I'm posting the above picture because I'm showing you what a moving truck should look like when it is going to its origin. Meaning... all the equipment should be neatly stacked and secured. The above photo came from a random Google image search and the back of the truck is miraculous. Most people that call a moving company desire several things... Speed, Accuracy, and Safe Handling.. My frustrations tend to mount that travelers think that each word works independently of each other..

Travelers and drivers are often in a hurry. Today we gripe about being a few minutes late, being stalled at a light, and having to detour from accidents.. Honestly, those are legitimate gripes. However, when you are dealing with loading someones belongings speed is not necessarily taken at face value... For instance, those who wish to make it to a destination with their belongings intact should exercise loading efficiently.. Most boxes can be stacked directly in the attic or the back of the truck. However, smaller boxes shouldn't be stacked upon bigger boxes.. That is wasted space and it is an accident waiting to happen... Someone attempting to move should spend several minutes every half hour and make the most out of the room in the truck.

Impatience is not a virtue when a traveler is trying to get his belongings from Point A to Point B in one piece. The truck drives better when the belongings are packed tightly into the truck and heavier items are strapped down. There is nothing more awkward than having to stop on the side of the interstate to open the doors to broken glass or dishes..

Love-Hate Relationship about Driving Rigs

So after having some time traveling on the road with large moving trucks I had a few observations and reflections...
Most people are on the lookout for monstrous trucks that outweigh them, and make them look like small Chihuahuas in a dog fight. I learned this aspect when learning how to drive the largest truck that is allowable before you get a CDL. My personal vehicle is a Toyota Prius. On long journeys they are great... Mainly for the gas mileage.... I tend not to enjoy spending half my trip occupied at Flying JJ's truck stop. I can bob and weave around traffic and be able to maintain the speed with the current traffic flow.
In a bigger truck this is harder to accomplish. Once trucks are empty they tend to drive worse... The steering is loose.... the trailer can sway.. but you can maintain a higher speed.
In the beginning when I started to learn to drive large trucks I was always checking my mirrors and not looking at the road as I should.. I quickly learned that I should drive my rig as if I am cruising in my Prius... It is no different... Just much larger and heavier.
Here are a few of my travel gripes and woes..

1. Smaller cars tend to think that I can turn on a dime and merge into traffic like them... This is not possible and normally when I merge unto a street I am splitting the lane.. In traveling this is accomplished by making a turn into a busy street when you have proper clearance and riding the center lane.. Vehicles may get annoyed by this but as I am trying to route myself to the directions to my GPS this remains paramount. Drivers don't often consider that if I only have to make a lane change once it is easier on the both of us.

2.  Honking at me when I am fully loaded going around a windy road accomplishes nothing. Yesterday, I had a BMW proceed to pass me at a normal speed on a two lane... No traffic around... No hard feelings.. But then he proceeded to honk after he passed me.. That seems like highly unusual behavior but it happens daily.

3. On my travels I can't climb steep grades in the road at 65.. Most likely if I am at near weight capacity I am pushing it to do twenty miles per hour... Trust me... I have a fully loaded truck... I am scared for dear life to ascent the hill.

So... in conclusion...

That truck driver that you honked at... the one you flipped off... and the one you passed like a Nascar driver.... has much bigger worries than you.

Traveling without a phone charger..

Does anyone do this?..

Now, when I say phone charger... I am meaning a vehicle charger. ya know........

the little thing that plugs into your cigarette lighter adapter...

I never use a car charger unless it is on a super long road trip... And sometimes in those instances I just use my phone sparingly and charge it in the hotel.

They seem to charge entirely too slow for me....I don't like cords strewn throughout the car. I don't like bad plugs that seemingly render the sync cord...

I'm just not a fan..

What do you take when you travel?

My plethora involves a wallet, some cash, a pocket knife, and my phone... Sometimes... like dog the bounty hunter I carry a large can of bear mace...  However, the thought of having to discharge that thing from the inside of the car seems like it would make me more of a victim than a survivor...

