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Welcome to motorcycle riding news & updates from
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APRIL 2017 EDITION
Updates on great places to ride, the best destinations to stop along the way,
and all the fun things you can do in Arkansas and Missouri
as you 'Cruise The Ozarks'
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Welcome to the April Edition of 'Cruise News', where you can keep up-to-date with what's happening in the Motorcycle-Friendly Ozarks!
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Happy April Riding!
from David Bell
The old saying ‘Spring has Sprung’ has never been more accurate than as I write these words. What hasn’t leafed out completely is well on it’s way.
And, me and the CTO crew are well on our way to printing the next issue of "Cruise The Ozarks Rider's Guide" – Issue #9, I can hardly believe it – and beginning distribution.
This has been an exciting issue for CTO. We will have more pages than ever and our reach has stretched up to include the historic Lake of the Ozarks, the Spring River on the eastern edge of the Ozarks, and interesting towns that welcome riders with open arms along iconic Route 66.
As I sit at my computer to write this I have one of my favorite MC films in a small box in the corner of my screen. It’s the 1970 documentary ‘On Any
Sunday
’. Any time I need a quick fix of enthusiasm and an uplift, or am tired of background music and talk radio, I go to Youtube and put this movie on and enjoy glimpses of the action and the great ‘60s sound track. Everybody should be familiar with this classic Bruce Brown documentary.
So here’s a quick line up of the editorial content you'll find in our upcoming Issue #9:
AR Highway 23 – an Ozarks Icon
, which is home to the 24-miles of the Pig Trail and some of the greatest riding in the nation. I have enjoyed writing about this entire highway over the years and never tire of it. Before the Dragon received it’s unique moniker in the early ‘90s The Pig Trail was being enjoyed by motorcycle riders for decades... and hated by cagers for an equal time... both for the same reason: the curves.
Spring River Country –
A story on Mammoth Spring and the area around the headwaters of the Spring River was my first foray into motorcycle journalism back in 2000 with a piece in the old Motorcycle Tour and Travel/RoadBike magazine. This article on the region around and south of Spring River will give you a great look at this area with some suggested roads not bested by any in the Ozarks.
Rush, Arkansas, an Ozarks Ghost Town –
There was a time when the price of zinc was high enough to help this little, almost inaccessible, town support a population of over 5,000 residents. Today it’s listed by some sources as the only true ghost town between the Smokies and the Rockies. It’s an oddity situated along the Buffalo River south of Yellville, and worth a fascinating look into history.
The Heart of the Ozarks –
This article covers the area that many will consider the ‘Heart of the Ozarks.’ Its map, pictures and story will guide you as to why many consider this one of the prime Ozarks areas, both scenery and riding-wise.
A Big Lake and Four Water Mills –
This article is a new combination of previous story subjects, rolled into one wonderful ride. It takes in Bull Shoals Lake and the Peel Ferry in Arkansas and four historic water mills in southern Missouri.
The Original: Lake of the Ozarks –
The original mid-American combination of Ozark Hillbillies and large-lake water recreation was the 1929-era Lake of the Ozarks. At one time the lake was the largest reservoir in the United States. And, owing to the fact that this area’s economic engine is the associated tourism, we explore motorcycle riding that is legendary and discover why riders love to ride and relax at this lake.
Route 66 Through the Ozarks –
In our previous issue we explored the Springfield, Missouri connection with the Mother Road. In this issue we’ll take a peek at America’s Main Street from Devil’s Elbow to Halltown outside Springfield, MO, and why celebrating historic Route 66 means so much to local residents and Route 66 festival organizers.
In addition... we'll have more ride maps, more info on the best motorcycle-friendly lodging, restaurants and cafes, and fun 'Things To Do' when you Cruise The Ozarks! And, we'll include the digital download link to all "Cruise News" subscribers the first week of May so you can get a free copy in PDF format to read just as soon as it's available.
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Top Rider News For April 2017
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'SPRING FLING' happens this week in Eureka Springs... will we see you there?
Eureka Springs will be celebrating its first-ever 'Spring Fling' starting tomorrow April 6th and running through April 9th.... thanks to Cathouse Lounge plus the long list of local event sponsors in Eureka Springs.
