Squash Blossom Natural Foods

One of the nicest surprises in the Van Buren, Arkansas area is the Squash Blossom Natural Foods Grocery. Van Buren lies on the Arkansas-Oklahoma state border along the Arkansas River, and honestly, not a part of the country one would expect to find an abundance of natural foods stores. We come through this area rather regularly to visit with Dan's brother, sister-in-law, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins who live in Fort Smith, Van Buren's neighboring town. The first time we were here for an extended stay I discovered the Squash Blossom was just 3.5 miles down the road from our RV Park. What serendipity! Finding something you least expect when you most want it is one of the delights of life on the road. Each time we find ourselves in Van Buren/Fort Smith we make it a point to stop in at Squash Blossom to visit and shop. The wonderful staff and extensive product line never disappoint.

Aunt Jean's 80th Birthday Party

Dan is lucky enough to still have two Aunts, both living in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Aunt Jean turned 80 years young in July, and her children decided to throw her a birthday party to celebrate the occasion. Hillman is 1088 miles from Fort Smith, but we figured, what the heck? May as well drive down for the big party and take advantage of the opportunity to see lots of Dan's family at the same time.

All 5 of Dan's siblings showed up (one brother actually lives in Fort Smith, the other sisters and brothers came from California and Illinois), as well as many cousins, second cousins, and cousin's once or twice removed (how the heck does that work, anyway?). There were about 100 people at the party, both family and friends of Aunt Jean's, and a very special guest showed up, the mayor of Fort Smith himself.

It's not everyday the mayor shows up to your birthday party, but it's not everyday you turn 80, either. Mayor C. Ray Baker presented Aunt Jean with 80 rose petals, which he sprinkled atop her head, and "A Special Birthday Proclamation" which proclaimed Aunt Jean's birthday and the day of her party as official "Jean Brannon Myers Days" in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

A fun time was had by all, and many reconnections were made between long lost family, friends, and loved ones.

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Our first stop out of Livingston, Texas was Hot Springs, Arkansas. We arrived Tuesday afternoon and decided to stay one day to explore before moving on. First we drove to the top of Hot Springs Mountain for an expansive view of the city below. We saw many possible hiking trails, perhaps for another visit when we can stay longer. Back down to historic Hot Springs and Bathhouse Row for a tour and some history of the area.

Hot Springs takes its name from the natural thermal water that flows from 47 springs on the western slope of Hot Springs Mountain into the historic downtown district of the city. (And what is really interesting is that Hot Springs National Park is actually right in the middle of downtown Hot Springs, surrounded by businesses and a busy highway.) About a million gallons of 143-degree water flow from the springs each day. The rate of flow is not affected by fluctuations in the rainfall in the area. Studies by National Park Service scientists have determined through carbon dating that the water that reaches the surface in Hot Springs fell as rainfall 4,000 years earlier. The water percolates very slowly down through the earth’s surface until it reaches superheated areas deep in the crust and then rushes rapidly to the surface to emerge from the 47 hot springs.

People have used the hot spring water in the therapeutic baths for more than 200 years to treat rheumatism and other ailments, although bathing in the spring water now is available in approved facilities only. Bathhouse Row consists of eight turn-of-the-century historic buildings. Two of the bathhouses remain in operation today – The Buckstaff, currently the sole bathhouse operating in its original capacity, and the Quapaw which was reopened in 2008 in a modern co-ed setting. Another bathhouse, the Fordyce, has been converted into a museum to give tourists a glimpse into the fascinating past of the city. As I was touring the “treatment” rooms at the Fordyce, I was reminded more of visions of water torture at sanitariums than of relaxing spa treatments. I’m too accustomed to the modern Day Spa concept, I guess!

The pictures here include the exterior of Buckstaff Baths; one of the treatment rooms in historic Fordyce; the Hot Springs National Park entrance sign; Dan at the summit of Hot Springs Mountain; the Grand Promenade trail that winds around behind the bathhouses; the Hubbard Tub that was used to treat various ailments at Fordyce; a stain glass ceiling in the men’s bath at the Fordyce.

The Garage Project

Today is our last day in Fort Smith, Arkansas (at least for this visit). One year ago Dan and his brother Larry made a commitment to their younger brother Mikle to help him build a metal garage at his home in Fort Smith. We promised to stay the month of September 2007 to fulfill this commitment – erecting a 24’ wide x 36’ deep x 18’ high garage with 12 foot high walls. We figured the building would be done in about two weeks, and we would have the rest of the month to visit extended family that still reside in the area (two aunts and an uncle on Dan’s mother’s side, plus cousins, nieces, and nephews) as well as do some touring and hiking. Well, isn’t it always the case, the project took longer than expected, but we still managed to accomplish most of what we set out to do, AND complete the Garage Project as well! Here’s Dan’s summary version of the project:

The building arrived on a flatbed trailer on September 5th in the pouring rain. My two brothers and I had 4 hours to unload it. We actually managed to unload everything in 3 hours. Actual construction began on September 6th but the work was intermittent due to off and on rain. On September 7th construction started in earnest and continued through September 25th, minus a two day break for our trip to Little Rock and a family function on September 23rd. The project completed on September 25th; the total time to build was 16 days. And, the three of us were still talking at end of the project! Bonus!! As brothers, we had not spent this much time together doing anything in the last 30-40 years, so the experience was a really good reconnect. The highlight of the construction was probably the way we lifted the 300 lb 16’ wide 10’ high door into place using pulleys we rigged up on Mikle’s Dodge Omni with blocks and ropes. Nobody who didn’t see it would have believed it! Here are a few snapshots of the project.

