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For all those who showed up in Eureka Springs last weekend, Hooray!! Although the weather could have been better, it was a great adventure ride anyway! It was my first time there and I can't wait to go back. Friday was not too bad with only a little rain and fog, the scenery [when visible] was great! Traveler's Inn accomodations were great also.
Saturday just couldn't get it's act together! Since it got such a late start, Dave Hemphill put together a shortened ride of about 70 miles and 2 groups left about an hour apart. Group One left dry and came back wet. Group two left wet and came back dry. I was in Group Two and since I didn't have good rain gear, I bailed after about 5 miles. Sorry Guys!
This was a really great week for me, my 66th birthday, retirement from work, and a great dual sport ride. Thanks!!!

It was great to meet you and congrats again on your retirement. It was very nice of you to share your retirement cake too. I was the fellow who sent the leftover pizza with your cake. I rode almost 100 miles with a guy from Houston on friday, Dr. Blackbird, he wasn't prepared for cool weather, mesh pants and summer gloves. I was running my grip heaters but had left my street helmet at home and didn't have a balaclava. I didn't mind my face being cold but my forehead was another story.
I looked at the forecast early saturday and was out loading up around 6am in the rain. I had breakfast at the buffet across the street not keen on driving a curvy mountain road in the rain and dark. I got home around noon and got out later and started putting breakin miles on my new bike. Dean

Gary, as Dean said, congratulations on the retirement and thanks for the cake. It was great meeting you and riding with you.... I was the guy on the DR350 on Friday's ride. Dean also great meeting/talking with you, I ate at the Pizza Hut with you Thursday night (I had the sandwich), also seen you on Friday's ride when you caught up to our group. David H did a great job again didn't he ? Other than the weather, it was fantastic.... I'm ready to go back. Kware and Fred Mays were the leaders of our group, and they did a great job.

Hi Bill, nice to meet you too. Kevin lives pretty closeby. I saw him Sunday as I was coming in from putting breakin miles on the new bike. The good Dr. and I made a few wrong turns after getting a late start waiting for Leslie to get back from fueling up for the women's ride. Everytime we stopped I'd find some way to work my grip heaters into the conversation until he finally told me SHUT UP. Those weren't his exact words but you get the drift.
There's going to be an ADV rally in May called SLAP down south outside of Tecumseh, Mo., that wouldn't be too far for you. Dean

Thanks for the "heads-up" on Tecumseh Dean, I'll check it out..... and, yes, grip heaters, would have felt great that weekend.

Had a great time guys! We rode the Buffalo river route on Friday. The day started out wet and foggy, this is the kind of thing that makes each ride unique. I started out leading 5 riders on a reverse route. Wasn't long before the rain and fog rolled in. It's always interesting when you lose sight of the road and the other riders in the pea soup! After a chilling 14 mile pavement section into Jasper, AR., a couple riders bugged for home partly due to bike issues and weather. We met up with remnants of the other groups at the Cliffhouse restaurant. After lots of coffee and chili four of us headed out to finish the southern portion of the route. It wasn't long before the weather improved and we were making good time. MacGiver lost his rear bag, so we took a break while he backtracked (ended going back seven miles!). While we were waiting, three more bikes showed up, we ended finishing the day as one group - 11 hours, 210 miles. Noticed along the road a sign for Elk crossings, figured Arkansas ran out of deer signs and put up the other signs. Found out later there is a good sized Elk herd near Jasper. Might have to pick a route through the area to see if we can spot them next year.

Friday night/Saturday morning saw increased rain, flood warnings for the Eureka Springs area. We decided to forego the White Rock route and stayed a little closer to E.S for the day. We rode south into the Madison Wildlife area and then a north loop across Table Rock Lake into Mark Twain Nat'l forest. Found some cool ATV trails along the way. We ended up with five riders for the entire route - 100 miles, 5 hours

I'm hoping to do some scouting in the area later this year. I'll post a ride thread when I have a date in mind. I always look forward to the camaraderie of like-minded folks getting together for a event like this. Sure hope to see you all later this year or next spring. Here's a link to a few of the pictures I took, with the weather it wasn't a "Kodak moment" this year.
http://picasaweb.google.com/MacWildcat/Arkansas3_08

FYI - I'm Larry on the 96' DR650.

Gary, It was a pleasure to meet and ride with you. Hopefully we can ride some more in the KC area. We bailed on Saturday because of the same weather reasons. Probably should have stayed around until the afternoon for a short ride. Oh well. Always ready for another trip down the way.
Larry, I know where some trails are on the Missouri side up east of Eagle Rock. Wouldn't mind checking them out again. I haven't ridden them in over 20 years. I drive right by them on the way to my parents lake home. I may try to ride over there in late May, during our annual trip to Chadwick, MO.

MacWildcat wrote:Noticed along the road a sign for Elk crossings, figured Arkansas ran out of deer signs and put up the other signs. Found out later there is a good sized Elk herd near Jasper. Might have to pick a route through the area to see if we can spot them next year.

The elk mainly congregate around Ponca, in the Boxley Valley. This time of year you can see them in the fields from the highway that follows the river (upriver from Ponca). I saw several a few weeks ago when down that way for a (flood shortened) canoe trip on the Buffalo. Lots of folks park on the shoulder of that highway and just watch the elk. When I was there the Buffalo River at Tyler Bend (US65) rose about 42 feet ... to a level that left very little air between the US65 bridge and the water. I have a picture if'n you don't believe me!

The native elk (eastern subspecies) went extinct in the 1800s. They had been found from AR back to the Appalachian Mts. A while ago AR Game and Fish introduced the western subspecies, and has a limited hunt each year. The western elk are a bit larger than the eastern elk were.

Ponca also has the "Elk Center", which is operated by the AR Dept of Game and Fish. Probably worth a visit if you are around there.