April 22nd 2012

It's Day 12 and a breezy day in Hot Springs, AR.  It's been generally cooler than normal, but today it got to around 73 on the drive here which topped (temp wise) the past few days.  A large weather system finally past over us, finally, just yesterday.  One of our tents was just now able to bask in the sun and dry-out.  We started our drive from Birmingham through Talledaga National Forest.  Stopping to take a few pictures at Payne Lake (below), we then began our trek to Toomsuba, MS.

Passing through Alabama that day and specifically Greensboro, the smell in the air required our windows to be down.  Everything that was starting to bloom made a very noticeable change compared to the northern air.

Greensboro town center (below)

 Toomsuba was quiet.  There were not many people in the KOA where we were staying.  In fact, they had just put "a heavy dose of chlorine" in the pool that afternoon to begin their season.  It was burritos that night for us and a half can of black beans for Harbor as he helped with cleanup duty on a spill.  That night we listened to the Celtic's game via the grand world of 3G radio and smartphones...

Harbor's ghost below making an entrance....

The next morning we packed up relatively early and started our way towards the other side of Mississippi.  The Delta region was long and open.  Farms on either side followed us as we headed into Greenville.  Annie found us a place to stop and get some BBQ and boy did she...After some confusion as to whether we had found the right place, it didn't matter.  The food was unreal.  Some perfectely smoked meat and a cold beer helped us refuel.  It wasn't until then, really, that we saw the sun for the first time in a while...

 Delta region 

Lunch!

After crossing the Mississippi river (below) and winding our way to Lake Chicot, we checked in with the state park and chose our campsite.  All of our neighbors that day/night all seemed to be on some form of fishing trip.  Families and groups of "the guys" line the lake's edge in their RVs.  We were one of few tenters that night.  

Arkansas farm land next to Lake Chicot State Park

Annie got a great shot with her phone of the sunrise this morning.  

We plan to explore Hot Springs a little tomorrow.  Either taking a full day or maybe just half, we are definitely going to check out the park.  After that, we'll start our way west onto Rt. 66...