Arkansas: Total Eclipses
A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere every 18 months. Considering 70% of the earth is water, though, your chances of seeing one from dry land are pretty slim. You have to be in the right place at the right time. On top of that, you need favorable weather conditions, a clear sky, and ideally a 360-degree view of the horizon.
The contiguous U.S. experienced a total solar eclipse back in 2017, while the one before that happened in 1979. I was lucky enough to witness the 2017 eclipse from my home in Tennessee, where we experienced 55 seconds of totality. I was hooked.
The next total eclipse would happen seven years later on April 8, 2024. The path of totality would stretch from Texas to Maine, which meant I would have to travel a little farther than my own backyard for this one. Seems like a perfect excuse to plan a motorcycle trip.
Motorcycle & Gear
Helmet: HJC RPHA 11 Pro
Jacket: Klim Marrakesh
Pants: Klim Outrider
Boots: Klim Blak Jak, Gaerne Balanced
Gloves: Klim Marrakesh
Comm System: Cardo Packtalk Edge
Camera: Nikon Z6II, 24-70mm F2.8, GoPro Hero 12 Black
Our Crew
We were a motley crew of riders who—in the beginning—identified each other by the bikes we showed up on, rather than our names. Over the years, we’ve become such good friends that I consider them to be family. I’ve put more miles down with these goons than with anyone else.
We’ve gotten bikes stuck, unstuck, and repaired on the side of the road. We’ve shared beers in bars in out of the way places, explored trails, gotten lost, and seen some of the best sunsets together. We’ve wrenched all night, ridden all day, and scraped each other up off the asphalt when the gremlins decided to bite. These are our people.
Caleb, whom you may already know, is Mr. McInturff. No further explanation necessary. You can catch up on our moto shenanigans by reading the last several years of RoadRUNNER back issues. On this tour, we were both on a Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+.
I’ve known Jesse as long as I have known Caleb, and he can ride the wheels off a motorcycle. His rear tires wear out quicker than the front—I’ve never seen someone ride a wheelie as far as he can. He’s a dad now, so we don’t get to see him as often as we’d like to. Jesse was riding his Yamaha MT-10.
Jon is the wild child. He speaks off the cuff, always looks for trouble, and knows how to have a good time. It’s simply not a party until Jon shows up, and his laugh can be heard from across the campground. Fun fact—he officiated my wedding. This weekend, he was riding his Yamaha XSR900.
Troy is our “moto dad.” We always end up having the coolest experiences with him. Some of my favorites include listening to steel guitars in a tiny bar in Mississippi and many midnight paddles under the full moon. This was the maiden voyage for his new Honda Gold Wing, affectionately named Woodstock.
James, who we sometimes call Andy, is the happiest person I’ve ever met. His saddlebags are like Mary Poppins’ duffle and can always fit one more item—especially if that item is bourbon or Arkansas moonshine. Andy was riding his not-so-stealthy KTM 1290 Super Duke.
On the Road
The rendezvous point for Operation Eclipse was Mountain View, AR. Most of us had around 450 miles to ride to get there, and we all arrived just before the sunset. We grabbed dinner at the local Mexican restaurant before bunking in one of the family cabins at Ozark Folk Center State Park. In hindsight, suggesting burritos before sharing a room with a bunch of guys was a bit of an oversight. Note taken.
The next morning, we had a chilly start. It was that time of year when you aren’t sure whether to wear cold or warm weather gear, so we all opted for the latter plus layers in case the temperature dropped. We got ready slowly, while the sun melted the frost off our motorcycle seats.
Heading west, we followed the most indirect route we could piece together. The curves were endless and fast as we made our way toward the state's western border. I’d never ridden in Arkansas before, aside from quick through-trips on major interstates to get to another part of the country. I’d heard riders talk about the great riding in the Ozarks, and it’s been on my to-ride list for a long time. But until I put rubber down, I had no idea how beautiful Arkansas was. The rolling hills, dramatic cliffs, and twisty roads were a bit of a shock to all of us. We were in our element.
Our thumbs had thawed by the time we rolled into Jasper, a small town surrounded by increasingly windy roads. A few shops were open, so we meandered for a bit before having lunch at the Ozark Cafe, which is famous for its cheese volcano burger.
