Today was a cool 95 degrees. I'm going to have to break out my polartek (just kidding)... Actually we're trading temperature for humidity...
We started out of Hot Springs, Arkansas on route 7, heading north toward Russellville. There are some mountains between Hot Springs and Russellville, but at first I wondered if the south end of route 7 was more hype than fact.... we met billboards, strip malls ec., and then the road started to climb and the curves began.. Whee... I noticed right away that it is important to watch the yellow road signs. They're the ones that give you a hint of what is coming up. It is especially important to note the recommended speeds.. (that doesn't mean you actually do the recommended speeds).
One sign really caught my attention. It said "Steep hills and sharp curves for the next 63 miles." This was going to bea tough ride, but somebody has to do it.... :-)
After leaving Russellville with a full tank of gas, we followed route 7 north up through the Ozark National Forest, and then took a left onto route 16 west . This road basically follows a ridgeline, including all the curves... Then we took another left onto route 21 heading south, back toward Russellville... Both route 16 and 21 are relatively "unknown" to "outsiders" so the traffic is quite a bit less on these roads. Based on the number of motorcycles zooming north on route 21, it is a local favorite.... Another local favorite is route 23, the Pig Trail, but it is very well known with an exit sign on the Interstate...Why do motorhomes want to go up these roads???
I found a rule of throttle for negotiating the corners in the Ozark Mountains based on the yellow curve signs..
Here are the throttle rules for those yellow road signs:
1) Sign: Curves ahead with 45 mph speed.
Action: Make sure there are no motorhomes or some guy towing a boat in front of you... Enjoy!!
2) Sign: Curves ahead with 40 mph speed.
Action: Wipe that silly grin off your face!!. Enjoy!!
3) Sign: Curves ahead with 35 mph speed.
Action: downshift. Feather the throttle.. Enjoy!!
4) Sign: Curves ahead with 30 mph speed
Action: Downshift and get off the throttle, especially if it is a descending curve. You knew better than to be going that fast, right?? The speed limit is 55..
5) Sign: Single curve ahead with 25mph speed.
Action: Downshift and be careful. In one direction the curve is an increasing radius turn (good) but the other way it is a decreasing radius turn. The dcreasing radius really increases the attention factor, especially if it is a downhill turn. Oh, and the sign is lying. There is never only one turn.... they just put a sign up for the attention getter..
6) Sign: Single curve ahead with 20 mph speed.
Action: Slow down. Brake NOW. Downshift. Downshift again. Don't ask me why I know this. Jeannine just checks the brakelight action of my bike and knows to get off the throttle in a more timely manner..
My rear tire isn't wearing as much as it seemed to be before, but it is beginning to look more and more like a drag racing slick, and handling more like one too. I think those 107 degree days at higher speeds might have hardened the tire. I am using my rear brake really lightly because I doubt if there is much traction back there. We are up to 5500 miles for the trip, so I'm going to have to change the oil a second time. We're about 1500 miles over our expected mileage budget at this point.. Life is tough, isn't it.
When we got back down route 21 to route 64, the east-west route that goes through Russellville, , our total net progress for the day was about 20 miles. Can you imagine riding from 10am to 4pm and only moving 20 miles, and grinning???? So we decided to head further west towards Fort Smith, Arkansas and call it a day. We hopped on Interstate 40 and covered the next 30 miles in a little over 20 minutes. We spent nearly an hour in the pool, and met a Harley couple (two bikes too!!) that were going from Memphis to Pikes Peak... He had a Screaming Eagle Road King and she had a Softail Classic. About the only things they had left to chrome on those bikes were the frames. It was nice chatting with them..
Harris and Jeannine
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