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Tourer
Posts: 341
West Salem, WI United States | I have a small group (3-6 riders) heading to this area in late April for a quick 5 day round trip from Wisconsin and wondering if we will need to make reservations for motels or will we be able to pick them up as we need them? Planning to ride down the river from western WI to the St Louis area and then heading southwest from there toward the Harrison Arkansas area for a day and a half and then heading back toward St Louis and on up the river from there. Any must see places and/or roads in that general area? I know about Push Mountain but thats about it. |
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Cruiser
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| Harrison Ar has some great roads in that area and the Quality Inn is reasonable and bike friendly. The hotels and visitor info centers have Motorcycle rides in the Ozarks maps for you. |
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Tourer
Posts: 341
West Salem, WI United States | Thanks Don. We have lots of maps etc for the area and I have the AAA trip book etc just sort of wondering if motel/hotel reservations are needed or if we can hopefully just do that on the fly? |
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Iron Butt
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Broken Arrow, OK | Chain motels on the main highways you'll probably be fine.
Consider 1 night at Hotel Seville in downtown Harrison. Underground dedicated motorcycle parking and a unique place in the heart of downtown Harrison.
http://1929hotelseville.com/ |
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Tourer
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West Salem, WI United States | I noticed the Hotel Seville, really cool looking place. Thanks! |
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Cruiser
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Springfield Mo. | Plenty of hotels down here. Restaurant on every corner too. You'll be fine on the fly. |
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Tourer
Posts: 341
West Salem, WI United States | So following up on this trip. We had a great time in Missouri and Arkansas! Day 1 found us leaving Wisconsin in THICK fog along the Mississippi river, that turned into a steady rain and then finally into a complete downpour... We rode that all the way through Iowa and down to New Florence MO. Woke up the next moring to bright sunshine and beautiful weather the rest of the trip. We stopped in at the Field of Dreams movie site in Iowa, Big Spring Missouri (288 million gallons of water a day!) and then stayed at the HUB in Harrison for 2 nights. The HUB was a great spot, met some nice folks there and had great food! A bit odd when you pull up as it looks abandoned at first glance. The roads were fantastic everywhere except Iowa... The only regret is that we didn't get a chance to ride Push Mountain. Otherwise the pig trail, and 7 and along the top of the mountains was amazing. Stopped in at the Oak General store (oldest in AR) for lunch on Saturday, great roads to and from, especially the switchbacks going up the mountain. So I met a guy who rides a Vision out of Tulsa Oklahoma who goes by the name "Big Cat" and his 2 buddies, great guys. Funny thing happened while we were sitting around having a few drinks and bullshitting. I told him about how I had wired my garage door opener and mounted it to my cheese wedge. He asked how I got it in there, so I reached over and pulled off his cheese wedge to show him. You would have thought I had tipped his bike over or something! He was so pissed (he doesn't wrench on his bike) and his buddies were houling in laughter at the sight of him... It was the funnies part of the whole trip... I just popped it back on and sat back down. I think Big Cat expected it to fall off on their ride home ;-) Day 4 found us pushing hard from Harrison through Missouri and most of Iowa, stopping at Anamosa IA for the night. I good long day in the saddle. Home early on Day 5, what a great ride! |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | The wife and I plan to ride to Malvern,Arkansas next weekend. It's about 500 miles from home and close to Hot Springs. We are going to surprise a high school classmate and friend of mine. He, his wife and little girl are a gospel band. We are just gong to show up Sunday at his concert. I hope we can hit one or two of your highlights here.
Edited by jimtom 2016-05-20 12:48 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | jimtom - 2016-05-20 12:47 PM
The wife and I plan to ride to Malvern,Arkansas next weekend. It's about 500 miles from home and close to Hot Springs. We are going to surprise a high school classmate and friend of mine. He, his wife and little girl are a gospel band. We are just gong to show up Sunday at his concert. I hope we can hit one or two of your highlights here.
That has to be a brutal ride across MS and SE AR. Flatter than a pancake except for the over passes. 
If you have time to ride HWY 7 north to Jasper AR, you will have a great trip. Nice restaurant in Jasper that serves up a great burger. From there, pick a road and go. Stay off HWY 65 if possible. To much traffic to enjoy the ride.
