Driving like Ozark Mountain Daredevils, eh?

February 9th – Council Bluffs, IA to Conway, AR
I was trumpeted awake shortly before 5: 30 – not by Gabriel or Louis Armstrong, but by the multi-noted (diminished 7th???) chord of the engine of a railway shunt crew. Rather than think to complain to one of the railways that hub in Council Bluffs (Union Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa-Fe, Canadian National and Iowa Interstate), I felt wonderfully lulled back to my childhood days in Plum Coulee, when the CPR still had a station and station master, at least two jigger crews, and regular service – first with steam locomotives and then the diesels. Then, as today, the strains of my folks' nocturnal breathing was added to the mix. A nice way to start a day – then and now.

A slightly less pleasant sound evoked the fine sound of Ann Peebles, who also couldn't 'stand the rain against her window.'

So what where did we get to, and what did we get up to today, the second day of our road-trip? Hmmm. The day managed to get somewhat away on me, so my tired mind is not processing as well as it might. But... I do want to get this blog current.

A raid on the continental breakfast room yielded fruit and juice for me, and a wide sampling of the other items on offer by my folks. I had long ago decided I would not subject myself to the insults of American institutional coffee at the start of the day, so I headed for the room. Out came the Aeropress espresso coffee press and espresso coffee – both obtained from my friend and coffee guru, Trevis Boyd, owner of Black Pearl Coffee in Winnipeg. What ensued was a viscous orgy of taste, aroma and jolt as I savoured the three-shot hit. [To place yours ads in this blog, please remit large amounts of American currency to this blogger's personal attention. Insert humorous jokey icon here.]

By 7:40, we were on the road and under the clouds. The rain hung back for a time, but the wind that blew in made a strong statement about what was to follow. We traced I29 into Missouri, threaded our way through the Kansas City maze of interchanges, paused in Butler for lunch at the McDonald's (where Mom was delighted when I pointed out that the Muzac was actually gospel music) and then carried on the the southwest corner of the state.

We headed east briefly on I44, then followed the GPS's routing south on #37 through Pierce City, Monett, Cassville and Viola. We stopped around Cassville and played a game of "Where are Jake and Margaret anyway?"

Within minutes of exiting I44, Dad began to make the first anxious noises about, "did I or the GPS know where we were going, what we were doing?" I finally confessed that it was my intention to abandon Mom & Dad in one of the empty, gutted double-wides littering these little-traveled roads. "See, Mother, I knew he wanted the Camry and all the money." "He even told us not to bring your cell phone." Mom responded. I have to admit a considerable lack of follow-through on my ad-hoc plan: my folks are asleep in the adjacent bed as I type.

A significant portion of that ride was punctuated by scenes of less than ideal living circumstances: too many mobile homes or trailers with unkempt or disastrous yards. But that saddening stuff was an amazing juxtaposition of what Mom & Dad saw as we neared Eureka Springs.

First, a wide valley with incredible vistas.




























Then the arrival in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.













Then the descent into the Historic Town Centre.














The great pity was that we didn't really have time to do more than a drive-through and Dad, with his disequilibrium from my daredevil driving, and his sometimes tenuous balance, didn't feel up to a walk. Sorry, Mom.

It was well after 3 p.m. by the time we left Eureka Springs, and we still hoped to make another 200 miles before nightfall. Needless to say, night fell before the miles were covered.

If the drive into Eureka Springs was twisty, the ride out was contorted, serpentine. Around Green Forest, we began to experience some delays due to what we originally took to be tree clean-up around power lines. Another quick survey, however, made it clear that these folks had been subject to an incredible ice storm. And so had the folks for up to at least 90 miles to the south. The devastation to tree crowns was unbelievable. Yards and ditches were buried in not just branches, but in major limbs as well. Apparently this particular late-January storm wreaked havoc across many states.

The hour was getting late and Dad, who claims never to feel hungry anymore, was angling at a halt to travel. Not that I didn't want to stop, but we were still about 485 miles from Huntsville at this point (around 5:45), and I didn't want to carry this Ozark Daredevil segment into tomorrow. Nightfall, the onset of rain, and the descent of fog, however, altered my view by 6:20. A full Motel 8 in Clinton re-altered that view. We headed back out on the highway. Road markings were very hard to see at the best of times; rain, fog and traffic made it almost impossible in many areas.

Some 75 minutes later, we pulled into Conway and found a room. We were all very tired, somewhat stressed, some were very hungry, and two were in need of a drink. Imagine my chuckle when the hotel receptionist told me we were in a dry county.

This was an exhausting day, and I apologize if this post is somewhat disjointed, too long or too narrative. That said, I think, family and friends, that M&D had a great time today. Eureka Springs is aptly named. Like Sedona out west, this nineteenth century spa town in the Ozark Mountains springs out at you like a beneficent surprise. It's filled with the architectural marvels of folks who came to this area and saw something special; so they created a special world away from the world. M&D saw terrain they haven't really had a chance to take in before. They're tired. That last couple of hours of driving took a lot out of us. But they are both sleeping like babies now. They spoke to Aunt Janet this evening, and they're excited about arriving in Huntsville tomorrow. How knows, maybe they'll be up for a ride on a Saturn 5 rocket while there. I think they're having a good time. That's all that matters this go-round. More tomorrow, internet connections willing. Night, all. I gotta put my head down now. – Gordon