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.
Until next time...
Cool!
A cool, crisp fall day was enjoyed by all!
That it was. That it was.
Looks like a fun outing! But what are the zombie brains? Some sort of a fungus or mushroom?
That it was! If you didn’t see the answer to the zombie brains, GypsyBiscuit answered your question in the comments below.
I hadn’t heard of Pea Ridge. It looks like a great place, thanks for sharing hte link and the photos. Nice day!
It’s a small little town. But there’s a lot of history here.
Next, we’ll brew up some warm sumac tonic and play zombie baseball with the “brains”!
@Buddy Bear –around here those “brains” are called “horse apples” though they aren’t apples and they have nothing to do with horses. They are the non-edible fruit of the bois d’arc (or bodart) tree. Oldtimers scatter them around garages & barns, under porches, and around house foundations to deter vermin & snakes…
I’m still leery of that poison sumac tonic.
But the zombie baseball would be fun!
Looks like a wonderful little adventure. And everyone loves a picnic. 🙂
In retrospect, the picnic needed wine. I’ll have to remedy that on the next one I get to go on. 😉
persimmon never lie. Be prepared for a long cold winter
Those darn fruits!
A little bit of history, right in your very own backyard…or a few miles away, depending on how you look at it. Very cool.
Believe it or not, it’s actually in my front yard too.
I used to travel to the East in the fall, to see the Civil War Battlefields, the fall colour, and Hallowe’en preps. What fond memories of these events. I am currently listening to some Civil War lectures – but it ain’t the same!
You and Someone could come here and make new memories!