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This weekend I went for a ride up in the northwest part of Arkansas. I spent the night saturday at a friends house in rural Gentry. It's in the extreme northwest part of the state. I got up early Sunday morning to very dark skys with lots of thunder. I decided since I was headed southeast and the storm was headed southeast that I could get ahead of it. Big mistake. By the time I got loaded up and moving it was raining, at about a mile into the trip it was raining as hard as I have ever seen it. I then heard the tornado sirens blaring. Wasn't long and the wind and the rain were so bad it drowned out the sirens. I couldn't see well enough to find shelter so I pressed on the best I could. Then the hail came. It all seemed unreal, but it wasn't. I actually got passed by a tree! Not a real big one, but a tree none the less. Then I could see what appeared to be what was left of a chicken house scattered everywhere. Then the wind let up some and it was just raining cats and dogs with sevier lightening. I can remember in the back of my mind Yosemity Sam saying.... Say your prayers rabbit!
I rode the next 25 miles into Springdale in very hard rain, lightening with occasional small hail. When I got there the streets were flooded. There was a few cars stalled because of the water. I finally found shelter under an awning at a convience store. I waited it out for about 30 minutes before I pressed on. Finally I got out of the hard rain after I got thru Harrison. About Yellville I hit dry roads and I kicked it in the butt and hauled azz home. No way was I gonna let that storm catch back up with me. I stopped in Mtn. View for gas and called my wife, told her to open the garage door so I could duck in quick if needed. I ran in and turned off the wing and I could hear the rain starting to hit the roof. That was close.
I hope I never get caught in another storm like that. I saw several other bikes that got caught in it as well in and around Springdale. Anybody else from the board there?
I learned a few things from the experience..
1. A wing will run just fine with water up to the heads of the motor.
2. It sounds pretty cool with the mufflers submerged.
3. At 35mph and water 6 inches deep, it will throw a wall of water over your head that you cant see thru.
4. Avons are very good tires for wet roads. Not one slip.
My bud went later and took some pics of the carnage I rode thru and emailed them to me. He said lots of trees down, a couple of trailer houses blown over, a chicken house blown away and some other stuff. I cant get the pics to load for some reason, keep gettin a thumbnail error. I will post em if I figure it out.
I rode the next 25 miles into Springdale in very hard rain, lightening with occasional small hail. When I got there the streets were flooded. There was a few cars stalled because of the water. I finally found shelter under an awning at a convience store. I waited it out for about 30 minutes before I pressed on. Finally I got out of the hard rain after I got thru Harrison. About Yellville I hit dry roads and I kicked it in the butt and hauled azz home. No way was I gonna let that storm catch back up with me. I stopped in Mtn. View for gas and called my wife, told her to open the garage door so I could duck in quick if needed. I ran in and turned off the wing and I could hear the rain starting to hit the roof. That was close.
I hope I never get caught in another storm like that. I saw several other bikes that got caught in it as well in and around Springdale. Anybody else from the board there?
I learned a few things from the experience..
1. A wing will run just fine with water up to the heads of the motor.
2. It sounds pretty cool with the mufflers submerged.
3. At 35mph and water 6 inches deep, it will throw a wall of water over your head that you cant see thru.
4. Avons are very good tires for wet roads. Not one slip.
My bud went later and took some pics of the carnage I rode thru and emailed them to me. He said lots of trees down, a couple of trailer houses blown over, a chicken house blown away and some other stuff. I cant get the pics to load for some reason, keep gettin a thumbnail error. I will post em if I figure it out.
