Sunday, I returned to the area where rain and fog and wind plagued my route to Carlsbad Caverns. This time, I stopped just short of where the Caverns are located. I was greeted with a far different landscape – one where I could actually view the mountains and valleys that surrounded me which had previously been shrouded by clouds and precipitation.

The clear, sunny, 70-degree day was perfect for exploring Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Sadly, I had actually never heard of this park before I drove through it on my way to Carlsbad, but I certainly recognized the signature shape of the iconic peak that it proudly boasts – El Capitan (now that I could finally see it).

At around 8,000 feet, El Capitan is pretty impressive. However, Guadalupe Peak (nearly 9,000 feet) has the bragging rights to status as the tallest mountain in Texas. I had really wanted to hike to the top of one of these peaks, but with the 2.5-hour drive to the park and the limited daylight hours this time of year, I thought better of that idea. Maybe I’ll become a rattlesnake snack another day. Instead, I selected the Devil’s Hall Trail that ends at a narrow canyon called (you guessed it!) the Devil’s Hall.

The park was gorgeous, and while there were a fair number of people there enjoying it, it was far from crowded. I had plenty of opportunities to stop for a moment and hear nothing but the peaceful sounds of the canyon around me.

Guadalupe Mountains was a surprisingly lovely place to enjoy fall colors, my favorite being the bright hues of the Bigtooth Maples. Another interesting surprise - the park features one of the most extensive fossil reef formations known on earth. The remnants of life from 250 million years ago are above, beside, and below you as you travel through the canyon – a very different experience from that offered at the Falls of the Ohio back home.

I left the park just in time to enjoy a gorgeous sunset and the super moon rising in my rear view mirror – a pretty fitting end to a “super” day. :-)

The Ouachita National Forest, Pencil Bluff, Arkansas

I left Hot Springs this morning and headed west through the Ouachita National Forest. Winding around and around through the gorgeous trees, there was nearly no civilization until I arrived in Mena, Arkansas. I even passed a tiny airport that also housed a dentist's office along the way - now I call that RURAL (and efficient?).

Mena is the eastern starting point of the Talimena National Scenic Byway. I had crafted my route to see this stretch of road at the suggestion of my mother. Long ago, before I was born, my parents lived in Wilburton, Oklahoma, which is near the western end of the byway.

As soon as I turned onto the byway, the road started going up, up, up, and I was quickly greeted with amazing vistas of the Ozarks and the valleys and lakes below. The engineers who designed this roadway were smart, providing ample turnoffs and parking areas to stop and take in the views. I didn't skip any of them, which means I might win the world record for longest amount of time to drive this stretch of road.

Along the trail, I entered the State of Oklahoma, land of my birth. I snapped a photo with the sign and took a short jaunt down to the historic spike marking the state border. I also got so excited that I left my sunglasses in the grass there. I guess I get to shop for a new pair of shades!

Shortly after my stop at the state line, I hopped out at another overlook. A couple was finishing up taking photos, and she excitedly turned to me, showed me her hand, and said, "We just got engaged! I know I don't know you but I have to tell somebody!" They were so happy, and it was too sweet. I insisted on taking their photo together so they would have a good one to remember the moment.

I took about 1,239,552 photos of the mountains on my way along the Talimena today, but none of them could ever truly demonstrate the true beauty or scale of this gorgeous area. I'll do my best to portray my version of it, soon, when I finally sit down with my paint and brushes... :-)

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