Retrospective (9/18)
Patch #251 Lucky (Route) 7
Original Post
Eight hours on the GPS translates into nine or ten hours once you add in stretch breaks (every 80-90 miles), filling the gas tank, and stopping for lunch ...
Our mid-day destination was a restaurant in Harrison, Arkansas that we learned about from owners Mike and Karen Nabors when we stopped at a B&B in Nacogdoches, Texas. The building is only sixteen years old, but it's based on an actual grist mill ...
They bake all the bread on site, so I thoroughly enjoyed a bowl of tomato basil soup with focaccia and a mini bacon corn muffin. However, the bread pudding was the star of the show!
As we waited in line to place our order, Don spotted Mike Nabors and reminded him of our meeting last spring. He ended up coming over to our table, obviously delighted that we had gone out of our way to stop by. He told us tales of local fishing and then, asking where we were headed next, drew us a map of the scenic route to Hot Springs. "It'll take a little longer, but you'll really see the Ozarks," he promised.
So, even though it was only half an hour down the road, we stopped at the Cliff House Inn ...
to see the cloud shadows make a patchwork quilt on the "Grand Canyon of Arkansas" ...
then have a slice of pie ...
Fortunately, we chose the lemon chess as we got a thumbs down review of their specialty pie from another patron who commented as she passed by our table, "I should've gotten the chess ... their Governor's pie was nothing but whipped cream."
Heading down the road, we hit some wicked hairpin turns ...
and signs that repeatedly cautioned how many miles of "crooked and steep" roads were ahead of us ...
Nonetheless, the scenic overlooks delivered on Mike's promise ...
And as we drove, I let my mind wander back to our St Louis visit. My favorite memory? When J said, "Nana, you smell good," as I buckled him into his car seat.
"Thank you J." Then I dared ask, "Like what?"
"Like cotton!"
"Cotton?"
"Cotton at the Cardinals game!"
"Cotton candy? I smell like cotton candy at a baseball game? You are so sweet, buddy!"
