Rain, Riding and Rubber. Ozarks trip Neanderthal, JD_Gun and OKStriple

[OKStriple]

Just spent Thursday-Sunday in NW Arkansas and will post pics and videos here over the next few days.
I met up with Neanderthal in Huntsville Ar on Thursday morning, then headed S. on 23 to 16 east. Roads were wet so had to take it easy. Then the serious rain started 20 minutes from the hotel. Later we headed south to find a dry hwy123 for a 'spirited' ride. Took 21 and 74 back to the hotel, and passed a huge herd oh elk


Sent from my Motorcycle iPhone app

[noclue90]

Sounds like a nice trip. Unfortunate the rain couldn't hold off. Glad everyone came back untouched.

[OKStriple]

Phone died while I was trying to start the thread and post pics last night. That happens when you're knocking back multiple beers with JD_Gun.
So NOW- Here are the few pics I took and Neanderthal can post his video

Here's the elk from the post above and a pic of Neanderthal and I parked at dinner.

[OKStriple]

JD_Gun couldn't make it down till Friday evening. Turns out it rained a shitload Friday and we were stuck in the hotel until 3PM. Spent most of the day watching weather radar on the iPhone. Left at 3 for Hwy 14 on some wet and sometimes foggy roads, driving toward the back of the storm that had passed. Here we stopped for gas before heading back and to check for a text from JD_Gun but...no cell srevice
Second picture is Saturday morning as we were leaving breakfast to head down Hwy 123(The Arkansas Dragon) and then onto Hwy 7 and MOunt Magazine . I think this was a 290 mile ride planned.

[OKStriple]

Well, as soon as we are up the mountain on 123, HEAVY FOG. I just looked for JD's taillight and tried to stick with it. My visor had moisture inside and out and it was easier to see to just lift the visor and give up. that lead to more moisture inside. After a while we stopped at this roadside stop to wait on the fog awhile, but it wasn't going anywhere. Some old guy came up and was asking us questions about Triumphs and he said something about bikes he used to own. I dunno, I still had my earplugs in so I just nodded and smiled.

[OKStriple]

The we headed up Mt.Magazine, the highest point in Arkansas. Neanderthal put his GoPro on the back and filmed me going up the hill. The we put it on the back of mine and filmed him following me. (*I know my body position sucks and I pretty much didn't try so save me the lecture )
At the bottom of the hill we stopped for lunch. Following that I traded bikes with JD_Gun. His suspension es muy bueno I'm not used to Supersports but about a minute of riding and I was comfy.

[OKStriple]

We traded bikes again on the Pig Trail (AR 23) and I was on Neanderthals Triple and he took mine. After awhile with some high speed twisties, it jsut didn't feel right. I knew his tire was getting squared off. I saw the Elk again and stopped for photos. When I got off, I saw THIS tire.
I'm thinking this was a ploy by Neanderthal to send me over a mountain guard rail so that he could steal my bike. I decided this might be a good time to trade back but his evil plan worked anyway when I later loaned him my bike to ride home 90 miles and get a trailer to come back for his.
As he rode off I was thinking......I don't exactly know this guys last name or where he lives...there goes my bike, my ride home. So I started drinking

[OKStriple]

I wanted to take a GOOD picture of all 3 bikes to possibly submit for the calendar but it was too wet to use my decent camera and mine and Neanderthals are insanely dirty from all the rain and wet roads.
So now I think Neanderthal has a few pics and videos to put up and I think JD has a couple pics. All in all a good 4 days - I put on 1325 miles including riding out there 315 miles each way (almost 5 1/2 hours each way although I managed to shave 45 minutes off coming home thanks to an hour and a half at 90 ). I just wish the streets were dry so we could have had more time on the roads.

[ssbfgc]

Awesome! Too bad I missed out. All my weekends are consumed by something non motorcycle related....grrrr.

[jdgun_13]

Yeah man, only mustered 607 miles.. but my back tire suprisingly is still kicking (right at 4000 miles) and not even remotely to Ardell's level of wear..
Some good riding and fun, and the wet roads did not totally kill the riding, but the fog was a downer.
Hope to meet up in April for the next Rat Raid!