Issue #113
October 5, 2000
October 5, 2000
Red Rock Retreat
Fall has arrived here in the Ozark mountains of Northwest Arkansas. We have received several inches of rain as a front moved through the area last week and the long heat spell seems broken. Morning lows are in the mid 40's and the highs for this week should range between 75 and 80. I had been invited by Sandy Swayne to stay a few days at Red Rock Retreat, in the Hickory Hill Cabin. My friend Adventure Bill had managed to wrangle a day off, and was going to spend Monday evening at the cabin. We planned to go to Sam's Throne on Tuesday.
Bill and I arrived on Monday afternoon. The cabin was of log construction, and very nice. The main room has several couches, a TV/VCR for watching movies, plus a nice desk and internet connectivity, so I plugged in my laptop and got connected.
The kitchen was more than adequate for cooking any meal, whether large or small. There was a stove, microwave, toaster, coffee pot, plus all the pots, pans, bowls you might need. All the glassware and flatware is provided. There was a nice gas grill outside.
On the lower floor there are two bedrooms with queen size beds. I chose the upper loft bedroom which had a queen bed, a twin bed and a chair/reading area. It was very comfortable, and there was a separate outside deck for smoking. Adventure Bill moved into one of the bedrooms on the main floor.
The front of the cabin had a deck also, and it wrapped around to the side where the kitchen was. We spent alot of time on this deck, since the weather was so nice. Outside there was beautiful rock work, and a picnic area, complete with a table and fire ring, where you could have a campfire, and cook outside on a fire if you wanted. It is something you don't see in many cabin rentals. It's nice to be able to sit around an evening fire and recount the days events with your friends or family.
After getting moved in and having supper, Bill watched a movie, while I solved a few customer problems via the internet. Red Rock Retreat has made arrangements with their local ISP to have access to guest accounts for their guests (like me) who want to hook up a laptop and get connected to the internet. This is an additional feature you don't find in many vacation rentals.
After getting moved in and having supper, Bill watched a movie, while I solved a few customer problems via the internet. Red Rock Retreat has made arrangements with their local ISP to have access to guest accounts for their guests (like me) who want to hook up a laptop and get connected to the internet. This is an additional feature you don't find in many vacation rentals.
Tuesday morning found us ready to go. Another friend, Dwayne Knox, joined us for the hike. First we hiked around Red Rock Retreat. There is a two mile hiking trail that goes around the property and by a waterfall. Unfortunately there was no water there this time of year, but the morning hike got us loosened up and ready for the more rugged hiking in the afternoon. The drive over there was pretty short. Once we got there, we spent the whole afternoon walking around.
After returning to the cabin, we spent some time relaxing on the deck. I helped Adventure Bill get his car packed, and he left for home around 8pm, having to work the next day. Dwayne left shortly after that, having to drive up the mountain and over to Swain to get home. I enjoyed hiking with Bill and Dwayne, both are quiet, and observant while on the trail. I took a hot shower, had some supper and sat on the deck for a while. It was a long day of hiking, and I was tired. I went to bed and slept like a rock.
After returning to the cabin, we spent some time relaxing on the deck. I helped Adventure Bill get his car packed, and he left for home around 8pm, having to work the next day. Dwayne left shortly after that, having to drive up the mountain and over to Swain to get home. I enjoyed hiking with Bill and Dwayne, both are quiet, and observant while on the trail. I took a hot shower, had some supper and sat on the deck for a while. It was a long day of hiking, and I was tired. I went to bed and slept like a rock.
A Majestic Wood Burning Cook Stove
On Wednesday, I woke up to another fantastic day. I called up my host and asked if I could walk up to her farmhouse and see the world famous Lipizzan horses she raises. She said sure, come on up. The walk up was pleasantly uphill. Sandy has several Lipizzan horses, plus other breeds. After Sandy showed me her horses, I walked around the farm soaking in the sights. Sandy then showed me inside the farm house. She was very proud of the Majestic Wood Burning Stove she had in her kitchen, and it really works! In the afternoon, I took a drive into the valley just to see what I could see. I had a very nice time just wandering the dirt roads, seeing where they led to. I don't normally recommend this unless you have a good map, however there is a very good map on the wall of the Hickory Hill cabin that will guide you.
Red Rock Retreat is a wonderful place to stay if your visiting the Arkansas Ozarks! The accomodations are excellent. The Hickory Hill cabin was a pleasure to stay in. All the creature comforts were present. I like the fact that it is very close to some of the premier rock climbing spots in Arkansas and Red Rock Retreat is ideal for climbers who don't want to camp on the ground, but want to be very close to Sam's Throne and Red Rock. Sandy Swayne is a remarkable woman. She is an accomplished horse breeder, rider, rock mason, carpenter and a very nice person. If your going to visit this area, give her a call and make a reservation to stay at Red Rock Retreat, you won't regret your choice. Make sure you take time to visit with Sandy, she has a lot of knowledge about the area, and can help you if you need information.
Red Rock Retreat is a wonderful place to stay if your visiting the Arkansas Ozarks! The accomodations are excellent. The Hickory Hill cabin was a pleasure to stay in. All the creature comforts were present. I like the fact that it is very close to some of the premier rock climbing spots in Arkansas and Red Rock Retreat is ideal for climbers who don't want to camp on the ground, but want to be very close to Sam's Throne and Red Rock. Sandy Swayne is a remarkable woman. She is an accomplished horse breeder, rider, rock mason, carpenter and a very nice person. If your going to visit this area, give her a call and make a reservation to stay at Red Rock Retreat, you won't regret your choice. Make sure you take time to visit with Sandy, she has a lot of knowledge about the area, and can help you if you need information.
Red Rock Retreat
P.O. Box 268
Jasper, Arkansas 72641
870-434-5316
Email Red Rock Retreat
P.O. Box 268
Jasper, Arkansas 72641
870-434-5316
Email Red Rock Retreat