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Layover and on to Arkansas

I spent 5 1/2 weeks off the road and felt something akin to what a thru hiker experiences after coming off the trail.The best part was hanging out with my dog while she convalesced from pneumonia related to heart disease. She's almost 14 and has a plethora of health issues. It was wonderful to see her rally back to her old self.
I also spent some time doing a few updates to the van and going to doctor's appointments, including PT for my neck.
Cricket doing what she does best these days
Finally time to hit the road again. First stop Arkansas for hiking and backpacking and visiting with  friends at the Backpacking Arkansas Gathering after a 2 yr hiatus. It was a rainy weekend with a big storm arriving in the middle of the night Saturday. Fortunately only small hail but some high winds. I decided to leave the van parked at the pavilion for the night. I'd noticed a tree at my campsite that was only anchored to the ground on one side. About 2:30 AM I was up watching the weather and the parking area at the pavilion became quite busy, some campers left and others parked there til the storm blew through. There weren't as many folks this year, and the weather may have accounted for that.

Sunrise Shady Lake Campground

Departing Sunday my loose plan was to head north to the Ozarks since it’s been a long time since I’d been there, then gradually make my way back down to the Ouachitas, hiking along the way.  I camped one night at Haw Cr campground which was rather busy for a Sunday night and woke up hoping for sunshine. After  three days of clouds and rain the dampness was beginning to get to me and I was feeling a little funky. It took a while but finally about 9:30 in the morning the sun broke through  I made my way down to the falls to have a look. After a dry summer it was just one lone stream, nothing compared to the gorgeous pictures I’d seen. Oh well, that’s how it goes. I’ll have to make it back someday after a big rain.
Signs of fall, Haw Creek, Ozark NF
From there I headed over to Pedestal  Rocks but the place was a madhouse of cars and people so I decided not to stay. I was really in the mood for some solitude……
I decided to head to the Buffalo River area, thinking that I might do an overnighter. When I stopped at the trailhead smoke was belching from my back driver’s side. In all the driving out west in the mountains I'd never had a problem so I panicked and decided I’d better go have them looked at. I mean after all, I really don’t want to lose my brakes in the mountains. All in all not the greatest day of my life, but not the worst.
I decided for a do over the next day. I got up early and drove to Indian Cr Canoe Launch and OHT trailhead and hiked into the Marinoni Scenic Area on the OHT. Wow what a beautiful, if insanely windy day it was!! I actually hiked a little farther than planned and kind of wished I was backpacking.
A tribute on the trail

Fall colors beginning to pop
 The next morning I drove to Petit Jean SP and hiked the Seven Hollows Trail. It was another crisp, cool morning and the scenery was beautiful!  Only 4.5 miles, and I’d planned to add the 1.6 mile Cedar Falls trail but when I got back to the trailhead the parking lot was full including two school buses, and the one across the road was half full. Boy was I glad I was done, I’d had the trail completely to myself except for one other woman who passed me going the opposite direction. I drove to the Cedar Falls trailhead but it was a madhouse, and just wasn’t worth it to me.  I closed the curtains, had lunch and took a nap.  Then afterward drove over to Holla Bend NWR. 
American Beauty Bush
Natural Bridge

Reflections
 The next day it was on to Mt Magazine. This hike was taken from Jim Warnock's book The Ozarks. It began on the North Rim trail at the visitor center then connected to the Signal Hill loop to the highest point in AR, then back to the Mossback Ridge trail and finally connecting to the Greenfield trail and back to the visitor center.
Looking out over the valley

The hickories were chiding the rest of the forest to put on a show

The sign says it all

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