v8 Miata Forum - Home of the v8 Miata Conversion - Late winter road trip/time to getemout of the garage

Monday afternoon me to wife.....hey lets take the Miata on a road trip tomorrow, her response...well it's to wet to ride horses, OK! So, that's about 3 PM, I check the lit'l car's oil, top off coolant, Windex and vacuum it out and it's ready.

Being in Arkansas we have thousands of miles of Ouachita Mountain and Ozark Mountain country and roads to explore. Also a Great State Park with a fairly new lodge, Mt. Magazine Lodge. I was assured by the Boss no way I'd get reservations at the Lodge, but luck was on my side and we landed a king room (with a Jacuzzi no less), since all the rooms look out over the mountains the view was great.

On Tuesday the trip up had no interstate and about 150 miles of mountain two lane road (7 and 10 out of Hot Springs). Weather was a little warm with low 80s and sun...yep sun burn.

The lodge is known for it's kitchen and we had a great steak and later enjoyed the view from the balcony with a Beam and water till it got cold, then inside the room.

Next day we logged about 240 miles (Hwy 23, the Pig Trail and 62). In St. Paul We had a memorable burger at the ritziest dinner on Madison Avenue. It had a 1/2" hand made patty and the buns were placed face down on the grill with the spatula pressing em into the seasoned greasy surface for browning....I do love a greasy burger. Later we stopped off in Eureka Springs for a beer (one), coffee and a giant oatmeal cookie, then on to the youngest boys place in Rogers AR. Again great roads including a couple of friendly jousts with unsuspecting slower "pseudo" fast vehicles. The wife wonders if I'll ever grow up :)

Day three was a 260 miler that included Hwy 16, and Hwy 7 to Russellville Ar. Since the temps were in the low 40s when we left the hotel, had the top up for the first couple hours...I know.....light weights but the wife was battling a cold, concessions had to be made. Top down around 10 though with temps in low 50's and with the super plexe glass wind blocker and windows up it's almost as if the top is still up but the view is so much better and of course the noise level always seems to drop.

We stopped at a little roadside store mid day and the clerk owner lady made us smoked ham sandwiches that may not have been legal, they were that good. The store opened in 1922 and going inside was like stepping out of a time machine right down to having a fire in the stove in the back with chairs for loafing.

Unfortunately a couple hours later we hit the interstate for the first time and then 2 hours later we're home feeding the horses.

This spur of the moment trip was one of the best in a long time, no planning, no schedule, no trouble...car did great logging about 650 miles over 3 days, average mpg was 21.4, not LS mileage but OK for a carbed Ford.

Good lodging and great food along with some of the countries best two lane roads. I see another trip soon!

OK, for some reason a couple pics are not oriented properly, but when I go to edit mode they're not turned....so if someone can fix, that'd be great