I think this falls under the auspices of the Mental Health Department. I took a vacation and I felt very differently. I was able to let go of the concerns of my day-to-day life.

Staying fit, whether mentally or physically, should not be a chore that has no other purpose. This is why you don’t hear me slaving at the stationary bike doing something I hate for the sake of health. There are so many options that I am bound to find plenty that I enjoy so much more. One of the things I have loved doing for the past couple of years is hiking. And the hiking is mighty fine at Mount Nebo State Park, near Dardanelle, Arkansas.
I very much appreciate the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps who, in the 1930’s, built the trails and cabins here at this park. Those cabins are very well built, and the trails, while challenging, are navigable and in places there are stone steps built in.

One of the other trails is called the Summit Park Trail, named after the Summit Park Hotel that existed here around the turn of the twentieth century. It burned down and, for financial reasons, was never rebuilt. But it was apparently fairly impressive, there was a pool, bowling alley, in addition to the hiking and camping available now. People really knew how to enjoy themselves, even back then. Of course, it was probably mainly for the well-to-do, but it’s interesting that that kind of leisure was possible.

In this episode I encounter some of the more challenging parts of the Rim Trail, which parts are marked “strenuous” by the park authorities. But there are all levels of difficulty here. But it is nice to know I can handle the difficult sections.

In addiction to hiking and relaxing, I planned this trip so I could engage in my passion of writing and my favorite way to relax, reading. I chose a variety of authors, including my favorite, William Faulkner, his fellow Mississippian Eudora Welty, Charles Dickens, and Harold Bell Wright. I brought way more than I could possibly read in four days. But I was able to read enough that I was definitely ready to go out and hike. But I did not mind so much that it rained for most of two days, because I was able to stay in and read and write.

You might not think of me as a writer, but really, podcasting is writing. I write each of these episodes, even if I don’t write a word-for-word script. And each episode has a show-notes blog post. I have also published two short stories (under my pen name Davis Falk) and a philosophy paper. If you like my writing, it’s one way you can support what I do, here are links for that purpose:

The Spaceport was Empty https://amzn.to/2H5cm6X
The Amblerino https://amzn.to/2VkAXNM
The Philosophy of Suicide https://amzn.to/2LsRR8p

There are two places that are recommended for all visitors here, Sunset Point and Sunrise Point. I go to Sunset Point, but don’t see any markings indicating that’s what it is. I pass Sunrise Point along the way, which is on the east end of the mountain, and the place to be, as its name suggests, when the sun rises. Likewise, you want to be at Sunset Point when the sun sets. The horizon is cloudy today, and I don’t get much of an impression. Also, there is a tree blocking the view at sunset point, if I did in fact find it. But the views are great all around the mountain. I highly recommend it!

Also, I recommend you check out the YouTube video I made along with this episode to see some of those panoramic views for yourself:

Official Arkansas State Parks website:
https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/mount-nebo-state-park