Larry's Photographs: 2013

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Navigator: 2012 2013 2015 2016

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Other trips involving family, notable my father in March & my wife's grandmother in July in Tucson, came up as a priority this year. However, I was still determined that we would still go to Jasper, even if for less time. In fact we did, it was for 4 days (counting the days we left) but it was still a pretty memorable trip.

I had saved the GPS coordinates from last year's trip & also had since purchased a book called "Swimming Holes of The Ozarks" (Glenn W. Wheeler) and referenced some swimming hole spots of interest. I forgot the atlas, which would matter a bit later, but otherwise I remembered pretty much everything, as with last year.

(1) Day 1
       Departure
       Texas BBQ in Atlanta TX
       Bradley Park
       Settling into Cabin
(2) Day 2
       Ponca Bridge
       Lost Trail (With Great Photos)
       Lower Pruitt
(3) Day 3
       Bradley Park
       Falling Waterfalls
       Pedestal Rocks King's Bluff Lookout
       Upper/Lower Pruitt
       Ozark Cafe
(4) Day 4
       Departure Day
       Steel Creek
       Ponca Bridge Again
       Hardee's in Russellville

Spot	GPS Coordinates	Link	Description
Texas BBQ, Atlanta TX	33.12315, -94.17950	link	Great BBQ on the way
Bradley Park	36.00387, -93.19468	link	Good "quick dip" spot at small park within Jasper
Dogwood Springs Cabin	36.02014, -93.17570	link	Cabins we stayed at
Ponca Access Bridge	36.01870, -93.35710	link	Great swim spot, can jump off short bridge
Lost Valley Trail	36.01009, -93.37428	link	Good hiking/waterfall area
Pruitt, Lower	36.06139, -93.13888	link	Good swimming/beach/jump area close to cabin
Falling Water Waterfalls	35.72194, -92.94944	link	From book: ~1 hr from Jasper, good jump/swim spot
Pedestal Rock King's Bluff	35.72371, -93.01443	link	So-so hiking/scenic spot we stumbled across
Steel Creek	36.02977, -93.34217	link	Swim/canoe/short hike spot (near Ponca etc)

(1) Day 1--Departure, Food, Bradley Park, Settling into Cabin

Although we still had the same car from last year, the 2002 Saturn SL1, and it was still doing fine, we had also since added a 2004 Oldsmobile Alero and decided to do that this year, since it had a V6 that made it better for climbing the hilly roads you encounter as you near Jasper itself. I also wanted to return to Texas BBQ from last year, I couldn't recall exactly where it was except that it was near the McDonald's in Atlanta TX, which is outside Texarkana where you get on I-30 to really begin the trip in earnest. I managed to find it pretty easily, and saved its coordinates (33.12315, -94.17950) for the future.

Texas BBQ, Great Food (GPS Coordinates: 33.12315, -94.17950)

Us Getting Ready To Eat

Also got corn-on-the-cob and most excellent baked beans. My own sauce
is off to the right-hand side.

Last year I got "beef brisket," this year I got a sandwich (chopped beef), I was eager to see how my Well's BBQ Sauce (from NC) would make it taste, it did very well.

I wanted to make sure we were equipped GPS-wise, I bought both models we had.

The one on the left is the one we used, the other was a spare/backup,
when Bryan went to Jasper in Sept, I lent him that one.

Also used my phone, Kyocera Rise, for a "bird's eye" type
of overview. I also had "starred" some places from the book.

We got to the Jasper ARK area around 7:30 p.m., I had us go to Bradley Park, the small swimming hole in town, before going to the cabin. The water was cold at first, but ultimately felt good.

Bradley Park, a "quick grab" shot just to show we were here
(GPS coordinates: 36.00387, -93.19468)

The kids went too, although it was somewhat cold to them

With that we went to the cabin. We got the same unit, housing #13 and #14, only this time we started out with #14 (vs #13 last time). From there we settled in, with the kids playing in the play area just beside it, and then we walked to the nearby grocery store to get some food, including sausage biscuits for the morning & the ingredients for me to make the jalapeno chicken chili in my $4 roaster.

