We’re going on an impromptu trip to the Ozarks this Thursday through Monday to look at some properties. I’m so excited I can barely contain myself! I can’t wait to breathe that fresh mountain air again. I’ll be sure to post some cool pictures when I get back. Goodbye Houston.
My parents house has been up for sale since October of last year and showings have been pretty slow until now. I have a strong feeling that it will sell in the next week and I hope I’m right. Regardless, we’ve been trying to figure out a plan. The idea was always that three adults would move to Arkansas but how we did that and where we lived was sort of up in the air. We considered renting a house but between the three of us we have four animals and most rent houses don’t allow pets. Then we considered buying a mobile home and putting it on the land so that we could live on the mountain until there was time to build a house. Have you ever priced a mobile home? They are really expensive. Now we’re looking at buying another piece of property with a house already built. We’re looking for some acreage and some prairie so that we can do whatever we want with it — grow some crops, maybe get a couple of horses (I want a horse), get some chickens, maybe one day some cattle…
I feel like it’s going to all happen really fast and I’m right on the edge of it now. But it feels like waiting. I can’t do too much more to prepare until I know when we’re leaving and I’ve already done everything I can, except finish painting my apartment back to the original color. Now I just have to wait for it to all fall into place.
I can’t believe I haven’t been there in five months. I’ve missed two seasons and we’re going into a third!
I still have lots of pictures to post and lots of stories to tell but today I’m sad. Maybe sad is too strong of a word, but I’m definitely sadish. I feel this way every time I leave Yellville and come back to real life. I like that it’s simple there. Right now uncomplicated is a welcome change. Slow and easy sounds perfect. There is something about that mountain. I don’t know what it is, but it draws me in.
I’m already wanting to plan my next trip because I really want to be there this fall when the leaves have changed. My god I’ve never seen so many trees and I want to see them change color. The green is nice. But reds and yellows and oranges sound even nicer. I can’t even imagine the view. Part of me hopes that there is no next trip though. That maybe my next trip there will be my final one, the one where I move there. It’s hard not to want for that. I know it will happen, I just wish it was sooner rather than later.
I had dinner with some friends this weekend and when I told them January they said it was so soon. To me, it feels so far away. I blinked and we were already half way done with September. If I blink again it will probably be Thanksgiving. I know it’s not that far away really but today it feels that way. And it makes me sad.
The first time I was in Arkansas we were driving up to Jasper and I noticed this abandoned place that I thought was a city at the time because we drove past it so fast. I thought it might be Rush because I knew nothing about it or the area. After doing some research before this past trip I discovered that it was Dogpatch USA, the abandoned theme park in Marble Falls on Scenic Highway 7 between Harrison and Jasper.
The park was first opened in 1968, and was based on the comic strip Lil Abner, created by cartoonist Al Capp and set in a fictional village called Dogpatch. The park had a roller coaster, a water slide, a trout farm and lake where you could fish for your own dinner, and lots of shops. A second sister park called Marble Falls was built and included a ski resort and convention center. Dogpatch USA did fairly well in the beginning but wasn’t very widely accepted (really a hillbilly theme park in Arkansas didn’t do well… what a shock) and finally closed down in October of 1993. Since that time much of the property has been neglected and frequently vandalized, and portions of the land are either entangled in legal issues, in a state of redevelopment, or for sale once again.
A few urban explorers have been there and I would have loved to have gone there myself but after reading about all of the legal issues with trespassers it didn’t seem like the best idea. I got a picture of the old sign and tried to take a few from the gate but they didn’t turn out. You can see the remains of the water slide in the picture above. If you want to see good pictures of the remains of Dogpatch USA, check out this gallery from Underground Ozarks.