A seat belt cutter and a glass hammer has been my most recent everyday carry in the vehicle. I find that I carry more "what if" tools than things that intertain me.

My GPS rarely entertains me... The radio seems to be redundant with the same reruns of hip hop and modern rock in which I listen to... I don't pay for XM so.... that's out of the equation. Here lately, my desired form of entertainment is the audio out cable on my stereo..

I seem to burn the battery up on my phone as YouTube videos seem to dominate my driving experiences.

I came across this photo a few weeks ago and it brought a memory of a cold winter travel to my mind. In the winter of 2011, I packed a bag for the week and headed to Wisconsin with a friend of mine. We ended up leaving late in the day and instead of reaching a half-way point to our arrival point we drove a few hours and rested in Missouri.

The next day we drove. Having not been a fan of energy drinks I found myself drinking them later in the evening as we approached our destination. It was snowing lightly and my temperature gauge was showing a chilly temperature of 28 degrees in the car.

Frankly, I am not a fan of driving at night due to having seemingly a bad sense of direction even with a GPS. The cold didn't seem to be a worry as the heat was cranked up in the vehicle.

People say that accidents occur most likely in your home, areas of convenience, or your comfort zone.. My story wasn't much different. At around 8pm while I was crossing a bridge a semi was approaching me. This didn't seem to worry me as I was passing a bridge. However, a small animal crossed the road. Quickly, I had to make a decision and with it being slick the animal was struck.

The humor in the situation was limping the car to the nearest police station so that I could get a report for my insurance. Unknowingly, I walked out in under freezing temperatures in a short sleeved shirt due to having been in the warm car for the second part of the trip... The officer quickly thought I was drunk due to my attire and after some weird questions she did the report and I was able to limp the car to my destination.

I'm sure that policeman had a story to tell with others about the traveling walking out of his car in short sleeves... And I definitely had a story to tell due to seeing bigger obstacles after the collision.... a moose..

My experiences with intertubing.... and not wanting to let go.

A few weeks ago I went intertubing with a few friends. I was not particularly excited in going for one basic reason---- my experiences on the water due to working. Most people view going on a boat as a pleasurable activity but my prior job turns brings one word into my mind.............work

I worked on a deck crew on the Arkansas for several years and while it was very enjoyable being in different locations daily we worked.... It wasn't a pleasure cruise. We didn't get served mixed drinks... No stereotypes of women in bikinis existed... It was hot work that would either make or break a man.

So in saying, I love the water however I am not a fan of boats. My ideal pleasure cruise would be channel surfing at the local motel and retiring to the lobby to eat dinner.

Intertubing proved to be very successful. My partner and I clumsily decided to both pair up on one tube. The way in which we grabbed handles on the raft resembled playing a game of twister. Life is much like being pulled across a lake at high speeds. We attempt to hang on and steer the tube much as we do our interactions with people, and the situations that either make or break us.

My need in life of failing to let certain things go that bring tumult seem to be reflective of the intertube I was riding. In conclusion, I ended up having sore wrists and arms as we pulled into the dock. Pain seems to be the greatest motivator for change.

One of my fondest memories included frequent trips to the Cadron Crest Orchard. The orchard is located in Guy, Arkansas and includes quite an assortment of fruits. Seemingly, with my sense that businesses should be open 24/7 for my convenience I arrived at a few times in my early visits without calling the business.

I was politely reminded to call the phone number to listen to the hours in which it was open. After some retraining, I learned about the best times in which to pick peaches, strawberries, apples, and cantaloupes.

Having worked in the produce industry, I have a love for small growers that produce superior crops. The Cadron Crest didn't seem to disappoint. The highlight of my trips included searching for the juiciest peaches which in my mind were the ones least affected by bugs but most affected by the heat, and duration in which they were on the tree.

Instead of making pies... I brought home numerous bags to eat them like snacks. However, I quickly learned that through many soiled shirts that these peaches needed to be eaten with plenty of napkins.

