Archives for category: Travel

Adventures Close to Home

May 22, 2013 //

Being a true Okie girl and proud of it doesn’t mean I’m an expert on our beautiful state. Like most people I know, I don’t always visit the places closest to me. I know people who’ve lived in California for most of their lives and never been to Yosemite, which is hard to imagine. We take things and people close to us for granted. It’s like the old saying that an expert is someone from 50 miles away. If we do venture out of our hometowns, it’s usually to the nearest lake or to the bigger city or to see relatives. Exploring is going out of state, out of the country. And look at all we miss…

I’ve been to all but a handful of our 50 states and I’ve traveled out of the country to various places. Each has its own beauty, history, enchanting stories, individual people. Each is unique in its own way. I treasure my time everywhere but I’m always glad to get home. In our family, we used to sing “Oklahoma” as we crossed the state line. Home is home, even if it’s not where you grew up.

Anyway, I’m sort of retired and want to see all I’ve missed and overlooked in the world around me…at least as much as I can. I’d always wanted to see more of the southeast corner of Oklahoma, intrigued by photos of cypress trees, having seen the lush forests, so I started digging around on the internet. Broken Bow Lake is supposed to be gorgeous with Beaver’s Bend State Park at the southern end, so that’s where I started. While looking for places to stay, I found there were places on the river…who doesn’t love a river or creek running by?

South and east from Tulsa is a beautiful drive, especially in the spring when we’ve had a lot of rain and everything in the countryside is lush and green. The Indian Paintbrush and other wildflowers were blooming along the highway, spreading across fields in some places. You begin to forget whatever you had been focusing on at home…just enjoying the view. The further south you go, the lusher it gets. You’re also headed for the area called Little Dixie due to the southerners who moved there after the Civil War. I didn’t see any Confederate flags, but there were signs that make you smile…

Oklahoma is a conservative state, to say the least, although there are plenty of opinions to go around on any political issue. I wasn’t here for politics, just to enjoy the beauty. The road stretched before my friend and me as I tried to capture some of what I was enjoying through my dashboard pictures. You’ll get the idea, even with windshield glare and bug splatters…

For those who don’t know Oklahoma, we have hills and valleys, pine forests, blackjack oaks with their twisted strong limbs, greenery everywhere. That’s just one of the many ecosystems in our state, which has more than any other. If you only picture tallgrass prairie or the plains or the flatness of western Oklahoma, then you have a limited view. I just learned that the Kiamichi Mountains in southeast Oklahoma, mountains probably named by the French traders and not the Indians as you would think, are older than the Rockies, which is why they are smaller, smoother. The Rockies are jagged and younger. But that’s another geology lesson…

This trip, we didn’t take the Talimena Scenic Drive, a gorgeous loop drive between Oklahoma and Arkansas, although I’ve been before and will go again. We were in the Ouachita National Forest (promounced Wash-i-ta), making me so grateful for the National Parks System which protects and manages our natural resources. We started to see the pine trees, the pine forests, and signs of logging in the area to provide for the paper industry.

It’s a fer piece to get to where were going, as we say around here. We really don’t say that, but I like the phrase. It was a 3 1/2 hour drive. We took the loop through Beaver’s Bend State Park, stopping to see the Broken Bow Lake, one of Oklahoma’s many.

The park was beautiful with creeks and activities, campgrounds and beautiful cabins to rent. I can only anticipate the activity as summer begins…we ventured on south to Mountain Fork River and the cabin we had rented. It was a pleasant experience from the time I first found it. A call to the owners, a deposit on a credit card. That was it. Off the highway, down the roads, down country roads…

When we arrived, we stopped at their home, greeted by smiling dogs, gave them cash for the balance and went on down the road. Not a form to fill out or anything. Just folks.

