Arkansas 2015 Fall Color Photography (Day 1)

Arkansas 2015 Fall Color Photography (Day 1)

WE’RE OFF! 
We worked a bit past noon today to tie up loose ends and took off!  We are fortunate that we each have really great work environments and we wanted to leave things in the best position we can.  We headed out from Stillwater on to Tulsa and then south on the turnpike to Muskogee where the GPS says the rest of the way will be winding roads with much slower speed limits.

 

     

We made make a quick stop at Zoe’s Kitchen for a late lunch in Tulsa and then right back on the highway and head to Mena, Arkansas. The weather was good, the traffic was good (except in Tulsa) and we brought along a lot of good music to make our travel time go by faster.  Christine has a few paperback books from a book series she is bringing along to read and we have each other.  🙂  There is something about traveling together  that I just like.  Whether we’re talking about things going on or just quietly observing the scenery as we travel – it’s time I really enjoy.

 

The SUV is packed – and by that I mean almost to the top of the roof inside.  We have enough visibility to see out of the back window with the rear view mirror, but really have to rely upon the outside mirrors to see around us.  It requires more caution when driving and if you want something that is buried in the middle you’re out of luck as it may be a couple of layers down. With all we need to carry on our trips I may consider a slightly larger SUV in the future, although not as large as the Toyota Sequoia I owned which could make travel on some narrow roads a bit dicey.  I’d be more comfortable in something slightly larger than our Mazda CX-7 like a Toyota 4-Runner, which has a really good reliability rating and off-road capability.  I like the CX-7, but it’s never felt quite like it fit me and while I use to favor Jeep’s Grand Cherokee’s,  their reliability has just left me feeling too at-risk.  For now though, our Mazda CX-7 is a good daily driver and part-time SUV for our needs.

 

As we got back on the road after stopping to eat, the sun was getting nearer the horizon as we left Tulsa with rush hour traffic all around us.  It moves slowly at times – but at least it moves.  As we reached the south side of Tulsa the speed of the traffic picked up and soon we were on the highway again at highway speeds.  Breathing easier and more relaxed we kept going as the sun slipped below the horizon and the stars replaced the bright sky as we headed for Mena.

 

ARRIVAL:
We made it from Stillwater, Oklahoma this afternoon/evening to Mena, Arkansas and to the Rainey Day Resort where we will be staying for the next two nights.    Check-in is at The Chopping Block and while we are there we picked up some food to take back to the resort with us – and just like the online reviews say – the food is excellent!  The house is nice and we have the main floor of the house with a nice bedroom and bathroom to ourselves. Headed to bed as we’ll be getting up early to meet William Rainy for a day of shooting and instruction at Little Missouri State Park.