*Note – I’m super behind on these, oops!

My next move took me to Hot Springs, Arkansas, the hometown of my freshman year dorm roomie Kim! I stayed in Hot Springs National Park, at the Gulpha Gorge campground. The site was a major step up from the previous one, it was located on a creek and had some great hiking right from the grounds. I did a hike up to Goat Rock, which gave a nice view of Hot Springs National Park. Along the way I met a retired couple who just started RVing around the country, hoping to hit every national park. We had a lot to chat about and I got some great insight from them. The major draw of Hot Springs Park, is, well, the Hot Springs! Because the water comes out at 143F, it is too hot to allow visitors in any of the natural springs, so all access to the hot springs are in bathhouses, fancy buildings located in the downtown area. I checked them out a bit, but after the steamy weather the previous week, paying to sit in hot water didn’t appeal to me. I only stayed for a night, but it was enough to check out the park and see where my old roomie grew up!

After Arkansas, it was time to hop on Route 66 (or at least on the higher speed road that follows it) and check out all the weird and wonderful sites along the way. Cadillac Ranch, the Blue Hole, and the Route 66 museum were a few of the stops. Oh, and how could I forget, the Big Texan, Amarillo’s steakhouse that offers the 72 oz. steak eating challenge. Don’t finish it all, including sides, you better be ready to cough up $72. I passed. The drive through Oklahoma and Texas would otherwise be very boring, Route 66 roadside attractions were a welcome distraction.

I scare myself in this picture