Let's go to Arkansas

[dbx]

OK, guys here's the list of attendees and maybes (from what I can tell of your posts):
Confirmed:

fjrchik

Bounce

FJR1300

dbx

fjrrider +1 friend

mbottoms

TejasFJR

FJRayJ

foggy

Maybe:

vagabond

Nosecone

bmwhd - couldn't tell from your post if your in for sure or not

GalaxyBlue

GPRIDER

FantasticJohnR

Hotboot

Does this look accurate to y'all?? Any of u maybe's wanna confirm (or deny)? Because at this point we have as many yes's as we do maybe's and that might make it tougher for me to find a place (needing 9 or 10 rooms vs 16 or 17). I get that vagabond and nosecone have SWFOG and may have to make a last minute decision. But can the rest of you figure it out by Friday? Hope so ~ Thanks!

Looks good to me, Oct 6-9 or possibly 6-8 if everyone bugs out on Sunday, meeting in Russelville on Friday evening. Next, why not pick a roomie from the list above so we can close the pool and pay the winner? :yahoo:

 

[FJR1300]

I get off the air at 9:00am and I plan on leaving the radio station shortly after that. I hope to be in Russellville around 5:00pm on Thursday. I'm a non-smoker and early-riser... so if anyone wants to share a room, let me know!

@GalaxyBlue... I'm coming down through Springfield from Sedalia. Do you want to ride down to Russellville together?

 

[EricR]

I'd like to join in on the fun.

Is this a Friday arrival in Russellville? I was a bit confused by the 'blast to Mena'.

Why go to Mena only to run the Talimena back into Oklahoma? Am I missing something?

Thanks,

EricR

 

[odot]

Are there any smokers going on this ride? Christ...I feel like I am in kalifornia or something.

 

[Bounce]

I'd like to join in on the fun.
Is this a Friday arrival in Russellville? I was a bit confused by the 'blast to Mena'.

Why go to Mena only to run the Talimena back into Oklahoma? Am I missing something?

Thanks,

EricR

Mena's on the way for a lot of us. Some haven't ridden Mena before (some of us have). Getting the one pass across the Skyline gives them that chance while then moving on the Russellville for the evening and to position us for the better riding on Saturday. And, after all, it's only an extra 50 to 100 miles. That's hardly enough to get the tires broke in.

So what's a "day ride" for everyone? Should we break it up into about 250 mile segments as loops out and back to Russellville with multiple loops doing different directions? That would leave bail out points for everyone back at the "host" hotel instead of out with a need to head back. Just glancing at the Russellville area, I quickly see 2 loops. The first, I just details out at 342 miles. Clearly there's more AR to ride than can be done in a month. But this first one taps on at least one road that's been discussed recently on the forum in another thread.

 

[GalaxyBlue]

I get off the air at 9:00am and I plan on leaving the radio station shortly after that. I hope to be in Russellville around 5:00pm on Thursday. I'm a non-smoker and early-riser... so if anyone wants to share a room, let me know!
@GalaxyBlue... I'm coming down through Springfield from Sedalia. Do you want to ride down to Russellville together?

Sure! I will ride with ya...

Also interested in the room split.

I smoke, but i will go outside... OK?

@FJRChic, Put me down as a definate! :yahoo:

 

[fjrchik]

Recap:

Confirmed:

fjrchik

Bounce

FJR1300 + GalaxyBlue

dbx

fjrrider +1 friend

mbottoms

TejasFJR

FJRayJ

foggy

EricR

Maybe:

vagabond

Nosecone

bmwhd - couldn't tell from your post if your in for sure or not

GPRIDER

FantasticJohnR

Hotboot

anyone else wanna move themselves up to the confirmed list?

 

[EricR]

Bounce,

Thanks for the reply.

I didn't mean to imply skipping Skyline Dr. I was assuming most would be coming from the west. Given that assumption, I was expecting to run Skyline west-to-east (originating in Talihena, OK) and on into Mena...

