Day 6: Tupelo, MS to Hot Spring, AR 367 miles

I headed out under sunny, but already warm (80 degrees) skies. I jumped back on the Natchez Trace Parkway for another 60 miles or so. I noticed on this weekday that some people seem to use it for commuting, only staying on for a few miles. Without stoplights or other impediments, I can see why it could be a nice route to work.

From the Parkway, I headed west on US-82 to Greenville, MS. I had this major obstacle in front of me known as the Mississippi River. Strangely enough, and maybe because the river is so wide, there are very few places to cross it. I had the choice of going north almost to Memphis, or south to Greenville. This is a picture looking south, from the west (Arkansas) side of the river at the Lake Chicot State Park. There is a very nice visitors center there.

My route then took me north on US-65 and west on US-270. My destination for the day was the Garvan Woodland Gardens, just outside Hot Spring, AR.

Garvan was started by one woman who had the dream of turning her 210 acre wooded plot on a peninsula on Lake Hamilton into a world-class botanical garden. Realizing her dreams were beyond her means, she donated the project to the University of Arkansas School of Architecture, but oversaw the gardens until her death. The University carried out her wishes and the public gardens opened in 2002.

After a long, hot day of riding on uninteresting roads, my visit here was delightful. Although still hot, being in the woods with a light breeze and hearing the cooling sounds of running water was incredibly enjoyable. There are many native species here as well as a large selection of Japanese Maples, Camellias and more too numerous to list. The garden is worth a visit in any season.

After walking the grounds, I stopped in the Visitor's Center to cool off and get some water. A volunteer started asking me questions including where I was from. I said "Massachusetts" and he said he had been in Boston and somewhere else. After a moment or two he said "Bolton, I played golf there". So I had to tell him that Bolton was my home town and he must have played at The International. We had quite a chat after that. It truly is a small world.