April Arkansas Rainy Ride

[SEBSPEED]

Looks like a good time despite the rain! Great job on the write up Lee! I hope there are more & more trips in your future! :fing02:

[Tightwad]

Damn I just got my new parts about 2pm yesterday, started installing and putting the throttle bodies back on. Oh well maybe we will do some Ozarks on the way to Tmac this year. I have yet to actually get the bike running! Dutch that gas station looks familiar, didnt we stop there on the way to Mountain Home Tmac 2 years ago? Then you spanked me in the morning riding Push Mountain. You always seem to get me on Push Mountain and the tight part of Mt Judea you have more practice in on those roads than I.

It was raining hard here the day I was supposed to leave - and not that semi warm Ozarks rain either it was a typical Pre Spring Colorado freezing rain the kind that sneeks into your bones and makes you shiver 3 days later, turns to snow if you even think about complaining.

Spanked you? Not sure about that since I couldn't ever get you off my arse but yeah I've definitely had more practice on those roads. :laughing6-hehe:

Yeah, that's the gas station in Jasper. Gary asked the same thing when we stopped there.

I was just thinking that was about where Gary turned around on that trip...funny how you remember stuff. I am bummed I missed out, but I really don't like the rain, so I lucked out I guess.

[HispanicSlammer]

I was just thinking that was about where Gary turned around on that trip...funny how you remember stuff.

Yea I think Gary turned around and headed west on 16 just after we stopped at some scenic overlook, that grand canyon thing hwy 7?

[gswanson]

I was just thinking that was about where Gary turned around on that trip.

You guys have good memories. The gas station in Jasper is where I split from you on your way to T-Mac. I did go across on Hwy 16. It has a "Deliverance" feel to it. Pretty desolate. I kept thinking "don't fail me now Viffer" as you don't know who might offer "help".

[HispanicSlammer]

I have always eaten at the Mt Judea Cafe on its bolted down orange booths and cement floor its a no frills cafe. Best burgers In Arkansas in my opionion, I can argue best anywhere, always hits the spot for me. Yes but I have always wanted to stop at that place in Jasper. Half eaten food pics or not.

[Luvmyvfr]

Damn I just got my new parts about 2pm yesterday, started installing and putting the throttle bodies back on. Oh well maybe we will do some Ozarks on the way to Tmac this year. I have yet to actually get the bike running! Dutch that gas station looks familiar, didnt we stop there on the way to Mountain Home Tmac 2 years ago? Then you spanked me in the morning riding Push Mountain. You always seem to get me on Push Mountain and the tight part of Mt Judea you have more practice in on those roads than I.

It was raining hard here the day I was supposed to leave - and not that semi warm Ozarks rain either it was a typical Pre Spring Colorado freezing rain the kind that sneeks into your bones and makes you shiver 3 days later, turns to snow if you even think about complaining.

Spanked you? Not sure about that since I couldn't ever get you off my arse but yeah I've definitely had more practice on those roads. :comp13:

Yeah, that's the gas station in Jasper. Gary asked the same thing when we stopped there.

I was just thinking that was about where Gary turned around on that trip...funny how you remember stuff. I am bummed I missed out, but I really don't like the rain, so I lucked out I guess.

It's too bad that the rest of the group turned around and headed back to the motel on saturday because ten minutes later, the sun came out and we rode about 200 more miles that day in SUPER weather... The next day(sunday) we stopped for at the same little general store and had lunch. Great prime rib and brisket sandwhiches with all the fixns...

Lee, we met an older guy in a cowboy hat who came over and talked to us for about 15 minutes about all the bikes he had and all the places he had gone to....until his wife came and and said "hey pops, lets go"

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[Luvmyvfr]

Actually, as you can see from the tire photos below, (started brand new) we really didn't have that much fun at all. :comp13: It was pure torture to have to pick between looking at the scenery, or carving up the roads. :fing02:

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only about 2 mm not touched on the front left....I always knew I went faster turning right :comp13:

[Guest]

I have alot of other pictures, but here are some of the pictures that the Push Mountain Photographer took.

Here are some of the photos I took with my phone, not the best quality but you get the point.

This is Gerald, the Old guy that talked to us for 20 minutes about touring on motorcycles his whole life, but how he was as American as can be, but just couldn't bring himself to own a Harley.

This was the local entertainment at the Ozark Cafe In Jasper on Friday night.

In front of the country store on Sunday's Ride.

After dinner on Friday night in Jasper.

Ozark scenery.

Ozark scenery.