Thanks,

EricR

 

[FJR1300]

Sure! I will ride with ya...
Also interested in the room split.

I smoke, but i will go outside... OK?

No problem... I have really bad gas, so I won't smell the cigarette smoke on your closes! :lol: (Uh, just kidding... I think!)

I might be somewhat confused on when the rest of the group plans to get to Russellville. How many people will be showing up Thursday afternoon or evening in Russellville?

@GalaxyBlue - If most of the group isn't getting down there until Friday, do you still want to go down on Thursday. You know there are and so do I... so maybe would could find a few others to take out on a ride early on Friday before the rest of the group arrives?

@Bounce and fjrchick - Your group is arriving in Russellville on Friday... correct?

 

[fjrchik]

Sure! I will ride with ya...
Also interested in the room split.

I smoke, but i will go outside... OK?

No problem... I have really bad gas, so I won't smell the cigarette smoke on your closes! :lol: (Uh, just kidding... I think!)

I might be somewhat confused on when the rest of the group plans to get to Russellville. How many people will be showing up Thursday afternoon or evening in Russellville?

@GalaxyBlue - If most of the group isn't getting down there until Friday, do you still want to go down on Thursday. You know there are and so do I... so maybe would could find a few others to take out on a ride early on Friday before the rest of the group arrives?

@Bounce and fjrchick - Your group is arriving in Russellville on Friday... correct?

yep. but since i don't know what time we are leaving, i can't give you an arrival time. i'm personally hoping to be there by 5ish but have no idea if that feasible with the roads we are doing on the way up.

 

[fjrrider]

Two of us (maybe 3, foggy you out there!)will be leaving Texarkana at "Noon" on Thursday the 5th. We plan on leaving Sunday the 8th A.M. We will make a pass over Mt Magazine on the way home then back over to Mena and over Skyline and around to Hwy 259 and home.

We will be up for a ride Friday A.M. FJR1300 and GalaxyBlue and whoever else.

Bounce if you or FJRChik could give us an itinerary for Saturday, those of us that want to ride Friday could at least take a diferent route from the one you have planned on Saturday

 

[fjrchik]

Two of us (maybe 3, foggy you out there!)will be leaving Texarkana at "Noon" on Thursday the 5th. We plan on leaving Sunday the 8th A.M. We will make a pass over Mt Magazine on the way home then back over to Mena and over Skyline and around to Hwy 259 and home.We will be up for a ride Friday A.M. FJR1300 and GalaxyBlue and whoever else.

Bounce if you or fjrchik could give us an itinerary for Saturday, those of us that want to ride Friday could at least take a diferent route from the one you have planned on Saturday

Bounce sent me a route last night to look over. So he is making progress - he said it's hard to narrow it down cause there are so many great roads to take. If that's what he's decided to go with, I'm sure he'll post it up soon.

oh and foggy is from lewisville, so he may want to join us DFW people on the way out. I'm sure we'll be picking a spot to meet and head out from Friday morning together.

 

[FJR1300]

For my ride on Friday, I was thinking of either going up Push Mountain Road towards Mountain Home or going up 123 to 74 and through Jasper. (If that sounds good to GalaxyBlue...?)

 

[Bounce]

Push Mountain was the first loop I worked up. 342 miles for that loop.

Looking at various ways to get there, we could come up US259 and hit the Skyline west to east then keep going N to Russellville. I was thinking of handing out copies of possible routes once everyone's there. I don't know about everyone else, but ultra-organized group rides aren't exactly what I had in mind. Having routes with lunch stops listed would allow for the fast riders and slow riders to not irritate each other but still meet up at certain key places throughout the day.

My reminder is that this isn't a track, so don't outride your site line. Having fun is one goal, but so it keeping the body count to zero. Those who aren't familiar with AR should be reminded that things can go to shit right around the next corner. Tight curves with sudden elevation changes have ended up over-eating more than one rider's traction pie and we've all read the stories here about the hurt bikes and bodies. Ma and Pa, in their old jallopy, on the way to town are always around the next corner, too. If you really want to run hot on public roads, pre-ride a section and go back and do it again once you know what's along that section... even then things can change since the pre-ride. I hate to sound like a mother hen but losing a rider on this ride would tear me up so bad, I'd have to skip second breakfast.

