Glass chapels, full dams and a broken pig trail

Gorgeous scenery outside Eureka Springs, AK

Day 3 on the road to Kansas City turned out to be sunny and dry.  Though my head cold rages on, my crackling voice is now at least at a discernable decibel.  I know I'm not too sick to ride since I still want to ride.  For today's adventure, we used Eureka Springs as our jump off point for some scenic back roads routes and sites.  There seemed to be no end to the motorcycle friendly lodges and eating establishments in this little town. The twisting and steep road found in the town itself served as a preview for the backcountry routes we were to encounter later in the day.

Beaver Dam

Our first stop of the day was Beaver Dam.  From the water spilling over the 220 foot high flood gates, all the rain that has been pounding the central states has apparently replenished Beaver Lake/Reservoir to capacity.  Throughout TX and now in AR, we've ridden past numerous rivers, lakes and just flooded fields that show evidence of massive, powerful movements of water recently.  From tree tops peeking out above water levels and piles of brush and trees still rammed against bridge supports, it's obvious that the storms and rains we have been experiencing in San Antonio passed through our current route as well.

Inside Thorncrown Chapel

Next on the list was Thorncrown Chapel.  Sightseeing in Europe for me  almost always includes magnificent, hundreds of years old cathedrals, but there hasn't been many religious buildings in the U.S. that have the architectural ability to draw me in.  This small, wooden structure sporting 6000 square feet of glass however, proved to be an exception.  Opened in 1980, it's serene location makes it a nice respite from the constant concentration required for riding safely in the Ozarks.

Deciding on plan B for Pig Trail route closure

After a lunch stop in the historic downtown area of Eureka Springs, we attempted to once again ride one of the most famous rides in this area- the Pig Trail. I say "again" because our attempt at riding this 19 mile stretch of AR Hwy 23 from the southern entrance was thwarted by a road closure.  It seems that all that flooding has taken a toll on the low-lying areas of this famous ride.  After riding nearly 50 miles south on AR Hwy 23 from the northern approach before passing the sign for the famous ride, we were feeling confident the road might have been open (especially since the Dept. of Transportation recording was reporting no road closures).  Only a couple of miles after the sign though, we ran into these barricades once again.  Oh well, this just means another trip to this area will be in order to finish the ride!

Gunny, Hooker, Princess, Body Slam, Freebird, Kickstand, Barbi and Sunshine

Although disappointed with the route closure, the nearly 300 miles we covered today certainly didn't leave us disappointed.  This area of the Ozark Mountains provided lots of overviews of lush, green valleys.  There were some simple, yet beautiful houses with wrap around porches and meticulously manicured lawns sprinkled amongst mobile homes and a few places that would've been heaven for folks who watch shows like American Pickers. This area actually reminded me quite a bit of North Carolina. 

Stretching our legs along Hwy 16

The day ended with a chocolate shake to try to sooth my increasingly sore throat.  We shall see what tomorrow brings...