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Tarkansas ride April 21-23

Cabin full 1/2/16

With most all the larger cabins/lodge, full at Mulberry, we've found a cabin better suited to our needs at a better price:

http://fayar.craigslist.org/vac/5352657524.html

With tax and everything included, it comes to about $100/person for all 3 nights. Actually, with 10 of us it would be slightly less than $100. If I collect from 10, with any extra money I will purchase waters, gatorade etc. I went ahead and paid the deposit and will pay the full remaining amount when we figure who will be staying here.

With a limit of about 10 of us, (its not as big as the lodge), I figure the fairest way to reserve the 10 spots is the first 10 to pay. Payment information is listed below:

Paypal: randybkidd@gmail.com

Mailing address:

Randy Kidd
4490 SW Bowsprit Drive
Lees Summit, MO 64082

I will update this with list of attendees and any other information.

Current paid attendees:

Randy
James
Mike
Brad (mike's son)
Ward
Lynn
Rick
Andy
Scott B.
Ryno
Shane

I've stayed in that cabin probably 10 times. It is fantastic. Hard to find a better suited cabin for a bunch of dirt bike riders or for less money. For what looks like a relatively small place, it has 3 full bathrooms, laundry facilities, and a huge kitchen. Upstairs are 2 bedrooms each with a full bed and set of bunk beds. Main floor is basically one big open room so lots of room for guys to put down airbeds.

In my opinion and experience, 10 people is the limit. That is 6 people upstairs in the 2 bedrooms and 4 guys on air beds on main floor. A bit crowded, but with 3 full bathrooms, it aint bad at all. It's not a dump either--nice place.

Owner is dirt-bike friendly--the owner of the Fort Rock Family Camp where we started our TARKC ride a few years ago. His land has that ATV trail that can connect you into the Mill Creek ATV trail system.

Plenty of land behind the cabin for campers including sweet creek access at back of property if you want to setup tent down there.

troy wrote:I've stayed in that cabin probably 10 times. It is fantastic. Hard to find a better suited cabin for a bunch of dirt bike riders or for less money. For what looks like a relatively small place, it has 3 full bathrooms, laundry facilities, and a huge kitchen. Upstairs are 2 bedrooms each with a full bed and set of bunk beds. Main floor is basically one big open room so lots of room for guys to put down airbeds.

In my opinion and experience, 10 people is the limit. That is 6 people upstairs in the 2 bedrooms and 4 guys on air beds on main floor. A bit crowded, but with 3 full bathrooms, it aint bad at all. It's not a dump either--nice place.

Owner is dirt-bike friendly--the owner of the Fort Rock Family Camp where we started our TARKC ride a few years ago. His land has that ATV trail that can connect you into the Mill Creek ATV trail system.

Plenty of land behind the cabin for campers including sweet creek access at back of property if you want to setup tent down there.

I figured this was the place you've previously stayed at. Talked to Terry and he seems like a nice guy. The Mulberry owners weren't always appreciative of our business.

We haven't seen you for awhile....hope you can make it this year!

Cousin Scott & Bronco Steve are in for all nights.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE that the owner of this cabin does NOT allow alcohol on premise. Personally I don't drink, so never a concern for me, but some of the guys I ride with really like to enjoy a beer or 2 after a hard day's ride. Terry does not allow it, it's his house and his rules--respect them.

If you want to sneak it, sneak it carefully, but PLEASE do not leave your empties laying around or in the trash! It is how we get blacklisted from renting the cabin again. Terry lives right across the road at top of the hill. He can stop by anytime.

You might want to book a ride on Terry's Zipline! (The fort is across the road tucked up in the forest.)
https://fortrock.org/things-to-do/super-long-zipline/

Good point. Thanks for the heads up I was going to bring a half barrel to go with those ribs and BBQ you got the last time that kicked ass at Mulberry!

