Day 5: The last picture I will post from our Spring Break 2005 trip.

Sam was in fine form for our hike to the falls.

Day 4: Petit Jean State Park

The dubious highlight of the restored bath house is this heroic bronze of Hernando De Soto being served by a docile Indian woman.

Hot Springs National Park preserves one of the historic bath houses that was bult to take advantage of the mineral waters. The place made me think of The Road to Wellville.

The duckboat tour, on a converted WW2-era landing craft, was a big disappointment.

Lots of fun in the coffee shop.

Day 3: Hot Springs, Arkansas. A fun town and the boyhood home of Bill Clinton.

Countryside between Fort Smith and Hot Springs.

Prison room at Fort Smith National Historic Site. This was our first stop after we broke camp at Devils Den. I would have more pictures, but Sam was not good...

A tight squeeze.

March is a good month in the southern Ozarks. Wet, but that means plenty of waterfalls. And good views through the leafless trees.

Devil's Den is a maze of carved limestone and oak trees, a giant playground. "I want to take a short cut!" Sam would periodically announce, and we were off cross country again.

We had amazing thunderstorms our first night, the rain hitting the tent as hard as I have ever experienced. We were soggy in the morning, but Sam insisted we "have an adventure" before breakfast.

Canned ravioli and hot cocoa make a complete meal.

Exploring Devil's Den Cave. "Dad, is there a real devil in here?" Sam asked.

Devils Den State Park. It was clear we were going to have a wet time of it, but Sam wanted to go hiking right away. A rainy twighlight walk was just the thing.

A Rainy Start. The original plan was to follow the Sante Fe Trail to New Mexico. A cold snap on the plains made us decide on a camping trip to the Arkansas Ozarks instead.

March 2005: Off on another adventure! I get a Spring Break and my wie does not, so I gave her the best gift a busy mom can get--I left, and took the kid with me.