Opelousas,La. to Mena,Ar

[n5tbu]

My first long trip on a bike in 35 years! I wanted to try out my new trailer,so I loaded up with all my camping gear and headed out.
9 hours later I arrived at the motel in Mena,Arkansas...my butt was just fine but my neck and shoulders were so sore that stretching was very painfull.
The next day,I left the trailer at the motel and headed out for the Talamena Scenic Drive,55 miles of twisties and switchbacks and steep inclines.

A fellow biker took this pic of me at the firetower:

 The sign says you can climb it,but the gate was chained shut.
The next day I headed south to the Albert Pike campground for a planned meeting with the rest of my family for a Fathers day celebration.

This was a nice trip for me and I am looking forward to my upcoming trip to Colorado and Wyoming.
On this trip I averaged 45.27 MPG pulling the trailer at 55 MPH the whole way.
Another pic of the area:

Mark

[DesignFlaw06]

Nice pictures.

Looks a little cloudy, did you run into any bad weather at all?

[n5tbu]

During the trip I missed riding in the rain twice,so it was just a wet road,but it stormed the second night in my tent and it leaked like a shower head! It was a miserable night and I found out that those hand dryers in those public restrooms will completly dry you out after repeatally pressing the button for 2 hours!
Mark

[Deadly]

That looks like nice country. I have already made my long trip for the year but Arkansas is not that far away so I may head there some time soon as well. Im glad your trailer worked out for you. 

One can really save some money on a trip if you take your own food and camping gear.  I noticed the cooler on the front of your trailer and its like the one I used to have. It was big enough but It wouldn't keep ice for more than a day so I swithed models in hopes of making the ice last longer.

[n5tbu]

Yes,the cooler didn't cut it...replaced it with an Igloo 3 day cooler,about the same footprint but way better!
mod

[luckylindy]

I live about 100 miles from Mena and try to ride up that way a few times every year.  Great report an a great place to ride.