A Trip to Mena
Friday morning we set out to drive from our home to Mena, Arkansas. We saw a Bald Eagle between Durant, Oklahoma and Atoka.
A bit past the mid-point of our drive, we turned left to see an Oklahoma lake. We found that the lake was Sardis Lake. We first saw a couple of families fishing from a small bridge. We visited the Narrows area on the lake. We wandered on some country roads. We found our way back to the highway.
When we got to Talihina, Oklahoma, we drove on the Talimena Scenic By-Way from Talihina until we reached the Queen Wilhelmina State Park. We stopped at many of the scenic vistas on the way. The Rich Mountain vista that explained how the wind and the rocky soil make trees grow smaller was interesting.
At the state park, we took a side highway into Mena. Friday night we went to Chicollo's Food Emporium for dinner. We each had green chili quesadillas. We ate at tables outside. None of the other patrons wore masks. Our meal was very good. After dinner, we went to a Wal-Mart grocery to pick up milk and other things. Some people there wore masks.
We rented a cabin in Mena. Our cabin was a manufactured home, part of a duplex. It abutted Prairie Creek, and was called Prairie Creek Cabins. We did not seize the opportunity to kayak the creek. But we liked the place to stay. The two women who rented the unit next to ours were very pleasant. They had come from Missouri to Arkansas to attend a graduation ceremony but had not been able to attend after all. They had a charming Chihuahua/Rat Terrier mix dog named Skeeter. Skeeter was a grand little dog.
Early Saturday morning I walked around the small grounds of our cabin. I saw 6 species, including a Great Crested Flycatcher.
On Saturday morning my wife and I drove to the Queen Wilhelmina State Park. We walked on the Reservoir Trail, a 1 mile moderately-challenging trail down part of the mountain to an old reservoir for the hotel. The original hotel had been built in 1898, though the current hotel is of much later vintage. The state park enforced a mask mandate, including a mask on the stuffed bear in the lobby. We had lunch at the restaurant, which was good, though my grilled catfish portion was a bit small and the only diet soft drink was Diet Dr. Pepper. Diet Dr. Pepper is not a soft drink that I order, as I find its chief virtue is that it is not Diet Mr. Pibb. I drank water instead.
After lunch, we drove to downtown Mena. We visited the Mena Art Gallery, which was holding a show of artists all over the country who gained places at a juried art show. The pieces included some nice works. The woman who was running the show Saturday was very pleasant and informative. We enjoyed the gallery. I left a donation, as we did not buy any pieces. Then we went next door to another gallery, where they apparently sometimes offer glasswork art lessons. We took no lessons, but my wife enjoyed talking about Minnesota with the man in the gallery.
We then drove over to Cossatot River State Park, about 45 minutes away, leaving Polk County for Howard County, . The Cossatot River is a rugged rocky river that draws in lots of people who want to do adventure kayaking on its rapids. We wanted to do some hiking along the river, and that is just what we did. We saw tons of great wildflowers, toured the visitor center, We started on the short Waterleaf Trail, named after a rare plant, Browne's Waterleaf that we saw blooming along the trail. We saw young people floating in a gentle part of the river,. We also saw rocky, more vigorous parts of the river. We walked a bit on the River Corridor Trail. We liked the hiking.
Saturday evening we watched a mother and father Canada goose escort three goslings across the field next door to our cabins. That field
had two poles in the middle with paper "No Trespassing" signs up. I wondered what transgressions prior renters in our cabins had committed to prompt those signs being posted.
I picked up a to-go meal from Little Italy, which was pretty good food. I liked that good places to eat were near our cabin.
Sunday morning we drove on Highway Eight to FAS 2400 to go to Shady Lake. We passed the Wolf Pen Gap RV Trails and a goodish-few RV drivers. Then we found ourselves on rocky, rugged mountain roads. My wife coaxed her car slowly for over an hour as we went at very low speeds. Finally, we came to a gorgeous scenic vista called Sugar Creek Vista. There we got the best view of the Ouachita Mountains we had gotten during our trip. The vista was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. The vista sign discussed the men who built the vista.
I was glad to see their names listed.
We got to Shady Lake. This 25-acre lake was lovely and surrounded by mountains. We had the place nearly to ourselves--a couple of other users and a couple of campers were there. Perhaps the rainy forecast and the Mother's Day holiday made a difference. We hiked and walked until the rain slowed us and sent us back to the car. I listed 10 species on my bird list, including Indigo Bunting and Summer Tanager.
It turned out that a paved road had existed to get to the park after all. We took that home. We stopped at the lovely little Shady Lake Dam. A kayaker paddled in the distance--we had seen him park his car and begin to put his boat in.
We stopped on the way home at the other end of Cosstatot River State Park, and hiked a bit near the Brushy Access area.
We picked up more food from Little Italy and rested on Sunday evening.
Monday we packed up and drove back to Texas. The weather when we arrived was cool and rainy. The Arkansas mountain weather had been pleasant, with light bursts of rain each day, but lots of sun and dapped sky.
We had a very good trip, and Beatrice did well with her stay while we were gone.
Last night I played in an on-line chess tournament and scored 3 1/2-2 1/2, which is not as good as I hoped in an U1450 tournament.
