to have since we are coming from all different corners and doing different routes while we are there.

 

[FJRMGM]

just got back from riding the Eureka Springs area and +100 to THIS ----

"As one of the pseudo-organizers I feel it incumbent to mention that AR roads are tricky and can be technical. There are lots of decreasing radius turns, accurately-marked curve speeds after a series of under-posted curve speeds (good luck guessing which is which), quick elevation drops right when you need max traction, gravel, cow shit, tractors, Maw and Paw and any number of other things right out of sight that makes out-riding your site distance very risky. Even those familiar with a specific road can be surprised by something unexpected right around the curve."

There are LOTS of decreasing radius turns on these roads.

I left E.S. Monday morning and was riding HW 23 south at a 55-60 mph pace and came up a hill and around a right hand corner and when I crested the hill there was an T intersection coming from my right. The driver of the flat bed truck had pulled out and was turning left towards me and I came around the corner and there was an entire road full of truck in front of me!!

I got on the brakes HARD and the back slid out some but left off (non ABS) and managed to haul it down to a stop about five feet from the back axle of the truck. I had time for emergency avoidance around the back but could see I was going to get stopped in time. I now have a crowned spot on my bike saddle from that "pucker" moment.

The other rider said it was exciting to watch from 100 yards back.

Yeah......exciting......yeah, that's what it was..

Good thing I was alert and watching for that very thing as I had noticed the T intersection sign.

Mike

 

[Bounce]

>whew< glad to hear you didn't nurf. thanks for the update.

 

[EricR]

For those meeting in Plano on Friday morning....

- Shell station is near the southeast corner of Legacy Dr & US75 (aka Central Expressway)

- I believe current plan is to meet at 9:30

- Legacy Drive is Exit #32 (coming northbound from 75)

- You are gonna be on the access road for a few hundred yards before you get to the Legacy Drive stoplight.

- There is a defunct bit of railroad track along the eastside of 75. So, the Shell station is actually set back a few hundred feet from the southeast corner of Legacy and 75.

- Turn east at Legacy, drive about 100 ft and turn into the Shell.

Click Here to hopefully get an idea of where we are meeting...

If the link doesn't work, just go to google maps (https://maps.google.com) and enter the following in the "Search the Map" field:

Legacy Dr & US-75 N, Plano, TX 75023

We should also get some idea of who is planning to meet at the Shell station so we know whether to roll or wait for latecomers...

EricR

 

[Bounce]

***HEADS UP RIDERS***

I'll be bringing some route hand outs. HOWEVER - please bring an AR road map. The route sheets I'll have will be an overview of the whole route map with a detailed road/turn (text) listing. These may not be detailed enough for some riders, but I don't have the space to pack more paper.

***BRING GOOD ROAD MAPS OF AR***

GEEZE YOU PEOPLE ARE NEEDY

2 route packs printed, hand written notes, colated and stapled. 4 more to go.

 

[TWILKIN650]

"We should also get some idea of who is planning to meet at the Shell station so we know whether to roll or wait for latecomers...

EricR"

I'll be there about 9:00 to gas up and hydrate. fjrchik has my cell number and promises to share numbers she gets from others via PM or e-mail at a later date.

 

[fjrchik]

OK boys, the lists have been sent out. if you don't have Excel, tough. just kidding. lemme know and i'll conjure up something else for ya.

and i'll be at the shell station next friday morning....god willing....if it's not raining.

 

[Bounce]

and i'll be at the shell station next friday morning....god willing....if it's not raining.

+1

10 Day Forecast for Russellville

 

[FJRayJ]

OK boys, the lists have been sent out. if you don't have Excel, tough. just kidding. lemme know and i'll conjure something else up for ya.
and i'll be at the shell station next friday morning....god willing....if it's not raining.

See you next Friday. Starting to see the forecast for the trip.

I can print the spreadsheet to a pdf file if you need it.

FJRayJ

 

[FJRMGM]

be aware that HW 123 and 7 NE of Clarksville are being patched and are pea gravel on top of chip seal so it was kind of unnerving to ride on it the weekend of Sept 23rd.

HW 16 is a good road to ride and there is a little store at HW 7 and 16 with a nice country restaraunt we ate lunch at about two miles from that west on 16 in Deer.

 

[Bounce]

That's 2 of our routes!

