From NW Ark to College Station, Tx

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Dr. Strangelove
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From NW Ark to College Station, Tx

Post by Dr. Strangelove »

Looking for suggestions/recs on a decent route from the Mena area to College Station. Would prfer back roads, no interstate if possible.

Any help appreciated.

TIA

John
'09 Schwarze Blanche DuBois
Well, don't do that-Hippocrates
GypsyRR
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Post by GypsyRR »

You must be headed to a graduation???

I can help you out once you get into East Texas, but tell me where you will be entering Texas.
Kristi
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Dr. Strangelove
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Post by Dr. Strangelove »

Hi, Gypsy,

no graduation

visiting a friend on the faculty/adm.

our entrance is not yet planned, but we will be coming from around Mena. On BMWST the Talimena was suggested and that was already to be part of our plans during our vist, but if it works out we could do it again on the way out.

after College Station we are heading to New Orleans so any suggestions avoiding I 10 would be welcomed. I was looking at 190, but....

Thanks

John
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Well, don't do that-Hippocrates
GypsyRR
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Post by GypsyRR »

well I've never heard of Talimena, but I will come up with something. Tell me where Talimena is so I can incorporate it into a custom made ride for you. When do you need the routes because I'll be out of town tomorrow and then again Sunday-Wednesday.
Kristi
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Dr. Strangelove
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Post by Dr. Strangelove »

ah, Gypsy, might be a problem. I am leaving home (NOLa) Friday mid day. I plan on taking my laptop with me though.

The Talimena Scenic byway is here:

http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2485/travel.html

we are going to be in that area, near Mena, Ark.


I posted this question on BMWST and the responses said that there are no spectacular roads where we're going in Tx, but all are good sufaces, little traffic, 70mph with sweepers. So if you have particular favorites that'd be great info.


How's your rash? I thought about you today. It was in the high 70's here and the thermometer on my compass in my mapcase in direct partly cloudy sun read 103.

John
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Well, don't do that-Hippocrates
GypsyRR
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Post by GypsyRR »

No wonder I did not know about Talimena - it isn't even in TEXAS!! So I guess you will be dropping south from Oklahoma rather than coming through from the east. There is not much up there but ugly. But once you get to East Texas things will look better.

There are 2-3 of the top ten roads in Texas within the area you will be traveling. I just happened to buy some good maps today while I was out getting ready for my Hill Country ride next week so I will look at them tonight.

For sure, you need to ride 3090 to Carlos - near College Station, unless it has rained heavily recently. It is one of the top 10 roads and is known for some really off camber roads and twists.....and unfortunately known for some deaths as well. If it rains, the road could have a lot of mud or debris on it. Another top 10 road not too far from College Station (west of it) is 390 - going through Independence, TX - it is a beautiful ride. Leaving College Station, you need to ride 149 through the forest - what a great ride that always is. I'll show you some roads and you can try to incorporate them. There is also a road near lake Livingston in the top 10 which you could hit on your way home - I think it is 242, but will look it up tonight. There are logging roads in that area, so watch for logging debris in the road. You should stay an extra day and ride on out to the Hill Country instead and then just take 10 home quickly. You would love the hill country. It is one of the great places in the US to ride. Check out my Hill Country map with different routes:

http://www.communitywalk.com/map/83569

I'm going there Sunday. Let me see what I can come up with tonight or tomorrow am. before I head out. Thanks for the Talimena link. I'll check it out. I'll try to have something for you by tomorrow. If not - look at the roads I mentioned. Hope you have a safe and fun time.
Kristi
Last edited by GypsyRR on Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
Kristi
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Dr. Strangelove
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Post by Dr. Strangelove »

Did you try some hydrocortisone cream on your errr, burn? it wouldn't hurt anything even in the unlikely event of a rash. I'll bet there was someting irritating the skin under the pad's pressure, detergent, sand something. and the heat made it worse. did you check out the MSDS on the material?

anyway...

Our group did Hill country last year and it was great, we really rode all over. Stayed in Kerrville. This trip is terra incognita to me, so look forward to it. Make sure you do the Trinity. I think 335 was my favorite--like a roller coaster. 337 was fun, but some gravel made for interesting moments. 336 was very fast. 16 was a fun road and, I think 10??, way to the south was very pretty. Some parts look like the French countryside. If there was one thing lacking it was the food. There just weren't a lot of places to eat. I thought there'd be BBQ on every corner, but it was hard to find. We even had to resort to Subway one night!

I doubt we'll get west of College Station, but would be very interested in a route east for the ride back. twists, sweeps, scenic--it's all good.

I 10 is awful. I'm sure I'd die in Houston traffic and if that doesn't do it then Baton Rouge will. and in between there is nothing but spped traps, traffic and spotty road surface. I don't ride I 10 here in the city.

Do you know if La 82--the old Spanish Trail on the coast survived Rita?


John
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Well, don't do that-Hippocrates
GypsyRR
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Post by GypsyRR »

John:

I didn't have time to map out routes for you, but I did map some roads near College Station and I found a website that lists roads in East Texas that are good and I mapped some of those roads on this communitywalk.com map at this web address:

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/tx.html#pw

The website with good East Texas Roads is this. Maybe you can connect some of the roads to come up with a good route.
http://www.motorcycleroads.us/tx.html#pw

Extra notes: Once you get west of Conroe, TX stay away from FM1488 from I-45 - Magnolia. It is laden with traffic.

The Ride near Lake Livingston on my map is a nice ride. All the roads in East Texas are going to be full of pine trees with a lot of shade, narrow, some sweeping curves and high speed limits. The best of East Texas won't start until you are about 1 hour into the state from the North.

You really should ride FM 3090 (near College Station) and FM 390 (a Scenic Hwy in Texas also near College Station) and 242 near Lake Livingston (also a top 10 in Texas) And be sure to do that route I have mapped out of Montgomery, Texas on FM 149 - I ride it very often. It goes through the Sam Houston National Forest and is a motorcycle favorite in this area. Hope this helps. Be safe and have fun.
Kristi
Kristi
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