Fri AM i headed over to Jasper, AR to the FS ranger station to learn about the Buffalo river headwaters trail. Kindle said that Mike would be there to answer my questions. It was a Friday afternoon and he was not in. The receptionist kept calling a person in the back office until he showed up. he gave me an idea where the trails were on Cave mtn rd. I drove pavement to cave mtn gravel rd. Crossed the Buffalo river several times while driving in its flood plain. Ozarks. Stubby rounded mtns covered in deciduous green. High humidity because the plants are transpiring moisture from the soil thru their stoma into the air. Nice windy road.
I missed the described TH continuing on the gravel rd until I came upon a community of abandoned vehicles. People were standing out front of a house. Not quite Deliverance situation. I needed instructions and I was willing to expose myself to whatever. An older guy, must have been the father of the younger threatening men gave me proper directions. I missed the TH. I drove back and found it which was a grassed pullout w/ a pile of construction gravel. I found a double track road heading downhill where a fuels reduction fire burned up to. No bike tracks. I walked until the rd just stopped. Not good, no trails. Walked back. I rode my bike one way to see if there was another TH. Not there. Turned around then rode the other way. A cluster of mailboxes were roadside, one box had an IMBA sticker on it. Cool. A resident biker. Now, if I could find him. I rode the side road where I thought the houses of the boxes belonged. I rode a ways then decided I would never reach the houses. OK, tomorrow is Saturday, the weekend. I figured the locals would be out to ride and i could glob on for a ride.
I deployed the awning for shade in the 86 degrees and same humidity. A car went by, the first one. I heard it stop and back up then pulled in. Dave is his name and he is a biker and lives further down the road. I tried to get him to guide me on Sat. He needed to work on a house project. He gave me another locals name, How, and his phone number. I had cell reception so i called him. He said sure, when do you want to ride? His box displayed the IMBA stickie.
Sat @ 9:00 I called him b4 leaving. I learned from him that he is quite an activist for land conservation. I shared some comments. I felt comfortable. Then I drove to his house down further the road I rode on previously. The cty road ended @ his gate where a beat up lane continued. How greeted me. I parked my van uphill @ his unfinished guest cabin. I rode downhill to his house down an even rougher drive. Off the grid living. We got along well. he is 60. He started hiking some of the connecting trails to the old homesteads. Once he started mtn biking he made the trails suited for riding. His property abuts the Ozark NF. We rode off joined by his adopted husky dog. Primary ground cover is poison ivy that we walked in while pushing our bikes. Trails really really need brushing back. Places where the ground was moistest the humidity wetted the hidden moss covered sandstone rocks: unseen slipperiness. I caught a handle bar between 2 trees that were spaced closer than my 28″ bars that resulted in a slam down in a bed of poison.
We stopped at a water hole
Long hot humid ride. back @ his house he offered me a shower and some poison ivy begone cleanser. I accepted his invitation to dinner and spend the night. I ate lamb sausage.
Hey Steve and Morgan: I met How and rode some of the same trails you rode.
How told me about Kessler Mtn above Fayetteville. I headed to there this AM. I slept thru the night w/o a poison ivy itch. I missed the Smoke house rd to Kessler. I turned into the next road and backed up to turn around. BANG!!! I backed into a tree. I got out to look. My handle bar was turned sideways, m y bike was crooked in the rack. I dented the box door. I messed up good. I pulled the bike off and checked it out after straightening the bar. Seemed OK. I fixed the rack which now has a lean to it. The door will need professional help. I turned around then drove up the road. A pickup caught up w/ me and flagged me down. He is Frank, a property owner of where I will be riding. He showed me where to park. He hosts gathering of the local mtn bike club of which How belongs. Steve and Morgan have visited here 2X for IMBA trail work. Interconnected mtn bike community.
Kessler mtn is technical w/o poison ivy and slippery rocks. Encountered 3 hikers, one is a mtn biker belonging to the club and knows How. He gave me a route to ride which I did. Hot and sweaty.
I am staying where Frank parked me. I am beside a small pond that is being overgrown providing habitat for numerous frogs which create quite the back beat to the classical music on XM.
Ticks again.
How suggested going north to UP of MI rides to get away from the heat. I thought about it but decided to continue in the south and save the north until after my July visit to Ohio when i will really want to be away from the heat.
I learned that the fear of hitting an armadillo w/ you rig is that they jump up b4 you hit them.
Not something I see every day
