Shut down nixes ride opportunities

[ascpgh]

I took my Rambouillet on my trip to visit my mother to take advantage of the great riding in and around Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. 

Great riding last week, but yesterday it was determined as necessary to drop the gates across the roads leading into the mountains to the north and west. Oh, well. Was nice while I was able to get in, pictures when I get home to upload. Got in a couple days of 35-40 mile rides in the Ouachita Mountains and the National Parks lands while I could.

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh (Hot Springs, AR for now)

[hsmitham]

Look forward to the photographs. It's gonna happen across the nation...good thing bikes can squeeze up, under, over and around gates :-) 

~Hugh

[ascpgh]

Finally made it back home from my recent trip where I experienced shut down limitations to riding. Got home and and able to load some pics: https://plus.google.com/photos/109160474815391208206/albums/5931982675739806833?authkey=CL2ZlpWVtKnRlgE

Weather was middle 80s, humidity 75-85%, some wind in the afternoons. Rode out of my folk's house into town and then varying routes from there.

The two mountains flanking Central Avenue in downtown are the classic rides around here. Comparatively I clocked six and a half miles pedaling from my folks house by the lake to town. Adding the two mountains' summit loops brought me 26 miles round, adding Black Snake Road west from the end of Whittington Avenue over to the National Park Community College and back gave me 36 miles round trip. 

After the shut down, the uniformed NPS went about making sure no enjoyment could be derived by anyone from anything remotely in their jurisdiction. I did have one ranger attempt to turn me around on a city street. Same problem I recall as a 16 year old driving my MG around the town and National Park all those years ago. 

 

The steepness of the climbs in Arkansas' mountains cannot be overstated other than in total gain. The region was a geologic uplift area. The Ozarks formed from the erosion of a nearby uplifted plateau, the Ouachita Range is a generally east-west result of folds subsequent to collision between large continental plates that also ended the inland reach of the Gulf of Mexico that existed long enough to form the sediment layers which are horizontally intact in the Ozarks (every climb/descent crosses the jagged ends of the exposed layers). The Ouachita range buckled early and once had elevations equal to the Rockies but weathered away. 

Climbs now max out at Mt. Magazine's 2700' summit but are generally 1200-1500' at their tops. Views seem unimpressive since no craggy, pointed tops are seen, just somewhat flat and even summits across your panorama. On summiting, you really have a bit of let down having really linked some steep pitches. 

The folds of the Ouachitas created cracks allowing hot liquid rock to come up, leaving mineral oddities like the massive Quartz crystals, novaculite, iron minerals and pathways by which surface water can percolate deeply enough into the crust to reach the hot stuff and be driven back to the surface through conduits holding the heated water under pressure enough, in a liquid state, powered to the surface as hot springs. An area of natural beauty and oddity if you pay attention. A bike makes a great mode of travel to experience much of it. 

Net impression is that it worth taking the bike. First time on a long trip without a bike on a roof rack which was great because 11 out of 15 hours were in pouring rain and without the subsequent loss of fuel economy.  

Andy Cheatham

Pitttsburgh

[Hugh Smitham]

Andy,

Thanks for the ride report I especially enjoyed the geologic description of the area and I thought the views look pretty fantastic completely different from my universe of dry sage & urban sprawl. Don't get me wrong I love it here but always nice to see something different. Can you take a soak in those "Hot Springs" ? Seems like that could be another benefit of the area worth exploring.

Best,

~Hugh

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[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

Agree with Hugh... love the geologic explanations, and it's always cool to see different places... especially if people are getting out on bikes. 

-Smitty