I took my time driving to Dallas last weeks. Turned south at Joplin, MO and saw some beautiful early spring hills in northeastern Arkansas. Planned to go down to Texarkana and spend the night but took a wrong turn in Ft. Smith and found myself in Oklahoma, so I decided to drive down on that side of the line.

I got a beautiful surprise when I entered the Ouachita Mountains in southeastern Oklahoma. I had no idea there was such a beautiful place in Oklahoma and the MINI loved the windy road going up into the hills. It was just before sunset and the views were splendid.

I spotted the upper part of a rusted bridge off the main highway and slowed down to look for a connecting road. In the old days I’d never have “lost time” by exploring but the little gravel road led back to the bridge/stream. Gotta wonder how many of these I missed. Sigh.