Update on the abandoned school

Okay... so it turns out there might be more to that old school house we stopped to see on our last ride.  We found out that the school house was also a church.  It's located in Fort Douglas, Arkansas next to the Fort Douglas Cemetery that dates back to the civil war.  Fort Douglas no longer exists as a town and the school house and cemetary is pretty much all that is left.

Here are all the pictures we took... and it gets interesting if you believe in the paranormal!  I think it's important to mention that walking into this building was a little creepy.  It was much cooler inside than outside, even though there was a breeze flowing through it.  It was very very dark inside, and the only way to see what was in the classrooms was from the flash on the camera.  We didn't really know what we were taking pictures of until we saw them later.

We took 236 pictures over the weekend... and only one, THIS ONE, which happened to be taken in that old school has an orb and some strange yellow lights in it.  This room was colder than the rest and also had a weird smell.  The smell got stronger every time I walked by it.

Cliff noticed this strange photo this morning.  We really thought nothing of any of this, until Jon posted a comment on the blog about the place being haunted.  Naturally, we started looking into it trying to find out more!  Click here to read about the "hauntings" apparently associated with this place!

This is just creepy and weird...  let me know what you think!

Northern Arkansas

When I think of Arkansas... I think of the amazing rocks that stack up forming beautiful bluffs, the rolling hills, gorgeous rivers, natural waterfalls and long curvy roads.  Arkansas is truly beautiful!  Over the weekend Cliff and I rode 500 miles creating the latest tale... 

We traveled through... Fayetteville, Elkins, Huntsville, the Ozark National Forest, Mount Judea, Clarksville, Yellville, Marshall, Gassville, Mountain Home and Oark. Click here for the day one route.  Click here for the route for day two.

 

There is something really fascinating about old run down 

buildings and houses, and this one was spectacular. 

On our journey... we passed a goat with his head stuck in a fence.  We turned around to help the poor guy out.  He wasn't happy about getting a helping hand, but Cliff turned his head... and got him free!

Along Highway 123... we stopped in Mount Judea at the General Store, where we met a friendly dog named Amos.  He lives across the street and greets all the customers.

  

Amos.  What a good boy!

We had lunch... at the Cliff House Inn... where else would you eat when traveling with Cliff?  The views are breathtaking and it's a popular stop for bikers.

I got off the bike... to get a closer look at some horses, and one came trotting over to me to give me a kiss.  Sweetest horse I've ever met!

A little further down the road... we came upon a pasture of cows.  We stopped to take a few pictures.  A woman's voice from a small house yelled out... "Ya'll don't be messing with my cattle!"   I'm not sure what she thought we were going to do to her cows.  We were on a motorcycle after all.  It's not like we can... hoist a cow over the fence and drive off with it!

We arrived in Gassville... and stopped at an eclectic antique store called The Sunshine Trading Post.  The shop owner Jerry, gave us some great ride recommendations, and we changed our route accordingly.  Thanks Jerry!

Jerry shows Cliff a map and some roads we should take.

We loved this store... and got to meet the resident shop cats!

 

Cliff loves artifacts, and bought this old stone that was once an Indian Tomahawk.

Arkansas if full of buried artifacts, and it's amazing when people find them! 

Don and Debbie scratched their name on this bridge in 1982.

We wondered if Don and Deb are still together?

The White River

Later that evening... after checking into a hotel in Mountain Home, we went to Fred's Fish House for Dinner.  The restaurant overlooks Norfork Lake.  We sat outside and enjoyed the view and our sunburns.  Ouch!

  

The sign says:  

FRIENDS WELCOME

RELATIVES BY APPOINTMENT

It had a few bullet holes in it!

We love old bridges... and Arkansas is full of them.  This one was pretty much falling apart, but that didn't stop us from getting a closer look, walking and riding all over it.

An abandoned school house... called out for us to stop and check it out.  Built in 1946, and sitting next to a cemetery, it had been a long time since any students had walked it's one hall.

The roads leading to Oark were amazing...  sweeping and curling through the mountains.  I love it when you can feel the temperature drop as you buzz by a creek or an area that is heavily shaded by trees.

We stopped in Oark... at the Oark Cafe and General Store.  We found out the owner and his wife are from Tulsa!  It was lot of fun to talk to him and hear how they came to live in Oark. The Cafe and General Store are the oldest business in Arkansas.

They had GREAT chocolate pie!

You never know... what you might see in the road.  On this trip we saw snakes, turtles, a bobcat, and a fox.  I never seem to notice these things when traveling by car... only on the bike!

We found an interesting place to stop... a bubbling brook with a cave-like overhang in the cliff.  We walked back into the woods to explore.

And so... another great trip on the back of the bike comes to an end.  If you haven't been to Arkansas, go there!  It's beautiful and the people are really nice.  Who doesn't love that?