Date: 10/04/98
Fr: Texarkana, AR
To: Camden, AR
Total Miles: 84
Feet Climbed: 1,000
Weather:
Overcast and about 70 degrees in the morning.
The skies opened up again for about 15 or 20 minutes, just enough to give us a good soaking. The sun came out after and heated things up into the high 80's. A light breeze cooled us while we rode.

 

 
Points of Interest:
We rode through Hope, Arkansas and turned onto Bill Clinton Avenue. There didn't seem to be much homage to the President, at least not from our vantage point.
We stopped at house along the way that had the whole yard and inside filled with every imaginable item (kind of a junkyard, but nicer). We took pictures (see below) and toured the place just before it started to ran. Interesting people - (Davis and Claudie Purifoy)
Highlights:
The terrain changed considerably to tall pine trees and reminded us of Northern Michigan in the summer. We are happy to report that there not as many dogs and they seemed to be mostly fenced in!
Compared to the past 8 days of 100 miles plus, an 84 mile day seemed like a quick trip. Lunch was served in the hotel parking lot and there were root beer floats (supposedly you had to eat lunch first, but Bruce didn't let that stop him from diving right into the ice cream and making a big float!).
People We Rode With:
Bruce and Brian rode together with a brief stretch with Brian U. and also the Swiss trio.
Total Saddle Time: 4 hrs. 35 min.
 
(Yesterday's TST: 8 hrs. 47 min.)

 
Comments/Quotes:
Our bikes felt as if the tires were flat and that we were riding uphill even when descending. The miles must be catching up to us. Three days of rain brought out all the squeaks, knocks and clicks that tend to drive you a bit crazy after riding 1,500 miles. Bruce is an expert in fixing noises of all kinds, he is a certified noisologist and has dedicated himself to eradicating all noises on both of our bikes (this noise reduction effort is particularly key to our strategy of sneaking by dogs before they hear us coming -- Bruce has coined the term "stealth bike").
Last minute flash: Brian got his 5th flat after reaching the hotel. Bruce fixed the flat. Also, found out Brian's frame was holding about 8 ounces of water that must have gotten in during the past 3 days.

 Go to Next Day

 

Bruce standing on one of many bridges we have crossed, but this is one of the few that have had water running under them!

 

Werner and Rolf in foreground, Brian U. and David sitting behind them and Marty, the dog Bisti and Barb in back.

 

Bruce's secret weapon in the battle against stiffness and fatigue. Barb offers up a free neck massage to keep Bruce going.

 

The Stegasaurus! This picture doesn't quite show it, but when Bruce rides in the aero position his profile kind of looks like a stegasaurus (the camelbak sticks up like the spikes on the famed dinosaur's back -- or maybe Brian has just put in too many miles to think straight anymore!).

 

Brian in front of the "trippy" house with all the knick knacks

 

Bruce standing with Claudie and Davis Purifoy, the residents/owners of this unusual collection of stuff

 

One of at least four rooms full of every imaginable thing