This past Sunday, while in Yellville, I went kayaking for the first time on the Buffalo River, one of the only remaining rivers in the lower 48 states without any dams. In the heart of the Ozarks, the Buffalo River was named America’s first national scenic river in 1972. The 150-mile-long free-flowing Buffalo offers both swift-running and placid stretches, towering limestone bluffs, woodlands, trails, and nature watching opportunities.The whole fam signed up for the 1pm 4.5 mile float down the river with a company called Wild Bill’s Outfitters. They also have a 9 mile float but that seemed a bit too ambitious for us. Wild Bill’s is the same company that we rented the cabin from, but that is another story saved for another day.
We were all super excited about floating down the river but had no idea what to expect since none of us had ever been kayaking or canoeing before. Since I was the odd man out, I rented a single kayak while the rest of our group split up into two canoes. The great thing about using a float service such as Wild Bill’s is that they provide all of the equipment (the kayak, paddle, and life vest) and they drive you to a spot down the river where you can float back to your car and go home. It sounded like a pretty sweet deal.
At 12:45pm we drove to the end location they gave us and waited for our bus to take us to the river. The driver pulled up and said literally nothing to us. There were a few other families waiting with us and none of us knew quite what to do. After a few minutes we approached the bus and asked if we were at the right spot. We gave the driver our name and he checked us off the list. We took a seat on the bus and grabbed a life vest. Our driver said nothing to us the entire trip. No instruction, no small talk, nothing. When we got to the river he told us to grab a paddle. That ended our communication. I’m cool with the strong silent type, but I really expected at least some small talk. Would it really be too much to ask for to get a “where you guys from?” from our driver? Or more importantly, maybe some simple instruction for us newbies.
After exiting the bus we all stood around as he unloaded the kayaks and canoes for everyone in the group. I was getting a little anxious. Slowly, everyone claimed their rides and started launching into the water. My group was a little reluctant since this was our first time and we weren’t sure exactly what were doing. My brother’s canoe got stuck on a log in the water (on a side note, I have no idea why Wild Bill’s picked that spot to launch us — it was horrible) and then my parent’s ended up flipping theirs when they came upon my brother’s canoe. It was a mess. I launched the kayak into the water and got completely turned around when I hit a different log near the shore.
We were off to a pretty rough start. Once I got back into the kayak after getting all turned around, I got the hang of it. I took off down the river and there was no stopping me. Well, at least not until I hit some seriously low points in the river. We were told the Buffalo River is pretty low in the summer and I can tell you that is true. It was so low at a couple of spots that my kayak got stuck on the rocks on the bottom of the river. At one point I was so stuck that I had to get out and move the kayak to higher water. After that I figured out that between my paddle, my arms, and my body trusting the kayak forward, I could usually get unstuck without having to get out, but it took some maneuvering.
I really enjoyed the experience. Floating in a (wo)man-powered kayak down the river was completely relaxing and peaceful. You know, except for the other 50 people on the river. I liked using a float service because of the convenience, but I’m not sure I would do it again. I was almost in several collisions with people in canoes who like me, were out there for their first time. The kayak was easy but the canoes looked harder to paddle since the two people in it had to work together to row. There were a lot of collisions and a lot of fights on the river that day. I think next time I’ll find my own spot with fewer people or go to Bull Shoals Lake and paddle around.
One thing to note, at Wild Bill’s we were told that this was a super easy float and it really is. But for some reason, when I heard that I assumed that meant that we didn’t have to paddle as much. That was not the case. I paddled almost the whole 4.5 miles only stopping to rest and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. It was pretty exhausting. Manageable, but exhausting. I have no idea why I thought there wouldn’t be much paddling involved (probably because I’ve never kayaked before) but there definitely is. A lot of it. So if you’re planning to kayak and you’ve never been before, be prepared for sore arms the next day.
I bought a sit on top kayak two years for cheap off Craigslist but never ended up even taking it into the water and sold it last year since it was taking up space. After finally going kayaking, I wish I still had it. The rental kayak from Wild Bill’s Outfitters was a pretty basic sit in kayak and I think (even though I never actually used the sit on top) that I prefer this style. I like that you can stay dry as long as you don’t flip and submerge. Even with no splash guard, I stayed relatively dry. What I didn’t like about this kayak was the fact that there was zero space to bring anything. Nowhere to hang anything or tie it on, simply no storage space what-so-ever. The canoes had plenty of room for cargo though and many of the people floating that day actually had coolers in their canoes. I think when I buy one, cargo room will be a top priority as it would have been nice for even a small space for storage.
