Places Visited:
Arkansas: Hot Springs & Lake Village, Arkansas.
Alabama: Calera, Alabama.

Sunday October 7, 2001
J&J RV-Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas--- Boyhood home of Bill Clinton

Last night we ate at a Cajun seafood place. This is the closest thing
we have seen to a restaurant serving fresh seafood in almost 6-months.
We had fried shrimp and oysters. They also had boiled and fried
crawfish, boudin, etouffee, gumbo and boiled shrimp on the menu. It
is good to be getting close to home and finding familiar food.

We had our choice between two nice size Baptist Churches to worship
with this morning. Both had auditoriums large enough to seat around
500 comfortably. We chose the one that appeared to have the largest
congregation based on the number of automobiles in the parking lots
just before the morning service. Both were anemic. The one we chose
actually had about 100 in attendance. We were shocked; the average
age of the congregation had to be in the mid-to-late 70s. It was like
at the Lawrence Welk show. It does not appear that this church will
be around in a few years.

After church Joyce and I scouted out an RV-Park and found it to be
acceptable. Then we spotted a Popeye's fried chicken place. This was
not what we were looking for but could not let it pass. It had been
so long since we have had that good spicy fried chicken with a side of
their awesome red beans and rice. Oh how wonderful it is to be able
to get good food!

After eating lunch we moved our motorhome to J&J's RV-Park before
heading out for the afternoon. While setting up the motorhome we
learn that bombs are falling in Afghanistan.

Ignoring the bombing news we head to downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Neither of us was familiar with Hot Baths so we were having a hard
time determining what the big deal was. We now have a better
understanding. It seems that through the ages hot springs around the
world were thought to have healing qualities. Individuals with a
variety of ailments came to bathe it the warm water. From the 1850s
to the 1950s grand bathhouses were constructed over these "hot
springs". From what we read it appears that individuals in bad health
were flocking to these baths as a last resort. By the 1950s the
therapeutic value was being downplayed and the invigorating lavish
good feeling of the warm mineral water in concert with a good massage
was being pushed. Several places continue to offer public baths.

Others think the water is good to drink. The thermal water is
certified sterile and contains copious amounts of minerals. It is the
mineral content of the waters that make it so attractive. Each spring
in the area produces water with very different mineral content. The
mineral content of each spring is published so that individuals can
obtain drinking water from the spring containing minerals they are
looking for. We saw individuals with water jugs visiting various
springs to get water for personal use.

Hot Springs sports about eight opulent bathhouses in a row, all left
over from the 1920s, when bathhouses were in their golden years. In
addition to the lavish bathhouses equally impressive hotels are in
evidence also from the 1920s. The entire town is a testimony to
bygone times.

Monday October 8, 2001
Pecan Grove RV-Park Lake Village, Arkansas

We continued on our journey to Alabama today. As we continued south
on Scenic Arkansas highway 7 we quickly ran out of the mountains and
hardwood forest. As the land leveled pine forest began to be
prevalent. Another sign that we are in the south again is the log
trucks delivering huge trees to lumber mills. As we turn east on
highway 82 the land continues to get flatter and flatter as we near
the Mississippi River.

First soybeans then rice fields appear. We have reached the delta
area adjacent to the Mississippi River. Near the river cotton is in
the fields and acres and acres of catfish ponds dot the landscape. We
watch catfish farmers on tractors feeding catfish. Tractors pull huge
trailers of feed with a mechanism literally raining feed in the ponds
as they drive along the dikes. Each pond is outfitted with mechanical
aerators. Without mechanical aerators the fish would die for lack of
oxygen. Locals tell me that sensors in the pond detect the oxygen
level and automatically start the aerators as well as sound an alarm
in the farmer's home. We also see tractors with aerator attachments
on the ready.

For the first time in 6-months we see great egrets. As we near the
Mississippi River where catfish ponds dot the countryside these huge
white wading birds line select ponds. We wonder if they are feeding
on fingerling catfish.

The RV-Park Joyce has selected is located in a mature pecan grove. As
we drove in we noticed screech owl boxes on many of the trees. Pecan
groves are another indication we are indeed back in the south. Lake
Chicot is an ancient oxbow lake now cut off from the Mississippi River
by levies. Nice homes have secured waterfront views on both sides of
the old riverbed. Centuries old cypress trees line the lake and
low-lying areas around the lake. These cypress trees are signaling
autumn in their annual fashion by turning rusty golden. The County
operates an RV- Park on the island across the lake from where we are
staying. Like the RV-Park we are in it is located in a pecan grove.
The county RV-Park looks like a super place to visit in the summer
especially if you have a fishing boat.

I received an e-mail communication from another friend today that
identifies the trees we were seeing in southern Kansas as Osage orange
trees. Now I am wondering if the hedge apple and Osage orange is the
same tree? These trees had lime green fruit the size of apples.

Tuesday October 9, 2001
Pecan Grove RV-Park Lake Village, Arkansas

We are ahead of schedule. My sister is planning on us arriving at her
house in Calera, Alabama on Friday. We are only 300-miles from Calera
now so we need to goof off for a day or so.

After sleeping late we took a leisurely drive around this area. Not
far down the road we pulled over to watch a crew harvesting cotton. As
luck would have it I made friends with them and actually took a ride
on the cotton harvester while they made a few rounds. After that
experience the owner said that they were also harvesting soybeans in
another field several miles down the road. We followed him to that
field and also rode the soybean harvester for a few rounds in the
soybean field. Everyone was extremely helpful as I asked dozens and
dozens of questions. The harvested soybeans were being trucked about
10-miles to a silo on the Mississippi River where they would be loaded
on a barge and delivered to customers downriver or overseas. The
cotton was being compressed into a cube resembling the trailer pulled
by an 18-wheeler. A LARGE truck would back up to these "compressed
bales" and winch them on a bed. The operation reminded me of the
large garbage/refuse dumpsters that are winched onto a flatbed.

