Experiencing America > Road Trip Year...2003 > 10 States, 4 Days,...the saga continues > Day 2
Day TWO...
Thursday, September 19th, 2003
Well now it is day two. I highly recommend the Comfort Inn in Jonesboro. It is located on the U.S. Federal Route 63 expressway, Future Interstate 555, and Arkansas State Route 1.
The Comfort Inn at Jonesboro.
A front plate on a car in the parking lot of the hotel.
While in the hotel I found an ad for Clear Channel Radio-Jonesboro. Turns out it was on Parker Road. That happened to be across the U.S. Rt. 63 expressway from the hotel and west slightly.
What was interesting about this place was that the studios and the offices were in separate buildings.
The building that the studios of CCU-Jonesboro are in.
The building that the offices of CCU-Jonesboro are in.
The writing on the doors the the studio building.
This is the home of...
Talk 1230; KBTM-AM
95.9 The Buzz; KBZR-FM
107.9 KFIN-FM
101.9 Kiss-FM; KIYS-FM
Sports Radio 970; KNEA-AM
Signs out front of the building.
Ice machine outside the maintance shop.
Grills and pop coolers outside the maintance shop.
Looking in the maintance shop at CCU-Jonesboro.
The motor-pool at CCU Jonesboro.
The old and new KISS-Logos.
This is the studio of 101.9 KISS-FM. We met Ali & Brandon.
The air-board ofr KISS.
The Nex-GEN Digital screens for KISS.
A production studio at CCU-Jonesboro.
The air-board for 95.9 The Buzz.
The air-studio of 107.9 KFIN.
After the tour at CCU-Jonesboro we headed to Newport for breakfast. Before breakfast we toured the City of Newport. Not much here. Hopefully the building of the new U.S. Federal Route 67 expressway will help the condition of this town.
Home-Sweet-Home in Newport.
The old White River Bridge on Arkansas State Route 14/367 in Newport.
A old sign on Arkansas State Route 367.
A billboard in Newport for 101.9 KISS-FM.
After Newport we headed southwest to Little Rock, the state capital in Arkansas. We went all around the metro-area and it was like a small town...just bigger.
A look at Downtown Little Rock from Interstate 440 on the southeast side of town.
Throughout the entire area, there was great picture taking place. From the riverside in downtown to the I-430 bridge over the Arkansas River, or even a cliff at I-430 and Arkansas State Route 10.
A sign on Arkansas Power & Light.
A transmision site in Downtown Little Rock.
A highline in Downtown Little Rock.
Looking west along the Arkansas River from a park along I-430.
After a afternoon in Little Rock, we headed southwest toward Texas. Along the way there were many interesting sites. One being a speeding Hurst.
It's not like if you don't hurry the guys gonna die...
The day was wearing on and Dallas was the target for the night...so we need to make up time. That happened thanks to the Columbia County Ambulance Service. They were driving...we'll say well in excess of the posted travel limit on Interstate 30. So we used them as a blocker...like football...get yourself a blocker and head for the in zone.
The back of the ambulance.
Near Texarkana, a Arkansas State SUPER trooper helped one of the nations truckers!
Now Texas!...State #5!...
The first thing we did when we arrived in the Lone State State was visiting its welcome center. For one thing, to stretch, and another, to get an official travel map.
In front of the building was this dispaly (yes I was on the wrong side).
Along I-30 was a rck garden surronded by the six-flags that have flown over Texas.
Across from the garden is the watertower for Texarkana, TX & AR.
We headed in to Northeastern Texas just long enough to get a north-south highway to head north to Oklahoma. Here we were able to get a good shot of the Texas State Line marker. Not only does the state mark with a welcome sign, but also a stone marker.
The stone marker on SB U.S. Rt. 259 at the TX/OK State Line.
Now Oklahoma!...State #6...
In Oklahoma we headed north to the first highway east. That happened to be Oklahoma State Route 87. There was not much along this highway till we got back to the Oklahoma/Arkansas State Line. Here there was a shack that was a bar with a drive-thru. Interestingly the Oklahoma State Line marker was bullet hole ridden...more so than the Arkansas one across the street.
Now...Back to State #4!...Arkansas...
The Arkansas State Welcome Sign. NOTE: The bullet holes.
While in this run with in the state we stopped for more unleaded motor fuel at an Exxon in Ashdown. One word to describe the people...weird. Ever been is a strange scummy Exxon and be sitting in a car and some old gypsy looking lady that looks like she could put a evil curse on you asks you to move a seat forward in a Chevy Blazer?...Go to Ashdown...it may happen.
Now Back to State #5...Texas...
When you head south on U.S. Rt. 59/71 from Ashdown you head back into Texas. This is the on the shortest U.S. Federal Highway in Texas. U.S. Rt. 71. It only runs in Bowie County.
Back to State #4...Arkansas...
Back in Arkansas at Texarkana. We headed south along U.S. Rt. 71 to Louisiana. Along the way we observed the construction of a new highway. This is for the future Interstate 49 extenion. Pictures on the U.S. Rt. 71/Miller County, Arkansas page in "Roads of the Mid-South & West", another Bill Burmaster Creation.
Now to Louisiana...State #7!
We headed in to Louisiana briefly enough to say we where there. We did stop in one of the one horse towns in the country. Welcome to Ida, Louisiana. Here most of the buildings were old. You could tell time had visited this town.
One of the old buildings near the intersection of LA St Rt 168 and U.S. Rt. 71.
Another old building. This had many old artifacts inside.
The older gas pumps at a Exxon in Ida.
One of the goals on this trip of to see an oil pump. Even better on that was working. We found one along Louisiana State Route 168, west of Ida. This one had an oil leak and a loose belt on it's motor.
The pump.
This pump thanks to the Vess Oil Company.
A post office in Rodessa, Louisiana.
Now Back to State #5...Texas!...
The sun started to set across the western sky as we jaunted across Northeastern Texas for a second time today.
The Texas Sunset on WB TX St Rt 77, east of Atlanta.
One place I do not recommend eating if you have a long way to drive without stopping. Don't get me wrong the food was good for the taste. Although the digestive system...did not agree.
The Pitt Grill in Mount Pleasent, Texas.
The night ended out in at another Comfort Inn in Addison, Texas. Addison is one of the northern suburbs to Dallas.
Day THREE