a.d. elliott - Take the Back Roads

Dear Henry, Northwest Arkansas is full of bluffs and caves, so today we went spelunking. Well, not really spelunking, but we did explore the Old Spanish Treasure Cave in Gravette/Sulphur Springs Arkansas.  This cave has a story. Back in the late 1600s/ early 1700s, when the Spanish Conquistadors were wandering through the area and disrupting the Native Americans with their pillaging and warmongering, the Conquistadors stayed at this cave and stored the treasures they had stolen deep inside. Because this cave has a chimney, the smoke from the Conquistador's cooking fires was seen and the Native American tribe in the area (either Osage or Quapaw) surrounded the cave and returned the pillaging/warmongering.  Of course, no one knows what happened to the treasure. The cave is really a pretty cool little cave and has some really interesting features, included a "heart", and, as the cave stays at about 60 degrees, it was a wonderful place to cool off during the Summer.  It'...

Dear Henry, I've officially seen my first Civil War Battlefield. I know very little about the US Civil War, and it is wrong that your education in US history depends upon what part of the US you were raised in. In Northern Utah, there is a greater focus on the history of Western expansion, which occurred at the same time as the Civil War.   Anyway. The Civil War Battle of Pea Ridge happened on March 6-8, 1862, in Northwestern Arkansas. After Confederate troops were pushed out of Missouri by Union General Samuel Curtis, under Major General Earl Van Dorn, the Confederate forces attempted a counter-offensive here, along a ridge near Sugar Creek. The battle is also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern because the bulk of the fighting took place on the grounds of the area pub. There is a reproduction of the tavern at the park (the original was destroyed during the fight). The battle ended in the Union's favor. With the Confederate army leaving the area. This action kille...

Dear Henry, Today, we went for quite the climb, but it was worth it. A lake is along I-70, just east of Glenwood Spring, Colorado. The lake is on a geologic fault that "fell" away from its valley above it and hangs on the side of the mountain.   It's a steep hike up, with some rather scary stairs at the very end. It was also a hot and thirsty hike, but the lake was amazing. The lake is crystal clear and has a bunch of little native fish. It's also a pretty busy place. I've gone on a weekend, and this is (understandably) a popular hike. If I had scheduled my visit better, getting good shots of the lake would have been much easier. Still, this is a great day hike, even with the crowds. The area is just that spectacular. Parking was easy, but the hike was steep, and you had to bring a lot of water. xoxo a.d. elliott **************************************** a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller currently living in Salem, Virginia.  In addition to...