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Archive for September, 2013

A Pinnacle Morning and Richard Smith …

Posted in Mayor Jim, Trails, Tributes on September 29, 2013| 1 Comment »

Thank You Arkansas Park’s staffer, Richard Smith …

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At 8:34 AM I pulled into the parking lot at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and decided to make a pit stop at the men’s room before hitting the trail.  Richard Smith, pictured above was cleaning the restrooms and emptying trash containers.  I acknowledged him, said “thanks for keeping the park and restrooms clean” and asked if I could take his picture to be highlighted in my blog as another of my Local Heroes. Permission granted I took the picture and headed for the trail.

Over the next 90 minutes of hiking, my mind bounced back and forth between enjoying the beauty of this iconic park to thinking about Richard and the important job he performs so we may have a pleasant visitor experience.  Upon returning to my car, I noticed Richard was still fastidiously going from picnic area to picnic area picking up trash, emptying containers and installing new plastic bags all in preparation for another full day of new visitors.

I write this in hopes each of us will think about, appreciate and say “thanks” to  the hundreds, maybe millions of Richard Smiths who make our world a better and more enjoyable place to live, work and play,

Richard Smith … You are my local Hero !!!!

Now a couple of shots from the hike …

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I think Bigfoot roams the Pinnacle trails … with this beauty, one can certainly understand.

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Eureka … sounds, sights, smells and STAIRS

Posted in Mayor Jim, Trails, Trivia on September 4, 2013| 1 Comment »

Why Eureka Springs, Arkansas  … what’s the big deal?

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Well … after a long weekend in Eureka Springs … let me tell you What’s the big deal.

This tiny historic mountain city sometimes called the Little Switzerland of America may be one of the most uniquely diverse spots on the Arkansas map … maybe on any map. In short it is one of the most tantalizing collections of Sights, smells, sounds, stairs and healing springs of just about any small town in America.  For starters, pictured above is the 1912 Carnegie Library, one of four built in Arkansas by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and still operating as a Public Library.

ImageOne of the top one hundred small Arts Cities in America

As the main street, Spring Street, snakes its way up the hill from Basin Park Spring,  it passes thru a wide selection of collectable art studios and galleries, gourmet coffee bars, restaurants, hotels and shops plus the random placement of street singers, guitar and banjo players.  In the cliche of old, “there’s a little of something for everyone here”.

ImageImageImageImage..Sights, sounds and Stairs …

The hood ornament on an old car fits the “sights” category,  I guess we can include deer and architectural details as well.

ImageImageStairs, Stairs and More Stairs,

One of the challenging and engaging facets of the city is the thousands of stairs … stairs as fire escapes, stairs from one street level to the next, stairs between buildings, stairs directing a patron into basement restaurants, bars and shops  …

Ouch !!!

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Clearly, one can see this is a very special place to visit.  I’ve barely scratched the surface … haven’t even touched on the colorful local politics … this topic could merit another blog entry.

I haven’t talked about the healing springs, the hundreds of B&B’s (my favorite, the Peabody House), the thunder of motorcycles or clinking of beer bottles dumped each morning in the recycling trucks … nor have I mentioned the Catholic Church one enters thru the bell tower, or the haunted Crescent Hotel … OK, OK, enough, enough.

Come see for yourself … you can’t  just go once.

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