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Buffalo National RiverSummer bluff action hike somewhere above the Buffalo National River
8/17/19
The summer season is a fine season to explore the Buffalo River area. Cool water can be very refreshing during these times of warmth...not unlike the Junior Mint. Bluffs abound along the river. Many are beautiful...many are boring. Breakfast was had at Waffle House in Conway. It was then north once more. After entering the shrubbery, my goal was some bluffs that I had seen from the river on an earlier outing. Well before sunrise my bluff was mounted, and mounted hard. Fog moved all around me but did not obscure the terrain. The temp above the water was 71° with some added humidity for your pleasure...or my pleasure...yes, that's it. The wind was calm. The sun rose with its usual stability while the fog swirled in all directions. It was a fine morning to be in the shrubbery, man.
Around 8:30 I moved along the bluff line examining many naturally occurring items surrounding my ass. The views continued to be excellent. A bluff with a large flat surface area was found and lunch eaten here with a view of Water Creek. This was Nipple Rock Bluff. The history of this rock structure goes back to 1833 when Jim Bob Nipple built his cabin here. He traded furs and trinkets with the Jimbobweh Indians for almost thirty years until he was tossed over the edge by Chief Nipple Drip. The chief borrowed Jim Bob's name, for Jim Bob was well admired by these savages until he was caught with the chief's daughter in a compromising situation. The sound of her sighs could almost be heard on the wind if I listened intently...and I listened intently. His cabin was dismantled and thrown over the edge as well. I could feel his presence as I munched on my ham sangwich. I asked him to leave...but the chief's daughter could remain. Those were the days...indeed. After luncheon I moved with a moderate pace back to my point of origin. By 12:15 it was 85°. My car greeted me and we were off. This was a fine hike that covered seven miles of pure hellish wilderness. I really enjoyed it.
