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The Arkansas Tail of the Dragon

OldJeff

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Highway 123 From Lamar to Sand Gap.
123v2_zps80b336d7.jpg

Saturday was cool and damp, my original plan was to take 10 out to 7, then north on 7, then 64 into Lamar, but the roads were WET, so I hit the freeway and blew thru to the Lamar exit on 40 from Little Rock. And I do mean Blew Thru, caught a vette (barely :) ) who was in a hurry and tagged along. The NCX ran sweet and true at close to max speed for the 100 miles into Lamar.

First stop was a nice little Phillips 66 store in Lamar, topped off the tank, grabbed a bite and a smoke. This was my first time on this road, so I was planning on taking it easy and scouting the road anyway, but with the road as wet as it was, this was going to be a 35 mile put-put. Pretty country, even in the dead of winter and the road was as advertised with only a few straight stretches. The road condition itself was good with only a couple of spots where Old Man Winter had tore up the surface a bit and just one spot where sand was still evident.

There was one area just before the one lane bridge that was almost magical, deep in a narrow cut the road followed a creek, crossing over it multiple times. The rock face to the right had beautiful frozen waterfalls even tho it was 50ish. Except for the road itself, it felt like no man had ever been thru here before. A deer leisurely crossed the road in front of me, glancing over to me and almost seemed to nod. Awesome!

The only real hazard I saw was the one lane bridge. As you come around a sharp left, the road narrows to the bridge quickly, be sure the way is clear.
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A thick fog settled in as I climbed the Ozarks towards Sand Gap and Highway 16, visibility was reduced to 20 to 30 feet in any direction, so I just putted along in the clouds, :D which made for a good scout on the road conditions and the area immediate to the road. The stop sign at Highway 16 and Sand Gap still snuck up on me. There was a store there and I needed a break, so I pulled in. A friendly older couple were running the store and it had a old wood burning stove heating the place. That stove and a cup of coffee sure was nice!

We chatted a bit and I made the decision to cut the trip short and head down highway 7 and home, the fog was just too thick this high and there was no chance it was going to burn off. So back to the Freeway at Russellville and home. Five hours and 260 miles, a very good day!
 
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It's weird how some rides just stick out in your mind. Sounds like you got one here. We're so envious of you up here being able to get out and about. Thanks for the report.
 
I live in the Fort Smith area and have taken that road several times. It is a great ride and usually no traffic at all. Sound like you had a great time. When I go that way I take 74 west out of Jasper and back to 16 and then the Pig Trail. Quite often the elk just east of Jasper are down by the road. This makes a nice loop for a good day ride. Stay Safe
 
Thanks for the read. I rode part of 123 with Bamamate but I have no idea which part. We were on Hwy 16, Hwy 7, and Hwy 123. All I remember about Hwy 123 is there is one part that you have some 10mph hairpin turns. Really tight ones and its just before a fairly major intersection where you have an old store that used to be a post office. People that run the store are really nice and they have several photos and newspaper articles documenting the history of that building. Beautiful area up there.
 
I love riding on those roads! The first time I rode the pig trail was in 1981. Keep on posting the routes you guys take.. I add them to my save that road list.
 
Chuck, you were on the road I was on, that old store was built in 1922 and is on the National Register. The rest of the run is you turn north at the store on highway 7 then right a few miles up back on to 123 and to Mt. Judea, then to Western grove and Highway 65. About 71 miles total, but wow! is the north part of 123 twisted!

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I really wanted to finish the run, but the fog or clouds was WAY too thick. My faceshield was fogging up on both sides and I just didn't want to chance it.

Added a link to Google maps
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...hzEjQFQX0xPVfQ&oq=western+gro&t=h&mra=ls&z=10
 
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Chuck, you were on the road I was on, that old store was built in 1922 and is on the National Register. The rest of the run is you turn north at the store on highway 7 then right a few miles up back on to 123 and to Mt. Judea, then to Western grove and Highway 65. About 71 miles total, but wow! is the north part of 123 twisted!

I really wanted to finish the run, but the fog or clouds was WAY too thick. My faceshield was fogging up on both sides and I just didn't want to chance it.

I'm pretty sure we ate at a place called Eagle Rock Café in Mt. Judea but Bamamate would have to confirm that. I think we rode Hwy 65 up to Clinton and rode Hwy 16 west which brought us to Hwy 123. Stopped at that store and then headed north on Hwy 7.

I'd like to ride Hwy 27 from Russellville to Gleenwood someday. Looks like a decent ride.
 
OK, been messing with Google maps :D

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...XmdFPMhzGJKbqMVPm0Nw&oq=russel&mra=ls&t=m&z=9

171 miles from Lamar to Bamamate's front door. I think this may be the best day ride in Arkansas.