Safe travels! |
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Visionary
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Sand Rock, AL United States | what is the name of the restaurant , we will seek it out? are you talking about Oark General Store?
Edited by jimtom 2016-05-20 3:15 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | He might be talking about the Cliff House, which is about 6 miles outside Jasper on HWY 7. We usually stop there. http://cliffhouseinnar.com/dining.html
Ronnie |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | rdbudd - 2016-05-21 9:10 AM
He might be talking about the Cliff House, which is about 6 miles outside Jasper on HWY 7. We usually stop there. http://cliffhouseinnar.com/dining.html
Ronnie
Thanks Ronnie! I will check it out. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | Just looked it up and yes, we have to go there! |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | He is right about "pick a road from there". Everything between Eureka Springs and Russellville is great riding. If you have time, cross the river at Russellville and go down to Dardanell and up on MT Nebo. Be sure to go out to Sunrise Point and take in the view of the Arkansas River Valley. http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/mountnebo/
Ronnie |
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Visionary
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Sand Rock, AL United States | man , I love you guys , this is great info! |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | If you go up Mt. Nebo, start out at the bottom in a gear no higher than 2nd. The first few steps are tight climbing hairpins. About halfway up, you can go up in gears, but it's tight stuff at the bottom. Deals Gap is child's play in comparison.
Actually, many of the roads in the area make Deals Gap and the "Dragon" look very tame.
Ronnie |
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Visionary
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Sand Rock, AL United States | rdbudd - 2016-05-21 9:32 AM
If you go up Mt. Nebo, start out at the bottom in a gear no higher than 2nd. The first few steps are tight climbing hairpins. About halfway up, you can go up in gears, but it's tight stuff at the bottom. Deals Gap is child's play in comparison.
Actually, many of the roads in the area make Deals Gap and the "Dragon" look very tame.
Ronnie
Wow! Thanks for the heads up. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | Those tight climbing hairpins are not where you would want to stall out. That's why I said to use 2nd gear and keep your RPM up a bit at the bottom. It's a blast, but be prepared to be committed when you begin the ascent.
If you can spend the time, another great ride and view close to the same area is MT Magazine http://www.mountmagazinestatepark.com/
A little farther away, crossing from Arkansas into Oklahoma is the Talimena Scenic Drive and Queen Wilhelmina http://www.queenwilhelmina.com/ http://www.talimenascenicdrive.com/
Ronnie
Edited by rdbudd 2016-05-21 9:45 AM
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Visionary
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Sand Rock, AL United States | Oh, I know those kinds of hairpins . I have to gear down like that for a couple of the mountain gap roads local to me. Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | You are welcome.
One really needs a long weekend in that area to try and see it all. A week would be better, beginning around Eureka Springs, riding many various roads south of there to the Ozark and Jasper areas, then on to Dardanell and over to Mena, then back again. You could take a week and still not see it all. Lots of great roads just in that small part of Arkansas/Oklahoma.
Ronnie |
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Visionary
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Sand Rock, AL United States | yeah, there is a lot more to see than I expected. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1632
Jasper, MO | jimtom - 2016-05-21 10:02 AM
yeah, there is a lot more to see than I expected.
We haven't even discussed the areas between Malvern/Hot Springs and Mena. Or the riding on the Missouri side of the Ozarks.
Ronnie |
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Visionary
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Sand Rock, AL United States | Boy, I hope I get to see all these places someday. |
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | rdbudd - 2016-05-21 9:10 AM
He might be talking about the Cliff House, which is about 6 miles outside Jasper on HWY 7. We usually stop there. http://cliffhouseinnar.com/dining.html
Ronnie
Actually I looked it up. It is downtown Jasper called the Ozark Cafe. I shouldn't have been lazy and not said it before... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | lstayner - 2016-05-22 1:16 PM
rdbudd - 2016-05-21 9:10 AM
He might be talking about the Cliff House, which is about 6 miles outside Jasper on HWY 7. We usually stop there. http://cliffhouseinnar.com/dining.html
Ronnie
Actually I looked it up. It is downtown Jasper called the Ozark Cafe. I shouldn't have been lazy and not said it before...
Thank you! |
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Tourer
Posts: 576
, IA | Just back from vito stay at the Hub just outside Harrison |
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Tourer
Posts: 576
, IA | Just back from vito stay at the Hub just outside Harrison |
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April Arkansas / Missouri