Why Arkansas Wants Motorcycle Tourism

Stopped at the overlook on Highway 65 near Marshal, Arkansas

By Ozark Rider – https://ozarkrider.wordpress.com/

The State of Arkansas has made a deliberate decision to attract bikers as a major tourism market.  Part of this effort started at the local level at many different communities around the state like Eureka Springs, Harrison, Hot Springs, Little Rock, Mountain View and of course Fayetteville producing a brochure to hand out to visiting bikers on routes around their communities.   The national impact of Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Fayetteville has placed attention on this fast growing tourism market.  Arkansas is naturally built for bikers and we have become a destination for thousands of bikers that are searching for exciting riding, great vistas, new experience, wonderful cuisine, and biker friendly communities.  Arkansas is ready to deliver on every level to create the ultimate biker road trip.  I ride a lot around the state and always just expect to experience this kind of treatment and really did not realize how special this is for the biker community.  As I visit with bikers from all over the nation, the constant comment is always how impressed they are with our willingness to embrace motorcycle tourism and treat each biker like the special visitor that they have been waiting for all day. 

Mountains, Music and Motorcycles in Mountain View, Arkansas

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism decided to take this effort to a new level and start promoting Arkansas as a motorcycle destination at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in Dallas in 2012 and 2013.  Of course I was excited to go so see the latest bikes and biker apparel and equipment.  What I was not prepared for was the number of bikers that absolutely love riding in Arkansas.  I would hear comments like: “I love your state and will be back to ride again”; “I have heard how beautiful Arkansas is and plan to go”; “I have been to Arkansas many times and plan to go back”; and most often I heard – “You all really like bikers and we appreciate it”.  I believe out of all the thousands of visitors that come by our booth, only one or two had a negative comment, but those were due to having an accident in Arkansas or having mechanical issues.  We are now headed to the Chicago show that has about 65,000 visitors as compared to the 25,000 in Dallas.  After returning from the Chicago show, we found the same response to riding Arkansas that we did in Dallas.  The amazing thing about Chicago is that Arkansas is over 550 miles south of Chicago and they all want to ride Arkansas.  Bikers were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about us being there to promote the riding in Arkansas and many were making plans to make that their summer motorcycle get a away.  This many bikers can’t be wrong about riding Arkansas, I believe we have the goods to produce a great motorcycling vacation and become the destination for bikers from around the nation. 

As a result of all this attention on motorcycle tourism, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism has decided to publish the first ever Arkansas Motorcycling Guide.  This free publication will be available in March all across the state at Welcome Centers, motorcycle shops, dealerships, Chamber offices, and state parks.  It will feature 21 suggested routes that highlight the uniqueness of Arkansas.  It is designed to attract more motorcycle tourism to each corner of the state and in all four directions.  As I have worked with the team to develop this guide, it is very obvious that Arkansas has more than its fair share of unique places to visit on two wheels.  The entire state seems to understand the significance of producing this guide.  When you have buy in at all levels, I suspect this guide will be the one item that brings Arkansas to a new level in attracting the motorcycle market.  I am not aware of another state producing a guide like this and I am proud to see Arkansas really thinking outside the proverbial box to provide a great service to our guest.  I look forward to attracting new riders to discover Arkansas.

In addition to the published Arkansas Motorcycle Guide, a new web site is being launched to compliment the guide through www.arkansas.com that has a PDF version of the guide that can be downloaded, an extensive listing of bike shops, dealerships, and other bike related shopping available to our guest, and a place to post pictures and comments about your experience riding in Arkansas.  We want to make it as interactive as possible.

Lined up to load the Ferry at Peel Ferry crossing across Bull Shoals Lake in the Ozarks.