The cabin was delightful. We had picked the one closest to the water and it was perfect. I’d pictured something more rustic, but it was lovely…could sleep 1-6 easily. One of the reasons this one had stood out was the fact that there were boats included in the reasonable price. We could have and might have gone on a longer float trip, but there were canoes, kayaks and flatbottom boats right there for us to use. Just pick one out and go…no hassle, no making reservations, nothing. Easy…

One surprise was how much cane or bamboo was around our cabin and the area. I thought they must have brought it in, but it has been there for a long time I found out later. The great treat was the cypress trees all around. I thought there might be a few, but they were everywhere along the river. I fell in love with them, just like I did the giant Sequoias in California. It was like being transported to another place, a quiet place…I snapped pictures right from the area around the cabin…

…ending with this gorgeous picture right beside us, taken as a film began to cover the water at the end of the afternoon, right before sunset…

An early morning boat ride, taking the flat bottom boat with the trolling motor, which let me take pictures more easily if I didn’t have to paddle, was tranquil and lovely.

…enjoying the cane and cypress, cool and lush in the morning…

…smelling the honeysuckle that covered the trees from the middle of the river…

Up river, we could have taken a wilder float trip with white water fun, but this was a nice morning start with reflections in the water to calm the soul…

At the end, looping around the islands that were in front of our cabin, we looked both ways on the river…

and turned at the tattered flag that waved us back to our landing.

You can tell by the photos that the weather was changing from the bright clear skies of the day before. Ugly storms were predicted, so we went into Broken Bow and then did some other exploring…another blog…before coming back in time to watch the horror of the tornado that hit Moore, OK that day. The weather changed and rain came in, rustling the cane and cypress around us. The trip was cut a little short as we took another route home the next day to drive through the least of the storms we could. It was all beautiful and peaceful, a lovely adventure into southeastern Oklahoma to places I had only heard about and wanted to visit. I can’t do the beauty of the area justice…there’s just so much.

It’s time we should all make and take…time to explore around us. There is so much history, so much natural wonder. It perks your brain to learn new things, warms your heart and restores your soul, brings you peace within. And, it’s great fun! I recommend you find adventure…sooner than later…

Tags bamboo, cabins, Cypress trees, honeysuckle, Mountain Fork River, Oklahoma, rivers, travel, vacation

Categories History, Places, Reflections, Travel

Wanderlust

May 3, 2013 //

It’s that time of year when I’m stricken with Wanderlust. “Wanderlust is a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world” – Wikipedia. The word says it all. I’m ready to go…anywhere, anytime. Wanderlust has many symptoms – desire to see new things or revisit favorite places – desire to see people you miss – desire to explore and, literally, wander – desire to learn – desire to cleanse your soul of the everyday routine and worries of life.

I’ve got a bad case of it, but I’m not sure which way I want to go this year…I’ve been all over the place but there are so many places I haven’t seen, so many places I want to see again. Each time I travel there is something new. The places I saw as a child or earlier in my life have new meanings, look different now. I both know more and learn more. Lately, I’ve been heading west…there’s so much there…but I’ve been east, north, south too…and to other continents…such a rich planet is our earth.

It’s all good. As long as I have my camera to catch memories, help me remember, I’m ready. Here are a few of the places I’ve been in the United States – I’d go back to any of them…or elsewhere around the world…

Florida sunrise

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Sunrise over the Tetons

Elephant seals on California coast

Seattle

Grand Canyon

Zion National Park

Monument Valley

Santa Fe

San Francisco

Denali Highway, Alaska

Glacier National Park

I love cities, I love mountains, I love the ocean. Oceans and mountains, running water, green forests…all necessary to restore my soul.

Maps are out, research has begun…where to go? Wanderlust…I’ve got a bad case of it!

Tags Alaska, California coast, Florida, Monument Valley, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Seattle, Tetons, travel, Yellowstone, Zion National Park

Categories Entertainment, History, Memories, Places, Reflections, Travel

Crystal Bridges in the Spring

April 26, 2013 //

This was my second trip to Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas. The first was in the fall and I promised myself to come back in the spring. If you are in the area ever, go there for a spectacular collection of American art and for the beautiful 3.5 miles of trails. I don’t need to say much about it…I’ll share some pictures.

