April 3-6, 2008: April Fool's Ride in Arkansas!

[Nobiman]

Well Troy, it looks like Sandy and I are the only ones coming for the whole weekend. Russell & Daryl cant come 'til Satuday morning because of school responsibilities on Friday. They are gonna stay somewhere else, I guess. So there will be only 2 of the original 5 staying at the lodge, I hope that this does'nt create any problems for you. It was unexpected by me for sure.

See ya'll in a few weeks, Randy.

[devro]

If'n it don't quit this friggin' rainin' we aint gonna have a ride, we're gonna have a float trip!

There's enough water running across my backyard right now to flood the Mulberry River!

Pray for dry sunny days ahead.

devro

[rxcrider]

Weather & Tires... 2 years ago we had very little weather and traction was great. Even with a trashed K760 on the back I was fine. With the rain you are talking about how are the trails looking? I have a freshish set of M12s mounted right now, but was planning on swapping them for a 1/4 used set of D606s before the ride and keeping the M12s for the spring mud in Ohio. Any thoughts from guys down there? The rear has to come apart regardless for a new beadlock.

[MoRidin]

We should be fine...rocks don't get too muddy

As long as we have 3-4 days for everything to drain off, the crossings will be fine. The mudholes will be DEEP...so if you ride a kicker, perhaps an XR650...you may want to avoid the 3' plus deep ones

I ran an enduro down there on a Sunday after 3 days and 7+ inches of rain and 90% of the terrain was fine. Some of the low areas were muddy, but doable.

[Hayden]

YEP Someone be sure to bring a toe rope. The PIG likes the mud holes


Hayden

[devro]

The terrane where we are going does pretty much drain off quickly. But if it doesn't start to get somewhat dryer there will be a few creek crossings that will definetly be d e e p ! It has been an unusually wet late winter/early spring here.
If it were to stop raining tomorrow we might get across Little Piney to Spurgen Warren's cabin in a couple of weeks.

Tires? Anything moderate on the front and a trials on the rear, nothing beats it.

devro

[Hayden]

RVs.

I dont know if they will do this but you mite check. For those that havent been here in the last 2 years or never, it has changed a bit. The big medow out back now has a paved road from the Hwy (drive way) through the middle of it and goes off to the right and all the way back to the end of the Property. They bulldozed roads back in the trees and now have RV hook ups off to the right side of the property clear in the back. It has all white rock roads for the RVs and they also bulldozed roads in the very back for primative camping. They have a HUGH Stone Concert stage in the North East corner of the medow. A BIG, VERY FANCY Shower house and another Building that is a General store with Big Ice coolers etc for concerts. They also have a Hugh building right up front now that is a general store and get together place. I believe this was here before but they have added to it since last time. Dont know if they will let the RV guys go to the back and camp out with Use of the Shower facility back there but that would be pretty cool.

I have been to the Music festival in Sept that they hold now for the last 2 years. It was a work in progress the first year and there is pics somewhere of a Tornado going across the medow while we were there on Sun morning of the Festival. Lots of tents in the trees that morning and a few shaken up people. It is priceless now to say you were at the festival the First year!!!!

The drive way is all paved now as mentioned above and I think If I remember right, the drive going to the other cabins to the South is all paved also.

T

[rxcrider]

Thanks Devro - if a moderate font and trials on the rear is ideal for your kind of mud, I'll ride the 606s and be fine. Ohio mud is a mix of clay and rotting vegitation that smells awful and provides the traction of crisco. A trials tire in the spring here is just another word for a slick. The first year I rode the hanging rock DS in may I had fresh 606s and most of the time you couldn't see the lugs. Going down hills backwards with the rear tire spinning made for an interesting first DS ride. Now that I'm back on the LC4, I'm good up to the bottom of the seat w/o sucking water.

Here's my RXC on my first hanging rock...

[troy]

FYI: We lost the Sears House. I had reserved everything but the 2 tiniest options. (These 2 are also the most expensive per person.) My plan was to call the lodge just to keep things smooth and confirmed upon return from my vacation last week. HOWEVER, they called me (while I was skiing), to ask "what all did you guys need because we just booked the Sears House". What?! To put it mildly, I was hacked. I definitely told them everything--including the Sears House, and have that confirmed in email conversation history with them. They are giving us everything else and are SUPPOSED to work with me on the price so we don't pay any extra.

According to my info, this still gives us 34 beds total, so we are covered. I'll be bringing 2 air beds just in case--the big Lodge has lots of floor space.