We'll be in town with Ozarks On Two Wheels on Saturday, April 8th, all day long to celebrate motorcycling in this wonderful city, where you can base a multitude of fantastic rides.
Motorcycle
riders are invited to get an early jump this year on fantastic riding, good food, adult beverages, and good fun in this quirky Victorian Village in the middle of the Ozark Mountains. Get all the details here: Spring Fling Facebook page
Follow our Beaver Dam Ride Map Loop while you're in Eureka Springs. It's a great ride!
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It's a great ride that takes you across the beautiful and scenic Beaver Lake Dam on Hwy 187, then leads you north toward the historic golden Beaver Bridge and winds you past Holiday Island then up into southern Missouri on Hwy 86. From there you can follow the ride map toward Carr Lane and cruise over to see the historic Berryville Public Square, or you can turn left on Hwy 86 and head up toward Cassville and the Roaring River State Park. Either direction will provide hours of scenic wonder!
And, don't forget to check out all of our
free ride maps on our website:
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News From Pig Trail Harley-Davidson:
Our friend Mike Hall at Pig Trail Harley-Davidson in Rogers, AR, sent us some of the upcoming events their dealership is sponsoring, so that you can pencil them in on your calendar so you won't miss any of the fun this riding season:
Friday & Saturday, April 7th & 8th – Pig Trail H-D Open House featuring H-D Demo Rides Friday & Saturday
Friday & Saturday, June 16th & 17th – Pig Trail Palooza Custom Bike Show and Rally
Saturday, July 22nd – Rumble in the Ozarks Poker Run benefiting Arkansas Special Olympics
Saturday, August 19th – Shelter from the Storm Poker Run benefiting the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter
Mike tells us that other events will be added to their calendar of events soon, specifically those coming up in May, June & July. You can visit and bookmark the Pig Trail H-D online calendar by clicking here. The dealership is located at 2409 Hudson Road in Rogers, AR. Their phone number is 479-636-9797 if you need to call ahead about events they have scheduled this year. You should also visit their store in Eureka Springs as well. It's located in what used to be called the Pine Mountain Village on Business Hwy 62, east of the downtown area. Great staff at both locations to serve you.
Other Happenings In Eureka Springs:
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge Celebrates 25 Years This Month -- Mark your calendars now because Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is celebrating their 25th anniversary on Sunday, April 23, 2017. Join them for a day filled with fun, food, family, and felines. Come and visit with the TCWR team.
Celebrate all of the accomplishments made over the last 25 years and see the amazing animals that have been saved through their mission and dedication. Tickets for the 25th anniversary party cost $50 and will need to be purchased by Friday, April 14, 2017, if you wish to attend the event.
The event includes entry into the refuge for the day, breakfast, a commemorative T-shirt, a habitat opening, the intern Olympic Games and more! For more details about Turpentine Creek, or to register for this event, click here:
http://www.turpentinecreek.org/save-the-date/
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Make Plans Now To Attend the 20th-Annual Elk Fest in Jasper, Arkansas the weekend of June 23-24, 2017
This one-of-a-kind Ozark Mountain festival has been held annually for the past two decades on the last full weekend of June, right in the Heart of the Ozarks, Jasper, Arkansas. This award-winning festival celebrates the successful reintroduction of elk herds to Newton County. And, it celebrates, the quaint, creative community of Jasper.
Best of all, when you get there, you get to ride some of the best motorcycle roads in the Ozarks as a nice little side benefit that weekend. Make plans to be there for all the fun this June. More details can be found by clicking here: Visit the Buffalo River Elk Festival Facebook page
If you want to participate as a vendor at this year's festival, there's still spaces available for you, so follow this link to their website: buffaloriverelkfestival.com to get all the details and festival updates as well.
Finally, we are excited to announce that we will be launching our new website, Heart of the Ozarks, in May, to showcase the very best of both Newton and Madison counties in Arkansas. We'll have more to share with you on this new website in next month's issue of 'Cruise News'
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Free Download Still Available To Our Readers!
Our fine friends at Ozarks On Two Wheels published their 2017 Motorcycle Events Calendar: 70,000 copies of great stuff to do and see. It's bigger than ever.... and it's free! Can't decide where to ride? Get this guide. They've graciously granted us permission to share their digital version with our 'Cruise News' subscribers for free!