We started out with cabin #14 this time

Another view inside of cabin #14

Wife posing on big tire in playground

I made my famous jalapeno chicken chili in this $4 "roaster" (working as a slow cooker),
it cooked overnight was ready the next morning

(2) Day 2--Ponca Bridge, Lost Trail (With Great Photos)

GPS coordinates
36.01009, -93.37428 (Ponca Bridge)
36.01009, -93.37428 (Lost Trail)
36.06139, -93.13888 (Pruitt, Lower)

Our first full day in Jasper, I awoke to the smell of the Jalapeno Chicken Chili, while the other 3 helped themselves to the microwave sausage biscuits we stocked up on. I sat on the porch filling up on the chili as the kids played in the play area, with the crisp cool air (about 58'F) setting the mood perfectly. We later added #13 on so that we had the whole duplex to ourselves again as last year, this time with we 2 staying in #14 and the kids sleeping in #13 (the reverse of last year). Naturally I took photos of the surrounding areas around the cabin.

The chili was ready, mmm mmm good!

The cabin, this time we're in the rear-part in #14 initially

Here is the playground, maybe 5-10 seconds from the cabin

Ponca
We went up 74 to go to Ponca, one of my favorite spots from last year. (I was saddened to learn that the "Blue Hole" was closed this year, bummer.) Naturally I had to try & repeat the "barn shot" from last year, which was on that road.

Here I go, having at it (this year with my Sony NEX-C3)

I was initially disappointed vs last year's version of this, but it later
grew on me, it's still pretty darned nice

Here we are, at Ponca Bridge, one of my favorites from last year. I think the water was higher than last year, too.

Ponca Bridge (GPS Coordinates: 36.01870, -93.35710)

There he goes, Adrian (notice people setting up
to canoe in the background)

Adrian again

My turn!

Weee!

Adrian sure seems to be enjoying himself

Adrian & Helen

Lost Trail
From there, we decided to try Lost Trail out again, a place my wife had wanted us to explore last year but was something of a flame-out. Such was NOT the case this year, the water was higher, the waterfalls were better, and I got me some of the most killer shots ever, perhaps the best of the entire trip.

Hiking entrance into Lost Trail
(GPS coordinates: 36.01009, -93.37428)

One of my good shots: scenery early-in at Lost Trail

Last year, when we got about 0.4 miles in, there was supposed to be a small waterfall, but it was practically bone-dry. This year, it was flowing somewhat, and I got some killer photos of it as well as another waterfall right after it (called "Eden Falls" if I recall).

The first waterfall you see. It's about 10 feet tall & you're
easily able to walk up to it in water about waist-deep.

What a shot, it may be the shot of the year. Used my Sony NEX-C3 & 18-55mm,
this was at 1/13 second & ISO 800(!)

A sign for the next falls that you see, Eden Falls

Here I am, hard at play, with my Sony NEX-C3 outfit
(love how light it is & its image quality is outstanding)

Helen making herself at home

The 2nd waterfall ("Eden"), one of my killer scenic shots.
Again, 1/13 second & ISO 800, what a camera!

This one group of goofy-acting tourists (from the Middle East?) reminded me about the need for taking silly shots too; they saw me snapping the falls & asked me to snap a photo with their camera of them posing by the falls, which I did. (I also showed them me snapping a goofy photo of MYSELF with their camera, ha ha.)

My wife snapped this picture herself while I was snapping them
with my camera, glad she did that so I could remember this

My turn to act silly for a minute

Now all of us (except mommy, whom I couldn't get to join us, nah!!)

Adrian sure made himself comfortable there

Had to pose for a shot just before leaving

There are also these falls you can see by crawling through a cave with a flashlight, but we also didn't bother this year, especially since these were pretty good & that maneuver involved an uphill trek my wife didn't think she could handle. Regardless, it was a success, as this spot was one she had wanted to return to on account of it flopping out the prior year.

