Home again

Had a great time! Glad to be here.

Forest and Lakes

Lake Hamilton was nice but 20 mins away is the crown prince of lakes. Sitting in the heart of the Ouachita National Forest is Lake Ouachita. Made up of 40,000 acres, 690 miles of shoreline and 200 islands. Bonus is it's surrounded by 1.7 million acres of mountains/national forest that stretches from Oklahoma nearly to Hot Springs.

Cooling down

It's no longer 103.

Ready for the tour

Pirate Cove, hole 17, Ryder Cummings with the putt....it's gonna be close. Hole-in-one!

With that putt in 17, he's able to hold off the old pro despite the pro having a birdie on 18.

Ryder had three hole-in-ones.

Congrats!

Lakeside dining

Dinner at the Wharf

Casino? Other?

This lot and house has a long history. At one time it was an illegal gambling establishment. Supposedly when the cops were called the gamblers would run out lower door by the water and jump on a boat and move only a stone's throw off shore. Police had no jurisdiction. Gamblers would wait for them to leave then continue their illegal activity.

Later it became know as the Alexander House. The Alexander purchased it for $150,000 then added rooms and rented rooms. They ran it for 40 years then sold it for $6 million in 2014. They kept part of the lot on the lower left side and built a really nice lake house.

$$$$$$$

This house, on Lake Hamilton, has been under construction for nearly four years at a cost of 9.5 million.

Quacker

Duck tours can provide a wealth of information. Here you can see Lake Hamilton. This lake is one of three man made lakes separated by two dams.

Catch up

Ryder got ahead as we were all getting a bit ill from the inescapable heat. Trying to reunite here.

2nd in the U.S.

This huge building was only the 2nd Naval hospital in America during the Springs hay day. Currently, it is a rehabilitation center.

Refreshing is not the word

Still hadn't figured out why we sought out "Hot Springs" on the hottest day of the year. Triple digits plus today and the spring here was 130 degrees or more.

Advanced

This gym in what is now the Nat'l Park Museum, was ahead of its time way back when. Climbing ropes, ladders, dumbbells, medicine balls, several rings, parallel bars, and a few other items.

Preconceptions

Carson and Ryder thought it would be in the wilderness with giant geysers. That was their idea of Hot Springs. The bath house deal they considered outright weird.

They did like the history of the gangsters. Al Capone, among others, spent much time and for a few years he rented out the entire fourth floor of a hotel to keep the hidden entrance to a tunnel that ran under the street to a casino secret.

They also enjoyed seeing the horse track with American Pharaoh's statue out front.

Bath House Row

Hot Springs has long since been known for its hot spring and their potential to cure many ailments. We walked along viewing all five. Two still operate as such while the one who's is now the Nat'l Park visitor's center is a museum in which one can tour. The other two operate as pubs or restaraunts.

Mega protein

Carson was ecstatic at the amount of protein that his chocolate shake was noted to have. No notes on fat or sugar.

Midwest Mainstay

This chain burger and ice cream joint appears all over the Midwest, well at least in Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Many burger options on one side while the other side offers hand scooped ice cream. Shakes and yogurts are popular as well. What's unique is they also have half the store as a grocery....offering milk, bread, meats, ice cream, noodles, nuts and fruits

Hang’em High

Judge Parker was known to swift and just in his courtroom. Many perished at the gallows in which he never attended. Along with those at the gallows, 100 marshals died in the line of duty attempting to bring in or in pursuit of criminals.

Court Dismissed

Judge Parker, Ryder in this pic, ready to slam the gavel.

Rooster Cogburn

John Wayne spent some time in Ft Smith as a Marshall, at least in the movies.

Edge of the Wild Frontier

Ft Smith was established in 1817 on the banks of the Arkansas River. The line in the third pic is what separated AR and Indian territory. Ft. Smith covers almost 100 years of history including the Civil War and the Trail of Tears.

Dinner time

Carson's look reveals his true feeling about this massive meal while Ryder opted for his "usual". Carson and Ryder finished up by splitting an Oreo Sundae with chocolate sauce and caramel while JA and I split a chocolate bunt cake drizzled wth hot fudge and raspberry sauce topped with a scoop vanilla ice cream.

On the banks of the river

Departing OKC we traveled back East arriving in Ft Smith by the Arkansas River.

Western history

The National Cowboy and Western Heritage museum in OKC brings out the cowboy or Indian in all. Western art, western sculptures, and a section dedicated to Western films and memorabilia. Carson and Ryder almost couldn't believe John Wayne's black cowboy hat and eye patch from True Grit was on display.

Cowboy Up

Following lunch we walked across the street to Langston's to try on a few cowboy hats from their wide selection and browse thru countless pairs of boots.

Ryder particularly favored this George Strait edition straw hat.

Landmark Lunch

Cattlemen's Steakhouse on South Agnew near the Stockyards. Carson thinks he's in the big seat. Ask him about it.

April 19th, 1995

9:01 am on this day devastation occurred.

Our visit was very emotional as the museum leads you thru the sequence of events up to that morning and following.

Oklahoma City Nat'l Memorial and Museum