Adding Arkansas to Our Quest List

Arkansas was next on our itinerary after our visit to Oklahoma. Although we had been able to run a race in Oklahoma that fulfilled our wish to participate in an event that benefited a meaningful cause, we were not as lucky with our Arkansas race. Booking two races on consecutive days in adjoining states can be tricky. The Hogeye Marathon 5K in Springdale checked off two of the three boxes (date and location), so we signed up.

It was an easy drive east from Tulsa to Fayetteville. As northerners, we were intrigued by the abundance of armadillos along the highway. Alas, most of these creatures were no longer among the living.

Our Airbnb was perched high up on a hill in the Mt. Sequoyah neighborhood. We were pleased we were not running in Fayetteville because it seemed that the city consisted entirely of daunting up hills and swooping downhills.

We typically try to locate the start of the race the day before we run. However, due to the fact the race was in another town, we figured we’d just find it the next morning. We left our Airbnb while it was still dark and followed the GPS directions to the location noted on the race website. As we approached the designated destination we found the road blocked by construction and no sign of runners or race infrastructure. After driving a few other routes, we finally arrived at a parking lot which was reassuringly teeming with runners carrying t-shirts and bib numbers. As usual, the vibe was festive and energizing but the temps were shockingly brisk. After nabbing our shirts and numbers, we soaked up a bit more warmth in the car before it was time to line up to start our second race in two days. The course traveled through a pleasant paved parkway. The route was thankfully flat and we were soon crossing the finish line after completing our 48th state race.

Another way to place in our age group, besides running in a small race, is to run in the shortest race of a series that also includes a marathon, half marathon, and 10K. I was pleased to find that I had once again placed first in my age-group (this also seems to become easier the older I get and the number of entrants in the age-group declines). This time, however, I was not presented with a charming hand-made African stuffed animal. Instead, they checked their results list and said they’d have to mail me the award. I was pleased to have placed and was ambivalent about the actual award (which ended up being good, since it never arrived).

After returning to our Airbnb to shower, our next destination was the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. This is an expansive museum of American art in Bentonville. The founder, Alice Walton, daughter of Sam Walton of Walmart, established this museum, which opened in November 2011. It is set on 120 acres and combines stunning architecture, outdoor exhibits, and nature trails.

One of the pieces that I found particularly moving was “Bonfire”. The museum provides this description of the work:

Carla Edwards reflects, “The composition, color, and ritual customs associated with the American flag are so fixed. There is nothing fixed or universal about the experience of citizenship; it’s very murky. My method of making this series acknowledges that complexity with a set of invented rituals.” Edwards developed this work in response to the 2016 election cycle. She used dyes and heat to alter strips she cut from commercial US flags, piecing them into a new quilted composition.

We were also mesmerized by Jardin de Narciso, an outdoor installation of large silver balls floating on water. They glided across the water in ever-changing formations as the wind shifted, making a melodious tinkling sound as they clinked together.

The museum also offered an opportunity to tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Backman-Wilson house which had been reassembled on the grounds after being dismantled in New Jersey and transported to its current location. Being able to stroll from room to room as we listened to an audio tour truly provided us with a deeper understand and appreciation of Wright’s work.

After an afternoon of wandering the exhibits and grounds, we returned to Fayetteville to enjoy a quiet dinner and an opportunity to recap our quick visit in Arkansas.

Before traveling to Arkansas, our main association with the state was knowing it was where our beloved “foster-fail” pup, Cherry, had come from. Wynne Friends of Animals is a marvelous animal rescue shelter that we had the pleasure of working with when we fostered several dogs they sent north. We had hoped to include a visit to them on our trip, but unfortunately that didn’t transpire.

The next morning we retraced our route back to Tulsa, pleased to have checked two more states off of our quest list and excited to return home to Cherry and our other foster-fail, pup, Maggie. Next on our quest agenda was Hawaii! Curating an itinerary for this epic trip was a task I was eager to tackle.

Quest Race #: 48

State: Arkansas

Race: Hogeye Marathon 5K

Date Run: April 16, 2023

Bottom Line: Perhaps our visit to Arkansas was not one of our most exciting or notable, but we were pleased to have been able to squeeze in a second race in two days in order to add Arkansas to our list of completed states.