----
Lake Ouachita State Park offers an overnight kayaking and camping experience several times a year. This photo shows the staff of the park giving us a safety briefing before we started.
The participant who had recently moved from the Houston area, where he did kayaking in the Gulf of Mexico, had a much longer kayak, and used a "Greenland-style" paddle. Another feature of his ocean-style kayak was that it was equipped with an "apron" that attached to the cockpit of the kayak, and then around the occupants waist, with the goal being to stay dry when waves are washing over the kayak sides.
Another one of the participants was using the yellow, inflatable kayak shown in photo below. It suited her "nomadic" lifestyle, as she is currently a full-time RV-er. You can follow her travels around the country on her website,
www.jillsessa.com .
The tip of the kayak I had rented from the park is shown in this photo. I was trying to get a photo to put on a favorite Facebook page I follow, called "Look at the Front of My Kayak". The site lets people post photos of what the view is from the tip of their kayak and beyond---no "selfies" allowed on this page! It is fascinating to see the scenery kayakers enjoy, on their paddling excursions around the world!
Before we started, our leaders had told us that we would stop occasionally, and "raft up", to hear the leader share some interesting comments about what we were observing. To "raft up", each kayaker just holds on to the boat beside them.
Along our paddling route, we passed some "GEO FLOATS", like the one in this photo. They are numbered, and there is a directory at the Visitor Center that gives an explanation of the significant geological formation that each float designates.
The little orange box attached to this kayak is a "GO PRO" , waterproof video camera that can be used to record action sports, without interfering with the user's hands. The video camera had a remote control device that the kayaker attached to his belt, so it could easily be turned on and off, without touching the camera.
Since Lake Ouachita is the largest man made lake within Arkansas borders, it is not surprising to see sail boats out in the main channels. The lake covers 40,000 acres and has 975 miles of shoreline. It has been named one of the cleanest lakes in America!
Our group stopped on an island to have lunch, after a couple of hours of paddling. The blue line shown on the right of this photo is connected to the pontoon boat that accompanied us, carrying our camping gear, cookware, and food supplies.
As we "broke bread together", I was DELIGHTED that the sandwich bar choices included my personal favorite----Nature's Own bread, with just 40 calories per slice! YEA! Other items available included a variety of deli sandwich meats, condiments, lettuce, tomatoes, chips, cookies, and beverages. Plus, a great advantage of this particular event the park sponsors, is that the big boat that accompanies us is equipped with a "Port-A-Potty"!
The young girl in the photo below went wading when we stopped, and found a beautiful, large specimen of a pure quartz crystal. This area is known for its numerous quartz mines.
Once we arrived at the island, we chose any location on the island we wanted, to set up our tent. The size and type of tents that participants set up varied widely: I used a "Junior Style", shown in photo below:
All the equipment shown in the photo below, this couple is able to fit in the backpack each of them brought. The inside of their tent included (almost!) all the comforts of home!
This campsite was "color-coordinated", with matching chairs and tent!
This tent had the tallest center section, because the park staff member who was using it, told us she was the tallest one in the group!
Since the weather we had was absolutely fantastic, no rain covering was needed, so this person's tent was taking advantage of the pleasant breeze, while at the same time keeping out insects.
One lady in the group did not want to sleep directly on the ground, so she chose a tent style that would fit on top of her very wide cot. She said she had a very comfortable night, and never rolled off the edge of the cot!
I liked the twinkly lights inside this tent. There was no electricity on the island, so all our lights were battery operated. ( For those people who do not have a tent, you can rent them from the state park. )
Our leader, Kayla---accompanied by Jill in her yellow inflatable kayak---took an exploratory paddle trip after supper, to an adjoining island.
The rest of us relaxed around our camp circle, satisfied by the delicious catered BBQ meal that Kayla's husband had delivered to us, via power boat. The food was from Stubby's, a well-known and popular Hot Springs restaurant.
Before it got totally dark, a campfire was started---without matches---just to demonstrate that it WAS possible! Several of us offered up matches we had brought with us, but the staff was determined to do it "cave-man" style!
And the "Icing on the Cake", was the campfire standby of the class " S-'mores ", as in "I want some more!" Who can turn down the opportunity to toast marshmallows!
This photo shows Kayla's husband, who brought his guitar, so we could sing a few campfire tunes. He had a large repertoire of songs, and allowed us to make requests of whatever we wanted to hear. Even though I sound like a crow when I sing, it was fun belting out the lyrics to some old familiar choruses from the past!