Natural Flow of things

Taoism is known as a Chinese tradition or custom.. I have rarely met purely Taoists and it is usually a fundamental in which adherents incorporate into a greater belief system such as more mainstream religions. Sometimes it is incorporated into someone that is spiritual rather than religious.

The Tao or Dao--- as some phrase it-- involves living a life of simplicity and spontaneity. You are following the natural flow of things and it is based on inaction rather than action. I visualize it as being becoming a leaf in a stream that is running water. The water is actively flowing around the nooks and crannies of the rocks and the leaf is carried away. The leaf has no options but to be apart of the ecosystem and to submit to it.

My experiences on the river seem to have an ironic parallel to the Tao. Once you are floating on the river you seem to have perceived options..... perceived control... However, this is only a delusion at best. Your boat might have rudders, radar, and rigging to help you steer, navigate, and stop your boat. However, natural and the flow of the river is the ultimate pacifier. The modern day conveniences in which you believe you have control is a myth in several ways..

The weather treats your ship as an oppressive dictator does to his people. Storms interrupt the control of the ship and ultimately one is at mercy in which the cards may fall on that particular day. For instance,  I watched a tornado form on a sandbar and being on a ship that had a weight of several loaded trains... a false sense of security existed. The beauty in which I observed the tornado from a distance was only clouded when mother nature decided my cinematic experience needed to be interrupted by a mixture of fear, rain, and high winds.

So I propose this question....During traveling, or navigating obstacles when you are trying to experience different locales.... Do you feel as if you have a perceived sense of control when you are visiting places with modern conveniences that provide a safety blanket?

Artesian Water on the Chequamegon Bay

Cold water is often a necessity for travelers, locals, and construction workers to receive the nourishment to keep them sustained throughout the day. In the winter when I get can time from my schedule to travel I frequently visit the Ashland, WI area. On Highway 2, across  from the Chequamegon Bay hotel there is a small spot of the lake that is highly frequented by those on the road seeking a view, a hotel, and photographs. My journey in the area takes me to the Artesian well which is located directly across from the hotel.

Artesian wells are aquifers which contain sand and gravel which filter the water. Positive pressure is maintained in the well which allows the well to flow. Every visit in which I stop to take a picture of the ore harbor(which has since been torn down) includes getting a drink from the well much like one does from a hose spigot. In the winter, in which the temperatures are freezing the water seems to come out ice cold and replenishes me much better than Gatorade does from the freezer.

My last visit included watching construction workers stop and climb out of large trucks as they filled large jugs up to prepare for a long day off work. Most vehicles pull alongside the well with an empty car and leave with a trunk that weighs down the car like an interstate drug smuggler.

I haven't been to the well since 2013 and have been hearing through the gossip mills that the city is wanting to close it due to environmental reasons and drill another well in a better location. The public has submitted some sort of outcry and the city is working to raise funds in which to preserve the well for future generations.

Hopefully next year when I visit the area I will be able to carry on my usual tradition. What usable landmarks have you traveled to

that are under fire of being decommissioned or relocated to another area?

North Country

Lately, the talk has been taking a somewhat short vacation towards the far reaches of Michigan and Wisconsin to help a friend move. However, due to my severely tight schedule lately I have taken the moving plans off my calendar. Today, I want to talk about my trips to Wisconsin.
Normally when I travel to the northern part of Wisconsin I plan slightly over a week at the bare minimum. The drive from Little Rock to Ashland is a solid two day drive however, it could be made in one day with a decent copilot.

Normally, I stop in Missouri at night and my traveling schedule includes early mornings and being off the road once it is dark. My eyes tend to have some sort of night blindness in areas in which I am not familiar. In explanation, a large number of lights in my oncoming view tends to distract me from the road... I hyper focus on everything else other than the road. For safety, I am off the road by dawn.

