We are leaving our RV in the Campground for a lower fee and driving our car to TX. Heading to Dallas to celebrate Ruth Stern's 87th birthday.
On our arrival, we have dinner with The Birthday Club, a group of 5 women of various ages who have been dining together for years on their birthdays. We meet at Lawrie's, a very upscale restaurant run by the people who own Lawrie's Seasoned Salt.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Day 10 - Monday 6/29/09 - ON THE ROAD
We are on our way to OK. There are Black-Eyed Susans growing wild along with huge Queen-Anne's Lace on the roadsides.
On I- 40. 30 miles from our destination of Chicotah, OK we see a sight that gives us pause. Lest we take for granted what it takes to make a highway, we see every step of total reconstruction of one lane for 40 miles.
There are hundreds of bundles of rebar, hundreds of piles of dirt, a huge roll of tar paper, hundreds of symmetrical piles of gravel. They are all laid out at controlled distances apart along the road, very efficiently so that the workers don't have to go far to get their supplies. Can you imagine how many dump truck trips it took in the middle of the night to get all that established?
The road on which we are traveling is like corrugated cardboard. It is terribly rough and when we stop we find that the Cotter Pin has popped out of the tongue of the tow dolly on which our car is riding.
We are surprised to find that the Cherokee Nation has its own license plate. Never knew before that the Reservations had their own system, but it makes sense.
A sight you wouldn't see in every state - two kids riding in a boat, towed by a pickup truck.
We have both been badly bitten by mosquitoes. Bob seems to react much more strongly than I do. His bites are blazing red and the itching is driving him crazy. We soon run out of our tiny emergency Benadryl spray. I run to the pharmacy for that and some more goodies.
Next thing I know, Bob is spraying the bites on his leg and saying how much it stings. "But at least it smells good!", he remarks. I tell him that the reason is that he is spraying his legs with Glade Air Freshener.
I think he was focused on the ice cream we had heard would be available at 7 pm in the clubhouse at the Campground.
We are camped on Lake Eufala, which is 30 miles long. Bob goes out in the evening and catches a bass. He has one more day left on his temporary fishing license.
STATES BOB HAS NEVER VISITED BEFORE: OK, UT, NM and AZ
On I- 40. 30 miles from our destination of Chicotah, OK we see a sight that gives us pause. Lest we take for granted what it takes to make a highway, we see every step of total reconstruction of one lane for 40 miles.
There are hundreds of bundles of rebar, hundreds of piles of dirt, a huge roll of tar paper, hundreds of symmetrical piles of gravel. They are all laid out at controlled distances apart along the road, very efficiently so that the workers don't have to go far to get their supplies. Can you imagine how many dump truck trips it took in the middle of the night to get all that established?
The road on which we are traveling is like corrugated cardboard. It is terribly rough and when we stop we find that the Cotter Pin has popped out of the tongue of the tow dolly on which our car is riding.
We are surprised to find that the Cherokee Nation has its own license plate. Never knew before that the Reservations had their own system, but it makes sense.
A sight you wouldn't see in every state - two kids riding in a boat, towed by a pickup truck.
We have both been badly bitten by mosquitoes. Bob seems to react much more strongly than I do. His bites are blazing red and the itching is driving him crazy. We soon run out of our tiny emergency Benadryl spray. I run to the pharmacy for that and some more goodies.
Next thing I know, Bob is spraying the bites on his leg and saying how much it stings. "But at least it smells good!", he remarks. I tell him that the reason is that he is spraying his legs with Glade Air Freshener.
I think he was focused on the ice cream we had heard would be available at 7 pm in the clubhouse at the Campground.
We are camped on Lake Eufala, which is 30 miles long. Bob goes out in the evening and catches a bass. He has one more day left on his temporary fishing license.
STATES BOB HAS NEVER VISITED BEFORE: OK, UT, NM and AZ
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Day 9 - Sunday, 6/28/09 - SETTLED
Temperature only 88 degrees and breezy here in Mt. View, AR. What a relief!
Bob twice caught two bluegills with red bellies. He's very excited. Doesn't take much to make him happy.
Laundry day. Catching up on wi-fi while the laundry spins.
We are camped on a feeder stream to the White (pron. "watt" here in AR) River. Wading and swimming in it is blissful. It's full of little minnows which follow us around in schools. Later we regret not having gone skinny dipping - there was not a soul down there but us. Like we were living on our own private island. What a joy.
PARADISE #1!
Bob manages to scoop up a bullfrog tadpole. It's already warty and kind of gross, but fascinating all the same.
One side of the stream is lined with a solid rock wall with little indentations in it. Perfect for birds' nests.