More fun rallies and shows to attend, more ride maps to explore (including three custom maps from Cruise The Ozarks Publisher David Bell) and great motorcycle sponsors who make it all possible.
Plus.... there's still time to receive a printed copy, so email us your name and home mailing address; send it to: advertising@cruisetheozarks.com and we'll forward your request. In subject line enter: Free Calendar so we see it right away. Get your copy today.
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You can also get all the latest news on this year's 'Birthplace of Route 66 Festival' coming back to Springfield, MO this August 11-12 by clicking here:
If you want to save your spot and pre-register your motorcycle entry in our 'Cruise The Ozarks Charity Bike Show' Aug. 12th at the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival in Springfield, MO, click here to sign up now on the online admission registration form so you don't miss out.
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You could win this bike at BikeFest 2017
(girl not included)
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Make Plans To Attend BikeFest 2017 This September at Lake of the Ozarks
Like we mentioned last issue, 2017 will be our first year showcasing the Lake of the Ozarks and their growing BikeFest 2017 event. We distributed copies of our riders guide to this region of northern Ozarks last September during BikeFest 2016. We got an excellent reception, and this year we'll publish a new feature story and lots of information on what you can expect on great rides around the Lake Ozarks area. You'll love BikeFest 2017! Check out the details below:
SEPTEMBER 13-17, 2017
Attend the Lake of the Ozarks 11th-Annual BikeFest
Lake of the Ozarks has the ULTIMATE BikeFest experience! Motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the United States will be rumbling their way to Lake of the Ozarks for the 11th annual Lake of the Ozarks BikeFest! This area offers some of the Nation’s most scenic rides around the Lake of the Ozarks and through the rolling Ozark hills with spectacular views. In addition to over three-hundred biker-friendly bars, restaurants, hotels and campgrounds.
There's nothing like it in the Missouri Ozarks. BikeFest is the largest bike rally in the entire state of Missouri. Tens of thousands of riders show up each September in the beautiful lake area. If you've never been, make this your year to attend! Take part in the Passport Ride where you buy your Passport for $20, enjoy great rides around the lake to visit all the sponsors, and when the winners are drawn you'll have your chance to take your prize home (the motorcycle, not the girl!) You'll love the laid-back attitude around the lake where you'll feel free to ride all day, then chill and relax with your friends after the ride. You can get free information to plan your trip now for BikeFest 2017 by clicking here and visiting their website: www.LakeBikeFest.com
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Cruise The Ozarks Bookshelf
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Notes From David Bell:
I love riding the Ozarks but have also ridden across the country, enjoying the bounty of motorcycling opportunities available in our beautiful nation.
Beyond the Ozarks one of my favorite destinations is northern New Mexico and I have written about the area on numerous occasions. And I have tons of pictures from those rides.
So I made use of the photos and story files and have put together a couple of books – one an anthology of the editorial content of the first eight issues of CTO.
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The newest addition to our bookshelf is "Cruise the Ozarks: an Anthology" -- a compilation of the editorial content of the first 8 issues of CTO by our esteemed publisher, David Bell. Take a look on CreateSpace, Amazon's on-demand publishing arm, to read more about his anthology. You can read all about it and order your personal copy today at createspace.com/6753592
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The second one is called ‘Two Wheels & Asphalt – Rides across northern New Mexico.’
‘Two Wheels...’ is a two-story compilation of articles, plus a photo-essay on this wonderful part of the Southwest. If you, too, like the area I think you will love this book.
It’s available as a print-on-demand book at Amazon’s on-demand arm called CreateSpace. It’s all color, 90-pages with a thick, gloss-stock laminated cover.
To order this picture story/coffee table book on New Mexico click here
Check out my latest books. I think you will enjoy them... or perhaps you know someone who would appreciate them as a gift!
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"Two Wheels and Asphalt: Rides Across Northern New Mexico." Over the years David Bell has written several stories about rides to New Mexico. His new book contains two long stories and lots of photographs about his rides to this wonderful part of the U.S. Go to
createspace.com/6761232
to check it out. If you like riding in New Mexico, you'll love "Two Wheels & Asphalt."
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Have you sent us YOUR bucket list for riding your motorcycle in the Ozark Mountains yet?
