Moving to Eastern Arkansas from California

[TomInPA]

Erin, I hope you will share the route you are considering. I have to do a trip, and have up to 3-weeks to do it, and have not established even a single goal for the route. I think my neighbors Jaimie (Bugman), and Phil (Nazgul) will be accompanying me as we wander the vast expanses of this country. I have been tempted to do a southern route except for that damn desert across Oklahoma and Texas, but it might be better than being snowed on in Nebraska and Iowa. Late April and early May is a weird time to be traveling across the country, but I'd like to do a coast to coast.

The TaliMENA Scenic Byway mentioned earlier sounds like a great idea, and would lead to a Deals Gap ride on the Dragon, then out to the coast before heading west again. So many choices. Anyway, I bet our paths will cross again soon, and better on 2-wheels.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Erin, I hope you will share the route you are considering. I have to do a trip, and have up to 3-weeks to do it, and have not established even a single goal for the route. I think my neighbors Jaimie (Bugman), and Phil (Nazgul) will be accompanying me as we wander the vast expanses of this country. I have been tempted to do a southern route except for that damn desert across Oklahoma and Texas, but it might be better than being snowed on in Nebraska and Iowa. Late April and early May is a weird time to be traveling across the country, but I'd like to do a coast to coast.
The TaliMENA Scenic Byway mentioned earlier sounds like a great idea, and would lead to a Deals Gap ride on the Dragon, then out to the coast before heading west again. So many choices. Anyway, I bet our paths will cross again soon, and better on 2-wheels.

Seems like Texas, OK and AR and southern MO should be great that time of year. Stay off the interstates and cruise fast on the side roads for flavor. After southern MO, then KY to TN or just TN...

 

[Erin]

Wheaty, I already invited Erin to stop by at our next HOON get together in Mena, AR next month. Hope she takes me up on it....

And yes Hooterville would be great way to introduce her to some great roads/riding....

That sounds like fun. Petey, take of ol lil o her.

HOON... short for HOOligaN

Mark, I wondered about that was afraid to ask

..LOL

Erin, I hope you will share the route you are considering. I have to do a trip, and have up to 3-weeks to do it, and have not established even a single goal for the route. I think my neighbors Jaimie (Bugman), and Phil (Nazgul) will be accompanying me as we wander the vast expanses of this country. I have been tempted to do a southern route except for that damn desert across Oklahoma and Texas, but it might be better than being snowed on in Nebraska and Iowa. Late April and early May is a weird time to be traveling across the country, but I'd like to do a coast to coast.
The TaliMENA Scenic Byway mentioned earlier sounds like a great idea, and would lead to a Deals Gap ride on the Dragon, then out to the coast before heading west again. So many choices. Anyway, I bet our paths will cross again soon, and better on 2-wheels.

Tom, I will post up as soon as I have decided. Because I won't be headed back to Ca to pick up the bike till Mid-June, it is going to be hot coming back across those deserts you were talking about so I am not sure which way I will head back to AR but as soon as I know I will post up.

 

[20valves]

Wheaty, I already invited Erin to stop by at our next HOON get together in Mena, AR next month....would be great way to introduce her to some great roads/riding....

Or scare her away! Erin, we'll bring you an extra cigar and some top shelf anejo tequila for the evening's bench racing session.

And welcome to middle America. Mena is a great staging area for getting to some of AR and OK's best riding. AR is full of great scenery and roads. You'll have fun mapping them out and picking favorites. Oh yeah, you'll need to become familiar with the term "dry county."

 

[Erin]

Wheaty, I already invited Erin to stop by at our next HOON get together in Mena, AR next month....would be great way to introduce her to some great roads/riding....

Or scare her away! Erin, we'll bring you an extra cigar and some top shelf anejo tequila for the evening's bench racing session.

And welcome to middle America. Mena is a great staging area for getting to some of AR and OK's best riding. AR is full of great scenery and roads. You'll have fun mapping them out and picking favorites. Oh yeah, you'll need to become familiar with the term "dry county."

