This past Friday, I rode home to Memphis from Dallas, wherein I rode a portion of state highway 7 in western Arkansas. I didn't know this before, but the majority of the length is designated a state scenic highway. I simply chose it because it looked pretty neat on the map:
Need I say more?
Actually I will. I got on 7 at Hot Springs and rode it north until almost the end at Diamond City. I turned east on 14 just before the end.
The road doesn't really live up to the sign. It's small sections of long curves and a few hills. There are rare sections where it's really steep and/or really curvy.
Good stuff: The pavement is in great shape. I can't recall ever seeing any debris, rocks, gravel, or anything on the road. No potholes or repairs to mention. Many of the curves provide full visibility, so you can see all the way around.
Bad stuff: It's a popular road with the weekenders. Expect lots of trucks pulling boat trailers and a few RVs. Semis and dumptrucks also use the highway. During the Friday afternoon I was there, the traffic wasn't too bad, but I occasionally had to putter along behind cars for a few miles before I had a chance to pass. Weekdays, you might have the road to yourself. Also, the road generally follows a ridgeline, and guardrails are scarce. If you make a mistake in a curve, you're going to be airborne.
This is a good daytrip for anyone who lives close, and would make for a better weekend trip (or better yet, weekday) for someone a few hundred miles away. There are other roads in the region that are also probably just as fun.
Jamie
Need I say more?
Actually I will. I got on 7 at Hot Springs and rode it north until almost the end at Diamond City. I turned east on 14 just before the end.
The road doesn't really live up to the sign. It's small sections of long curves and a few hills. There are rare sections where it's really steep and/or really curvy.
Good stuff: The pavement is in great shape. I can't recall ever seeing any debris, rocks, gravel, or anything on the road. No potholes or repairs to mention. Many of the curves provide full visibility, so you can see all the way around.
Bad stuff: It's a popular road with the weekenders. Expect lots of trucks pulling boat trailers and a few RVs. Semis and dumptrucks also use the highway. During the Friday afternoon I was there, the traffic wasn't too bad, but I occasionally had to putter along behind cars for a few miles before I had a chance to pass. Weekdays, you might have the road to yourself. Also, the road generally follows a ridgeline, and guardrails are scarce. If you make a mistake in a curve, you're going to be airborne.
This is a good daytrip for anyone who lives close, and would make for a better weekend trip (or better yet, weekday) for someone a few hundred miles away. There are other roads in the region that are also probably just as fun.
Jamie
