June 29, 2007
Time of departure: 7:15 A.M.
Temperature: 69 degrees
Elevation: 564 feet
Total Mileage: 165
“Are y’all going to the Rainbow Rally?” the man said.
I contemplated the many meanings of the the term “Rainbow Rally”, before I answered.
My immediate thought was a “gay pride” rally. I know my light blue bandana I wear around my neck isn’t the most manly part of my wardrobe, but I didn’t think wearing it would automatically change my sexual preference. Surely that’s not what the gentlemen meant.
Then I thought he might be talking about a rally for the University of Hawaii, since their mascot is the Rainbows. Somehow I figured Hawaii wasn’t on his mind.
I said, “no, I don’t think so. What is the Rainbow Rally?”
“It’s a hippie rally. We’re praying for world peace.”
“Oh! Then pray really hard!” Meredith and I cried in unison.
This conversation was amusing in itself. But the context makes it even more so.
Meredith and I were in Oark, Arkansas, eating lunch at the Oark General Store. Picture, if you will, Mayberry, from Andy Griffith, except more backwoodsy. The idea that anything hippie-esque would take place in Oark was funny in itself.
Also, it began to dawn on me that, for the man to ask about our attendance, we had to look like hippies. This surprised me very much. To be honest, I barely had any stubble. Meredith didn’t either. I guess we looked like we weren’t from Oark, so we must be hippies.
We had left Clinton, AR and traveled west into the Ozark Mountains. Unlike last year, the moisture level was significantly higher. Therefore, the foliage was much greener. The scenery was outstanding. We rode through “hills and hollers”, as they call them here, finally taking a lunch break in Oark.
Just before stopping in Oark, we made a stop a the famous, at least in Oark, swinging bridge
. We’re told the bridge is used by a private residence for access to their house. It’s always amazing to think about crossing this bridge to get to a house.
After lunch, we moved on down the road, and kept crossing mountains covered in emerald colors.
The roads through the Ozark National Forest are mostly gravel, which makes for nice traveling.
Along the way, the wildlife was abundant: quail, deer, turkey, snakes, and turtles were very numerous.
It’s good to see that quail are still around. I always fear they’ve been wiped from the earth. But, apparently, 
they’re still around.
Late in the day, we came to our destination of Fort Smith, AR. We hope to make Bartlesville, OK tomorrow.
See y’all down the trail.
Ron and Meredith