First, there’s the art. I fell in love with this glass sculpture as I walked by…

There are so many treasures there. I love this little painting, “Haystacks,” by Martin Johnson Heade…

And this Mary Cassett…

And “Sun at the Wall” by Hans Hoffman…

So much American history through art…

I wanted to be at Crystal Bridges when the dogwoods and redbuds were still blooming. I was afraid I was too late, but it was a perfect day. It was sunny and then cloudy, but a beautiful day.

There were flowers blooming…

My time on the trails was shorter than I wanted, but you can see how refreshing it is to be even a few steps into this calming, ethereal, blessing of nature…

They even let you frame nature for your own work of art…

A beautiful place, a treasure for all America to see. Always free to the public, thanks to Alice Walton and the WalMart Foundation…

Next time, I promise to go back when I have the time to wander through all 3.5 miles of trails. And, visit the art along the way…

Tags art, Crystal Bridges, dogwoods, nature, redbuds

Categories Art, Entertainment, History, Places, Reflections, Seasons, Travel

Rural Roads

April 24, 2013 //

Monday, on the drive to Bentonville, Arkansas, my friend and I drove the scenic part of Highway 412 and then veered off onto country roads to take the back way into Bentonville, missing the interstate, traffic, consumer mess of a drive. It was a beautiful spring day to journey through pasturelands and little towns in Delaware County, named after the Delaware Indians who settled there, heading over to Arkansas. There were still some dogwoods and redbuds in bloom in the wooded areas along the way.

I’m fascinated by the rural areas, being a city girl. Every state has them, so don’t go getting snobby on me. It’s just a different lifestyle, some things better than the city, some not so much. I always try to imagine life out here or what the area has been through in its history. You can see the stories in the buildings that are standing in various stages of decay. Sometimes you see a barn falling down right next to a new one. Or a house that has been deserted by its owners. You see them quite a lot, actually.

Traveling with my iPad, I look up the history of towns as we go. You learn a lot reading about why people settled here and what happened to make it rise or fall. Most of the towns aren’t growing. It’s a tough way of life out here in the country. The little community, hard to call it a town, of Colcord, with a population of 819 used to call itself “Little Tulsa.” I’m not sure, even in its thriving days, where they got that unless none of them had ever been to Tulsa. I guess the town leaders hoped…

I think it was in Decatur where we saw the Iva Jane Peek Library. I take photos zipping by areas so pardon the mistakes sometimes. I’m constantly trying to capture something that catches my eye as we whiz by. I love the name of the place and wonder about Iva Jane and her influence. I haven’t found out who she was…yet!

Chickens were and are a big industry in the area on into Arkansas, where we began to see Confederate flags every once in a while. If you look at a google map from above you see rows of thin silver roofs, chicken houses, all along the way. We saw a lot of deserted ones, but lots still active.

Bentonville was known as Osage after the Osage Indians who came from Missouri to hunt the area for months at a time. Eventually, the white settlers took over and named the town after Thomas Hart Benton, a Missouri senator who fought for Arkansas to become a state. At the turn of the century, being the 1900s, apples were the main resource, followed by chickens until WalMart was added to the mix to make that area a pretty bustling area for a town of 35,000. I’ve been to Bentonville from the interstate and from the backroads, which gives you a picture of the growth surrounding it. I like entering the back way best.

There’s something about traveling the backroads, seeing the honesty of it where you live your home is what you make it. You don’t have to worry about what the neighbors think about your well manicured lawn if you don’t want to. You can have it any way you want to. If you want to leave the remnants of the house or barn and build right next to it, you can. I kept thinking that some design person would drive through and make a nice offer for the reclaimed wood that they could sell to an upscale business or homeowner for an authentic look. I’m all for that and there’s a treasure trove out there for the clever and creative.

