My trip home from the "True Friends" excellent adv

[skipsfcr]

Thanks again Bo...an excellent time as usual. I think this was some of the hottest driving we've ever done. Nice to see all my friends again and missed all you "True Friends" who didn't make it. A motorcycle enthusiast friend told me about AR highway 123. I asked Bo about the stretch of road (he's familiar with most of the great driving roads in the state) and he said he wasn't familiar with that particular road...So on the way home I had to check it out! I meandered in a generally Southeasterly direction until I reached Boxley Valley. I went North on AR 43 to the Lost Valley access at the Buffalo National River (near Ponca, Arkansas)

I then turned East on Hwy.74...a road I have traveled but not for some time and never in a nice handling car. I quickly came upon several bikers, a few on Beamers along with several rice rockets being held up by local farm equipment traffic. When the road cleared it was on! I matched the bikes turn for turn all the way down 74 until we reached Jasper, AR at the junction with the famous Ar Hwy. 7. This place is turning into Deal's Gap! There were hundreds of bikes in the town. I pulled into a gas station behind the group of bikes and was literally applauded for my driving. I got out of the car to a round of fist bumps and high-fives from virtually all the riders in the group. Several took photos and asked all the details about the car. They were genuinely impressed.

I asked the rider who'd been in the lead if he knew where the junction with Hwy. 123 was and he happily obliged with the simple directions, adding that that was where they were headed next. I continued East on 74 for several miles until I reached the junction with Hwy. 123

Long story short... I now believe Arkansas highway 123 (short though it may be) is the finest driving road in the state. It begins with a long downhill straight followed by a series of stacked 10mph. switchbacks spaced about 100 yards apart...maybe 6 or 7 of them in quick succession. Once you climb the switchbacks the road is a continuous series of chicanes and tightening radius sweepers punctuated by several lesser switchbacks and a couple of short straights. I attacked the road with reckless abandon. I was shadowed by two bikes this time...A beamer and a Honda CBR900R. The Honda rider and I LEFT the guy on the BMW. The guy on the Honda literally could not pass me and under no circumstances was I trying to keep him from doing so. To the contrary I expect and even encourage a skilled sport bike rider to pass at will. We ran all the way to the junction of Hwy 123 & Hwy 7 near Pelsor, AR where we stopped for a glory session. The guy on the Beamer showed up about 30 seconds later. The Honda rider shook my hand and said in all his years of riding he'd NEVER been unable to fly right around even the trickest cars he'd encountered. He was literally shouting "That's badassed!!" I had such an adrenaline rush that my mouth dried up and I had to sit on the roadside for 15 minutes and catch my breath and drink a bottle of water.

With my knees still shaking from the excitement I headed down out of the Ozark Mountains and into the Arkansas River Valley (stopping in Morrillton for some mexican food!)

And finally... Back home to the Ouachita mountains! Like the Alan Jackson song says..."Too much of a good thing is a good thing"

[InkaSteve]

Looks like you were having as much fun as we were here in California. Beautiful car...Does the Tach not work, or were you coasting at 80 with the engine shut down?? It would be fun to take a couple of months and drive all over the US in a 02.

[Jim_75Sahara]

Great pix & a story to tell the grandkids one day. That's what it's all about. If that's the same car you brought to V @ V, it's really looking nice these days. I drove my 02 down to the Cincinnati area yesterday to go to the Bengals vs. Falcons game w/my dad. THe back roads are filling in with houses and strip malls very quickly. I have memories of driving those same roads in my 81 VW Rabbit S years ago. (OH routes 22/3)

[H_Krix]

I'm curious about the 80mph shot also... Looks like you were hauling ass with your blinker on, your e-brake up, all while you had no gas in a cold, shut-down engine...

Even still, props on hanging with the sport bike guys around the corners, and those are some great shots. Good to see people out and about putting 'em through their paces.

[skipsfcr]

Thanks guys! This is a little embarrassing being a "professional auto technician" / shop owner and all but like folks say "plumbers' pipes always leak". The cluster is totally dead in that car. The e-brake icon actually wasn't illuminated but the turn signal indicator was. My brand new OE flasher wigged out on the drive up and I lost my signals entirely and the indicator is on steady. It'll get back burnered for a while but I'm getting a little better about staying on top of my own rides!

[dubois]

Great pics, sounds like everybody is out enjoying the weather!

[wohleb]

Beautiful ride. Nice wheels. What are they? Also nice seats.

[skipsfcr]

Thanks man. The wheels are BBS "RS" in 15X7 et25. I've always liked the look of them but they're pretty soft. Definitely gotta stay away from curbs etc. The seats are actually from a 1998 Z3...We reengineered (lowered) the mounting brackets but they still sit too tall. They are reasonably comfortable though.

[GregR]

Sounds like an awesome road and experience!

Heres a quick photo I snapped on 540 this weekend heading back to the rooms (I really needed that nap!)

[skipsfcr]

I'm forwarding that picture to Ray Kormann along with your name, phone number and vin number! LOL...I'll bet he'd be proud. Great visiting & driving with you & Jim again!

[AndyS]

I could have snapped a similar picture about 4 times when I was "forced" to catch up to the pack! No camera. Skip I need to get the exhaust fixed and find that road one Saturday!

[oz_tom]

Great Pictures! - Car is looking excellent. Subtle and nice.

Those roads sound great, and well done on keeping up with the riders. What a great day!

Tom

[GregR]

I'm forwarding that picture to Ray Kormann along with your name, phone number and vin number! LOL...I'll bet he'd be proud. Great visiting & driving with you & Jim again!

LOL!

Yes was great hanging out! I look forward to next time!

[JohnW]

Awesome story. Beautiful 2002. What is your suspension set-up?

[skipsfcr]

Thanks for the compliement. The suspension for the most part is low-brow right out of the box stuff. Bilstein HD's and ST springs. 22mm front bar of unknown origin linked & bushed with urethane (I got it from Bo Black after he switched to an Ireland hollow adjustable front bar) and an ST 19mm adjustable rear bar. The rear bushings are all urethane along with solid subframe mounts. The front thrust rod bushings are urethane and the control arm bushings are delrin. The front control arms are also completely boxed. And, finally, slowed down with vented front disc / rear disc brakes with braided lines.