The "TART"

[jamboa]

Great read/ride.
Coonass's and Hillbillies the most understood folks by the rest of the country(can't find broad brush smilie to insert here) whom are always ready to help a fellow out of a bind.
A few questions, would you say the KLR650 new. gen. is too much of a pig for the TART trail? You said 650cc or less but I did not see any bikes as heavy as the KAW. Scrambler should be sold and have an itichy finger to pull on another dual sport.
Did you guys wear dust mask of any sort? Were you able to do the whole TART w/o a air filter change out or clean? To be fair everyone should rotate the lead IMHO.
Anybody was 60 or older?
Thanks for the great ride report. In October I also was enjoying riding. I decided I was going to let my year old Moto Guzzi Griso go bye bye(had enough of the dry clutch racket when the clutch lever was pulled in and the thoughts of dealers so far and few). I new I was going to lose my ass on this one so I decided to ride the hell out of it during the great weather we had in October/November. I put over 5,000 miles riding street in a 30 day period.That is nothing for an Iron Butter but I ain't one. Most were in Arkansas but I did go into eastern OK. and real southern Missouri. I am really glad I did it and it made getting rid of the Attention Hoe a little easier.

[joenuclear]

Originally Posted by jamboa

A few questions, would you say the KLR650 new. gen. is too much of a pig for the TART trail? You said 650cc or less but I did not see any bikes as heavy as the KAW. Scrambler should be sold and have an itichy finger to pull on another dual sport.
Did you guys wear dust mask of any sort? Were you able to do the whole TART w/o a air filter change out or clean? To be fair everyone should rotate the lead IMHO.
Anybody was 60 or older?

I dunno about the KLR. My XR650R was fine but I had the advantage of a Revloc auto-clutch in the single track.

I didn't wear a dust mask but I wore a Aria XD dualsport helmet. When it was dusty I shut the visor.

I never checked my air filter until I got home.

At 56 I was the only one who wasn't 60+.

Hope this helps.

[bsheet2]

Nice report! I may have to try this route!

[DRZ Charlie]

There were at least three places where the KLR would have been a handful but not un-doable. A pre-filter over your air filter might be a definite advantage. My air filter was almost clogged completely when I got home but of course this would be weather/condition dependent.

Joe's 650 rocked the hardest parts as did 10Cups WR250 and my Drz400 but we had all prepared the bikes for such a ride.

[DRZ Charlie]

BigDon and his friend just road the TART and had some trouble near the Arkansas River from a very unfriendly landowner. Apparently there is a dispute between this owner and the Weyerhauser Forest people. So, I am including a revised map/track with warning way points for avoidance of the area in question. There are a multitude of routes to get around the area, just look at the map and pick one.

Another suggestion was made by BigDon, he suggested starting in Arkadelphia. The reason for this suggestion as I understand it is that after the first 75 miles or so, there is a lot of privately held land. One must traverse around this using tarmac. Starting in Arkadelphia negates a lot of tarmac. I have to add that the tarmac in the lower portion of the TART is fun, twisty and shady. Anyway, enjoy y'all!

[Gunslinger1]

Thanks for putting this together.......I look forward to riding it.

Runs close enough to Hot Springs for a soak.........

[bigdon]

Originally Posted by DRZ Charlie

BigDon and his friend just road the TART and had some trouble near the Arkansas River from a very unfriendly landowner. Apparently there is a dispute between this owner and the Weyerhauser Forest people. So, I am including a revised map/track with warning way points for avoidance of the area in question. There are a multitude of routes to get around the area, just look at the map and pick one.

Another suggestion was made by BigDon, he suggested starting in Arkadelphia. The reason for this suggestion as I understand it is that after the first 75 miles or so, there is a lot of privately held land. One must traverse around this using tarmac. Starting in Arkadelphia negates a lot of tarmac. I have to add that the tarmac in the lower portion of the TART is fun, twisty and shady. Anyway, enjoy y'all!

The TART is a great ride. We had a really good time. Just to clarify, if time limited start in Arkadelphia. The roads from El Dorado to Arkadelphia are great scenic twisty roads and loads of fun. Most of them could be ridden on a Goldwing.
The Dual sport fun really starts North of Arkadelphia and it gets good, real good.

Charlie, how is the Northern part? I suspect it gets more remote and rougher as you go North. We had to turn towards home when we hit I 40. I will go back!

[DRZ Charlie]

The Northern portion from Harrison to the Missouri State line is equally good especially from Snow, Ar. to Harrison. There is some tarmac north of Harrison but once again it is country road, twisty and scenic.

[DRZ Charlie]

He provided me with his tracks so I could provide an updated version of the northern section of the Weyerhauser Forest. This part of the ride is in constant flux due to road closings and others reopening due to logging, or hunting leases.

The attached also shows a couple of alternatives to the route when nearing the Arkansas River. There is an angry land owner on that end of the W. Forest and he has NO signs warning you away. He waits until you get to to the bottom of a pretty gnarly road to tell you that you have to turn around. Be aware of this and check the alternate tracks in the file below. This guy doesn't kid around, he has berms of dirt 6' high along the bottom of his road (where it meets the highway) with barbed wire on top of them all leading down to a high locked gate. You can't get out with turning around.

Before you ride the TART please download these tracks. If for no other reason for the waypoints.

Enjoy

[bigdon]

Thanks, Charlie!
If we stay on this track we won't have any problems with being on private land?

I went under somebody's deer stand on the Southern part last year.

[DRZ Charlie]

Don, if you use one of the two tracks I show as alternates you should be ok. Keep in mind that Weyhauser is always opening and closing these roads so be ready to re-route if you need to.


Charlie - Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Trailace]

Originally Posted by bigdon

Thanks, Charlie!
If we stay on this track we won't have any problems with being on private land?

I went under somebody's deer stand on the Southern part last year.

When we did the TART we only went around gates that did not have no trespassing sign so you should be good to go with our tracks.

I started my RR here. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=737062

[Abbotson]

Hey Charlie,

Good job.
Did you know that the Arkansas DOT has county maps available on line that show what is paved and unpaved. They may help in questionable areas.
http://www.arkansashighways.com/plan...unty_maps.aspx

[DRZ Charlie]

Hey thanks for the link. I had a paper map with that information too. They were both drafted for the DOT in 1973. A lots changed since but their still helpful.

[DRZ Charlie]

NEW UPDATED TART INFORMATION AND TRACKS THANKS TO BIGDOG, DEVRODIRT AND DISCO

Devrodirt and Disco just rode the TART. They also had a hard time at the Arkansas River.

Seems the "angry land owner" has now posted his property. Devrodirt and Disco scouted the area thoroughly and there is NO workaround for this area (north of hiway 60).

So now when you are approaching the Arkansas River on Hiway 60 it will be necessary to follow it all the way across the Arkansas River.

Thanks to Devro and Disco for this new information.

The updated TART Tracks are attached below.