So why are we making such an effort to attract bikers?  The fact that God has created a large portion of Arkansas to meet the needs of a biker, that include cruisers, duo sport, and sport riders; the fact that motorcycles are being sold at record numbers¹ due to so many of us Baby Boomers retiring and fulfilling our dreams of riding; the obvious economic impact on tourism in Arkansas, and that most of the border states to Arkansas have more registered bikes than Arkansas² are all reasons to start this process.  The other reason is Arkansans are very hospitable people that like to share our beauty, culture, great food , wonderful destinations, historic cities and sites and natural resources with our guest.  This is the primary reason that I believe bikers are welcomed with open arms.  To celebrate and give you more reasons to visit, communities have created events like Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Fayetteville; Mountains, Music and Motorcycles in Mountain View; Wild Hog Music Festival and Motorcycle Rally in Helena; The Hot Springs Motorcycle Rally in Hot Springs; and the Bugs, Bands & Bikes in El Dorado to just name a few events. 

So make your plans to come visit us in Arkansas, we have the biking adventure you are looking for and we are anxious to make you feel right at home.  Order your Motorcycle Riding Guide by visiting Arkansas.com and requesting it or downloading it.  See you down the Road.

 

1.http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/special_reports_and_issue_briefs/special_report/2009_05_14/html/entire.html

2. http://www.statista.com/statistics/191002/number-of-registered-motorcycles-in-the-us-by-state/

Fancy Living in the past

We spent the day at one big house – the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.  Now this is one pad that has not seen an equal since it was built, probably never will.

This place is a great example of what America is made of.  The architecture is astounding, the way this house is built with every convenience that we enjoy today is something else to experience.  The construction is so solid throughout that it is hard to believe it is not made with all our technology we have at our disposal today.  It made me proud to see such a structure built by American craftsmen.

If you have not been to this American Treasure, be sure to put it on your list to see when riding through the Great Smokey Mountains.  Asheville is a neat town anyway, so it is worth the trip to stop in and visit.

I know it cost to get in.  I will have to admit that I was skeptical about paying so much to get in, but my wife insisted it was something to be seen.  Yes, she was right, the more I walked through the house the more impressive it became.  That is even after you see the gigantic structure when you walk in from the parking area, which as a first impression is hard to beat.

Pictures never will do it justice.  The enormity of it is just to much to fit into a digital photo.  The fact that it was all electric before electric was really available, the fact that is had a walk in cooler before those were around, the indoor pool with electric underwater lights that still work today, the design to let the air circulate constantly, and on and on is just breath taking.

The landscaping is simple beautiful.  They build the house and the grounds with a vision for landscaping that rivals any modern location or theme park without all the technology.  The gardens are immaculate and the grounds kept to the highest standard.  The fact that they had to build a railroad and really a support city for the construction is another marvel.  And to top it all off, once completed, all the support city was dismantled and the scars of construction were meticulously planned for to make sure the evidence was erased, all through landscaping.

I am sure a lot has been written about the Vanderbilt’s and this estate, but from a common mans perspective, it is pretty awesome.  It is like visiting the pyramids in Egypt, except with all the answers to all the mysteries to how it was built.  The gentleman that had it built was 24 years old and it only took six years to complete it.  He was single so he made his “man cave” the way he wanted it.  He spared no expense and the workmanship is the finest I have ever seen.  Now I will have to warn you that this place is not cheap to keep up and as you visit and want to take something home as a memory, there are plenty of spending opportunities all around.  Food is not cheap either, but what the heck, how many times can you hang out in America’s largest residence and eat a slice of pizza?  The concept of fund raising was put nicely this way – “This estate must be profitable in order to preserve it”  So each dollar you drop will somehow make sure this fine masterpiece remains available to the public for years to come.

It is all worth it.  The immensity of it all will stay with you for years.  One last thing, it was built in 1889, yes over 120 years ago!

Joys of the past– surfing

I grew up surfing and have very fond memories of spending time riding the liquid highways.  Now I ride the black top waves of the Ozarks, but there is a world of difference between the two.  One is when you wipe out when surfing, you just pop back up and get back on the board and get ready for the next wave.  On a bike, wiping out brings a whole different set of circumstances usually involving a ride in an ambulance and a call to your insurance agent.

