ARKANSAS

We are now camped at Bluegrass RV Park in Foley, AL.   Here to stay until mid-March!  Several winter campers here already, so we caught up on the local gossip and have already had a night of cards.   Now we'll see if the WiFi is faster here for uploading photos.

Our first stop in AR was at Cherokee Village where we have a lot and a timeshare.  It's probably about 7 years since we stopped at the campground here.   Went to a few state parks to see what's naturally significant in this area of the state.   The parks were FREE!?   Our first stop was the Salem City Park because it had a paved walk around a pond and the fall colors were beautiful!



We talked with two ladies walking around the pond about the dog and the "house" that seemed to be for him.   Yes, he was a stray and they were feeding him and preparing for the winter.   They had gotten someone to come give him a rabies shot and called him "Parker" because he was in the park!

Then we drove into MO to see the Grand Gulf State Park.   It was a cave system created by underground water.   When the water table lowered - maybe 10,000 years ago - the roof collapsed creating this "Grand Canyon of Missouri" and a natural bridge where a portion of the roof did not collapse.   The water that accumulates after a rain drains underground and comes out 100 miles further southeast at Mammoth Spring in AR.  We enjoyed the walk along the canyon rim, but didn't realize that people walked down into the canyon (not encouraged) and walked under this natural bridge to the deepest part of the canyon - 117 feet below the park.

Then we drove to Mammoth Spring which has always been a stop when we go to Cherokee Village.   We have canoed the Spring River with our girls.  9 million gallons of water flow out of this spring every hour.  And the railroad that came through the area proclaimed this a great spot to visit as it was half way between Memphis TN and Springfield MO.

We saw another historical connection with Mammoth Spring to Nashville TN.   If this information was here before, neither of us remembered it.

Then we drove east of Hardy, AR, to Walnut Ridge.  As we crossed the Black River the Ozark hills immediately stopped to be replace by flat fields of rice, cotton and who knows what else.  AR 67 which goes north and south has the state designation of ROCK AND ROLL HIGHWAY because of the number of early entertainers at the drive-ins and lounges who became famous later in their careers.   Walnut Ridge was also visited by the Beatles after a Dallas show for a weekend vacation before performing in New York City. 

There is also a Guitar Walk on Front Street right next to the railroad depot (Amtrak station!) that features some of the better known rock-n-roll stars.   Each information board has a button to push so you can hear about the entertainer and some of their music.

Music was really important in the Ozarks.  So - enough nostalgia.   We also camped near Hot Springs, AR, to visit with Gary's cousin, Cliff Brown and his wife, Dorothy.   Their first year of retirement saw many visitors who came to see them and the area.   Now they see a brother (Ron and Sandy Brown) every spring as they return to WI from South Padre Island, TX.    Their daughter, Sandee, visits every other year.   Cliff and Dorothy don't think they'll drive up for the next Durgin reunion in June 2013.  :(

In case I don't get on-line before -  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!