I’ve heard that spring is the best time of year for the Buffalo River and hopefully I will be living in Yellville long before spring. I will definitely go back and float the river again but hopefully when it’s not so low and hopefully in my own kayak and hopefully when there is not quite so many people. If you’re in the area, you’d be crazy not to at least visit this national river. If you’re looking for a little adventure, rent a kayak or canoe and check it out. If I can do it, then anyone can.
For more information on the Buffalo River, contact the park headquarters in Harrison at 870-741-5443, or visit Parknet on the web at: www.nps.gov/buff/index.htm
Photo Source: Marty Koch
Maybe you’re like me and you’ve been needing a change in your life for a while. They say that a change is just as good as a vacation but I think in most cases, a change is better than a vacation. A vacation is fleeting. It’s temporary. Sure you have a great time and you’re able to relax and forget about the everyday, but when it ends you have to go back to real life and the vacation high wears off quicker than your tan.
A big change in your life lasts a heck of a lot longer.
Tomorrow I’m leaving for Yellville and I’m reminded of that. I’ll be in the Ozarks for five days and I’m so excited I can barely stand it, yet a part of me can’t let go of the idea that after the five days is over I’ll be back here in the city. Back to life. I keep reminding myself that by the start of the new year I’ll be there again but this time it will be permanent. It won’t be a vacation, it will be a change. A new start and a new life.
But until then I’m looking forward to my fleeting yet fun vacation in the Ozarks. There will be canoeing and hiking and exploring and even a trip to Rush, AR — a legit ghost town near Jasper. Now I just have to get through the rest of the day. Wish me luck.
Three more days. I’m so excited!
Here is a list of questions that I’ve received so far after telling people that I am moving to Arkansas, followed by my responses. I thought it would be best to address them here that way I can refer people in the future to avoid the situation of having to explain myself. Again.
“Is this for work, is there a new NASA-Arkansas branch?”
No. I was offered a job in Alabama for work once and I think people get confused with all of the states with “A” names.
“Have you seen Deliverance?”
Yes. Then in my head I hummed the banjo song that everyone knows from that movie.
“Why? Just Why?”
After I told them why. Again.
“Aren’t there a lot of tornados there?”
Are there? Is that a thing? I don’t think it is.
“What will you do if you run into mountain people?”
Technically I’ll be a mountain person since our land is on a mountain but something tells me that is not what was meant here.
“Weren’t the people from ’The Hills Have Eyes’ in Arkansas?”
People must honestly believe that Arkansas is filled with nothing but a bunch of really scary hillbillies who make lamps out of the skin of people passing through and are constantly looking for fresh meat. I don’t get it. But seriously, that was like Nevada or New Mexico or something and those people were all screwed up from nuclear radiation and oh yea, it was a movie.
“Have you ever seen the Hillbilly Chronicles?”
This question was asked by the same person as the above question but I wanted to include both of her questions because they were equally stupid. She then proceeded to pull out her phone and show me video footage of this “Hillbilly Chronicles” nonsense on YouTube. So I proceeded to roll my eyes in a very exaggerated fashion and hand her back the phone with disinterest.
Those are the only good ones for now. Usually people just ask why about a billion times and then I try to explain to them how appealing it is and they sort of tune out of the conversation. I guess the beauty of the Arkansas Ozarks will remain a mystery to the people I know until I can drag some of them out there to visit me.
4 days until I’m there! Woohoo!
