Ft. Smith, again

We have driven most of the day to get here, stopping at a Braums in Fayetteville for a "snack".


Here we go, again.

I need to go back to yesterday's post to correct some misinformation about last night's ventriloquist. I thought the dogs were moving their mouths (it looked that way to me) but some of the others in our party said there were "fake" mouths over the dog's faces that the ventriloquist was moving. Either way, it was an unusual effect.

Now back to today--Not nearly as cold as yesterday, wind moderate, and the bus is toasty, so all is good. I have been shedding layers put on because the forecast was expected to be 18 degrees this morning. Not much excitement (which is good)- The two folks who have been ill seem just fine, altho' a little weak. The travelers are playing cards, chatting, napping, snacking and reading.

Bus driver is more chatty, but still a bit surly. Don't get me wrong, he drives the bus very, very, very well. Can turn around in a space not meant for a bus, but his people skills are minimal. I offered to get him something from Braums (he was waiting w/ the bus) and he just shook his head and sort of growled.

We are at the same hotel in Ft. Smith as before (the one w/ the wrong sign- but we adjusted).

Oh yeah, before coming here we stopped at the Ft. Smith National Historic Site. And we went thru their museum/ old jail. Interesting, not that I ever heard of Ft. Smith, Ark before, but now I do know a few tidbits of information that I didn't before visiting the Site. All about Federal Marshals chasing outlaws and conditions in the Indian Territory and most of all all about the "hanging judge" Isaac C. Parker. In his 20+ years on the bench, he sentenced 160 folks to be hanged--90 some were executed, the others either died waiting execution, died trying to escape, or were released on appeal. I didn't know Indians owned black slaves during this time before the Civil War. So now you, too, know a little bit about Ft. Smith. I wanted to ask someone why it is named Smith, but I never got around to asking. I can probably Google that information.

We head out for Bwd in the morning and it will be a full day on the road, arriving about 7:30 pm. The bus driver, in one of his loquacious moments this morning, told us that if he could take the road he wanted (he is employed by Diamond tours) he could get us home Fri. night by supper, but he didn't have that freedom. I am guessing that the tour company has a contract with this hotel and gets a "rate". Altho if he could get us home tonite, that would save paying anything for tonite's hotel.

Oh, well, it is not up to us, we just get on and get off when we are told. I'm just glad I didn't have to drive in Branson. Whew! what traffic!