44th State: Missouri - Table Rock Lake (Oct. 9, 2012)

A Cyprus Tree???   In Missouri?

Decided to find a spot on Table Rock Lake west of Branson MO.  Thought I might also take in a show at Branson, but just couldn’t wrap my mind around getting into a busy town with hundreds of loud people… and besides the price of a ticket would buy a lot of gasoline.  So, I found this strange little spot… north on Road JJ.  Coombs Ferry Public Use Area, Blue Eye, MO.  It has been abandoned for some reason.

Lots of Oak Trees and Cyprus Trees.  It’s a peninsular that sticks out into Table Rock Lake… and it has nothing on it except old roads, a parking lot, run down picnic tables, and a boat ramp.  But what more does a boondocker need?

A little target shooting, but didn’t find a lot of shells and I felt strangely safe.

And a Boat Ramp!!!  That’s all I need.

There is a picnic table hiding in there.  See it???

I spend the night I arrived, just resting.  It was the most quiet I have had since I left the Colorado mountains.  Below… the paddle… early morning before breakfast.  Fog still burning off.

Yes, it was a Cyprus Tree… on closer inspection, knees!!!!

My new paddle grips are working out splendidly.

Always fun to run across someone else’s fun.

I thought fishermen had gotten their lines caught on the snags but finally realized these lines were carefully and deliberately tied to the snags.  Check it out.  Each line has a weight tired on it… and this one had a bolt.

Not sure what they are fishing for, but they must be large… this hook is laying on my knee and is about the size of my knee cap.  Each line hanging from each tree snag is rigged this way.  Odd.

A Great Blue Heron???

So, that was my Missouri paddle.  I would like it to have been longer and more adventurous but there were just too many speed boats on the lake to really enjoy it the way I like.  Time to move on.

I tried to take a backwoods road down to the Buffalo National River park... but felt like I had dropped down into dog patch hollow... and never could get down to the river... turned around in some farmers' field and high-tailed it out of there. Got that "uncomfortable" feeling they tell us to flee from... and I fled. Ended up the highway crossed the river a few miles farther down the road... and I got out and walked along it. Water level was too low anyway for boating. The trouble with rivers is I usually have to arrange a shuttle back to the van... and looks like all the kayaking places are closed up tight around here.

It’s all rock down there… and people drive right out on the rock… and camp and make campfires.  Nice, odd, I liked it.

Lil’ Morgan, this one is for you.  Camels in Arkansas.

And as I headed back south through Arkansas toward Mississippi, I spotted this unusual sight… wish I had seen them sooner to get a better photo.

Next State: Mississippi

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas

There isn’t much to say, the photos say it all.  I also have video clips and will post them once I figure out how to convert the format… so you can hear the sounds I slept with last night.  So cool.  Once an animal come here (Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge) to live, they are here the rest of their lives.

Bobcats

Cougars

More lions…

More tigers…

More cougars…

Brody

One of many tigers.

Goober is just a grumpy ol’ man.

This is BamBam, a five-year old grizzle who is next in line to get an outdoor habitat on grass.

They even have a couple of ligers here… one, Brady, is the largest animal at the Refuge and is about 600 lbs. now… and expected to reach 1,000 lbs.  Unfortunately, the crossbreeding of a Tiger and a Lion results in health issues causing a shorter than average life span… they are pretty certain that Brady’s heart will not keep up with his rapid growth.  Sad.  He is so beautiful.

There were even more animals there, but I didn’t see them… this place is worth visiting and worth supporting.  Cost them over a million dollars a year to support all the animals.  Small donations are welcome.  Some people have donated an entire “habitat” – costs over $20,000 because they like ONE animal and wanted them to have their own space.   That cost is only for materials, the construction is all done by interns and volunteers.  That’s just amazing.

I bought a calendar for my grandkids for $5 in the store… I don’t know why they are $15.00 online, but it is a beautiful calendar.  I wanted to buy their story CD about the stories of all the animals, but just can’t spend any more money right now.  It is available online too.

