Mileage: 968 miles (including wrong turns and wanderings after dinner)
Gas: $204
Duration: 2 days
Day 1
We began the trip with a short drive north on US75 to the Asia World Market to stock up on some snacks and fill our stomachs for lunch. There are several great eateries there, but our favorites are Hakka Express (food court) and Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot (bring your appetite and some spare time!).
Leaving the Sunshine Behind, OK
After that, we took to side roads and headed northeast towards Arkansas. Farm and Farm-to-Market roads were the most fun, but avoid the county roads which usually aren't paved. Just north of the Texas-Oklahoma state line, we lost the sunshine and entered rain for most of the next 18 hours.
A few town squares, mostly in the Texas portion of our route, presented photo opportunities, but the first one we stopped at was Amity, AR.
A Break in the Rain, Amity AR
One photo technique we've been trying to master is the motion blur photo. The goal is to have a moving subject in focus while the surroundings are blurred. A favorite of professional auto photographers, we are still trying to get the hang of it. This shot my wife took turned out quite well.
Motion Blur, DeGray Lake AR
Reflection, DeGray Lake AR
As the sun disappeared below the horizon, we made it to the water's edge at DeGray Lake. If I could have made it down five minutes earlier we would have captured quite a bit more red in the sky.
Sunset at DeGray Lake, AR
After dinner, we drove into downtown square of Arkadelphia to play with night photography. Nothing special in the first shot, but the second shot was a happy accident The light streaks are from a car driving between the Porsche and the camera. Since the light source (a street lamp) was on the opposite side of the passing car, that car doesn't show up.
Window Shopping, Arkadelphia AR
Light Streaks, Arkadelphia AR
Day 2
Day 2 broke overcast and rainy to our disappointment, but undeterred we headed north on Arkansas Highway 7, the goal of our road trip. On the positive side, the rainy conditions seemed to encourage people to stay home and off the roads.
Our first stop was Hot Springs National Park. The forested surroundings and tightly twisting Hot Springs Mountain Road provided good opportunities for action shots, and even in the drizzle it was nice to walk around the national park. We rushed through the park, but I would definitely recommend spending more time there. We stayed the night in Arkadelphia to save on hotel expenses, but spending the night in Hot Springs would be a highlight of the trip.
Negotiating the Bends, Hot Springs National Park AR
The route enters the Ouachita National Forest north of Hot Springs, but it was raining pretty heavily at this point and didn't yield any interesting photos. The driving was great though! We continued north and grabbed a quick lunch in Russellville, AR before proceeding north to the Ozark National Forest. Somewhere in the Ozarks, the sun made a welcome appearance.
The Sun Breaks Through, Ozark National Forest AR
Another Motion Blur Attempt, Ozark National Forest AR
Nearing the northern edge of the Ozark National Forest, we decided to make the turn back towards home and headed west on Arkansas Highway 16 and then south on Arkansas Highway 23. These roads were every bit as good, if not better driving than Highway 7. Here's a short video from this section.
Trying to avoid the relatively boring section in southeastern Oklahoma of our outbound route, we made our way west to the Oklahoma portion of the Ouachita National Forest. The driving here was good, but not as spectacular as the earlier Arkansas Highways. It might have been better to proceed further south in Arkansas and then head west on the Talimena Scenic Drive.
Parked at a Scenic Overlook, Ouachita National Forest OK
There is one incredible steep, twisting section of highway near the south side of the Ouachita National Forest in this area. From an overlook at the top, you look seemingly straight down at the route across the valley floor you just drove.
Looking Back, US Highway 259, Ouachita National Forest OK
As the evening's golden photography light appeared, we desperately searched for a good photo shoot location. We had all but given up when a wrong turn in Clarksville, TX led us to this rusted old silo with fresh green grass surrounding it. Concerned following the weekend's rain, I parked Ella and tested the firmness of the grass area in front of the silo - a little soft, but manageable. We spent about 30 minutes taking photos before finally heading straight back to Dallas.
Ella and a Rusty Silo, Clarksville TX
Ella and a Rusty Silo, Clarksville TX
Thoughts on the Trip
1000 miles in two days was a tough driving schedule. It would have been nice to spend more time in Hot Springs (also could stay the night there rather than Arkadelphia, but there is a hotel cost difference of ~$150). It would also have been nice to incorporate a hike in one of national forests to help break-up the long periods of sitting.
Late March is still winter as far as the trees are concerned, especially in the Ozark National Forest. We saw little evidence of spring.
The scenery would be fantastic during fall colors.
The driving roads in Arkansas are a blast. The long drive from Dallas to the mountains is not.
Day 2
Day 2 broke overcast and rainy to our disappointment, but undeterred we headed north on Arkansas Highway 7, the goal of our road trip. On the positive side, the rainy conditions seemed to encourage people to stay home and off the roads.
A wonderful post! :-)
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