04-Jul-2001 -- It was a hot and humid July 4 in Arkansas as we travelled in the western part of the State. What does one do when travelling with GPS, Laptop, compasses, forestry service maps, and regular paper maps in the cab of a Dodge Ram? The answer is quiet simple really, with those things at hand one suppose that all those things were excellent support staff for locating confluences.

We had completed our task late in the afternoon of the 3rd in the western part of the State. We headed home in a round about way that just happened to be on the way to the confluence located a 34N and 94W. We stopped over night at a new motel that just happened to have a catfish house next door. Great fish! We got up to plot on ALL map materials the exact location with waypoints. The paper map indicated that an unmarked road turning south was a forestry road and that it would lead us to the confluence with fewer miles to drive and also fewer steps to take.

We left Waldron with a stop at the Queen's Palace for a great buffet breakfast thinking we would need lots of energy for the day. On to DeQueen and driving east on U.S. 70 and as our GPS indicated we turned right heading south on what we were thinking was going to be a forest road but alas it is a paved county road that was not numbered half way between junction U.S. 71 and Dierks, AR. We sailed through Provo and didn't realize it and came to the small town of Lockesburg turning east on U.S. 371 to the junction of State Hiway 26 turning north. We were getting close and the target location indicated that we were due east some 600 ft. A small lane turned to the left, curved into a drive way of a house that could barely be seen from the highway. The lane and driveway ended at the land owner's residence. We obtained permission to go through the gate in the curve of the lane/driveway to head toward the location approximately 345 feet in a northwesterly manner.

It was toward the northeastern edge of a hay meadow completely unobstructed by anything overhead. The meadow itself was approximately 7 acres cleared. The meadow had not been mowed this year and most grasses were about 5ft high. The tallest grass was Johnson grass and there were 3 other distinguishable grasses along with the various weeds common to hay meadows. There were 8 full bars and 2 bars at 40% satellites responding. The elevation is 565 ft and the time was 3:40p.m. This location is close to active an diamond pit that is now a state park called "The Crater of Diamonds".