20v, i was warned about the dry county, got an extra large uhaul just for supplies! lol

 

[Bounce]

Some tips:

1. Sell your nice cars and get a rusted out, 20 year old pickup

2. Walk around bare foot

3. Cut the sleeves off all your shirts

4. Likewise the legs off all your pants

5. Learn how to pronounce "Y'all"

6. Learn the singular and plural versions of "Y'all"

Otherwise you'll stick out as a transplant.

in general, the best roads are in the NW half of the state. The area north of I-30 and west of Little Rock. Talamena Scenic Skyway is nice ride but on nice weekends it's usually packed with rolling road blocks. The Queen Wilamena Lodge has a nice hotel/restaraunt at the top of the hill. Get off the primary and secondary roads anywhere in the NW half of the state and you'll find a ton of fun terciary roads. Highway 7 is HUGE and luxurious after most of a day or smaller, more technical stuff.

Don't outride your sight line since there could be a tractor or stopped vehicle around that next blind curve.

 

[airboss]

7. Everyone in Arkansas is a NASCAR driver when you try to pass the race will start.

 

[Tyler]

3. Cut the sleeves off all your *****

Ah, the difference one little letter can make... :lol:

 

[Ed Sidders]

My favorite area...I'm about 3 hours south in NE Texas....Contact Ark tourist bureau for good maps and tell them you are going to be on a motorcycle in the area then watch your mailbox....Prepare for a real culture shock .... Ed

 

[Ed Sidders]

motorcyclearkansas.com

 

[Erin]

Good Morning, Packing up and leaving California tomorrow..don't mind admitting am a bit nervous. Am taking the VFR with me so will have a bike right away. Rented a uhaul and am taking 40 straight across. See you all on the other side..of the Rockies that is...

 

[Bounce]

I remember when I packed up the family and moved from my home state to my new home state of TX. There was a lot of trepidation. It turned out to be the best choice for my work and family life. Like I've told many people since, "Texan by choice; not by accident." That portion of my career was the most rewarding 8 years of my entire working career. Future hops kept me in Texas (some of the hops were done for that specific reason). Back during that first long, solo trip to that first day at that new job held many questions though.

Good luck. Seek out that which is great in your new home. Don't try to make it into the place you left. Embrace the differences.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Good Morning, Packing up and leaving California tomorrow..don't mind admitting am a bit nervous. Am taking the VFR with me so will have a bike right away. Rented a uhaul and am taking 40 straight across. See you all on the other side..of the Rockies that is...

Best of luck to you Erin...

I'll be moving in about a year or so, so I'll be in the same boat regarding nerves and uncertainty. Have fun setting up your new digs.

Get that still up and running soon so you can invite your trailer park neighbors over real soon for a friendly swig out of the jug...

 

[SacramentoMike]

Have a safe trip, Erin. And good luck in this next chapter. Hope to see you at a . . . NAFO, WFO, CFO, WTFO -- somewhere -- one 'a these days.

 

[Erin]

made it too Elk City, OK today Mena tomorrow. Has been a good trip so far. Should be able to meet with the Hoon's this we ekendekend!

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I sure hope it all works out well for you. Everything that Bounce said after the word "transplant" is absolutely correct. I just returned from a family vacation on Mt. Nebo. I find Arkansas to be a very nice place to visit and ride in. The list of great roads is a long one. There is plenty of info on the 'net about motorcycle riding Arkansas. They will send you the paper maps or you can print them off some of the websites. I think it was RideArkansas.com but I cannot remember.

 

[Niehart]

Good Morning, Packing up and leaving California tomorrow..don't mind admitting am a bit nervous.

made it too Elk City, OK today Mena tomorrow. Has been a good trip so far. Should be able to meet with the Hoon's this we ekendekend!

Erin, no wonder your a little nervous, Petey's is one of those 'Hoon's'.

Wishing ya the best in your new home state Erin!

 

[ahchiu]

Erin,

Good luck with your move, you will meet new riding friends sooner than you think.

 

[Erin]

i made it! and finally have internet! I am g going for a quick ride tomorrow if the weather holds!

 

[Tyler]

i made it! and finally have internet! I am g going for a quick ride tomorrow if the weather holds!

Better update your location...