Mountain View, Arkansas 3.0

We all decided to ride today on the "best road in Arkansas", or the Push Mountain ride. We knew it was going to be a better day when we walked out before 6 am and didn't immediately break out in a sweat. It was so much cooler than it has been....at least 20 degrees cooler. The weather is hopefully now closer to the norm, 80 degrees in the summer.

We were still starting out in the dark. Here's what it looks like around 6:15 when the sun is just coming up......

There was at least four instances of deer dashing out in to the road in front of us....VERY dangerous on a bike.

Didn't expect to see this around here! We stopped in Castle Rock at the visitor center which has an artisan shop attached. They do love their visitor centers around here.

Then back to the Inn for naps, do you see how we roll now? And then for lunch, we went back to the Soda Fountain. Margaret was craving another lime-ade drink made with Splenda (she had them skip the layer of pure sugar and try it with Splenda). It's tastes a whole lot like Margarita mix, but without the tequila since this is a dry county. The tuna salad is excellent. Oh, and Scotty ordered another dessert, banana split this time. Dave didn't partake, there was "too much going on in there" for him.....nuts, hot fruits, cold fruits, etc. Plus he was a little stressed from the pie situation. They had a peach pie in the cooler next to our table and it looked like the same pie as yesterday. He even asked the waitress about it. Seems the baker doesn't work all week and she doesn't make any extras for her days off. Dave explained how they could make extra pies so they wouldn't run out.....that idea seemed silly to her....when they're out, they're out.

And this is where we're headed tonight for a live music performance.....way off Broadway.

Dinner was at PJ's, a home cooked (how can that be when you're not at home?) cafe on Main. Dave and I had chicken fried steak (which does not contain chicken, it's pounded beef dipped in batter and fried) with real mashed potatoes and green beans and unsweetened tea. You must be sure to order your tea unsweetened, otherwise you get sweet tea, which is real big in the south....and is so disgustingly sweet...it's like adding just enough liquid to the sugar bowl and then gulping it down. Scott & Margaret went healthy....except that Margaret smuggled in a water bottle full of Margarita mix (including tequila which the guys purchased from the funky liquor store in the next county) and Scott had Ozark Mountain Pie with ice cream for dessert.

This is what chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes covered in gravy looks like....and it is worth every calorie....just don't do it on a regular basis

One of the two lady performers tonight. She's playing the spoons like I've never seen or heard it done before....amazing sounds. She also plays the guitar and dulcimer (which is a stringed instrument from this area and why it's such a famous folk music place).

The other lady performer, she's a pistol. They're both very talented and entertaining. They sing country, gospel, and even a little Motown.

This is the park just across the street from our Inn. We can sit on the porch in a rocking chair and listen to them play and sing. It happens every night, weather permitting. This is the first night it happened for us, since it has been 100+ degrees and no one was going outside before today.

A lovely day.....can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!