That was Backwoods BBQ and is just right up the road from this cabin. In fact, it used to operate out of this cabin! Just go 4 miles or so E on Hwy 16. Backwoods BBQ is on right as you start to head into St. Paul.

troy wrote:It is how we get blacklisted from renting the cabin again.

Get or got?

It's odd that the Craigslist ad doesn't mention prohibition. It does indicate "no smoking," which I'm all for.

Are you going down for a pre ride this spring? I may be buying a car in that area, and am trying to figure out some logistics. I thought about riding down with someone, then driving back, if the deal works out.

Looks like the craigslist ad has moved to...

http://fayar.craigslist.org/vac/5458636197.html

Bronco wrote:Cousin Scott & Bronco Steve are in for all nights.

Steve, I guess I haven't been to this thread in awhile as I'm just now seeing this post. Do you guys still want in? We are pretty full but I would think we can squeeze a couple more in. Only 6 beds so you and your cousin might have to sleep together.

rycomm wrote:Are you going down for a pre ride this spring? I may be buying a car in that area, and am trying to figure out some logistics. I thought about riding down with someone, then driving back, if the deal works out.

Ryan, If weather cooperates, we've talked about pre-ride the first weekend in April. Where is the car?

Ryan-

Pre-ride or not, I probably could have given you a lift to NWA. I was driving down there 2 weeks out of every 3 until just last week.

But I rolled off the Walmart project last week, so the only thing taking me down there now are the TARKC rides.

-James

jasbaum wrote:

troy wrote:It is how we get blacklisted from renting the cabin again.

Get or got?

It's odd that the Craigslist ad doesn't mention prohibition. It does indicate "no smoking," which I'm all for.

Nope -- my group is still on the "welcome" list. I see that the ad does not mention alcohol. The "no smoking" thing in the ad is a craigslist option when placing the ad. I bet they don't have a "no alcohol" option or Terry would have picked it. I can assure you he does not allow alcohol on the property. He tends to make that very clear when folks book, so I imagine he told Randy.

Terry, the cabin owner, swung into the cabin one day in a beat up Toyota pickup. When I say beat up, I mean it was missing half the glass, had no headlights or tailights, no tag, not even registered or insured, and appeared to have been rolled. He explained he had some cattle out "down the road" and had to go round them up. Raised on a farm, I figured he could use some help, so I got the boys to go along with me and we hopped in the back of the pickup.

Terry drove a few miles away and we picked up a cow trailer. Then another few miles down a forest road and we pulled into a property with a barn and a field. Turns out the cows had been rounded up by somebody and were in the barn pen. We just needed to load them in the trailer. How hard could that be?

Turns out one of the cows had a calf. Now I grew up on a dairy farm. We milked about 100 head. We also raised beef cattle and we would round them up each spring and fall to move them to and from summer pastures. I've been around cattle a lot. I have NEVER seen a mother cow as crazy as this devil cow! It was a truly dangerous place to be, and half of our helpers were not familiar with cows. We ended up loading all but that momma cow--show was NOT getting in the trailer. Yes she was very mad about her baby in the trailer.

On the drive home after sunset with no lights on Highway 16, a sheriff pull us over. My riding buddies and I in the bed of the pickup started counting all the tickets Terry was sure to get. The officer told Terry, "Hey, your back sliding trailer gate has come open a little and one of the cows has a leg hanging out." That was it! "Thanks, officer", closed the trailer gate, and we were on our way.

Only in Arkansas.

I won't be able to join you boys on this one as that Fri I'm hauling down to New Mexico to for a week of adventure on the NBMDR!

http://www.backcountrydiscoveryroutes.com/NMBDR

troy wrote:

jasbaum wrote:

troy wrote:It is how we get blacklisted from renting the cabin again.

Get or got?

It's odd that the Craigslist ad doesn't mention prohibition. It does indicate "no smoking," which I'm all for.

I can assure you he does not allow alcohol on the property. He tends to make that very clear when folks book, so I imagine he told Randy.

Terry never said anything to me about alcohol. There was even wine glasses in the kitchen. Of course, with this group the alcohol issue is a pretty big deal. Not sure we can survive without bringing kegs to a motorcycle ride!

