Hot Springs, Arkansas

We stayed the night at Sally's house in Arkansas got up and was served a delicious toasted bagel with cream cheese.  Then we hooked up the car and headed down the road.  We want to really thank Sally for letting us stay before and after the Branson Rally.  

 We had two choices of roads to travel to the next destination.  US 64 to I 40 to Ar 7 or just take Ar 7 all the way.   We picked Ar 7, the slow curvy road.  It was so beautiful with all the fall colors.  I know my camera can not pic up the colors the way the human eye does.  So the solution is you must come and see for yourself.  

We are so glad we decided to take Ar 7 from the beginning because as we traveled south there was not as much color, well really no color just spots here and there.  The northern part of Ar 7 there was color everywhere you looked.  I am not sure if little or no color is because we are farther south, it was not as cold here, dry weather during the summer or what.

Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway is 190 miles long, traveling through two national forests, a national park, and across a national river.  Designated both a National Forest Scenic Byway and a State Scenic Highway.  We have traveled on 160+ so far.

Notice the two lane road.  We did not encounter very much traffic.  When we did Rog would find a wide spot in the road and pull over so they could go by then off we go at our slow and easy pace through the mountains. We left our friend's house around 9:30 and got here and all set up at 3:30 so that was really good time for the road.  We stopped  a couple of times for a well deserved potty break and just to take a walk and at the visitor center too.

I love the old barns we see on our travels.

This is when US 64 meets up with us for a time and we can put the pedal to the metal for a while and then we lose US 64 and back to our easy going ways. 

The Arkansas River.  There was a barge going down the river full speed, but he was on Rog's side of the bridge so I could not get the pic. 

Back to the two lane road, but notice it is flat on this part of the trip.

So pretty you can see for ever.

We were headed for a state park to spend a couple of nights.  We had looked into staying at a National Park, but all the info we read on them we were too big.  So as we were having a lively discussion on maybe we made the wrong turn and what am I going to do about it, we slowly passed an rv campground with big rigs in it.  So we decided to turn in and see what was up.  It is a National Park which means I get 1/2 off and we fit!!! So the lively discussion quit and we are home.  Sally,  they have full hook-ups with 50 amps and it is so pretty here and close to Hot Springs. You must come some time.  Rog says the road was good, but take it slow and easy and you will have no problems.  Or go the US 64, I 40. Ar 7 and it will be really easy, but not so pretty.

 This is our new home for two nights, Gulpha Gorge Campground in the  National Park.  It is so pretty here.  At the base of the tree line behind our rig is a small creek.
 I am sure in the spring time this is full of water.  

We need to rest up from the trip and setting up and I also gave Rog a hair cut.  So after I look through my books I got from the visitor center we will head out early in the morning and take in all of Hot Springs, Arkansas.