We have borrowed a canoe to take farther downstream. After making it about halfway down to our destination, the canoe springs a leak. When we return it, the woman says it's no problem and that the leak was probably caused by kids dragging the canoe in shallow water. Whew! I thought we'd get in trouble.
I had actually accidentally dumped Bob in the water in my hurry to get ashore. He won't forget that for a while.
Supper is a perfect catch - catfish, clams and shrimp at Jo-Jo's Catfish Wharf. They have green tomato relish which has the texture of pickled watermelon rinds with a little kick. Yum. It's served with all the hush-puppies you can eat. They make wonderful breakfasts.
In March and April of last year (2008), the White River flooded. There are pictures of it everywhere in Mt. View. The residents were undaunted. Photos show people continuing to play poker in the muddy waters.
In the evening we go to The Jimmy Driftwood Barn. Jimmy Driftwood was a local musician who built a big performing venue in the 50's which still continues to pack audiences in today. It is not unlike the old variety shows of the past.
One particularly memorable act is an Arkansan dulcimer player with a Michigan-born and bred husband. She jokes that "It took him forever to say "own" instead of "ahn".
A striking thing about this area is that in our three days here we have seen one Asian, one African-American, and two Latinos.
Bob twice caught two bluegills with red bellies. He's very excited. Doesn't take much to make him happy.
Laundry day. Catching up on wi-fi while the laundry spins.
We are camped on a feeder stream to the White (pron. "watt" here in AR) River. Wading and swimming in it is blissful. It's full of little minnows which follow us around in schools. Later we regret not having gone skinny dipping - there was not a soul down there but us. Like we were living on our own private island. What a joy.
PARADISE #1!
Bob manages to scoop up a bullfrog tadpole. It's already warty and kind of gross, but fascinating all the same.
One side of the stream is lined with a solid rock wall with little indentations in it. Perfect for birds' nests.
We have borrowed a canoe to take farther downstream. After making it about halfway down to our destination, the canoe springs a leak. When we return it, the woman says it's no problem and that the leak was probably caused by kids dragging the canoe in shallow water. Whew! I thought we'd get in trouble.
I had actually accidentally dumped Bob in the water in my hurry to get ashore. He won't forget that for a while.
Supper is a perfect catch - catfish, clams and shrimp at Jo-Jo's Catfish Wharf. They have green tomato relish which has the texture of pickled watermelon rinds with a little kick. Yum. It's served with all the hush-puppies you can eat. They make wonderful breakfasts.
In March and April of last year (2008), the White River flooded. There are pictures of it everywhere in Mt. View. The residents were undaunted. Photos show people continuing to play poker in the muddy waters.
In the evening we go to The Jimmy Driftwood Barn. Jimmy Driftwood was a local musician who built a big performing venue in the 50's which still continues to pack audiences in today. It is not unlike the old variety shows of the past.
One particularly memorable act is an Arkansan dulcimer player with a Michigan-born and bred husband. She jokes that "It took him forever to say "own" instead of "ahn".
A striking thing about this area is that in our three days here we have seen one Asian, one African-American, and two Latinos.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Day 8 - Saturday 6/27/09 ON THE ROAD
Breakfast at the Shelby Forest General Store. Another guest sits at our table to chat us up. He's a local.
Due to Southern Hospitality, when we go to pay our bill, we find it's all taken care of. The person at the counter tells us "You'll find Southern Hospitality abounds everywhere". Even our unrefrigerated cheddar cheese (yes, we got brave and decided to try it), chips, and Bob's porcupine quill bobber ("It's a Southern Thing") were included in our unknown benefactor's generosity.
We try to enter our next destination, Mountain View, Arkansas, into our GPS. The GPS won't set the time of arrival. It turns out we entered the abbreviation for Alaska instead of Arkansas. It's a good thing we realized it before we headed North instead of West.
What a surprise to see rice paddies on US 64. The farmers formed berms to create ditches for irrigation. It's pretty dry out here.
Bob says: "Instead of being pissed off because I'm behind a poky RV, I am the poky RV."
HAIKU: Sharp turn in the road
Flip flops flying across the room
Bald Knob the next town.
FUNNY PLACE NAMES: Jimmy Driftwood Road
Tinkle Creek Road
PeeDee, AR
Bee Branch, AR
Poteete, AR
Mountain View, AR, pop 2876 is in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.
Hospital the size of our Convenient Care Center in Ithaca has it's own heliport.
In the evening, music in the square. People from NB come to pick and sing bluegrass and gospel. It's a giant jam session.
We eat The Big Pig Salad which includes broccoli, BBQ pork, lettuce, tomato, BBQ sauce and Ranch Dressing, accompanied by fried green tomatoes. Even Bob likes them.
HOW WE ENTERTAIN OURSELVES ON THE ROAD: Road Kill Cups - try to aim the car at the cup and run over it.
