Today we traveled from Texarkana to Little Rock. Since it was announced at the drivers' meeting that the drive to Little Rock was only a couple of hours, we decided to travel with the convertible top down. When you are traveling in the sun for 6 hours a day, having a convertible top down is not such a treat.
But, two hours, what fun! I knew that we were in Arkansas when I saw the road side rock shops. Never mind that we did not look at the 176 miles listed on the daily schedule. You can't travel 176 miles in two hours, can you? Well, maybe if you go 115 mph all the way. I realized that we were going to drive down Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs. Exciting! We have been to Hot Springs several times. Hot Springs is such an old town. Seeing hundreds of hot rods pass down that street would be something special.
The scenery was probably the prettiest of the trip so far. We traveled up 70E, up 70E, and up 70E until we saw hot rodders turning around and telling us that 70E into Hot Springs was closed. By this time, we had been on the road at least four hours and now, we had to find our own way to Little Rock. There was an alternate route that would take us through Hot Springs, but the driver was ready to be in Little Rock so we cut across to I30 and traveled an hour to Little Rock.
Every night of the tour, the drivers meet in front of the venue stage. Each sponsor hands out free giveaways, hats, shirts. Kicker sound from Stillwater gave away $2000-$4000 worth of equipment to one person each night. Contintential Tires gave away a set of tires each night. That was our goal, to win the tires. Usually, you had to know trivia about a company, what year it was formed, what accessories the company sold, what transmission went with what engine. Many of these facts, you would learn by spendng time at the vendors booths. Once you were at the evening venue, you really had to act like you were on the Price is Right to get the MCs attention, basically like a fool. . So I'm finally catching on and starting to act crazy while my stoic husband sits beside me. He points
After a total of six hours, we were in Little Rock, in the Rivermarket District. We stayed at all the Hot Rod Power Tour host hotels, and Little Rock's hotel was the Peabody, with the ducks. We follow the GPS to 3 Statehouse Plaza, the correct address of the Peabody, but there is no Peabody, only the Marriott. After passing it twice, we convince ourselves to stop and, guess what? As of May 1st, the Peabody became the Marriott. The ducks were gone. The comforters and sheets were luxurious. There was no swimming pool.
Very nicely, the hotel allowed us to pay the $20 for valet services, but allowed the hot rod owners to drive their own cars to the lots with shuttle service back to the hotel. I guess they understood very quickly that valet drivers would ot work. The shuttle driver was a young gearhead and he said that day of hot rods was the best day of his life.
However, we were at the Rivermarket District, a cool area that reminds me of Bricktown, and I knew exactly where we were headed. The Flying Fish, an East Texas fish joint. I almost hyperventilated waiting in line. I ordered the fried oyster Po Boy with red beans and rice, and pickled green tomatoes. Jim had the catfish and fries. Then we walked across the pedestrian only Junction Bridge, that goes over the Arkansas River to North Little Rock.
Thumbs up today - 8
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