I finished reading Agatha Christie's "The Silent Adversary." Now it is time to return to work and get things done.
from Dreamwidth, because two posts of the same text are twice as nice
A bit past the mid-point of our drive, we turned left to see an Oklahoma lake. We found that the lake was Sardis Lake. We first saw a couple of families fishing from a small bridge. We visited the Narrows area on the lake. We wandered on some country roads. We found our way back to the highway.
When we got to Talihina, Oklahoma, we drove on the Talimena Scenic By-Way from Talihina until we reached the Queen Wilhelmina State Park. We stopped at many of the scenic vistas on the way. The Rich Mountain vista that explained how the wind and the rocky soil make trees grow smaller was interesting.
At the state park, we took a side highway into Mena. Friday night we went to Chicollo's Food Emporium for dinner. We each had green chili quesadillas. We ate at tables outside. None of the other patrons wore masks. Our meal was very good. After dinner, we went to a Wal-Mart grocery to pick up milk and other things. Some people there wore masks.
We rented a cabin in Mena. Our cabin was a manufactured home, part of a duplex. It abutted Prairie Creek, and was called Prairie Creek Cabins. We did not seize the opportunity to kayak the creek. But we liked the place to stay. The two women who rented the unit next to ours were very pleasant. They had come from Missouri to Arkansas to attend a graduation ceremony but had not been able to attend after all. They had a charming Chihuahua/Rat Terrier mix dog named Skeeter. Skeeter was a grand little dog.
Early Saturday morning I walked around the small grounds of our cabin. I saw 6 species, including a Great Crested Flycatcher.
On Saturday morning my wife and I drove to the Queen Wilhelmina State Park. We walked on the Reservoir Trail, a 1 mile moderately-challenging trail down part of the mountain to an old reservoir for the hotel. The original hotel had been built in 1898, though the current hotel is of much later vintage. The state park enforced a mask mandate, including a mask on the stuffed bear in the lobby. We had lunch at the restaurant, which was good, though my grilled catfish portion was a bit small and the only diet soft drink was Diet Dr. Pepper. Diet Dr. Pepper is not a soft drink that I order, as I find its chief virtue is that it is not Diet Mr. Pibb. I drank water instead.
After lunch, we drove to downtown Mena. We visited the Mena Art Gallery, which was holding a show of artists all over the country who gained places at a juried art show. The pieces included some nice works. The woman who was running the show Saturday was very pleasant and informative. We enjoyed the gallery. I left a donation, as we did not buy any pieces. Then we went next door to another gallery, where they apparently sometimes offer glasswork art lessons. We took no lessons, but my wife enjoyed talking about Minnesota with the man in the gallery.
We then drove over to Cossatot River State Park, about 45 minutes away, leaving Polk County for Howard County, . The Cossatot River is a rugged rocky river that draws in lots of people who want to do adventure kayaking on its rapids. We wanted to do some hiking along the river, and that is just what we did. We saw tons of great wildflowers, toured the visitor center, We started on the short Waterleaf Trail, named after a rare plant, Browne's Waterleaf that we saw blooming along the trail. We saw young people floating in a gentle part of the river,. We also saw rocky, more vigorous parts of the river. We walked a bit on the River Corridor Trail. We liked the hiking.
Saturday evening we watched a mother and father Canada goose escort three goslings across the field next door to our cabins. That field
had two poles in the middle with paper "No Trespassing" signs up. I wondered what transgressions prior renters in our cabins had committed to prompt those signs being posted.
I picked up a to-go meal from Little Italy, which was pretty good food. I liked that good places to eat were near our cabin.
Sunday morning we drove on Highway Eight to FAS 2400 to go to Shady Lake. We passed the Wolf Pen Gap RV Trails and a goodish-few RV drivers. Then we found ourselves on rocky, rugged mountain roads. My wife coaxed her car slowly for over an hour as we went at very low speeds. Finally, we came to a gorgeous scenic vista called Sugar Creek Vista. There we got the best view of the Ouachita Mountains we had gotten during our trip. The vista was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. The vista sign discussed the men who built the vista.
I was glad to see their names listed.
We got to Shady Lake. This 25-acre lake was lovely and surrounded by mountains. We had the place nearly to ourselves--a couple of other users and a couple of campers were there. Perhaps the rainy forecast and the Mother's Day holiday made a difference. We hiked and walked until the rain slowed us and sent us back to the car. I listed 10 species on my bird list, including Indigo Bunting and Summer Tanager.
It turned out that a paved road had existed to get to the park after all. We took that home. We stopped at the lovely little Shady Lake Dam. A kayaker paddled in the distance--we had seen him park his car and begin to put his boat in.
We stopped on the way home at the other end of Cosstatot River State Park, and hiked a bit near the Brushy Access area.
We picked up more food from Little Italy and rested on Sunday evening.
Monday we packed up and drove back to Texas. The weather when we arrived was cool and rainy. The Arkansas mountain weather had been pleasant, with light bursts of rain each day, but lots of sun and dapped sky.
We had a very good trip, and Beatrice did well with her stay while we were gone.
Last night I played in an on-line chess tournament and scored 3 1/2-2 1/2, which is not as good as I hoped in an U1450 tournament.
I finished reading Agatha Christie's "The Silent Adversary." Now it is time to return to work and get things done.
from Dreamwidth, because two posts of the same text are twice as nice