Seventeen motorcycles ride into town to hear the music. What a scene!
A six-foot tall Mormon woman sits behind us and starts telling Bob how she is estranged from her father. Her daughter sings beautifully. We wonder if they have left the Church due to discomfort with bigamy in their circle.
The nickname for Mountain View is Stone Country. There are giant boulders in people's yards. All the public buildings seem to be made from the same stone. It looks like Jerusalem Stone.
Later that evening we go down the road to the Gospel Opry. A group of people do this twice a week. They play guitar, mandolin, banjo and fiddle and sing gospel songs. White people!
FUNNY SIGNS: Barns, Farms and Dirt Work
Best Folk Music in the Arkansas
Hillbilly Plumbers: Y'all Just Give Us a Call
Bob's Good Junk
Peg's Little Shop with Lots of Stuff
Crooked and Steep Next 1 1/2 Mile
Due to Southern Hospitality, when we go to pay our bill, we find it's all taken care of. The person at the counter tells us "You'll find Southern Hospitality abounds everywhere". Even our unrefrigerated cheddar cheese (yes, we got brave and decided to try it), chips, and Bob's porcupine quill bobber ("It's a Southern Thing") were included in our unknown benefactor's generosity.
We try to enter our next destination, Mountain View, Arkansas, into our GPS. The GPS won't set the time of arrival. It turns out we entered the abbreviation for Alaska instead of Arkansas. It's a good thing we realized it before we headed North instead of West.
What a surprise to see rice paddies on US 64. The farmers formed berms to create ditches for irrigation. It's pretty dry out here.
Bob says: "Instead of being pissed off because I'm behind a poky RV, I am the poky RV."
HAIKU: Sharp turn in the road
Flip flops flying across the room
Bald Knob the next town.
FUNNY PLACE NAMES: Jimmy Driftwood Road
Tinkle Creek Road
PeeDee, AR
Bee Branch, AR
Poteete, AR
Mountain View, AR, pop 2876 is in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.
Hospital the size of our Convenient Care Center in Ithaca has it's own heliport.
In the evening, music in the square. People from NB come to pick and sing bluegrass and gospel. It's a giant jam session.
We eat The Big Pig Salad which includes broccoli, BBQ pork, lettuce, tomato, BBQ sauce and Ranch Dressing, accompanied by fried green tomatoes. Even Bob likes them.
HOW WE ENTERTAIN OURSELVES ON THE ROAD: Road Kill Cups - try to aim the car at the cup and run over it.
Seventeen motorcycles ride into town to hear the music. What a scene!
A six-foot tall Mormon woman sits behind us and starts telling Bob how she is estranged from her father. Her daughter sings beautifully. We wonder if they have left the Church due to discomfort with bigamy in their circle.
The nickname for Mountain View is Stone Country. There are giant boulders in people's yards. All the public buildings seem to be made from the same stone. It looks like Jerusalem Stone.
Later that evening we go down the road to the Gospel Opry. A group of people do this twice a week. They play guitar, mandolin, banjo and fiddle and sing gospel songs. White people!
FUNNY SIGNS: Barns, Farms and Dirt Work
Best Folk Music in the Arkansas
Hillbilly Plumbers: Y'all Just Give Us a Call
Bob's Good Junk
Peg's Little Shop with Lots of Stuff
Crooked and Steep Next 1 1/2 Mile
Friday, June 26, 2009
Day 7- Friday, 6/26/09 SETTLED
Bob: "I am back in Mombasha. Small country roads. A car goes by every once in a while and they wave. Small general store with seven pickups parked in front. There's a group of old guys on the porch talking. Two cups of coffee and a banana: $1.71."
We eat our leftover grits for breakfast.
We do some birdwatching: scarlet tanager and maybe a red-headed woodpecker. There is a funny bug with its butt up in the air that lands on the RV hood. Corinne takes a picture of it but I haven't figured out yet how to upload the pix.
Outside the Meeman-Shelby State Park Visitor's Center there is a fascinating plant called "Scrubbing Rush". It looks like bamboo. I wonder if it would survive in Upstate New York.
We try to ride our bikes to Piersol Lake but we can't get there. A private party is using the lodge there.
Corinne goes to Memphis to try to sell her little hats at a Judaica Shop. No luck.
Nothing better than a hammock in the woods. It's 101 degrees.
In the evening we have steak at the Shelby General Store. The store's pet rooster greets us.
There was supposed to be a bango player there for Steak Night but he didn't show up. A couple with a two year old are just as disappointed as we are because they have been trying for three years to get here and the day they can finally come: no bango player.
At the bathroom that evening Bob sees a four inch millipede. Fortunately it's dead. There is also a waterbug that is at least two inches long, belly up, thank God.
