Jasper 2018

Introduction

Camera Gear Recovery
Last year was stained somewhat by the loss of my best camera, the Sony A6000 camera, with it falling in the river in a mishap at the waterfall (name escapes me currently) we were checking out near the Ft. Douglas bridge area. Thankfully, though, I didn't let it TOTALLY stain the vacation, we were this close to leaving (the car was packed ready to go) but last minute I came to my senses and we stayed. I used her D3100 and she used the Sony A230 I almost left home.

I recovered a month later to get a Nikon D3300 24 megapixel D-SLR with the 18-55mm VR II lens for only $200, paying for it by selling what I had left of the Sony E-mount gear (A5000 body & 50mm lens). This was an entry-level DSLR that nonetheless was and is very capable, certainly worthy of an endeavor of this type. On top of that 2 months later I grabbed a 50mm 1.8 AF-S G lens for only $80 (it should've cost at least $140). I still had this outfit by Jasper VI/2018, only upgrading the 18-55mm VR II kit lens to the newest AF-P version about 3 weeks prior to departure. Our financial situation was far better this year, so much so I could've gotten a D7200, D7500 or even full-frame (second-hand D600 or D800, Sony A7) had I gone for it. In the end, contentment ruled, and I still had the D3300 outfit come Jasper VI.

I had also managed (Feb 2018) to get a Sony NEX-3n for ridiculously cheap, $50, such a deal was EXACTLY what I'd hoped to get while in Jasper to recover, but didn't. However I misplaced it only about 2 months later, but I finally got something else I'd been meaning to get: a Sony RX100, which is an extremely portable camera (even smaller than the NEX-3n) that nonetheless is capable of very high quality images. There are several "editions" of this model, I almost splurged for the III edition with its electronic viewfinder (EVF), even checking out one for sale locally. In the end I got a good deal on the I (1st) edition, only paying $150 for it and this included everything I needed to get going immediately, including 3 things I figured on having to spend extra for--a grip, spare batteries/charger, and a CPL polarizer. They all came to me ready to go, plus I already had a suitable case, and I spent a good 3 week prior to the departure getting used to it.

Thus...

We went to Jasper VI so equipped:

Cameras

• Nikon D3300 v/18-55mm AF-P VR & Hoya thin CPL Polarizer
• Sony RX100 (1st edition) w/grip, spare batteries & CPL Polarizer
• Nikon D3100 (for her)

Phones/GPS

• ZTE Blade Spark, AT&T GoPhone Android Nougat 5.5" LCD only paid $25 for it 
• Motorola E5 Play (Cruz) my wife's first-ever smartphone (5.1" LCD, Android Oreo)
• Garmin Nuvi 40 (basically just for when the phones don't work, it's "there")

This year we finally, 3 years after intending to do so, set up for staying in cabin #1, as it's the closest to the pool and probably the largest one of them. The extra room is nice, plus its close proximity to the pool is convenient not just for the kids enjoying it freely (this year, at ages 9 & 11, they're old enough to do so from any spot anyway really) but also for the Wi-Fi connection working well. This year the cabin now required us to pay half of the room in advance.

Spots We Visited 2018
Spot	GPS Coordinates	Years Visited	Comments
America's Best Value Inn	33.8102941, -93.4196562	6	Hotel found via Tripfinder on way in 2018
Hardee's Prescott ARK	33.828107,-93.394427	4,5,6
Benton Spot (sw.org)	34.6056,-92.6192	5,6
Scenic Detour Benton	34.8838, -92.7753	5,6	Random dropped pin down roads we took off freeway near Benton
Petit Jean (sw.org)	35.11731, -92.9362	6	Spot of interest to wife, didn't go
Lake Sylvia	34.86715, -92.82243	6	Found "on the fly" down scenic detour on way to Petit Jean
Cabin (Dogwood)	36.02014,-93.17570	1,2,3,5,6	Since 2012
Bradley Park (p48)	36.00387,-93.19468	1,2,3,4,5,6	Book's coords are of the "private" spot, not the "official" spot, this is  "official" spot)
Indian Rockhouse  (p44 T)	36.0814, -92.5693	6	Wife found this  doing research, was also in T book, exhausted her a lot.
Rush (p112 SH)	36.125, -92.54861	6	Low water,  alternative to Buffalo Point (p110) which was closed in 2018
Big Spring (p50 SH)	36.266111,  -92.543056	6	Very shallow, kids  liked it, might be of worth during heavy rain possibly
Gas Station ARK 7	35.78348, -93.1134	6	Gas station found "on the fly" 2018 when almost ran out on way to 123 Spots
Hawk Creek Falls (p154 W)	35.676509,-93.255703	6	Water low unless it's rained a lot, easy to get to however
Falling Water Waterfalls (p 44 SH)	35.72194, -92.94944	2,5,6
Ponca (p68)	36.01870,-93.35710	1,2,3,4,5,6	Check vs book
Pruitt Lower (p80)	36.06139,-93.13888	1,2,3,4,,6	Check vs book, NOT SURE think skipped 2017
Steel Creek (sw.org)	36.030473,-93.341848
Barn Shots ARK 21  Detour	36.09830, -93.14678	6	Found "on the fly" taking detour off ARK 7 in 2018 to avoid road construction