Arkansas 500 2015

The Arkansas 500 is a 3 day camping ride in the mountains of Northwest Arkansas.
Scott Smith puts the ride on and it starts and ends at the Terpentine Wildlife Refuge just South of Eureka Springs Arkansas
which Scott manages.

April 8th, 2015

I meander my way Southwest in my moto van and stop for 2 hours on the banks of the Current river in Van Buren, Missouri soaking up the 80° warmth
and the sun---which I've seen very little of this spring. I eat my ham sandwich my wife made me and reminisce about the day me, my wife Debi
and our dog JoJo floated down the river years ago and got out of the river right here. That was so much fun and JoJo had his own Tube---he loved that.

 

 

 

 

The next few pictures are of that day years ago---JoJo was big stuff.
He had to have his own tube and was captain of his boat and the whole river.
Anybody who passed by got barked at.

 

 

 

JoJo and my wife Debi---who had a snake crawl on her tube that day.

 

 

 

Ain't she cute---I'll never forget that day---good times.

 

 

 

 

Well-------------not so much !!!!
I had to have the "Big" tube.

 

The story with pictures is below---and here is a short video of the ride.
When you watch it---be sure and select 720P HD---or it will be fuzzy.

 

 

 

The official ride was Friday thru Sunday---but early arrivals got to go on a short ride on Thursday led by Scotty.
This is Beaver Dam. Kind of weird but Beaver Lake is on the left (West) side and Table Rock Lake forms on the right
(East) side of the dam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend Jerry on the right---and a guy we met on the ride.

 

 

 

Scotty on the left pointing out neat stuff---and giving a history lesson.

 

 

 

 

The Next few pictures are at Roaring River State Park.
There was a fish hatchery there---and all the water came from a huge spring.
You can see the spring water boiling up in this picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back to camp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the outside of the Turpentine Wildlife Refuge where the ride started and ended.
There were over 100 tigers behind this fence---besides the lions, panthers, cougars, and a really big ole' grizzly bear.

 

 

 

 

 

Besides the pre-ride----it was a 3 day ride and each day was almost 200 miles.
They carried our camping gear in a trailer so we could travel lite.

 

 

 

This fence was so neat---made out of old wagnon wheels and horse shoes I guess.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the many overlooks we stopped at.

 

 

 

 

I climbed up this hill-----but barely made it !!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of our campsites----dinner and breakfast was catered to us and we had a warm shower.
This was Lake Fort Smith Campground---it got pretty chilly that nite. I had a 20° sleeping bag and it kept me cozy.

 

 

 

 

All sized of bikes attended---from Big BMWGS's, Yamaha Tenere's--KTM 990's---to my little itty bitty Yamaha WR250R.
A really funny thing happened with this rider. I laid my KLIM riding jacket down on the ground-----he did too.
When he took off he had my jacket-----and left me his. But we finally made the switch at camp that nite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My "No Hassle Tassles" kept me from evil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is such a cool bridge---it's called "Low Water Bridge" and I found it back in about 1989 when I was down here riding.
It used to be almost a single track trail getting to it from the South--now you can drive grandma's car down it.

 

 

 

We dropped off a high main road and crossed a cattle guard and I thought we were trespassing.
But no-----what a neat little road thru a ranch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The spring blooms and colors were popping out everywhere-----I love early spring before it gets all weedy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Steve on his KTM 990----me and him became friends. He was about 62 years old and was still an excellent rider.
He had no GPS and really didn't want one.
So I kept an eye on him all the time. He brought his grandson with him who was a hoot. He was riding Steve's KTM 525 and roosted up
the whole time---a very good rider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Handsome Dudes--------Tim on the left was my trail leader for 3 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High Above the Buffalo River.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Someone took this picture of me on a creek crossing---------we crossed what seemed like 100 creeks over the 4 days of riding.

 

 

 

 

 

This crossing was really slick.

 

 

 

 

 

That's my bike--------I hit a rock and fell over and filled my airbox full of water---it took me an hour with help to get it running again.
I'm pretty good------but I ain't no Dingweeds.

 

 

 

Here's what I hit.

 

 

Tim wanted a picture taken with me------not my face he said---the back of my helmet------he was such a funny and nice guy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd like to hear the stories this house had to tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe the coolest thing we saw---Scotty had found this the week before and we had to hike to it---then down in it.
It was awesome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is called "Lover Leap"----a few years ago a couple was up here---she fell off and died.
Some say he pushed her off---some said he didn't.
He went to jail ---------but was released and went straight to this cliff and jumped off himself.
Really sad. True story--------it was all over the national news.
He claimed he was innocent thru the whole ordeal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Left----Scotty's smiling face.
I used to love sitting on the edge of stuff like this------I don't know what happened---but I don't do it anymore.
Yeh---------well------I got old !!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather was perfect for the whole ride.
What a good time---and great scenery in the mountains of Northwest Arkansas.

 

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