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge rescues big cats from all over the country. Prior to coming to the Refuge, most of the animals lived in dirty, filthy, inadequate environments. Upon arrival at the Refuge, the new animals go through a period of quarantine for about three weeks. After passing this initial quarantine period, which includes extensive veterinarian examinations, the new arrivals move to the compound. The compound area is made up of large cages which meet all state and federal requirements. Although all regulations are met, the animals deserve better. Turpentine Creek staff members work tirelessly to improve living conditions for all the animals. For 8 years, staff members, interns, and volunteers have built nearly 30 huge natural habitats. These habitats house about 65 percent of the big cats residing at the Refuge. They must keep building habitats for the animals that wait in the compound.  See Habitat Funding.

On the way back to my van I spotted some small deer grazing nearby and passed a nice coy pond and even a human graveyard.

But the sun is still shining and I’m on the road again after putting a Swankie Wammie on Arkansas.

43rd State: Arkansas - Beaver Lake (Oct. 7, 2012)

Beaver Lake, Arkansas.  It’s beautiful here, but the sun didn’t last long and it was another cold grey paddle.

Beaver Lake, completed in 1966 and nestled high in the Ozark Mountains, is located in northwest Arkansas, the birthplace of the White River. The 28,370-acre lake is the first of the impoundments created in Arkansas and Missouri along the lengthy White River system.  From: http://www.arkansas.com/places-to-go/lakes-rivers/lake.aspx?id=1 .

Steep cliff shoreline most of the way.

Looking for something interesting, wait, what is that???

You ask, “How did that get that cross up there?”  But the water is very low right now… and once upon a time… the water level was just below the cross.  Interesting.  And Why???

Taking advantage of the natural scenic beauty, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has constructed a variety of recreational facilities. Paved access roads wind through 12 developed parks. There are 2,008 acres of campgrounds and over 650 individual campsites. Visitors can enjoy such conveniences as electricity and fire-rings. Drinking water, showers and restrooms are nearby. Other facilities -- picnic sites, swimming beaches, hiking trails, boat launching ramps, sanitary dump stations, group picnic shelters and amphitheaters -- are also available in the parks.  From: http://www.arkansas.com/places-to-go/lakes-rivers/lake.aspx?id=1

With 487 miles of shoreline highlighted by limestone bluffs, Beaver Lake offers a world of recreational opportunities. Marinas and outfitters are plentiful. Cabins, resorts and other lodging ring the lake, and campgrounds are also available in good number.   From:  http://www.arkansas.com/places-to-go/lakes-rivers/lake.aspx?id=1

There are scuba diving sites around the lake.  One is the foundations of an old school house, it is in about 15’ of water, and has ropes leading to a trail of things to see, from mannequins to an old school bus that rest at 35’. Not a lot a fish life, but a good boat dive for beginners.  From:  http://www.divebuddy.com/divesite/4046/foundations-beaver-lake-eureka-springs-ar/

That would be fun???   NO????  The water here is very very clear.

A cave… there are lots of caves.

My continued fascination as to why wild critters poop on top of rocks (or in this case, an old chunk of concrete).  Wish someone would explain this to me.

And some really big houses.  Why does anyone need such a big house?  But if you need one, this one is for sale.

Another one…. this one I looked up on Google maps just to make sure it (the one on the right) was really a house and it is… at the end of Serenity Point Lane.

But it’s the natural wonders that hold my fascination… the rectangular block in the center is way bigger than my 12’ 3” kayak… and so perfectly formed.

On the left, a tree that has broken and fallen off the ledge, but continued to thrive and grow.  Amazing.

I saw few birds on this paddle but looked up to see an amazing mature male Bald Eagle flying over my head, but by the time I could get the camera out, he was higher and I didn’t have time to zoom in on him… and I watched as he got higher and farther away… just hoping he would come back down… but he didn’t.  At one point another bird joined up with him and they circled together, becoming one dot in the sky a couple times, and then continuing on their own paths.

Not a great day for photos… and the fall colors are just beginning to turn in this area.  The sky was getting darker and so once again, I cut my paddle short to get out of the cold winds and headed back toward my van…  which is one of the white dots off in the distance.

Maybe the sun will come out again tomorrow, and stay out all day????

Tonight I’m on to the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge… to camp there and enjoy the big cats there tomorrow.

Next State:  Missouri