Missouri and Arkansas  brother Will and bride Pam

Pam Will

Well, so far this month Missouri has been a challenge. When this trip was booked with brother Will and bride Pam way back in August of 2020, we knew it was going to be hot; however, with this heat wave the hot index exceeded our expectations. We try to make the best of it, doing short tourist excursions and visiting the local pub each evening to cool off someplace.

The heat is not the only challenge though. First camp spot where we met W/P was in Odessa, MO – nice enough and close to Kansas City MO where we tourist around and of course, Jefferson City state capital of MO. Then off to Fort Leonard Wood, an Army Base campground. That was nice, but turned out that reservations were switched on us as we were supposed to be on a lake but instead, we were on base. Hmmm, not much going on at the Fort. The blessing in this mistake was Pam got a nose bleed that just wouldn’t stop so quick jaunt to the base hospital where she got excellent care (she was there all day). IF we were at the lake, that place is out in middle of nowhere and a hospital would be hard to come by.

Not that Ty and I were in a hurry to leave Amy’s, but now I know why you see stray shoes laying on streets as we both left our shoes. Scotty mailed Ty hokas to him but for me I was told to just go buy some new flips.

The next challenge is now provided by brother Willy, while trying to back into a spot in Branson, jackknifed his 5^th wheel a little too tight (they can jackknife but not at such a severe angle) and punched out his back window on the truck. Off to a town north of Branson for a replacement window. Good thing we are in a nice spot.

Next up are campsites, which are ever increasingly hard to get especially when people have booked them and then don’t show up and campgrounds cannot rebook them. Right now sitting next to a site that has been empty for about a week according to camp host and it is a prime spot! This is a nice state park for Mo – Indian Point. Right on Table Rock Lake fairly close to Branson. But we have to move because this site has been reserved long ago, so we move into a Group Site which was great by us as we were all alone! Which also means NO LIGHTS which I treasure at night and because the rig next to us was all decked out in lights at night that stayed on all day and night! Not sure why people think that decorating their rig like it was Christmas is a good thing and enjoyed by all around – not!

It is so fun to be with brother and wifey as they are now providing the entertainment. Back bumper on his rig, where he has his bike rake attached cracked off and the bikes were hanging on by a thread. Poor Pam’s bike got the worst of it as every time the rig went up and down an incline the wheel of the bike would scrape the ground. Good thing it was discovered quickly but another repair job. This time to find a welder.

Wanda is acting up again with the squeaks but has decided to add a new problem to the mix. Now the hitch won’t engage properly and appears to be tilting a bit. This is challenging. The squeaks just drive me mad.

Nosebleed Pam and Truck Forgotten Shoes

What we did in Missouri

1. Went to the Ozark Cave, had a great tour however no bats
2. Went to Kansas City MO and toured the area
3. Visited the state capital of MO located in Jefferson City.
4. Hiked Ha Ha Tonka which has a natural bridge, ruins of castle built in 1890, and a nice hike around lake (including some stair climbing)
5. Canoed on Lake Taneycomo that looks like a river (these MO people will believe anything. If you say it is a lake, then it is a lake but it looks and flows like a river.
6. Once bike fixed took a nice ride on a Rails To Trails
7. Visited Walmart every other day, it seems
8. Went to see RAZA and illusionist at Branson. We wore our mask in the packed theatre; only about 2% of the population in the theatre were wearing mask. Us and staff.
9. Saw some unusual watercraft while eating out on Lake Taneycomo.
10. Will dropped a lot of $$$$ on repairs.

Canoe Lake Taneycomo HA HA Tonka Its a car Its a jet Capital of MO

Impressions of Missouri

Despite the heat, MO is a beautiful state. Rolling hills (they call them mountains), lots of green and lots of lakes thanks to all the dams. Also a plethora of Corps of Engineer Campgrounds, which a situated on the lakes by the dams the COE created and they are clean, spacious and fairly inexpensive.

ARKANSAS

Lake Leatherwood AR Eureka Springs Ar

Eureka Springs is the first stop- what a cute town that is! Built really as a tourist mecca for the healing springs that abound in the area. Lots of rich ole guys in the 1890’s built huge hotels with bath houses to bring in the tourist; which it did. Not too many tourists come anymore for the springs, but do come for the quaintness of the town, the hotels and shops. Now instead of springs, ES tourist attractions ghost and haunted tours and gangsta’s.

AND we stayed at the city owned park, Lake Leatherwood. What a gem and the best part is kids are back in school so campground is empty. It had a beautiful lake and swim area that was built by the CCC and hasn’t been updated much. Ty jumped off what was once a swim platform, it was about a 10 foot plunge; I climbed down the ladder. We enjoyed the cool water and lazed around for an afternoon. Our view from campsite looking out onto the water from the trees was like looking at a Monet painting with all the water lilies and heat haze. Just love it when we find these gems.

We came across some interesting “gems” of tourist sights like a chapel built in the side of the mountain used for meditating built out of steel and glass.

Thorncrown Chapel

The Walmart Pilgrimage and we have found the Temple

Bentonville is the home to the very first Walmart that is now a museum that describes how it all came to be.  Hallelujah!!!! Since all our trips seem to revolve around finding a Walmart – it was no brainer that we should make our way here and pay homage. Interesting tidbit, which there is a picture, is some of the returns and reasons. Example: wall thermometer returned because “clock” didn’t keep good time. Thermos which was returned with no receipt AND was made 8 years before the 1^st Walmart opened (customer returned in 1983) saying it leaked. Hand mixer was possessed. Pencil sharpener wouldn’t sharpen pens! Tennis racket, crushed by something, didn’t serve well. Fishing pole wouldn’t catch fish.

We could have ended our days right here and Will would go out with a smile on his face.

Crystal Bridges

Would like to thank whoever told us to make sure we go to Crystal Bridges if we get to Arkansas around the Eureka Springs area. Ty and I thought it was a tourist spot to hike and view a bridge. Not so, it is a wonderful museum of American Art and it was free! Beautiful building design in a valley over a river incorporating the river into the design where they had a Chihuly balls and blue spikes in the vegetation. A Frank Lloyd Wright home which could be toured. In the museum itself were paintings, sculptures, mixed mediums of cloth all by American artist. It was a great find.

Capital Tour – Little Rock Arkansas

Double bonus with this excursion as Little Rock still has the original capital building (now a museum) The Old State House as it is referred to. Everything one would want to know about Arkansas including the original spelling Acqkansa, then later Arkansaw, and now Arkansas. Capital building was one of the largest that we have ever been in, it has been restored to its original build state when completed in 1915. Lots of marble and granite.

Little Rock AR Capital Fort Smith

Fort Smith was next up; not sure who or why we choose Fort Smith as all we seemed to do there was go to Walmart a couple of times, stayed at the State Park Springhill, was nice as state parks go. Tried to hike, but it was way too hot to get many miles in and we tried riding bikes in the park but had to go around several times to get in 10 miles, tried riding into Fort Smith but that didn’t work out so well.

• FS does have a Civil War Military Fort that is well preserved, although, we could not get into the main building (Armory) due to flooding, we walked the grounds and went into what buildings were open. Did not take a picture of this because it is too gruesome, on display were the gallows where over 21 men were hanged. Never saw a hanging gallows before and you could walk right up to it, gave me the shivers.

Fordyce Bathhouse Mens Bathhouse Bathhouse Exercise Room

Hot Springs

What a surprise (not!), too HOT to go into the hot springs and many of bath houses are closed because of temps. Hot Springs is actually a National Park. The town is old and quaint with Bathhouse Row being the main attraction and there are a lot of springs both hot and cold that are open to the public to get water from and people do! Jugs full. National Park has done a wonderful job of restoring the Fordcye Bathhouse. As you tour through you get firsthand knowledge of what it was like in the days of the rich and pampered to come to town for a relaxing spa. Even had a gym. No surprise that the men’s section of the bathhouse was so elaborate with stain glass ceilings, intricate floor tile patterns and statues. Women’s – not so much.

Tesla Coil

Trying to stay cool in the sweltering heat we went to the Mid America Science Museum in Hot Springs and to our delight was the Tesla Coil demonstration. Yes, it is the same Tesla as the car. Tesla who discovered AC power and not much appreciated by Edison went on to become a famous inventor in the electronics field despite Edison. The Tesla Coil stands inside a cage lined with a metal mesh. The lighting bolts try to escape the confines thus producing an ear-splitting display. I am shown lighting a lightbulb in my one hand and touching a glass globe with a tesla coil inside that. The premise is the globe does not contain the energy as well as the cage, and the energy is transmitted thru my body to light the bulb. Didn’t hurt a bit.

Whoo-hoo, hoo, whoo-hoo (train whistle)

Thought Walmart Muesum sent Will over the top, HOLD ON not so fast little cowpoke there is a train comin’ to town. Now Will has really died and gone to heaven ’cause the  BIG BOY #1404 (that is the train name) has rolled into town on a special tour stop of its historical train tour of 2021. BIG BOY #1404 is owned by Union Pacific, built in 1941, is 132 feet long, weighs a whopping 1.2 million pounds and runs on a 4-8-8-4 wheel configuration. Four wheels on the leading set of “pilot” wheels which guide the engine, eight drivers, another set of 8 drivers, and four wheels supporting the rear of locomotive. It is all black, billowing steam, blaring the whistle massive. Made of day of it going to see the Big Boy at a 30 minute stop in Marken. I think the entire town showed up for the event. It was fun and festive and probably the highlight of the trip for Will (Walmart you came in 2nd)!

Three Sister Park – spent our last hot day on the lake, enjoying the water and breeze.

Three Sisters Park Nashville

Nashville, Nashville, Nashville Tennessee!

A repeat stop for 2019 but it’s Nashville. Stroll through the honkey tonks, and the rail station that has been renovated and of course Grand Ole Ryman Opry House. Trivia: is opry held its first venue in June of 1936 in the Dixie Tabernacle which was a religious meeting hall.

• IDA rolled in with a vengeance on late Monday evening and hovered over Nashville for 24 hours. We watch a ditch behind our rigs fill with water up to the brim but no worries as we were higher yet.

Last night in Nashville we of course had to go to the Grand Ole Opry, always a good time and a good way to end August.

Sept 1 we headed to Kentucky for some bourbon.

P.S. Will’s troubles with bike rack are still not resolved, the welding cracked and the new hitch is not strong enough resting on bumper to support the bikes. As we travel behind him, watching the bikes bounce up and down we prepare ourselves to swerve out of the way in case a bike falls off.  AHHH the adventure of it all!