April 22. Today our plan is to have our kick stands up at 9:30 and head out towards Scenic Highway 7 south towards Hot Springs where we will bed down for the second night. On the way we plan to see things in Jasper, go ride the switchbacks of Mt Nebo, and climb the heights of Mt Magazine.
We start out with a complimentary breakfast (surprise since they opened a week early) and had coffee and bananas and muffins. Billy notices a nail in Dave's back tire so we yank it and plug it and air it up using my compressor on the Valk. Worked like a champ!! The plug was skinnier than the ones I usually use though.
Here's the motel we stayed at. Couldn't get a shot when we got there last night as we were frazzled and it was dark!
Billy takes us down a street to tour the old shopping area of Eureka Springs. This was a very cool area and Erin fell in love with it. Bet we are back there shopping before the year is out!!
Very interesting buildings, pubs, taverns, and hotels along the way.
Looks like a great place for a Mardi Gras!!
Bikes rumbling through early in the morning....cool.
And they go on and on and on....more and more old structures to dazzle you.
Here was an eloquent rest area to sit and rest your feet. This was all in a very hilly area, most of the buildings and houses had mountain views and the backs were on stilts with balconies.
A bath house!!
An old church....
Victorian homes....
Canopied streets....
and a large haunted Hotel!!
another shot of the hotel.
and we are off to Jasper. On the way we pick up a couple of Billy's buddies, Matt and some show off on a Warrior that I cannot remember his name. If Erin wasn't on back I may have been tempted to show him what the Valk could do!! Matt was on a Warrior too but he was very cool!! I enjoyed riding with him. We were going down some back roads when all of a sudden the other guy came blasting on my left and scared the bejeasus out of us!! Guess he just wanted to take the lead from Billy.
Look how lush and green it is here!!
Lots of hills....We didn't get too far when Mike came racing up behind me telling us Dave's tire was going flat. We re-patched it using two plugs that were still gooed together and it held. We picked up some fatter plugs at a fill up just in case but never needed them the rest of the trip.
And curvy roads built right in! I think we are actually on Scenic 7 at this point!
We are heading to the Hilltop Cafe for lunch. This would turn out to be quite a filling trip with meals, and riding. Eat, and ride. Eat..and ride....
Coming into Jasper we cross over the Buffalo River and see Canoes. Lots of natural rivers and canoe companies in these parts!
And an old barn....
I believe this is Lookout Mountain.
and closer to it.
The riders behind us are Dave, Matt, and Mike is gunning.
South of Jasper you will come across a sign like this...
Pull over and check out the view and grab some lunch at the Cliff House Inn....
They have their own purple martin house and they sound so pretty!! Much nicer than the Grackles back home!
Erin gets up close and personal.
Here's the view of the canyon below.
and another...
Lots of little lizards running around.
and pretty flowerbeds just before the hill drops off.
Pretty!! More purple!!
Matt caught a butterfly on our way out after lunch. More great food, I grabbed a burger but Erin had the brisket as well as everyone else!
Gonzo
02' Shadow Spirit, 98 Valkyrie "Eragon"