The measure of a good trip lies in the eyes of the beholder.
As I age, I find myself looking for the path less traveled, the dusty trails and secondary highways that lead through craggy bluffs, rocks, and rills. I like people best on my terms. Honestly, the older I get, the better I think I understand why people become hermits. Give me paper, pencil, and a good book and I’m a happy camper. (All I ask is that you not ask me to camp in a tent.)
All this to explain why we drove through historic downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and never once got out of the car. While the architecture is exquisite and the two main streets bustled with tourists, the breathtaking scenery was far more impressive. Although my husband visits Beaver Lake once or twice a year for scuba diving, this was my first opportunity to get a taste of what those weekends look like.
We found a gem in the local Super 8; pet friendly with a large, impeccably clean room. After a wonderful complimentary breakfast of sausage, eggs, biscuits, and gravy, we headed off to explore.
The Beaver Lake and nearby Dam offer spectacular views, and the Little Golden Gate wooden bridge was a fun take on its larger namesake. The quiet serenity of the Thorncrown Chapel was a welcome sight as well.
Our next stop, and my husband’s primary reason for the excursion, was the recently updated Beaver Dam Dive Shop and Campground. Conveniently located about a mile from Beaver Lake, this place has it all: camper hookups, motel and sleeping rooms, dive gear, groceries… they’ll even cook you a pizza! We enjoyed a great lunch at the locally owned Sweet-n-Savory Café, and enjoyed dessert and coffee at the Lilliehobbs Mercantile near the Arkansas line.
Thankfully, there was a significant breeze so our boy was comfortable throughout the entire day.
Wait a minute… isn’t your boy a…
Yes, by human definition, our boy is a dog. Please say that quietly, though, because he thinks he’s a real boy and we haven’t had the heart in five years to tell him otherwise. Since he goes to work with my husband nearly every day, he travels more miles than I do. He’s happy to ride along and is a great little traveler, so we plan as many of our trips as possible to be pet friendly.
Although my husband kept apologizing for the whirlwind tour, I thoroughly enjoyed my brief foray into a part of his world. Despite the short duration, we had a great little getaway.
As I See It From The Back Seat (by Raleigh)
All in all, our little overnight trip was pretty cool. It’s always a good time when we stop at ‘Donald’s for supper, because I get chicken nuggets. I love chicken nuggets, and they make a four-pack that’s just right for me!
We got to stay in a hotel, and this Super-8 was great! There are lots of places to walk, sniff, and leave p-mail. The nice lady at the front desk even asked to meet me in person. The room was comfortable, and I even got breakfast like I do at home. Sausage, eggs, and gravy… YUM! My humans must have found the bed very cozy, because I had to work really hard to get them up in the morning. I mean, come on, we came to explore, not to nap! I literally had to stand on top of my person and lick and lick and lick to get him awake and on his feet.
Please don’t get me wrong… I love my pawrents, but I do wonder about them sometimes. Case in point? They spent two hours at a dive shop.
Two. Hours.
I just don’t get the fascination. After all, we have a perfectly good dive shop at home, and it’s a great place to hang out and play. I love it! But, oh no… these two can’t pass a dive shop without stopping. I can only imagine what they do in there, because I don’t get to go in unless I’m invited by the owner. (Don’t ask mum what happened the last time I was invited into a dive shop near St. Louis… she just doesn’t get doggy culture at all.)
Once my peeps finally decided they’d seen enough of the dive shop, we got to have lunch. We found a shady spot with a cool bench, and I got to taste test a chicken wrap and a Tilapia sandwich. Pretty good stuff! Right before the pawrents told me we were back in Missouri, they stopped for cake and coffee. The place had a huge yard behind the building where I could play and watch traffic before we headed on home.
Speaking of traffic, I almost forgot to mention seeing one of my very favorite things in Eureka Springs: Motorcycles! Eureka Springs is full of them! The hotel even offered rags so the riders can wipe down their bikes. Believe it or not, I saw a big dog riding in a side car. It was awesome, dude!
I love road trips, and overall this one was pretty good! I hope I get to go on another one soon.
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