Trip report back from ARK.

[CMIKE]

We are back and SAFE. We got back yesterday from our first road trip on the venture. I was very pleased at the comfort, space for all the stuff we needed and the performance of the bike.

Thanks to all of you for all the advice on packing and bike maintenance items...tips and tricks.

We tried to leave Thrusday at 6AM but the weather did not look good. There was a lot of weather on the Mississppi river that we were gonn have to cross to get to ARK.

The front passed Thrusday night and we attempted to leave again at 6 AM only to find a mist of rain Friday morning. Waited till about 9 AM and got on our way.

I just got a Zumo 660 and had the whole route mapped out and loaded in the Garmin. IT worked great for fuel, lodging and keep us going in the right direction.

We made the whole trip and only 41 miles were on the interstate so we could really see the countryside.

Crossing the Mississppi delta was quite a drag...miles and miles of flat straight roads with nothing but corn or soy beans. We went north and crossed the river at Helena on Hwy49 with the first night destination of Harrison ARK.

450 miles the first day...made it fine thanks to the Butler mods on the seats.

I forgot to put on the sunscreen the first day..now my face is falling off.

ARK seems to be a very bike friendly state. No Helment law (which is OK with me...it should be your choice to wear a helment not the govements, I always wear mine) and lots of signs posted that say "Look twice save a life...motorcycles are everywhere". Roads were all very good also.

Holels we stayed at were biker friendly with towels avalible to wipe off your bikes and they give you maps of senic rides in the areas telling you where fuel is availible and how many curves are on that route.

We rode the ozarks down to Hot springs on Hwy 7 and stopped for the night in Hot Springs. We walked the city over and looked at all we could there also.

One thing...seems folks don't know how to parallel park in Hot Springs. We had a friend of ours with us on a Ultra Classic so both the bikes were parked on the street same as about 300 more bikes, while we were eating. A lady trying to parallel park in pulled up close to the ultra and turned her front tire getting ready to back into the parking place and hit the Harley with her tire...almost turning it over and into mine. No damage and luckly we were right there. 5 minutes later a truck pulled in the parking place in front of the bikes and missed my fender by at least 1 inch. Then could not get the truck straight and backed toward the bikes 6-8 times with-in 6 inches. We had to go after that. We did not get to finish our lunch. Seems if we kept them rolling, we had more control over what happens.

Trip back was great...we came back south and crossed at Greenville MS...again miles and miles of flat farm land with nothing to see. It was like walking on a treadmill..same seanery for hours. We made it back about 3:30 yesteday...Safe and sound.

992 miles later and ready to go again. We will go back but not across the MS delta.

Not many photos...but we will do better next time. Wife claims she was too busy holding on...to take photos:rotf:

[Venturous Randy]

Hey Mike,

Thanks for the great story and great pics. It looks like it turned out to be a beautiful clear day. That country looks a lot like the scenery here in east TN.

RandyA

[CMIKE]

You are exactly right...Looks very similuar.

WE are headed to Eastern Tenn on the bike very soon. We go there yearly in the fall in a cage, stay in a cabin for a few days. The cabin where we always stay...has a very steep driveway...not sure I can get the bike up there...my little car had a tough time last year. We will have to find another cabin.

[slick97spirit]

I was in Hot Springs just a week or so ago. Pretty cool little town. Lotsa good riding around there.