The weather channel is showing current temperature 37 degrees Fahrenheit and wind chill of 22 degrees Fahrenheit.  The normal is supposed to be in the 70's for this time of year but they are having an unusually cold spell in this part of the country.  The wind speed is 24 to 30 mph with gust 40+ mph.  So here I go again off into another cold, windy day.  (9:15am)

WOW what an incredible day!!!  OK I left and rode into a very very very cold day.   The wind was blowing hard and piercing through my four layers of clothes.  I could feel the wind reaching through the fabric and touching my skin with its burning cold embrace.  My hands and feet were warm due to my 3 layers on each.

I reached Eureka Springs and stopped in the Conoco station to get warmed and debate continuing my ride into Missouri today.  It was miserably cold and the wind just kept stabbing at me.  I decided to take a quick look in the phone book and check on motel prices and WOW there are several hundred total in this town of 1900 people.  This is a big tourist town with a summer/fall population of 10,000 with all the tourism.  The lady in the Conoco said this was called a "Blackberry Winter".  She also said that it may be difficult to find a room since this is the annual AA (alcoholics Anonymous) weekend.  And come to find out that this is the busiest weekend of the year for liquor stores.  She said that many put the alcohol in different bottles like soda bottles and that when she used to help clean the convention center after it was over, she would find alcohol hidden everywhere.  She has  even found bottles hidden in toilet tanks.  During my motel contemplation Niki comes into the store from the 1867 motel across the street.  She said they have just 2 rooms left due to AA weekend and could give me one for $45.  So I went across the street and checked in.

After I checked in I decided to walk downtown and check out the historic downtown.  I got about a half mile down the road and saw "The Daily Planet Internet Cafe".   Wooo Hooo  I can check my e-mail again!!!  Going inside I was greeted by Jana (pronounced Yah na) with a nice smiling face :)  She led me to the computers and I felt at home on the net again!  I can't say enough about these exceptionally nice people!!!!  Jana and her husband J.R. own this cafe' and they are wonderful people.   They let me check my e-mail and I showed them my web site for my trip.  I was getting very hungry so I went next door to  "Sparky's Restaurant" and had a veggie burger.  The hostess Julie told me about the local hangout, Chelsea's and talked about this town.  She said it took her several years to find this place and she really loves it here.  I then returned to the internet cafe, and met Christine, she told me about the Crescent Hotel and their New Moon Spa.  She said I need to check that place out since they have Physical Therapists on staff as well Massage Therapists.  Earlier J.R. had offered to give me a ride downtown since it was 1.5 miles away.  WOW!  The hospitality!!  I may not be able to leave :)    So Jana drove me downtown and dropped me off to wander around a bit. 

The downtown area is really quite incredible.  A very old historic town dating back to when the Indians came here for the healing power of the springs.  There are many bath houses and lots of people in the healing arts that live here.  The town seems to draw in many of the artistic types as well.  I was overwhelmed with so much information about this town that I will add more info later when I have more time to write it all down.  All I can say is that I am soooo glad I stopped!!!  As one person put it "this place seems to be in spiritual harmony."  The town is situated in the mountains and is filled with so many unique shops and people. 

While downtown it began to rain a little so I ducked into the Chelsea's Corner Bar.   This is that locals bar Julie told me about, it was filled with many hippie types.   As I made my way to the bathroom the room was filled with lots of laughter and was standing room only.  The rain soon stopped and I headed back out down Spring Street.   I went inside "Zarks: A Fine Design Gallery"  as it started to rain again with a mix of SNOW!  Sara gave me a map of downtown and pointed the "must sees" of the town.

After it quit raining again I headed back out and stopped at the Palace Hotel and Bath House.  Established in 1901 and was filled with lots of unique architecture.   Unfortunately, I was unable to look at the "baths" and those steam box things.  But Sharon showed me pictures of them and explained the procedure as well as the origins of the bath houses in this town.  After talking about my interests in holistic medicine and the many different forms of healing techniques, she told me I need to talk to Scott and Donna at Health Works.  Apparently Scott had studied Ayruveda medicine and incorporates many different techniques in his practice.

By now the sun was going down so I called J.R. and he came downtown to pick me up.   Back at the cafe' I met some friends of J.R.'s and Jana's, Christopher and Mariellen.  They own the Lake Lucerne Resort here in town.  We talked for quite awhile and Christopher showed me their web site and explained the history of the resort.  www.eureka-springs-usa.com/lucerne/  And yet again I meet more very friendly people that are making me want to stay even more here.

The evening gave me a chance to talk to J.R. a little more and discover how unique of an individual he is.  He met his wife in the Czech Republic and has had a life filled with travel.  J.R. is an artist with a very kind and generous personality.   Mariellen had told me many of the extraordinary details of his life but many of those details escape me now as my day has been filled with so much information and new people.  But by the end of the day I was beginning to feel a connection between myself and these new friends I've made.

I'm am so glad that I decided to stop here and I didn't continue on into Missouri :)

I know there are many better descriptive words I can use in my writing but as I just put this stuff down I really don't think that much into it.  When my trip is through I will refine what I have written and remove all the typos and poor grammar.  If I spend too much time writing it takes away from time I can be spending enjoying the world around me :) 

Today - 28.17 miles
Total -  1785 miles
Average Speed: 9mph

Update 05/25/02:
JR's cafe is no longer in business and for more information about Eureka Springs please visit these websites:
www.eurekaspringsonline.com
www.eurekaspringschamber.com