Monday, October 12, 2009

Eureka Springs peril

Last year when we were at Eureka Springs we bought some scrumptious candy and ate it in a mall in the center of the downtown. Spark loved that day so much that he wanted to go back again this year since we were going to be so close.

To get to Eureka Springs from Grandma Pat's house in Bella Vista we come in from the west where the road snakes through the mountains and we feel like we are going to fly off the road and tumble down the mountain at every curve because Dad is such a crazy driver. From Branson we came in from the east. The two sides couldn't be more different. The east side is flat with a safe four lane road. Coming from this way was unfamiliar to us and so we had to stop at a gas station and ask for directions. It was simple, go left at the first Y in the road and then at every stop sign or light take a right.

Mondays in Eureka Springs is not tourist day as there are very few people inhabiting the streets. Spark got his desired candy and we ate it in the square, again on the same bench as last year. The kids each got a new Webkinz to commemorate the trip, we walked the whole historic district and then got in the car to head back.

The trip would be easy because we would take a left now at every stop sign and light and at the Y we would go right. All was well, we got to a Y and took a right. About ten minutes went by and Dad and I both commented that none of the sights along the road looked one iota familiar to us. At this point, we realized that we had taken a wrong Y but this road had to lead to somewhere. Since we are quite a ways along, lets just follow this road until we come to the next town and then head north to Branson. Great plan, except that about 15 more minutes went by and we never came to a town. The Dad, who has a good sense of direction where as I have none, says that we have been heading south not east. It was getting dusky so Dad turned the car around and headed back because we were a bit nervous. No offense if you happen to live in that part of the country, but having gates across your driveways and guard dogs laying in your drive if you don't have a gate really doesn't make a traveler feel safe to stop and ask for directions. When we got back to where we made the wrong turn we were but half a block from the right Y in the road. I had never been so happy in my life to see street lights at the next town. To celebrate our victorious return to civilization we ate greasy burgers loaded high with all the extras at Fudruckers.

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