Hey Moon

I read one of your article about riding in Mena Arkansas and I can see that Arkansas is very beaituful in its natural beauty. It is only that the local sheriff or policing state tends to harrass tourist of different colors. One time, when I was in Mena at a tourist info stop and we were the only ones at the stop, this sheriff guy just stop on the road and stared at us. A friend that lives there told us, that if you drive foreign cars, and are people of color, they will harass you. So, he went and got an American car and was never harass again. On the way back, we have to take alternative route bypassing town to avoid getting harass.

Also, on the way back home near Port Smith, we were tailed as soon as they spotted us and stopped the second car. Their excuse, which I heard it before from someone also living there is...."you were crossing over the yellow line." I mean, when they spotted us driving by, they were at a local junky gas station making conversation with each other.

It is just too bad that Arkansas is such a beautiful state, but their police is driving tourist away with harassments. I mean, I planned to take a motorcylce trip to Arkansas this year through those beautiful scenery, but I'm afraid of getting harass...since I'll be more in the open.

Don't let some redneck wanna be ruin your plans. Arkansas is indeed beautiful country, take the trip. You will enjoy it. I think you will find that the occurances of racial profiling are indeed rare and are limited to a few back water areas.

See you out there
Smokey