Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Queen Wilhelmina Lodge, Arkansas to Arkadelphia (Caddo Valley), Arkansas
101 miles
3,800 ft. of climbing
Today's destination is Arkadelphia, located at the foothills of Ouachita Mountains in Clark County. I kept referring to it as "Philadephia" as a joke, but then I couldn't say it right, even if I tried. That's what I get for being a wiseacre. : )
We had a exquisite breakfast overlooking a gorgeous vista in the parking lot of the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge. The crew outdid themselves and made us cooked-to-order omelets for breakfast. The morning temp was a mild and comfortable 60 degrees. For the first 12 miles of today's ride, we finished up riding the Talimena Scenic Drive, with a few more climbs and then a speedy and fun descent into Mena, Arkansas. From there, we had beautifully scenic rolling terrain pretty much the entire day. Much less intense than yesterday's ride. We passed many small towns with signs that indicated populations of less than 1,000 (e.g., Norman, Arkansas, pop. 423). I was intrigued by a big sign that said "Redneck Smokehouse" next to a tiny house on a hill. I wondered if they didn't have a television and therefore didn't know that people routinely make fun of rednecks in this day and age. Today's weather was 84 degrees and sunny. The dogs chase just as much in Arkansas as they do in Oklahoma, but none have caught us (yet). We all really appreciate the perfect biking weather that we've been blessed with so far. Feeling strong and having a great time. It just doesn't get any better than that!
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| Breakfast at the Lodge: front row seats to a majestic view |
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| Art riding by the DeGray Dam |
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| Making progress every day! |
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