Wed, 3/19/2008
Safiri mike just returned from a canoe trip on the Buffalo in AR. The waters are way above flood stage--highest in years, and it was still raining. (For example, some areas that are normally less than 10 feet deep are at about 50 feet!) Good news is the area is rocky and drains fast. However, we should probably expect the creek crossings to be higher than we've had in the past. Perhaps a bit more backtracking will be required. If it keeps raining, well....it is an adventure.

[rxcrider]

Troy / Sean

Not havig a GPS & therefore not having downloaded anything, is Brock Creek on the schedule?

Tom / Sean

Are we picking up Sean and do you have any of my bike shoes?

[troy]

...is Brock Creek on the schedule?

No. Brock Creek is not on the schedule.

Sean may feel differently, but I'd suggest that people are welcome to ride what they want. We have planned routes, and Sean puts a lot of effort into the routes, but if people want to do something different, I encourage it.

For those of you who don't know, the Brock Creek system is very good and contains actual, live single-track. (Once thought to be extinct!) It is far enough East of the lodge, however, that you'd want to haul to get there. Expect about 1 to 1.5 hours to drive there.

[rxcrider]

Thanks Troy - the drive kind of sucked, but the trails were soooo sweet. If Sean has something else in mind - and Sean loves single track - I'll follow Sean...

[katbeanz]

It's not sounding too choice, but Devro knows the area well enough to help figure out alternate routes. I think he's spent thirty years as a riverboat captain so he might know a thing or two about water.
I'd really like to see the Warren cabin, but if the creek's flooding it will just have to wait for another time.

[devro]

Nothing to do but wait to see what the rains and creek crossings bring us. There are a BUNCH of creek crossings!
I don't know of any way to get to Spurgen Warren's cabin with out crossing Little Piney Creek. We'll just give it a try.
BTW, my route to the cabin will be about 100 mile round trip and will require at least an 80 mile gas tank. (Lunch at Oark Cafe!)

I've not used my trials tire in bottomless mud. Most of the mud holes in the Ozarks have at least one rock or root in them, and a trials tire needs just one of those to grab and go. Sorry about your RXC, but I wouldn't have minded sitting under a tree and watching you get it out of there!

I can get us on a DS route from White Rock to Brock Creek. But it's about a 175 mile ride and will take two days. I'd LOVE to do this ride with a group! We need a sag truck to haul our camp gear from Cass to Haw Creek Falls to Brock Creek. Maybe something we ought to put together one day.

I do know a thing or four about water:
1. Do not ride into green flowing water.
2. A DR 350 will not run under water.
3. One needs jeffro along to pull one's bike out of deep green flowing water.
4. One needs jeb along because he carries enough tools to get a flooded bike running in about 20 minutes and cut new a trail around green flowing water.

devro

[rxcrider]

there was one root in that mud hole and it was slightly higher than my front axle.

What's a little weather? I remember riding in snow, freezing rain, ice cold rain, freezing rain, snow... in WY June - seems a few others were there - Randy - Stu... I must say that water is easier to ride on when frozen though gurgle gurgle gurgle... go seal those stator covers!

[tom reiner]

Troy / Sean

Not havig a GPS & therefore not having downloaded anything, is Brock Creek on the schedule?

Tom / Sean

Are we picking up Sean and do you have any of my bike shoes?

I don't know, it's fine with me if we do, just three of us, there should be plenty of room for him, I'm sure that will be a last minute call.

I gave back to mike


p.s.
We need to get together and figure out the Van/trailer sitch (this Saturday might be good)

[MoRidin]

Weather update...looking good so far:

http://www.accuweather.com/forecast-15d ... 9&metric=0

[devro]

COOL!
No Indian rain dances allowed!

[troy]

I want some of you gurus who are used to riding top-performance bikes to ride my Husky and give me your opinion. http://www.rideforum.net/viewtopic.php?p=4782#p4782

See you in AR.

[Hank Moody]

I was thinking that I was going to have to miss this years ride. On March 1st I injuried my back and could barely get out of bed. A lot of good meds and PT and I'm on the road to recovery! I only have a little pain down my leg in the mornings, so I might be able to make the ride after all I just got back from spring break with the family and I drove over a 1000 miles, rode water slides and go carts without pain!!!!

Now all I have to do is get my wife, PT and doctor to buy into that I'm well enough to go. Keep your fingers crossed for me.....