I took a photo of the glistening dew on the kayak as the sun rose over the Eastern horizon. My tent was on the east side of the island, so I had a prime location for watching the sun come up!
The lake level was a bit higher than normal, which accounts for the grasses along the shoreline being partially covered. This life-saver ring with the park name on it, is a reminder for me to mention that their website is
www.arkansasstateparks.com and their phone number is 501-767-9366.
This photo shows one of our kayak participants, who is a seasoned camper, and likes to help others also enjoy time in the outdoors. He has tutorials on outdoor equipment, as well as records of his explorations, on his website at
www.camperjohn.com .
It was fun seeing people on this trip, that I had met on previous trips a few years ago. Deanna and some of her family/friends from the Dallas area, have been coming up to Lake Ouachita State Park for several years, to participate in the kayak camp out.
The very first overnight kayaking/campout event the park sponsored over a decade ago, was led by a staff member who was not a coffee drinker, and was unaware how important morning coffee is to those who are used to it. He told the story of how that first trip, when his campers woke up and discovered there was no coffee, got in their kayaks and paddled immediately to the closest marina, abandoning him on the island to contemplate his "oversight"! The situation has been fully remedied since then, with a WONDERFUL setup for fresh brewed coffee, as well as steaming hot water for tea or instant oatmeal. KUDOS TO THE "KOFFEE KREW"!
Other items on the breakfast table included orange juice, assorted fresh fruit, packaged granola bars, instant cereals, and peanut butter.
In addition, in what might be called a "Dutch-oven Cooking Demonstration", Kayla cooked sausage, and Tim cooked scrambled eggs. We then put these on flour tortillas, to make breakfast burritos. They were delicious!
We once again enjoyed relaxing around the campfire, as we swapped stories about our outdoor life experiences. Later, we all packed up our tents, loaded the pontoon boat, and got back in our kayaks, to start the six-mile paddle back to our starting point. If a reader thinks they could not paddle six miles, do not be concerned. Anyone who wants to, can load their kayak into the pontoon boat, and ride it back to the marina, instead of paddling the entire distance. Likewise, in the past when the weather or wind was threatening, the staff loaded all the kayaks into the pontoon boat to return them safely to shore. If you have ever been paddling on "unfriendly" water during a weather event, you can appreciate this "power boat" option!
This photo of the back of Jill's boat, shows the wheels of the cart she uses to haul it in and out of the water wherever she goes. She travels alone (except for the little doggie, Logan, you can see), so she said she needs the wheels to assist in those maneuvers.
The
mother-daughter shown in this photo, had rented a tandem kayak, which is another option available, besides the single person kayak like I rented.
A nice feature of this event is that the staff has "walkie-talkie" devices that allow them to communicate with the driver of the pontoon boat, as well as the staff member at the front of the kayak paddling caravan communicating with the staff member at the back of the kayak paddling caravan.
The
park staff said that the pontoon boat we were using had originally been a ferry boat that could hold a car. Although it no longer hauls cars, it is a very spacious and useful vessel for events such as this.
The island where we stopped on the way back was famous because it is literally covered in quartz crystal rocks! It was fun to roam the narrow island, looking for a pure crystal specimen!
I want to say a big THANK YOU to the park staff that made our event so enjoyable! I can highly recommend this outing to both beginners and advanced kayakers/campers, as all skill levels can be accommodated.
As I was preparing my gear for this event, I was also doing a First Place 4 Health Bible study (
www.FirstPlace4Health.com ) that had a lesson on Moses leading the Israelites on their famous "camping trip" in the wilderness. I was reminded that the word "tabernacle" actually means "tent". Exodus 33:7 says, "Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting." (By the way, one of the ladies in or group actually had one of those tents, that literally, all you had to do was "pitch" or throw it into the air, and it snapped together automatically!) And for any of you that are apprehensive about spending the night in a tent outside, here is a Bible verse for you: "The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and rescues them." Psalm 34:7 Knowing that the presence of the LORD is encamped around me gives me "MILES OF SMILES"! Tricia
Since I grew up in northern Arkansas before the "technological revolution", the only "Huntsville" I knew about, was the town one hour west of where I lived, that was famous for being the home town of the current governor of Arkansas. It was not until I was working at the hospital in Mountain Home, Arkansas, when a co-worker said she was going to be a chaperone for a group of school kids going to "Space Camp", that the town of Huntsville, Alabama came across my "radar screen". When my co-worker returned, she had great things to say about the Space Camp experience, so I have been wanting to visit this place from that moment forward! This photo shows the entrance to Space Camp ( 
The lodging accommodations at Space Camp are called "Habitats", and there are three of these Habitats on the campus. The original format as a place for youngsters only, has been modified and adapted, to include programs for adults and families. Also, in addition to the week-long programs, visits are available for a one night/two day stay, as well as a two night/three day program. You can see the interiors of the Habitats by visiting their websites. 
