Wal-Mart Country

I’m parked at a Pilot Truck Stop in Springdale, Arkansas, just down the road from Bentonville and the Wal-Mart Distribution Center where I make my next delivery tomorrow morning. My load is nearly 37,000 pounds of mens and ladies watches. A "high value load" as they're sometimes called. Bentonville also happens to be where Sam Walton opened his first Wal-Mart store in 1962 and where the world's largest retailer is headquartered. The original "five and dime" store pictured above now serves as a Wal-Mart "Visitor Center" in Bentonville.

I arrived here at 1:30 this afternoon. After an hour or so visiting the truck stop store, updating my log and a bit of tidying up my small surroundings I laid down for a nap and just woke. Matt Drudge talks on the radio.

The last several days have come pretty early for me with not as much sleep as I should have overnight. Last night I watched a DVD on my laptop. It’s the first time I’ve done that since my truck driving career began. I’ve either been too tired, didn’t have enough time, or just plain not interested to do so previously. I bought “The Legend of Bagger Vance” several weeks ago and had never seen it. It’s unlike me to buy a movie unseen but I’d always thought it to be my kind of movie and I wasn’t disappointed.

I drove across the Oklahoma/Arkansas state line early this afternoon. It’s the first time I’ve visited the state. No Clinton signs anywhere but I was greeted in the border town of Siloam Springs with American flags displayed on every light post along the south side of the street spaced about 30 feet apart. I’m guessing I drove for four or five miles along highway 412 through the entire town with not one light post missed. Businesses along the route also with their own flag poles, displayed state and other flags along with "Old Glory." It was quite an impressive sight. I’d like to write the city council a note of appreciation and thanks for their display of patriotism.

I loved the large billboard I saw as I crossed into Oklahoma from Texas, “Welcome to Tulsa Time” You’d have to be a country music fan to appreciate that.