The rural roads fuel my imagination, writing stories in my mind of the families who came before, the individuals who lived in tiny houses in the side of a hill. There are so many questions you have driving by.

And then you just enjoy the wide open views of the sky,

the rolling roads,

and watching the variations of spring greens in the hills which will turn darker as the season goes on.

When I see the skyline of the city in front of me, I know I’m heading home to bustling streets and landscaping and order of a sort. I’m comfortable with that life, but I love the spirit of the countryside I’ve traveled. Everyone should get off the main highways now and then. We’re in such a hurry and look at what we miss…

Tags buildings, history, nature, roads, Rural, travel

Categories History, Places, Reflections, Seasons, Travel

Norman Rockwell

April 23, 2013 //

When I was growing up, my parents subscribed to lots of magazines, and I read all of them through and through. Many are gone today, but there was Look, Life, Readers Digest, Ladies Home Journal, Newsweek, McCall’s, men’s magazines, women’s magazines, kids’s magazines like Highlights for Children. One of our favorites was the Saturday Evening Post. The Norman Rockwell covers were something to look forward to, knowing they would be something we studied carefully for all the clever details. We were used to his work as an illustrator for ads for Colgate, Kellogg’s, and other companies, instantly recognizable.

In 1999, my son and I took a day trip to Mark Twain’s hometown, Hannibal, Missouri. We were fortunate to arrive during an exhibition of the original paintings for Norman Rockwell’s illustrations for Tom Sawyer. I remember they were large paintings and so much richer than the flat pictures we were so familiar with in our day to day life. They were amazing works and their beauty stayed with me.

Yesterday, I went to see the Norman Rockwell exhibition of over 50 of his paintings and 300+ of his Saturday Evening Post covers at Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, AR. I’ve not a professional art critic, even though I studied art history in college and worked in an art museum for over 7 years, but I do know that Norman Rockwell is a great artist. As is typical for artists in their own era, his work was scoffed at in art circles as too sentimental, too idealistic, although I don’t see what’s wrong with that myself. There are many great artists who included humor and sentiment in their works throughout the ages. An artist in his own time, alas…

The gallery was packed yesterday, mostly with older people (and I have to include myself in that group, shockingly), but it was a Monday. I watched their faces as they listened to the audio guides, studied the paintings. There were tender smiles, chuckles, pensive thinking. The main thing is that everyone was relating to the paintings. What more can art do?

Here are some of my favorites and the reasons why…

This one just made me laugh. It was Rockwell’s take on the recent idea that small towns should use speed traps to raise revenue…

This one also made me laugh and smile and study the details…the grandmother in the back who never changed expressions, the tired parents, the kids in various stages. Who can’t make up a story with these images?

Saying Grace is so sweet that you are silent with them, you want to bow your head. Then you see the details in the curtains, the clothing, the grandmother’s rear sticking through the chair, the grandfather’s cane on the floor. Another story for us to all fill in the extra lines…

My love of Santa is well known and there were some lovely Santa portraits along with all the Christmas covers of the Post. This is still one of my favorites for all of us who keep believing even knowing the evidence…

A Day in the Life of a Girl is so fun, so sweet, with elements that all females will remember. The boy version wasn’t on display, but it’s just as great…

Rosie the Riveter is part of the museum’s collection and a whimsical look at the women who worked at home during World War II. This was a bonus after the travelling exhibition.

Besides the fun, sweet portraits of America as we were at times and would always like to be, there were powerful portraits of Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy, and two of Rockwell’s most important works during the Civil Rights Movement. The exhibition had preliminary drawings and different drafts of his painting of 3 Civil Rights workers for a powerful, haunting, not-so-pretty picture of a moment in America’s history…

The iconic The Problem We All Live With was so beautiful in person. It was so familiar, such a powerful statement. But, the thing that struck me so strongly was the beauty of the painting, of the work itself. Norman Rockwell was a fabulous painter. His work is so real, so detailed, so skilled. The concrete wall behind the girl felt like real concrete, making me want to reach out and touch it. I didn’t of course – I know my museum manners. But, I’ve been up close to many of the world’s great paintings and these were as good as any I’ve seen. That’s to my untrained eye, but I do know what I’m looking at and it’s honest, thought-provoking, greatness.

