Rainy Bridge to a Massacre

Rain finally rolled into the area of Heber Springs overnight, leading to to a soaked Thursday.  It was not heavy, but definitely persistent.  After a good breakfast at the Arrow, inspiration to connect with an old friend from a previous story led to Beaverfork Lake Park .  The success of the relocation of the Springfield-Des Arc Bridge found it proudly serving traffic once again.

With little else to do, it seemed reasonable enough to hunt down Cadron Settlement Park.  A relatively new blockhouse had been restored on the site of a previous similar structure.  There is an odd array of history associated with the location.  The settlement itself only lasted about 30 years in the early 1800's, hosting the last stand, and eventual surrender, of Confederate troops north of the Arkansas River.  It is also the site of the "1814 Rock of Ages Massacre," of which no information is currently available.  

The rain finally began to let up a little late in the afternoon.  It had not soaked the ground too much, enabling a late evening hike along the Tonawanda Trail around the base of Sugarloaf Mountain.  The situation could not have been more peaceful and surprisingly, relatively dry.

Thinking there was still some time to race down to Sandy Beach and catch the sunset proved inaccurate.  The burning orb had already dune its duty, but proved out another secluded and quiet walk along the water of Greers Ferry Lake in the fading light of mostly clear skies.

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Further Reading

Arrow's Cafe & BBQ

Heber Springs, AR

Beaverfork Lake Park

Conway Parks & Recreation

Endangered Bridge in the Brush

Historic Springfield Des-Arc Bridge Preservation Efforts

jusTodd on Medium.com

Cadron Creek Settlement

Encyclopedia of Arkansas

Sugarloaf Mountain

Sugarloaf Heritage Council

Sandy Beach

City of Heber Springs

Lingering about the Heber Trails

Weather showed up hot and steamy in north central Arkansas.  An early start ensured heat would not cause too much distress.  Intent on warming up the lost art of hiking, most of the spaces encountered on this occasion were of the local variety, beginning with Josh Park Memorial Trail out on the edge of town.

Mossy Bluff showed off deep Arkansas spring tones.  A few flowers continued to litter the floor of the forest, though most of the other seasonal flowers had passed on.  The burn-off from earlier in the year proved barely visible, but the benefits lingered in a reduced insect population and a lusher growth.

Activities of the morning ended with dipping toes in the cool waters of the Collins Creek Cascade out by the dam.  The clear, cold waters rejuvenated ankles and brought ambient temperatures down to refreshing levels. Lounging about the water at Sandy Beach followed for a time, finishing the day in good company and a late hike around the Sugar Loaf.

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Further Reading

Josh Park Memorial Trail

American Trails - National Recreational Trail Database

Along the Mossy Bluff

Mossy Bluff National Nature Trail in Arkansas

jusTodd on Medium.com

Collins Creek Cascade and Trout Stream

jusTodd on Atlas Obscura

Sugar Loaf Mountain in Heber Springs

Arkansas.com

Decreasing Rain, Increasing Gas Prices

A rain morning welcomed the day, and stalked travels as far south as Springfield.  Patches of blue appeared more frequently on the northern edge of that town, during a brief visit to Ritter Springs Park.  An alleged waterfall at this location urged inspection of the premises.  The rumors proved themselves true, along with a day camp hosting over a hundred school children.  They were non-invasive though, and were invaded with success.

With much of the area in a mucky situation because of recent rains, and unprepared for such endeavors, inspection of an urban hiking arrangement offered a good opportunity for a break from the road.  Branson Landing is an interesting spot to take in that sort of scenery, as long as it a Tuesday after Memorial Day.  A lack of resulting population made for a pleasant afternoon arrangement.

The afternoon caught up though, as did the cumulus, which continued to pile up in the sky.  There might be more rain here in Arkansas this particular evening.  Pushing on to Clinton and subsequent acquisition of final sustenance for the day, clouds merged and shadows stretched out a little more.  Only an hour  of driving remained to base camp though.

Gas prices were an interesting concern along the route, raising questions about the whole theory of Supply and Demand.  Consistently $4.04 per gallon across most of Missouri, it rose to $4.24 per gallon near Arkansas, but could be obtained anywhere in that cost range.  The prices were all over the place. A little Shell station restored some faith in the system, with a cost of $3.86 per gallon. It was a bargain that could not be ignored.  The Casey's across the street offered an interesting contrast at $4.27 per gallon.  

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Further Reading

Ritter Springs Park

Springfield-Greene County Park Board

Branson Landing

BransonLanding.com

Memorial Day Shoes

Visiting with ancestors this Memorial Day at their usual haunts turned up a few new photos of interesting bits.  Most of the graveyards are of the flush-mount variety, yielding very little of interest beyond a name and a date.  The stones at Mt. St. Mary's always turns up something or another though.

The traditional pause for photographic reflection at the statue adorning the monument of one James Fanning enabled discovery of long lost shoes. There is likely some sort of story here, but it is probably long lost to time.

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Further Reading

Historic Mount St Mary’s

Final home of the founders and builders of Kansas City

jusTodd - Medium.com

Mom's Day Arboretum

Looking to catch up with a local point of interest, we headed to the south part of town to look in on the Overland Park Arboretum this Mother's Day.  It was a perfect morning for the excursion.  Temperatures lingered in the teens Celsius with overcast skies, until sometime around 1 pm.  The sun finally began to breakthrough about then, for a more steamy afternoon.

A friend had recommended this spot a few years ago.  Living very close by, he enjoyed walking there every evening and encouraged us to come for a visit.  The whole masked hysteria began shortly thereafter and it fell of the radar.

The walk around the grounds proved quite interesting, with a variety of trails for every taste.  A diverse selection of plants littered the air in all directions, just beginning to show their colors. The first of June should manifest a spectacular display.

A massive model railroad display reflected the history of the area and old Overland Park, before boom times.  It is uncertain as to whether the trains run on a regular schedule.  Currently, the tracks traversing Harry S. Truman bridge are under water and most of the line appears in need of a good cleaning and a few pathway adjustments.  A bit of research and a return investigation are definitely in order.

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Further Reading

Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens

Parks and Recreation - Overland Park, KS