3 more to choose from. Even then, that's only a portion of those 2 routes, so it's not a total killer diller even for those 2.

 

[FJRMGM]

another good route - take HW 27 south out of Russelville down almost to Danville and go west on HW 10 and then take a right on HW 309 north.

309 has Magazine mountain on it - the highest point in Arkansas and it has spectacular views at the top - worth the trip. And switchbacks...

Keep going north to Ozark then take HW 23 north to HW 16 then right (east) to HW 21 south and back to Russelville.

A very good route. HW 23 is very nice to ride on.

 

[Bounce]

Attn all Russellville Riders:

If you want a route file for use with your mapsource/garmin software, please PM me with your e-mail address. Even if you already have one, please ask for an update. I now have the final versions that include more accurate start/stop locations.

 

[TejasFJR]

Bounce, will our route out take us through any tollways? Want to know if I need to pack a handful of change or not.

Plano Friday morning, count me in.

If anyone in Tarrant county is getting together and don't mind another tag-along, shoot me a PM.

 

[GalaxyBlue]

1 week and counting!!!!! :yahoo:

 

[FJRayJ]

Bounce, will our route out take us through any tollways? Want to know if I need to pack a handful of change or not.
Plano Friday morning, count me in.

If anyone in Tarrant county is getting together and don't mind another tag-along, shoot me a PM.

For riders to Arkansas on Friday from the Fort Worth/Mid Cities/Tarrant County Area, TejasFJR and I are planning to leave the Shell Station at the Southeast corner of South Rental Car Road and International Parkway at DFW Airport at 7:30 Friday morning to give us time for a cup of coffee when we get to Plano.

Why don't y'all join us. We don't need to be formal about queing up or calling straglers cause we will do that at Legacy, if needed. At 7:30 we plan to head east to the PGBT (161) then take PGBT to Central then take Central Expressway north to the Shell Station at Legacy and Central.

The tolls at each toll plaza and the exit point are listed below. The smaller number is the fee for a toll tag. I'm probably going to call NTTA and change my car toll tag for use on my FJR Thursday night then change it back Monday but If I don't have time to do that, I'll put exact change for each toll plaza and exit in a baggy or something and pay in the exact change lane.

(Plaza 10) Belt Line Road Irving Main Plaza 0.75/0.60

(Plaza 9) Sandy Lake Road Main Plaza 0.75/0.60

(Plaza 8) Frankford Road Main Plaza 0.75/0.60

(Plaza 7) Coit Road Main Plaza 0.75/0.60

Exit at Coit Road 0.40/0.30

Total $3.40 if cash

I would rather ride the toll road and stop to pay tolls than ride LBJ or any other freeway in Dallas during a Friday morning rush hour.

Geeez!! Why can't tomorrow be Friday?

FJRayJ

 

[Bounce]

Just got in from a 150 mile ride to no place in particular. 95° out and it was fun. BUT (big one) I suspect that I'll be picking the slow group to ride with next weekend. My lines sucked and my knee thought that was a long ride (means more frequent stops than I'm used to). The best way to describe it would be like a rider in Spring after being off all Winter. My commutes over the past month of so just don't count for much, so I'll have to take it cautiously until I knock the rust off, get used to the new tires and brake pads, and get a feel for how different I feel after the knee surgery.

 

[FJR1300]

I'm looking forward to the ride... as I almost wasn't going to be able to go. I started a new job in July and told my employer that I was going to take a few days off in the fall to go riding.

Well the new job is going great, but I'm working 60+ hours a week. Last week it looked like I was going to have to back out when my employer told me I was going or else. My boss said my work will still be here when I get back and to take an extra day or two if I wanted.

It's great to work for someone that appreciates a dedicated employee who works hard.

Anyhow... just three more days for me! I'll be picking up RonBB and a couple of others up on Thursday and we'll be in Russellville by early Thursday afternoon. Friday will be a fun day while we wait on the rest of the group.

 

[TWILKIN650]

Bounce, in addition to the cigar, I'm bringing plenty of Vitamin I and knee wraps with menthol and BenGay. My last 2,600 mile round trip had me off the bike every 150 miles or so, rubbing my left knee and popping Ibuprophen. Made it O.K. but highway pegs have now been installed. I'll race you to the back of the pack........