Push Mountain Ride

Yesterday I decided to do the Push Mountain Ride. I started by heading North on Hwy 7. The weather was fantastic, cloudy, the way I like it with temperatures in the mid 80's. As always the ride up 7 was nice. Not much traffic out, probably as many motorcycles as automobiles. After passing Rotary Ann Rest Stop I had a deer (luckily it was alone), run across the road in front of me, I missed it by about 20 feet.

Scene from the Cliff House.

Scene at the Cliff House. The Cliff House is just South of Jasper, great food.

The Hub is just North of Jasper at the old Dogpatch USA. I don't know if its permanently closed or open just on weekends but it was closed on this day.

Back in the day when I was a po boy (I'm still close to that definition), this is where the wife and I spent the first night of our honeymoon. Rock Candy Mountain, awesome place, we read about it and made reservations (we were on our way to St. Louis). Turned out this place was nothing but mobile homes and sorry ones at that. We should of kept going but we had other things in mind.

This is the spot where the trailer was. History resides here, a forgotten history.

After passing the Dairy Bar which is just South of Harrison I made a East turn on Hwy 206, which I would follow to Hwy 65. I crossed Crooked Creek (known among fisherman as one of the best Smallmouth creeks in Arkansas), it was only about three feet wide. It gets alot bigger not too much further away. Hwy 206 is a nice easy slowly curving road, very open and scenic.
After reaching Bellafonte, I made a right on 65. After a few miles took the 65 business spur through Western Grove since I'd never been there.

I'll bet this was a really nice house when it was in good condition. Very unique rock work. I don't know what that rock contraption on the left side is, maybe some type of well with a large pulley.

Main Street was all like this, junked up. Another Arkansas town where the use of rocks was prevalent in the architecture and in this town it was small rocks.

An old house near the city center.

I took the spur back out to 65 and rode on to Pindall, a little town thats been around since 1904. I then took Hwy 235 North to Yellville where I took hwy 62 East.

I would love to have a retirement house in this Northern Ozark rolling hill country. The scenary here is as good as it gets if you like rolling farm land.

Easy swooping curve with lots of wild flowers.

Looking the other direction.

A nice old house in Yellville.

Crooked Creek, a little bigger here. Thats a pedestrian walkway next to the highway.
From Hwy 65, thats the old bridge across the White River on the right and the rail bridge on the left.

When I reached Mountain Home I took Hwy 201 South. Not too long after getting on it I had my next close encounter. On a left curve I met a little low rider car that obviously thought he was a Rally car. He came around on the wrong side of the road, I came a hair from hitting grass. So it goes, the life and times of being a motorcycle rider.

Hwy 201 was another good road. Found this old gas station, I'm not sure if it was ever actually a working station or a collector put it together. The lighting was not right for the picture. Notice at the bottom of the pic, the sign says "new indoor toilet".

This is kind of a strange looking Church next to a Grave yard. I believe it was in the Arkana community.

Finally I made it to Hwy 341, the Push Mountain ride. I actually came in from the opposite direction. I was going along at a good clip and passed the turn off.

The above picture is looking North and the below is South.

These are the only pictures I took on 341, I was having too much fun riding. Besides I'm more of a photographer of things and there just weren't many things along the way, just a lot of good curvy road.

I also had my third brush with the afterlife of the day on this road. Another speedster, this time a Chevy S-10 came around his right hand curve on the left side of the road.

Arriving at the T in the road I went on over to Big Flat and then took Hwy 263 South. I didn't take any pictures on 263. Mainly because the majority of the Northern portion is so closed in. A lot of it is like going through a tunnel in the trees. There is no shoulder and the trees and the rock bluffs are just feet from the road. I probably didn't go over 40 mph on most of the road. I really enjoyed it, surprisingly different, curvy, hilly and shady. It gave me the feeling of being way out in the boonies.

Timbo, Ar. Gas station and Dairy Bar.

I went in and had a large ice cream cone, just what I needed after a long hot ride. I eyeballed some of the catfish that was said to be the best in the Ozarks and it did look good. I'll be back for a meal at a later date.
This was South of Fox, Ar.

I believe it is probably the old Fox Church/School.

Someone out there isn't doing much to preserve their history.

An old barn on 263 not too far from Shirley, Ar.

This picture is taken from the same spot, this time looking South. In the distance is the cabin in the picture below.

I couldn't get any closer, they had a good fence up.

I continued on the Hwy 9 and then to Clinton.

I stopped at the Clinton Mall and had a Snow cone, much better than I've ever had in Russellville.

Not too long after this picture it was raingear weather, which I wore until reaching home.

It was a good day. I put in around 350 miles. Can't wait till the next ride.

