Thursday, October 16, 2014

Petit Jean Mountain

1a

We are back at Petit Jean Mountain, northwest of Little Rock by 70 miles, 50 miles by the way the crow flies.  Forgot that October weekends are real busy here at the park, so we are in the overflow camping area.  Electric, Water, and so far, peace and quiet.

1b

Much of the camping is along 100-acre Lake Bailey, a fishing and pedal-boat lake....no speed boats, no jet ski action, nice and quiet lake....YES.

1c

We could have fit nicely between these various RVs, with a rear view of the lake.  Well, our rear window is our bedroom, and …

1f

… we would rather be out alone on the field than near all these folks.

1d

Skruffy was probably having flash-backs of our life in Pine Bluff, where we had daily visits from the Geese, and saw them as we exited the park on the way to work, and again as we entered the park unless it was night time, which it typically was.  She heard the unmistaken “HONK” of these three geese, especially the far one, but he also heard the barking of a dog in the big camping area to the left, just out of sight.

1e

The geese had enough of Skruffy and her bark, and they took off to the left.  This is our second visit to Petit Jean State Park in a RV, I have been here more times than I can count.  If you are ever in the area, it is a nice place for a few days to relax, do some hiking (around ten different trails from short to up to 12 miles long, easy to strenuous), and there are many park ranger activities to partake in.  We look forward to some peace and quiet, and I am sure we will take a drive around the park to see some of the sights.  Doubt I will hike down to the bottom of the waterfall, have done that twice in the past, although my doctor, who I see on Tuesday, would probably like to see me do that.  Getting down is a piece of cake…and I don’t wish to sleep down there or have rangers bring me out!  Winking smile

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Fort Smith, Arkansas Area

1a

We are back to Springhill Park, a COE park, where we stayed back in late April.  Being out of season, with the senior saver, it only cost $9 per night for electricity and water, with a dump station free to use if you camp.  This time we have a spot right along the water.


Our stay at the Cracker Barrel went real well.  Turned off the generator by 10 pm, no one else in the parking lot near us and only one other small motorhome stayed over night way off to themselves.  It rained most of the night, but it was a very light rain.  Got down to low 40’s, so at 6 am I turned on the generator and cranked up our space heater and the big heater until it got the temps up to 70, then turned the big heater off.  We paid our dues by having breakfast before we left….so this “FREE” parking at Cracker Barrel cost us dinner and breakfast…we now are officially Cracker Barreled out for awhile…but after a five month absence until we got to Albuquerque, it was needed to catch up.

2a     2b
2c

We have grown fond of the COE parks.  This one closes down for camping at the end of the month, but the one in Little Rock is open year around.  With the National Parks Senior Pass, you get to stay for half price.  That is a real good deal!

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Went to dinner with Marcia’s cousin Sophie, her son Jim and his wife Pat.  Decided to go back to Joe’s Grill and Cantina, where we ate back April.  It was real good, glad we went back.  Will spend some time with Sophie tomorrow, and on Thursday we head to Petit Jean State Park for a few days, it has been over 2 years since we have been there.