Talimena National Scenic Byway - By rfluharty

In October 2020, I rode this with a buddy of mine. We are members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association and during their fall rally there 1,000 of motorcycles around Mena, Ak, just a few minutes from the CMA headquarters. We took this ride and it was a beautiful day. The asphalt was a little rough in texture, but being much better than the roads where we hail from (Northern WV), I was happy. The scenery is beautiful (living near some prime riding in WV that's a compliment). The neat thing is that you ride the ridge of the mountains as opposed on the side, so there are scenic overlooks on both sides of the road. Being a photo enthusiast with my camera equipment filling a whole saddle bag, I was torn between endless stops for photos, or continuing to ride. (I did more riding than shooting because my buddy isn't into photography, though he was patient with my indulgences.) We crossed over into Oklahoma and stopped for a photo op at the state line. After a while, we ended up getting lost and figured it was so nice, who cared where we went. We eventually found our way back into Mena. Can't wait to go again.