I started the day in search of a deadly, unhealthy, hearty breakfast at Dilly's Diner. A run/walk race brought many people downtown this morning so my plans were thrwarted as Dilly's was packed to the gills. That led me to walk down the street and find Inheritance juice bar where I figured I'd get an immunity shot since I'm being exposed to a lot of people. That led to vegan avocado toast and an Americano coffee. Then I had to go across the street to Hurts donuts where I walked out with one bacon encrusted cake donut.
Then it was back to Greenwood Rising another museum covering the Tulsa race riot. I didn't find it as moving because while the animation was well done, it wasn't as compelling as the video interviews with the survivors. I found the "steps to nowhere" that a girl at the brewery said she didn't know what they were until recently. They are the steps to houses that were burned. As I stood there I wondered what I was standing on. Or what was in that pile of debris that was overgrown.
One of the survivor's interviews at 98 told how she had had a still born baby earlier in the day and was going to bury it that evening. As the violence approached her home she wrapped the baby in a shoebox as she prepares to flee. While running, the baby fell out of the box. She wanted to stop and look for it, but her husband urged her own before they were trampled or shot. All the years later, the woman wept during her interview because she never knew what happened to her baby's body.
My next stop was going to be PhilbrookArt Museim and gardens. I got distracted along the way by the Art Deco United Methodist Chirch in Boston Ave. When I arrived at the museum it was swarming with kids and trick or treat pumpkins, so I opted to go down the street to the historical society that had also been recommended to me. It was not opening until 1 pm due to the road closures caused by the race. :(
I had spoken to a couple there by the rose garden, and they caught up with me again by my car. They mentioned the botanical gardens but it was north and I was heading south. I said I was going to bike Turkey mountain, but they suggested the river trail on the Arkansas River. And they said they had lived in St. Cloud MN so they knew of the area where I live. Always a small world.
The river trail was awesome and I did a 10mile ride before turning south for Ft. Smith, AR. I made a stop to get pecans which are grown here and to to try to find the Trail of Tears museum in Salisaw. That was unsuccessful, and that town while filled with American flags, was run down and full of closed down stores. It didn't look great on a rainy day, but I'm not sure it's very cheery on a sunny one. I wondered what jobs once existed there that are no more.
I reached Ft Smith a bit before 4 pm and my room at the Red Roof was not ready when I went in. The maid assured me she would do it next. I said I was going to walk uptown so it was ok. The main drag, Garrison St. Is famous for a US Marshall's reunion in 1905. There were some cool old buildings,but again many shuttered shops.
Timeless Oddities and Curiosities was open and I scored some Pisces tea and a Christmas gift for Diana. I asked for dinner recommendations and got quite a list. I opted for Rolandos neuovo Latin cuisine. I had a shrimp dish and got a two half desserts--one of boozy bananas and Ice cream and one slice of airy rum cake.
Tomorrow's itinerary includes Ft Smith, the trolley museum and a civil war battlefield before I head to Little Rock. I'm planning to camp in Little Rock, so I need the rain to move on before tomorrow afternoon!
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