Talimena Scenic Drive - June 3rd thru 5th
04-08-2011, 11:08 AM
#1
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Talimena Scenic Drive - June 3rd thru 5th
We're teaming up with the BMW Motorsports of Oklahoma (BMWMOFO) club to enjoy some of the best roads southeastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas have to offer! Drive on a 54-mile pristine mountaintop road not available for 18-wheelers or trucks of any kind to drive on. This is five times longer than the famed "Tail of the Dragon" which snakes through North Carolina. Feel the rush of being on top of the world. Dine at a Mountaintop State Park. Camp out or stay at the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge with the BMW group or at the Kiamichi Country Inn in Talihina. Then, embark on a journey for the best Arkansas back country roads that wind back and forth only for your enjoyment!
The OKC/Tulsa rally point Saturday morning will be in Henryetta, OK.
DRIVE DETAILS/ROUTE:
Tulsa Group: We will meet up at 10:30 and be ready to head out around 10:45 at the QuikTrip off of Hwy 75 and Hwy 44 @ 10:30 and will leave no later then 11am. We will meet up for lunch with the OKC group @ noon. Google map from Tulsa QuikTrip to Henryetta Sonic
OKC Group: Plan to leave at 10:30 and meet the Tulsa group in Henryetta at noon, then on with the route that avoids the turnpike. OKC peeps meet at the Crossroads Movies 8 at 10am and head out PCA style (on time!) from there. Google map from theater to Sonic.
Google map from Henryetta to the Lodge.
Instead of taking the turnpike south through McAlester, we will continue on I40 east to Warner, jump on highway 2 South to 31 East to 82 South to Talimena. Then we'll get up to the scenic drive and be at the Queen Wilhemina Lodge around 4:30/5pm. That leaves us plenty of daylight to set up tents, go hike, do the rest of the drive into Mena, whatever.
That route is a little more fun than taking the turnpike, doesn't add much time, and we don't have to deal with tolls. On the way back the turnpike could be used to shave off about 30 minutes for those who aren't going on the drive from Mt. Ida. This route goes from Mt. Nebo back to Henryetta by way of the Chateau Aux Arc- a cool winery, if you're into that.
This route goes from the Lodge back to Henryetta via the turnpike.
Mena is a dry county and the only place to get alcohol out there is at the little liquor store on the west corner of Talihina so hit that up or bring it with you if you want it. Just remember, it's gonna be hot, so stay hydrated.
Friday, June 3rd
No official drive but if you want to meet up on Friday, let tomauto know and you can join him at the base of the mountain at 11am for some fun mountain roads and a preview of Saturday's experience.
Stay either at a Talimena campsite (weather permitting) or at the Kiamichi Country Inn.
Saturday, June 4th
Meet up with the North Texas and BMW groups and experience the Talihema drive.
Stay either at the Queen Wilhemina Lodge or campout/cook with the BMW group.
Dinner (burgers/dogs/water) will be provided for the campers for $10 (please provide advance notice by June 2nd if you plan on camping out with the group).
tomauto will be driving back to Dallas at 6pm.
JulieU staying somewhere in either Talihina or Mena or Mount Ida
for yet another drive on Sunday morning.
Sunday, June 5th
Breakfast is not provided. There is a restaurant by the campsite as well as dining facilities in Mena, AR.
Head east into Arkansas to meet up with mr flannery77 (Mason) and company for more
Possible destinations along Hwy 7 are Mount Nebo and Hot Springs.
Meet at the base of a mountain road built just for you!
Drive up the crest of the mountain and off of its beautiful twists and turns.
Feel the rush of being able to see as far as your eye can see.
Dine at Queen Wilhelmina State Park 2,500 feet above sea level.
www.talimenascenicdrive.com/queen_wilhelmina.html
www.queenwilhelmina.com
One of many purpose-built breathtaking vistas.
For more information about the by-way: www.talimenascenicdrive.com
Link to North Texas thread
Link to Ark-La-Tex thread
Link to Facebook event listing
Link to Talimena thread on bimmerforums.com
List of Attendees:
tomauto (Tom) Friday/Saturday only
JulieU (Julie) cookout = no, camping = no
Shibikku (Vinh) cookout = probably, camping = no
humbles2k (Enrique) cookout = no, camping = no
rgclark84 (Robert) cookout = probably, camping = no
ohionab (Nick) Friday/Saturday only
Names above in bold are confirmed. Names not in bold are unconfirmed.
Please leave your egos at home and out of this thread and forum, too.
Let's respect the road and each other.
This roadway is probably the only route in Oklahoma where you can drive from an elevation of 274 feet to an elevation of 2,600 feet in a distance of less than 100 miles. A traveler can look up and experience mountain elevations of 2,400 feet (Black Fork Mountain) on one side, and elevations of 2,600 feet (Rich Mountain) on the other for almost ten miles. The pine-oak forests, the east-west facing Ouachita Mountain Range and the Black Fork River Valley region of the Kiamichi Country are unlike any other regions in Oklahoma.
DRIVE DETAILS/ROUTE:
Tulsa Group: We will meet up at 10:30 and be ready to head out around 10:45 at the QuikTrip off of Hwy 75 and Hwy 44 @ 10:30 and will leave no later then 11am. We will meet up for lunch with the OKC group @ noon. Google map from Tulsa QuikTrip to Henryetta Sonic
OKC Group: Plan to leave at 10:30 and meet the Tulsa group in Henryetta at noon, then on with the route that avoids the turnpike. OKC peeps meet at the Crossroads Movies 8 at 10am and head out PCA style (on time!) from there. Google map from theater to Sonic.
