Today we trekked out of the long state of Tennessee and through Arkansas. We are staying in Fort Smith, a quaint town only a few miles from the Oklahoma border. Arkansas started off sketchy, as we left the green hills of Tennessee, passed through Memphis, and drove through miles and miles of flat nothingness.
Angela was getting bored and AJ was becoming restless when we happened upon the presidential city of Little Rock. They have cashed in on William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency and named much in the city along presidential themes. (Hint…if you want your child to be the President, you should probably make his middle name Jefferson…) Using our Garmin, we were able to easily check out some of what Little Rock has to offer. We visited Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, where the state and federal government fought over desegregation at the expense of 9 students lives.
The NPS had a brand new visitor center, an adjacent park, and a restored gas station. The High School is still in use and is one of the best schools in the state, despite it being the center of a desegregation firestorm in 1957. It is absolutely crazy that we have only had desegregated schools for 50 years, and I think Angela and I both have a false sense of race relations after attending school in Hampton roads.
It was too bad we didn’t get to spend more time at the school, learning more about our nation’s history. Even though we didn’t get a chance to spend a whole lot of time there, AJ enjoyed getting out of the car and going on a small walk around the building. The school was constructed in the 1920s, and it is beautiful and well kept. Angela is convinced that we would learn better in high school and care more if our schools looked nice. After stopping for the essentials, coffee and gas, we got on the road and found the beauty in Arkansas.
The rolling hills of the Ozark Plateau provide a great backdrop to any drive and unlike the morning, the time flew by. After finishing Stephen Colbert’s “I am America, and so can you!” audio-book yesterday, we started Bill Bryce’s “ A Walk in the Woods.” “I am America, and so can you!” was awesome and way too short, but we are enjoying Bill Bryce’s account of his journey along the Appalachian Trail. We got to Fort Smith in early evening, found everything we needed in a nice little town, and are now updating our blog and planning tomorrow’s travels.
Today we trekked out of the long state of Tennessee and through Arkansas. We are staying in Fort Smith, a quaint town only a few miles from the Oklahoma border. Arkansas started off sketchy, as we left the green hills of Tennessee, passed through Memphis, and drove through miles and miles of flat nothingness. 
Angela was getting bored and AJ was becoming restless when we happened upon the presidential city of Little Rock. They have cashed in on William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency and named much in the city along presidential themes. (Hint…if you want your child to be the President, you should probably make his middle name Jefferson…) Using our Garmin, we were able to easily check out some of what Little Rock has to offer. We visited Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, where the state and federal government fought over desegregation at the expense of 9 students lives.
The NPS had a brand new visitor center, an adjacent park, and a restored gas station. The High School is still in use and is one of the best schools in the state, despite it being the center of a desegregation firestorm in 1957. It is absolutely crazy that we have only had desegregated schools for 50 years, and I think Angela and I both have a false sense of race relations after attending school in Hampton roads. 
It was too bad we didn’t get to spend more time at the school, learning more about our nation’s history. Even though we didn’t get a chance to spend a whole lot of time there, AJ enjoyed getting out of the car and going on a small walk around the building. The school was constructed in the 1920s, and it is beautiful and well kept. Angela is convinced that we would learn better in high school and care more if our schools looked nice. After stopping for the essentials, coffee and gas, we got on the road and found the beauty in Arkansas.
The rolling hills of the Ozark Plateau provide a great backdrop to any drive and unlike the morning, the time flew by. After finishing Stephen Colbert’s “I am America, and so can you!” audio-book yesterday, we started Bill Bryce’s “ A Walk in the Woods.” “I am America, and so can you!” was awesome and way too short, but we are enjoying Bill Bryce’s account of his journey along the Appalachian Trail. We got to Fort Smith in early evening, found everything we needed in a nice little town, and are now updating our blog and planning tomorrow’s travels. 
Left my home in Norfolk Virginia
ReplyDeleteCalifornia on my mind.......
Promised Land by Chuck Berry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aykoGVMdlSA
DadG
Glad you updating the blog on your trip west. Unfortunately, you picked the wrong route. I don't want to say you are going through the armpit of America because you don't go through NJ, but its close. You should have taken I70. KC and Denver are so much better than Little Rock, OK City and Amarillo.
ReplyDeleteThey went this route so they could see the Petrified Forest, Montezuma's
ReplyDeletecastle, the Grand Canyon and some of the other parks.
G
You are living a dream and as it is YOUR dream, you take any road you want. You can find buety any where if you are looking for it. love aunt sandy
ReplyDeleteYOu look so nice. Congratulations and my bests wishes.
ReplyDelete