Illinois tends to wear me down with its numerous miles of wind mills. I have often seen specials about the dangers of windmills on the nervous system and the havoc that they can cause on a household when they are placed entirely too close to a home. Illinois is the fifth most populated state in the United States. However, I seem to question that when I am in the middle of nowhere with nothing to look at but windmills.

My mind and body often gets exhausted when I am driving the roads with literally no curves and blades that slice through the air... The wind energy seems like it is so close but in reality the monstrous fans are a great distance away.

So what makes you tired when you are traveling?.... Getting lost.. Being hungry... or dealing with inconsiderate drivers?

My frustrations are getting lost because my sense of direction is horrible, almost to the point of making the wrong turn on my GPS as I am viewing it. Inconsiderate drivers rarely bother me as long as I am staying in the right lane.

Experiences with Toll Roads

Today, I heard a long discussion from a relatively mixed crowd about their disdain for toll roads. Being a seasoned traveler my experiences with pay per use roads is extensive. However, because it was nearing the end of the day and the majority of the conversation seemed to be going in one general direction I bit my tongue.

I remember speaking to a man several years ago in my youth and expressing my disdain for Mississippi. The man, named Frank had quickly corrected me and said that although the poverty rate was low.... the state maintained the roads very well... This comment was harsh, blunt, and to the point. After he explained to me, the ease in which people could travel I definitely understood his perspective.

Mississippi has numerous toll roads. In 2007, the Mississippi governor signed a bill which would allow for the construction of toll roads as a revenue generator for the states. In the past, the state allow didn't allow for the paid roads. Lawmakers opposing the issue view the roads as another tax.

However, let me explain my viewpoint on toll roads. In Arkansas, we have numerous roads and some of which are poorly maintained. It doesn't take a massive pothole in the road to seriously damage the suspension or the tires on a vehicle. Believe me, I have hit a pothole on a road that was rated for a speed exceeding 55 mph. My head quickly hit the ceiling of my vehicle and afterwards I was looking for air for my tires.

I have heard the argument that toll roads can be burdensome due to drivers having to stop and pay the attendant. However, in my experience I rarely come to a complete stop and in most instances through the change directly in the metal tray as I pass. Most states also have a sticker that is affixed to the window and technology driven computers read the barcode as you are passing by the kiosk.

...... You get what you pay for. An extra tax.... Perhaps... But less potholes, faster speed limits, and less police are usually what I encounter on a toll road. This is normally a win win situation for me as I don't enjoy speeding tickets, or having to patch up a car on the next exit.
Traveling isn't cheap and sometimes it is best if you don't skimp on the necessities.

Semana Santa

Spain has been known for years to celebrate Semana Santa which means Holy Week. I traveled to Antigua to witness the processions which occur one week prior to Easter in which hundreds of people flock to the area. Antigua is known for its baroque style buildings and is considered a UNESCO site. It is frequently visited by Americans and Europeans due to its third world experience while having many modern conveniences like internet, fast food, and giant supermarkets.

The streets are blocked off for the processions and you could see many Catholic priests in the streets, bars, and restaurants. The festivities reminded me of a mardi gras festival that was religious in nature. Many community members participated in the festivities as some created murals from colored sand. The locals would intensely work on them for days and once the festivities were over in the end of the week they were washed away.

I can still remember the smell of an incense called Copal. It is a resin type of incense and is held in large metal containers with air holes on the side. The containers would be swung as the priests walked. Many people would carry large hand carved scenes that showed depictions of the life of Jesus. Having not been an extremely religious person I could still admire the amount of teamwork that it took for people to undertake this festival.

As said, people from all walks of life attended and I could even spot people drinking in the crowd. Although this would have seemed odd in America, it didn't seem to bother the priests, students, and worshippers. The people depicted in the pictures had an interesting story in which they spoke of traveling from Mexico to Antigua on dirt bikes. The carefree attitude definitely made me feel at ease as I met numerous people and had very good conversations with the adherents.

