October/November 2023
We spent the summer in the north Georgia mountains. We had 3 months of great fun. I brought all of the toys with me and it went like a fart in the wind. We got home in Mid-October and no sooner had we arrived than I started packing to go again. During the summer, I planned a Dual Sport trip in Arkansas with friends. We rode the gravel and dirt in the Ozarks for 5 days. Two days after that, I loaded the FJR and went back to Arkansas to meet other friends to ride the twisties there for a couple days. From Arkansas, we rode to Alabama to meet others at the annual Southern Fjr Owners (SFO) gathering, hosted once again by my friend Turk and his wonderful family.
So, for my annual Fall motorcycle trip, a had one week off road, and one week on the road.
I hope you enjoy the pictures.
Day 1: Lafayette, LA to Harrison, AR – approximately 500 miles (Truck towing the DS bikes on trailer)
Mike P and I trailered the Dual Sport bikes to Shady Oaks Campground in Harrison, AR. We’ve camped there for years and it’s a nice centrally located place to stay. We set up camp, lit a fire, and got right down to business.
That was enough for Day 1.
Day 2: Ozark Mountains Gravel – approximately 50 miles.
Josh arrived late in the evening, so we will be three amigos on this trip. We invited others to join, but the real world got in their way.
One new development at the campground is this: now they offer fresh warm cinnamon rolls for breakfast on the weekends. Yes, please….
Last year, Josh upgraded his bike to a Honda CRF450RL. Mike P bought a LOT of bike for his first Dual Sport (also a Honda CRF450 RL) and this is his first trip. So, we will take it nice and easy and allow him to get acquainted with his new toy.
My Bush Piggie looks a tad out of place.
Navigating and choosing routes for dual sporting in this area is very similar to doing it on road motorcycles: it doesn’t really matter. Just go!
Mike P is starting to get more comfortable. Looking good!
We stopped at the Buffalo River crossing at Pruit to wait out a sprinkling rain that amounted to nothing.
Mike decided to head back to camp a bit early. He’s been fighting the bike and he’s getting tired – first day jitters. I remember that well – it takes a while to let the front tire wobble and relax a bit more.
Josh and I start free styling it. Without doubt, the BEST views of the Ozarks are seen from the gravel.
By far my favorite part of Dual Sport riding – stopping often and just taking it all in.
This is a creek that feeds into the Buffalo River. The last time I was here (Spring 2022), the water was much deeper (and faster).
We arrived back at the campground late afternoon. After some happy hour, we cooked some delicious Chicken Burgers that Mike brought from home.
A good day.
Day 3: More Ozark gravel/dirt – 108 miles.
Since we took the truck, I brought the thermo-rest mattress along with my air mattress and thusly, I’m sleeping in nice plush comfort. We have coffee and breakfast and then hit the trails.
There are huge chunks of forest that are bordered by (usually) the State highways. So, it’s easy to just use the pavement to connect the dots.
Mike is starting to loosen up and I think he’s enjoying it.
In my opinion, the Fall is the best time to Dual Sport in Arkansas. The weather will be good – you will get at least 3 days (we had 6) between rainy fronts, and the water crossings will be easy.
The roads are very quiet and we are enjoying the ride.
Late afternoon, not far from the campground, I stopped to check this out.
Massive animals.
We got back to the campground safe and relatively early. On the DS, I prefer to not. push it as much, leaving daylight and time for an unexpected problem in the woods. After showers and a little happy hour, we made the decision to go into town for wood fired pizza.
I’m having a great time.
Day 4: Rinse, Lather, and Repeat! Another 100 miles of Arkie gravel.
After coffee, we took a walk around the campground. This fella enjoyed a morning treat (carrot)
I was leading us and chose what the GPS said was a county road. It got quite steep in parts, and we were challenged to navigate down the hill.
At the bottom of the hill, a vehicle approached and informed us that we were trespassing. In the absence of a gate or sign, I found that hard to believe, but I wasn’t going to argue with her on the basis of my GPS. Rather than try to climb back up the hill, we asked her if we could continue through her property and be on our way, to which she obliged.
Good riding in these parts.
We crossed a low water bridge on the Buffalo River and ascended sharply toward the village of Murray, AR.
