Arkansas from the Back of a Bike

Remember how a month and a half ago Scott and I took our first long-distance motorcycle trip?  And I'm just now getting around to blogging about it?  We're starting to talk more seriously about our upcoming trip to Sturgis, so in the spirit of motorcycle riding, here's our trip to Arkansas:

Bright and early Friday morning we hopped on the bike (don't let the photo fool you, we were wearing helmets the whole time), and headed towards the blacktop that is HWY 75.  Without my morning dose of coffee, I'm not a happy camper (a lie--I'm definitely a morning person).  I successfully cajoled Scott into stopping at Cracker Barrel for the perfect Southern breakfast.  Grits included although I didn't touch mine.  Ick!  If you've never been to Cracker Barrel before, stop next time you see one.  I'm pretty sure they're across the country as we've been to one on Route 66 in Arizona, in South Dakota, and another in Mobile, Alabama where I got my first taste of chicken and dumplings as a kid.  Even better than the homestyle food served is the cutesy little country store with all kinds of fun gifts and treats.  Oh ya...the trip...

With our bellies full of coffee and biscuits and gravy we sprayed down with suntan lotion, I put on my audiobook, and we made our way into Oklahoma.  Texas certainly has it's relatively beautiful spots, but unfortunately North Texas where you can see forever into the horizon is not one of them.  But as soon as we meandered into Oklahoma the flat land began to ripple and the highway became a little curvier.  Yes, this is what we came to see!  Almost anyway--it would still be a long ways before we got into the Ozarks.

After stopping at the Harley-Davidson dealership in Fort Smith, Arkansas, we headed to a small cafe for lunch and got back on the road.  As soon as we started north towards Fayetteville, we began discovering the rolling hills of the Ozarks.  It was so refreshing to see so much green all around us and passers-by could see us pointing in different directions at the awesome views. 

From Fayetteville to Eureka Springs we took the Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Ark 23) and on a whim Scott pulled over to let me drive for a bit. There hadn't been much traffic and the roads didn't seem to be too curvy, but by the time we pulled into Eureka Springs I had quite the following behind me as I slowed around every corkscrew turn we came upon during my ride. I stalled out at the first stop sign we came to and that was it for my driving time of the trip.

Dead tired and a little dehydrated from being on the road in the heat for about eight hours, we gladly pulled into our hotel in Eureka Springs for a breather.  Not too long as there was so much in Eureka Springs to discover.  I absolutely loved this town and big thanks to Meredith for telling me it is a must see in Arkansas.  The town is small and quaintly nestled into the hills, and though we didn't get to spend as much time as we would have liked, we'll definitely be heading back.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Sunset in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

The next morning we woke early to make our way to Branson, Missouri.  Other than knowing we were spending the night there we didn't have much else planned.  From Eureka Springs it was a short distance to the Missouri border and the sights on the other side of the state line were just as many.  The collage below is a mishmash of Missouri and Arkansas, and I wish they did the hills justice--it's simply too hard to capture with my point and shoot.

Of course I had to stop when entering Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. Thanks Gorillapod for helping us with our pictures!

It is a pretty short driving distance between Eureka Springs and Branson, so once we exhausted our explorations of Table Rock Lake (sadly no pictures), we settled in Branson.  Branson is a strange town and I'm glad we sated our curiosities on this trip so that we don't have to go back again.  I went as a child and all I can remember are the roadside attractions (Ripley's Believe it or Not, etc).  I don't really know how to describe Branson except that it's like Vegas without the gambling.  I'm guessing it's mostly known for its shows--shows of any kind you can imagine--even at 10:00 in the morning!  And since we weren't prepared and Opry isn't really our scene, we were at a loss of what to do.  We finally settled on a shopping center downtown and did what we do when we don't know what else to do...eat.  Shorty Smalls BBQ if you're curious.

Scott and Trish at Branson Landing, Missouri

Picture of Branson taken from the back of the bike. 

Hard to tell but on the left behind the light is King Kong climbing a building.

I for one was glad to get out of Branson the next morning and head back into the quiet of Arkansas.  Again, we didn't really have a destination in mind except to get to Mountain View to stay the night.  We stopped for some more BBQ for lunch at a roadside stop called K.T.'s Smokehouse in Gassville, AR.  We weren't really sure of the local dish for Arkansas, but BBQ seemed to be a good bet and this was the most delicious we had.  Scott decided sometime during the trip that he was going to rate restaurants based on "helmets" rather than stars.  This got the ultimate "Four Helmets" from Scott (and me).

Our lack of planning foiled our plans once we got into Mountain View as there were absolutely no vacancies in the entire town--and the town was a remote one.  It seemed as though every other biker driving through Arkansas had the same plans a we did--although they were a little more diligent in making reservations ahead of time.  Disappointed, we continued on the road until Texarkana--several hours worth of driving from central Arkansas just beyond the border into Texas.  Our butts were sore, we hit a small patch of rain, and we were a little worse for the wear, but it meant a little less driving home the next day--when we would be in full heat and mostly on blacktop.  Just like with Eureka Springs, we'll definitely be heading back to Mountain View again.

By the time we pulled into our driveway after three days of riding, we had travelled over 1,100 miles.  It was our first long distance bike trip (all we took is what we could stuff into the back of the bike) and we're already itching for another.  The trike we took on the trip is Scott's mom as Scott's bikes aren't made for touring.  One day I'd love to take this same trip but on two wheels as the curves in the road make you feel like they were made for bike riding. 

This trip wasn't about the destination.  It was about the experience, and it is an experience I can't adequately describe.  I was hesitant and concerned about being on the road for so long--would I get bored or tired, could my body take sitting in once position that long?  I generally fall asleep on cartrips but that's not safe on the back of a bike.  I had help from a great audiobook, but mostly, it was feeling the wind and heat on my skin, the sights that surrounded me without the bounds of a car, and becoming one with the road.  It was an amazing journey and one I can't wait to experience again.

When I asked Scott if he had a comment for the post, I got a "Vroom Vroom" from him.  So...

Vroom Vroom,