(Note: click here to see the entire collection of photos from Jasper.)

Navigator: 2012 2013 2015 2016

This page is a rather long posting, it's all on 1 single page, but within this long page I have it divided up into 5 separate sections.

Points of Interest

Places We Went

Spot	GPS Coordintes	Maps	Description
Texas BBQ, Atlanta TX	33.12315, -94.17950	link	A BBQ place we found near Atlanta TX on the way in.
Dogwood Springs Cabin	36.02014, -93.17570	link	The cabins we stayed in.
Ozark Campground	36.06500, -93.15917	link	Found in swimmingholes.org/ar.html, a swimming hole and scenic spot about 3 miles from the cabin.
Pruitt, Lower	36.06139, -93.13888	link	One of my favorite spots, about 3 miles from the cabin, with a great swimming hole and jumping spots (especially in the "Upper" section).
Bradley Park	36.00387, -93.19468	link	Sort of the "Gladewater Lake" of the area, a swimming spot in a city park within the city limits of Jasper, good for a "quick dip."
Lost Valley Trail	36.01009, -93.37428	link	A hiking trail about 15 miles from the cabins near Ponca. Many waterfalls can be found here if the water levels are good.
Ponca Access Bridge	36.01870, -93.35710	link	A spot my wife found, but which was in the books & at the website but I never noticed, one of my favorite swim spots (good scenery too).
Blue Hole	35.99478, -93.04205	link	Perhaps the best swim spot of them all, a "local secret" of sorts described to me by the cabin owners (although I later found it in one of the books too).
Carver	35.98419, -93.04162	link	A scenic spot near Blue Hole which I found by accident, may have swimming hole areas also but didn't try that.
Eagle Rock Cafe, Mt Judea	35.92208, -93.06006	link	An eatery we found near the Blue Hole, Carver and Sam's Throne (below).
Sam's Throne	35.87917, -93.04472	link	A good spot, which the cabin owners told me of, where you can get good "views" from high vantage points, hiking etc.

Map View Of Spots (added 06-18-2015, click photo to enlarge JPEG screenshot)

(click here to view within Google Maps itself)

Introduction

In mid-2012 my wife & I were deciding where to go on a week's paid vacation. Places such as Kevin's in Brevard & Turner Falls in Oklahoma were pondered. The former didn't happen because of the long drive & because Kevin wouldn't be around for much of it due to work, the latter was ruled out when we noticed how hot it would be there (at the time, escaping extreme 100'F heat was a desire) & when several online reviews stated it had become a rather trashy place.

At the same time, my wife was wanting to see her grandfather Conley who lived in Butler MO, which was not far from Branson MO, where Silver Dollar City was located. Silver Dollar City was a place she had almost went to as a child until the family car broke down & she was wanting to check it out along with visiting her grandfather. All of that was fine in & of itself, but I didn't want such to hijack what I was really wanting for our vacation--relaxing scenery in a quiet place where I could get some great landscape shots & hopefully enjoy some splash holes too. At one point, I actually made a hotel reservation in Branson, figuring that's what our vacation was going to be.

Nonetheless, meanwhile I was still researching quiet/scenic places, and via swimmingholes.org/ar.html, I found some interesting entries in a small town in Arkansas called Jasper. They looked to have some scenic splash holes located in a region much like what I was hoping for--quiet and secluded. My wife then found some interesting cabins in the area, I called & the guy was very helpful & made it sound like that the area in fact was very scenic for getting good photos etc.

I then ran a Mapquest check & noticed that this town of Jasper was only 1 hour from Branson MO, where my wife was interested in visiting. It hit me--we could vacation in Jasper & then head up to Branson for one day when her grandfather could visit, and then resume Jasper afterwards. With that, we had found our place.

Here We Go!

