Heading to the Southern/Middle Ozarks

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bobvforward3

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Sep 30, 2020, 1:30:30 PM9/30/20
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After Taos a few years, Rapid City, Yellowstone and Southern Utah, I am heading East to the Ozarks this year.  I am planning to go through Dodge City and Tulsa, starting this Saturday through next Saturday.  Not sure of the way back yet.  I have the Butler that I was going to use to guide me through it.

Anybody been?  Any must see's along the way or when I'm down there?  Tips and warnings always appreciated.

Thank you,
That other Bob with the Black 99 Sprint.

Steve Smith

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Sep 30, 2020, 2:18:17 PM9/30/20
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If you like a nice adult beverage after a good days riding, make sure that you’re not staying in a dry county. Some places in AR and MO are kind of primitive in that regard. Otherwise you have my sympathy for having to cross KS and OK on a bike. 

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Steve

bobvforward3

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Sep 30, 2020, 4:02:21 PM9/30/20
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Thanks Steve, that's something I would not have thought of and VERY important!

Steve Smith

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Sep 30, 2020, 8:22:12 PM9/30/20
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No problem Bob the Other One. Tim and I ran into that problem in Arkansas last year. I hadn’t been there for years and forgot that was a thing. I mean that’s just wrong. 

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JEFF WALTERS

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Sep 30, 2020, 8:34:05 PM9/30/20
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I was there years ago. The route from Tulsa through the mountains to Fayetteville is nice. Some old Civil War Battlefield parks in Arkansas near Fayetteville worth stopping at.

 

 

 

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LARRY POAGUE

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Sep 30, 2020, 8:39:08 PM9/30/20
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If you are going into Arkansas, out of Eureka Springs, go south on 23 to Ozark. Then 309 to Paris, continue 309 on down to Havana.
Then 10 to 7 and back North to Harrison. Some of the best M.C. roads in the country, and you can tell your friends you were in Paris and Havana this fall. You won’t be lying, and they will think you are an international traveller ?

JEFF WALTERS

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Sep 30, 2020, 8:43:51 PM9/30/20
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Prairie Grove Battlefield is the name.

 

 

 

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From: LARRY POAGUE
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 8:39 PM
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Jim Baker

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Sep 30, 2020, 9:24:51 PM9/30/20
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I usually have a flask in the bag for this exact reason :)

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bobvforward3

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Oct 1, 2020, 12:10:40 PM10/1/20
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Thanks Larry. 

Yes, Butler had this ride and I had it slotted for my second day up and over Magazine MT.  I will make sure to stock up on cigars in Havana and I'll stop by Notre Dame in Paris and see how the construction is going.

Al Miller

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Oct 1, 2020, 3:46:38 PM10/1/20
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Just made a ride through the Ozarks this past July. Rode from Denver - Dodge City - OKC and met up with two of my brothers in OKC. They both ride Harley's. We rode from OKC - Tulsa  - Joplin on Rt 66 then over to Springfield and on to Pomme De Terre State Park and stayed in a really nice yurt on the lake. It had heat, ac and showers nearby. Then up to Lake of the Ozarks made our way over to Cuba, Mo. Pretty much any road around there is pretty good.  We took a route south from Cuba and weaved our way to SE Mo to Lake Wappappelo.  The plan was to ride south along Crowley Ridge but apparently, if you ride a Harley, you have to stop and buy a t-shirt and a poker chip and talk BS for an hour or so. We stopped in Jonesboro Harley, wasted about 90 minutes and decided to cut over to Mountain Home then over to Eureka Springs (another Harley stop).  Near Mountain Home you can take a ferry across Bull Shoals Lake between Buck Creek Marina, MO  and Peel Ferry Ar. From Eureka Springs you have to take the Pig Trail along highway 23 south to Ozark.  We rode from Eureka Springs to Hot Springs then west to the Talimina Drive then south to my parents house in southeast OK before heading home. Talimina Drive was more interesting than I expected. I lived about 90 minutes from Talimina Drive until I was about 22 and had never been over it.

It was hot, humid, rainy and lots of fun.  We had to stop for any serious rain because wearing a beany helmet and sunglasses means you can't see anything when the skies start dumping water.

Arkansas has a motorcycle guide. I ordered one about 3 times and never received it but they have an online version.


Cheers 

Al Miller

Bob Vermeulen

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Oct 1, 2020, 5:41:19 PM10/1/20
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Thanks Al!

All good stuff, I will take a look at those roads.  I should make it quicker without the need for Poker Chips and chit chat : )

Since I took a ferry across Lake Powell on my S. Utah trip I'm making that a thing when available and will include that one.

That other Bob




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Thank you!

Bob

Cell - 303.218.0080
BobVfo...@gmail.com

DAN PILCHER

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Oct 2, 2020, 12:29:44 AM10/2/20
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Well, Bob, just take Iron Butt Steve's deprecatory remarks about my home state, Kansas, with a grain of salt.

There is plenty of history in Kansas, especially from 1840 to 1880 or so, if you know where to look.

Take the lesser traveled roads if possible, stop and talk to the people in the small towns.  A BLT and home-made pie is my lunch of choice when on the road at a small-town cafe.

Here are links to some towns of historical and other interest, especially crime, one of my sub-specialties as an ex-police reporter.

Dan Pilcher





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Steve Smith

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Oct 2, 2020, 9:42:05 AM10/2/20
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Dan is correct, there are lots of interesting historical sites in Kansas. My parents both grew up in Kansas and I have many relatives that are living there today.  

Still, the roads and scenery are not very stimulating to most motorcyclists, or even native Kansasans. In fact, many people have expressed their reluctance to travel to the primo riding areas in the east because of the 500 miles of zzzzzzzz between Denver and MO. They aren’t called the “wind-swept plains” for nothing. 

I stand by my previous comments. 

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Tk Kennedy

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Oct 2, 2020, 10:34:50 AM10/2/20
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C’mon Steve...I enjoy watching Dan try and put “lipstick on that pig”!  

Managing Partner of Raising Two Kids LLC

On Oct 2, 2020, at 7:42 AM, Steve Smith <shmi...@gmail.com> wrote:


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