Well, you're just right up the way from me then. It's good to have a fellow Arky around here.
I'm originally from the deep south (the Miami, Florida area <G>), but my
late father's job transferred the family to Little Rock 45 years ago...and, I've been here ever since. I have no plans to move again.
I used that phrase "as the crow flies" one time in a meeting with some guys from IL once. After an awkward silence, puzzled look, and a few questions later, I had educated them on what it means...lol
One time at another hobby of mine, square dancing...I was telling these single ladies about a spring weekend in Arkansas, Toad Suck Daze...which
is held in downtown Conway in late April or early May each year (Covid-19 messed that up recently, though). There used to be a square dance club in Conway, and they had "an all singing call dance" that was held the same
weekend as Toad Suck Daze. The club would have a competition between two
teams, on selling prize and raffle tickets. It basically made the club
enough money to last the year (you have to pay for the hall, the caller,
etc.). One year, the teams were "The Great Horny Toads", and "The Frisky
Frigid Frogs". <BG>
There is a T-shirt that truthfully notes "Where is Conway, Arkansas??",
and the answer is "Halfway between Toad Suck and Pickles Gap". Arkansas
has some strange town names, and I have a pun questionnaire on the BBS
with nearly 100 Arkansas towns...the clue is usually a play on words, or
a pun. My favorite one is as follows:
Clue: Kiss Again.
Town: Smackover. <G>
But, these young ladies thought I said "Toe Suck" instead of "Toad
Suck". So, I had to explain to them how it got its name. Around 150
years ago, it was still a port along the Arkansas River. Legend has
it that the towboat operators would stop off, and come to the local
tavern, and "suck on the bottles of booze, until they swelled up like
toads".
Yet, Toad Suck Daze brings in a carnival atmosphere to downtown
Conway during that week, and they close off many of the downtown
streets. Plus, with all the people, it also helps the local economy.
One item they have to be very concerned about is that the Union
Pacific Railroad (formerly Missouri Pacific Railroad) Van Buren
Subdivision, runs through downtown Conway...between North Little
Rock (where their big classification yard and diesel shops are)
and Van Buren, just east of Fort Smith, separated by the Arkansas
River, which also separates Little Rock and North Little Rock. So,
volunteers from Operation Lifesaver, the national organization that
promotes safety at railroad crossings, watch for trains (they have
"slow orders" coming through there), and keep people off the tracks
once the lights, bells, and gates, activate, for approaching trains.
Man, I remember that ice storm we had in 2000. The whole city and surrounding areas didn't have power for about a month. Some of the
rural areas didn't have it for 2 or 3 months. People were stealig generators from the local utility companies which meant no phones, no
gas, and once they emptied the water towers there was no water either. Trees down across the roads everywhere. It was a mess.
That was the case across much of north Arkansas. And, portions of
Arkansas are so rural, that you can't get internet access...let alone
get coverage for cellphones, or even amateur radio.
Daryl
... Change is good; especially when it relates to underwear.
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