[overtorqued]

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Six Chin Skinny]

Where is this?

 

[theoldguy]

Switzerland? Wow.. me likey!

 

[JaredMcDonley]

I want to go there :!: Where is that?

 

[overtorqued]

Yeah, it's Switzerland. Not my pic, I've never been there, unfortunately.
But it kinda makes you want to go, doesn't it?

 

[wonderjosh]

yeah and just look at all that run off room :roll:

looks cool, but not my idea of a good road to ride fast on...

 

[OKcommuter]

Doesn't look all that fun to me, it would be all acceleration on the straighaway, the hard brake for the 180, repeat, repeat, repeat.


Give me a mountain road with increasing radius, sweepers, and decreasing radius, one after another for hours on end...that's where it's at.

Last weekend my family and I all road our bikes up into the Ozarks in Arkansas, what a blast that was!

It really improved my riding tremendously, I got more cornering experience in 16 hours of riding in the hills than I could get in 2 years here in Oklahoma! Damn, I've gotta have some more! It makes me want to move up there in a cabin....I can't imagine what the Gap must be like...I'm totally envious of you east coast guys!

 

[GTKrockeTT]

Doesn't look all that fun to me, it would be all acceleration on the straighaway, the hard brake for the 180, repeat, repeat, repeat.


Give me a mountain road with increasing radius, sweepers, and decreasing radius, one after another for hours on end...that's where it's at.

Last weekend my family and I all road our bikes up into the Ozarks in Arkansas, what a blast that was!

It really improved my riding tremendously, I got more cornering experience in 16 hours of riding in the hills than I could get in 2 years here in Oklahoma! Damn, I've gotta have some more! It makes me want to move up there in a cabin....I can't imagine what the Gap must be like...I'm totally envious of you east coast guys!

+1

hey, you can be envious of us west coast guys too! :wink:

 

[BillyRoy]

Last weekend my family and I all road our bikes up into the Ozarks in Arkansas, what a blast that was!

It really improved my riding tremendously, I got more cornering experience in 16 hours of riding in the hills than I could get in 2 years here in Oklahoma! Damn, I've gotta have some more! It makes me want to move up there in a cabin....I can't imagine what the Gap must be like...I'm totally envious of you east coast guys!

Did you ride on hwy 125 any. I hear that it's the 'other' deal's gap. I plan to make a trip down there sometime soon.

 

[Fred2004]

that looks like a leg of the tour de france

 

[Scotch]

looks like a fun road to ride, but not fast. I really don't particularly like switchbacks. Besides, I would almost certainly get stuck behind a minivan or something.

 

[RandyO]

Doesn't look all that fun to me, it would be all acceleration on the straighaway, the hard brake for the 180, repeat, repeat, repeat.


Give me a mountain road with increasing radius, sweepers, and decreasing radius, one after another for hours on end...that's where it's at.

Last weekend my family and I all road our bikes up into the Ozarks in Arkansas, what a blast that was!

It really improved my riding tremendously, I got more cornering experience in 16 hours of riding in the hills than I could get in 2 years here in Oklahoma! Damn, I've gotta have some more! It makes me want to move up there in a cabin....I can't imagine what the Gap must be like...I'm totally envious of you east coast guys!

+1

hey, you can be envious of us west coast guys too! :wink:

+ one more = +2

 

[gahdzila]

that is a beautiful stretch, and it does look like something straight out of le tour de france.

okcommuter and billyroy:
my riding buddy and I were talking today about making a trip somewhere in arkansas. I've heard it's beautiful and great riding, but we've not been up there enough to know any roads. I dont know where to start planning. can you guys point me in the right direction? town names would help (ie - finding the routes on mapquest). we're approaching from the southeast (northeast louisiana), if that helps.

 

[spuds]

there are switchback road like that in the southwest...all gravel tho...if only eh?

