#13 ARKANSAS

I continued straight down the freeway cruising in my cobalt blue Dodge Avenger listening to a rotation of all Elvis- all the time radio and blues. I arrived in Blytheville, AR for a welcome stay at the Hampton Inn. Blytheville is just south of the Missouri border so the bulk of my Arkansas exploration, so to say, was left for the next morning.

Arkansas is a state filled with many sights but for me I didn’t do it justice, only driving through the Delta into Memphis.

When I think of Arkansas two things come to mind: WalMart and Bill Clinton.
Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, was born in Hope, AR which is on the opposite side of the state. Is there some sort of monument to him there? I don’t even know. His Presidential Library is in Little Rock and sounds to be very worthy of a visit. Other notable Arkansas natives are Scott Joplin, Douglas MacArthur and Maya Angelou.

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I saw no one of that renown but I did visit a WalMart. Sam Walton, a businessman from Arkansas, began his retail career at a J.C. Penney store in Iowa. I really wish it had been the J.C. Penney flagship store in Kemmerer, WY because it would then appear as if I was doing some sort of cohesive research and had a master plan in my travel but it’s strictly coincidence that I went by the first Penney’s two weeks ago. Walton’s retail career led him to Bentonville, AR where he opened "Walton's Five and Dime" Which eventually led to WalMart, which love it or hate, it one of the largest retail companies in the world, serving over 176 million weekly (so says walmart.com). I was one of the 176 million when I wandered in search of more cold medicine. My third purchase in three states that day. At least I was experiencing a part of Arkansas culture!

My gasoline purchase seemed worthy of documentation. Will I ever see regular unleaded for 3.39.9 again?

Just one example of what I was sharing the road with.

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An interesting bit of trivia about the naming of the state: It was originally the Territory of Arkansaw formed from land acquired in the Louisiana Purchase but a compromise and an act of the state senate designated the name Arkansas but pronounced ar-kan-saw when they attained statehood in 1836.

and then I crossed the Mississippi...