Nice and cool up here. If you really want to see the Ozarks, you MUST do it from the gravel.
Of course, little did Josh and Mike know, but the whole time, I was just piddle farting toward Kingston, AR. Why? Because I know they have ice cream there.
(TWO scoops, thank you)
Not intentionally, but for whatever reason, I’m finding some more challenging stuff to ride and enjoy and Mike is doing just fine!
Josh is a seasoned dual sport rider – he’s having no troubles.
Again, we arrive back at the campground about 4:30. Josh and I took the truck to town to buy groceries. Tonight, we are cooking!
Josh’s campfire ribeye steaks never disappoint. Man, we are really roughing it out here at the campground.
We left a little room for dessert.
What a great day with good friends.
Day 5: You guessed it – ride there, eat that! 75 miles.
I’m sleeping real well in the tent. The weather is nice – cool enough for camping, but not too cold.
In the morning, I stoke up the fire and enjoy my coffee.
Last night, we each saved a portion of our steak for a hearty breakfast. Josh toasted the bagels ……
…. while I re-heated the steaks.
Delicious.
There’s a small stand of woods next to the campground. I’m doing my part to clean up the dead wood there.
Again, the map on the Garmin XT is really good. So after breakfast, we gear up and off we go! When we got to the first gravel, I was running a bit hot, and low sided the Bush Pig proper. Dumb ass Pants. Thank heavens I wasn’t hurt and the bike was OK.
I love to travel. I love everything about it. Seeing different places and experiencing the diversity of our world is a true joy for me. I enjoy meeting the people, seeing their culture, trying their cuisine – everything.
But what I enjoy more than anything else is seeing the land.
This is a valley that appeared to us between 2 sections of forest east of Hwy 123 and south of Hwy 74, near the Gene Rush WMA. It is absolutely gorgeous.
By design or luck, we pop out of the forest onto Hwy 123 about 2 miles from Sam’s Throne. I thought it would be a nice place for a picnic lunch.
After lunch, we ripped it down Hwy 123 and rode another patch of forest to Pedestal Rocks. Josh has never seen this place before, so why not take a walk?
Pretty cool place.
We get back on the bikes and I found the Piney Creek Trail, which is known to be a bit more difficult. Mike decided he had enough, and opted to just ride pavement back to the campground. Josh and I continued and indeed, it was challenging. We had a 4-ish mile section that was loaded with baby head rocks.
But soon, it smoothed out and it was a nice ride.
You just can’t find this kind of stuff from the pavement.
Josh lives in southern Illinois. Our homes are separated by 1,000 miles. But that doesn’t stop us much. He’s a great friend and I’ve really enjoyed our adventures together.
A bit farther up the trail, while Josh is making a minor repair/adjustment to his bike, I took pictures!
This is a really nice area.
It’s a bit late in the afternoon for this, but what the hell. I’ll work out when I get home.
From the ice cream stop, we ran through the woods straight to the campground. In between gravel roads, I was pushing it a bit hard on the pavement. Josh reminded me that it was later in the day, and the forest rats are coming out. Message received; I slowed it down.
Tonight, we are cooking chicken fajitas!
Not bad!
After dinner, I sipped on the shampoo while Josh and Mike took turns playing some good music on the Bluetooth speaker. I’m so blessed, man. What a great life I have.
Day 6: One more day of gravel.
This morning, Josh has to be on his way. He loaded his bike last night and packed his tent early this morning. We bid him farewell, but not goodbye. Mike and I are retired, and the weather is still gorgeous, so we will stay another day.
I pick a road and again, off we go!
Another beautiful day in NW Arkansas.
Surprisingly Mike, who has seen EVERYTHING, has never been to Hawksbill Crag. So we stop at the trail head, change shoes, and start walking.
A little bit of Fall color showing on the mountainside today.
After lunch, we took turns walking to the edge of the Crag. It does resemble a Hawk’s Bill.
We popped out in an area that got me turned around and had to run about 10 miles of pavement. I don’t mind a few miles here and there, but I don’t like riding the Dual Sport for long distances on pavement at higher speeds. So while Mike rode the pavement back to the campground, I broke off and took the longer route.
Now by myself, my riding changes. I slow down a good bit and start avoiding obstacles more diligently. A fall here could be quite a problem, so I’m more cautious.
I really like riding these roads.
I’m freestyling it, just finding any ole road to connect the dots. When I get an intersection of roads, I check the map, pick one, and go. I love riding this way.
I get to the Buffalo River near Jasper and to my surprise, there is some water in it and the low water bridge is broken, impassable. I moved over a bit and slowly crossed the river in about 6 inches of water. That rinsed off my bike quite well.
I got back to the campground and we had plenty of daylight to load up the trailer and motorcycles. We then drove the ½ mile up to the highway and had good burgers at the Bar/Grill.
It’s been a great week.
Day 7: Harrison, AR back home to Lafayette, LA.
No pictures today – we broke camp in the morning and drove home uneventfully.
Day 8: Clean this and pack that.
The whole time I am riding dirt in Arkansas, my good friends Doug, riding a Goldwing from California, and Marty on an Tenere’ S10 from Arizona are heading east. Our plan was to meet in Harrison, AR on Monday (tomorrow). Additionally on Monday, my buddies Craig and Mark from Iowa will be coming down to meet us on their FJRs. I’ve got a full day and no time to waste.
I spent the morning putting up the camping gear and cleaning the Bush Pig. Then in the afternoon, I started packing my FJR and getting ready for another ride. My wife thinks I’m crazy – I’ve been running nonstop since the beginning of July! I’m not gonna lie – I’m tired, but my excitement is pushing me and this is what I retired young to do. When you are working and the real world rules your life, you must discriminate. You have to pick and choose, and more times than not, you have to opt out. But I don’t have to say no anymore. I’m fortunate to have friends and even more fortunate to get invited. So I say “yes”. I’ll worry about resting later.
I hit the bed early, hoping for good rest, and looking forward to more adventure.
Day 9: Lafayette, LA to Harrison, AR, 525 miles.
Dark thirty came fast. My sleep was uninterrupted, but a bit inadequate and I felt groggy as I rose. Well, adventure waits for no man. Get busy living or get busy dying, Andy Dufrene: eat your heart out!
I gulp down another ½ cup of coffee, kiss the wife goodbye, and leave the house 45 minutes before daybreak. There’s a dense fog hovering over the interstate, and I’m content to ride 5 mph under and wait for the sun to burn it off. The moto route to the Ozarks is simple for me: Slab it to Alexandria, Hwy 167 to Camden, AR, then Hwy 7 the rest of the way. I know it like I know how to get to the grocery.
Once I get to Hwy 7, things always start getting better.
It’s Monday, the roads are empty, the weather is nice, and I’m content to just enjoy the day in solitude.
I get to Harrison about 5 pm and instinctively go directly to a fuel station with a liquor store next door. If you want to find Mark, that’s a good place to start. Sure enough, I turn into the parking lot and there he is with Craig! I picked up this local treat that I’ve tried before. Very tasty!
Soon, Marty and Doug arrived, we all got checked into the hotel, and then rode ½ mile to the wood fired pizza joint for beer and pie. Another good day of riding.
Day 10: Ozark Twisties.
The guys know that I know the Ozarks. I’ve ridden this stuff at least 25 times. So I got elected to lead us. We’ve basically got today and tomorrow before we start heading toward Alabama. I started thinking about my options. First, we simply MUST ride to Oark and get pie at the General Store. But they are closed on Tuesdays (today), so I’ll save that for tomorrow. And since that place is south of here, there’s no point in coming back up tomorrow only to turn back south over (likely) the same route Wednesday. So I suggest we leave the hotel packed tomorrow and after lunch at the General Store, just start heading southeast toward Alabama.
This is how I have learned to tour on the motorcycle. I got a general idea of where we are heading, but I intentionally fail to make specific plans. We have dozens of options. ALL of them will be great, so I know that I won’t be disappointed regardless. All in our group get a chance to voice preferences, and together, we decide right there, right now. I know that some people can’t do it that way. Not having a pre-decided plan bothers them. But this way is the way I prefer to do it.
Hearing no objections, that leaves today and the other thing that MUST be done on every Arkie Twisty trip: Push Mountain. So toady, Push Mountain loop it is.
No herding cats with this group. This is 10 minutes BEFORE KSU time.
