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It's an youtube video, some of you won't be able to see it at work.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Day 4 - Arkansas, an agriculture state
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What a day. I crossed the Mississippi river into Arkansas today. I've done maybe 98% of unpaved roads, mostly gravel. If I were Picasso and had an art test tomorrow, I'd probably fail. My wrists hurt. Light gravel on top of dirt is OK, but, man they have lots of gravel to waste. They put so much gravel on top so it's very loose and create hills in between the tracks. If you wobble on it, you do a cha-cha on motorcycle, very scary stuff. But it's better than sand. Sand is OK, if it's not deep. I had some fine deep sand roads today, That's where you really slowdown.
Good thing,I did not drop the bike even once. Bad thing, I ended up in a dry county,don't remember the name of it, but probably "Wrong County". A town of Beebe. I'm glad I've taken my trusty Makarov with me, man, that route was made through some neighbourhoods you don't want to go after sun goes down.
Here is the report of the Day 4. I've covered 297 miles with average 29MPH (again, don't worry about the maximum speed)
Good thing,I did not drop the bike even once. Bad thing, I ended up in a dry county,don't remember the name of it, but probably "Wrong County". A town of Beebe. I'm glad I've taken my trusty Makarov with me, man, that route was made through some neighbourhoods you don't want to go after sun goes down.
Here is the report of the Day 4. I've covered 297 miles with average 29MPH (again, don't worry about the maximum speed)
Here are some more pictures with some comments.
The day started at the tank in Holly something...
Gotta watch out for tire, chain andsprockets wear.
Good protection on the bottom. I hear loud bangs of big rocks hitting the guards.
I don't know what's wrong with that town, but lots of inmates in uniforms doing some jobs around. A cop was goofing around inside the cages grocery store at the gas station.
Here is sand I was talking about. You can swim in it.
Day 3 - Finnally in Mississippi
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It was a nice campground last night. I woke up about 5:30AM and took a good, hot shower, again. Oatmeal and coffee for breakfast. If you eat your breakfast, you're good and warm on the road, if you don't, you're cold and miserable.
I rode 376 miles today averaging 29MPH (don't mind the maximum, again).
The closer I got to Mississippi, the more unpaved roads became. Most of the roads are topped with gravel. There are several differences. If it's sharp and rough, it packs good, and riding on it is as same as on an asphalt. If it's round - no shit. The bike wobbles left and ride. I'm not the hella-off-road-rider, but mother-of-dog-poo, it's scary.
Especially on tight turns. I figured if I stand on pegs it steers better, so most of the day today I was standing. Well, it's not always a good idea. If it's a steep incline, there is only so much I can lean forward, otherwise I'm hanging on the handlebar. Other than that, it's OK. The never-maintained-roads also better to go over standing, so you compensate all the roughness with you legs.
It was a good ride today. Tennessee's creaks are famous to be slick. You cannot even walk through. I tried, believe me. You do one step in a creek, and next thing you do is a cha-cha dance...
There were three creek crossings today, I did all of them, even the last one - I'll comment on that picture later.
Here is the ONE. I was standing there for, I don't know, 10-15 min waiting if someone will be passing by. I knew, if I drop my bike in that creek (which is fine for the bike), I wouldn't be able to get it up, because of the slippery surface on the bottom. My feet would slip, so would the tires.
GO OR NO GO?
F..ing GO. No bailing out, no backing out, no retreat. Just f..king GO.
That's where I came out.
I did it very-very slow. Maybe an inch at the time, with feet in the water. Once I got front wheel in the creek, that's it, there is no return. When I got to the middle, the creek downstream was probably as salty is Atlantic Ocean, I was sweating like mother Teresa on first date. My shield got fogged and I could not let go the handlebars to open the visor. My breath became short, the heartbeat increased, adrenaline increased. People who crossed that creek would understand me. You drop a dirt bike in that creek, you need two-three people to lift it back up, or just slide it to the shore.
Once I crossed that, other crossings were simple.
Here are some more pictures with some comments.
Come on, McChickens...
I don't know what's wrong, maybe it's an environment, or something, but most of Tennessee's children are...
Here is the show stopper.
It was a nice campground last night. I woke up about 5:30AM and took a good, hot shower, again. Oatmeal and coffee for breakfast. If you eat your breakfast, you're good and warm on the road, if you don't, you're cold and miserable.
I rode 376 miles today averaging 29MPH (don't mind the maximum, again).
The closer I got to Mississippi, the more unpaved roads became. Most of the roads are topped with gravel. There are several differences. If it's sharp and rough, it packs good, and riding on it is as same as on an asphalt. If it's round - no shit. The bike wobbles left and ride. I'm not the hella-off-road-rider, but mother-of-dog-poo, it's scary.
Especially on tight turns. I figured if I stand on pegs it steers better, so most of the day today I was standing. Well, it's not always a good idea. If it's a steep incline, there is only so much I can lean forward, otherwise I'm hanging on the handlebar. Other than that, it's OK. The never-maintained-roads also better to go over standing, so you compensate all the roughness with you legs.
It was a good ride today. Tennessee's creaks are famous to be slick. You cannot even walk through. I tried, believe me. You do one step in a creek, and next thing you do is a cha-cha dance...
There were three creek crossings today, I did all of them, even the last one - I'll comment on that picture later.
Here is the ONE. I was standing there for, I don't know, 10-15 min waiting if someone will be passing by. I knew, if I drop my bike in that creek (which is fine for the bike), I wouldn't be able to get it up, because of the slippery surface on the bottom. My feet would slip, so would the tires.
GO OR NO GO?
F..ing GO. No bailing out, no backing out, no retreat. Just f..king GO.
That's where I came out.
I did it very-very slow. Maybe an inch at the time, with feet in the water. Once I got front wheel in the creek, that's it, there is no return. When I got to the middle, the creek downstream was probably as salty is Atlantic Ocean, I was sweating like mother Teresa on first date. My shield got fogged and I could not let go the handlebars to open the visor. My breath became short, the heartbeat increased, adrenaline increased. People who crossed that creek would understand me. You drop a dirt bike in that creek, you need two-three people to lift it back up, or just slide it to the shore.
Once I crossed that, other crossings were simple.
Here are some more pictures with some comments.
Come on, McChickens...
I don't know what's wrong, maybe it's an environment, or something, but most of Tennessee's children are...
Here is the show stopper.
After this one, I had to find nearest place for the night. The Town of Ashland was about 10 miles away (unpaved road). When I got there, I saw a police car and asked if there are any campgrounds, or motels, or something to stay for the night...
- Well, the population of our town is 537 and we ain't got no motels here. Go to Holly Springs, you take highway 5 and turn right at first intersection on highway 4. 15 miles and here ya go. Or, if you take highway 5 down about 15 miles you hit interstate which will take you to Holly Springs even faster.
- Well, sir, ain't taking highway 5 to interstate taking as much time as if I take highway 4 directly to Holly freaking Springs?
- Well, interstate is faster.
- Is highway paved?
- Yee.
- IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE FOR ME.
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