There will be more options than just the one below. Probably more than we can do in a single day. That means more reasons to come back or more riding for those who can stay an extra day. I'm posting this as an example so those who were enticed by Push Mountain will know one of the possible ways of getting there. Take a break at either Gassville or Salem.

What does everyone think of several loops like this (300-400 miles) and several loops of about 150 miles? Always coming back to home base to call it a day at the hotel if desired, or another shot out to another loop (large or small) based on what you're up for. I'm planning a conservative weekend myself since this is the first trip I've made in some time and the first ride longer than a commute to work since my knee surgery. As such, I'll not be leading (or following) the quick riders. It's too much of an unknown (for me). Ending cripped up, on a bike, with a goodly distance of a ride back home is not my intent. Besides I have to save myself for the hot tub party Saturday night.

 

[fjrchik]

hot tub. ok lemme add that to the hotel requirements. got it. :lol:

 

[dbx]

Push Mountain was the first loop I worked up. 342 miles for that loop.<snip>

What does everyone think of several loops like this (300-400 miles) and several loops of about 150 miles? Always coming back to home base to call it a day at the hotel if desired, or another shot out to another loop (large or small) based on what you're up for.

<snip>

Loops of 300-400 miles early in the day, looping back to home base, then an optional shorter ride of ~150 miles for the die hards sounds perfect to me. Thanks for putting it together.

Jeff

 

[FJR1300]

Push Mountain was the first loop I worked up. 342 miles for that loop.

This ride looks fun... in fact, I've never riden Push Mountain Road from south to north as we always leave from Mountain Home. If that is Saturday's ride... I'm cool.

Side note... I will have to leave early Sunday morning because I have to be back on the air early Monday morning.

I'm planning a conservative weekend myself since this is the first trip I've made in some time and the first ride longer than a commute to work since my knee surgery. As such, I'll not be leading (or following) the quick riders.

+1

I might be one of the younger riders at 36, but I do not enjoy speed. I enjoy the ride and I take my time. (At least I hope I am one of the younger riders!)

 

[fjrrider]

oh and foggy is from lewisville, so he may want to join us DFW people on the way out. I'm sure we'll be picking a spot to meet and head out from Friday morning together.

I dont know what I was thinking, we have a Lewisville AR. just down the road and for some reason or another I thought "Foggy" was from that Lewisville. Anyway we will be at the motel Thursday afternoon and ready to ride Friday A.M. (a civilized ride sounds just fine) for anyone interested! Any route the group wants to ride on Saturday is fine.

Were all in, just let me know the motel and I will make my reservations!

 

[bmwhd]

Push Mountain was the first loop I worked up. 342 miles for that loop.

This ride looks fun... in fact, I've never riden Push Mountain Road from south to north as we always leave from Mountain Home. If that is Saturday's ride... I'm cool.

Side note... I will have to leave early Sunday morning because I have to be back on the air early Monday morning.

I'm planning a conservative weekend myself since this is the first trip I've made in some time and the first ride longer than a commute to work since my knee surgery. As such, I'll not be leading (or following) the quick riders.

+1

I might be one of the younger riders at 36, but I do not enjoy speed. I enjoy the ride and I take my time. (At least I hope I am one of the younger riders!)

I'm still working on my work schedule. I'm still a maybe at this point.

 

[Bounce]

Minor tidbit of info. AR has wet and dry counties. Russellville (and Mena) are both in dry counties. If you plan to partake of adult beverages after the bikes are parked for the evening, plan accordingly.

--update--

From https://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/145720/print/

"Alcohol sales of some sort are allowed in 33 of the state’s 75 counties, but only six are totally wet : Baxter, Chicot, Desha, Lee, Miller and Phillips."