Google map from Henryetta to the Lodge.
Instead of taking the turnpike south through McAlester, we will continue on I40 east to Warner, jump on highway 2 South to 31 East to 82 South to Talimena. Then we'll get up to the scenic drive and be at the Queen Wilhemina Lodge around 4:30/5pm. That leaves us plenty of daylight to set up tents, go hike, do the rest of the drive into Mena, whatever.
That route is a little more fun than taking the turnpike, doesn't add much time, and we don't have to deal with tolls. On the way back the turnpike could be used to shave off about 30 minutes for those who aren't going on the drive from Mt. Ida. This route goes from Mt. Nebo back to Henryetta by way of the Chateau Aux Arc- a cool winery, if you're into that.
This route goes from the Lodge back to Henryetta via the turnpike.
Mena is a dry county and the only place to get alcohol out there is at the little liquor store on the west corner of Talihina so hit that up or bring it with you if you want it. Just remember, it's gonna be hot, so stay hydrated.
Friday, June 3rd
No official drive but if you want to meet up on Friday, let tomauto know and you can join him at the base of the mountain at 11am for some fun mountain roads and a preview of Saturday's experience.
Stay either at a Talimena campsite (weather permitting) or at the Kiamichi Country Inn.
Saturday, June 4th
Meet up with the North Texas and BMW groups and experience the Talihema drive.
Stay either at the Queen Wilhemina Lodge or campout/cook with the BMW group.
Dinner (burgers/dogs/water) will be provided for the campers for $10 (please provide advance notice by June 2nd if you plan on camping out with the group).
tomauto will be driving back to Dallas at 6pm.
JulieU staying somewhere in either Talihina or Mena or Mount Ida
for yet another drive on Sunday morning.Sunday, June 5th
Breakfast is not provided. There is a restaurant by the campsite as well as dining facilities in Mena, AR.
Head east into Arkansas to meet up with mr flannery77 (Mason) and company for more
Possible destinations along Hwy 7 are Mount Nebo and Hot Springs.
Meet at the base of a mountain road built just for you!
Drive up the crest of the mountain and off of its beautiful twists and turns.
Feel the rush of being able to see as far as your eye can see.
Dine at Queen Wilhelmina State Park 2,500 feet above sea level.
www.talimenascenicdrive.com/queen_wilhelmina.html
www.queenwilhelmina.com
One of many purpose-built breathtaking vistas.
For more information about the by-way: www.talimenascenicdrive.com
Link to North Texas thread
Link to Ark-La-Tex thread
Link to Facebook event listing
Link to Talimena thread on bimmerforums.com
List of Attendees:
tomauto (Tom) Friday/Saturday only
JulieU (Julie) cookout = no, camping = no
Shibikku (Vinh) cookout = probably, camping = no
humbles2k (Enrique) cookout = no, camping = no
rgclark84 (Robert) cookout = probably, camping = no
ohionab (Nick) Friday/Saturday only
Names above in bold are confirmed. Names not in bold are unconfirmed.
Please leave your egos at home and out of this thread and forum, too.
Let's respect the road and each other.
04-10-2011, 03:18 AM
#6
Technically, the scenic drive itself looks something like this:
Talimena Scenic Drive
But as you can see the are other roads and routes through the national forest, so one could make an all day trip out of it. We'll have to see what the route details are...
Talimena Scenic Drive
But as you can see the are other roads and routes through the national forest, so one could make an all day trip out of it. We'll have to see what the route details are...
04-10-2011, 04:39 PM
#7
Administrator
Thread Starter
Still don't have any details for y'all, but just to give you somewhat of an idea of what to expect, here's what we did a couple years ago... 2009 Talimena. It's way more relaxed than a BMT.
To those who went last time, what do you think about the hotel most of us stayed at (Sun Country Inn) and the restaurants at which we ate lunch (Kiamichi Kitchen) and dinner (Chopping Block)? Just wondering if we should use them again or seek different options.
To those who went last time, what do you think about the hotel most of us stayed at (Sun Country Inn) and the restaurants at which we ate lunch (Kiamichi Kitchen) and dinner (Chopping Block)? Just wondering if we should use them again or seek different options.
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04-11-2011, 09:47 AM
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Assuming I am not on the Road, I would enjoy partaking in this event. It has been years since I did the drive down to Mena. Definately worthwhile. Please keep us posted.
04-11-2011, 01:26 PM
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I think I remember that trip. Wasn't that right after a tornado swept through the town we stayed at.
Sun Country was okay, pool may not be open this early. Anybody know of other economical places in the area? I don't remember the Kiamichi Kitchen, but I do remember the dinner being excellent at the Chopping Block.
FYI for those who enjoy participating in adult beverages.......that was a dry county. (and don't forget a bottle opener....it may take time to track Enrique's bottle opener shoes!)
Sun Country was okay, pool may not be open this early. Anybody know of other economical places in the area? I don't remember the Kiamichi Kitchen, but I do remember the dinner being excellent at the Chopping Block.
FYI for those who enjoy participating in adult beverages.......that was a dry county. (and don't forget a bottle opener....it may take time to track Enrique's bottle opener shoes!)