Ozarks' back roads were made for motorcycling

EMINENCE, Mo. -- Sweepers, hairpins, windies or twisties: Whatever you call them, the curvy roads that wind through the hills and valleys of the Ozarks provide motorists with either exhilaration or nightmares. It all depends on how many tires are beneath you.

In the rear of a station wagon, the ride could be quite uncomfortable.

But if you've got just two wheels beneath you and you're facing forward, leaning into each curve and feeling the wind against your face at 60 mph, it can be just the opposite -- a thrill ride worthy of any theme park roller coaster.

The two-lane blacktops that meander through Missouri's Ozarks region offer plenty of opportunities for motorcyclists not only to enjoy beautiful scenery but also to test their skills and agility.

Case in point: Missouri 19 from Salem south to Eminence, through deep valleys and with challenging curves south of the Shannon County line as the road snakes along the Current River. Heavy woods hug the pavement, giving up just enough real estate to allow two lanes without a shoulder.

Once in Eminence, hungry cyclists can take a seat on the balcony of the Ozark Orchard restaurant, across the highway from the Shannon County Courthouse. A mile south of town, the Cedar Stone Lodge offers rooms and cabins at reasonable rates that include breakfast. In cooler weather the fireplace in the great room lends a cozy atmosphere as guests meet each other to share Ozark adventure stories.

Motorcyclists wanting to explore southernmost Missouri and the numerous lakes along the Arkansas state line should consider a couple of routes: U.S. 160 between Forsyth and West Plains, and Missouri 86 from Cassville to where it intersects U.S. 65 south of Branson.

On the 90-mile stretch of U.S. 160, riders will find some straight stretches to twist their throttle wrist as well as some tight curves through the Mark Twain National Forest. In some spots, the road follows hillcrests that offer terrific panoramas of the rolling countryside.

Like weaving around

Scott Evans, an employee of West Plains Motorsports in West Plains, says motorcyclists like the southern Missouri roads because they "like to weave and turn."

"People on crotch rockets like to run it fast and scrape pegs," Evans said, in lingo familiar to motorcyclists. (Translation: "Leaning so deeply into a curve on a high-performance motorcycle that the footrests touch the pavement.")

Amanda Denney, the 24-year-old general manager of Denney's Harley-Davidson in Springfield, has ridden as a passenger through the Ozarks since she was a child. She favors Missouri 125 because "it's unspoiled, pristine."

"You can ride for 15 miles and not see anyone else," she said.

Half as long as the U.S. 60 jaunt, the 45 miles of Missouri 86 between Cassville and Forsyth hugs the Arkansas border as it passes through the westernmost portion of the Mark Twain National Forest.

Many riders who travel Missouri 86 can't resist the draw of Branson. There's plenty to do and see, with loads of motel rooms and enough buffets to satisfy any grazer.