>> Chuck Dovish: EVERY SATURDAY MOURNING THE BEEBE FLEA MARKET COMESALIVE WITH PEOPLE , FOOD, ALL KINDS OF WARES AND EVEN ANIMALS.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS OUT HERE IS THESE HOMEMADE TAMALES.

[MUSIC] THE BEEBE FLEA MARKET IS A CULTURAL BLEND SIMILAR TO THE OPEN BAZAARS AND MARKET YOU WOULD FIND IN A LARGER CITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

OTHER COUNTRIES.

[MUSIC] >> I'VE BEEN COMING HERE AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.

IT'S KIND OF A FAMILY TRADITION.

MY PARENTS AND THEIR PARENTS AND I BROUGHT MY KIDS HERE SINCE THEY WERE OLD ENOUGH TO WALK AND BEFORE THAT IT'S JUST A GREAT PLACE TO BE.

YOU FEEL GREAT ABOUT BEING HERE.

LOTS OF GOOD PEOPLE AND LOTS OF INTERESTING ANIMALS.

MORE THAN YOU SEE IN MOST PLACES.

WE JUST LOVE IT.

>> Chuck Dovish: I UNDERSTAND YOU WERE TOLD NOT TO BRINGANY MORE ANIMALS HOME .

>> EVERY TIME I, AT LEAST PICK UP ONE OR TWO SO I BROUGHT ONE WITH ME TODAY SO I DID NOT HAVE TO PICK UP ANOTHER ONE.

IT'S HARD NOT TO WITH ALL OF THESE CUTE ONES RUNNING AROUND.

YES WE LOVE IT.

IT'S A GOOD FAMILY ORIENTED ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S GREAT.

WE BOUGHT PIGS, GOATS, HORSES, COWS, CHICKENS AND A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

GUINEA PIGS.

EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR FISH.

WE HAVEABOUT THOSE YET .

IT'S WONDERFUL.

MY DAD USED TO BRING OUT HERE WHEN I WAS YOUNG AND IT IS JUST SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS LIKE TO DO.

BRING THE KIDS OUT.

Dovish: THE VARIETY OF ANIMALS THAT ARE FOR SALE HERE IS ALSO WHAT MAKES THE BB FLEA MARKET SO POPULAR.

TAKE SARA COTHERN AND HER FAN TAILED PIGEON.

>> I HAD FRIENDS THAT RAISE PIGEONS AND ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PIGEONS AND WE GOT INTERESTED IN THE REALLY EASY KEEPERS IN THE CAFI QUIET LITTLE SOUNDS.

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH THEM FLY.

WE GOT A COUPLE AND WITHOUT A COUPLE MORE AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY.

THAT'S WHERE THE BB FLEA MARKET COMES IN.

IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BRING EXTRA LIVESTOCK APPEAR TO SELL.

YOU MAY ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF PIGEONS.

>> I TAKE IT YOU BEEN COMING HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME?

>> WE BEEN HERE SEVERAL TIMES.

MANY TIMES TO BUY AND SEVERAL TIMES TO SELL.

>> I THINK I FOUND MY ANIMAL OR ANIMALS.

I TOLD MY WIFE BEFORE I LEFT THIS MORNING THAT I WAS GOING TO FIND A GO OR TWO TO TAKE CARE OF THE LAWN AND I THINK I DID.

THEY ARE 250 FOR THE PAIR.

THAT'S A GOOD PRICE.

EASY THERE.

[LAUGHTER] THEY LOVE SHE DOES.

I'VE BEEN COMING HERE I MOVED WHEN I CAME FROM VIETNAM IN 1970.

I STARTED COMING HERE AROUND 75 76 ON SATURDAY MORNINGS.

GETTING IN ON THE BARGAIN.

AT THE TIME I WAS TRYING TO RAISE A FAMILY AND I HAD TO FIND A LOT OF STUFF TO GET ME THROUGH THE WEEK AT A LOWER COST.

I WOULD COME UP HERE AND BY THIS SOAP AND DISHWASHING LIQUID AND ALL THIS STUFF AND LOOK AT ALL THE ANIMALS.

I AM AN ANIMAL LOVER.

I'VE BEEN AN ANIMAL LOVER ALL MY LIFE.

ONCE I COME HERE FROM VIETNAM AND WORK ALL MY LIFE, I AM RETIRED MILITARY WENT TO SCHOOL FOR A LITTLE BIT.

YOU GET THE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS WHEN YOU ARE A VIETNAM VETERAN .

I JUST COULDN'T WAIT UNTIL SATURDAY MORNINGS I WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE IN THE HOUSE UP.

SATURDAY MORNING COME DAYLIGHT I WOULD JUST HEAD UP HERE ONCE I GOT UP HERE I WOULD JUST RIDE AROUND AND LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AND STUFF AND MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW AND SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW.

IT'S JUST A NICE PLACE TO GO ON SATURDAY MORNING TO KILL TIME.

I LIKE THE CILANTRO AND THE GREEN ONIONS.

$0.85.

$0.50 THERE YOU GO.

