August 30th
Woke up early to a campground full of deer and started my ride up the big hill. Near the top of the hill I came to Blanchard Springs Caverns. I arrived an hour before they opened so I spent some time walking around the grounds and having a relaxing morning. I talked with some friendly park rangers who were interested in my bike trip and then met Dean who was my tour guide. Being the only person going on the first tour I got a personal trip through the caverns. There are several tours offered and I did the dripstone tour which takes you through the oldest part of the cave with some incredible formations. The main room which was discovered in the 1960's was 4 football fields wide. The lighting in the cave was done by a lighting expert famous for his work with opera houses and really made the cave an extraordinary experience! Dean was an excellent tour guide and this was quite possibly the best cave tour I have ever been on. I left the caverns just before noon and began my ride to Batesville, Arkansas. Dean had suggested a couple places to check out in the town of Mountain View, which was about 11 miles into my days ride. I stopped at a Mexican restaurant for a great lunch and then went to Yoder's for some homemade cashew butter, coffee, and dried pineapple. Next door to Yoder's I bought some fudge to go with my coffee and had a nice break before moving on. I had a couple large hills to climb and once again it was very hot but the ride was scenic as I rode through the eastern Ozarks. The ride was also quite dangerous with many blind turns and fast drivers. I came across a farm and spooked the 100 or so cows causing them to run along side of me for a while as I yelled rawhide and yee-haw at them. Good times! I arrived in Batesville late in the afternoon and stopped at a Dairy Queen for a salad and very tasty Nutter Butter Blizzard, yum! When I checked my odometer I realized I had just hit the 3,000 mile mark for this year! The Batesville Chamber of Commerce spoke with Comfort Suites who donated me a room for the evening! Thanks Batesville Chamber of Commerce and Batesville Comfort Suites!!! After a shower I did some laundry at the hotel and soaked my weary bones in the hot tub.
http://www.mybatesville.org/
Woke up early to a campground full of deer and started my ride up the big hill. Near the top of the hill I came to Blanchard Springs Caverns. I arrived an hour before they opened so I spent some time walking around the grounds and having a relaxing morning. I talked with some friendly park rangers who were interested in my bike trip and then met Dean who was my tour guide. Being the only person going on the first tour I got a personal trip through the caverns. There are several tours offered and I did the dripstone tour which takes you through the oldest part of the cave with some incredible formations. The main room which was discovered in the 1960's was 4 football fields wide. The lighting in the cave was done by a lighting expert famous for his work with opera houses and really made the cave an extraordinary experience! Dean was an excellent tour guide and this was quite possibly the best cave tour I have ever been on. I left the caverns just before noon and began my ride to Batesville, Arkansas. Dean had suggested a couple places to check out in the town of Mountain View, which was about 11 miles into my days ride. I stopped at a Mexican restaurant for a great lunch and then went to Yoder's for some homemade cashew butter, coffee, and dried pineapple. Next door to Yoder's I bought some fudge to go with my coffee and had a nice break before moving on. I had a couple large hills to climb and once again it was very hot but the ride was scenic as I rode through the eastern Ozarks. The ride was also quite dangerous with many blind turns and fast drivers. I came across a farm and spooked the 100 or so cows causing them to run along side of me for a while as I yelled rawhide and yee-haw at them. Good times! I arrived in Batesville late in the afternoon and stopped at a Dairy Queen for a salad and very tasty Nutter Butter Blizzard, yum! When I checked my odometer I realized I had just hit the 3,000 mile mark for this year! The Batesville Chamber of Commerce spoke with Comfort Suites who donated me a room for the evening! Thanks Batesville Chamber of Commerce and Batesville Comfort Suites!!! After a shower I did some laundry at the hotel and soaked my weary bones in the hot tub.
http://www.mybatesville.org/
Leaf Bug
Well worth the visit!
Impressive fossil rock
One of the smaller hills
Courthouse in Mountain View
Break time
This would explain all of the race car drivers on the roads today!
White River
Yum!
Thanks Comfort Suites!
Had the pool all to myself
Just what the doctor ordered!
August 31st
After some coffee, yogurt, and a banana form the hotel I spoke with Debbie, the hotel manager, who gave me some directions to ride on quiet backroads leaving the city. Thanks Debbie! Today was very humid and I was sweating instantly. I stopped at a gas station and met someone who was curious about my trip. After talking a little but she gave me $4 to donate to Make-A-Wish. A little further down the road I met Dennis who was also out bicycling. Dennis was on a ride from Batesveille to Newport and back, about a 60 mile ride. We talked for a while about bike trips and the area and then Dennis gave me $20 to donate to Make-A-Wish. Thanks Dennis!! The kindness of strangers is awesome in Arkansas! The road to Newport had a nice wide shoulder and I was able to ride with some comfort again. After taking a break at a nice quiet park in Newport I rode a quiet country road towards my destination, Lake Poinsett State Park. The road was flat and straight making it an easy ride other than the humidity. While riding down the road an ATV pulled up next to me and we talked while biking for a couple of miles. The guy on the ATV was really impressed with what I was doing and about 10 minutes after we parted ways a jeep pulled up next to me and gave me 3 sandwiches and said he was friends with the guy on the ATV. I have now received 6 sandwiches from people in Arkansas! I arrived to my campsite at Lake Poinsett State Park with just enough light left to set up my tent and take a quick shower. Spent the night going through my photos and listening to music. It was still humid but I fell asleep no problem after the long ride.
After some coffee, yogurt, and a banana form the hotel I spoke with Debbie, the hotel manager, who gave me some directions to ride on quiet backroads leaving the city. Thanks Debbie! Today was very humid and I was sweating instantly. I stopped at a gas station and met someone who was curious about my trip. After talking a little but she gave me $4 to donate to Make-A-Wish. A little further down the road I met Dennis who was also out bicycling. Dennis was on a ride from Batesveille to Newport and back, about a 60 mile ride. We talked for a while about bike trips and the area and then Dennis gave me $20 to donate to Make-A-Wish. Thanks Dennis!! The kindness of strangers is awesome in Arkansas! The road to Newport had a nice wide shoulder and I was able to ride with some comfort again. After taking a break at a nice quiet park in Newport I rode a quiet country road towards my destination, Lake Poinsett State Park. The road was flat and straight making it an easy ride other than the humidity. While riding down the road an ATV pulled up next to me and we talked while biking for a couple of miles. The guy on the ATV was really impressed with what I was doing and about 10 minutes after we parted ways a jeep pulled up next to me and gave me 3 sandwiches and said he was friends with the guy on the ATV. I have now received 6 sandwiches from people in Arkansas! I arrived to my campsite at Lake Poinsett State Park with just enough light left to set up my tent and take a quick shower. Spent the night going through my photos and listening to music. It was still humid but I fell asleep no problem after the long ride.
Coal plant near Newport
Park in Newport
The flat straight road to Lake Poinsett
Just enough light to get set up
Frog in the shower!
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