Day 2: Hardy, Arkansas

"Tusk," the mascot of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks.
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Nestled up near the Missouri border, Hardy, Arkansas was not exactly on my way to Texas.  But my brother-in-law Glenn is building a house there so I decided to see what the attraction was and what the town had to offer.

Today's drive was "short," a relative word to be sure, but I drove only 430 miles/690 km. That, combined with a good night's sleep, meant that I arrived in daylight and still feeling chipper.

Charmed by Hardy

Sheba enjoys her front seat view of the Big Drive progress.
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It was a day for crossing rivers, though.  Enroute to Arkansas from Kentucky, I drove across the Tennessee river near where the Ohio and the Tennessee Rivers meet.  A while later I crossed (and recrossed) the Ohio river, which I learned is is the largest tributary of the Mississippi.  The Ohio flows nearly 1000 miles/1579 km along the borders of six states.  I crossed three of those state borders at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, just skirting Cairo, Illinois, after crossing the latter into Missouri.

View of Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri borders at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.
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Hardy sits on a smaller river, the Spring River, a chilly stream flowing out of the world's 9th largest spring, Mammoth Spring.  The river is popular with canoeists and floaters, since its spring source keeps it high even during the summer when other streams are too shallow.  Old Hardy town boasts a few restaurants, grocery stores and antique shops. Glenn and I ate in Cozumel, a Mexican place that has seen a name change every year or so.  Back at the cabin, we split a couple bottles of red wine and caught up on our lives.

My lodging was a pet-friendly cabin run by 3 Rivers Outfitters.  It was larger than the Kentucky cabin, but not as clean.  Still, it was only one night.

Breakfast the next morning at the "Corner Booth" was really good.  Farm fresh eggs, multi-grain bread and great bacon.  I guess they should have great bacon, since the pig is the University's mascot.