Today we took our longest visit en route so far and still travelled 585 km on this journey.
Our detour, Hot Springs, Arkansas was an important site for people since they discovered it thousands of years ago, and for the new Americans it developed into a booming bath town and a travel destination for decades from the early 1800s. It was the first government reserve in fact, to protect and preserve it.
Now it’s a national park. Now there is one old style bathhouse, which we planned to visit but is CLOSED ON TUESDAYS?! There is nice spa type place but after some debate, while it was inviting, we decided to pass on that option. we did explore and found hot spring water steaming everywhere:
And decorative fountains, pools where you could sit, and water bottle filling stations where we saw people filling multiple large bottles (4-5 gal) to take home and drink for the health benefits. It doesn’t taste of much but does have a high mineral content. Yeah, we took some.
So hot springs bathing experience: fail.
Mexican restaurant lunch experience: win.
At the end of Bathhouse Row is Diablos.
Guacamole has a short half life and to make sure you know it’s fresh it is prepared table side while you watch and try to unnerve the waiter (it’s his second day on the job).
It was Taco Tuesday so what else? Choose three from, I dunno, two dozen options? The grilled onion garnish was brilliant and I don’t care what they say I am going to try that at home. And all sauces you could want.
I am not a food blogger. I like food, and this was good food, and yes I guess technically this is a blog but I’m not blogging about food. It’s all about me.
Then we toured up the scenic mountain drive, were delayed some time while the park guys removed a large pine tree, then hit the scenic roads back to the interstate to head on to Sulphur Springs, Texas.
On entering Texas there is a large scrolling red lettered sign: “65 traffic fatalities so far this year - End the streak of Texas road fatalities”. It’s January 21st. I noticed already that the further south we travelled, the less people seemed concerned about posted speed limits. In Indiana the enforcement is obvious and people rarely exceed the limit. In Texas it’s a suggestion. Drivers are slow, exceedingly fast, or up and down, but nobody seems on the mark. The transport trucks for the most are ok but a few go as fast as can whip those horses to go - don’t get in their way.
We made it. It’s plus 6C. We may get rain but it’s not -20.
Notable roadkill: deer, coyote, hawk. Notably absent: raccoon. Maybe just don’t notice anymore?
stay safe,
J
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