Today, I took my daughter out into the waves to help her understand what a wonderful sport surfing is.  She ends up being a natural at surfing.  After a little coaching and practice, I pushed her into a wave and up she stood and rode the wave out.  Wow!  I thought maybe this was just a lucky ride.  No, she did it time after time, standing up each time and riding it out.  I taught her how to paddle, sit and turn the board when getting ready to catch the next wave.  I was probably more excited about her riding than she was.  It always makes me feel proud to see my child enjoy a sport that has been so much part of my fabric.  I look forward to spending several days with my daughter enjoying some surfing and time together.

I am also spending time with my brother and his boys, all surf as well.  So this week is bringing back a lot of memories of spending time on the beach and just living a surfers life.  These are the moments that make a difference in our lives.  My brother asked why I did not ride my bike to visit him.  I told him that I could not figure out how to carry my board on my bike.  Of course the reason is that if I had ridden then I would not have my family with me and that I would not be enjoying these special moments with my daughter and wife. 

I will drive anytime as long as I can enjoy moments like this.  Tomorrow we will start exploring the area for historic sites, state parks and probably walk on the beach for a while and to top it all off, ride a wave or two with my brother, daughter and nephews.  Already looking forward to it!

Vacationing without a bike

Yes I know, why vacation without being on the old trusty metal horse.  Just sounds boring and not even the word adventure or challenging enter the description of this upcoming event.  Well it is called family time or family vacation.

I parked my bike yesterday before we headed east to go to the North Carolina coast.  The more I drove the more bikes I seemed to notice.  In my mind I could identify what kind each one was as they headed west on I-40.  I kept thinking, lucky guys, on your bike cruising down the interstate (not my favorite road to ride, but they are riding and I am driving).  I know the feeling of just enjoying the wind all around you and the total biker experience.  I was sitting behind the wheel of my car while mile after mile just passed by in its boring car way.  I know my wife was looking at me thinking “will he make it a week without riding?”

Then it happened, lightning, thunder and lots of rain and strong winds.  I sat back in my nice comfortable, dry car protected from the wind and all the lightning and debris flying through the air.  Yes, at that point I will have to say that I really felt sorry for each biker I encountered that were headed into one heck of an ugly storm.

Hum, maybe this family vacation idea is not such a bad thing after all.  Sitting next to my wife, visiting about events that surround our lives and getting to hear my daughter and my niece in the back laughing and talking about what is important in their lives – seems Justin Biber ranks pretty high these days – who is he anyway?

Don’t get me wrong, I still love the thrill of riding my bike and racking up the miles.  I love the challenges that riding brings like facing severe weather and working through it by either riding or sitting it out with other bikers on the road.  All that is still a thrill in my life.  But today, something just gave me peace about just spending time with these precious people in my life for the next week.

Yes I am the chauffer and payer of all expenses, but I could not ask for better company than who is sitting in my car for the next week.  I think I will be OK not riding for the next week.  I believe I got the right adjustment in my life to realize that a bike is just that, a bike.  Familytime is so much more.  The importance of being part of their lives is the priority I have to set.  My wife never fusses with me about my riding, in fact she encourages it – riding truly brings back a better husband and father after some tough days at work, and she understands that.  This week and from now on, this biker is going to be more of a biker dad and husband.  Yes I will give up riding for these times and am looking forward to each one.  I guess my bike will be playing second fiddle, and that is ok with me……but don’t worry, I will be riding as soon as I can, with a new perspective.  Stay safe on the road.

