2025: A Girl, a Motorcycle, and a Gypsy Soul

I was supposed to go to Tennessee for a Motorcycle event but after those who had gone in the past were unable to go this year, I debated between flying solo (which would have been fine) or going somewhere else (still solo).  I looked at a couple of maps for fun things to do and this picture, at midnight on Tuesday, secured my plan to go to Arkansas Wednesday morning bright and early (so I would get there in plenty of daylight, its only 11 hours).  Besides the photo, Goat Trail to Big Bluff hike immediately caught my attention with words like 'rugged hike', 'ledge trail', and 'not recommended if you dislike heights'.  Big Bluff, as it is accurately named, is 550 feet tall and is the tallest sheer bluff face between the Rocky Mountains and Apalachian Mountains. I HAD to see this in person.    Photo Courtesy of Aaron Bates from nps.gov  (clearly a MUCH nicer camera than my old iphone) I started early in the morning to beat the heat of the day with my back...

 Arkansas is almost like a second home. I have been going there on 2 wheels since 2012 and I can never get enough of the scenery, the twisty roads, the expansive views, the down to earth people, and of course, there are always some shenanigans mixed in. This year, Bikes Blues & BBQ moved locations from Fayetteville, AR to Rogers, AR, and with it, came a new date, pushed back a couple of weeks. While I still ride a lot in October, the days get REAL short, the sunshine is mostly for looks, and the darkness creeps in much quicker - making riding around home a great option, but riding down to Arkansas a bit more of a chore (especially when I can still go earlier in the year and be WARM)! So, instead of heading down for BBBQ this year, as we always do, we decided to stick with the usual date just after mid September. Sadly, Sheila couldn't make it due to an adventure the previous week out west having an impact on her motorcycle's desire to come home and leave again so soon (clut...

 Whitaker Point, also called Hawksbill Crag, near Kingston, Arkansas, is the most photographed place in the state of Arkansas. To get to Whitaker Point, there is a 2.9 mile hike that takes roughly 2.5 hours including all the photos ops along the way. The road TO Whitaker Point is a 6 mile gravel road, unmaintained for the most part, with steep inclines, huge potholes, and switchback corners. I waivered a bit on whether or not 4 girls on motorcycles could make it TO the trailhead, but I can't lie, I was bound to do it this year - even if I had to walk/hitchhike to get there. I told the girls that they didn't have to follow me... But I knew they would because they also don't want to miss out on anything, especially a great hike with photo ops at the end!!!  We turned off of 21 onto gravel road #9560, which is straight. For roughly .25 miles. Then the road took a sharp right, followed by a sharp left and from then on, the road 100% matched the reviews I read online: boulders...