 

[FirstSymptom]

that is a beautiful stretch, and it does look like something straight out of le tour de france.

okcommuter and billyroy:
my riding buddy and I were talking today about making a trip somewhere in arkansas. I've heard it's beautiful and great riding, but we've not been up there enough to know any roads. I dont know where to start planning. can you guys point me in the right direction? town names would help (ie - finding the routes on mapquest). we're approaching from the southeast (northeast louisiana), if that helps.

I know some great rides around there. I wouldn't trust mapquest. You should try to get a gazateer or something really detailed.

125 north of Bull Shoals Lake is awesome. The last time I was up there a couple months ago I discovered 123 in Arkansas, which is like a little slice of the above photo. 125 is long, fast, and like a dream. 123 is kinda short, but has a 2000' climb with probably 10-12 switchbacks. The turns are really sharp, almost sharper than most cars could make in a single turn. The switchback section is short enough to go up and down several times, but getting overconfident in the turns is easy; I had two really close calls and my friend highsided coming down (luckily he landed on his feet).

About 30 miles south of Harrison, AR, southeast of Jasper, there is 74, 374, 123, and 7 that are arranged so that you can just kind of loop around: I suggest from Jasper, take 74 east to 123 south down to 7. From there I took 7 back north to 374 east. This road drops straight into the Arkansas Grand Canyon fast enought to make your ears pop. I chose to ride 123 south again, but there's parts of it north of 74 I didn't ride that I would like to. You can keep heading south on 123 below 7, but from what I hear it's not as great as the north section.

14 runs NW-SE on the east side of Harrison and it's nice. 125 crosses 14, and once you turn north on 125 the fun begins to build. You go through the tiny town of Peel, then ride the ferry across the lake. As soon as you get across the Missouri line you'll notice the road surface get really nice. Go through Protem then cross 160, and the next 20-something miles to Bradeyville are pure heaven. Just watch out for turtles and turkeys on the road.

 

[FirstSymptom]

Here's the first turn on 125 north of 160.....man now I wanna go back again

 

[gahdzila]

thanks, first!

btw, if any of you guys plan on riding through eastern louisiana, let me know, I can tell you some fun routes!

I have a gazetteer for louisiana, it's great...I'll probably get an arkansas one, too, once we start seriously finalizing our plans.

 

[OKcommuter]

About 30 miles south of Harrison, AR, southeast of Jasper, there is 74, 374, 123, and 7 that are arranged so that you can just kind of loop around: I suggest from Jasper, take 74 east to 123 south down to 7. From there I took 7 back north to 374 east. This road drops straight into the Arkansas Grand Canyon fast enought to make your ears pop. I chose to ride 123 south again, but there's parts of it north of 74 I didn't ride that I would like to. You can keep heading south on 123 below 7, but from what I hear it's not as great as the north section.

14 runs NW-SE on the east side of Harrison and it's nice. 125 crosses 14, and once you turn north on 125 the fun begins to build. You go through the tiny town of Peel, then ride the ferry across the lake. As soon as you get across the Missouri line you'll notice the road surface get really nice. Go through Protem then cross 160, and the next 20-something miles to Bradeyville are pure heaven. Just watch out for turtles and turkeys on the road.

+10

He's not jokin about the turtles and turkeys, either!


Hwy 16 west of jasper is great, also...you know you're in for a good time when you see signs that say "Caution Very Steep and Crooked, next 37 miles"

If you're coming up out of Louisiana and heading up to the Eureka Springs, Jasper, Harrison area, and are going anywhere near Monroe, take 15 out of West Monroe and get on Arkansas Scenic Byway (hwy 7), that'll take you up into the Ozard national forest and you can catch all the great roads off of it along the way, plus, 7 is decently windy the whole way and has smooth pavement the whole way.

We stayed in a cabin in the mountains above Jasper, and had a very relaxing weekend...but if you are more into partying and touristy type areas , make your way up into Eureka Springs.

 

[theroyz71]

I can't imagine what the Gap must be like...I'm totally envious of you east coast guys!

Man, I'm so tired from riding the gap today that I can barely type this reply. I must have made a dozen passes today.

 

[slawson3]

The big pic at the top of this thread is the Stelvio Pass.
more here: http://www.adamanda.org/travel/it/98/