I GAVE YOU ONE.

THESE ARE PLACE.

YES VERY NICE.

THANK YOU.

THANKYOU VERY MUCH .

ALL RIGHT THANK YOU.

CILANTRO!

[MUSIC] I'VE BEEN COMING 11 YEARS.

HAVEN'T MISSED BUT ONE OR TWO WEEKENDS.

I LOVE IT DOWN HERE.

>> YOUR QUILTS ARE REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

AT 90 YEARS OLD I AM STILL QUILTING.

>> THAT IS WONDERFUL.

I LIKE THE MUSKET DINES HERE.

>> WE RAISE ALL KINDS OF VEGETABLES.

HE DOES THAT WILL LIKE WILL.

[LAUGHTER] THAT IS GREAT.

SO, IF YOU WORK YOU LIVE LONGER.

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

>> [MUSIC] OUT HERE YOU CAN FIND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.

I DO MEAN EVERYTHING.

YOU NEED A GAS MASK?

ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR ALL DAY.

A SPEAR.

EVERYONE NEEDS A SPEAR [LAUGHTER] SOMETIMES IF YOU PICK ON OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE MOUNTAIN VIEW IS WHERE I DO HAVE MEN THAT ASKED ME TO MAKE SPEARS FOR THEM.

THEY TREE HUNTS THE PIG.

>> THE BB FLEA MARKET WHEN YOU COME OUT HERE, EXPECT A MUCH ANYTHING.

[MUSIC] HEY, HE TOOK MY GOAT.

[MUSIC] IF YOU EVER SEEN THE C-130 BY THE FRONT GATE AT THE LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE IN JACKSONVILLE AND POSSIBLY THOUGHT THAT IT'S JUST A RANDOM C-130 ON DISPLAY, YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK.

THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE LAST C-130 TO LEAVE VIETNAM TOWARDS THE END OF THE WAR.

THAT IS JUST ONE PART OF THE STORY.

TIM WYNN, THE SECOND LIEUTENANT WITH THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARMY WAS AT 10 SOME NEWS AIR FORCE BASE WHILE IT TAKES HEAVY FIRE ON APRIL 29, 1975.

HE SPOTTED THE C-130 WITH ITS CARGO RAMP STILL DOWN AND DECIDED TO BOARD ALONG WITH 451 OTHER PEOPLE SEEKING FREEDOM.

IT'S ALMOST INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO IMAGINE 452 PEOPLE IN THIS PLANE WHEN YOU LEFT.

>> YES.

REALITY IS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THE PILOTS KNEW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE IN THE AIRPLANE.

DURING THAT TIME, COMING OUT OF THE SHELL AT THE BASE CONSTANTLY AND EVERYONE TRIED TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

SO, THIS AIRPLANE IS TAXIING AND HAS THE DOOR OPEN IN THE BACK.

EVERY TIME THE PILOT JAMMED ON THE BREAK, IT PUSHED PEOPLE FORWARD, TO CREATE MORE SPACE SO PEOPLE IN THAT SITUATION, THEY JUMP ON AND THE LOAD MASTER GAVE HIM THE CREDIT.

HE IS THE GUY IN CHARGE TO SHUT THE RAM DOOR OR NOT.

HE KEPT IT OPEN.

FOR WHAT REASON, I DON'T KNOW.

WE DON'T COMMUNICATE.

WE DON'T ASK WE JUST JUMP IN THEIR AND IT'S JUST STANDING ROOM ONLY.

EVERYONE IS STANDING UP THERE.

NO SEATBELTS.

THERE IS NO SET SEATS JUST STANDING UP.

I, MYSELF ARI BACK ON AVIATOR.

AFTER RAM DOOR CLOSES, I SAW TOO MANY PEOPLE AND I WASN'T SURE THAT THE AIRPLANE COULD TAKE OFF BECAUSE IT'S A C-130 A MODEL.

THE ENGINE IS NOT THAT POWERFUL.

ON THE RUNWAY, WE HAD ONE C-130 AT THIS END AFTER ANOTHER ONE WAS SHOT DOWN.

ANOTHER END WAS ANOTHER US AIR FORCE THAT WAS SHOT DOWN SO, YOU HAVE BETWEEN THE RUNWAY WITH DIFFERENT SPACE IN BETWEEN AND YOU TAKE OFF.

WITH THAT MANY PEOPLE BUT SO WHAT IF IT CRASHES IT CRASHES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

THE SITUATION WAS SO CHAOTIC AND NO ONE EVEN THOUGHT OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT.

AT THAT INSTANT YOU HAD TO LEAVE AND YOU HAD TO LEAVE.

WE DID NOT REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE, I MYSELF I DID NOT KNOW THAT UNTIL I CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AND WORKED AT LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION AND DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AND REALIZE THAT WE HAD 452 PEOPLE IN THE AIRPLANE.

IT WAS A RECORD.

KNOW THEM.

>> THE PLANE WAS 20,000 POUNDS OVERWEIGHT BUT MADE IT TO THAILAND.

