The Pig Trail. Nice, but just OK.
Jim's home | Motorcycle home | 10k Home
Camped now along the Buffalo River near Harriet, AR. This is perhaps the most beautiful campground I've seen. Vast grassy fields mixed with deciduous forest along side the Buffalo River. Rock cliffs line the far side of the river. Waters are murky in Arkansas rivers. I'm in a "walk-in tent site" at this campground, which happens to be near a pavillion. A bearded, friendly fellow called over to me and asked if I'd mind if a group played bluegrass music in the Pavillion. Imagine my response! He said "if I have anything please join in". Me? My ukulele? Haven't had that much liquor yet. Anyway they're warming up now.
The churchbells in Aux Arcs/Ozarks rang at 4:00 this morning. I counted the bells lying awake in my tent. Dozed for another REM cycle and began the task of making breakfast and breaking camp. This trip has made me learn to relax when doing this. In past camp trips there's always a sense of urgency to break camp. Now, for me, it's just one thing at a time till I'm all set and everything's packed. What else is there to do except to get on the road?
I started today riding "The Pigs Trail", north on 23 out of Ozark. Meh. It's a cruiser road with a little bit of twisties, and moderate traffic. They're playing "If I only had a brain" over in the pavillion now.
Then 16 east woke me up. Perfect pavement, no gravel, no traffic whatsoever and linked 20 to 45 mph curves the entire time. Paradise. Heaven. A dream come true. Forest, fields, farms, country houses, rivers and cliffs line the roads. Many Ozark roads follow a ridge, sometimes for tens of miles. Feels like Skyline Drive in Virginia all to yourself. As my friend Joseph once said after riding FS 25 near Mt. St. Helens before it deteriorated, "It feels like I'm dancing".
I rode The Pigs Trail, the Arkansas Dragon and The Copperhead today. Also many connecting roads that rivaled the named roads. 410 miles of riding, all in the Ozarks. Not done yet though. I have about a half a day of more good roads to cover, then a short drive to Jonesboro, AR where I'll get a motel before having my rear tire changed on Friday morning. Have been monitoring it's use and think I've timed it so the chords may start showing on the way to the dealer in Jonesboro. Then fresh rubber for all the important roads in GA, TN and NC. Will visit a high school friend I haven't seen in at least 40 years near Atlanta. He lives in Savannah but says he'll meet me someplace closer to the mountains.
The Pig Trail. Nice, but just OK.
That's what I'm talking about.
Pulled pork BBQ sliders for lunch. Very tasty! Could have used a better beer though.
A sign at the BBQ place.
My Ozarks map. Pink=good roads, yellow=where I rode so far.
My campsite at Buffalo Point campground, AR.
Looking at the cliffs across the Buffalo River.
An armadillo heading into a culvert.