Continuing the Journey North

Once we left Hot Springs, we headed Northeast - to Little Rock, Ar.  One of the things I forgot, was I have kinfolk in the Arkansas area. Always in the back of my mind, I remember dad talking about Little Rock, and Pine Bluff, however the one place I do not remember was Camden, Ar. It seems Camden was where most were located, but we had already passed the city. So, leave tracking down second aunts and uncle for later.

Our Destination - Downtown Riverside Rv park.

Our primary goal - William J. Clinton Presidential Library. This will be the fourth library we will have visited. Our libraries include Reagan, Eisenhower, and Johnson. We always like reading up on history, and events that helped to create a timeline of those years and leading up to the now. More on the history and events later.

Photos of the Library? Well a few maybe:

 Being in Arkansas and right along the Arkansas River, especially this year, the river levels have continued to rise and breach the river banks. Even while we were at the Park, the level rose over 3 feet in 2 days. We heard reservations were being cancelled for the week of May 31st.

One of the interesting places I wanted to located was the beginning point of the Louisiana Purchase. I wonder how many people even remember what that means.

Sometimes we just have to re-read it - Clicky - Wikipedia

Just where is this point of interest?

A State Park - Titled Louisiana Purchase State Park (in Arkansas).
The point of interest is located in what they call a Head Water Swamp, yep - a swamp. It is situated along a boardwalk about 200 yards winding long.

When we arrived , it was down about a 1 mile long straight road. Could you bring the Alfa? Well you could, but you would be disconnecting the tow vehicle and then slowly turning and backing up a little. 

Soon we were in sight of the end, our goal - what - where - there it is in the swamp itself.

Ok, enough of this - I'll get back to Little Rock later and also let you know where we are located. 

Just remember to Enjoy Life 

Safe Journeys and Travels

DaGirls Rv 

Susan , Tilly, Dakota and me 

And Keep an eye on the Rear Camera - Specifically the Tow

Overnite Stop in Hot Springs

Well actually it turned into a 3 night layover.
We were told about this Campground, located in the Hot Spring National Park, called Gulpha Gorge. No reservation, first come, during the season get here early, however many people stay 1 night then it is on the way.

The park is right inside the national park, many hiking trails, trees, Full Hookup sites, many of which can handle a 40 Footer Alfa.

Information on the Campground - Clicky

While staying we added a few more photos to our unique campers folder:

However our goal was the town of Hot Springs. The downtown area and the Bath-Houses:

Hot Springs is a city in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. It’s known for naturally heated springs, many of them in Hot Springs National Park to the north. Bathhouse Row has 8 bathhouses from the 19th and 20th centuries. These include Buckstaff Baths, with thermal baths. The elaborate, stained-glass-and-marble Fordyce Bathhouse has a lobby fountain and houses the park’s visitors center and museum.

You can read more about the unique Bath-Houses here - Clicky  

One of the best places was Superior bathhouse Brewery. Y'all - a BIG PAW FRIENDLY. And I do mean Paw Friendly, where Dakota and Tilly came INSIDE the brewery where they serve food. 

Susan, Dakota, Tilly shares Tortilla chips and a salad, along with root beer for Susan and a 4 flight of beer for me. Server, excellent, food good and beer good enough to bring home 2-32oz Squealers. 

As we continued our sight seeing we visited a few places worth photo ops:

Susan located a dog park along with a small river walk :

Of course what did we spy across the street? Something I can hardly pass-by without stopping:

Ok, that's it - time to get loaded up and head to our next stop.

Safe Journeys from 

DaGirls Rv

Susan, Dakota, Tilly and me 

And Remember to Keep an eye on the Rear View Camera

Louisiana to Arkansas

So, let’s get everyone caught up as to who we’ve seen, where we were and where we are today (May 24).

First everyone remembers, we went to Alexandria, Alex for short, that’s what we Louisianans' call it, so live with or get over it, either way.
Why, well not because it’s their but to see my Aunt Joy, my dad’s sister. Enough of this as you should have already read all about it.

Ok, so on a Sat. May 18th to be exact we hit the road at 6:55 am, yep, we were on the road before 7am and heading for Louisiana  Hwy 167, but it is really not Louisianan Hwy, but a U.S. Hwy 167.

U.S. Route 167 runs for 500 miles from Ash Flat, Arkansas at U.S. Route 62/US Route 412 to Abbeville, Louisiana at Louisiana Highway 14. It goes through the cities of Little Rock, Arkansas, Alexandria, Louisiana, and Lafayette, Louisiana. Wikipedia-Clicky

Our first stop – well after 70 miles it was time for a coffee break, off in the distance was a town called Winnfield. Good place to stop except no coffee shops were either open or around. We pulled into a Walmart and we said to ourselves, wait, we live in our home. We can make our own coffee. Which is what we did. In about 30 minutes, Dakota & Tilly walked, coffee made and in our cups we were off aging heading north.

Where you might ask?
Ruston, Choudrant, Louisiana to be exact. To see Dick and Trish Albritton.

Not to have work done, but to see friends. While we were there, we talked to Ronnie, met Jody his wife and even caught with with Mark and Cathy Finnesgard. Whom we have not see, or me remembering, in 2 years.
Now you know me, I just cannot always sit still. So neither Ronnie or Dick needed help, so that left me with time on my hands.

But 1 thing Dick had was a old Generac Generator, with a good generator inside. I should have known better, Dick was giving some instructions, lightly, me listening, not much, and the next thing, I am out there removing the generator from the assembly. Only 2 small items did he forget to say. While applying pressure to the pulley, and then hitting it with a hammer, WATCH OUT, as the pully will come flying off one way, and you the other way. That was fun to watch. And much laughter could be heard. The next thing? Well someone forgot to tell me the flippin generator weight over 60 lbs, I almost fell over picking it up.

Well I got it out and apart enough to get dimensional measurements on it. So I can now start looking for a replacement for the Alfa community.

Well we all had a good laugh on this one. Among the many trips to town I saw first hand the damage done to Ruston by a Tornado about 1 month ago, where 2 people loss their lives.

Ok, so where were we heading to after Dick’s?
After some discussion, we learned of Glupha Springs CG in a National Park, next to Hot Springs, Ar. So, on Wed., 22nd of May, we headed out. And this is where we are as I write this. Not to worry, I will catch everyone up on what we are doing or think we know, what we are doing.

Safe Travels and Journeys 

DaGirls Rv

Susan, Tilly, Dakota and me.