Day 34: To Eureka Springs, Arkansas

October 12, 2014

Today I finally get on the road after watching rain for two days. The temperature actually rose overnight. Morning was 56F but foggy and drizzly. Everything outside was wet.

The day's ride started with a 2 mile 400 foot descent east to Branson Landing. I passed near there on the way in but never really saw it then. Today I took a long stop to look around the plaza and fountain overlooking Lake Taneycomo. A 10k run was going on and this is the finish line. A DJ was playing music.

Going south out of Branson I stayed on the back road through the little Olde English town of Hollister.

A mile past Hollister I had no choice but to get on US 65 south, a busy divided highway. It has a wide shoulder but the passing trucks were extremely loud, especially in the frequent limestone cuts. I'm on busy roads today because it's the only practical way to get around Table Rock reservoir.

The temperature was in the 50's with occasional light rain. I got gradually colder as my clothes got wetter.

After 8 mostly uphill miles on US 65 I finally exited onto MO 86 west. Near the turnoff I took a long stop at a convenience store to warm up and have a breakfast sandwich. Clothes were almost dry afterwards.

MO 86 is 2 lanes with no shoulder and heavy traffic. The area is densely populated compared to what I've seen the last several days. Many acreage homes in the forested hills and along the shore of Table Rock Lake. It's a popular area for retirees to live and a popular area for high-income people to own a vacation home.

The first 12 miles on MO 86 were awful because of a rumble strip on the white line. Like being back in Kentucky. Few trucks, but many cars. Sunday usually has less traffic than any other day of the week. But here there are many local people driving to/from church and many cars with Oklahoma and Arkansas license plates driving west from Branson to Tulsa or northwest Arkansas. Definitely more traffic going my direction. But no shoulder. It was a "check mirror often" day.

There are some pretty good views, but it was mostly cloudy most of the time. The temperature steadily warmed to 65F. Every time I got my clothes completely dry another long 8% grade would come along to get me sweaty.

Good hilltop view, not too obstructed by trees.

I'm still crossing clear spring fed creeks. And each major stream crossing still involves descending 300-400 feet and climbing 300-400 feet.

Kings River flowing from Arkansas into Table Rock Lake.

The trend for most of the day is uphill. Each hilltop is higher than the previous hilltop. Hilltops are generally forested and flat low lands are mostly pastures.

My last view of Table Rock lake was when MO 86 crosses the Kings river which flows north from Arkansas. A few miles afterwards I turned left onto road P, a short connector to the Arkansas state line where AR 23 south begins.

From here it's 25 miles to Eureka Springs. I spotted a rare stone barn just after crossing into Arkansas. I haven't seen very many barns lately. I'm not sure I've ever seen a stone barn before.

Rare stone barn about 500 feet inside Arkansas.

AR 23 climbs even higher into the hills than MO 86. I'm now climbing into what geologists call the Boston Mountains. But it's in Ozark National Forest and everybody still calls it the Ozarks. Or maybe the Arkansas Ozarks.

Traffic was moderate on AR 23. It has no shoulder. It's a very scenic route. The sky cleared about 3 PM as I crossed from Missouri into Arkansas. First sunshine in 3 days. It seemed appropriate to suddenly get sunny when crossing into the deeply "southern" state of Arkansas. I will go south for 3 more days, mostly on AR 23.

I was tired but the warmer sunnier weather jazzed me up. And I was excited to finally see Eureka Springs. AR 23 descends in a narrow canyon for several miles coming into Eureka Springs. The town is built in a steep narrow winding canyon.

Main street in Eureka Springs. Caroll County sub courthouse. In the distance is the municipal auditorium also made of stone.

The entire city is on the National Register of Historic Places. The town was built around dozens of springs in the late 19th century. All the buildings are historic or look historic. Everything is very close together because the canyon is so steep, giving it kind of an alpine feel.

Starting in the 1880's when a railroad was completed, Eureka Springs became a major summer resort for wealthy people from Little Rock and Tulsa. It was once the second largest city in Arkansas, with tens of thousands of residents. But now the population is only 2100 and it's more of an art colony. A few bath houses remain, but I don't think people come here for cures. They come for the relaxed vibe, historic charm, and scenic beauty (aided by the many springs).

Classic street view. Basin Park hotel on the left.

Because it's an art colony, Eureka Springs is one of the south's few liberal enclaves. Organic food advertised at restaurants. Meditation and yoga classes. New age beads and crystals. All independent stores, no chains. Many bars. Great restaurants. A pedestrian place with no trucks and barely room for cars. A ton of interesting art to see through gallery windows. The culture, history, and natural beauty combine to make Eureka Springs positively the anti-Branson.

A few months earlier, on May 10, 2014, Arkansas' first same sex marriage license was issued in Eureka Springs. Two days later Eureka Springs became the first city in Arkansas to enact a non-discrimination ordinance that protects LGBT residents and visitors.

Many places in town had No Vacancy signs. So I used my smartphone to check the online price for the Basin Park hotel and booked a room. $99 for the room, plus $25 tax! One night in Eureka Springs will cost almost as much as 3 nights in Branson. But tonight both the hotel and the town are true destinations.

View of Basin Park from the 5th floor balcony at Basin Park hotel.

The weather had suddenly turned sunny, warm, and dry. All the tourists were walking around appreciatively, myself included. Many of the historic buildings are on a 1/2 mile long winding section of Spring Street. I looked at several little pocket parks that have springs. Also the main city park Basin Park which I can see from my 5th floor hotel room.

Sweet Spring. One of dozens of springs in town.

I could spend a week in Eureka Springs photographing everything in different types of light. It's all charming and interesting. Many staircases and catwalks connect various levels. Similar in many ways to Galena, Illinois.

The spring water has a lot of minerals but is not hot. It must be artificially heated for bathing.

Eureka Springs has several small hotels and lodges in the historic town. It also has a few modern motels along the highway a mile away. But the scale is vastly smaller than in Branson. Eureka Springs is no doubt a popular day trip for people who spend a week in Branson.

Many houses are built on very steep slopes. Most houses are at least 100 years old.

Today was a long day with a LOT of climbing. I didn't feel like hunting down a good restaurant so I had a great dinner at the hotel bar. The hotel restaurant was completely filled with a wedding reception. $50 for dinner, dessert, beer.

Sitting for dinner was a good rest, so afterwards I walked around town quite a bit. It was dark then, but many bars and restaurants were open and many people walked the streets. I walked a lot, took a few pictures, and had a couple beers with a bartender who told me all about the historic district regulations. Interesting to me because I live in a historic district and have had home projects approved (mostly) and rejected by my local historic commission.

I got a room at Basin Park hotel. Wish I could have stayed 3 nights here instead of Branson.

The weather forecast calls for rain in the morning, then clearing. So I convinced the hotel to give me a noon checkout instead of 11 AM. I was out enjoying the town until almost midnight.

Today was one of the highlights of the tour. Eureka Springs is definitely worth taking a detour to visit. It sounds like a broken record, but I really wish I could have been stranded 2 days in Eureka Springs instead of Branson.

Distance: 58.8 mi. (94 km)
Climbing: 4480 ft. (1358 m)
Average Speed: 9.6 mph (15.4 km/h)
Walking: 3 mi. (5 km)

Today's ride: 59 miles (95 km)
Total: 1,645 miles (2,647 km)

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