The Legacy of RoadRUNNER
After an extended rest stop, we made our way back to the motorcycles. We were pulling our helmets onto our heads when we were approached by an older fella with a deep, raspy voice.
“You know, motorcycle magazines write about this place. That’s how special it is!” he proclaimed.
The old-timer regaled us with a tale from 20 or so years ago, when a magazine editor rode through here on an old sportbike. The man had talked to him for an hour, helping the errant moto traveler trace great roads to ride on his map. He had been very excited to receive a few tips from a local. “I was devastated to hear of his passing several years later, but I still read the magazine from time to time. It’s one of my favorites,” he said.
I reached into my waist pack and pulled out a few shiny RoadRUNNER stickers. Handing them to him, I asked if that was the magazine. His eyes lit up and he gave an enthusiastic, “Yes!” More than 20 years ago, he had an on-the-road interaction with RoadRUNNER founder Christian Neuhauser as he scouted the area for routes. It obviously left a lasting impression. What a small world it is.
I often think about how we (as motorcyclists) impact the world around us. What kind of impression do we leave behind when we meet someone on the road? What do others take away from their experiences with us? I always try to make it something positive, as do all of us at RoadRUNNER. That’s the kind of legacy we want to leave behind, and it’s apparent that Christian did exactly that.
Fayetteville Entertainment
Running a little behind schedule after our prolonged fuel stop, we gave our throttles an aggressive squeeze and continued along our route. The miles tallied on our odometers in a hurried fashion, and we enjoyed every second of the throttle therapy.
As we made our way toward Fayetteville, we couldn’t help but notice all the gravel roads that darted off in every direction around us. Every time we stopped at a red light, someone would yell over the rumble of engines, “We have to come back on dual sports!” Well, you don’t have to twist my arm! It was only the first day riding in the Ozarks and I was already sold that this is the best-kept secret of the Midwest.
We eventually arrived at the summit of Mount Sequoyah, which overlooks downtown Fayetteville. This church camp turned into an event and retreat center sits on a gorgeous property with cabins and other buildings dispersed throughout. We went into town for a barbecue dinner at Penguin Ed’s and then embarked on a walking tour of Dickson St, which is dubbed the epicenter of Fayetteville—the entertainment headquarters of the region. The shops and bars were bustling with activity.
Not So Hot Springs
The next day, we got a leisurely start heading south. We stopped at Hanging Rock, a tall rock overlook which required a four-mile round trip side quest down Fly Gap Rd, which was gravel. Most riders on bikes like ours would have avoided all the loose gravel, rock ledges, and several steep curves. This group of misfits, however, likes a little adventure, and we conquered it without any issues.
Not too much farther, we turned onto SR 215 which took us into Oark. The Oark General Store seemed to be the happening place for all types of riders, so we pulled in and had lunch. This is one of those places that’s now permanently pinned on my GPS. It was without a doubt the best cheeseburger I’d had in a long time, and the fried cherry pie to finish it off just sent me over the edge. I wasn’t losing any weight on this trip, but this food was worth it.
We followed the ever-twisty SR 103 south out of Oark before cutting across to SR 7, which runs straight south until you reach Hot Springs. This route was so scenic, we wouldn’t mind riding a part of it again the next morning. Once in Hot Springs we decided to go take a dip in the, er… Hot springs. However, the thousands of other visitors in town had the same idea and there was no availability at the bathhouse. Bummed that the town didn’t quite live up to its name, we decided to walk the main strip, check out the shops, and find some food.
This Little Piggie
We had a few bucket-list roads we wanted to ride while in this part of Arkansas, and Day 3 checked most of them. We started on SR 7, otherwise known as the Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway, which stretches 290 miles across the state, and enjoyed the 52 miles of it to the north of Hot Springs before turning west to find SR 309.
Mount Magazine Scenic Byway (that is, the aforementioned SR 309) twists its way to the top of Mount Magazine, the highest point in Arkansas at 2,753 feet. It had gotten quite warm in the valley, but as we began our ascent, the temperature dropped to a cool early spring chill.
