Talihina,Talimena & Mena Run 21/22 Jun 08 Day 1 Part 2

Day 1 Part 2 continues with our ride through the Talimena Scenic Byway and on into De Queen Arkansas were we spent the night. Scroll down to continue the ride and REMEMBER: if you want to see the picture bigger, simply click on the picture...



This is the view from a vista on the Talimena Scenic Byway of the road that we were driving on and the next part was to be up that next hill..

Some bikers leaving the vista to continue on down the road.

Some other riders at the vista. We shadowed them all the way through the mountains

My bike at one of the vista's with some scenery behind it.

Me & Russ at one of the vista's. This is where the guys in the hand gliders would jump off & then land in a cleared field 1 1/2 miles away off the base of the mountain

Russ & Dustin at a vista..

A view from the mountain

Another view from a vista on the Talimena National Scenic Byway.

Dustin taking a break on the bike atop one of the mountain vista's

This is the Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge.

This is the view of the front of the lodge..All the people on the porch, in the restaurant by the windows and milling around in the parking lot got to see me drop my bike & get pinned under it because I forgot to put the kickstand down. I couldn't jump clear because I was right next to a car. Russ & Dustin had to pull the bike off me so I could get out from under it..Talk about embarassing!! I wanted to find a rock and crawl under it. But in the 80's I forgot to put the kickstand up on my police bike & went to the hospital by ambulance because of it..The only injury here was my pride....

A view of the bikes from the porch..My bike is center right, next to the car..same car that I was pinned next to...

This is the Way Station in Snow Oklahoma where we stopped to eat lunch.

Dustin & Russ at the table inside the Way Station. We all had BBQ brisket sandwiches & a coke for lunch..

The bikes out in the parking lot of the Way Station.

This is Jim & Barbara, owner/operators of the Way Station.

Russ, Barbara & me at the ice machine prior to departing the area. If you are on a run through the area, you definitely need to stop at the Way Station in Snow Oklahoma for lunch. They have a large, very good BBQ brisket sandwich there and it is very inexpensive. The sandwich was large and a canned coke cost $3.61. But if brisket isn't your thing, they have a selection of other sandwiches & food you can get. They also sell groceries, gas & beer and are an Official Hunter Check Station. But you might want to call first and get their hours of operation. You can call Jim & Barbara at the Way Station at 580-298-2814. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how good the food is and how friendly the atmosphere is.

When we got to Mena Arkansas, Russ saw what he called a "Barney Fife Police Car" parked by a depot.. So, naturally, we had to get this pic of Russ & I by it..

The Mena Police car, Mena Arkansas.

The bikes parked by the depot on the main drag of Mena Arkansas

Some of the stores off the main drag in Mena Arkansas.

We left Mena Arkansas and rode to De Queen Arkansas where we got a room at the Western Plaza Inn and spent the night. Here is Russ looking at the Mexican restaurant next store as a possible dinner place after check in.

We unloaded the bikes & then went to eat. Here is a shot of my bike out our motel room door.

The Western Plaza Inn sign, De Queen Arkansas.

Here are Dustin & Russ in the Mexican restaurant next door to the motel. The place was called Papa Poblano's. That will do it for Day 1 Part 2. Scroll on down to see the rest of the run & other runs as well. When ya get to the bottom of the page, just click on the "older post" link & it will pull up the next batch of posts..So, until next post, be careful out there & ride safe.........JOHN