I love 27, one of my favorite rides! 27 out of Dover is awesome!

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...zxJmtEQ&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=4&sz=13&via=3,4&z=10

:D I'm bored and it's pouring down outside. Here's a combo route of 27 and 123. 175 miles total.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...FT_9eTOPcjjA&oq=lamar&t=h&mra=ls&via=3,4&z=10

Now that's the thing!
 
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Great riding up in that area. I think I took those roads on a ride to Marshall from Russellville.......I remember two towns were Hector and Tilley on the way to Marshall.

I thought the 17 miles of Push Mountain Rd were regarded as AR's Tail of the Dragon.
 
I'm pretty sure we ate at a place called Eagle Rock Café in Mt. Judea but Bamamate would have to confirm that. I think we rode Hwy 65 up to Clinton and rode Hwy 16 west which brought us to Hwy 123. Stopped at that store and then headed north on Hwy 7.

I'd like to ride Hwy 27 from Russellville to Gleenwood someday. Looks like a decent ride.

That is correct on Mt Judea. We road what I call the northern part of 123. Jeff rode the southern part (Lamar to sand gap). I've had lunch several times at the Sand Gap store. Really nice folks run it. On one stop the older gentleman was on the porch making mountain pencils. He had an order for a few thousand of them to fill. They are the pencils made out of a tree branch that you find at souvenir shops.
 
OK, been messing with Google maps :D

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...XmdFPMhzGJKbqMVPm0Nw&oq=russel&mra=ls&t=m&z=9

171 miles from Lamar to Bamamate's front door. I think this may be the best day ride in Arkansas.

I love 27, one of my favorite rides! 27 out of Dover is awesome!

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...zxJmtEQ&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=4&sz=13&via=3,4&z=10

:D I'm bored and it's pouring down outside. Here's a combo route of 27 and 123. 175 miles total.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...FT_9eTOPcjjA&oq=lamar&t=h&mra=ls&via=3,4&z=10

Now that's the thing!

I like the 123 up and 27 down route. Those are both great roads. I generally only ride on Hwy 7 to get to another road.
 
I like the 123 up and 27 down route. Those are both great roads. I generally only ride on Hwy 7 to get to another road.

Let's do the route for the spring ride :D Chuck can cut across to Conway from Cabot and I bet that will be about the same distance as the 100 miles from my place. They do serve breakfast at the Phillips 66 store. Good home cooking!
 
Thanks for the read. I rode part of 123 with Bamamate but I have no idea which part. We were on Hwy 16, Hwy 7, and Hwy 123. All I remember about Hwy 123 is there is one part that you have some 10mph hairpin turns. Really tight ones and its just before a fairly major intersection where you have an old store that used to be a post office. People that run the store are really nice and they have several photos and newspaper articles documenting the history of that building. Beautiful area up there.

0.jpgArkansas Motorcycling

[video=youtube;7nrvw-iFShM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUcB2mUgBInnyKBAlB-BZIhQ&v=7nrvw-iFShM#t=16[/video]

Arkansas is a riders paradise.

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At the 5 second mark is the one lane bridge I was talking about. OCR, you need to come up and ride this spring with us :)
 
Next time your in that area a great place for lunch, just a short way off the pig trail, is in Oark, AR. The General Store, built in 1890, is there the center of it is a fantastic place to grab a burger. Very interehttp://www.oarkgeneralstore.com/sting and good food.
 
Next time your in that area a great place for lunch, just a short way off the pig trail, is in Oark, AR. The General Store, built in 1890, is there the center of it is a fantastic place to grab a burger. Very interehttp://www.oarkgeneralstore.com/sting and good food.

Yep. Ate there. Very popular with the DS riders. Burger was so big I couldn't fit in a piece of pie.
 
We need to meet up at The Hub this spring and do some riding/camping/motelling. I host an ST-Owners event there in September called ArkanSTOC which you all would be welcome to attend also. The Hub is at the old Dogpatch and has camping, motel and restaurant on the same grounds. It is a great motorcycle friendly place. We often have a RTE at Oark or Jasper. Being in Russellville, I'm lucky to have many good roads in my back yard. Hwy 123 is one of my favorites for sure.

Let's ride,
Mike
 
At the 5 second mark is the one lane bridge I was talking about. OCR, you need to come up and ride this spring with us :)

1.jpg"OCR, you need to come up and ride this spring with us"

Old Jeff, all I need is a time and a place. At one time, I use to go to Mountain Home for about a week a year. I did this twice. I used Mountain Home as the center hub, so as to ride the entire area for about a week. Send me a PM as to when and where and I will do my best to be there.

SmileyRider.jpg

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