Traveling the Highway of Hope

    I took a journey this past month to south Arkansas and ended up on the Highway of Hope (US 67).  This highway winds its way across south Arkansas through some very nice and unique communities.  It is  a lot different terrain from the Ozarks that I have come to enjoy riding on a regular basis.  This part of Arkansas is dissected by many streams and rivers, miles of pine forest broken up by small communities that each have their own personality.  Small town USA is still very much alive and well as you traverse this part of the state.  I noticed so many mom and pop restaurants that I am sure serve some of the best home cooking you can find on a road trip – just to many to stop and sample.  Of course the best part of any trip is getting to see and spend time with friends and this road trip ended today with a nice dinner with a good friend and his family.  As I sit back and relax after a good days ride, it just does not get any better than this.  I could have spent the day racing down the interstate to get to the same destination and probably done it in less time.  But goggle maps has the wonderful ability to select no interstates and that takes me down roads that really show case the true character of this area.   The murals on the walls in small towns tell the history of the towns and as if to reinforce the mural with a train, a real train came through town blowing its whistle announcing its arrival and to warn any risk takers to stay off the crossing areas.  Going through my old college town brings back a lot of memories of times gone by, of the past that challenged me in school.  Riding brings on the opportunity to reflect on the life’s challenges, search for answers and sometimes actually find them.  The time spent focusing on the road and the senses that surround you as you ride really brings the world around you to life.  The smell of fresh Honeysuckle, recently cut hay fields, and other smells might take you back in time to another place in your life.  The visuals that are experienced as you ride truly make things around you real and you become part of the scenery.  By being in the environment as your ride, the travel experience just becomes deep and feel up all the senses.  I drove by the boyhood home of one of our past presidents and was reminded how a small town can produce personalities that set the course for the world.  Small towns have core values that create strong character and strong leadership.  I look forward to traveling back home on more less traveled roads in my beautiful state and to try to take in the essence of each small town I travel through, hopefully stopping to just take it all in.

Winter Riding

It is very cold outside right now and my motorcycle sits idle while I am trying to decide if I really want to get out and brave the crisp weather at 55 mph.

An old cowboy friend of mine used to say “a poor man has to do things a poor mans way”. What this means is that unless you have a lot of disposable income, you have to find ways to make things work without spending a lot of money. Well that is my case with cold weather riding. I have to find ways the way a poor man does to make riding possible.

Over the years I have learned to really enjoy winter riding. The fresh cold air makes it a whole new experience when riding. I have also learned that having the right gear is key to an enjoyable ride and it keeps me from coming home frozen.

Unless you have heated clothing, layers is the key to keeping warm (how many times have you heard that?). The outer shell is what wraps up the warm package. Motorcycle riding gear that puts a wind proof outer shell on you really makes it possible to ride even on the coldest days. I always use this rule when building my layers – I think I have enough layers, then I add one more layer. I can always stop and take a layer off, but I can’t add what I don’t have with me on the ride.

I found that buying this gear can be expensive, so I wait till spring/summer when a lot of this gear goes on sale, Stores need to get rid of inventory to make room for summer items. The store will also want to make room for the new and improved winter gear later in the year. Because no one is thinking cold weather gear going into spring and summer, you can find great deals on these items, you just have to plan ahead.

To keep my head warm, a simple silk head cover (Wal-Mart sells these in camouflage or you can find them at your local motorcycle shop). This silk head cover keeps the wind off the exposed skin and that usually takes care of the cold. The helmet is my outer shell that protects me from the wind and the head cover restricts my heat loss. More heat is loss through the head than anywhere else on the body.

So I have covered my body with layers and protected my head from heat loss. My body is packaged with a good outer shell and ready to go, right? Not yet, now my challenge are the extremities – feet and hands. To be honest, I still have not found the solution to keeping these warm. I have good gloves, good riding boots, but trying to layer has been an issue for me. There are glove inserts that help and I have tried hand warmers. This is the one area that has made cold weather riding an issue for me. So I continue to look for a solution that will keep my extremities warm. I know that once I find this solution, riding year round in Arkansas becomes a reality without any worry.

I love the scenery due to no leaves on the trees. New landscapes come into view and the route I thought I knew so well, becomes completely new. You can see wildlife that typically hide in the thick underbrush out of sight during other seasons of the year. The lay of the land changes from other times because of the open vegetation. Migrating birds become a reason to stop in awe as the lines of ducks and geese make their way south (this is especially true when riding in east Arkansas). It is just another reason to get out and enjoy this special time of year when air conditioning that nature provides is so abundant and one that I long for during the hot summer rides.