This Space Shuttle
One can arrange an optional bus tour to go visit the Marshall Space Flight Center. The tour includes stops at historic test stand sites, and the Payload Operations Center. The Payload Operations Center is the science command post for the International Space Station (ISS). The tour bus riders also see the central research hub for propulsion systems and technologies---called the Propulsion Research and Development Laboratory.
I included this drone photo as a reminder to mention that a new feature added to the educational offerings at the Space and Rocket Center, is a Robotics Camp. It is specifically designed to teach interested young people about the engineering and design of robotics on land, in the air, and underwater. Now that drone technology has trickled down to a gift a youngster finds under their Christmas tree, I predict more and more kids will be wanting to attend Robotics Camp!
A bus tour also includes visits to the Redstone Arsenal, headquarters to the Army Material Command. Visitors can see the National Historic Landmark Redstone Test Stand, and the Dynamic Test Stand, used to test the Saturn 5 Rocket. 
At the entrance to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, you will see this group of signs, that tells some of its history. Since its opening in 1970, it has helped educate the public about these significant events about Huntsville, Alabama: It is where rockets were developed that put the first U.S. satellite into orbit and sent men to the moon. It is where the propulsion of the space shuttle was developed. It is where modules for the International Space Station were designed and built. It is where America's next great ship---The Space Launch System---is being designed (the first flight of the Space Launch System is planned for 2018). And finally, it is where the International Space Station is monitored 24/7.
There are free exhibits that you can see, even before entering the building. This photo shows the Lockheed SR-7, and is a reminder that yet another educational "camp" experience that has been added is the "Aviation Challenge", where one can get the experience of being a fighter pilot. In addition to the permanent exhibits, there are also temporary traveling exhibits that you can investigate. To see what is currently available, visit their website at 
This sculpture sits at the entrance to the museum, and reminds me of the quote I read about visiting this place: "Here, everyone can be an astronaut for a day." 
As you would expect, they have a very popular gift shop, where just about anything related to space and rockets is available for purchase. In addition, many of these items can be purchased on-line, using the link available on their website.
For those of you who enjoy designing with Leggos, take a look at this model of the Space Shuttle, that was on display in the lobby!
One can also purchase 
There is a plaza adjacent to the museum that is open to the public, and also available for rental for special events.
I happened to be there for a trade show, but the general public can enjoy the Apollo Terrace and Apollo Courtyard on most Thursday nights throughout the year. That is when ( in a "nod" to Wernher von Braun, and the other German immigrants who were some of the pioneers of America's space program), there is a German Biergarten featuring authentic German beverages and cuisine. It is family friendly, and leashed dogs are welcome on the Apollo Terrace. There is no admission fee, but one pays for whatever food/beverage they choose.
The replica Saturn V rocket system, marking the location of the Space Center is so tall, that you will not be able to miss it, as you drive on the Interstate Highway going in front of it. In fact, it is a landmark that can be seen from many miles away. The vertical replica in this photo was constructed in 1999. I had to tilt my camera to get the whole thing in the viewfinder! There is an actual "working" Saturn V on horizontal display in the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. The one on horizontal display was used for actual test missions of the Saturn V. From 1969 - 2007, it was on display outdoors, but has been moved indoors since the special building was constructed to house it. 
One of the added features of the park is the option to take a "Moon Buggy" ride around the property. However, it was not in operation on the day I visited, which is just as well, since I was needing the exercise of walking the several acres that make up the visitor's experience.
They call this their "Rocket Garden", but they also have a "space garden", where they teach the Space Camp participants what they will need to know to grow their own food in space. 
Seeing the sun God created, as it illuminated all these man-made rockets, reminded me of one of my First Place 4 Health ( 