Around 11 this morning, the fabulous GypsyBiscuit texted me that she and MAG were headed out to Pea Ridge National Military Park and wanted to know if we would like to join them to enjoy the brisk (i.e., 50 degrees!) sunny day, take pictures, and have a picnic.

So we did. And we had a wonderful time!

The park is exactly 7 miles from our home. But neither the Husbear nor I have been since we’ve lived here in Pea Ridge. He went to the park when he was a child, and I went at some point when I was in college. The last few weeks we had actually been talking about going for a visit. Perfect timing!

The park is 4,300 acres. There is a nice visitor center with many cool displays, which oddly enough were narrated by Edward James Olmos. They also have a little shop, everyone loves a little shop. There is a driving road around the park, as well as a 7-mile hiking trail, a horse trail, and a bicycle trail.

We took the driving trail around the park and stopped at the various tour stops along the way to read the signs and take photos.

There was a lot of nature to look at around the park.

And then something I haven’t done ever in the 15 years the Husbear and I have been together: a picnic!

I need to study up more on the history of this area where we live. Our home sits on a route called the “Bentonville Detour” which was used during what would come to be called the Battle of Pea Ridge.

Following the path of present day Ryan Road, the Bentonville Detour turned north through this ravine as it left the valley of Little Sugar Creek. Based on input from McCulloch and McIntosh, Van Dorn expected this route would keep his army hidden from the Federal Army. The Federal entrenchments at little Sugar Creek were approximately 4 miles east of this point.

History. It’s awesome.

And thank you GypsyBiscuit and MAG for the invitation to spontaneity.