Devil's Den State Park Hike

One of the things Dan and I really love to do wherever we end up is hike! We love to explore local hiking spots, including state parks, lakes, rivers, and mountains. Devil’s Den State Park is located in northwest Arkansas's Ozarks amid ancient sedimentary mountains renowned for their natural beauty and lush oak-hickory forests. This is where we decided to hike while we were here, and it was only 42 miles from our RV Park. Miles of hiking and multiple use trails wind through Devil's Den and the surrounding Ozark National Forest. Caves, crevices and bluff overlooks are everywhere, and often without warning! Most of the places I’ve hiked in the past are overly posted with warning signs, and dangerous drop-offs or other situations are usually fenced off as well. At Devil’s Den, there was a sign at the beginning of the hiking trails warning about the bluffs, crevices, and caves stating that they weren’t labeled or fenced in order to preserve the natural beauty. I’m glad of this, as the hike was absolutely spectacular! Hikers are encouraged to explore the caves, and are advised to bring two sources of light and to wear non-slippery shoes. The park is known for its 18 species of bats, although we didn’t see any when we were there. We did go into a couple of the caves, Dan further than me, I’m not as brave as he is! The first cave we explored was called Devil’s Den. It wasn’t too bad, no sudden drops, or long slippery slopes. Just dark and wet! I went several yards into that one. The second one we explored was called Icebox, and it was! It was a nice relief from the heat of the day. I only stepped into the slight interior of this cave, as it immediately brought you down a steep, muddy, slippery slope which I wasn’t confident enough to try out. Dan went down a little further than me. I’m not sure spelunking is in my future! I hope these shots can capture the flavor of the day.

Little Rock, Arkansas

Part of our goal is to visit all the state capitals, so while in Arkansas we scheduled a visit to Little Rock. Having lived all my life in Sacramento, California, I am familiar with the feel of a Capital City. Little Rock did, indeed, remind me of Sacramento in a lot of ways, but on a much smaller scale. The similarity is even more noticeable with Little Rock being situated on the Arkansas River, and Sacramento being situated on both the American and Sacramento Rivers. The capital buildings are also similar, and the look and feel of downtown Little Rock reminded me a lot of Sacramento as well. However, Sacramento has a population of 467,343 whereas Little Rock has only 204,370 people. Sacramento is the 7th most populous city in California, and Little Rock is the most populous city in Arkansas.

We took the scenic drive over, avoiding the main Interstate, opting instead for the small two lane highway that wound through some of the most beautiful parts of the country I’ve ever seen. We drove through rolling green hills, beautiful farms, and the gorgeous Ouachita National Forest. The first thing we did when we got to Little Rock was stop at the Murray Lock and Dam where the “Big Dam Bridge” is located. Comprising 4,226 linear feet, the bridge over the Corps of Engineers' Murray Lock and Dam is the longest bridge built specifically for pedestrians and bicyclists in the world (the longest in the United States is the Chain of Rocks Bridge on the north edge of St. Louis, Missouri at 5,350 linear feet, but it was originally a highway bridge).

Next, we went to the Capital building and took pictures, including the memorial to The Little Rock Nine. In the summer of 1957, the city of Little Rock, Arkansas, made plans to desegregate its public schools. Within a week of the 1954 landmark Supreme Court decision striking down racial segregation in public schools, Arkansas was one of two Southern states to announce it would begin immediately to take steps to comply with the new "law of the land." The year that followed was one in which the eyes of the world were focused on America as Little Rock Central High School went through its first year of integration, ending on May 27, 1958, with commencement ceremonies for 601 graduating seniors, including Ernest Green, the school's first black graduate.

We couldn’t visit Little Rock without touring the William J. Clinton Presidential Library, and I’m really glad we did! It not only gave me a greater appreciation for Bill Clinton as a man and our president, but also for the office of the presidency in general. From there, we took a walking tour of downtown Little Rock, the

MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History (very sobering), shopped in the River Market District, had a wonderful vegan sandwich at the Boulevard Bread Company, and finally drove by Central High School on our way back to Van Buren.

It was a really nice visit. The city is small enough that we were able to walk to most of the attractions, the weather was beautiful, and we expanded our knowledge in geography and history while getting a feel for how people live in this part of the world.

Park Ridge RV Park at Lee Creek

When we first arrived in Van Buren, Arkansas, I thought the heat and humidity were going to be with us for our entire stay. The first week was so oppressively hot and humid and we ran the air conditioner in our 5th wheel almost 24 hours a day. We had three thunder and lightening storms within the first six days! But the second week arrived with the most beautiful weather we could ask for! Blue, sunny skies, high wispy clouds, highs in the low 80’s and cold mornings with lows around 59. Dan has spent the first two weeks of September working with his brothers erecting a metal garage. It has been quite an extensive project, and we will be posting pictures and a description of the project soon. I mostly just hung around the 5th wheel playing on the laptop, going on my runs, cooking, reading, and rediscovering what it feels like to just totally relax for the first time in years. Our RV Park is very pleasant, set on Lee Creek which flows into the Arkansas River. I’ve included a picture taken just a few yards from our 5th wheel. We only have two more weeks here, and during that time we plan to visit Little Rock, take a hike or two in the Ozarks, have dinner at Dan’s cousin’s restaurant, and visit with Dan’s relatives. That will take us up to October 1st when we head back to Albuquerque for the annual Balloon Fiesta.