Riding NWA Notes 2

I am going to recount our day riding around NWA (ok, honestly we stayed in Bentonville) with more detail,

Before I begin, I feel like I need to provide a little background information. NWA is short for Northwest Arkansas. It is a short hand term for these 3-5 municipalities in the northwest region of Arkansas: Bentonville, Rogers and Fayetteville plus Springdale and Bella Vista as well as other communities. There is a sprawling network of trail systems that are linked via a paved greenway trail that connects the cities. It adds up to over 550 miles of trails. I need to stress that I have yet to fully understand it. Just know this: the entire region has been developed over the last 20 years to be a destination for biking of all kinds. In addition to the trails are ancillary services such as bike handling capacity at the airport, bike stands, maps and bike rental shops, for example that have been included in the larger design. Also folded into the master plan of the area is the intentional promotion of the arts.

Back to our day of biking NWA. Our first stop was the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It’s a stunning architectural beauty that sits on 134 acres of wooded land and includes trails linked to the greater trail system. The museum buildings are stunning in and of themselves. The art within is varied and creates a collage of distinct American art. The size, scope, quality and commitment to the American experience is on par, in my mind, with the Metropolitan Museums or any globally recognized museum.

It’s a real joy to take in all of the art exhibits at Crystal Bridges. I have been to the museum three times and I can say I could go an infinite number of times and never feel bored. Admission is free. It is amazing. No making reservations, no entering a credit card, no making a ticket time. No line. It’s unbelievable.

We rode our rented e-bikes on paved trails from our hotel, parked them in one of the many bike stands available and walked in.

The art experience started before we even entered the building. This is an installation of floating reflective spheres that sits just outside the doors to the museum. It changes every time I pass it.

The museum houses iconic artists and pieces that define the American identity.

My dad just loved Calder and it almost brings tears to my eyes to have the experience to see an actual Calder in person. For free. It’s simply unbelievable. What’s more, is that I could point to it and tell a friend, “My dad loved this artist,” and thus keep his memory alive in a small but important way. It’s something I don’t take for granted.

I love this piece. It’s so sweet. It’s about family and has the undertone of service, courage, pride and love. Plus, I love collage (my dad did too) and the artist was so skillful with the composition. It’s one that I would not know had it not been included in the museum.

The museum provides placards that are easy to read and makes the artists’ expression accessible to folks who may be unfamiliar with the art world. For me, having permission to gaze in on the rendering of a private intimate family experience is a gift.

Speaking of family, the museum has kids’ activities for an parents or guardians reading this blog post while thinking, “How could I do this trip with young kids?” Oh you can do this day trip with kids for sure. The museum includes this exhibit: a large room full of play dough exclusively for creating.