Arkansas Byway Boogie

The Arkansas Byway Boogie began in 1994 as the Arkansas 7 Byway Run, with the intent to give HSTA members and other motorcyclists an organized ride of one of the South's most famous roads, Arkansas' Scenic Byway 7. The first year had the event start in Caddo Valley, a small town 30 miles south of Hot Springs, and riding all the way to Harrison and back. Over 400 miles of scenic ecstasy! But this proved a little too long for a day ride and, unfortunately, required riding through a great deal of urban Hot Springs.

The next year the ride was moved north and based out of the private community of Hot Springs Village, just 15 miles north of Hot Springs on Scenic Byway 7, where it continues to be based out of today. This gave the event a much more enjoyable early excursion by offering incredible curves and exquisite scenery almost immediately leaving Hot Springs Village. Other twisty backroads were added to the route to take advantage of the extraordinary curves and lack of traffic that encompasses the surrounding Ozark Mountains. Because the backroads around Scenic Byway 7 proved to be so much more popular than Byway 7 itself, the name was changed in 1997 from Arkansas 7 Byway Run to Arkansas Byway Boogie. New routes take advantage of other scenic Byways and challenging roads such as the Ozark Highlands Byway (Hwy 21), Pig Trail Scenic Byway, the infamously kinky Hwy 16, curvaceous Hwy 27, and others.

Now in it's 14th year, the Byway Boogie will be returning again to Paris, AR!

Friday evening festivities always start with a Roast Your Dog wiener roast and registration. Group camaraderie offers a chance for everyone to mingle, tell lies, and meet one another. Packets are handed out during registration that include mapped out routes for the Saturday's ride, as well as recommended lunch and rest stops.

Saturday's ride starts with a group breakfast at one of the local restaurants . Riders then start converging out on the route in groups large and small, quick and slow. Typically, the route is mapped out to 300-325 miles, but there are numerous shortcuts, or even "longcuts",that riders can take to shorten or lengthen their route. It is important that participants are given every opportunity to ride at a pace and distance they are comfortable with. The day ends with a group banquet at one of the finer, traditional Southern restaurants. Stories are told, lies are stretched, and the coveted Boogie Booger Award is given to the true story that gets the most laughs. It offers a fine way to cap off a fantastic day. Sunday everyone splits for their way home.

With new leadership by Mario Caruso, we've moved the rally to Paris, Ar - a small quaint town in the heart of some of the best riding. The Byway Boogie will keep the close-knit feeling while opening some of the best riding in the country to one and all.

The Arkansas Ozark and Ouachita Mountains offer not only beautiful scenery, but some of the finest, curviest, and best maintained roads to ride a motorcycle on. Come join us, you'll have a grand time!