November 25, 2016 – Overcast, 50 degrees

Miles Today: 81

Miles to Date: 19,260

States to Date: 47

Back on the road again, fueled by Thanksgiving leftovers, including my friend Paul’s sweet potatoes with pecan and maple syrup. Vegetable or dessert? Who cares, it’s delicious.

Fort Chaffee is mostly decommissioned but still has rows of classic barracks.

I had not anticipated how much Arkansas feels like the Deep South. Confederate icons abound. But some places celebrate change. Charleston AR was the first city in the South to desegregate their public schools, the first year after Brown vs. Board of Education, apparently with little turmoil.

Stone buildings abound throughout the Ozarks, in the foothills as well, though many are in poor condition.

Paris Arkansas, seat of Logan County: more beer than wine; more chicken fried steak than beef Bourgogne; more gun and pawnshops than patisseries.

The clouds opened up for an hour or so, in time for the sun to sparkle off of Lake Dardenelle.