Little Rock AR to Bentonville AR
Today we have to travel 400 miles, so we got an early start and left the hotel at 6:45 after breakfast. We woke up to a thunderstorm and heavy rain which let up a little but continued a couple of hours into our drive. We continued to travel west on I-40, basically going around the Ozarks along the southern and western edges. The highway follows the Arkansas River which was full to bursting because of all the rain this area had been getting. The land is hilly, and after we turned north on I-49, we had some beautiful views. Our destination was Bentonville, the world's headquarters for Walmart, the retail behemoth. In the charming downtown next to the square is the Walmart museum at the location of Walton's 5&10, Sam Walton's first store in the chain that later became the Walmart we know and love today. Sam Walton is a revered figure in the museum's story, of course.
At 11:00, we turned around and traveled south to eat at AQ Chicken House in Springdale, AR. (The "AQ" is an abbreviation for "Arkansas Quality." They are known for their fried chicken and batter-dipped french fries. (Think of a fried shrimp and substitute the shrimp with a french fry.) Although the Arkansas chicken was flavorful, the consensus was that the crunch of the Georgia chicken put it over the top in a competition. We left the restaurant about 12:30.
Springdale AR to Stilwell KS
Continuing to head north into Missouri and then into eastern Kansas, we made good time driving up US 69 and into Stilwell, KS, at 3:30. Stilwell is an exurb south of Kansas City, where Mom's sister lives. She invited her daughters and in-laws and other family members from the area for a little family reunion and good conversation. We will stay here for three nights before moving on. It will be nice to leave the hotels behind for a few days.
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