2013 ARKANSAS 500 April 12-14

Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you and ride with your group. Us "old guys" need to stick together. I guess I missed my chance Sunday when Scotty was leading that other group. Would have liked to have joined you riding Mill Creek as well. I guess Mill Creek will have to wait until SLAP rolls around. I look forward to riding with you in the future. Take care.

for those of you who rode Day 3 and crossed the Beaver Bridge over Table Rock lake, stop and think about how much more water was in that lake several years ago when the water was up OVER THE BRIDGE.

Because of the high water, that bridge was very nearly not repaired and re-opended.

To be honest, I was so taken aback by the area up there I may not wait for next year. I may plan a trip for this fall. Like an extended weekend in October if the weather is still good. I have ridden in a few places but that area around Eureka Springs is absolutely awsome.

I'm curious bb, how did you get a line on the AR500 Ride and what inspired you to ride from so far away?

October is a great time of year to ride in Arkansas. In fact we have a camp and ride planned at the Long Pool Recreation area October 18-20th. This is a campground just about 20 miles north of Russleville, AR. Here is a link to the AR ADV Camping Thread that has a schedule of events and some info on the campsite. Check it out. You are more than welcome to join us. I usually post the route a week or so before the event. Take care.

I'm still trying to post videos. I have one up on the contour site... now I have to figure out how to post it here...

Here is the first video. I'll get more up tonight.

<iframe width="960" height="540" src="http://contour.com/stories/arkansas500kickoff/embed?map=false&width=960px&height=540px" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Scotty,
I can't thank you enough for putting together another AR500...really, THANKS. I'm so glad it was a success for you and TCWR.

As you know Bob the Segundo and Booshway Jim were on own on ride, ReTARTeD, and one day of the AR500 fit right in. How blessed were we on that one?!

Friday I was assigned to lead The RED Team from TCWR to Mulberry Mountain. I could not have asked for a better group of riders, 10 in all I think. THE RED TEAM ROCKED!

A Local DS Crazy, disco, was along for that day too, he and Bob and I had radios which made it quite a bit easier to keep the group together. But ya know, not one RED Team rider failed to wait for his follower at a single turn or course change. JUST AWESOME!.

Me 'n Bob and disco had a great time chewing our grips with all those guys and gals at TC and Mulberry Mt Thursday and Friday night.
Thanks for the food too, we wuz HUNGRY! "The whiskey ran and the beer flowed."

Saturday we split from the AR500 and felt a little sorry watching the RED Team fall in Indian file behind a new leader.
We actually rode a lot of the same route you guys did, but in a different manner.
We camped near Erbie at a spot I know called Cold Hole. We looked for you guys but never did see ya near Erbie. Didn't even see many tire tracks Sunday Morning. (We were at Powell Bridge on Sunday!)

Bob and I finished ReTARTeD late Monday, 9 days and almost 1700 miles of Arkansas, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Missouri, and Arkansas too.
(I had two days to clean up, then load up and head for Austin, Texas to watch the US MOTOGP race. I just got home, so that's why I'm so late here.)

I have some pictures of the Red team but I have not had time to do anything with them. I will in a little while. So if any of the RED Team wants them, shoot me a PM and I'll send them to ya. I'm not much at posting pics on forums, sorry.

Thanks to ALL of you, Tim, Charlie....and all the rest, and Tanya for making it happen.
Thanks to every rider on the RED Team for being such awesome riders, knowing your limits, not having a single problem and hauling ASS when we needed to.

so until next time, FYYFF's,
devro

It was great seein you again Devro! We had a few laughs and visited a bit but man, it just went by so fast. I hope we can get together and ride sometime this year. Give me a shout if you are puttin together a posse for a weekend or something. I get down your way every so often and ride with Bo mostly. In fact, I been meanin to call that boy and see what he is up to! Take care.

That is a good start! Glad you got the Contour video postin fingered out!