The flowing corners didn’t stop as we continued north to the Pig Trail (SR 23), which runs from Ozark to Eureka Springs. We followed this route all the way to its terminus and found refuge for the night at the top of the mighty Eureka Springs hill, staying at the New Orleans Hotel.
There Goes the Sun
We left Eureka Springs early, anticipating crowded roads as we made our way toward the centerline of the eclipse. Thousands of people had traveled to the area for this event, and we didn’t want to miss getting to our viewing spot, which we determined would be the side of a gravel road near Western Grove, AR. Our pinned location would get almost three minutes of totality!
Our route was not direct, as we expected the major highways to have the most traffic. Instead, we followed a twisty course, which included SR 74 through Mount Sherman and another lap through Jasper. We didn’t have any issue with traffic until we reached Western Grove.
US 65 was packed as far as the eye could see. The stand-still traffic was evidence that we’d made it to the right place, but there was no way we’d be able to get to our destination this way. We were close, so looking at the map, we found a cut-through road—a few miles of dirt and gravel was all that stood between us and the perfect viewing spot.
The locals gave us several funny looks as we be-bopped our way down the dirty, bumpy road on street slicks. We took our time, picking our lines through the sandy dirt and avoiding speeding cars coming from the opposite direction. At least we were moving. We arrived at our destination with a few minutes to spare before the partial began. Laying our jackets in the grass, we set up camp for the next couple of hours. We took turns staring at the sun, snacking, and snapping photos through our solar filters. We called out the progress as the moon inched between the sun and Earth, eventually eclipsing the sun entirely.
The temperature dropped a solid 15 degrees as we witnessed the 360-degree sunset. The world became quiet as people along the path of totality stopped what they were doing and looked up to observe a moment in history. Roosters began to crow and crickets began to chirp, apparently confused by this midday dusk, which lasted a couple of minutes before slowly returning to normal.
Good for the Soul
There is something special about witnessing phenomena larger than life, such as standing next to the ocean, peering off the top of a mountain, watching the sparkling night sky, or viewing a total solar eclipse. Some people call it awe, an emotional response to something vast and overwhelming. The feeling often involves a sense of wonder, reverence, and a realization of one’s own smallness in the grand scheme of things. It can lead to a greater appreciation for the beauty and mystery of the world, as well as a sense of connectedness to something larger than oneself. I like to call it a reset.
After being cooped up all winter, we needed a weekend moto bender. We rode hard all day, got ourselves involved in some shenanigans at night, and belly laughed for hours over ridiculous conversations and brews with our buds. On top of that, we were able to observe an elusive natural phenomenon and check off one more bucket list item. It just doesn’t get any better than that!
Facts & Info
Approximately 800 miles
Overview
Arkansas truly is the best-kept secret of the Midwest. The riding through the Ozarks is twisty, scenic, and fun. And that’s without mentioning the food—the area won’t leave you hungry. Several iconic motorcycling roads, which should be on everyone’s to-ride list, meander through this part of the country. A few recommended overnight locations include Mountain View, Eureka Springs, Fayetteville, and Hot Springs. Don’t miss the cafe in Oark, and be sure to ride the Pig Trail during your visit. It’s best to visit Arkansas in the spring, summer, or fall. Our early spring ride meant we had the roads nearly to ourselves.
Roads & Riding
The area is filled with beautiful paved roads for those looking to stay on the tarmac. Road surfaces are generally in good repair, and we saw road crews actively working on some areas that needed a bit of TLC. Staying toward the northwest corner of the state will keep you in the more remote areas with smaller towns and less traffic.
For riders interested in exploring the paths less traveled, gravel roads abound here. Every direction you look, gravel and/or dirt snakes off into the mountains. On our next trip to Arkansas, we’ll be riding the dual sport bikes.
Resources
Lodging: Mount Sequoyah
Overlooking the city of Fayetteville, AR, Mount Sequoyah was founded in 1922 by the Methodist Episcopal Church. Today, it operates as a community center and retreat, offering several rooms and cabins for overnight stays. It is a beautiful place to watch the sun set over the city and get some rest while on a motorcycle vacation. Find it at 517 W Skyline Dr, Fayetteville, AR, (479) 443-4531.