Vientiane Restuarant

A few days ago I got the urge for some Pad Thai, a Thai dish that is one of my favorite. I knew of only one place that made authentic Pad Thai and that was at Thai/Mex, a place in Danville that opened not too long ago. I rode over and it was closed down and for sale. I never thought the idea of a mix like that was going to work and it didn't. I had eaten there once, the Mexican food was terrible but I took home some Pad Thai and it was great. It was closed though, so I headed over to Vientiane at the intersection of Hwy 10/27. They have some great Asian food but when I was there last I hadn't noticed Pad Thai on the menu. I was probably too busy eyeballing all the other great dinners. They have pictures on the wall of the meals they offer. I'm sure that you could get any combination of food you want, just tell them what you would like.
I asked the cook if she could make Pad Thai and she said, sure. I made sure she understood that I wanted the real thing, not any watered down noodles, she assured me I would like it. I did like it, it was wonderful and filling.
For anyone that likes Asian food, Vientiane really should be the next place to eat. Not the old regular tasting American Chinese food that one gets at Mulan's or New China. This Asian food is different. You can even get curry and I love yellow curry, chicken, peppers and steamed white rice. They have a buffet that I've never tried and have no idea what they offer on it. They always have egg drop soup and hot sweet sour soup in case you just got to have some of the old regular.
I spent alot of time in Thailand and was married to a Thai for several years and not once did I eat anything remotely like what you find at any of the American Chinese Restuarants.
For a different eating experiance try it, you'll like it.

American Legion,Shores Lake and Hwy 215

Finally the weather met my idea of comfortable for a long ride. Its been way too long since my last one. On this ride I decided to go to Mulberry and take Hwy 215 North to Shores lake. To my recollection I had never ridden or even driven on it. I was hoping it was going to be paved all the way to the junction of Hwy 23 just North of Turner Bend Store.
I took Hwy 64 West and stopped at this American Legion Post situated along Cedar Creek in the center of Clarksville.

To get to it turn left off 64 just after crossing Cedar Creek, then turn left and over the jogging and bicycling trail.

This post has the look of a castel which I think may be unigue in Arkansas.

The grounds are well kept and there is an old anti-tank gun out front.

After leaving Clarksville I took I-40 to Mulberry then 215 North. This is an old bridge along 215.

The creek flowing under the bridge.

A look at the road going North.

The only community before arriving at Shores Lake.

The lake is in the valley in the distance.

After 14 miles of really nice road and scenary, I arrive at the turnoff to the lake.

I was really surprised, I thought this would be a run down area with maybe a picnic table. I was wrong, this is a nice area, beautiful lake with dock, clean edges, camping (I don't think it has electricity), a swimming area with sand and several restrooms. One of the restrooms has showers. This is a pay area. I know I'll be returning to camp out here.

After leaving the lake area, I went past the turnoff to look at the feeder stream. These rocks were on both sides of the road.

The bridge over the feeder creek.

The feeder creek.

The rock outcropping was big.

Going back and turning right on 215 again, this bridge was across the creek coming from the lake.

Above the lake looking down.
Mountains and dirt road. I made a decision a long time ago that when I get to dirt I don't turn back. If I had a Harley I would turn back because of the belt drive. Luckily Cindy is an old Honda.
More of the lake from the overlook.
The overlook.
An old wooden bridge along the way.
I stopped at least five times in the eleven miles to Hwy 23. It was rough fighting the gravel, pot holes and dust.
Another stop.
After what seemed like hours. I find civilization in a Babtist Church Camp.
Hwy 23, finally.
Looking back, 11 miles to Shores Lake, 14 more on pavement to I-40. It was a good ride, a tiring one, one I won't soon forget. It was about 3pm by this time, I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink since about 9am. I went South on 23 from here, stopped at Turner Bend for food and drinks and talked with some bikers. Then home.

This video starts at the intersection at Shores Lake going East to Hwy 23. I started my video and wasn't totally surprised when the pavement gave way to dirt and gravel. The rough pavement doesn't make for a good video but its the best I could do.

Hot Springs Yesterday

The family and I went to Hot Springs yesterday. I had to get out of town, it felt like I was starting to grow roots. Heres some pics.

There were lots of bikes in Hot Springs, it was extremely loud, reminded me slightly of BBBQ. I don't mind loud motorcycles in their place, although I don't think Hot Springs when there isn't a Rally in progress is the place. There were even a few bikes not only revving thier engines but had Rap going full blast at the same time. I was getting about as ticked off as the non-bikers. I mean, no kidding, I went to Hot Springs for R&R and I can't even hear myself think. I also had the misfortune of having a run in with a "bad ass biker". He didn't like me stopping my car with the bumper a little ways into the cross walk. Not something I do purposely. What an absolute idiot, a disgrace to the human race, the guy had obviously forgotten to take his Xannex. It was one of my Kodak moments and I don't think his girlfriend was so impressed with him after he ignored what I had to say. What a punk.

Wow, that sounded like a gripe session, I didn't intend it that way, it just happened and I shall not repent.

Plans

I'm working on plans for a whole new bunch of posts this year. So keep checking back when warm weather arrives.

Open Road

I would like to thank Crus'n Open Road for this video. It and his website is below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4mU8ZqMZPU


http://virtualhale.com/cruzn/openroad.php