My wing man on this years trip, Rob Dirt, stumbled upon it on ADV. We took it from there. I always enjoy riding to new places and meeting new faces. I had never been to Arkansas before. Never even heard of Eureka Springs, although several people I know knew about it from traveling through in years past. Motorcycle trips I have taken include Texas hill country, Tennessee smokies, North Carolina & Georgia smokies, and all over Alabama. This was my first trip to ride trails with other ADV guys. Ridden with others but were relegated to back roads/dirt roads.
Your area is the best area I have ridden in to date. Even the tarmac is awesome. It was a long way to travel but that's part of the adventure.
And thanks for the invite. That sounds like a plan. Although I may bring a different ride. The Tiger wears me out in the tight and steep stuff. Looking for a WR250F as we speak. Really enjoyed meeting you and others and looking forward to riding with you guys again.
Best Regards,
Brad

Tim Oleary 'ol boy, one of these days we ARE gonna hook up!
But the rest of this year is about booked for me. You know I work every other month, and I plan about a year ahead......
June is a one day DS ride before an Arkansas Hare Scrambles Race. Then Sindy and I are off on our ST and trailer loaded with camping gear towards the Smokys.
July/Aug is a truck trip (4X4 trucks being my 2nd hobby) through the canyon lands of Utard.

But not much planned for November......so maybe we should come up with a plan!!?? Lets look at that. I LOVE riding during deer season! That's not a joke, I do. I like stopping and talking to all those guys dressed like KTMs.

ride straight,
devro

Thanks for the background! That is interesting. Like I said, you get the iron butt award this year.

I agree that you will have a lot more fun on a WR250F in these parts than the Tiger. Great looking bike tho! You might want to think about trailering the WR up here though! LOL.

Sounds like a plan. I will start working on it from this end. You think about it as well, and see if we come up with the same idea. Fat chance but sounds like fun nonetheless.

Thanks Devro for letting my big GSA hang with you on the red team! What a FANTASTIC time. May our trails meet again!

Ha! Either trailer it or leave two days earlier!

Hey BIG dude, I didn't "let" you hang with the RED Team, it just worked out that way. And it was good. Sometimes good Karma makes things happen and happen for the best.

I enjoyed meeting you and ridinging with you and swilling a few buckskins and tanglefoot around the campfire with you.

And it was kool to see you ride the hell out of that GSA!!!

And it would be good if we get to meet up again.

ride straight,
devro

Maybe 3 or 4 days

It can be done - see link-> http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=692045

Louisiana to Alaska on wr250's

I almost forgot about that!!!!!!!!!!!!! and to think of all the other awesome things i've probably forgotten

Soon after we left Turpentine Creek we hit the Madison County WMA, turned east then south towards the Kings River.

<iframe width="960" height="540" src="http://contour.com/stories/madison-county-wm/embed?map=false&width=960px&height=540px" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Yeah, I have read that report. It's insane and a great read. Gotta say that's pretty impressive.

It takes me so long to upload videos I have to do them one at a time. I'll keep them coming. Here is a photo of day one riders getting ready.
<a href="http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/scottesmith987/media/2013Arkansas500/1dcae1a5-a04d-44f8-b113-db6fd89a7e17.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/s/scottesmith987_2013Arkansas500_1dcae1a5-a04d-44f8-b113-db6fd89a7e17.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1dcae1a5-a04d-44f8-b113-db6fd89a7e17.jpg"/></a>

This photo is out of order, Day two near Hawe Creek Falls.

<a href="http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/scottesmith987/media/2013Arkansas500/2013-04-13123722.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/s/scottesmith987_2013Arkansas500_2013-04-13123722.jpg" border="0" alt="War Eagle Bridge Madison County photo 2013-04-13123722.jpg"/></a>

A photo from the bridge looking north. I lead the Orange group, or the "Im not in a hurry group". Here is the thing though. We had to ride 180 miles in 9 hours. That means we needed to average 20 miles each hour....right?

<a href="http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/scottesmith987/media/2013Arkansas500/2013-04-13123726.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/s/scottesmith987_2013Arkansas500_2013-04-13123726.jpg" border="0" alt="War Eagle Bridge North Hwy 412 photo 2013-04-13123726.jpg"/></a>

We made good time to Kingston for gas and ran in to the Blue group getting a snack.

<a href="http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/scottesmith987/media/2013Arkansas500/2013-04-12132645.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/s/scottesmith987_2013Arkansas500_2013-04-12132645.jpg" border="0" alt="Filler Up photo 2013-04-12132645.jpg"/></a>

Then I started shooting video on my new contour. I'm uploading video as I speak and will post soon...

Very Cool...