Weather Permitting-2

Our 'planned' trip met a halt with a record breaking 17 inch snowfall in Amarillo, TX on Sunday night.

So we headed south from Wichita Falls on Weds. morning.  A night in a private campground near the Wichita River Falls had given us a chance to  get all our laundry done at the campground and nice warm showers too.

Our goal of Roswell, NM meant a long travel day and possibly snowy areas as we climbed toward Lubbock, TX.  I hated missing Caprock Canyon State Park near Quitaque, TX, but we actually traveled through an amazing cap rock canyon area near Dickens, TX ( almost due south) and some really huge horse and cattle ranches that covered 5- 10 mile areas.  I had no idea that the area near Lubbock was so diverse!
The red canyon walls were  beautiful laced with snow.  Thank goodness the roads were clear in this hilly area!

We said good bye to Texas with a stop at Lowe's Foods (the same as in Sparta-just a different logo) to get not 1 but 2 varieties of Blue Bell Ice Cream; Dutch Chocolate and Mint Chocolate Chip!!!!!  It is the BEST!


Our NM state park destination, Bottomless Lakes, is about 10 miles east of Roswell.  There are a chain of 8 lakes that are actually sinkholes 17 - 90 feet deep.  Circulating water dissolved salt and gypsum deposits to form caverns underground.  The roofs collapsed and the sinkholes filled with water.  The lakes are a lovely clear bright blue.  The campground is sunny, bright, peaceful and quiet!!  Nice place to be.  Interesting birds like it too.

Gulpha Gorge Campground, Hot Springs NP, AR

The campground here at Hot Springs NP is really  lovely!   We found a spot right beside the babbling creek just below the ridge that separates us from downtown.  Trails lead above the creek over the ridge to Bathhouse Row (about 1.6 miles).

The top of the ridge has an observation and picnic area where we had lunch.

Here's our campsite on the creek and Terry saying, "So long, folks!  See you next time."

Bathhouse Row, Hot Springs National Park, AR

The town of Hot Springs is built around Bathhouse Row where the springs tumble off Hot Springs Mountain.  Our campground and the rest of the NP surrounds the town covering the mountain ridges on 2 sides.  We are enjoying a quiet peaceful mountain campground while a bustling town that includes  a Thoroughbred Racetrack is 2 miles away.

Here's Bathhouse Row.

And 2 of the 6 restored Bathhouses from the 1920's.

There are several open springs that look as they might have before Bathhouse Row.  They were all steaming from the 143 degree water entering the chilly air!

The cascade comes off the mountain to pools below.

Rainy Day Travel

We left Arkabutla Lake, MS today for parts unknown to both of us.

  Our first of many surprises was the hilly farm land we crossed before reaching the flat land near the Mississippi river.  There was lots of standing rain in many fields and then large, flat shallow ponds between them.  The number of ponds increased as we neared Little Texas, MS and we became curious.  Just after we intersected Billy Bob Rd. the Farm Raised Catfish Processing Plant appeared.  "There's your sign!" , a new kind of farming for us!

Just before we crossed the River to Helena, AR it began to rain and poured off and on never stopping for about 2 hours.  After the River it was very swampy for about 30 miles and the swamps were sign posted by Bayou names.  It was interesting to learn that bayous are not only around New Orleans.  Though we were in a Wildlife Refuge area there was no visitor center and the rain would have kept us traveling on anyway.

We finally reached Hot Springs National Park about 2:30 and found our way to the campground in Gulpha Gorge below Hot Springs Mountain.  We have a lovely site backed up to a roaring creek and a little waterfall and all this is right in town.  Terry had to set up in steady rain at 34 degrees, a bit unpleasant.  The rain stopped by 4pm and tomorrow will be clear for exploring.  The main part of the Park is Bathhouse Row in historic downtown Hot Springs.  There are trails over the mountain to the Bathhouses and the Hot Springs Cascade near them that is a stream of constant 143 degree water!!!
Lots to see tomorrow but I think we'll be driving.

Weather Permitting

After a delay in leaving when snow was predicted for the Cabin on Saturday,  we were wide awake at 3:45 am on Sunday.  ( A little 'journey proud' as my mother always said.)  When the coffee was brewing, Terry opened the curtains, flicked on the porch light and it was snowing like crazy!!  A bit of a surprise!

Since it was just a dusting we decided to pack the final items, shut up the house and hit the road.  By the time we got to the Mt. Rogers Rec. Area at 3400 ft. the 2 inches than had blown across the road gave us a brief slip and slide to remind us that the salting just refroze at 0 degrees wind chill.  The snow stayed around to Kingsport, TN, but once we left Marion, VA roads were clear.  Whew!!!!

Yesterday we left I-40 for the TN and MS backroads that led us to an Army Corps of Engineers Park, Lake Arkabutla near Hernando, MS.  (Our half price Federal camping card is accepted by the Corps.)  We had planned to spend just a night, but 2 days of snow is forecasted for our next stop, Hot Springs, AR, so we will be happy campers in MS for a while.  The Hernando Public Library is very comfortable for high  speed internet.

I am glad I wrote about our 'hearth side' plans for the trip in the last post.  The reality is that the best laid plans are weather permitting in winter camping.  We have already given up our shovels and picks for diamond digging this year.  Three days of rain and snow would make it a mud wallow.  Paris, TX sounds warm and wonderful and we will heed it's call.

Thinking of you Anna, Nate and Evan!!

Ready to Wander to Wonders

As the birds gather seeds and suet in the cold frosty morning we are organizing lists, studying state and national parks and reviewing lists of items to pack for our trip.  We plan to leave on Sat. Feb. 16 for a night near Lebanon,TN and then a CORPS of Engineers Lake CG just south of Memphis.

 Our first goal is Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  This old resort with 6 hot springs bathhouses, one still operating looks really interesting!  Nearby there are 2 other attractions of volcanic origin that we hope to visit.  Our favorite jeweler at White Winds Stone Jewelry in Enterprise, UT told us not to miss the Mount Ida area for digging crystal clusters.  Terry has had a fascination with Crater of Diamonds, State Park in Murfreesboro for years which is about an hour away.  So this morning I went 'digging' for info and now I'm packing old clothes, garden forks and buckets for collecting!!!!

http://www.bluemooncrystals.com

http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com

The Diamonds State Park has a 37 and 1/2 acre plowed field that is the eroded surface of an ancient (100 million year old) volcanic crater that brought the diamonds to the surface.  You can find 40 types of rock and minerals including amethyst, banded agate, jasper, peridot, garnet, diamonds and quartz.  I'm ready, let's go!!

Our next goal will be Pat Mayse Lake CORPS Camp near Paris, TX.  This is close to the Red River on the border with Oklahoma, an area known for great quantities of migrating birds in late winter.   Since we love river wandering and birds, we plan to stay in the area for a week or so before we travel through Wichita Falls, TX and into New Mexico.

By early March we hope to visit Lake Mead NP and our Ranger friends there; Nate, Anna, Charles, Chris and maybe Johnathan.  Then we'll wander over to Death Valley to visit with Ranger Kate!

Needless to say, we are getting very excited about our  Feb. and March plans.  Stay tuned for April-October!