I planned this trip for months, had several say they wanted to go too, but when it came down to the wire 1 friend that was in from the beginning was the only one that went with me. This trip is just me wanting to go back home and ride the roads I grew up on and have a good long road trip, visit my Mom who is getting on in the years and visit my Brother in law that I miss not hanging out with anymore. He lives in Bella Vista Arkansas-North West corner.
THE START- Orlando Florida, my house- Dave showed at 7AM just like he said he would pumped to the max, he was ready, and he's never been to Arkansas. Dave rides an 07 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600, I'm riding my 06 Electra Glide. We say good byes to my wife and dogs and set out. The ride in Florida is kinda old to us so we make tracks, hit the TurnPike and head North then cut North West toward the edge of Georgia. Most of this part of the ride was kinda boring other than being there, on the road going somewhere. We get into Alabama and holding to the plan head for Hwy 62, DARK clouds ahead so we hit the rain suits and just in time too, it turned cold and the wind was blowing the rain hard. Dave was sure we were in for a tornado and was ready to dive for the ditch, but we kept going. We made it to Columbus Mississippi for the first night, over 650 miles the first day. Next day, sun was shining and looked great we headed west on 62 across Miss. what a sucked road, the joints in the concrete jarred your teeth about every 50 feet but we kept going, we make it to the Mississippi River, rode across the bridge and had to go back across and video the ride through the arches of the old bridge. We were in Arkansas, hit Hwy 65 North another suck road, holes and patches. We took 65 to Pine Bluff and cut West to Hot Springs, my butt was getting numb so I raise up to get some air and when I sat back down I ejected my cell phone, Dave is quick he turned around and had scooped it up before I even got stopped, the Damn thing still worked, and the conciderate guy in the big Chevy 4X4 didn't even aim for it. We make it to Hot Springs, cruise through town and see some of the really pretty sites H. S. has. Dave is really enjoying himself now, we're in some mountains and curves, seeing the sights. By now we are in my home stomping grounds and we head out of town on to Hwy 7, I start riding a little hard since I know the roads and I'm having a blast, Dave rides good and is keeping up but later he expressed a little tightness in his seat from the curves. We turn off in Paron AR and head to Ferndale where my Mother in Law lives to spend the second night. Since it's still early, we unload the gear and take off for a ride around, I take him out to my home place, empty now, and we ride around Maumelle Lake, great roads and views and head into Little Rock. The city has grown so much we were in town where it used to be fields and woods. We stopped to grab a beer and take in the female sights, I didn't remember Arkansas girls like that, Damn I'm getting old. We go back to Mom in laws, have a great supper and crash for the night. Next morning we head out West on Hwy 10 back around the lake and on to Perryville and then Morrilton where I was born. We stop and visit my Mom and my brother, I didn't spend too much time there, I love my Mother but can only take so much. Off we go, back down Hwy 10 to Petit Jean State Park, this is a "have to see" I spent alot of time here as a kid. The ride up the mountain is steep and curvy, when you get to the top make the first right out to the lookout, MAN what a view! Back out on the mountain, while you are on top it looks like any road, you don't get many overlooks but you have to stop and see Cedar Falls it's like something out of the movies, then it's back down the mountain on the West end heading for Hwy 7 North to Russellville. (note) Gas up in Russellville and head North on Hwy 7 to Harrison AR, this is a great bike road, curves, steep, plenty of overlooks, watch out for the tar in the middle of the hairpin curves, we both slid the front tire sideways in the middle of one, just going a little too fast (20MPH). Gassed up again in Harrison and headed west on Hwy 62 not alot to see for about 20 miles then you get close to Eureka Springs, we spent some time there looking around on bike and foot, very narrow streets, curvy, very steep in places. Back on 62 heading West to Bella Vista, I'm in front, we are riding at a fun speed through the curves not fast just fun, we come up on a guy and gal 2 up on a Sportster, I ease to the center line to pass, they speed up, I get another chance to pass and they speed up even more so now we are riding pretty hard, I'm a pretty good rider and I'm sure I can keep up with anyone riding 2up on a Sportster, but this guy is riding and she's right with him hanging on, I drag floorboards a few times and I'm really riding close to my maximum for the curves and not knowing the roads by heart, we ride like that for 10 miles or so, Dave's back there but he said he just couldn't ride up with us. I get a straight stretch and blast by the Sportster, it was kinda like he gave up cause Dave passed him soon after, we came up on an intersection right to Mo. and left to Bella Vista, we pull over and motion for the 2 up to stop too, they pull in, they are riding a brand new Sportster 330 miles on it, the said they have only had it a month and it was thier first bike?
?? We had to say see ya later on that one and rode on to my Bro in laws. I'll continue this later if anyone wants to read it, the ride home had a few fine points too.
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Topic: My ride last June, 7 states, Eureka Springs was part of it. It's a long story. (Read 3254 times)