[ST] Ozark trip, day two

[Jack Hays <rude@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Saturday, April 30.
      We’re all up at around six thirty and Joe and I have a biscuit and
sausage in the Inn before gearing up.
      The day looks very promising as the weather has lifted and some sun
is shinning as we gas up for the jaunt onward.
      Bird Dawg leads us out of Mena on Highway 72 north and we start
getting some nice sweepers and rock outcroppings as we near Y City.
      Joe looks around as we bypass the turn of onto Highway 28 as he
thinks we have decided to miss Magazine Mountain. Little does he know of
the fun ahead as I know where Bird Dawg is headed.
      We exit on Highway 71 Business at Waldron and immediately turn right
on Highway 250 heading east. IMHO Highway 250 is a missing jewel in Ozark
riding. The road is a narrow two lane but it is like a roller coaster and
the G forces make you laugh as they go from positive to negative back and
forth. Now throw in some nice turns and you have it all. As we stopped at
the intersection of Highway 250 and Highway 80 I ask Joe what he thought
and he was all grins.
      Eastward on Highway 80 as it is more open but really nice and
pleasant for about thirty miles until we get to Danville.
      At Danville I again take the lead as we head north on Highway 10 for
a few miles to Havana.
      In Havana I lead us onto Highway 309 toward Magazine Mountain. I love
this road! It has everything. Fats sweepers turn into 35 mph turns that can
be made a lot faster and then almost cannot be made at 35. The road climbs
up the south side of the mountain and has two 10 mph switchbacks that
really get your attention. Then the road opens back up again as it
continues to sweep and climb up the mountain. There are a lot of loose
leaved in the corners from the rain and storms the day and night before but
they barely slow our pace. Just be cautious.
      At the top I pull over at the overlook for a break and to soak in the
beauty. It is really nice up here and there is a large valley between the
Ouachita's and the Ozarks we look out over. There is a school bus at the
overlook with a science teacher and two students. It seems the other kids
overslept and these two are getting a personal geography lesson from the
teacher. That is, they are until we show up. Now this guy liked to talk and
we endured it but he knew his stuff and we actually learned about how each
of the rocks was formed, erosion, etc.
      We saddled up and I lead us down off the mountain on the north side
on Highway 309 to Paris. From Paris to Ozark the road is flat and fast all
the way. What’s with the long fast straights with a couple of twenty mph
ninety degree turns right in the middle of nowhere?
      As we enter Ozark we cross the Arkansas River on a great old bridge,
turn left at the light, and pull into the gas station on the right. This is
another place we always stop as it is just in the right place at the right
time.
      Bird Dawg ask me if I want to lead on again. Let’s see, let me think
about this for a nanosecond. We’re heading north on Highway 23 also known
as the Pig Trail. YES! And I’m off.
      I lead us north on Highway 23 and pass much traffic before we get to
the really good stuff. The Pig Trail is a delight but today there is some
traffic so the trigger on the right handlebar of Merlin comes into play
more often than usual.
      A great ride up Highway 23 and just north of Aurora we stop at the
intersection on Highway 74. At this point we ask Joe if he wants to lead us
into Kingston. He accepts and we’re off as I run tail-gunner.
      A nice road and Joe sets a good pace as we come onto the small square
in Kingston. Kingston is where we rent the Bed and Breakfast and home of
some of the best pies in Arkansas. But we are shocked as all they have left
at 1:00 PM is sugarless coconut and this will not do!
      I look across the square and there is a tall skinny guy with an old
’71 black Norton. I go over to take a picture and notice that he is the guy
that came back last fall and sat on the town square with us talking
motorcycles as we watched the lightning and storms move in. He is the local
chiropractor in a town of 92 so go figure. I also understand that this
weird fellow may have shown another ST rider the roads outside the Cliff
House last year!
      As we prepare to leave town I notice that a group of about twenty
Harley riders are putting their leather caps on and have fears they will
get on the road east before us. My fears are confirmed as I hear the loud
racket and their off!
      Bird Dawg leads us uphill out of Kingston on Highway 21 toward Boxley
about five minutes later. And, we catch the Harleys five minutes later.
There is no way to pass this group as they are stretched out for a quarter
of a mile and blasting along at around forty mph with a soccer mom in a SUV
on their tail hitting the brakes at every corner and downhill to keep from
running over them. I just don’t get it. If you want to cruise along at
forty five that’s fine, but share the road folks! We give up and pull over
at the Boxley roadside historical site and read signs. It’s better than
straining to hold there steeds back.
      After a ten minute wait we head out again and pass through the Lost
Valley and head uphill toward Mount Sherman. Five miles later the Harleys
are taking a break on the side of the road. Twenty miles in one trip must
be enough for them?
      After Jasper we turned north on Highway 23 and descend into the
Buffalo River area and then climbed back out on a great road full of turns
to Grove, turned right on Highway 65 to Pendall.
      The left on 235 as Joe lead us through Bruno to Yellville.
      At Yellville I again took the lead as we head toward Flippin and
Cotter.
      At Cotter I took the old bridge which now has been restored to
downtown and the 10 mph left hand turn at the far end of the bridge and our
hotel waited.
      We checked into the White Sands Motel at the end of the Cotter
Bridge, changed, called O-Jay, and relaxed.
      I took Merlin up the main road to the local store and bought a nice
cold six pack of Michelob to enjoy while waiting for O-Jay at the hotel.
      We sat out front, took a few photos, and enjoyed a nice brew and
soaked ion the beauty of the area.
      When O-Jay arrived we ate dinner at the attached restaurant and went
back to in front of our rooms to swap war stories. That was when we found
that Push Mountain was not in good shape. O-Jay said that a week ago he and
a riding buddy were crossing the mountain when his friend went sliding and
throwing gravel. Parts of the road have been completely removed and gravel
just dumped in place. I think we will by pass this once great road.
O-Jay headed home and we turned in hoping for another perfect day just like
today.


Jack Hays
972-952-5065
"I'll see you on the dark side of the Moon"
Que Lastima

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