2012 -- Shamrock Tour around Mountain View, Arkansas -- May 24-28
Roadrunner Magazine is one of my favorite motorcycle mags. In every issue, they feature a Shamrock Tour -- four one day loop rides around a central point. In 2010, we had camped near Mountain View and enjoyed all of the loops. We decided to go back this year but stay in a motel for more comfort.Along on the ride this year was a friend, Joe, a former competitive motocross rider as a youngster. So the players this year were me on my 2000 BMW R1100RS, dad on a 1994 BMW R1100RS, Richard on his 2001 Triumph Trophy 1200, and Joe on a 1982 BMW R100RT.
We met in eastern OK, which is a four hour ride for me, and spent the night. Early the next day, we headed for Arkansas. Here are a couple of pics of our first stretch break at a rest area:
We made it to Mountain View and checked in at the Dogwood Motel, a mom and pop motor court with clean rooms. Late May had the lantana blooming and butterflies were all around.
Mountain View, in addition to being in the middle of some of the best motorcycle roads in Arkansas, bills itself as the Ozark Folk Music Capitol of the World. The courthouse square and the park nearby feature nightly free concerts of folk music in an informal setting during late spring, summer, and early fall. There are gazebos for the musicians, and spectators bring lawn chairs to sit in a circle around them and listen. There is a variety of styles from instrumental bluegrass to gospel to folk.
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| Dad, Joe, and Richard ready to enjoy the music. |
Mountain View is near the confluence of Sylamore Creek and the White River. Our daily rides would often follow or cross one or both of those waterways. After riding Push Mountain Road, on of the most challenging and entertaining highways on the trip, we arrived at the White River.
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| Richard and me on the White River bridge |
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| Richard, Dad, and I -- brothers and dad! |