Hey everyone!

Saturday, Nov. 4th, come join other MINIs in a beautiful Arkansas Fall Foliage Tour up Hwy 7. Meet in downtown Hot Springs on Bathhouse row near the visitors center Saturday morning. Leaving from Hot Springs at 10 am we'll travel north on Hwy 7 stopping in Russellville for lunch at Feltner's Whatta-burger. From there we'll continue our gorgeous tour on up Hwy 7 to Harrison, our stopping point

We should be done between 3-5 pm; of course, this does depend on you. It could be shorter or longer.

Whatta-burger is a hoppin place so there will be a call ahead order. They serve burgers, chicken, fries, onion rings, shakes...

As long as nature follows the Arkansas web site for the fall foliage calendar, this should be the fall colors peak time for this area.

Sign up here if your MINI is coming.

Contact me if you want to go ahead and place your lunch order.
Carrie

 

I have heard about a road Hwy 123 off of Hwy 7 north or Russellville. I heard it was better than the pig trail. I'm sure some of us will take this road. It leads to Hwy 65 and then drive in to Harrison from there.

 

The DFW group will be in Arkansas this same weekend, for a MINI road trip.
www.metroplexmini.org Check the "Happenings" section.

 

I had posted a message on their board about our trip and about meeting up somewhere since we both plan on doing part of hwy 7 and 123. Haven't heard anything yet :{

 

Here's the info from Metroplex MINI of what they are doing. I'm hoping to meet up with them somewhere along the way.
Official MINI Ozarks Nov 3-5 2006 Thread
Dates: Friday, Nov. 3 through Sunday, Nov. 5. For those who want a leisurely and fun drive to Fort Smith on Friday, we will plan to leave around 10 am from McKinney. For those working on Friday, plan to come up that evening. Fort Smith is 4-5 hours away depending on where you are in the metroplex, so you should be able to be there by 10 or so.

Lodging: We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express this time (Residence Inn was booked). They are holding 15 rooms, combos of 1 King or 2 Queens, all non-smoking, all at a $78+tax special rate. Please call 479-452-7500 and book your room by Oc. 20, when they will release the rooms and the special rate will disappear. Tell them you are with MetroplexMINI. They will try to put us all together. The hotel has an indoor pool and free continental breakfast.

Saturday: On Saturday we will drive the twisties, incorporating both the Pig's Trail and Rt. 123 (two favorites) as well as some new roads. I will have maps for all. We will plan to bring box lunches and have a picnic, and return to Fort Smith late afternoon. We'll have a group dinner Saturday night (I'm working on a new place).

Sunday: We'll follow the tried and true route to Mena, then pick up the Talimena Skyway, stopping at the Queen Wilhemena Lodge for buffet lunch. Plan to arrive back in Dallas area around 5.

Please post here and/or on the calendar if you plan to go; I need to make dinner reservations and plan for the box lunches.
From Metroplex MINI http://www.metroplexmini.org/forum/s...3&page=1&pp=15

 

How many do you have signed up? They have about 12 cars so far coming from Dallas area and at least 2 from Oklahoma. The Metroplex club is a LOT of fun -- we still laugh about things that happened on this trip last year!

Hope you can hook up with us somewhere along the way!

- Angie

 

So far I have about 5 MINI's coming. Hoping to have more. Maybe we'll run into each other on 7 or 123. We'll be in that same area after lunch. We're stopping in Russellville at Feltner's Whatta-burger for lunch somewhere between 1130-1230. You can check this out at roadfood.com
I'm wanting to meet up with ya'll possible that evening after we're done in Fort Smith. My daughter has a debate conference near Atkins so we'll see. Maybe some of the others will too.
Carrie

 

We would love to make the trip, but my job moved us to Indiana 8 years ago from Searcy, so that's a bit too much of a drive. I do think we'll bring Silver Bean down when we do our annual Thanksgiving trip. Have fun on the ride and GO HOGS!

 

We are interested. Our car is still under 1k miles so we are still trying to keep her under 4k rpms.
Can you send a map? We are in Little Rock.