(1) First Couple of Days

I actually planned what to pack over a month in advance, and seemed to remember everything, even things such as a can opener for opening cans of food we'd buy to cook. Near Texarkana (TX/ARK border) was a little town called Atlanta TX, we saw a McDonald's & we were going to eat there but it was CROWDED. We kept going & saw a nice small eatery called "Texas BBQ" & decided to eat there.

Us Heading Out, Fred's In Kilgore TX

Texas BBQ, Atlanta TX (GPS coordinates: 33.12315, -94.17950)

Helen Being Friendly to a Stranger Vs Being Scared of Them, How Sweet/Adorable (And Safe!!)

Good food, Naturally I Had a Zillion Pounds of Texas Toast, Ha ha

The scenery was pretty once you got out of Russellville & headed north on ARK-7.

View from "Grand Canyon of ARK" off ARK-7

However, we didn't realize how small the cabins were until we got there, charming though they were.


Charming on the Inside, If Small (Dogwood Springs: GPS Coordinates: 36.02014, -93.17570)

Exterior Of Cabin--#13 (It Also Had a #14 Sort of Like a "Duplex," It was Vacant & Later We Had Both)

Jasper ARK is a very small town, there was this humble little grocery store about ½ mile from the cabin.

We checked out "Ozark Campground" which had decent (but not great) swimming when we were there. Naturally I went for some scenic shots, this probably being the best one (un-retouched):

Ozark Campground (GPS Coordinates: 36.06500, -93.15917)

After Ozark, we went to Pruitt, to me a better swimming hole (if not as good scenery); it's free & if the water level is high enough you may find people jumping from well high off of the bluffs.

Pruitt, Lower. (GPS coordinates: 36.06139, -93.13888)

You can see people waiting to jump from the bluffs.

Naturally, I wanted to get some good scenics at Pruitt, here was a good one.

Taken with my Olympus E-PL1

Also found: Bradley Park, I call it the "Lake Gladewater of Jasper" because it's right in the city and part of the city park, with no hiking involved. It's not as scenic as the other places, but still pretty good as a "quickie." That seems pretty similar to what Lake Gladewater is back home (although I would prefer Bradley Park over Lake Gladewater anyday just the same).


Bradley Park. (GPS Coordinates: 36.00387, -93.19468)

(2) Lost Trails, "The Barn"

On Monday (day 3) we went up Highway 74 to check out some sights. Highway 74 is one of the main "scenic" roads in the area, leading to Ponca & Lost Trails, 2 attractions in the area. On the way I saw this barn & got a shot of it, it was the most scenic thing I saw on the entire trip and resulted in this outstanding photo:

Un-retouched shot, taken with the Olympus E-PL1 & CPL polarizer

Prior to that, we had lunch at a little place called Sharon's Cafe.

Here is some more scenery up on the way on Highway 74.

Our initial coordinates for Lost Trail were wrong, as they were for the actual vantage point & it tried to have us go down some really torn-up roads to get to that vantage spot, when the thing to do was get to the parking spots & hike there on foot. Once we found it (GPS coordinates: 36.01009, -93.37428), we headed on, the trail looked like this:

Not really one of my great shots, but oh well

Lost Trails is supposed to have some pretty good waterfalls, but they were dry this year, as the Park Ranger told us once there. You can also apparently go through this cave with a flashlight to see a REALLY nice one, but again locals told us there wasn't really anything to see at this time. Here early-on is where you're supposed to see a little waterfall, it's supposed to be gushing between the large "hanging out" rock & the smaller one underneath it.

(3) Day 4 & 5--Her Family Arrives, Trip to Branson MO & We Find the Ponca Spot

Late the prior night, her family arrived & checked into cabin #18. On Day 4 (Tuesday), we went up to Branson MO to do the "obligatory family thing" of meeting up with her grandfather Bob Conley & his lady friend. Bryan/Stephanie had been in Branson anyway the entire time, my wife's sister (Sherri) & her kids & the mother-father (my in-laws) stayed in the #18 cabin.