On Saturday's ride with the VFR group, I think this is on Hwy 43.

On Saturday's ride with the VFR group, I think this is on Hwy 43.

Our Hotel View

Route 7 just south of Jasper.

[Guest]

This is most of the route we did Sunday, after Push Mountain I forgot to turn my GPS back on to record the homestretch.

[Luvmyvfr]

This is most of the route we did Sunday, after Push Mountain I forgot to turn my GPS back on to record the homestretch.

Oh the homestretch wasn't that great anyway.....still nicer than the roads here in Illinois :biggrin:

We did find that the Coltons Steak house served BEER :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: too bad it took all weekend to figure it out!

[dutchinterceptor]

It's too bad that the rest of the group turned around and headed back to the motel on saturday because ten minutes later, the sun came out and we rode about 200 more miles that day in SUPER weather... The next day(sunday) we stopped for at the same little general store and had lunch. Great prime rib and brisket sandwhiches with all the fixns...

We did find that the Coltons Steak house served BEER :goofy: :beer: :beer: too bad it took all weekend to figure it out!

Yeah, hated to bail on you guys for sure but considering all our gear was still wet from the day(s) before it didn't give us much motivation to keep riding. Glad y'all stuck it out!

That's good to know about beer at Coltons!! :comp13: Wish the one in Russellville did. It's also good to know that Hankins store is serving food. I lost count of how many times that place closed up.

[dutchinterceptor]

I have always eaten at the Mt Judea Cafe on its bolted down orange booths and cement floor its a no frills cafe. Best burgers In Arkansas in my opionion, I can argue best anywhere, always hits the spot for me. Yes but I have always wanted to stop at that place in Jasper. Half eaten food pics or not.

The last couple times I've eaten at Eagle Rock Cafe it hasn't been that good. Not sure if the same lady still owns it. Might be why the quality dropped off.

The Cliff House on 7 near Jasper is supposed to be good but I haven't stopped there.

[Joshvfr]

Sounds like a great time, sorry I missed it. How many tickets from Arkansas and the Forest services finest? I hope to be available for the next one as I loved Arkansas backroads.

[Guest]

This first clip is on Push Mountain Road(Arkansas Serpent) heading south. You will see Luvmyvfr, our buddy on the ninja 250 (briefly) and my Ducati. After a few miles, I slowed down and Mike took off on his 600 ninja. At one point you will here him slow down and beep his horn...there was a deer on the side of the road. This is best viewed in the "HD" mode.

Mike and Luvmyfr on Hwy 123 (Arkansas Dragon). I think it is also called Mt. Judea.

[Luvmyvfr]

Sounds like a great time, sorry I missed it. How many tickets from Arkansas and the Forest services finest? I hope to be available for the next one as I loved Arkansas backroads.

Only one ticket for the four of us, just before we went down the Arkansas Dragon on 123.....the officer was very cool and told us that there was nobody on the road and to have fun...just be careful!

[dutchinterceptor]

Sounds like a great time, sorry I missed it. How many tickets from Arkansas and the Forest services finest? I hope to be available for the next one as I loved Arkansas backroads.

Only one ticket for the four of us, just before we went down the Arkansas Dragon on 123.....the officer was very cool and told us that there was nobody on the road and to have fun...just be careful!

I wouldn't say that was the only one. :biggrin:

[gswanson]

I wouldn't say that was the only one. :fing02:

Did you get nailed on the way home?

[Lee 2002]

I wouldn't say that was the only one.

Did you get nailed on the way home?

I'm guessing on the liquor run..... now I feel really bad!

[ADAM79]

Sounds like a great time, sorry I missed it. How many tickets from Arkansas and the Forest services finest? I hope to be available for the next one as I loved Arkansas backroads.

Only one ticket for the four of us, just before we went down the Arkansas Dragon on 123.....the officer was very cool and told us that there was nobody on the road and to have fun...just be careful!

I wouldn't say that was the only one. :fing02:

You did seem a little bummed out that night. Was it bad $$$?

[V4 Rosso]

Nice trip report, pics and video :fing02:

@Lee2002: That's a big machine there Lee. What year was it build?

Once on my way home going through Germany I also spotted a big machine that I thought was worth a closer look. It was so big I could spot it from several miles away and tried to find a way to get a bit closer. I didn't get as close as you did to Big Brutus as these Krupp trenchers are still in operation, but I found a small road leading right to the edge of the mining area (lignite/brown coal mine) and saw several of these enormous machines in action. For comparison, look at the normal sized shovel you can see in bottom right of the first pic. :blink:

Unfortunately I missed the largest trencher as I later learned that one is in operation at a site a dozen miles or so further east. Still these 'smaller' ones were quite impressive.