Alligators in Lanquin and Heat Injury

My senior year of high school included a very lengthy trip in which I planned to backpack with my uncle. These were the days in which you could visit Barnes and Noble and hunt for a travel agency in the classified to purchase an airline ticket. This method is still quite popular however in my high school days of working at Kroger I was able to save up enough money for a ticket and still have plenty of excess funds. Although, I had many layovers and ended up spending several days in airports due to my ticket being bottom of the barrel I arrived in Guatemala City in one piece.

Guatemala is a safe country when you use common sense much as your supposed to in cities like Little Rock, Pine Bluff, and areas of Missouri. My uncle and I were quite fond of using tourist friendly places only as a base to plan our backpacking adventures due to the necessity of maps, internet, and telephone services. However, both of us were quite fond of venturing to remote areas.

Chicken buses are a necessity for travel if you don't want to be targeted for robbery. Comically, wealthy Americans use shuttles that are marked "American Tourist" which is the equivalent of a bulls eye on a target.

Our bus rides ended us up in a place called Lanquin. It is in the north edge of the Central highlands of Guatemala. Both of us were used to heat in Arkansas however, nothing in which we expected compared to the heat in the jungles. Moronically, we both purchased small bungalows for the next few days to rest our feet. However, we were both enduring the hours of being so exhausted from the heat that we would slide in and out of consciousness. The saliva from my mouth would try and as I would awaken I would gasp, drink water, and find myself unconscious again. My traveling friend finally used his strength to interrupt my sleep cycles and led me to a small river.

The locals were playing in it and as we drank water we began to see them running towards dryland. We were both so exhausted that the feeling of cold water rushing against our bodies bypassed any defense mechanisms. The locals were pointing and shouting "caiman".... After, walking out of the river several minutes later and grabbing a towel he told me that was the Spanish world for alligator.

The moral of my traveling story is simple..... I compared the heat of an Arkansas summer to another location and made a mistake that could have been disastrous. Traveling in a carefree attitude is something one has to acquire however when it crosses the path of ignorance the journey can seem like cheaply made horror movie.

Today brought me to the areas of high society and the circles they seem to run with. I was driving on an extended roadtrip to Spa City... that's Hot Springs, Arkansas for those who aren't familiar with it. There is plenty of folk lore in the town as it has been the a city for those who seek refuge and have a wish to be pampered. I have even heard rumors of various unnamed politicians smoking a jay in clubs and picking up ladies of the night. So, my journey brought me here to help someone move... This wasn't just a routine move because it included disassembling shipping crates, unpacking boxes, and many many hours of manual labor.

This journey reminded me of an episode of Storage Wars. Condominiums have always been a fascination with me and I have had many relatives and friends purchase them. Most of them are set back in the city in their own subdivisions. For instance, the one in which I ventured to was complete with beautiful ponds, a golf course, and a lake in which the homes were situated on. I always tend to try and speak with people whom are inhabitants to a particular location to gain a sense of story, passion, and draw my conclusions from there.

The demographics in which I drew in the majority of clients I have served and the relatives that are "condominium friendly" have been several. Most are drawn to the lifestyle of housing in which is maintained for a fee.... which is similar to apartments... however one must purchase a condo as they would a home.

My travels led me to a complex which was meticulously maintained, safe, and some of the tightest security in which I have encountered. The décor in the home was very cultural and included various hand carved pieces from overseas and some of furniture which severely ended in a sore back.

In conclusion... What do you look for in a place? In travel locations, in which people seem to settle down include places of solitude, quiet, and security.... especially in those who have retired or in the age bracket of valuing a low maintenance and carefree lifestyle.

Clean air is something that is rarely available

Clean air is the topic of tonight's blog... We constantly live in a society of emission whether it be from vehicles, animals, and factories. Pollution has become so commonplace that we huge factories pay a tax to pollute to a maintained standard. However, with corporations have endless streams of endless greenbacks many simple pay the overage charges and keep rolling. There are very few places I have encountered where I have felt that good air quality exists. Guatemala certainly wasn't a prized jewel due to the grey tint of smoke in that was projected off the cobblestone streets. However, Kentucky seemed to promise something different. In Conway, where I live we call the town the "City of Colleges". Kentucky should earn the nickname of the "State of Parks". Hiking is a past time in which I enjoy and it seemed like that in small town several parks existed.