I guess it comes down to just simply enjoying the ride, surfing the blacktops in the Ozarks and getting to see the Natural State one season at a time, doing what you enjoy and making memories all along the way.

Go ride, stay warm and enjoy the uniqueness of winter riding. Let me know what you do to stay warm.

Babies on the Ridge Poker Run

This event was held June 26^th, 2010 with a final destination of Crowley’s Ridge State Park. About 50 bikers participated from several different starting points. With different starting points available and being able to pick their own route through selected Arkansas state parks, it made it a more enjoyable journey for each participant. We had many positive comments on the run, especially the fact that it ran through our state parks. Many door prizes were collected and each rider went away with a prize which made it very nice. We raised about $450 for the March Of Dimes.

This is how it worked –

A letter was sent to each park Superintendent detailing the event. Each park served as the location for cards to be drawn which cut down on having to staff locations. *A possible change for next year may be that at each state park, each rider will draw a colored bead and the cards will be drawn at the end (like the Peak to Peak Poker Run from Queen Wilhelmina to Mount Magazine State Park).

Participants register, pay and draw their first card at one of three starting locations: Valero 66 in Mt. View, Freedom Cycles in Marion, or Cox Kawasaki in Walnut Ridge. Then each rider was able to stop at any three of the participating state parks to draw an additional card for each hand they purchased. The last stop was Crowley’s Ridge State Park where they will draw their final card.

Each park was mailed a packet which contained a deck of cards, a bag, a flyer on the event, a Poker Run score card, a score card for any extra hands as well as a detailed instruction sheet of what to do as each player arrives.

I contacted each park to make sure they understood the process.

Participants paid $10 for the first hand and additional hands for $5 each. The state park staff did not collect any money, which was all done at each registration point.

First bike out was at 9 a.m. and the last bike at 11 a.m. from each registration point. All bikes had to be at Crowley’s Ridge Park to draw their last card no later than 4 p.m.

We will probably change and add some starting locations for next year to make it more accessible to more bikers. We learned a lot this year and intend to go over $1,000 as a goal for the MOD. Everyone that helped organize and run this event was enthusiastic about doing it again next year. That is always a good sign!

So plan on attending the 2^nd annual Babies on the Ridge Poker Run next June and support this great event! A proposed logo for the event being developed.

I would recommend this way to do poker runs. It gets people into our state parks, it allows the use of a very friendly staff at the state parks and you don’t have to worry about someone “manning” the stations for cards to be drawn. It also allows a poker run to offer essentially a 360 degree starting points for registrations. It is an effective way to bring a lot of bikers to one location in the end.

Camp Quality – Riding for a cause

On a hot summer Sunday afternoon, about 35 bikers road to Bald Knob, Arkansas, to help with a special day for children that are battling cancer. Camp Quality provides a time for these kids to have playing, swimming and just being kids again; trying to get them away from all the battles they fight each day with this illness.

We left Mountain View, Arkansas at 12:45 headed east on Highway 14 then south on Highway 167. Pleasant ride, but hot, very hot. It is always fun to ride with other bikers. You get to meet some new friends, hug old ones and just catch up on what is going on. There is a strong bond between bikers. We see this with the simple wave we extend to each other as we pass on the highways. This simple wave extends the hand of friendship and understanding that riding is a life style and if I have to explain it, you would not understand – kind of like surfing, same thing.

Camp Quality is located in the foot heals of the Ozarks just outside Bald Knob. This camp, like I said earlier, is for children and their families that are struggling with cancer. Volunteers are survivors, patients in remission, parents that have lost a  child to cancer.  They continue to help others going through the battle they went through. The amazing thing and one that stuck with me was the number of smiles that I saw everywhere. It just puts things in perspective for me. I have a friend whose daughter is battling melanoma and the strength they have and the optimism of a young person is so wonderful to witness. But more than anything else, my friend’s faith in Jesus Christ is inspiring. They tend to be more of a blessing to us than we are to them.

