Fall TeXSive Rally - Talimena

[skippy344]

Hello Folks,

The Talimena Trail is AWESOME! This is the place to have a rally!

We had 19 bikes and 5 states represented! I will post more because I have to sort through the 300 pictures we took!

I just wanted to post up that SWMBO and I got home safely yesterday. Packmule did 1500 miles in 5 days and no troubles.

I also wanted to thank Tod for planning such an awesome ride. That corner of Oklahoma and Arkansas is absolutely beautiful!

I can't wait to ride there again, and explore more of Arkansas and the Ozarks!

My butt hurts,

greg and Lynda

[Bigfoot]

I am looking forward to seeing the pictures. I took a few with the P.O.S. camera on my phone but the quality is really lacking. That was a really good time and I can't wait until the next one. It was my first rally of any kind and everyone was great and made us feel welcome and part of the group. I can't even begin to describe the roads down there. Wow, what a ride.

[John]

[trbig]

I posted this in the forum already, but just in case, I thought I'd list it here also. Vincer, Bigfoot, and I rode over to Honobia and back again Sunday morning. I filmed the ride all the way back (Poorly) but here's the last 5 minutes or so with a little fun at the end... At least some can see the type of roads we got to ride.


Motor Check


Tod

[DELL82]

Thanks trbig, I remember so well that road. Wish you could have gotten the great "S" curves we went through. Thanks for the video it was great and I have distributed it to my Houston riders Looking forward to some of the group pictures now.

[Wayne]

Originally posted by John

Indeed

[trbig]

I don't know the "S" curves you are talking about, but if they are on that road from Honobia to Talihina....



Here's part one



And here's the middle part



And of course, part 3 has already been posted. I also filmed a bit of the Trail, but it's not in a very twisty part.


Tod

[webbcraft2150]

Originally posted by Wayne


Indeed

Yeah, what he said.

BTW, moving sucks.

[DELL82]

Tod the curves I am thinking of may have been on Route 1, not sure. They were sharp left followed by sharp right, we did them around 40+MPH, great fun. Thanks for the video's.
There are gyro stabilizers available for the cameras that TV stations use to eliminate the jitter in videos, should you want to improve the filming, some on ebay sometimes.
Dell82

[trbig]

Not interested in going THAT far with it... just trying to get away from looking like a cheap earthquake scene in a Godzilla movie! I have taken better video with this one before by just not resting my arm on the handlebar. Live and learn. I'm only 120 miles from there... may have to just go re-film it when the leaves change! lol.


Tod

[DELL82]

Tod you do have a great place to ride I drool. I make mistakes all the time, age you know. But if you get any good video's of Route 1 please let me know
Your video reminds me of my view with tri-focals and face shield but less intense.
Thanks Dell82

[Brent]

Talihina from Atlanta, how to

[QUOTE]Originally posted by webbcraft2150
[B]
indeed,

Yeah, what he said.

But wait! There is more.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, A big weekend. what I did friday.

Early start 0515, Leave Lilburn GA before dawn. Interstate HOV lane into ATL exit R onto I-20

Enter Central time Zone

Enter Talledega National Forrest. Pass Talledega Scenic byway (This is nice rd to Mt Chehaw St park- highest point in AL.)

Pass exit for 29 Dreams, a motorcycle campground east of Birmingham; nice campground, but no children allowed during some of the roudy event weekends.) Pass Barber speedway & motorcycle museum.

Pass exit for hwy 78 in SW Birmingham. This road is the most direct route, but Traffic, No access control, red lights, trucks driveways, left turning... Hwy 269 is much nicer & scenic - along the Black Warrior River, Through the small crossroads towns of Mayport, Birmingport, past the barges and canals, along the railroad tracks...
Down the lightly traveled winding 2 lane & through the farmland to Jasper AL

There rejoin Hwy 78 where it is also marked future I-22 Corridor. This is smooth 4 & 6 lane interstate type limited access devided road with very light traffic which bypasses Natural Bridge and any towns along the way. However the speed limit is 65 and there is one silver Crown Vic Alabama Highway Patrol on this long stretch of rd. I did not attract his attention coming or going on this trip. It is easy to tell the area he works by the many diagonal tire tracks accross the grass median.