Rockwell’s self portrait is so famous that you almost go by it, having seen it reproduced so many times. Looking at the details, I was taken with not only the cleverness, the originality, the self-deprecating humor, but also the skill. On his easel, he has small paintings, homages to some of the greatest painters, all painted beautifully. That’s not easy to do either.

I recommend that you find the closest place to see this exhibition or go to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts to see more. It’s such a treat for those of us who grew up loving him and for those just discovering his incredible legacy. I think that future critics will be kinder and hopefully, recognize his important place in art, American history, and the American heart. I understand his personal life was not always as rosy as his portraits of life, but that’s what being a human is all about. We thank him for the vision of our country that he shared to make us think, feel, smile and laugh, remember, care. There should be more geniuses with a sense of humor, shouldn’t there?…

Tags 50s, 60s, art, children, civil rights, family, Norman Rockwell, nostalgia, reflections, trips

Categories Art, Entertainment, Events, History, Memories, Places, Reflections, Travel

Mis-adventures on Route 66

January 17, 2013 //

Today was one of those days that you just need to get out of the house – at least I did. It was sunny and in the 40s in January and that was enough to get me out of my pajamas on a lazy day. Enough of this recuperating. Heading west on Route 66 seemed easy enough – follow the Mother Road the way we used to when I was a kid, before the turnpike sped us along.

I’d been wanting to go to the Rock Cafe in Stroud. I’d seen it on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri, heard about it, read about the fire and the rebuilding and the original grill and its influence on the movie “Cars.” I also knew it was up for sale and figured I’d better see it soon – who knows what will happen.

If you take Route 66, you look for the signs of the old 66, the little concrete road that runs parallel to the newer road, and imagine what it must have been like to drive when it first opened. It’s narrow, hard to imagine what you did when you met another car coming at you. They didn’t go very fast, compared to today, but Americans drove across the country, passing through Oklahoma on their way from Chicago to Los Angeles. It was definitely an adventure in those days.

My family used to drive it almost every week, heading to Oklahoma City to see my grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins. I mostly remember driving back at night in the dark, sleeping on the floor of the car, listening to the radio. The turnpike was a godsend for those of us who made the trip often, but I realize what it did to the little towns.

Anyway, today I looked for remnants of what it must have looked like, traveling along that concrete road. We saw a few of the old, old motels…amazingly some are still in use. By the time my friend and I were in Stroud, it was almost three in the afternoon. There were no cars at the Rock Cafe and we went in for a late, late lunch. To my horror, after we ordered, I remembered they close at three. They were waiting to leave when we got there, but they didn’t admit it or turn us away. I’ll give them credit for that, because the service was begrudging and the food was no more than mediocre. I can also imagine it’s more interesting with more customers. I will say the bathrooms are interesting – every inch of the rooms covered in graffiti, even the toilet seats. They’re clean…just covered with messages from folks who’ve stopped by.

So check off another place on my never-ending list of places I’d like to see. Not every adventure has to be perfect. It’s the going that counts.

Tags restaurants, Route 66, travel

Categories Places, Restaurants, Travel

Crystal Bridges

November 8, 2012 //

Sometimes I feel like getting out of the city and driving around the countryside. I get that from my mother. And my father. And my husband.

