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Question:

Any word on if and when Albert Pike might reopen? Are the trails open yet?

Answer:

Hi Jack--Thanks for your note. Albert Pike Recreation Area is still closed until further notice. We will keep everyone posted with information as it becomes available. In the meantime, here are some updates we have.  
 
Some roads that were closed in wake of the flood are now being opened according to Ouachita National Forest officials.  Roads now open include Roads 73 and 106, as well as Road 2106 which is open from Highways 369 to the trailer turnaround, but closed to vehicular traffic from the trailer turnaround to Viles Branch trailhead.  
 
The Winding Stair Trailhead has also been reopened. A portion of the Little Missouri Trail remains closed from Road 512 to road 106 by Albert Pike Campground.  Hikers can detour around the closed section by hiking east on Road 512, south on Road 73 and west on Road 106.  Also the Viles Branch Trailhead on Forest Road 2106 and the southern Athens Big Fork Trailhead on B23F are accessible by foot or horse travel only.  Hope this help~
 

 

Question:

I am wanting to start over in life, and would like to do so in Arkansas. What areas of the state are best situated wtih regards to jobs and economy.

Answer:

Thanks for your note Lamar. Check out www.relocatetoarkansas.com for more details on moving to Arkansas. Good luck with everything~

 

Question:

I want to learn how to hand glide and I live in Arkansas. (Little Rock) How do I get started from here?

Answer:


Thanks for your question Michael. I asked local hang glider Mike Kelsey about getting started in the sport and here is what he said: We currently do not have an active Hang Glider instructor in Arkansas. Many of our most recent new pilots have obtained their training out of state. This inputs some extra time and travel but not going to one the many certified training centers is definitely not recommended.  Self teaching or getting instructions from someone who is not a Certified Instructor through the United States HangGliding/Paragliding Association is not a good way to start.  Finding a good school will save you money and or injury in avoiding unnecessary
accidents.

Go to www.ushpa.aero to find a list of certified instructors.  A certified Instructor will have passed an instructors course through the USHPA and will be able to provide all equipment and instructional materials.I do recommend the facility at the Lookout Mountain Flight Park in
Georgia, as well as the Facility in Lawton Oklahoma.

www.sky2glide.com- Blue Sky in Lawton, Oklahoma
www.hangglide.com- Lookout Mountain, Georgia

I am not up to date as far as the cost to learn but usually they can get you into a two rating in about 4-7 days of training. Todays schools use a variety of training tools. Videos, Simulators,
Dual Flight instruction, Aero Towing, Scooter Towing and Foot launching.

Also available and a bit closer is a certified Paraglider instructor. We now have about an equal number of pilots flying Paragliders as those that fly Hang Gliders.  We are able to share most of the launch sites that are flown in the Ouachita Mountains.

Check with Ron Kohn (Certified Instructor) if you have any interest in checking out Paragliding.  www.okparagliding.com.  He can even provide you with a tandem paraglider flight off of one of the local mountains to let you get a taste of the air.

To see what is currently going on as far as hang gliding and paragliding in the Ouachita Mountains, check out www.ouachitahanggliding.com.

I also suggest that you visit one of the local flying site some weekend to watch some of the hang gliding going on. There are also Fly-ins scheduled at Mount Nebo and Mount Magazine.
http://www.centralarkansasmountainpilots.org/html/calendar.html

Crater of Diamonds State Park Earns Top 10 Spot in National Favorite Park Program

July 29, 2010 12:00 AM
Zoie Clift
travelarkansas@gmail.com

Just got word from Joe Jacobs at Arkansas State Parks that Coca-Cola started a program where people could vote for their favorite parks (National and State) a little over a week ago. They had some issues with automated systems voting for some parks (for example a little historical park in Georgia got over 1 million votes in a matter of days). So they called it a test and started over.
 
The good news is that Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, without any automated voting, made it into the top 10. This achievement was rewarded with a $5000 grant from Coke. 
Now for part two, they have restarted the contest. As before, you can vote as many times as you  like, anyone can vote but now you have to enter a security code when you vote (they give you the code and you enter it.). $100,000 in grants is up for grabs. If you are interested in voting, check out this link: 
http://www.livepositively.com/#/americasparks/vote 

And congrats to Crater of Diamonds! 

 

 
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