Queen Wilhelmina/Mena drive

[cam76034]

Thanks to the suggestions of Ataim and Rogue, we took a trip thru eastern OK over to Mena, AR and stayed at the Raspberry Manor this past weekend.

From Durant, we headed up thru Antlers on up to Talihena, which was a nice enough drive with lots of fall colors and trailer parks.

From Talihena we took the Winding Stairs drive which was spectacular. One could literally see for over a couple hundred miles or more from this ridge. I saw thousands of bikers (no exaggeration) on the road. Too bad that the local OK sheriff had speed traps set up on their side of the state line, I would've gotten nailed on this long 45 degree straightaway downhill run at Horse Thief Springs, were it not for the fact that my told me to slow down so she could read the signs.

The B&B recommended by Ataim would rank a 4.75 out of 5 in my book, and I'm usually pretty niggardly with my praise for these establishments. The only reason I don't give it a 5 is for the cow trails you have to drive the couple miles to get to it. I got lost leaving the place Sunday and will definitely need an alignment soon.

The car collection is just that, a collection. Not a museum type collection, more like a junkyard collection.

But what a collection! Old Packards from the 30's and 40's, with real wood panels still in good condition. A 1939 Graham, (google it) that was my favorite. These vehicles sit with spider webs and wasp nests and dirt dauber clods all over them, rust included.

I'm game for another trip there anytime.

[trickyrix]

Sounds like a nice trip - that's really nice country up there!

Pix?

[Nails]

Wow small world! (Wouldn't wanna clean it.)

A week ago yesterday I drove up to Indy and passed thru there on OK 1.

Was very quiet with little to no traffic and zero cops. Then went to Hot Springs and took AR 7 north toward Branson MO. Pleasant run.

I saw there was a meet in Harrison AR on Nov. 1 but that's 450 miles from here. Alot farther than just going to the Wilamena national scenic drive.

Came back yesterday same route except stayed on 7 in hot springs down to I-30 to save an hour back.

[Ataim]

The car collection is just that, a collection. Not a museum type collection, more like a junkyard collection.

But what a collection! Old Packards from the 30's and 40's, with real wood panels still in good condition. A 1939 Graham, (google it) that was my favorite. These vehicles sit with spider webs and wasp nests and dirt dauber clods all over them, rust included.

I'm game for another trip there anytime.

Did you take the tour? Was it the one or two beer tour? THe one beer tour is only long enough for Don to drink one beer. Two is twice as long.

ALso did you stay in the main house or one of the cottages? Yep the drive down the gravel road/drive is not great, but once you get there is all good.

[cam76034]

Ha, it was more like a 4 beer tour, plus a couple more when we finished. Stayed in the fishing shack, which is about as middle of nowhere as you can be. Kept thinking about the last episode of criminal minds I watched and wished I had brought my pistol along.

Don said somebody stayed there about a month ago in a Miata. Was that you?

[Ataim]

Nope not me. The last time we stayed there was last fall and we drove one of the company 4x4 pathfinders. Hey, Don is a real hoot, to say the least. How sweet would it be if only 1/3 of his cars were cleaned up. Last time I went up I took him a 12 pack of Ultra Light.

[cam76034]

He said that he starts them up every so often, I sure would like to be there when they fire up that old Packard V12! It hurts to see all those fine old cars just sitting there when it wouldn't take that much effort to restore most of them.

[cam76034]

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[trickyrix]

Andy, those are some great pix! Makes me want to go check out that old "museum" sooner rather than later...

I took a trip up there with my folks right after I got my learner's permit. My dad let me drive his new ('89) Taurus SHO up and back through the fun twisties... we put Mom in the back, without protest. No cops on those roads at the time, and I remember lots of really nice curves along with some sweet nice straights down through the valleys where I was able to hit 90-100(my dad kept saying "You're good! Hammer it! Let's go!") ... good times!

Ah, yes... gorgeous country in a fun car...