Arkansasquatch

This morning we cruised into Tennessee and thus out of Arkansas. The first day in Arkansas we were greeted with light rain and cool temperatures. As we rode through the needle like rain and the sloppy conditions soured our previously dirt ridden shoes all I could think about were the days in Arizona with heat over 115 degrees. Those thoughts are now traces of memories from 3 states ago! Arkansas is and was nothing I expected it to be. We came through Texarkana, Little Rock, Forrest City, and ended in Munford, Tennessee today outside of Memphis. I expected the scenery to be rolling hills and cliffs but it was anything but. The humidity was as if drinking the air and cycling through a sauna due to the swamps surrounding us. If I didn't see the Arkansas state line signs I would have told you we made a wrong turn and instead were headed to New Orleans. Very often, after 5 weeks of riding, I find myself staring at the pavement and I have to remind myself to look up and see creation. See, there are swamps and cranes and trees that touch the sky and they would be missed if my eyes never left the white stripe. 

Leaving Arkadelphia the team was split into two groups due to some spontaneous rerouting. Brandon and I rode an extra few miles but were immersed into a world of farms that had fog hanging over them the way a gazelle feels when it has a cheetah on it's heels. The sun was golden, not the burn your retina golden but the golden that stops you in your tracks and forces you to observe a land how it is truly meant to be seen. So anyways, the ride through the country ended with a Doberman pinzer chasing me away from the cows he was protecting. 

Arkansas was hot, wet for a little, nice, interesting, and swampy which is similar to our team after a long day on the bike. All in all a good state. Now we have been in Tennessee for a day so this is a little late but oh well, I'll try to be more punctual.