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| Pat at Alley Mills and Alley Mills Spring |
We left March 24 and headed west. We stopped in Elkhart, IN
for RV service and then headed down to the Ozark Mountains. We found the roads
in Il even worse than PA’s, but the road hazards were minor compared to the
weather hazards. Strong winds and tornado warnings were frequent and made RV
driving difficult. One night a tornado was scheduled to pass through our area
in the middle of the night. Fortunately, it took a different path. I used to
think that with a house on wheels, it would be easy to avoid tornados, but I learned
that the storm fronts are so wide and the exact path is unpredictable so that
trying to outrun them is usually not practical.
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| Cave on Current River |
Whoever developed the first roller coaster must have been
from the hills of MO. Riding a roller coaster road in an RV for 20 miles is
exhausting and breathtaking. We took the car on a side trip to Rocky Falls Park
for lunch and a hike. When we returned to the car, we realized we were locked
out of our car. After going around in circles with our Road Assistance
provider, the local sheriff’s department and a US Park Ranger, a woman who had
lunch at the same picnic table where we ate lunch found our keys on the table. Boy
did we feel foolish!
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| Bluff on Jacks Fork River |
The main reason we went to the Ozarks was to canoe some of
the rivers. Getting an outfitter to provide a canoe and shuttle was not a
problem. First, we did the Current River starting at Akers. We got flushed
downstream at 5 mph due to the high-water level. Next, we canoed the Jack’s
Fork River, where we put in at Alley Mills. We expected an easy and fast float
downstream, and we were busy enjoying the scenery when we got caught in a
sweeper (a fallen tree at the water level that will cause boats to flip and
then be pinned against the tree). I managed to walk the canoe upstream until we
could cross to the other side and carry around the blockage. The remainder of
the trip was enjoyable. These are spring fed rivers that flow year-round. There
were many large springs in the area to explore.
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Sunset over the Buffalo River area
There were plans to dam the Current River starting in the
1930’s and again in the 1950’s. Conservationists rallied support to protect the
Current and Jacks Forks Rivers and they became part of the Ozarks National
Scenic Riverways in 1972. These rivers were a warm up for us before canoeing the
Buffalo River in Arkansas. The Buffalo River has been on my “Bucket List” for 40+
years. It was the first National River (Wild and Scenic River). This
designation protected its deep valleys, towering bluffs and wilderness
character.
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| Waterfall under Natural Bridge |
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| Words of wisdom |
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| Glory Hole- Waterfall through a hole in the rock |
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| Alum Cove Natural Bridge |
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Bluffs along the Buffalo River
We put in at Ponca, AR to paddle the most scenic portion of
the river. It was a chilly day, and I felt bad for the people that chose to
paddle the river in sit on top kayaks - they would be wet and cold all day. We
did a hike to Hemmed-in-Hollow before finishing the river trip. The area around
the Buffalo River was interesting with
many caves and waterfalls.
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| Lunch Break |
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| Waterfall at Hemmed-in-Hollow |
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Another damn sunset!
Next, we had to drive across Oklahoma to get to Texas and
New Mexico. Now OK was never very high on my list of interesting state to
visit, but I had to upgrade its status after a visit to Tulsa. We arrived on
Easter weekend, which is not a good time to visit a city with almost everything
shut down. Through our World-Wide Travers Club, we contacted a local woman who
offered to give us a tour of the town. This woman has been to 235 countries!
Compared to her, I felt like a stay-at-home recluse. |
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| Hummingbird feeding at Tulsa Botanical Gardens |
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Art Deco Building in Tulsa
The Oil Boom 1901-1907 changed Tulsa from a frontier town to
a boomtown. A Second Oil boom occurred between 1915 and 1930. Tulsa became the
Oil Capital of the World, and home to many millionaires. There was a building
boom and Art Deco was in vogue. We toured the downtown area and explored the
tunnels that connected some of the buildings. Route 66 goes through Tulsa so
there were some interesting attractions there. In Elk, OK we went through the
National Route 66 Museum.
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| Art Deco Furnishings |
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Road into Palo Duro Canyon
In Texas, we spent some time in Palo Duro Canyon, which is
south of Amarillo. Our final stop was Albuquerque, NM. Here we put our RV in
storage at the local KOA, and flew from ABQ to the Big Island of Hawaii.
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| Texas Long Nosed Snake |
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| Sunset over Palo Duro area |
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