We went up to Branson & met at a place called, I believe, Mel's Cafe (an old 50's type of cafe). Branson was a "tourist-y" place my wife & I quickly tired of (tons of traffic over people flocking to take a photo of a plastic Mickey Mouse, big woop-dee-doo we BOTH thought). After initially meeting at McDonald's we went on to the cafe. Naturally I got some "snaps" of Sherri's kids in that context, as I often have in similar situations:

After lunch, naturally there needed to be photos of all of us (after this little detour away from Jasper they darn well better have me or somebody take some, ha ha), we spotted an area underneath a tree on the grounds & a kind stranger took this shot (which I had to crop a little bit, as usual, they never get close enough):

20120724_124511_nl_b_d3100

From there we ske-daddled back to Jasper, and stopped at "Table Rock Lake" along the way (Bryan/Stephanie were also there for a bit)

Naturally I attempted some "scenic" shots

The kids sure enjoyed cooling off

I let Helen swim all the way across (in her life jacket), I went too (she's that little-bitty dot seen just below the one boat on the left)

Then, back at the cabin, we & her family enjoyed the pool.

The next day (Wednesday), her family were doing some other things in Branson (Silver Dollar City I think) while we went off on our own for a bit up Highway 74 (where Lost Trails/Ponca Access are).

Saw This Little Store/Eatery on the way Up Highway 74

Ha ha, "spools" for eating tables, ha ha

We tried Lost Trails again but again it was a flame-out again, but on the way back my wife spotted a jewel, Ponca Bridge (GPS coordinates: 36.01870, -93.35710), a spot which in fact was in the sites I had researched but failed to notice. It's a bridge overlooking the Buffalo River, it's only about 5-6 feet up, and locals use it as a swimming/jumping spot.

Ponca Bridge, You Swim Near the Bridge Area (8 feet deep or so, About 5-6 Ft High)

Us, Ponca Bridge


We Saw Them Swimming in the Water, They Took Our Picture (Above)

Kids in the Water, Pretty Scenery Too

The Old Guy On the Left Was Friendly & Chit-Chatting With me

Ponca was very enjoyable, and we made a note to come back here the next day WITH her family & her sister's kids, we knew they'd enjoy jumping in the water from there.

After that excursion, we ate at this pizza place in downtown Jasper ARK, a combination pizza-place/bakery/muffins place.

The sign/menu

Look at those muffins!

Our table

The food is here

(4) Day 6, Thursday, All Of Us Enjoy Ponca Bridge Swimming & Ozark Cafe

We & her family (sister, her kids, mother-father) went to the Ponca Bridge (GPS coordinates: 36.01870, -93.35710) figuring they'd all enjoy jumping off of the bridge into the cooler water, and indeed they did. I also got some good scenic shots there that I didn't get yesterday.

Another "overview" shot of the bridge & swimming area

Kids in the water


Dylan sunbathing near an attractive woman hoping to get her phone number, ha ha

Naturally, "big guy" (Mr. Conley) had to try & catch some fish

The jump spot, my wife/her sister contemplating jumping in, you can see 2 of the kids already in it


Wife's sister (Sherri) went in! Austin as well

I got some good scenic shots, here are probably the 2 best ones:

Taken with Olympus E-PL1 & CPL, straight from the camera (20120726_120856_sf_epl1)

20120726_120847_sf_epl1

We then ate at the Ozark Cafe in downtown Jasper (I believe after resting at the cabin for awhile, the wife had energy to go all over the place but the rest of us were tired & hungry).

Interior of Ozark Cafe

The crowd--wow, is Sherri on the phone with JR all the way in Jasper?

HA HA, They sell cow patties! (Look near the bottom.)

