Winding Stair Mountain is a long, forested ridge in southeastern Oklahoma, and the Talimena Scenic Drive follows its crest like a thread along a hem. The Ouachita Mountains are unusual in the United States because they run east to west, not north to south, folded into long parallel ridges with broad valleys between them, and from the top you can see row after row of blue ridges receding into Arkansas. The elevation is only around 800 metres, but in this flat part of the country it feels like a proper mountain range.
The road was built in the 1960s as a scenic route, and its name is a blend of two towns: Talihina in Oklahoma and Mena in Arkansas, fifty-four miles apart. On a motorcycle it is a gentle, rewarding ride. The curves are easy and well banked, the surface is smooth and the traffic is light, especially on weekdays. Pull-outs appear every few miles, each with a view over a wooded valley, and the ridge-top forest of oak, hickory and shortleaf pine creates a green tunnel in summer. The ride is at its best in October, when the maples and sweetgums turn red, and in early spring, when the redbuds and dogwoods bloom.
Weather is the main thing to watch. Thunderstorms in spring and early summer can be violent, and the ridge is exposed to wind, so keep an eye on the radar. Winter ice can close the drive, and the road is not maintained as a priority route. There is wildlife, with white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and, in places, black bears, and at dusk the deer are a real hazard.
The country's history is mostly that of the Choctaw, who were forced here from the south-east on the Trail of Tears in the 1830s, and the area still carries many Choctaw place names. Further west, Heavener Runestone Park has a stone carved with symbols that some people believe to be Norse runes, a legend as stubborn as it is unproven.
Talihina at the western end, Heavener and Poteau to the north, and Mena to the east all have petrol, and the pit stops of choice are small-town diners serving chicken-fried steak and pie. Carry water and a layer, and tell someone your route, because mobile coverage is patchy along the crest.