One in particular was known as Torrent Falls. It honestly wasn't affiliated with the State Park system but was a private party climbing reserve. Prior to my trip I had been exercising so that once I arrived I wouldn't fall of the mountain. It was a rather sweat inducing environment with the temperatures being in the late 90s.

The reserve itself was beautiful and had very strict rules for what could be brought inside.  The grasses were mowed to a golf course style length and not a gum wrapper seemed to exist on the grounds. In retrospect, I am accustomed to seeing trash everywhere I go even in travels. But most of Kentucky had parks and roadways that weren't littered with garbage.

Perhaps we could learn from what Kentucky does...

The River of Life whilst overlooking Bad River

This morning I thought about my travels to Wisconsin and the lessons I have learned. One in particular could have been costly in the sense of danger, and loss in the wilderness. The Bad River.... which was ironic in my case flows from Lake Superior in Northern Wisconsin. The town of Mellen, WI showcases it in the Copper Falls State Park. There are several times in which I have hiked it however in the beginning it was with a friend or significant other.

As always, I seem to hike trails during the wrong part of the season or the worst weather conditions. In the summer months, I worked on a deck crew so the foul weather doesn't seem to phase me. But during one winter I made a terrible choice even though my hiking friend was with me. The trail itself isn't very long and spans about three miles which were marked in white. The downside and fallacy that occurred to the trail was the snow and ice that seemed to blend in well with the ribbons and chalk marks on the trees. However, a simple hike that was supposed to take 1 hour turned into six. My trail partner Penelope was inexperienced and halfway through being lost I had some difficulties keeping her calm. In some instances we were hiking large wooden stairs that were covered in ice and snow and in consequence it felt as if we were taking several steps backwards instead of advancing.

The river itself is one of the most calming and ambient bodies of water in which I have experienced. My long hike had a prize at the end of the trail in which I was interested. Through the slipping and sliding I carried an old 35mm camera and a tripod from the early 90's. Once at the bridge that overlooks an enormous looking creek the water would normally flow in warmer conditions. However, due to the temperatures which were close to 7 degrees the water was frozen in place. It seemed like time itself had stopped as I fixed my tripod and focused my camera for a shot.

Common sense or street smart is sometimes not in my vocabulary at times. As said we were lost, but having been lost on trails that were more than thirty miles I knew that the only way to find shelter, people, or a road was to stay calm and to keep walking. Most people when lost have a natural tendency to get increased anxiety and tend to want to shelter in place. I understand this completely because that the first behavior my brain is wanting me to conduct.

So, with the cold weather and our modern conveniences of cellular phones turning into paperweights an idea came upon me. Immediately, I saw a very nicely constructed fence made from timbers and formulated a plan. However, after presenting my idea it was met with yelling, shrewd remarks, and some words that I had never heard.... and frankly I didn't fault Penelope's reaction.

The plan was simple.... The fence looked expensive to construct and at some point I felt it would have to come out to some type of road. We followed the fence for what seemed like hours and eventually we came upon a large open area. Penelope ran to a fallen tree to sit down as she was exhausted in both a physical and mental sense. My bearings began to come into play at this point and I was able to walk several miles to my car.

Comically, this was the last trip Penelope and I shared as my traveling style of being carefree impacted any future trips. I learned several lessons however, during this trip. Nature has no conscience and considering the conditions of several feet of snow and ice on a intermediate level trail we could have been injured. The possibility of receiving help would have been remote.

Having said that, I still hike the trail alone however I tend to tell someone ahead of time and give them a frame in which I intend to complete it. We were lucky that we weren't injured or lost after dark and the consequences could have been disastrous. Sometimes when you play stupid games you win stupid prizes and luckily the prize that I received was a beautiful picture.

