Day 3 Getting into Texas.

RAIN ,DAFFODILS AND DOGWOODS IN BLOOM! DID YOU SAY IVORY BILLED WOODPECKER?

We were able to get ready to roll before 8:00 AM and it rained just after we started down I-40, from Brinkley AR. This was our last day on the Interstate system (started by President Eisenhower) when we veered south onto US 59 out of Texarkana TX. The Day's Inn in Brinkley had a light breakfast , and you may have seen their "waffle and other foods" assortment that they have, and it got us started off with a good lift.
This part of Arkansas has many gas wells and there is a lot of accompanying businesses associated with that. That also means that this route , which leads to Dallas/Ft Worth, Houston and ponts west and east (Memphis) is a busy truck route, and traffic moved along smoothly. There are, along both sides of the road, many wildlife areas, and in spite of the rain we did see many ducks, hordes of Vultures, and "Ta- ta- ta--- ta- ta" , the return of the male Red Winged Blackbirds along the sides of the road. We drove through the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge which is one of many in the area where the IVORY BILLED WOODPECKER had been seen and the search is still going on . We crossed the White River in which this NWR is located. See this site for more info on the I B Woodpecker. http://www.fws.gov/cacheriver/search_update.htm Ruth claims she saw a pair of them lol. Spring is coming. Before the day was over we did see a blooming dogwood tree, many daffodils, and some green grass a little further south in Texas. So yes, Spring is on the way.
The temps started at the low 30's in the morning, but by the time we arrived in Nacogdoches. it was 67 F. Did I say spring is coming?
On this route is a very large sign , so you don't miss the birthplace of President Bill Clinton (Hope AR). It is a tiny place as you might have known just at the edge of I-40. He wasn't home.
We splurged today with lunch at a DQ (Dairy Queen) and had a small cone. (Honest, no Flurries...yet!) The rains continued to pelt us along the way becoming harder at times and almost misty at other times. We attempted too late to obtain a refill of #30 pounds of propane (always carry two tanks), but missed the local Propane place as it was Saturday and they were closed. Maybe tomorrow at Walmart? The night is warm now so really don't use much.
Finally, after passing many gas wells in NE Texas we arrived in Nacogdoches, TX amid a very heavy rain so inadvertently passed the RV park in the dark (5:00PM) and had to call for directions. Ruth said it was the worst marked park she has ever seen since traveling (that's a lot of parks, folks.) She was right, however, as a small sign was the only marker and it faced one way only, next to many trees away from the road and obscured from vision. . When we called the park from the side of US 59 we were 100 feet from the entrance and still didn't see it. I did a 360 in a parking lot (with the trailer), crossed to the center lane of the highwqay (US 59) and made a left hand turn into the gravel road to the park. We did get set up , about 3 minutes before the rain came down in sheets. We are snuggled in among the thunderboomers and lightning strikes but the worst has past at this writing (9:30PM CST) and moved on east. Tomorrow sunshine is promosed. YEAH!
Drop a line to us even on the email, and be of good faith. If you have trouble getting on the blog, E mail me as I have a set of directions to make it easier. -Love you all, Jim and Ruth
crazy4birds@comcast.net