The reason we went to Camp Quality was to give any child that wanted a ride on a motorcycle. The theme of the camp is “Road Trip” and we are part of that trip. We gave the children rides; they enjoyed the helmets and the wind in their faces. It was like our motorcycles were part of a carrousel with each child picking out the bike they wanted to ride. It was fun to visit with the child about motorcycle riding as we went around the camp. It cheered us up and I pray that each child got an experience that they will reflect back on with a smile as they continue on their “Road Trip” in the fight against cancer.

There was a young girl, Jessica, that lived in Mountain View and she lost her battle to cancer a couple of years ago at the age of 10. She and my daughter were good friends. That makes this trip more meaningful and it is a joy to see Jessica’s mother at the camp working with other families.

We left the camp at 4:30 pm, headed back to Mountain View. I rode with three other bikers and it is really fun to ride with people that ride like I do. It seemed as though we were in a formation that did not break the entire trip. Our distance from each other stayed consistent from the time we left until we split going to our homes in Mountain View. We headed north on Highway 167, then Highway 87 north to Concord, Highway 25 to Wolf Bayou then North on Highway 5 to Mountain View.

Ended the day with sunburned arms and blessed to have spent a little time with some fantastic kids. Until next time; stay safe and watch the road.

Peak to Peak–a ride in the clouds

Peak to Peak is a poker run connecting two Arkansas State Parks – Queen Wilhelmina State Park (GPS 34⁰ 41’ 5.6”N/94⁰ 21.9’ 54.2”W)and Mount Magazine State Park (GPS 35⁰ 09’ 49.39”N/93⁰ 38’ 48.27”W). These Arkansas State Parks are located on the two highest points in Arkansas. Both have fantastic views, accommodations and exceptional hospitality. Both have nice lodges and camp sites and excellent restaurants. For more information on each of these parks, visit www.arkansasstateparks.com

Our route to Queen Wilhelmina State Park: leaving Mountain View at 9 am on Friday we traveled south on Highway 9 to Perry. At Perry we turned west on Highway 10 to Ola. We continued west on Highway 28 to Needmore where we took a left and headed south on Highway 71 to Acorn on to Highway 270 west then Highway 88 to Queen Wilhelmina State Park. This route took us through some beautiful country, fascinating small towns with a lot of character, nice roads, and quaint old houses and farms dotted the trip the entire 200 miles. We arrived at Queen Wilhelmina State Park at about 3:30 that afternoon. Bikers were already showing up for the next day’s ride and it was exciting to see so many bikers in one place.

The Talimina Scenic Drive starts at Queen Wilhelmina State Park and really show cases the Ouachita Mountains on both Arkansas and Oklahoma. Go to www.talimenascenicdrive.com for more information.

Two friends traveled with me to make this journey to help with the Peak to Peak Poker Run. We traveled at an easy pace, stopping for breakfast in Clinton at the Huddle House. Then we proceeded to put miles under our two wheels that would eventually lead us out of the Ozarks and into the Arkansas River Valley and then climbing into the Ouachita Mountains. We just went through 3 of the six natural divisions in the state of Arkansas!

Arriving, I went ahead and set up my camp site. Nice camping accommodations with a nice tent pad, plenty of room for my bike to pull in refreshing warm showers. The sign that warned of being in bear country was an uneasy feeling, but I decided to just go ahead and enjoy the outdoors, black berries are in season so the bears should stay busy feeding on them (I hope). The night cooled off, the breeze moved the trees that made it sound like I was on the beach with coconut trees. The fog moved in and the dew forming on my tent made noise like it was misting. That is such a nice sound and the temperature was perfect, I slept hard and woke up the next day happy to not have been bear bait.

Got up, packed my tent and bags back on the bike and ready for day 2 of the Peak to Peak journey.

Peak to Peak Day 2

After a good night rest in the camp ground at Queen Wilhelmina Sate Park, I pack up and get ready to go help register riders for the Poker Run. We meet at the restaurant for a healthy breakfast and to watch as nature sends moisture up the mountain in the form of fog that moves across the top of the mountain to supply the nature with a cool drink of water. We visit with friends around the breakfast table then off to the registration table. We register about 260 riders that intend on winning the $1,000 first place prize. It is so good to see happy, smiling faces. People doing what they love to do – ride. The true winner in this event is everyone that is riding because that is the reward of being in this part of the state, great riding.