We leave town heading north (Push Mountain is ridden best North to South) and it would appear that that gang is ready to go!
I stop for a bio break at this no-name village just north of Mountain Home.
And shortly thereafter, we are on the road again. I know some decent county roads that allow us to avoid Mountain Home.
We cross the White River at the top of Push Mountain, and then start ripping it south.
The State has re-paved some of the road and at first, I was taking it easy to make sure the grip was good and the transitions between new and old pavement was good. After a few curves, all looked well so I wicked it up a bit.
Looking quite well Craig and Mark!
At the base of Push Mountain, there is a small park I like to stop at to let the adrenaline wane a bit.
Then I take Hwy 27 down to Marshall for lunch.
After lunch, we go further south on Hwy 27.
Mark found some gravel perfectly hidden in a sharp right hander, and unfortunately, he low sided the bike.
Mark’s riding gear worked wonderfully as he was not hurt except for some soreness in his chest. The bike actually faired pretty well too. He made a decision to ride it. That’s a hard decision – I’ve fallen before. Instead of taking the twisties further into the mountains, we turned around and took the less curvy highway back up to Harrison.
At my insistence, Mark and I went to the local urgent care so that he could get checked out. All seemed OK. That evening, we just walked next door to a local restaurant, had a nice meal, and called it a night.
Day 11: Start Heading Southeast. Harrison, AR to Searcy, AR.
As planned, everyone packed up and met at the front of the hotel on time. We put a bandaid on Mark’s bike and I think it’s starting to form a scab.
On a more serious note, Mark felt up to riding. I was glad that he felt well enough (and confident enough) to continue the trip.
We took off heading south.
.
The fall colors are peaking right before our very eyes!
Highway 123 is good riding, man.
Hwy 16 ain’t too shabby either. The chip seal on this road is glass smooth, but still has TONS of grip. I always enjoy riding Hwy 16.
We endured the leaf peeping traffic down the Pig Trail (Hwy 23) and made it to lunch.
It was very crowded for a Wednesday, but again, the leaves are colorful now and Fall Foliage is peaking. While waiting for my burger, I enjoyed looking at some old photographs depicting the construction of what is now Hwy 103.
Good things come to those who wait.
So if you know about the Oark Store, the old lady pie maker died earlier this year. I think she made pies there for over 50 years. Before she passed, she shared her secrets with the younger peeps.
It’s good pie. The crust is not quite as flaky as the old lady made it, but it’s close. I think they will get better with time.
Good times with good friends.
You may have noticed that in the previous picture, there are six mugs depicted. Our friend Curt (Boozer), who resides near Eureka Springs, rode down to meet and join us for the next leg of the journey. And so now, we are six.
Again – off we go with the Pants’ method of navigation: Fake it until you make it. At the last stop, I looked at the big picture. We have to get across the Mississippi River. I don’t want to do it in Memphis, so Hwy 49 south of there it is. Now, I know what direction I’m going. It’s just a matter of finding the curviest roads to get there.
We zipped down the mountain on Hwy 103 and then I turned east onto Hwy 164 toward Dover. Then I found Hwy 124 running basically East and nicely around the entire Little Rock Metropolitan area. It was a good road with nice views of the local farms and land. I enjoyed it.
Now late in the afternoon, we stopped just outside of Searcy and that felt about right. We found a hotel with plenty rooms available and checked in. Then we walked across the highway to Chili’s for dinner.
I think she’s checking Mark’s ID – LOL!
I’m having a good time.
Day 12: Searcy, AL to Jemison, AL
Good mattress in the hotel. Marty brought his own coffee from home and a Jet Boil to heat the water. Every day, I’m treated to fresh GOOD coffee. I’m living right, man.
Once again, this group is punctual. I’m not used to everyone having their shit together. It’s quite nice.
We pull out onto the hotel and wiggle eastward.
Now firmly into the river floodplain, things have gotten pretty flat and straight. But we have no traffic to deal with and I was content to just sit there and twist that.
I grab Hwy 49 at the border and we cross Old Man River.
Now in Mississippi, I’m just picking whatever 2-lane blacktop that looks interesting and runs either southeast, south, or east. The weather is nice, I’m with friends, and that’s plenty good enough for me.
At lunchtime, the decision was quite easy. This is the ONLY place to eat in this little town.