#5--The Last 2 Days

Friday her family left early that morning, and it was our last full day. We decided to check out the Blue Hole, a spot the cabin owners had told us about, one that does well even during low water levels, they told us. To my amazement, we managed to go straight there using their "turn by the blue barn by the old hole" type of directions, we absolutely nailed it. Of course, though, we saved the spot on our GPS so we could return again in later years without goofing it up. (GPS coordinates: 35.99478, -93.04205)

It was, to me, the best swimming hole of all of it (though Ponca was a pretty close second) and we got some great scenic shots there as well. It was more off of the road & secluded than the other spots, & just a great experience overall.

What you see at the entrance, the "white fence" they told me to look for

Scenery on the way in

The scenery at the "Blue Hole" itself

Where I took a dip, 8 feet deep or more, that rock was a jump-off platform

Naturally, besides enjoying the dip (it was, again, probably the best one of the ones I had), I also got some scenic shots.

The best one, & probably my 2nd favorite from the entire trip (after the "barn" shot)

Another scenic shot

Me "pimped" out with my cameras, ha ha (holding: Nikon D5100/18-105mm VR, around my neck: Olympus E-PL1)

On the way from leaving, we happened to bump into a place called "Carver," (GPS coordinates: 35.98419, -93.04162) I got a couple of scenic shots from it .

Straight out of the camera, Olympus E-PL1, One of my favorites from the entire trip

Another scenic shot from within "Carver"

After this, we were on our way to a scenic overlook called "Sam's Throne," on the way we stopped at this charming little mom/pop cafe in Mt. Judea.

Eagle Rock Cafe, Mt Judea ARK. (GPS coordinates: 35.92208, -93.06006)

Interior of the place

Hamburger Steak, Mashed Potatoes & Green Beans

Yes, I Love Texas Toast, Ha Ha

From there we headed to Sam's Throne (GPS coordinates: 35.87917, -93.04472) to get something I had been wanting: an "overlook" spot for good photos from up-high. The owners at the cabin told us about this spot but I don't recall the lady giving us directions, I'm not sure how we got them unless someone at the restaurant told us how to get there (we didn't have these coordinates at the time, we got them from saving the spot once we found it).

Pretty good view

Another pretty good view

Pretty nice

This spot didn't disappoint

Just what I had been looking for during this trip, pretty scenic photographs

After all of this, we went to Harrison ARK (a decent-sized city about 30 minutes north of Jasper) and ate at an Italian restaurant for our last night in Jasper.

My life LOVES Italian food

GPS Coordinates: Documenting Where We Went
As I mention in my GPS Coordinates post, as part of planning for this trip I was concerned because I correctly figured that we would find many places "on the fly" or with "turn by the barn directions" and then save these spots on our GPS. However, in the past when I've done this any such "on the fly" spots would become lost if the unit became broken, because you didn't get there with an address you can remember or look up again later, and by default nothing in the details of this favorite gave you any information that could used to replicate this spot again on another GPS (or Google Maps etc). Thus any "favorites" we saved on our Garmin Nuvi GPS would then be "locked" into this GPS exclusively and thus prone to being lost once the GPS unit inevitably was broken or misplaced. How could we save these spots outside of the GPS system so that we would never lose them even once the unit was lost or broken?

The answer was GPS coordinates, and I learned about that prior to this trip (see that post for more details), all I would need to do later was "extract" the coordinates from each favorite and document them, and with that, we would forever have a record of the spot and be able to go again later in the future easily. On this last day, "closing down day" as it were, where you're packing some things and otherwise preparing for leaving so that departure day isn't so hectic, I sat at the Wi-Fi spot by the pool with 1 of our 2 laptops and with our GPS, "extracting" the coordinates of every spot, "plugging" the number in Google Maps to make sure they were correct, and then typing them up in an email I sent to myself. I later updated my sites (this blog and my PBase) with those numbers as well.

With that, the next day, it was time to go. I enjoyed spots like Ponca & Bradley Park enough that it was tempting to enjoy them one last time on the way out (something we DID do in 2013), but instead there was a sense of it being time to get on back-home, which we did after taking these few "parting shots:"