We make some new friends that morning and at about 11:00 we decide it is time to make our way to Mount Magazine State Park for the end of the poker run to help check riders in. Our new friends are from a Christian motorcycle Association (CMA) chapter from south Arkansas. We decide to ride along with them and they pray for a safe ride before departing. I always feel better when prayer begins each ride.

We head down the mountain to Mena along Highway 88. In Mena we make two stop and some great bike shops – Big Bear Cycle www.bigbearcycleshop.com , Hog Country Cycle www.hogcountrycycles.talkspot.com . Both had everything a biker might need and parts which comes in handy to know when travailing. The owners at each cycle shop where nice, accommodating and more than willing to answer questions and even supplied water for the ride. If you are in Mena, check these shops out. Leaving Mena, we headed North on Highway 71 to Highway 23 east to Booneville where we stopped at Bearcat Restaurant. Then Highway 10 East to 109 North to Paris where we stopped at Shirley’s Outback (Highway 309 between Paris and Mt Magazine). From Paris we traveled south on 309 to the Lodge at Mount Magazine State Park for the final stop and check in for the poker run.

We were greeted with smiles and excitement from the park staff and other participants. After about 3 hours traveling (making a few stops along the way) it was good to stretch my legs and visit the beautiful lodge. The lodge is incredible, like something out of Europe. The views are breath taking and the whole state park is just immaculate and well maintained. You just feel safe being in an Arkansas State Park. We ate in the Sky Crest restaurant and the food was exceptional and the service friendly. The big windows that overlook the Arkansas River Valley just invite you to go outside and soak up the scenery. We watched hang gliders take off from the mountain and glide gracefully to the valley below after searching for thermal lifts along the side of the mountain. This park is a must see for any biker traveling through Arkansas. The roads offer some exciting riding and the vistas are impressive.

After about three hours of looking around, eating, relaxing, we headed back to Mountain View. We headed south down Highway 309 to Havana then Highway 10 east to Perry then north on Highway 9 to Mountain View. I was able to get back in time to see my daughter perform at the Ozark Folk Center that evening with an all acoustic folk band. It made me proud to sit there and soak up some good music, relax after spending time on my bike and be back in the comfort of family and home.

What a great two days, I am most definitely doing Peak to Peak again next year!

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Mountains Music and Motorcycles

Mountains Music and Motorcycles – This motorcycle event started six years ago with no budget and heavily dependent on volunteers.  The first event drew about 350 motorcyclist, this year the estimated number of bikes was 10,000.  It is still operated and managed by volunteers (178 volunteers for 1,552 hours) and all funds raised for the event pay for the event in other words it does not cost the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce financially. The Mountain View Chamber sponsors this event each year, the third weekend in August.  It is free to the public and features many family activities.  It is a major fund raiser for the March of Dimes that raises thousands of dollars to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.  The event offers a bug run, poker run, bike show, biker games and two free concerts, one on the town square, one at a local business, vendors and a biker church service that was attended by 500 bikers in 2010 in the natural setting of the city park amphitheater.  Parking around the historic town square is restricted to motorcycles only during Saturday’s activities.  It has grown from the town square to encompass many side streets and other business parking lots.  The event brings in visitors that are exposed to the unique culture of this area and generates thousands of dollars in tax revenue for the region.  Mountains, Music, and Motorcycles focuses on the fact that Mountain View and the region is a motorcycle destination for motorcycle enthusiasts from around the nation.  As Roadrunner Magazine states in an article that focused on Ozark Mountain Rides (June 2010) “This is some of the finest motorcycling in the US, period”.  This is a great example of how tapping into a passion of several local residence can produce an event that has a tourist impact on this region that extends beyond the event and its impact is felt as motorcyclist return time after time to enjoy the hospitality and wonderful scenic rides.