We ended up in Russellville, Arkansas by chance. It was not a place we had picked out to stay. After 2 days and 1,057 miles across I-40 we kind of landed here. We rushed through the rest of Arizona, New Mexico, spent the night in Amarillo, TX and then sped through Oklahoma trying to get out of the flat lands. The interstate consisted of scattered truck stops, glitzy casinos and miles and miles and miles of nothing. When we finally saw trees, lakes and rivers (with water in them) we stopped. It was time to take a break. So here we are, our third day of respite, in Russellville, a surprisingly very nice place. The heat is intense as is the humidity–yes, our first encounter with humidity. We’ve sat around reading, watching movies, listening to the radio and just laying back. It has been a pleasure.

This morning we actually ventured out of the motor home and went to Mt. Nebo State Park. Mt. Nebo, 1,350 feet above the mountain valleys of west central Arkansas, overlooks the 34,000 acre Lake Dardanelle and the Arkansas River. The 20 minute ride took us along narrow switchbacks bordered by rugged rocks. We stopped to look at the lake and valleys below and drove around the well tended park. Deer wandered unobstructed throughout the park. We even got to see a Pileated Woodpecker.  We drove down to the lake and the dam and watched turkey vultures and herons sunning themselves on the pilings along the banks.

Lake Dardanelle

2 deer

3 birds

We are gearing down and slowly working our way home. There’s no rush, no particular destination. We have plenty of time to feel our way back to North Carolina. We may even spend a day in Mountain View, Arkansas at the suggestion of my brother-in-law. For sure we’re headed to Cades Cove in Tennessee for a couple of days. Then home.