Arkansas: Well Blow Me Down, It's Awesome! - Day 133

No pictures inserted in this post because of upload slowness to Google. I did upload them all to my web album (as Day 133), and linked to them in the photos section...if you only look at the pictures (which is most of you) just go there...I added more subtitles than usual and you can avoid reading the following blog entry:

The first time I passed through Arkansas, I went to Little Rock and visited the Clinton Library and followed that with a layover in his birthplace of Hope, AR. A million years ago (on Day 15) I quote myself having written about the drive through AR as, “Nothing of particular interest”. And yesterday I spent the better part of the day driving along the back highways of AR, only to write, "I drove all day through (sic) Arkansas with nothing really worthwhile to write about." By last night, I had all but given up on AR, and was looking forward to putting some miles on the odometer and perhaps getting to Oklahoma City before the end of the day.

I'd decided it wasn’t a great idea to mess with Mother Nature and Hurricane Dean (it became a Category 4), and there was a Scenic Byway in the book heading North from Hot Springs, AR. So upon awakening, my plan for the day was:

1. Start with a morning spa treatment
2. Then cover the little 160 mile scenic drive
3. And make for Oklahoma, perhaps getting as far as Oklahoma City if I take some of the interstates.

I got off to a great start. I woke up at day break, packed up my camping gear, and headed around the bend to Hot Springs NP's bath houses, arriving at 7AM on the steps of the Buckstaff Bath House as they opened their doors. I walked out an hour and a half later floating a few inches off the ground. The old fashion treatment ritual, the ancient equipment and fantastic architecture, and, most of all, the water, truly seem to have restorative powers. Maybe the powers are not scientifical (as GWB would say) or statistical, but you can’t go through the process and not come out the other end feeling better. The more you sip the water, the more you buy into this odd place being a National Park.

By 8:45, after buying the obligatory NP tee-shirt, I was off on the short scenic drive…at only 160 miles, I could fit it all in by lunch. Driving out of town, I hit a couple of the minor landmarks, skipped the digging for diamonds side trip, and was actually not hating this short scenic.

But then I saw a slightly faded sign that said “Auto Route Scenic Drive”. I stopped, reversed 20 yards, and made the suggested turn. It started out mundane, and I expected I would be back on the main road in a mile or two.

5 miles I drove on a paved route, before the sign that read "One lane road ahead" – good. 5 more miles I drove on before the road, without prompting, turned to gravel – better.

In my now vast experience with scenic routes, when the gravel appears, it means you are very close to the end and usually it will have been worth the drive. 10 more miles I drove on the mostly upward and increasingly twisty gravel road. My expectations were rising…how could they make a road like this up such a twisting winding hillside and it not be spectacular finale. Finally a sign up a head. Just a little one that read “Auto Route” and had a little caricature of a 1970’s style sedan. At least I knew I hadn’t made a wrong turn. I began hoping this was some sort of loop road because I didn't want to return the miles of gravel I had traversed.

Three hours later I finally left the gravel road. I was a changed person who now knows that Arkansas is a beautiful state and this drive was one of the best I have taken.

I could describe at length this amazing journey. It was a solitary trek which took me into the heart of a practically uninhabited forest and showed me many treasures along the way. I have uploaded the pictures from this trek and subtitled more than usual. They are great, but as always don’t live up to the experience of being there. This ranks as one of the best days I have had. (Perhaps it isn't in the top 5, but certainly in the top 10. When I am done with the trip, I will have to give this topic more thought. But the Number 1 of the list of "Best Full Day on Road Trip" is probably the first Yellowstone day with BS.)

I am lodged tonight at the Cliff House Inn perched atop what they call “The Grand Canyon of Arkansas”. Pretty cool place to spend the night...I tried to upload a video, but I have bad connection problems in this aerie and couldn't get it to upload in one shot. So just check out the pictures in the Photo section on the right for Day 133. Enjoy...I did!

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Addendum, here is a link to the video I was trying to upload: "Hotel Room Video". I had spoken during it, but couldn't hear it on my laptop...if anyone hears it let me know. - RT