Nolen Family Vacation 2017: Day 1
Saturday, April 15th.
Arkansas
We weren't sure if we'd be able to go on vacation right away or if we'd have to postpone a day or two due to illness. Ben had been super stressed about work and was having troubling symptoms. After getting adjusted and talking to the CEO, he was able to relax a bit and felt that going on vacation was just what he needed. Whew!
We were able to get up and get going and actually left the house on time! Our first stop was just 3.5 hours away in Eureka Springs, AR.
The Glass Chapel looked beautiful in photos so we stopped in to see it for ourselves and stretch our legs a bit.
Once inside the chapel, you just sit and think/pray/rest. They do sometimes hold services there and it's available for weddings. It was really lovely.
Arkansas
We weren't sure if we'd be able to go on vacation right away or if we'd have to postpone a day or two due to illness. Ben had been super stressed about work and was having troubling symptoms. After getting adjusted and talking to the CEO, he was able to relax a bit and felt that going on vacation was just what he needed. Whew!
We were able to get up and get going and actually left the house on time! Our first stop was just 3.5 hours away in Eureka Springs, AR.
The Glass Chapel looked beautiful in photos so we stopped in to see it for ourselves and stretch our legs a bit.
Once inside the chapel, you just sit and think/pray/rest. They do sometimes hold services there and it's available for weddings. It was really lovely.
We hopped back into the car and continued south to Whitaker's Point or Hawksbill Crag.
The drive to the top of the mountain was....interesting. It was 6 miles off of the main road, but it was rough going. I'm not sure we ever got above 20 mph. On top of that, the dirt was fine and bright brick red and it got everywhere. Eventually we did make it to the top.
The drive to the top of the mountain was....interesting. It was 6 miles off of the main road, but it was rough going. I'm not sure we ever got above 20 mph. On top of that, the dirt was fine and bright brick red and it got everywhere. Eventually we did make it to the top.
I was nervous about the safety of this trail. The reviews I read were extremely mixed. Some talked about how people have died out here and it's not for amateurs. Some talked about how they took their toddlers. Really a mixed bag. Then, of course, I saw this warning sign first thing when we arrived. I figured that we could do as much as possible and turn back if it got too hairy. So we started off.
The trail was steep at times and you have to pay attention in order to maintain your footing. There are lots of roots and shifting soil. There are some cliffs and then of course Whitaker's Point itself is dangerous. We just took it slow and it was totally fine.
We made it there just fine, but the return trip was grueling. It was a steep hike back up to the cars and we were all exhausted. There are no restroom at all. At all. Not along the trail, not in the parking lot, not back down by the main road. We could not find a gas station fast enough!
I reminded all the grumblers that this was our only hike of the trip. True, we had a lot of walking in our future, but this was our only actual hike. Everyone was a good sport and I think they enjoyed it. It was about 3 miles round trip.
We continued on our way and pulled into Little Rock at bout 8:45. Our first day had gone off without a hitch and the next day had plenty more fun in store!
I reminded all the grumblers that this was our only hike of the trip. True, we had a lot of walking in our future, but this was our only actual hike. Everyone was a good sport and I think they enjoyed it. It was about 3 miles round trip.
We continued on our way and pulled into Little Rock at bout 8:45. Our first day had gone off without a hitch and the next day had plenty more fun in store!
Comments
Post a Comment