Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Still Monday, September 28......

After leaving the Crystal Bridges Museum we decided to head east to Eureka Springs.  We followed U.S. Hwy. 62 east, a scenic, winding highway......

 ....that motorcycle riders seem to really love to travel.  We saw lots of motorcycle riders!

 We heard from the locals that we actually missed most of them since the "Bikes, Blues, & Bar-B-Q" festival had just ended the day before, but there were still plenty motorcycle riders out on the road we traveled.

It was just a short distance from Bentonville over to Eureka Springs.  It was late afternoon as we rolled into town and immediately saw the "pink pigs"!  Yum!  Smells good!  Let's stop.  We were getting hungry.

 We went inside, the place was pretty empty that time of the afternoon, and we were served large helpings of some delicious bar-b-Q with choice of sides.  "It may not look famous but it is", says so right on the sign!

We then drove out to other end of town to find the Kettle Campground.  Before we left home as we were packing for this trip we decided to throw in my 2-man backpacking tent (yes, the same one that I carried/slept in for over 2,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail).  Who knows, maybe when we get up into the Ozark Mountains, maybe we will campout!

 So here we are, tent set up, sleeping bags/pads in place, ready to enjoy the great outdoors!  There are restroom and showers here at the Kettle Campground, plus cabins available for rent, but we are the only ones tent camping here tonight (there are sixteen tent spaces available), most of the campground is filled up with RVs, and travel trailers.

But we still have a couple of hours of daylight left so we go up the road to see "Christ of the Ozarks".

Christ of the Ozarks is a monumental sculpture of Jesus which sits atop Magnetic Mountain.  It was commissioned in 1966 by Gerald L. K. Smith as a "Sacred Project" and stands 65.5 feet high.  The statue is primarily the work of Emmett Sullivan, who also assisted in the work at Mount Rushmore. 

It is within a large complex which includes a huge amphitheater where the Great Passion Play is performed, along with several other venues.

Right next to the Christ of the Ozarks, was this small chapel that has a section of the old Berlin Wall in its side yard.

 

We then took a short drive thru the scenic downtown area of Eureka Springs.  Glad we are here on a Monday/Tuesday when it is not quite as crowded as I am sure it is on the weekends.

 

Then it was time to head back to the campground to relax before crawling into our sleeping bags in our tent.  Kettle Campground has a nice pool so Tom decided to go for a swim.  The water was just a little bit too cold for me!

The sun is setting behind our little tent, a nice cool night for camping!

 

Tomorrow we are planning an excursion on a vintage train, along with more sightseeing around Eureka Springs.