Last month we announced that we are compiling a list of our favorite places to ride.... and we still want to know yours too! We''ll roll out our blog soon where you can list your favorites that EVERY rider should see before they put the kickstand down for good. For now, please keep emailing your suggestions to publisher@cruisetheozarks.com, and tell David Bell what your top 3 listings on your personal bucket list is.... rides you've taken or those you want to take someday. David will pick the best of the best, and he will add your suggestions to our list (giving proper credit to those who contact him!)
So join the adventure building the ultimate "
Ozarks Motorcycle Rider's Bucket List" today and we'll publish the list on our new blog and in a future issue of 'Cruise News'
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Get Free Listings On Our Website For Your Next Bike Rally
Hey! Do you have a rally to promote? We'll list it free on the "Things To Do" section of our website. So type up a 50-word max description of the who, what, when, where, and email it to us now at advertising@cruisetheozarks.com To make sure we see it and post it right away, put FREE RALLY LISTING in the subject line of your email. Limit one free listing per rally, bike show, or event.
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Explore our expanded Cruise the Ozarks Shop
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Check out the new T-shirt designs in our online shop. We're adding new designs all the time. They make a great gift for your riding buddies!
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EAT YOUR WAY ACROSS THE OZARKS!
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Hungry? Eat your way across the Ozarks by stopping in one of our favorite restaurants, delis, cafes and off-the-beaten path waterin' holes in the Ozarks.
You're sure to find the most delicious, friendliest places for Good Eats when you stop at these spots because we only include the best motorcycle-friendly businesses that actively want to invite motorcycle riders to dine with them.
So, check out
OzarksDiningGuide.com
next time you're riding in the Ozarks and get hungry. You won't be disappointed!
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Know A Biker-Friendly Business We Missed? Tell Them They Can Still Be Listed On Our Website....
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We've wrapped up our sales canvas for our upcoming issue of 'Cruise The Ozarks' -- which is set to hit the press later this month. Distribution of Issue #9 is just a few weeks away We promise to have some cool new unique new content and extra ride maps for you to enjoy.
If you missed getting your business listed in our printed guide, or you have a friend who should have been in it, we still have advertising spots available on our popular motorcycle trip planning website:
For current advertising rates and ad packages on our website and other digital products we produce, please contact our Ad Manager Steve Johnson at 479-644-9057, or email your request to our sales team at: advertising@cruisetheozarks.com
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Share 'Cruise News' With Your Riding Buddies!
Please feel free to share our e-newsletter with your friends. Tell them to go to this page to sign up:
and then they can sign up for e-mail updates for the best the Ozark Mountains' region has to offer! Plus, they'll be able to download a free digital copy of our Issue #8 as well as the free digital version of the 2017 Calendar of Motorcycle Events published by OzarksOnTwoWheels.com
Also, please share us and pass us around on
Facebook
too. Thank you for reading. Have good times riding across the Ozarks all this year!
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Digital Edition of Cruise The Ozarks Issue #8 Is Still Available For Free
Our 2016/2017 printed rider's guide was (and still is) available at select spots across the Ozarks. There are still a few copies waiting to be picked up; you might still be able to find your free copy at Arkansas Welcome Centers, at city visitors' centers, and at most motorcycle dealerships in the Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks region.
Or you can DOWNLOAD A FREE DIGITAL COPY when you are a subscriber to our free e-newsletter, "Cruise News"
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Our free digital edition allows anyone, anywhere, to easily read the #1 Motorcycle Rider's Guide of the Ozarks, right on their laptop, their desktop computer, even on their smartphone when they're on the go. All you need to do is subscribe to 'Cruise News' to get your free copy!
The digital edition of 'Cruise The Ozarks' downloads as a full-color PDF. The best way to view it on your computer is by downloading it to your favorite device then select "View>>Two-Page Spreads" so you can read it just like the printed version.
So, if you have riding buddies who haven't gotten to see Issue #8, there's still time. Urge them to subscribe to 'Cruise News' and then they too can have a digital version of their own! (Just think how glad they'll be that you're their friend!) Issue #9 will be available for free download by all 'Cruise News' subscribers the first of May.
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Cruise News | Cruise The Ozarks | 479.644.9057 | advertising@cruisetheozarks.com |
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Cruise The Ozarks images copyright 2017 David Bell. All rights reserved. Other images used by permission.
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