I learned that rice would be planted in the soybean field next year.
The farmer said that all he had to do was construct a small dike
around the field and flood it. Since the fields are essentially flat
the dikes only have to be about 12" high in order to hold water. When
the pumps are turned off these fields are firm enough to plant with
tractors. In southern Louisiana flooded rice fields are seeded from
aircraft flying over the fields. Stubble from the recent rice harvest
is being burned in the fields. Last November we saw sugar cane, in
southern Louisiana, being burned in the field prior to harvest. The
farmer told me that the rice stubble would not decompose over the
winter. The way they handled that problem was to burn then plow it
under.

Wednesday October 10, 2001
Mike's sisters yard, Calera, Alabama

We are driving 300-miles to Calera, Alabama and my sister's driveway.
Immediately upon getting on the road finds us on the highway 82 bridge
over the Mississippi River. The first thing both of us vocalized as
we headed up the approach was "gosh, I hope we do not meet any
18-wheelers on this narrow thing". The second thing we said was "
look at all of those 18-wheelers heading our way". What a hoot! I am
not sure that either of us breathed until on solid land again.

As we exit the bridge litter blights the roadside. This is the first
roadside litter we have seen in months. A mile or so into Mississippi
we see the first live oak tree we have seen since leaving the south
months ago. Pecan groves dot the landscape like cotton fields. Diesel
is $1.18. Out west we saw diesel for $1.75. It is nice to be back to
reasonable fuel prices. The Mississippi delta area east of the
Mississippi River is flat farmland. Cotton and soybeans fields spread
out to the horizon. This flat farmland extends about a 100-miles to
the east of the river then all of a sudden the elevation increases
several hundred feet and we are in rolling hills. The first thing we
notice in the rolling hills is the ubiquitous kudzu vine. Immediately
upon leaving the delta hundreds and hundreds of roadside acres are
being choked by this vine. Pine forests have replaced cotton fields.
Lumber mills and 18-wheelers hauling logs to them become common sights
along highway 82.

Entering Alabama we are greeted by a mile long wildflower display in
the median. The state can be proud of this achievement. These purple
flowers were in full bloom. A few miles down the road we passed
another wildflower patch also provided by the state.

About 5-miles from our destination we call my sister on the cell phone
to let her know we are arriving. To get to my sister's palatial
estate we have to exit the paved road and drive about a half-mile down
their gravel driveway. Just as we exit the paved road we have to
cross over a rural railroad track. The hump over the track looked
precarious. It looked to be very steep on both sides of the track and
I am hesitant to attempt the crossing for fear I might get hung up.
Knowing that construction vehicles and concrete mixer trucks had
crossed to deliver supplies to their home made me go for it, but
slowly. If I felt we were going to get hung up I was going to unhook
my tow car and back the motorhome off. I eased slowly across the
tracks. All of a sudden we here a train whistle. The train is coming
around a corner several hundred yards away. They do not usually blow
their whistle in this area because only private driveways are crossing
the tracks not streets or highways. The conductor was blowing because
they see us on the tracks as they rounded that corner. Thankfully,
the motorhome and tow car crossed the track just as the train whizzed
by. He was going so fast there was no way he could have stopped.
Joyce and I are still looking for two seat cushions. As we pull up
into my sister's yard they greet us. When they heard the train
whistle they knew the train had to be blowing at us. Like us they
were afraid that we might have gotten hung on the tracks. They were
almost as relieved to see us, as we were to have escaped that train.

I have never understood how trains run over people. Why don't the
people just get off the track? DA! Can't they see or hear something
as big as a train. After this experience I have a whole new
perspective on how easy it can be to get run over by a train. We did
not see or hear a thing until that whistle and we were in the middle
of the tracks. I do not know to this day if I ever saw that train
since it was essentially behind my field of view when we heard the
whistle. I knew what that sound was. I did know that it was LOUD and
very close. If the motorhome was going to scrape going across the
track it was now going to do it under full power. Miraculously, we
hear the train whizzing past and it does not appear that the rear of
our motorhome is mounted on the train.

It was 5:30 when we pulled into my sister's yard and started searching
for those seat cushions.

Thursday October 11, 2001
Mike's sisters yard, Calera, Alabama

My sister and her family headed off to work while we got up and washed
the motorhome. I have not been able to get on top of the motorhome
for over 6-months. Dirt, grime and mildew have taken over. Any
moisture dripping off the roof is now creating those dreaded black
streaks down the side. My brother-in-law fixed me up with a pressure
washer and a ladder to reach the roof. The pressure washer is the
perfect solution to getting dirt out of cracks and crevices around
grills and radiator openings but the roof required a scrub brush and
muscle.

Friday October 12, 2001
Mike's sisters yard, Calera, Alabama

This was another day of leisure at my sister's home. They both took
the day off to be with us. We ate good and had a good time.

Saturday October 13, 2001
Mike's sisters yard, Calera, Alabama

Saturday is college football day in the Deep South and we are in the
Deep South. Florida State University FSU is playing Miami and the
University of Alabama is playing Old Miss. I was glued to the FSU
game while my sister's family was engrossed in the Alabama game. Miami
showed FSU and the country why they are ranked 1 or 2 depending upon
the pole. One thing is for sure; FSU is not going to play in the
National Championship game this year. It looks like Miami and the
University of Florida have a good chance to be in that game against
each other. As luck would have it FSU gets to play both of those
teams every year.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix