Mid-State Trip Day 11, the last day!! - Mena, Arkansas to Dallas, Texas

No pictures today either. Today was a just get back home day.

We headed out of Mena at 7:20AM this morning and were on the Talimena Scenic Drive within 10 minutes. For the motorcycle enthusiasts, this ride is great. It connects Mena, Arkansas and Talihena, Oklahoma. It is 30 miles of twisting, hilly road along a ridge of the Ouachita (pronounced wash-e-ta) mountains. You have spectacular views on both the right and left hand sides. There are several curves with 15-20 MPH speed limits. What I have found over the years on curves is this. If the posted speed is between 45-50, you can go 60-70, if the posted speeds are 35-45, you can probably go 50-60, however, if the posted speed is 30 or less, you better be going the speed limit!!!

We then headed south on Oklahoma Hwy 259 through the Hochatown and Beaver Bend State Parks. It is a beautiful ride down to Broken Bow, Oklahoma. After that, the landscape flattens out until you get back to Dallas. It was hot here today, 105. Sorry guys that Michael and I could drag down some of the cooler weather from up north.

We got to see a lot of beautiful countryside on this years trip. Living in Dallas, you forget what it is like to just get out on the “roads less travelled”. You forget how clean the air smells. The biggest traffic jams are getting behind the logging trucks or farm equipment travelling down the roads, unless you are in Toronto!!!

Watching the landscape and the road beneath you go by (literally, try looking straight down when you are going 70) gives you time to think about things. You have time to clear your mind, your spirit and your soul and enjoy the beauty in everything around you. You think about the people and things that are in your life. The ones that you love and are important to you. You think about where you are in life and are you content with your place in it…and you decide that you are thankful with everything that you have. BTW, it’s easier to think when it’s not 105 degrees…when it is that hot, you are just thinking about getting to your destination. Also thinking what I’m going to do with the 12.68 Canadian that I have left.

This was a great trip with a good friend. Lots of miles and states covered. Just a summary…we left Texas, headed up through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, over through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Canada, New York and down through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma (again) and back to Texas in that order.

Day 11 Trip mileage - Today 291 - Total 4565 for this trip.

That's it for this year.

Next year is New England and the northeast. Hope to go in mid to late September to catch the leaves changing. We may have anywhere from 2 to 7 people going next year.

John