 

Silver Bean I'm originally from Henderson, KY; Evansville was part of my stomping ground growing up. I see you've never gone over to the other side either. We're still UK fans. I like to see the Hogs win when they're not playing UK.

pt91, glad your on board! I don't have a map. We travel up Hwy 7 from Hot Springs past Russellville, then we'll take Hwy 123 to Hwy 65 and follow that in to Harrison. You'll see it on an Arkansas map. I can have maps there if you need one. If you more detailed directions let me know.

Carrie

 

I couldn't cheer for IU, even though their colors are close. I mean after all, they're University symbol is a red pitch fork!

 

Here is a link to a map of Hot Springs that show where Bath House row is, it's on Hwy 7. Another link for hotel info in Hot Springs, Arlington Hotel is on Bath House row. An a link for hotels in Harrison, AR, but remember there's a group of MINI's staying in Fort Smith also.

http://www.hotsprings.org/maps_directions/city/
http://www.hotsprings.org/places_to_...d=1&sh=type_id

http://www.harrisonarkansas.org/hotelsmotels.htm

 

Sorry I didn't put these maps on earlier, I forgot our new printer is a 3 in 1 - printer, copier, and scanner.
There are 2 map files attached:
1st is a map of the complete tour from Hot Springs to Harrison on Hwy 7 and 123, the route is highlighted.
2nd is a map of Hot Springs with routes into the area highlighted.
Directions to Hot Springs:

From I 40 west of Russellville and the Russellville area:
Take Hwy 7 South into Hot Springs (you'll be traveling half our route backwards
The visitors center is going to be on your left

From East of Little Rock or close to Little Rock:
Take I 40 to I 30 toward Hot Springs or Texarkana
Take the Hwy 70 exit (Exit 111) to Hot Springs
Stay straight on 70 as it turns into Bus. 70
From Bus 70 you have 2 options:
1. From Bus. 70 turn right (north) onto 7 S and follow to Hwy 7
At Hwy 7 turn left (west) and follow into town
visitors center is going to be on your left
2. Stay on Bus. 70 which turns into E Grand Ave
Turn right (north) onto Hwy 7 which is also Central Ave
visitors center is ging to be on you right
On map of Hot Springs this route is highlighted in blue (options highlighted also) with arrows
From Texarkansa or if traveling in on I 30 E
From I 30 E take exit for Hwy 270 in Malvern
Take 270/70 West (exit 9)
Take Hwy 7 which is also Central Ave (exit 5) go North and follow through town
visitors center is going to be on your right
On map of Hot Springs this route is highlighted in orange with arrows
I'm hoping to get a map of Harrison and put it up early next week

I also have maps of the first half of our beautiful trip, Hot Springs to Russellville with Hwy 7 and the miles of this leg highlighted; the second half, Russellville to Harrison using Hwy 7 and 123. The route and miles of this half are hightlighted; and a map of Russellville just to show we are going straight through and where our lunch stop, Whatta-burger, is. I couldn't get these attached so I can email them to you if you like

 

HI All! We're just 2 days away from our fall foliage tour. I heard it was beautiful up there! This is a great time to take pics for the calendar contest! Gorgeous reds, oranges, yellows, greens, browns.

I'm going to try and park in the Hot Springs National Park visitors center parking lot on Hwy 7 on Bath House Row in downtown Hot Springs. I'll be there between 9 and 930 (closer to 9, hopefully, if I get my family moving out the door :impatient ). And I'm the woman! We'll leave Hot Springs at 10am and should arrive in Russellville between 11 and 1130, depending on your driving. I have new g-force tires I'll be trying!! he he

I'll have Arkansas maps, trip maps, and a menu from Whatta-burger.

See everyone in Hot Springs Saturday 4th!

Carrie

 

See you in the morning. Not sure how long we can stay with the group, but at least to Russellville.

 

I started a new thread. General Interest under MINI Talk. Check it out.

I tried to put pics,but for some reason they didn't get put on.

I'll try again later.

Carrie