Return Roadtrip Stop 3

OK ... yes.  We missed stop 2 because that was New Orleans ... and what happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans.  Besides which, I didn't feel like lugging my camera around the French Quarter.  So stop 3 and the final on the return home trip was Wakulla Springs in the Florida panhandle.

The next morning Tina and I headed out for a morning hike along the trails around the springs.

One of the many sinkholes around the trails.

Then we went on a guided boat tour of the springs and got to see the wealth of birds, alligators, and beauty of the preserved Wakulla Springs.

First of all, our tour guide.  Extremely bright  professor from FSU who enjoyed doing tours a couple times a week to share his knowledge of the local area.

And here's the fellow who made sure passengers stayed on board.

And here's the most beautiful creature on the springs that day.

And then that afternoon we drove the rest of the way home and celebrated a successful couple of road trips and a fantastic reunion.

Return Roadtrip Stop 1

Leaving Missouri we made our way down to Hot Springs Arkansas.

The next day we made our way in the morning to Garvan Woodland Gardens.  It's run by the University of Arkansas and competes up there with some of the best gardens around.  It includes perhaps 20 different specialty themed gardens and the a large portion that has been left undeveloped for now other than paths leading through the native forestry.

Afterwards we headed into downtown Hot Springs to visit the National Park and the famous bath houses that put Hot Springs on the map.  We visited one of the original historical bath houses and took a tour.  Frankly the bath houses back in the early 30's through 40's we just barbaric in the types of "medical" treatments they gave to people, including spreading mercury all over peoples bodies.

Regardless, the rich kept coming (until they started dying off anyway) and lived in the lap of luxury while at the facilities.