Pictures always seem to bring back memories, emotions, and even almost functions as a method of remembering the audio in a scene. The visuals in which we view creates associations whether positive or negative. Today, the motto in my travels was "Hakuna Matata". I was visiting a small town in Wisconsin that is known for its lighthouses, sailboats, and fishing vessels. The town in which I am speaking of is known as Bayfield. My timing when visiting is always horrible due to the tourist season being the Spring, Summer, and early Fall. However, being an Arkansan I go there normally on my Christmas break. The determination to visit the area still seems to stand strong and I visit a few corner shops on my walk near the harbor.

My favorite activity is looking at all the fishing vessels. Some are very large and can fit large crews on them for long days on the deck. My favorite fishing vessel is called the "Hakuna Matata II".  The boat was massive with a varied color schemes of blues, whites, and a terrific font that is colored in a light grey. I spent a few minutes admiring the care in which this captain maintained his boats. Being a deckhand on crew boats in my younger years I gained a sense of pickiness of vessel upkeep much like viewing someone's housecleaning compulsion. The lines..... Sailors and Deckhands never say rope. The lines were thick and well kept even though they had long icicles hanging off them. The line was almost meticulously wrapped around in a perfect figure eight with no sloppiness.

So I begin to digress back to the phrase we are all so familiar with from "The Lion King". I believe it was a pig that explained that it "means no worries" and "is such a wonderful thing". The gears in my mind started to turn as I thought that anyone who cared for something this well had to have some worries. However, my theory was split into pieces when I pondered the upkeep of his boat. Does he worry about the small things in life that cause him the least anxiety? Or perhaps.... Does make mountains out of mole hills?

After deep thought I came to an assumption and perhaps the meaning of the phrase for him was have anxiety over the small worries and dump the large ones in the lake. The captains worries were in my assumption the securing of the lines on his vessel, the meticulous exterior of the ship, and his pride.

I posted this picture today on several of my social networking sites. It fit the theme my day in which I was worried about driving a monstrosity of a truck down a road with belongings in which I have trained very little to feel confident about it. After looking at this photo, I began to smile and think about the captain. In conclusion, my day went very well as I took this lesson with me on the job site.

Lately, I have had an avid interest in experiencing nature. However, this comes from a perspective of turning off my phone, escaping modern conveniences, and trying to deafen out the sounds from trails that are in tuned more with the city. Today, after a hard day of doing the opposite of my normal eco friendly routine of driving a Prius I have been learning to kill small trees in regards to my new job. Kinda a paradox huh?

I will explain... and point this into my local travel routine to steer you into the right direction. My loveable Prius was totaled two months ago.... by yes.. a distracted driver. This has totally offset my routine as I have been driving a rental and learning a job that requires me to put enough gas emissions into the air to poison a small village. The paradox is that I stress the importance of tuning modern technology out of a car when traveling with the exception of the radio. The same modern conveniences in which I starve myself during a trip have been the same modern conveniences that have placed me into a new job and left me without my treasured gas saver for a small duration.

So my travels have been taking me to homes outside of my real estate career. I have placed the Prius on the backburner and have been learning to drive a thirty eight foot truck in my spare time. Lately, my normal routine of meeting with clients and learning to do real estate sales has been quite the opposite.... It has been an uncomfortable, anxious, and yet exciting time that has taken me to several places. In the past several days, instead of trying to sell contracts my priorities have been being the muscle behind the moving industry.. Hard work has always been my forte but driving monster trucks is not..

My point being is that after a day of screaming drivers, failed attempts of backing into the loading docks, and watching people perform race car maneuvers around my rig I desperately needed a local travel escape.

My escape brought me unto Emerald Island in North Little Rock. It wasn't far from the traffic in downtown Little Rock in the area in which I was working. I have found that I enjoy local trails that have some sort of water features such as; rivers, lakes, streams, and even water fountains on a hot summer day.

