Hacking West by West: The TAT….

[Abenteuerfahrer]

[deafPOPEYE]

Hey, you the Hacker the Jeep!!!! Poor Ken getting dirtier.

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Well, the rains finally stopped and we were looking forward to "real" gravel sans rains. Left at 0900hrs for the trailhead outside Clinton, Ark.



Gone as fast as 49 mph...



residents along the ARK TAT,,



The GPS routed us onto this old TAT route...we of course went past it!






Town of Scotland





Zooming into the Ozarks

Ken's been eating dust....later we switched.



Then we came to a hill that I've been told can be difficult for big bikes especially my sidecar rig. Oh, sure was..been spinning wheels all the way up unfortunately Ken got caught again! No big deal he says...learning to get better



These pictures do NO justice...you simply have to see it..












The rest was OK..with an occassional teeth chattering jolt over rocks, ruts...washboard gravel roads..but it was awesome riding. Arkansas you rock!



Obligatory TAT picture at 2100'....



The Deaf TAT team's rigs on another overlook..

[Abenteuerfahrer]

[Abenteuerfahrer]

The Arkansas TAT is awesome....either rain or shine would do. For rain its gravel...no rain you;ll eat dust, downpour it washes off down the slopes unlike the Mississippi TAT or lower Arkansas...pretty doable both ways.



Then within 30 miles one goes temporary onto the tarmac, comes to a age old original Cafe Country store that's world famous.."The Oark Cafe" has served TAT'ers for decades and others as well. Their hambrgers are to die for (1/2) pounders with so friendly a waitress....stop there and patronize them..



Told the owner to remodel this shed and turn it into a youth hostel...



INside the Cafe..









Hand packed.....No dinnero tonight after this...




Adios till Manana..maybe Oklahoma tomorrow..!! Aye..

[joefromsf]

Originally Posted by Abenteuerfahrer

Adios till Manana..maybe Oklahoma tomorrow..!! Aye..

But first . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . Warloop Rd!

[VespaMamma]

Glad to see you had some dry & sunny weather today and biting some dust!! Happy to know Ken is still in one piece and so is his bike . Ride safe & ride far!!

[Deltablues]

Interesting...that you guys had so much rain in Arkansas because we are experiencing a severe drought in most of the state. We went almost 3 months without significant rain. Just a week before your ride Little Rock and Russelville had daily high temps around 105F. Lots of dead Oaks on the ridges of the Ouachitas just West of Little Rock.

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Originally Posted by joefromsf

But first . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . Warloop Rd!

Skipped Warloop road today as I had some time issues and run via slab to Alma, Ark.Will return tomorrow morning and scout the road to see whether it is suitable for man and machine, especially mine. Stay tuned.

cheers..

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Originally Posted by Deltablues

Interesting...that you guys had so much rain in Arkansas because we are experiencing a severe drought in most of the state. We went almost 3 months without significant rain. Just a week before your ride Little Rock and Russelville had daily high temps around 105F. Lots of dead Oaks on the ridges of the Ouachitas just West of Little Rock.

You are right..forgot to take pictures..but wow, your creeks are bone dry even in the Ozarks. Although the ride through the Ozarks was like riding through a Zoo..lots of animals: Deer, turkey, Roadrunners ?..dogs of course..Hope they have enough water from creeks somewhere.

cheers...

[mrprez]

Elmer! Good going so far, keep it up my friend!! Wish I was out there with you guys. I'm especially enjoying the short videos.

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Originally Posted by mrprez

Elmer! Good going so far, keep it up my friend!! Wish I was out there with you guys. I'm especially enjoying the short videos.

Hi mrprez...You've done good too. Where did you stop..or have you done the entire TAT trail yet...lost you postings!
Regardng video..well, was lucky to have Ken shoot these, but it seems he will eventually want to ride solo: camp, eat Boyardee sphagetti..poor soul is on a meager budget while trying to save $$$ for his Ushuaia trip and is taking the TAT as a prequisite for the future trip. While me...eh, like to sleep comfy and drink Sta'Buck on a Sargent seat .

cheers...

[mrprez]

I head out to NM on 9/1 to finish up the trail from that point. Getting the bike ready now.

Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk 2

[joefromsf]

Originally Posted by Abenteuerfahrer

Skipped Warloop road today as I had some time issues and run via slab to Alma, Ark.Will return tomorrow morning and scout the road to see whether it is suitable for man and machine, especially mine. Stay tuned.

cheers..

Really, it shouldn't be a problem. The technical section is only 1/2 mile long and is all downhill. I scouted the whole thing before I did it solo on my weestrom in 2009. Pretty sure there was plenty of room for a sidecar and nothing really gnarly. If you scout it first, you'll know you've seen it all when you see the first ranch (fences) on the left at the bottom. Go for it.

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Ah...paid homage to Warloop Road before heading for Oklahoma. The world famous Warloop...can be the destroyer of Man and Machine, especially the bigger rigs that have so much momentum where braking on rainy/slick is nada! It was wet this morning, pretty wet...since I have another XXX miles to go, not worth risking my rig, although I wuz there and saluted her; it's 1-0 for her..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN-wD0EF6eQ



Proof's in the pudding..!



Picture does no justice..it's friggin' wet. If ya go down there and chicken out..there's no way I could come back up..it's all downhill; cast wheel smashing; oil pan busting; sidecar frame crackin'...

No need to take the risk of slaying this road ? Better to have a whole trip than a partial one because something gets messed up on the bike or rider there. I think an alternate is just as good a choice just as rough and scenic…..





Finally left Arkansas which I shall miss for it gravely splendor, real great TAT gravel travel.some rough..some soft, pefect combination, even when it rains in the Ozarks..gravel is there for grip, sort of .

Oklahoma at the border pretty much was like Arkansas but when getting further into it where the heat of the day or days really extinguished the soil moisture which then made riding not really pleasant: rough rocks, rough stony surface although we rode on...

At the exact embarcation line of Ark/Oklahoma..



Down this stretch we encountered the first Oklahoma "Cow"boy ...nice wholesome kid and his heifer ?? taking a soulmate stroll on the TAT..




Then blasted through a no access/closed area for blasting. Since it was Sunday we trespassed with out having to detour...this was reported by someone else before..they went through too with permisson...for us nobody was there except these behemonths.







Okies spending Sunday on rafts instead of going to church....



Two fore and one aft..perfect plane balance for the rower..



Lots of animal farms here in Okie...it's a cattle State...these poor fellas are destined for.....one last look. ....eat your veggies!



After a short stretch on the tarmac....NO WORDS



************************************************** **


Since I got Sam's old TATmaps or maybe I entered the roads wrong into the GPS..or it's really the old route..you decide..but it was fun...according to my GPS I am to turn into this soft bumpy road and exit back to the TAT...so here I met some local residents...



They didn't mind us fazzled TAT'ers going the wrong way. It was a drop off grazin area for horses..

Opened the gate and closed it upon exit..



Even the animals have been complaining of the Heat..really a serious drough here in Okie and Ark..



Dry river beds...



At last met a real Cowboy. NIce guy, wanted to know what we're doing with our iron horses in these parts. Thought that we're crazy running arounf in this heat..and when he heard where we were going...he threw his hat onto the floor ..."ya Nuts"...that;s how I think I read his lips..."Nuts"; "loco"! He had a FuManchu mustache..so I guess that's what he said or maybe.."Ya da Man" .