7. We are in Arkansas

     This was the day of the big power ball drawing and as you know by now we weren't the winners however we had to give it a try.   We stayed in a nice motel just over the border.   Evidently they had not had a lot of cold weather this year.  They turned on the heat and the fire alarm came on after rushing from our room the staff was very quick to reassure everything was OK,  Very happy I didn't throw a chair thru the window. 
      After loading up for the day  we stopped at a service station to buy our tickets  and check our tire pressures as we were going to be riding some hills and curves today; $1.50 for air , where is a Kwik trip when you need one?
Nov 28th and 29th    

     Today we wanted to take the time and start to explore some of the scenic Arkansas motorcycle by ways that Wes had told us about.   In addition to the online route suggestions we had been given a guide to motorcycle routes thru the Ozarks.  Today's wandering would start at Monmouth Springs on #9 we would take it South and hit # 5 in the Ozark National forest then head North to Mountain Home.  At Mountain Home we would pick up 62/412 heading West. Click for Map    Somewhere along the ride we found out     what the

 button under the right rear speaker was for. The previous owner had added it to mute the rear speakers and microphone. It turned out to be helpful controlling wind noise.  As you can see by the picture I took with Ruthie driving it does give the illusion of speed,  ( when people ask us about gas mileage,  I love to say depends which one of us is driving.  Ruthie thinks every traffic light is a drag tree.)    Most of the moving pictures will be taken by myself until we have the opportunity to get a good point and shoot camera with a high zoom lens.  It is kind of tricky taking them with the phone. .

     Notice the gps display on the picture to the right 

it gives you an idea of the roads we were on.  When I catch up on the daily blog I will try and devote a little time to try and explain if possible why we search out these roads.  We thought that once we got this far South we would stop being an attraction.  We thought it would be warmer and people would be riding all winter long.  Evidently not.  We don't see any cycles on the road.   Even in normal riding weather the trike seems to be different enough to draw people to it.   And now everyone wonders what we are doing down here on a cycle.  I think there are some strange whispers about us when our backs are turned. Motorcyclists we meet feel bad that we are riding when the leaves are not on the trees.  But to us it is like taking a fall ride back home.  We are enjoying this ride.  

The scenery was amazing I think it is  the anticipation of what you are going to view at the next corner or the next opening in the forest.  I know two flat lander riders personally that don't like hills or curves. ( you know who you are.)  However for us curves and hills are the best part.  We stopped at an opening to view the valleys below.

Time for lunch  lunch on the top of the camper , yogurt, breakfast bar, banana, courtesy of the hotel.

Guess where we are?

     Sorry I couldn't help my self,  Flippin AR,  Flippin church of Christ, ( seems irreverent to me) Flippin School.  I know Brenda and Ruthie always say, "that's the way you are".   We drove north out of Flippin on 178 towards  Bull Shoals Lake  on the way we went past a very large boat factory for some reason they don't have a large sign with their name, it was the home of Ranger boats,  we found out later they have a very interesting tour of the factory.
     We pulled into the Heart of the Ozarks Campground  $15.00 a night with electricity.  We plan sitting up our camper and staying for two days.