Yesterday was one of those days that I couldn’t sit inside and I’d already walked and it was probably the last day of fall color with the windy & rainy weekend predicted. All the beautiful leaves will be in piles on the ground in a few days. So, I took off looking for the hills of color. I sat a a stop light deciding which way to go and headed east, towards Arkansas, navigating the horrible construction on I-244 to get to Hwy 412, one of the nicest drives anywhere. At first I thought I’d missed the color, but then I hit the hills and all the colors shining in the glorious sunshine. Looking at the map, I realized it wasn’t that much further to Bentonville and Crystal Bridges, so I headed that way. I’d been wanting to do this anyway.

There is something about driving on a beautiful day that clears everything out of your head and floods your brain with fresh thoughts. That’s easier now that I’m retired and don’t have to push all the work responsibilities aside in order to enjoy what I’m seeing. Hwy 412 meanders around hills in a leisurely way, even on the turnpike route.

I had seen the pictures of Crystal Bridges, but it still doesn’t prepare you for the first view. It’s in a neighborhood, a lovely neighborhood built up by the WalMart influence on the community. It doesn’t have a big entrance and you could miss it if you weren’t looking for it. You’re in town and in the woods at the same time on this 140 acre gift to the people. On another note, after doing fundraising for a museum for the past 7 years, it’s a dream to start out with an $800 million endowment. Admission is free, thanks to WalMart.

I’ll summarize my views quickly with photos, but you can get details at http://www.crystalbridges.org.

Coming up to the main entrance, I was stunned by the silver tree, “Yield,” shining in the sun. Incredibly mesmerizing…

I was on the top level, so my first view of the museum was looking down and I wasn’t prepared for how beautifully it is situated in the location, down in the valley. The building itself is a work of art that is appreciated from every angle.

The collection is a fabulous selection of American art from Revolutionary times through today. I found works by many of my favorites and some new ones that I will be glad to revisit at any time. You’re sure to love many, many pieces and find your own favorites. Moran, Norman Rockwell, Mary Cassatt, Calder, Warhol, Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Hart Benton, Bierstadt, John Singer Sargent, George Innes, Rothko, and so many others.

I loved the little reading rooms sprinkled in the galleries with stacks and shelves of books so you could sit down and read more as your curiosity made you want to learn more now!

The restaurant is lovely and bar area is beautiful and a nice place to take a rest. The museum shop is a gem…spoken by someone who owned a gift shop and worked around a museum shop.

But, I was there to enjoy the fall day and took to the Rock Ledge Trail that wound above the museum and the lawn. There are six trails for over 3 miles. I didn’t get as far as I would have like because I was losing daylight to get home, but it is stunning. I would walk there every day if I lived in the area. You could do a different trail and see something new all the time. I can’t wait to see it in the other seasons. Lovely…

My favorite thing was the frame on the trail. Isn’t this a simple, great idea? I bet a million people have posed in that frame, but I love the scene itself. You feel like you are a painter…or a real photographer…beautiful!

I didn’t get enough time for all I wanted to do, but I’ll be back many times for sure. Thank you, Alice Walton! What an incredible gift you have given for all to enjoy.

Tags Arkansas, art, Crystal Bridges, nature, travel

Categories Art, Entertainment, Places, Travel

El Mirage

November 2, 2012 //

El Mirage, California, was a place I’d always heard about but didn’t really understand. It’s basically a 6 mile long dry lake used by by fans of off-road vehicles and seen in movies, car commercials and ad shots.

What I really wasn’t prepared for was how much fun it was. When you drive up, it looks like…well, it looks like a flat desert. You can see dusters forming in the distance, fascinating twisters of dirt rising up from the ground to create funnels that race across the landscape. They’re not like the tornadoes of Oklahoma that form in the sky and drop down to scoop up everything in their path.

When you drive at El Mirage, you can literally chase the lake…or the mirage of the lake. You can drive as fast as you can and never catch it. It’s always up ahead of you. I’m not the greatest thrill seeker…I hate heights…but I do like to go fast. At El Mirage, you can drive as fast as you want to because there is nothing to run into unless there are other drivers out there. You can go in circles, drive straight ahead, anything you can imagine. As fast as you can… We saw a couple of motorcycle drivers, but it was quiet on the day we were there. It was a beautiful California sunshine day with a wide open desert, mountains in the background, dusters forming and all you had to do was press the accelerator and go! Awesome fun!