I’m great at job interviews. Amazing really. I can walk into any office and get the job even if I know almost nothing about it. I can do this because I walk into that office thinking that the job is already mine and they’d be fools not to hire me. In other words, I sell myself and exude confidence. Employers like confidence. They also like my positive presence. If I were to walk into that office thinking I wasn’t getting the job because I was under qualified and there were probably lots of other more qualified candidates that they already interviewed and who am I to think they’d want me, then I probably wouldn’t get the job. Or any job. Ever.
This sort of confidence and positive thinking works in all aspects of life. That idea about buying land and getting out of the city that we had a few months ago, was just an idea. We could have easily started listing reasons why it wouldn’t work or why we shouldn’t do it or that it’d be nice to do one day but right now it’s too hard. All of those excuses could have stopped the dream before it started. But instead, we thought positively about it. We didn’t think about all of the reasons not to do it, we thought of the reasons why we should. The reasons why we needed to do it. Then the land was bought. Just like that.
After that we were so excited about the possibility of moving onto the land sooner that we found a way. We didn’t just put the dream on hold for a few years until we were all in better places and it was easier to move, we just figured out a way. Anything worth doing takes some effort but somehow when you want it really bad and you know in your heart that it will happen, it just does. It works out.
That’s pretty much what the Secret was all about. Remember that book and subsequent movie that came out a few years ago that Oprah featured on her show and it turned into a bestseller practically overnight? It was common sense. If you think positively about something and you truly believe that it will happen, it will. That book should have been two pages. Page one has the title and publisher information and all of that. Page two, “if you believe it, it will happen”. Now I’m not saying to go and buy a lottery ticket because you’ll for sure win if you think positively about it, but you know what they say… you can’t win if you don’t play. You just have to believe it.
Don’t put your dreams on hold because they’re not realistic or because it’s too hard. It should be hard. That’s how you know it’s worth it. Uprooting my whole life and moving from the fourth largest city in the US to a tiny rural town in a state where I know no one and I’ve only been to once with no promise of a job when I get there is scary. I won’t lie to you and say that it’s easy. I can barely wrap my mind around it if I’m being honest. But I’m doing it because I know I need to. I feel it in my heart. And that makes it easier. Every time I hit a road block, it just works out. I don’t stop and give up on the dream, I just keep moving forward with it. I think of the end result. Of the life that I want to live and not the life that I have now. And I manifest it.
What dreams are you going to manifest for yourself?
It all started about 4 months ago. It was just an idea that we all instantly clung too. The idea of buying a piece of land somewhere — a place where my parents could retire and our family could live. I’ve lived in Houston almost my entire life and though I’ve never been an outdoorsman of any sort, I liked the idea too. I imagined what my life would be like living in a tiny town somewhere with seasons and all the nature that you could ask for. A place where people gathered in the town square for little festivals and you could actually see the stars at night. A place to live a simple uncomplicated life with purpose.
Before I knew it, a map was out and we were looking for the right place. In July, we closed on eight acres of land in northern Arkansas. Eight acres on a mountain. I didn’t even know you could buy mountain land. That idea had never even crossed my mind.
I’m not sure how to describe our new little homestead other than breathtaking. Not much has been cleared yet and we did some hiking after the closing and there was quite a mess of trees and brush that needed to be cleared out, but the view is still incredible. Our own little piece of mountain paradise in the Ozarks of northern Arkansas.
I haven’t been back since the closing in July and it hasn’t felt real yet. Probably because in the original plan, we wouldn’t be living there for a few years. We planned to get a couple of travel trailers and put them on the land for when we wanted to visit and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. That plan changed last week.
My parents are selling their house and moving into a rent house in our new city and I will be joining them in January when my lease is up or possibly sooner (probably sooner). Then we can start clearing the land and building. It hasn’t sunk in yet that this is actually happening. It still feels like a dream. A crazy dream that people talk about doing but never actually do.
The truth is that I need this. I think my whole family needs this. My life feels stale. Every day is the same. Go to work. Come home. Wake up the next day. Go to work. Come home. Over and over again. Life should be lived. Life should be an adventure. And this will definitely be an adventure.