My thought is that if there is any chance he prefers no alcohol, (in other words if there is even the slightest chance that Troy is right for once), it is Terry's property and we should respect his request. For what its worth, I don't plan on bringing or drinking any alcohol on this trip.

On another note, I've gotten the idea that Terry really likes customers paying with cash rather than credit card and/or check. I'm definitely paying cash for the remainder that I owe him and for any future stays.

Terry does check his guests out as he was there within 15 minutes of us arriving in January. I guess we passed as he has allowed us to stay there again.

Bring cash to pay Terry, yes.

I've tried my best to not let the alcohol issue bother me, but it's just not working. If Troy hadn't mentioned the prohibition issue, we (a group of adults) would likely be kicked out of the cabin or blacklisted for having a beer or two? At the very least, I'm sure we would have been subject to some type of lecture, and probably ended up blacklisted for something we knew nothing about. Smoking I understand, as it leaves a noticeable odor in the furniture, etc.. Alcohol does no such thing. We're not doing anything illegal, nor are we a group of college kids looking to party all weekend. Randy confirmed nothing was said to him at booking, so this entire discussion becomes a "what if?". Since Randy's name is associated to this rental, I don't think it's fair for him to get blacklisted for the actions of the rest of the adults in the group. Who knows if that's how this works, as this is all speculation thanks to the property owner.

Not only does the Craigslist ad not mention alcohol, he even writes "talk about the ultimate tailgate party" in his ad. He has plenty of opportunity to state his restrictions in the body of the ad, but chooses not to.

The argument of "his house, his rules" would be fine if we were staying as his guests for free. But in this case, we are paying to stay on this property, which should give us a certain amount of rights to make our own (legal) choices. Once again, it would be a different matter if he clearly stated his rules in the ad, which would have allowed us to discuss as a group and make the decision to stay elsewhere.

Regardless of the outcome of this weekend, this will be my first and last visit to this cabin. I've got this thing about being able to make my own decisions in life. Call me crazy if you must.

Scott, I agree with you 100%. You make excellent points---if Terry did not tell Randy "no alcohol" and his ad does not state this, then nobody is at fault if they are drinking alcohol on the property.

Seriously, if the only reason Randy now knows about this "rule" is because I said it's a rule, then forget I said it. You guys are adults and stand-up people...not like you guys are trashing the place and raising hell.

I brought it up because I did not see it in Randy's description, and I was 99% sure Terry would have mentioned it based on my previous experience. I figured it was important information to relay. I was wrong. Sorry guys!

I don't want to give the wrong impression of Terry, either. He's a great guy, has a great cabin at a great price, and is off-road friendly. We have used his private property trails to connect from the cabin into the Mill Creek trail system many times to avoid roads.

troy wrote:Scott, I agree with you 100%. You make excellent points---if Terry did not tell Randy "no alcohol" and his ad does not state this, then nobody is at fault if they are drinking alcohol on the property.

Seriously, if the only reason Randy now knows about this "rule" is because I said it's a rule, then forget I said it. You guys are adults and stand-up people...not like you guys are trashing the place and raising hell.

I brought it up because I did not see it in Randy's description, and I was 99% sure Terry would have mentioned it based on my previous experience. I figured it was important information to relay. I was wrong. Sorry guys!

I don't want to give the wrong impression of Terry, either. He's a great guy, has a great cabin at a great price, and is off-road friendly. We have used his private property trails to connect from the cabin into the Mill Creek trail system many times to avoid roads.

I appreciate your response, Troy. After having time to reflect on my rant, I realize I came across as very bitter about this situation. Sorry for that. I have a tendency to assume the worst case scenario is going to play out, and start assigning blame. I can't say enough about the amount of work Randy puts into these trips, and have no business trying to stir up controversy. I have no doubt this weekend is going to be another memorable ride.

Good thing I've got this trip coming up. I could clearly use a few days away from work