Arkansas Trip Sept. '08

[Duc L'Smart]

Hey all-

I'm thinkin' about truckin' up Friday morningish, riding Saturday & Sunday, then driving back Monday.
I'd rather save the pinky for the good stuff in Arkansas

[pipeliner1978]

Hey all-

I'm thinkin' about truckin' up Friday morningish, riding Saturday & Sunday, then driving back Monday.
I'd rather save the pinky for the good stuff in Arkansas

saddle up partner 

[Bonwilder]

Hey all-

I'm thinkin' about truckin' up Friday morningish, riding Saturday & Sunday, then driving back Monday.
I'd rather save the pinky for the good stuff in Arkansas

That's prob a really smart move, DLS!

[Cyclone]

  It may get whimsical & silly here in the DFWM sandbox & that can be fun (and sometimes maybe over the top) !  The main Forum never ceases to enlighten me however with the most thoughtful riding techniques area around !!  All y'all riding AR this weekend (since AR has brought trouble to DFWM before) check out Spidey's clear, organized, and extemely important post on the Main Forum - you've heard it before maybe but he went to some trouble to do it better.   

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=10281.0

No bad vibes intended or jinxes allowed  !  If you want a serious Forum though, it doesn't get any more serious than this!  Lisa & Alan really looked after us going to Muenster - y'all look out for each other in AR !!

[fastwin]

Excellent info, good read for everyone! Don't ask me how I know this. He hit all the major points. You will have to ask Scott or Billy how they handled my animal attack, I was kinda out of it and have no clue. I would like to know who took my helmet off and when? Don't worry, I won't turn the info over to a Personal Injury attorney! I do know the State Trooper who responded had my Joe Rocket leather jacket, my Arai, gloves and boots as well as why carry pistol and personally kept it all until my brother drove up with a trailer two weeks later to get my bike. My brother said the trooper was very helpful and cooperative and met him to hand off all my stuff. Pretty darn nice.

One thing I think the guy could have added is to make sure people in the group have your emergency contact info. Very important. Also, make sure those same people have any medical info/problems that EMS or the doctors should know about. I certainly wasn't in any condition to be giving out Jen's cell phone number. But I had already made sure that Scott and Billy had it.

In that light, if anyone making this trip wants to PM me their contact info please do and I will send you mine in return.

[fastwin]

OK, one of you out there has not been making the appropriate sacrifices to the weather gods!! Saturday's forecast now has rain all over Arkansas. Hope like heck it's wrong! Double checking all my rain gear just in case!

http://www.weather.com/weather/wxdetail/USAR0495?dayNum=3

[pipeliner1978]

I'm ready !!!

[fastwin]

Nice, looks good and solid. The welders did a good job on short notice.

[newslacker]

OK, one of you out there has not been making the appropriate sacrifices to the weather gods!! Saturday's forecast now has rain all over Arkansas. Hope like heck it's wrong! Double checking all my rain gear just in case!

http://www.weather.com/weather/wxdetail/USAR0495?dayNum=3

How accurate are the weather forecasts in AR; better than the "look out the window" or "go outside" forecasts here in Dallas?

I sold my textile suit with included matching raingear months ago... Any recommendations on short notice?

[Duc L'Smart]

I didn't see much rain... I think you'll be fine

[Bonwilder]

If there is any more than "not much rain".....I will be in the hotel - drinking!

[fastwin]

How accurate are the weather forecasts in AR; better than the "look out the window" or "go outside" forecasts here in Dallas?

I sold my textile suit with included matching raingear months ago... Any recommendations on short notice?

Hit up Moto Liberty for a two piece rain suit. I think mine is a Dry Rider. Those Totes shoe covers have worked for me and I have been using them for decades. Not the same ones, just the brand. Got some bigger ones a year or two ago to fit over my Sidi boots. My theory is if you take it you won't need it.

Anyway, the rainy forecast was just on the Weather.com site and it just appeared today. The Accuweather.com site still showed clear the entire time. All we can do is watch and plan ahead. Shouldn't be a major problem if it happens at all. Theoretically it would only be in Arkansas and that would come in the last half of the first day. Not a total buzzkill. [moto]

[fastwin]

On a completely different note. I think I mentioned this in an earlier post, the Scenic Drive from Talihena, OK to Mena, AR is an awesome 52 mile point to point race track. Really nice sweeping high speed turns. It does have two tight sections that will take you off guard. Please mind the speed limit signs when entering turns. When it says 20mph it means it!! After miles and miles of 80+mph sweepers the slow ones can really suck you in. I've had two friends crash in those sections for those same reasons. Lulled into not believing the slow speed limit signs.

I have actually rocked that ride in the past at supersonic speed and have never even passed a car traveling in my direction on the entire road. But this weekend will be different. I have ridden that road since 1980/1981 (can't remember which ) and weekends in the fall it can be heavily traveled by bikes and cars. Especially bikes. Sometimes very large groups of touring types, Harley baggers and Goldwings and they want to travel at about 20-40mph. It can be a real pain in the ass to be stuck behind 20-30+ bikes in a pack that stretches out a half mile and they don't like being passed by Rossi replicas. They will not move over or wave you past.

I stopped going up there on weekends just for that reason, especially in the spring and fall, both obviously good times of the year to go. Weekdays it's dead, zero traffic, nada. Not saying Saturday could suck, no way, just warning you guys to watch out for large groups of 2 wheeled land yachts. I have even caught myself making some real iffy passes in the past out of pure frustration. Nothing like riding 200+ miles to get up there and watching your favorite twisty road pass by you at 30mph while being stuck behind an impenetrable wall of touring bikes. It's easy to get pissed and do dumb stuff.

Lastly (thank God, when will he ever end!!) cops. They only patrol the Scenic Drive on weekends, Friday-Sunday. Had a LeFlore Co. Sheriff Deputy tell me that in person... as he wrote me a warning ticket. And after the April ride we now know it costs you $251 if you get caught passing anyone. Yep, it's a park road and it's double striped for 52 miles! Speed limit 55mph max. Be careful and watchful. They mean business on the weekends. Coming home Monday will be a piece of cake. No prob.

There, it's over now. Wasn't that bad was it?

[jdugger]

They only patrol the Scenic Drive on weekends, Friday-Sunday. Had a LeFlore Co. Sheriff Deputy tell me that in person... as he wrote me a warning ticket. And after the April ride we now know it costs you $251 if you get caught passing anyone.

There will be cops on that road on Sat/Sun.  These cruiser types WILL call you in if you pass them because they think everyone should ride a motorcycle as if they don't know how, I guess.  I ride that road a lot, and on the weekends, YOU WILL GET A TICKET if you are stupid.

On the good curves, I think it's generally safe to run about 70, which puts you at 2x of the 35ers, and approaching fun speeds. I see the LEO in the strights just over a hill and tucked in the trees.  Just back off the throttle on a turn exit and you should be OK.

The road is still fun at the posted speed limit.  Set your bike at 60.  No matter what the road does, don't slow down.  You will need to be very talented to do this.  (I certainly can't do it!)

[Kevin848]

Baby is getting new shoes today... I'm ready.