We eat our leftover grits for breakfast.
We do some birdwatching: scarlet tanager and maybe a red-headed woodpecker. There is a funny bug with its butt up in the air that lands on the RV hood. Corinne takes a picture of it but I haven't figured out yet how to upload the pix.
Outside the Meeman-Shelby State Park Visitor's Center there is a fascinating plant called "Scrubbing Rush". It looks like bamboo. I wonder if it would survive in Upstate New York.
We try to ride our bikes to Piersol Lake but we can't get there. A private party is using the lodge there.
Corinne goes to Memphis to try to sell her little hats at a Judaica Shop. No luck.
Nothing better than a hammock in the woods. It's 101 degrees.
In the evening we have steak at the Shelby General Store. The store's pet rooster greets us.
There was supposed to be a bango player there for Steak Night but he didn't show up. A couple with a two year old are just as disappointed as we are because they have been trying for three years to get here and the day they can finally come: no bango player.
At the bathroom that evening Bob sees a four inch millipede. Fortunately it's dead. There is also a waterbug that is at least two inches long, belly up, thank God.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Day 6- Thursday, 6/25/09 - ON THE ROAD
Breakfast at Cracker Barrel courtesy of another thoughtful wedding guest. Corinne has Montmorency Cherry pancakes. Yum! We take our grits to go.
Before we leave, we stop at the Western Store and Bob buys a gorgeous pair of ostrich quill boots at a very steep discount. They'll be good for dancing. Corinne buys a shirt, a sweater and some silver cactus earrings. We love stores that are closing.
We see an RV dealer with a small trailer called the Arpod. That happens to be Bob's brother-in-law's middle name, so we have to photograph it. Nearby is Stumpy Lane, which happens to be the name that Bob's friends in the Air Force used to call him because he was so short.
FUNNY PLACE NAMES: Tater Peeler Road, Pringles Road, Pillow State Park
Corinne drives in the afternoon. We hit 1000 miles!
At the General Store in Millington, TN near Meeman-Shelby State Park there is a horsefly the size of a quarter. They have warm cheddar cheese triangles wrapped in plastic wrap sitting on the counter. The owner says "These are for people to eat on crackers with their Vie-enna sausage". Ohkay.......
Mosquitoes buzz in our ears despite repellant. We go down to the Mighty Muddy Mississippi - down a narrow winding road. There are tiny waves lapping.
Before we leave, we stop at the Western Store and Bob buys a gorgeous pair of ostrich quill boots at a very steep discount. They'll be good for dancing. Corinne buys a shirt, a sweater and some silver cactus earrings. We love stores that are closing.
We see an RV dealer with a small trailer called the Arpod. That happens to be Bob's brother-in-law's middle name, so we have to photograph it. Nearby is Stumpy Lane, which happens to be the name that Bob's friends in the Air Force used to call him because he was so short.
FUNNY PLACE NAMES: Tater Peeler Road, Pringles Road, Pillow State Park
Corinne drives in the afternoon. We hit 1000 miles!
At the General Store in Millington, TN near Meeman-Shelby State Park there is a horsefly the size of a quarter. They have warm cheddar cheese triangles wrapped in plastic wrap sitting on the counter. The owner says "These are for people to eat on crackers with their Vie-enna sausage". Ohkay.......
Mosquitoes buzz in our ears despite repellant. We go down to the Mighty Muddy Mississippi - down a narrow winding road. There are tiny waves lapping.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Day 5 - Wednesday, 6/24/09 ON THE ROAD
Bob drives. We're on the way to Lebanon, TN. We eat hardboiled eggs for breakfast and peanut-butter pretzels for lunch.
At a rest stop we are treated to two show horses grazing and resting. One has sunshades on. It's black and white. Is that a pinto?
Timberline Campground in Lebanon is a depressing place. There are campers there who look like they live there. The conditions are not clean. I could use an expletive to describe it, but I won't.
We walk to the movie theater up the road, stopping at a Western Store that is going out of business. There is a terrible accident at the intersection of the highway and the side road. It takes at least 10 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.
"Pelham 1-2-3" is a thriller. There is an arcade game at the theater called "Exotica". The avatar painted on the side looks just like my cousin Cassie.
At a rest stop we are treated to two show horses grazing and resting. One has sunshades on. It's black and white. Is that a pinto?
Timberline Campground in Lebanon is a depressing place. There are campers there who look like they live there. The conditions are not clean. I could use an expletive to describe it, but I won't.
We walk to the movie theater up the road, stopping at a Western Store that is going out of business. There is a terrible accident at the intersection of the highway and the side road. It takes at least 10 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.
"Pelham 1-2-3" is a thriller. There is an arcade game at the theater called "Exotica". The avatar painted on the side looks just like my cousin Cassie.
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