Blogs from Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States, North America - page 2

Oh, what amazing adventure it was to wander the beautiful forest of the Ouachita National Park. Upon reflection, I can feel the agony I held inside as I entered, compared to the freedom I feel as I write this. In Memphis, I had packed a "survival" dish of rice and turnip greens that would keep me alive at least for a few days. Plus, there was the bag of Bagel Chips if all else failed. On Friday, the 21st, I got to the east side of the park and drove up this dirt road with my little car and parked it next to a picnic table. Being up there, looking out at the lake, hearing only the leaves and birds, my feelings were overwhelming of how the city had taken a toll on me. My heart ... read more

We played a lot of cards today and just lazed around. We went out to eat lunch at Colton's Steakhouse as there was a coupon in the paper for 2 lunch entrees for $12.99. It was a great deal as most of our entrees were over $9 originally. I made a Mock Lasagna Casserole for supper and we played more cards! :) Ken and Georganne had to leave for home today. Wayne and I went to a presentation of the properties here. We got $50 for visiting with James for '90-minutes'. Fairly painless. We are old pros. It was a beautiful day. Perfect for a game of golf. Ken and I had brought our clubs but were unable to go because of the rain. I found a 9 hole course called Lakeside Golf club. When we ... read more

I made a Breakfast Casserole for breakfast which we consumed after a devotion on the balcony. It's a beautiful day but a bit muggy. Georganne and I went to the Garvan Woodland Botanical Gardens in the morning before it got too hot (at least that was the plan). The entry fee is $11 for seniors. The gardens are on 210 acres on the shores of Lake Hamilton. It's mostly wooded but has nice lakes, ponds, bridges, waterfalls, etc. While we were there they were hosting a glass display by James Hayes called Splash of Glass. It featured glass creations depicting flowers, mushrooms, onions, vines, bowls and balls. Our favorite was a koi pond with beautiful large glass balls floating on it. The sun was reflecting off of them beautifully and there was a waterfall in the ... read more

Arrived at Lake Degray state park and lodge. The lake is as beautiful as we remembered. Spent the day in Historic Hot Spring and toured an original bath house. Very interesting. To our surprise, a beautiful golf course also! Jack played 9 holes in 98 degrees heat, I rode in cart and tried to find all the shade I could. Back to Texas tommorrow!... read more

The roadtrip for summer 2011 has begun! I set off from Fort Worth at noon and headed to Hot Springs to spend the night. The drive was very pleasant, especially once I got out of the metroplex. I took Arkansas scenic Highway 7 to get to Hot Springs and the views were very rewarding! After arriving at the Gulpha Gorge Campground in Hot Springs National Park, I reserved my campsite, set up my tent, and set off on a hike for about 2 hours. I hiked two different trails: the Gulpha Gorge Trail (which leads from the campground to the top of the mountain) and the Goat Rock Trail. The Goat Rock Trail begins at the bottom of a rock that is in the shape of a goat's hoof! There were two overlooks on this trail ... read more