Jenkin's Ferry

What to do on such hot days but go for a car ride in the a/c. It turned out to be a fun experience. We drove to the little town of Paron and stopped at the store for a geocache. It was noon and the lady suggested the pizza place next door was good. Indeed it was. On down the backroads to Leola we enjoyed the countryside and soon arrived at Jenkins' Ferry State Park. Yes, we are here to find a geocache!

After finding the cache we went down to learn more about the area.  Here the Union troops fought off an attack by the Confederates. They used an inflatable pontoon bridge to cross the flooded Saline River and retreat to Little Rock.

 This land was settled by Thomas Jenkins. He started a ferry in 1815 which was run by his sons until the Civil War. There was not much water at the site of the old ferry during this summer drought.

We wound our way back to Hot Springs and stopped at Garvan Woodland Gardens for the salsa sampling contests. These ladies might not have had the best salsa but they had the best spirit. Salsa and margaritas on a hot day? Why not!