Day 31

As promised, we crossed over the Mississippi into Arkansas.  Decided to stop and camp in Hot Springs (birth place of Bill Clinton).  What a surprise - it's a really big city and a National Park.  Back in the day before we figured out that site preservation and private enterprise weren't a good mix (1832), Congress declared this area a National Reserve in a effort to preserve it.  No boundaries were set and people filed claims to land and set up shop.  The area became an eyesore and the government finally stepped in and issued some regulations about what you could build and how you could build it and what to do with waste and a few other things.  We learned the lesson here and in Niagara Falls and became more careful with National Parks.  Today, the city exists within the National Park.  In the 19th Century, people believed that hot mineral baths had therapeutic value and many people (especially rich people) came here to "take the baths".  A row of elaborate bath houses lined the main street along with hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.  Today, most of the bath houses are out of business although they still provide a glimpse of their opulent past.  I'll try to put some pictures up tomorrow.  We are staying another day because we like the campground and want to see more of Hot Springs.  Last night we had dinner at Clinton's favorite rib joint.  I compliment his choice.  Good Stuff!!

Not to self:  Give Howard lessons on making camp coffee.  We use a french press - put in ground coffee, add hot water, let steep and then press down the grounds to the bottom and pour away.  He doesn't measure the ground coffee - just dumps it in.  So many grounds that you can't get the press down to the bottom.  STRONG!!     Solution: add cold water.  Result, warm STRONG coffee.  Next, he realized that there was still hot water in the pot and added that.  Result: lukewarm weak coffee.  Guess we better go in town for breakfast.