And of course, after lunch……
It started getting late and I didn’t feel like dodging deer in the forest. So we made the call to mostly slab it a bit over the last 50 miles to Jemison, AL. We’ve had almost 500 miles for the day. No one was complaining, but like me, I sensed that they had more than enough for the day.
Doug and Marty broke off to head for the hotel, but the rest of us are “camping” out at Turk and Jana’s place for the SFO gathering. We got there about 6:30 and I went right into party mode.
Good to see my ole buddy Nate, a fellow Louisianian.
Turk and Jana prepared a delicious Chili for dinner and we had good conversation with old friends. Tomorrow is another day.
Day 13: Riding Alabama with friends.
The air mattress on the loft of Turk’s metal building was just right for a good night’s sleep. With a money back guarantee, how could I refuse?
Last night, Josh surprised us with by riding down for the weekend on his FJR. I was glad to see my friend again. We had breakfast at the hotel Shoney’s and after that, everyone picked a group to ride with. Herding cats at the parking lot.
Josh and I chose a group and followed our fearless leader!
The riding in north central Alabama isn’t going to win any popularity context, but the road are in good shape and it’s nice to be with friends. We would up at Cheha a State Park and walked over to the Bald Rock overlook
From Cheha, we ripped it up Hwy 281 (IMO, the best riding road in Alabama) and had lunch in Heflin.
After lunch, I took over the lead and kicked it up a notch back down Hwy 281. I turned left onto Hwy 49 and went straight to Lineville for a very important stop.
Now getting later in the afternoon, Turk led us west toward home. Looking very well, Jim!
But not as well as your better half!
Back at Turks, Josh and I took a walk in the nearby woods. It was nice to enjoy the quiet and talk a bit.
Turk and Jana cooked a shrimp boil (with fixins) for us and we enjoyed good fellowship with friends all evening.
Day 14: More Alabama Twisties.
This day was similar to yesterday. Wake up, coffee, breakfast at Shoneys, hook up with a group of riders, and go ride. The weather again is really good – for almost 2 weeks, I haven’t seen any rain.
This is my group for today.
Josh approves.
We rode the Selma and stopped at the famous Edmund Pettus bridge.
After lunch, we rode a short distance to the Old Cahawba Historic site:
This was the original Alabama State Capital, but turned into a ghost town. We had a good time walking among the old structures.
The big bikes don’t do gravel/dirt very well, but we are hanging.
Next stop …. Well, ya know…
We got back to Jemison with plenty of time for Josh and I to talk another walk. On this night, Turk/Jana prepared a wonderful BBQ dinner and we ate like royalty.
The shampoo is holding up… for now.
After dinner, as is traditional with SFO, we were treated to the incredibly talented Alan Barstow. This dude can flat out play.
No pictures (to encourage plausible deniability), but … I got a little loose that evening!
Good times.
Day 15: Jemison, AL to Lafayette, LA 500 miles (HOME!)
I woke up a bit hung over – go figure! Josh and Craig will ride a bit together heading home and they have big miles to go, so they packed up and left early. I took a bit longer to hydrate and pack up my horse.
The ride home was familiar, but largely traffic free and I enjoyed cruising along the 2-lane stuff in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana to home. When I was working, I used to dread the ride home. I’d start thinking about all of the “stuff” and it would kill my buzz. Now that I don’t have any of that to worry about, I really enjoy the ride home. I start reflecting on the highlights of the trip and realize how truly blessed I am. I get humble and thankful for the ability to do this on my own terms and with lots (LOTS) of incredible friends right by my side. It goes well beyond any sense of comfort or belonging. That would be more than good enough, but this is almost inexplicable. Being able to share your life and your interest with likeminded people is a blessing beyond my words.
I did manage 1 picture.
I got home safe about 5 pm. My wife greeted me warmly as she always does. I’m sure in part she was happy that I got home safely. She worries and I know that she accepts that worry at my doing. I was just happy to see her.
So I’m home now and me thinks I’ll stay put for a while. I would have preferred to have these trips spaced out a bit. But opportunity knocks when it does, and when it does you have a choice. You either sit on your thumbs, or grab the reigns. I was happy to have chosen the latter.
Stay thirsty, my friends….
