Golden Eagles Motorcycle Club

DAN F · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:04 am Post subject:

Ray Cole and I will be there Friday. Looking forward to it!

Dan F

GREG K · Double A Forum Poster Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 186

Is anyone interested in going sometime on Friday and leaving maybe on Monday?

JEB · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 9:13 am Post subject:

Looks like I have another guy coming to help guide. He knows the area really well. Will know for sure later this week.
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John Brunsgaard

JEB · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 6:39 am Post subject:

So the only for sures right now are Ray C and Dan F, right? I talked to Randy yesterday and Nick is out, so their plans are more of a question mark now. Anyone else "for sures" yet? Just trying to get an idea so I can figure if I'll need to recruit more guides.

Dan, what time do you think you guys will get there on Friday?
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John Brunsgaard

KC FUNK · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject:

Andy Foley and I are in for sure. We will be leaving Ellsworth Wi Thursday day some time. We are looking for some more recrutes.. more info to follow.

MIKE D · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:26 pm Post subject:

Dustin & I are in, I'm trying to get a group of guys to go that are planning on heading to Chadwick that weekend anyway. I'll know within a few days if we are heading to OK or MO that weekend. I'd like to goto OK, since that is one place in OK I have not ridden.......If we DO go, I'd like to use MapQuest to possibly head thru Maine & Maryland first. I heard it was quicker anyway..... Shocked

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Thank you,
Mike D

DAN F · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:02 pm Post subject:

John,

Ray and I will be there Friday morning.

JEB · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:01 am Post subject:

Cool. Thanks for the feedback guys.

To get to Talimena State Park from Roch:
We always do the normal 8-10mph over thing but you might want to take it a little easier in Ark. It's speed trap heaven down here.

Take I-90 over to I-35 south. Take 35S to Kansas City. When going through Des Moines, I-35S and I-80 merge on the north end. Should be exit 87B but watch to be sure. Take that route rather than the 235 bypass. Eventually, 80 will split off and go west but you'll stay south on 35 to KC.

In KC, you'll want to take 435 south. It should be exit 12A. There may be a sign further north saying "To airport/ 435N". Ignore that and stay on 35 until it actually intersects 435S. Take that to the south end of KC, about 20 miles. You'll want to get off at Hwy 71 south. 71 intersects 435 where 435 curves and starts going due west.

Hwy 71S is a good road, 70mph four lane. It'll merge with I-44 West near Joplin so watch for the signs through there. You'll only be on I-44 for like 7 miles before 71S will split off and go south again. Watch for that 71S exit off 44, easy to miss, IMO.

Once you get near Arkansas on 71S, it will just kind of stop being real hiway and start going through stop and go traffic in a few little towns. You just have to deal with that for about 15 miles. It's still 71S, though. Then it will suddenly just kind of turn into I-540 on the south end of Bella Vista. Do not follow 71B business. Stay on 71/540 south. You're about 2 hours from the campground at this point.

If you need a break or bike parts, my local KTM dealer is on exit 64 off of 540 on the south end of Fayetteville. They're right on the hiway, but on the opposite side so you'd have to cross over. They have great prices on tires and have a decent inventory on parts. Good folks. They carry all the Japanese brands except Honda, also.

Once south of Fayetteville, 71 and 540 split. Stay on 540. 71 will join it again near Ft. Smith. 540 becomes pretty scenic through this stretch. It must have been hell to build with all the high bridges and the tunnel.

Anyway, 540 will merge into I-40 near Ft. Smith. Stay with 540 by going west on I-40. You're only on I-40 for 5 miles. At exit 7, follow 540/71S again. 71S finally splits off for good on the south end of Ft. Smith. You will want to ignore that and continue on I-540 until it ends just barely inside Oklahoma. Once it ends, the hiway becomes 271. You don't have to make any turns or stops, they just flow together.

At the first stop light on 271, which is just a mile or two into OK, take a left onto 112 to Pocola, OK. You'll be on mostly 2 lane roads from here but it's only an hour or so now.

112 will take you to Poteau. It will turn into a nice, new 4 lane bypass around Poteau. The bypass is not on any maps yet and I don't have the number but 112 just flows right into it. So follow the bypass and watch your speed. It's really odd but 112 is a 2 lane with 65mph speed limit, but this nice 4 lane bypass is 55. Can you say speed trap?

You're only on that 4 lane bypass for about 5 miles. Take the Hwy 271S exit towards Wister. Wister is the last stop for gas, ice, beer, etc. About 6 miles past Wister, 271 will split off to the left/south and you'll want to follow it. You'll go by the Park HQ in about 15 miles. It's where Hwy 1 intersects 271. Stay on 271 for about another mile and start looking for the Talimena State Park Campground on your left. It sneaks up on you a bit so watch for it. Turn in there, find a campspot and the camp host will eventually come visit to collect their fee.

I'll try to post up a map of the State Park area but it's basically like the links show I posted earlier.
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John Brunsgaard

DAVE G · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:45 am Post subject:

John what would you guess the total time from Roch....10 hours?? So if a guy left at NOON thurs?? Very Happy

DAVE G · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:46 am Post subject:

The other question was that area didn't get all the 10" flooding rains...did it??

JEB · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:56 am Post subject:

Yeah, I'd peg it right at 10 hours with just quick fuel stops and driving 5-8mph over. No dirt roads at all. And the roads are all 65mph or better, except for that speed trap bypass around Poteau I talked about above.

I'm not sure if Talimena got hit with the rain. I'll check into that, but mud will not be a factor there. Just a few creek crossings that might get high right after a storm or something. We got 6+ inches here and it caused some local flooding, but it dries up fast. I'm sititng here in shorts with the windows open right now. Beautiful day down here. Flowers are blooming, trees are budding out, grass is greening up. Spring done sprung!
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John Brunsgaard

JEB · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:44 pm Post subject:

Hey, who want's to make a Fleet Farm and beer run for me? Man, I miss Fleet Farm! We need a particular dog treat/biscuit and a dog brush from FF. And I can always use more Leiny's. Smile

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John Brunsgaard

DAN F · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject:

Hey John,

I just so happen to be going to Fleet Farm tomorrow. Whatcha need?

JEB · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 4:44 am Post subject:

Sprout Beef Basted Dog biscuits, 5lb bags, UPC=722304202200. Get 5 to 10 bags, whatever you have room for. Our 5 dogs love those things! Not that they turn there noses up at any treats, I guess. Smile

The other item is Safari Self-Cleaning Slicker Brushes Large, made by Costal Pet Products. The operative part being "Self-Cleaning". It's a green and black brush that says Safari on the handle. Our youngest dog chewed up the one we have and we can't find them locally. We're pretty sure we got it at FF, but not 100% sure so don't spend a lot of time looking for it. If they have different sizes, get the biggest one. It should be under $10.

Just let me know what the damages are and I can send you a check now or pay you at the ride.

Thanks Dan!
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John Brunsgaard

DAN F · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 2:41 pm Post subject: Who's bringing the beer?

The cashier at FF thought I had a VERY lucky dog! 10 bags o' treats and a self cleaning brush will be one the way in a couple weeks. Thanks for offering to show us around a new riding area. It'll be nice to see some spring like weather. We got 6 inches of snow this morning with possibly another 4 tonight! You're down there wearing shorts with the windows open....rub it in will ya.