Stop at Mississippi Welcome center. They have free softdrinks and maps. Directions for getting around Memphis are preprinted and available on request. Cross Natchez Trace, It is a pretty side trip, is Quick to do a little and well worth it, if you have never ridden on a National Park Parkway. No commercial traffic is allowed. There are no redlights or stopsigns, All crossing traffic must stop or cross over pass etc. Beautiful scenery, easy rd. Curves are easy sweepers 55, but speedlimit is 45 and Park rangers can give tickets. Not a fast rd.

pass Through Tupelo, Skip Elvis' birthplace, See cotton fields.
Enter Holly Springs National Forrest.

Stop for fuel and retighten loose parts north of Hickory Flat, Mississippi.. (I was riding my HD and screws holding rh mirror lostened allowing mirror to tip down repeatedly). This maitenance stop probably not needed for XS & XJ 1100 riders.

EnterTennessee.

Get through & around Memphis. If you are used to Interstates in Dallas TX, this will be no problem, otherwise - Good Luck. Hwy 78 turns to 10 miles of heavy industrial park, many trucks (even Sunday) and redlights nearly each block. Hwy 302 west to I-55 is an altermnate I took Friday; 20 miiles of walmart, banks shopping centers churches, but not to many redlights. It is not hard to go the long way around in Memphis.

Cross Mississippi River. I-40 or I-55, I-240 then I-40 W, Pass Crowley's Ridge Scenic Byway on to Little Rock. It is not hard to go the long way around in this town.

Pass North LittleRock Exit 135 to Mayflower, Arkansas. Here I went to Stroudts Diner & Met XSive Louis before 2:00 (1:40) pm central time. Great food, concrete floors, good prices and XSellent service. Admire XJ1100 in parking lot.

Then Scenic Routes - I followed Louis through Western Arkansaw.
Hwy 60, Arkansaw River, many farms & Barns all different. I believe Louis knows what roads we took.

Then we stopped, turned around and went to a BMW rally at Talihina State park. Nice folks, especially the park superintendent.

Wear out back tire.
Go to Pam's Hateful Hussy Diner on Main Street (AKA Dallas St.) in Talihina, Oklahoma. Easy to find - look for faded plywood sign, nearly impossible to read, with many XJ & XS1100 out front

Happy reunionion with XSive riding buddies. Eat. Complain about Avon venom X wearing out. Check tire again. Be amazed (at all that frayed cord) & XSively glad to be alive.

Ride slowly 2 blocks To Kiamichi Inn. Park under carport with good lighting. Check in. Owners are very friendly & allowed this parking etc. Look for concrete block, 2 X 4 boards and floor jack. (harley does not have centerstand.) find address for tire. Closest is Muldholand bike shop in Krebs - they are fair & quick, advertise "no rice burners" but they are happy to mount tire on any wheel you bring them. Remove backWheel.

Then Grin & bear it. Finger pointing, picture taking, ribbing, etc is well deserved. Get used to bike up on blocks with no rear wheel on it 800 miles from home. Hope you can find a tire.
Relax. Smoke cigar. Sleep well.

Sat am. - rise early go get tire with mounting & balancing. Thanks to Todd for use of p/u truck and Miles for ride along & navigate. Install rear wheel with BEAUTIFUL new tire. Ride in gravel, spin tire to scuff off slippery,. Return before start of Saturday ride.

XS content - If you are running an Avon Venom X on your bike, and it looks like it "may" need replacement after the next trip, Replace it. The last part of that tire wear goes QUICK.

Show up for ride with fuel, petcocks on, and tires that can last the whole days ride.

Enough for friday.
Someone else on Sat ride tell about Tracking BigFoot, Hanobia, Talimena Trail, Mena Arkansas, Queen Wilimena Lodge with buffett, An Arkansas Scenic Byway - 71?, Kiamichi valley, Ouachita Nat forrest, & Ouachita mountains, Nashoba, and the other roads & sights.

Happy motoring,
Brent in Ga

[DELL82]

Tough trip until Sat. Brent. good to meet you and the NYFD RED HD.
Hey Guys where are the pictures. Tod got a video but where are the stills? I didn't have a camera for the trip DAMIT.
Dell82

[skippy344]

Posted some pics

Look in the rallies n/a thread to view the pics I posted.

greg

[simplycindy]

Better late than never.
Yup, it's Bagger Dave's (AKA Hippie Dave) chickie.
You guys really spoiled me on this ride. I'm hooked.

Hopefully, i'll figure out my way around here and be a regular.