Clouds BreakClouds breaking away in Arkansas Day One of our journey took us south through Arkansas as an arctic blast chased us out of Missouri. Catching quite a bit of cold rain and windy conditions, we finally found bluer sky in Arkansas.

Arkansas RiverArkansas River at Van Buren

Across the Arkansas River into Fort Smith, we've made this trek before and didn't need to re-cover anything. But if you are in the area on your own journey, a must-see is Fort Smith National Historic Site. Read about it here. 

Fort Smith, AR - Commissary Store HouseFort Smith, Arkansas was founded in 1817 as a military post, but the Army abandoned the first Fort Smith in 1824. In 1838 the Army moved back into the old military post and expanded the base as part of the Indian Removal Policy. Today, it is a National Historic Site. Photo by Kathy Weiser-Alexander. Entering Oklahoma, we start our trek through the Ouachita Mountains. Eastern Oklahoma is beautiful, especially in the Choctaw Nation. 

Choctaw NationChoctaw Nation, Oklahoma (courtesy Google Maps An important tribe of the Muscogean family, the Choctaw formerly occupied the middle and south Mississippi River with their territory extending as far east as Florida in their most flourishing days. They trace their roots to a mound-building, maize-based society that flourished in the Mississippi River Valley for more than a thousand years before European contact. 

Today, they number nearly 200,000 strong. They operate business ventures, both in Mississippi and Oklahoma, in Gaming, Electronics, and Hospitality industries, while continuing to practice their language and cultural traditions. Read more about the Choctaw here. 

TalimenaScenicBywayOuachita National ForestOK-1000Scenic views through the Ouachita Mountains. We enjoyed the Scenic Byway as we made our way to Talimena State Park, which has a great little 10 spot RV park (must make reservations online), with concrete pads, water, and electric. Great for our first night on the road. Talimena State Park is 20 acres at the Oklahoma entrance to Talimena Scenic Drive, with opportunities for camping, hiking, biking, and wildlife watching. Beautiful here, but be aware this is a go-to destination for ATV's and Motorcycles, so it may be noisy depending on when you're here. Also, it is just off 271 at the top of a hill, so truck noise may be a factor.

TalimenaStPark-Camper1-1000Legends of America at Talimena State Park. Not traveling far today, as we move closer to Paris Texas. See you on the road!