The trail is something of beauty in that it is located in the city of North Little Rock but it is off the beaten path enough to provide a sense of escape. My first priority was to rid myself of the bicyclists, joggers, and hikers. I tend to stray off the path and find a quiet place to sit alone and reflect on my day. Nature seems to bring the self reflection side out of me and as I overlooked the water my triumphs, failures, and anxiety seemed to dampen. My time spent in nature helps me to understand my shortcomings from the day and think about what matters most in my life.

The trail itself winds in a fashion across the river which leads unto Little Rock. However, Emerald Park is a much more strenuous hike which lacks the modern convenience of paving. After finding a spot away from the ipods, phones, and talking I reached the peak of the cliffs. Most people follow the trail markers however, being a daredevil I tend to stray from the markers and take the less traveled path. My final destination was sitting on a rock that overlooked a bluff to watch the sunset.

My conclusion for the day is that in hiking and traveling to new spots sometimes you have to reach from your comfort zone to experience a new perspective on things. Yes, it can cause some anxiety... Yes, it can cause some strain... But in the end result the reward of a new experience outweighs the monotony of taking the beaten path.

So here is the point in which I try to engage the reader to put down the television remote, unplug the vacuum, and unplug from daily life to read about traveling and the atmosphere in which I encounter through my day to day adventures. On one particularly stressful week amongst talk of lifestyle changes I spent a few hours of my time to decompress in one of many of our parks in the region in which I live.

Conway is known for its walking trails and the local joke is that "most of our taxes are building biking and walking paths". The City of Colleges has numerous trails in which you can encounter your coworkers, neighbors, and friends. However, when I am looking to detune myself I tend to stray away from others to enjoy the natural beauty of things. In my experience there is nothing worse than running into the people whom you intend to escape from.

I digress however into a spot that isn't popular.... isn't filled with bicycles.... and most importantly is a trail in which you feel alone. Later in the day I felt that need for a sense of escape away from the day to day monotony of ringing phones and long days in which social engagement can be somewhat draining.

The trail in which I am describing is located in Cadron Settlement Park. It is not amongst the most popular due to its image in 2009. I chose to move to the City of Colleges in the summer of 08 and the park was considered the local joke for sex busts in the area. In fact, several papers published busts of people frequenting the area for other activities. However, several other parks such as the Toad Suck Lock and Dam and the Tucker Creek trail had mixed issues also. But due to the Cadron being several miles outside of town and being in an isolated area it received a lot of bad publicity.

The situation of the bad publicity has taken a great deal of time to wear off and for some long term people whom have lived here it still raises jokes and rumors. However, with darkness a light emerges. The silver lining to the jokes, newspaper articles, and busts is that it remains very unfrequented by locals and is a spot for people whom are passing through the area.

The trail itself is located on a early 1800's settlement which includes a block house. Sometimes during the year a small festival is held to convey a sense of history to those seeking it. The trail is suitable for most any skill level however, it is not paved and isn't handicapped accessible like most of the trails in the heart of Conway. There are several spots in which to park with various picnic areas and views of the Arkansas River. However, if you plan a family gathering here it is advisable if you pack essentially everything you need. The act of forgetting to bring ketchup or mustard for hot dogs will result in a 15 minute trip across town and a venture through the Walmart parking lot with a severe risk of injury.

I tend to drive my vehicle to the top and follow the curves in the trail to the various spots. One spot in particular has a rock whom trail riders, hikers, and visitors have decorated. One year it was painted like the American flag and other years it was painted in a 70's theme. The rock tends to give the best sense of view of the river. Through rumor, it was told to me that the entire area was fenced that borders the river due to a drowning.

In conclusion, the park has been given a new image after 2009 and through all my hikes I have never felt threatened, propositioned, or disturbed. It is a family friendly area that is great for the younger and middle generation. However, the trail is cumbersome at times with hazards of ground roots, and turns on natural grown rather the pavement that is seen in more modern trails.