Here you'll find another nice pic of one of these machines.

[leanit]

Informative, great pics and great bikes! What more could you ask for? Nice weather? It's a shame you guys were stuck in bad weather for much of your ride but a 5 star report for sure. Thanks, JD

[Lee 2002]

@Lee2002: That's a big machine there Lee. What year was it build?

I don't know what year it was built... but it was apparently in operation from 1962 to 1974.

I wasn't supposed to get my motorcycle right in front of the bucket, setting on the hill for the panoramic photos was OK. But as my Father has often said, "It is easier to beg forgivness than ask permission." The problem with that is that I had already been denied permission... oh well.

Big Brutus is the nickname of the Bucyrus-Erie model 1850B electric shovel, which was the second largest of its type in operation in the 1960s and 1970s. It is currently the centerpiece of a mining museum in West Mineral, Kansas.

It is 160 feet (49 m) high and weighs 11 million pounds. The bucket holds 90 cubic yards (69 m³) or 150 tons. Maximum speed is 0.22 MPH. It cost $6.5 million in 1962.

Big Brutus, while not the largest electric shovel ever built, is the largest electric shovel still in existence. The Captain, at 28 million pounds, was the largest shovel and one of the two largest land-based mobile machines ever built. It was scrapped in 1992.^[1]

^{The Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company donated Big Brutus in 1984 as the core of a mining museum which opened in 1985. In 1987, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers designated Big Brutus a Regional Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.[2]}

^{The museum offers tours as well as camping.}

[dutchinterceptor]

Sounds like a great time, sorry I missed it. How many tickets from Arkansas and the Forest services finest? I hope to be available for the next one as I loved Arkansas backroads.

Only one ticket for the four of us, just before we went down the Arkansas Dragon on 123.....the officer was very cool and told us that there was nobody on the road and to have fun...just be careful!

I wouldn't say that was the only one. :beer:

You did seem a little bummed out that night. Was it bad $$?

If I seemed bummed it was more from being tired of the rain than anything. My ticket came on the ride home.

I'd say I got off pretty cheap this time since it was a warning ticket. :biggrin: Details are in my blog.

[dutchinterceptor]

This first clip is on Push Mountain Road(Arkansas Serpent) heading south. You will see Luvmyvfr, our buddy on the ninja 250 (briefly) and my Ducati. After a few miles, I slowed down and Mike took off on his 600 ninja. At one point you will here him slow down and beep his horn...there was a deer on the side of the road. This is best viewed in the "HD" mode.

Mike and Luvmyfr on Hwy 123 (Arkansas Dragon). I think it is also called Mt. Judea.

The little town at the start of the switchbacks is Mt. Judea(pronounced Judee as HS found out one year). The locals call 123 the "Mini-Dragon". I'm impressed by the quality of these videos. I had my eyes set on a different brand camera but seeing the footage on the laptop is making me rethink which brand to buy! :biggrin:

[Luvmyvfr]

This first clip is on Push Mountain Road(Arkansas Serpent) heading south. You will see Luvmyvfr, our buddy on the ninja 250 (briefly) and my Ducati. After a few miles, I slowed down and Mike took off on his 600 ninja. At one point you will here him slow down and beep his horn...there was a deer on the side of the road. This is best viewed in the "HD" mode.

Mike and Luvmyfr on Hwy 123 (Arkansas Dragon). I think it is also called Mt. Judea.

The little town at the start of the switchbacks is Mt. Judea(pronounced Judee as HS found out one year). The locals call 123 the "Mini-Dragon". I'm impressed by the quality of these videos. I had my eyes set on a different brand camera but seeing the footage on the laptop is making me rethink which brand to buy! :fing02:

Yeah the GO PRO HD worked really well...you can here Mike even giggle a few times.....we have some more footage waiting to be upladed....one view i had it on my seat cowl aimed backwards...I thought that the exhaust was going to sound great, but for some reason it didn't get it....man was I bummed. The Arkansas Dragon(123), we were going pretty slow, first time on it in the dry...and we had just gotten a ticket....we were watching for another trooper, that wasn't there! :goofy:

On the Push mountain vid I was right behind mike until the last two miles....was just getting tired trying to keep up with a 600 that weighed 100+pounds less...i preferred not to lowside into a guardrail! :excl: