Dardanelle area

I went for a short ride yesterday in and around the Dardanelle area. Here are some pics I took. In case your not from here, Dardanelle is just over the Arkansas River about four miles from Russellville.

On the way to the River, I stopped on the Russellville side of the Dam and found this.
I can remember seeing this painting in school. http://ideas.aetn.org/productions/virtualtours/gov_mansion/gallery/gallery_pages?result_page=47

Entering Dardanelle, I stopped at the Courthouse. Dardanelle is in Yell County, which is one of the few county with two county seats. Danville became the first Yell County seat in 1840, later in 1885, Dardanelle became a county seat and it hasn't changed since.

If you read the plaque at the bottom corner, it mentions the Council Oaks, which is my next stop.

Council Oaks, where the Cherokee made a big mistake to the white man's advantage.

The lone remaining Council Oak.
A big tree.
Zoom in to read the inscription.
A large
very big oak, see the little boy at the bottom.

Next I went up the road to Dardanelle Rock. The picture doesn't do it justice, this is a very big rock. There are some ledgends about the rock. I wont go into those without doing research, which I may do later on. I know theres one about an Indian that jumped off the top.

Next, its on the veterans park along the river in the old part of town.

The three pics below are of Yell County Choppers, originally The Road House. The original Roadhouse is no longer standing. It was a few feet to the West and was an old white frame house. Yell County Choppers is located a few miles West on Hwy 22 out of Dardanelle.


I took Hwy 247 going home and found this. Awhile back, I went to Jerusalem and on the way back I found Mt. Zion Road. I went down it and didn't find Mt. Zion. Yesterday I was in luck, I found the Mt. Zion Cemetary. Its on Mt. Zion Road (a different one) in Pottsville on 247.

Arkansas's Dragon Tail

Its been dubbed Arkansas's Dragon Tail by some in the Motorcycle Riding world and I agree that it deserves the title. What am I talking about? Picture this... Take Hwy 7 North. When you get to where Hwy 123 takes off to the right, at Lurton, take that right and just keep going until you reach Mt. Judea. You'll start off riding the Dragon's back, then you'll hit the tail. At the tip of the tail is Mt. Judea. In my opinion, one of the best rides in Arkansas from a purely fun to ride point of view, although the scenary is also great.

I started the days ride by taking Hwy 124 N, I took some paved country roads also and ended up at Scottsville. I took Hwy 164 N, crossing the Illinois Bayou, then made a left on Broomfield road.

Old Church/School on Broomfield, along with modern convenieces.

This old house still being lived in was next to the Church.

After reaching Hwy 7, not too far North of Dover, I made a turn North. I eventually ended up at what was left of The Booger Hollow Trading Post. It was open for many years, I was sorry to see it close.
I stopped here many times while driving or riding through the mountain to have a Booger Burger. Back in the day when digging Ginseng was legal, it sure capped off the morning. I would usually get out of the woods by 1:pm and stop off here. Strange though, they were usually closed during Deer Hunting Season.
Home of the Booger Burger, hmmm hmmm.
The infamous double decker outhouse in the background.

A little ways past Booger Hollow, is God's little Half Acre graveyard. It's kind of a landmark in the area, a point of reference. Across the road is Gunter Pond. It's hard to find a pond in these mountains, it's pretty big too. If you go on past the pond on the dirt road (using a four wheeler or dirtbike of course), you'll enventually end up at the Northfork of the Illinois Bayou. If you turn left you end up on Hwy 16, make a right and if your lucky you'll end up either on Hwy 7 or old (dirt) Hwy 27. If your on an enduro, it should be great fun and wonderful scenary. Take a light break down Smallmouth rod and a crawbaby or three.

Some of the old graves if your into that kind of stuff.

Just before reaching Pelsor, I came upon this road washout on Hwy 7. This is the biggest I've seen since the one at Lurton a little further up the road, a few years back. Seems like it took a year before they repaired that one. From what I've gathered, this one has been here for at least a couple of months.
I would like to have walked down to my trailer and checked on it, but it was already nearing 100 degrees and its a steep walk. I took Cindy there once and Mark G. took his Suzuki. That was a big mistake, we locked our brakes up and slid to the first hairpin curve. I ended up riding both bikes out, Mark did'nt feel up to it since he had only recently purchased his bike. When I road them back up, I had to go as fast as I could while trying to miss any big rocks. There was no stopping, if I had stopped, it would have been over in a bad way. I trailbiked two street bikes out of there and I hope I never have to do anything like that ever again, it was scary to say the least.

Just North of Pelsor I stopped at the National Forest Fairview Campground to use the facilities.Clean toilet for a hole in the ground type.

My self portrait.

Not too far past Pelsor is the Lurton exit, Hwy 123. Turn here and your on the Dragons back. The fun starts here but quess what? My video is too large for youtube.

After arriving in Mt. Judea, I followed 123 to Hwy 74 and went West to Jasper. I was really hungry but to my bad luck, the Ozark Cafe was closed for vacation. I always stop there when passing through. I've even went all the way to Jasper just to get one of their Hamburgers, oh man they are good. I ended up going to the gas station and getting two donuts and a starbucks double dipper cold coffee. That did me fine until I reached home.

I found this old house in Dover about two blocks off of Hwy 7 to the West. Its part of the Jasper Museum which is next door and was closed. It had been moved to Dover for preservation from Osage, Ar. which is a little ways Northwest of Ponca, Ar.

The Cabin.
Cabin with water well, storage house and what looks like a small steam engine.
The pretty woman that lived in the Cabin.


<>I made one more stop before pushing home. I always stop at Rotary Ann Rest Area which is South of Pelsor. I sat around in the shade for awhile. Then hit the road, ending another good ride.

Russellville, my rant, I need to vent.

I mentioned in my last entry that Russellville is BORING, I stand by that statement. Not only Russellville though, Pope County. I'm sitting here wondering what to do today since its raining. Hmmmm, watch TV, go eat at one of our zillion fast food joints, go to Walmart, maybe go eat again at another fast food joint, go home watch some TV or surf the net, work on my blog, eat a cookie, watch some TV, go to Leonards (Leonards has everything, except something to do).
Now its late afternoon and time to....guess what EAT AGAIN. Taters, squash, ham, green tea, the possibilities are endless right? I'm still bored with Russellville though. What would I rather have done? How about a museum, a themed store like Bass Pro Shop, a swimming pool (not a thug bath like Russellvilles pool), water park maybe. A movie house without a name like Picwood (where in the heck did they come up with the wood part, hmmm who opened the picwood anyway, nuff said), an art museum, a fine restaurant (which we know we don't have), a nice walking park (not one in the swamp where we have to make sure we don't make eye contact with the men lurking in the shadows and always carry a gun, and not last and for sure not least......an event.
There should be an event of some kind going on here at least one or two weekends a month, why the hell not? Motorcycles, cars, hunting, fishing, crafts, etc. Sure there are some things that happen but its just not often enough and in my opinon the biggest event in the valley just plain sucks, talking of Valley Fest of course.
When I lived in Anchorage, Ak, there was always something to do, its a fine town. They make it interesting I suppose because they don't want to be bored, the winters there are kind of long and tough, so they have fun happenings in town. Anchorage had a bicycle trail that went for miles through town, along creeks, between housing areas, over hills, through swamps and it was fun and alot of people used it.
Russellville has a water way going through it, did you know that, Prairie Creek? San Antonio has a water way going through it also? Know what the difference is other than our water way is smaller? The Texans used it and made it into a beautiful park, Russellville uses prairie creek to float trash to the outlet on Lakefront Drive passing through Bona Dea Trails, then the Corp of Engineers use a crane to pick up the trash. Its a nice looking creek, don't you think (I try to use sarcasm when I can). After picking up the trash the water goes into Lake Dardanelle, what a fine lake it is, nice clear, clean water you could bath your newborn in right? Wrong!!! I would'nt get in that lake if I was paid to. It is clean enough for Bass fishing events though, an event that happens occasionally.
Russellville is, in my opinion, the hub of the spoke in Arkansas. This town could be the place to meet for great biking, antique car, or any number of other events, but NOOOO! The powers that be don't want anything here, obviously. To make it even worse, Russellville (pope county) has laws that cause people to stay in other places. Can anyone say Dry county? I don't really drink, oh, I will have a mixed one occasionally and believe me even though I can't usually stand the taste of beer, if its a hot day and there is nothing else, I'm drinking one if offered. The thing is if your going to have nice restaurants......if your going to have events and keep people in town......if you want to give people in your county the freedom they deserve to choose their own course in life......NAAAAHHH..... lets start burning books tomorrow and while we're at it lets find some more stuff to ban, burn, regulate, tax, why don't we just fill the damn prisons with people doing what people have been doing for ages. If I'm boss and I don't do it or don't believe in it I'm gong to bann it right?
I could go on with this but you know what? I think I have just pissed myself off and I'm going to go eat some oatmeal, drink some green tea and have a cup of coffee before its banned, then I'm going to meditate, very quietly, else someone find out and brand me a non-conformer. Then I'm going to sit down and try to decide what of all the opportunies and possibilities there are here in this fine town......what it is I'm going to do today. I have a jigsaw puzzle of Van Gogh's 'Starry Night" on the table.....tic tic tic

Bike Night Anyone? & the ride to BBBQ.

What say we just name a place to meet once a week. Anyone or any motorcycle welcome. This doesn't have to be difficult, just do it. Who cares if we overload Wendy's, McD's, Duane's, Ryan's, Old South or anyplace else. Saturday is probably the best time, but for the first time, lets say, everyone with a motorcycle meet on Sunday, August 17th at Fat Daddy's BBQ, Hwy 64 West of Russellville at 6:00 PM. Fat Daddy's has a large parking lot in back if it gets crowded :) and it has some whittling and spitting benches out front.
I think this would be a good way of starting something interesting in the Russellville area. I mean, face it people this town is BORING. That doesn't mean we have to be. Lets meet once a week, get something to eat, make one of these places work hard , it would be fun. I think it would add a little zest to a boring town. You never know, later on we may have to give these places a warning a week ahead of time.
Eat, visit, look at bikes, go for rides. Later on if enough people start showing up, we'll probably have to make it a Saturday afternoon meet since some people have church on Sunday. Then maybe once a month during good weather have a group ride to a place out of town, like the Ozark Cafe in Jasper or a place on Dickson Street in Fayetteville. For the weekly meets though, a radius of 25 miles from Russellville would probably be good.
I'm serious about this. I've got a feeling, everyone is going to be too busy, but who knows. Doesn't hurt to try.

As far as the ride to the BBBQ goes. I go every year, so if anyone wants to meet up and ride to Fayetteville with us this year, drop me an email. My email address is viedas@gmail.com don't hesitate to drop me a line if you want to link up for a ride this fall to the BBBQ, the best thing Arkansas has going and one of the top Bike Rally's in America. If you haven't already got a room there, then your out of luck, although there will be a slight chance of getting a cancelled one.

If this sounded jumbled well, excuse me, I'm tired. See you Sunday August 17th at Fat Daddys .
[this meeting subject to cancellation if it rains]

Visited CP

In the latter part of July I decided to pay CP a visit at Otto, Ar. I decided not to run I-40 to Conway then take Hwy 64 East which is the fastest way of getting there. I was in no hurry, actually my intent was to ride or visit all day. Kind of like a mini vacation, and a much needed one at that. I won't go into details of my trip. There just is'nt a straight road North of I-40 to Vilonia (where I would turn South on 107 to Otto). I usually write my road numbers on the palm of my hand and this route took my thumb as well. It was a good ride though, nice weather and good scenary.
At one point I had to wait on a house to be moved across a creek.


I finally arrived at CP's house, we visited for awhile then took a back road to Hwy 5 and turned south to have dinner at a new Hispanic Restaurant at the intersection of Hwy 89 and 5. The food was great, I had the Chile Relano (cheese filled pepper, hmmm hmmm).
Myself and Cindy at Mi Ranchito Restaurant.

Charles with his Ultra Classic.

After dinner, Charles and I went North to M&M's Motorcycle Shop which is at the intersection of Hwy 64 and 5. I could kick myself for not thinking to take pics while I was there. M&M's is a well known shop. They have several things happening there each year, such as cookouts and poker runs. They have built onto there shop and now have a large inventory of used bikes, nice ones and at affordable prices.
I'll go back and get some pics, sometime soon.
After doing our window shopping at M&M's we headed West on 64, CP took the turnoff to his house and I headed on to I-40. It was a good day.

Just a little short clip of the ride towards Conway.