Tags California, cars, driving, dust devil, El Mirage, mirage, travel

Categories Places, Travel

Game Day

October 28, 2012 //

Is there anything more American than college Game Day? There’s something so unique and fun about the games…the band, the fans, the cheerleaders, the colors, the sounds…

Today, I did something different. A friend and I drove to Stillwater in the morning. The first amazing thing was that we found a free parking space – on campus about a block from the stadium. Wow! That was $20-$30 saved. Then we walked all around the OSU campus, weaving through the tailgaters. Tailgating has skyrocketed from a few people with coolers in the trunk of their cars in the parking lot to full fledged portable kitchens hauled to the tents staked out throughout the buildings and parking lots. It’s the ultimate cookout, potluck dinner, picnic…an industry in itself to buy the team tents, chairs, coolers, games, flags. How do they get cable in those tents to watch the game?

We walked to Eskimo Joe’s in time to walk in while part of the OSU Marching band was playing the Alma Mater, walked back to the Student Union, walked around, grabbed a hamburger in the Union and back in time to watch the OSU Walk as Pistol Pete, the band, cheerleaders and pom squad led the team through a fan-lined street to the stadium. Awesome! I got teary hearing the fight song in the flood of orange and black, sprinkled with fans costumed for Halloween and the game…perfect school colors for the holiday. Once we got the team into the stadium, we made our way through the crowd going into the stadium, walked back to the car and drove home with no crowds, arriving in time to light a fire and watch the entire game on television with the feel of fall and the stadium sounds still fresh in our ears. I love going to the actual games, but this was kind of fun. We got all the vibes with no traffic.

And they won! Good job, Cowboys! Go Pokes!!!

Tags college football, football, game day, Oklahoma State University, school, traditions, travel

Categories Entertainment, Events, Family, Friends, Places, Reflections, Travel

Van Buren, Arkansas

October 20, 2012 //

Yesterday was a trip to Van Buren, Arkansas. Yes, I am truly a senior when I am traveling to see fall foliage and ride trains! The historic part of Van Buren is charming and well preserved. They only messed up a few buildings when the siding salesmen came through trying to modernize it back in the 60s. It was fun to walk down to the Arkansas River and see the wide water, unlike Tulsa where it is pretty dry right now. I liked the old Anheuser Busch building with the original eagle logo still intact.

Riding the train up to Winslow, the highest incorporated city (pop 399) in Arkansas, was a trip back in time. We were on a 1948 car called the Silver Stream and there were other cars from the 1920s. You could also ride in the caboose. It took a bit to slow down from the fast paced ways we usually travel, but it was worth it. The drought has hit all the states, but we still saw beautiful fall colors as we went higher. After traveling at 8-9,000 feet in the Sierras this summer, it seems funny to think of 1,729 as up in the mountains. The conductors were train buffs of all ages who volunteer their time and kept it lively with their commentary. There was a car full of second graders from one of our stops. On the way back, we stopped to let them out at their school – how fun is that? That must have been the noisy car, especially going through the tunnel when they tell them to scream! I tried to imagine traveling across country like this a century ago. As always, it depended on which kind of car you were able to afford as to whether you were scrunched in with strangers, loud conversations and interesting smells or whether you could ride in style in a private car. It beat the stage coach or wagon.

Coming home, we detoured north from Vian and took the scenic route past Lake Tenkiller towards Tahlequah. What a beautiful drive! Every place has its own beauty and this is one of my favorites in my home state. It’s pretty wild and wooly in those hills, but it’s gorgeous country. There’s another drive where you go by the lake more, but I loved the trees. I’m so grateful to get to enjoy a perfect 75 degree, cloudless day without anything pressing….