HE SAYS IT WAS A LAST-MINUTE DECISION TO JUMP ABOARD THE PLANE AS IT WAS ACTUALLY TAXIING.

>> EVEN THOUGH I KNOW ALL OF MY FAMILY MY PARENTS, BROTHERS, SISTERS EVERYONE IS STILL THERE AND I SAID WELL IT'S HARD SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

THEN I SAID IF YOU STAY, IF A SHELL HITS OR SOMETHING, IT EXPLODES THE WHOLE THING AND WE WILL BE DAMAGED AND YOU WILL GET KILLED SO, FINALLY I SAID OKAY EITHER I LEAVE OR I MIGHT BE KILLED.

IF THEY CAPTURE YOU THEN THEY KILL YOU SO, AND MAKE A DECISION QUICKLY AT THAT INSTANT WHEN I DECIDED I WOULD LEAVE THE COUNTRY, I DID LEAVE THIS BASE.

I SAW IT TAXIING OFF.

LUCKY FOR ME THE PILOT JAMMED ON THE BRAKES TO KEEP OPEN SPACE.

AIRPLANE WAS SO MUCH AT THE END OF THE RAMP.

RIGHT WHERE THE DOOR IS.

THAT MEANS I ALMOST MISSED MY CHANCE.

I'M VERY HAPPY AND FEEL LUCKY THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

SURVIVABILITY INSTINCT.

THEY DOWN YOU SIT DOWN AND YOU THINK WHILE INDEED.

SPEND SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF BY THE C-130 AT THE FRONT GATE OF THE LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE AND EXPERIENCE A PIECE OF HISTORY.

[MUSIC] GIVE ME A HOME WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM.

LC LOVES THAT SONG OR RATHER, THAT LIFE.

COME ON, BUFFALO.

SO, WHAT INSPIRED OR MOVE LC TO ESTABLISH A HOMESTEAD WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM?

>> I WATCHED A SHOW ON AETN AND ONE SHOW CHANGE MY LIFE.

I SAW WHERE OTHER PEOPLE HAD STARTED RAISING BUFFALO AND THEY WERE BEING REINTRODUCED TO TRY TO SAVE THEM FROM THE EXTINCTION WHICH THEY ALMOST FACE.

ONE SHOW MADE ME DECIDE THAT THIS IS WHAT I HAD TO DO.

IT WAS MORE OF AN INSPIRATION.

FROM THERE, IT JUST BECAME AN OBSESSION OF MINE.

I BECAME A WELDER SO I COULD BUILD A HIGH STEEL CORRAL AND WORKING FACILITY WHICH HAS TO HAVE.

I CONTINUE GETTING READY FOR THEM.

15 YEARS AGO, I DECIDED I WOULD TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH THAT I BOUGHT SOME.

IT JUST WENT FROM THERE.

>> I TAKE IT IT'S NOT EXACTLY LIKE RAISING CATTLE.

IT'S SIMILAR.

>> THERE IS A CERTAIN PARALLEL.

BUFFALOES YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THEY ARE WILD ANIMALS.

THEY STILL ARE NOT DOMESTICATED.

THERE ARE SOME YOU SEE HERE THAT ARE YOUNGER BUT YOU CAN GET AROUND IN MY EVEN PET BUT THEY ARE STILL YOU HAVE TO WATCH THEM.

THEY ARE NOT DOMESTICATED ANIMALS.

THERE IS OTHER CHALLENGES.

IT'S MARKETING DEMANDS.

I HAD TO CREATE MY OWN MARKET.

WHICH I DID.

>> YOU HAVE WHAT, BUFFALO STEAKS, JERKY WHAT ELSE?

>> WE HAVE ALL THE CUTS OF BUFFALO THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN BEEF.

BUFFALO IS A NATURALLY LEAN MEAT.

THE SAME ON A POTASSIUM THAT A GLASS OF ORANGE JUICE HAS.

IT'S VERY HIGH IN IRON.

IT'S LOW IN CALORIES, CHOLESTEROL AND FAT.

IT'S SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW YOU BUFFALOES ARE THE ONLY MAN ALL THAT'S NEVER BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE CANCER.

THE ONLY MAMMAL.

>> YOU MIGHT SAY THAT OTHER THAN THE BALD EAGLE, THE OTHER MAJESTIC CREATURE THAT IS A SYMBOL, IF YOU WILL, OF AMERICA, IS THE BISON.

IT'S BEEN A MAJOR PART OF THIS COUNTRY'S HISTORY AND HERITAGE.

[MUSIC] THE NATIVE AMERICAN USE THESE BUFFALO FOR EVERYTHING.

THEY USE THEM FOR FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER .

TO THEM, TO THE AMERICAN INDIANS, THEY WERE A SYMBOL.

A SYMBOL OF LIFE IN GENERAL.

HE SYMBOL FOR THEIR FOOD SOURCE.

WITH THE GREAT BUFFALO HERDS CAME LIFE.

EVEN FOR THE AMERICAN INDIANS.

WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FORGET OR DON'T REMEMBER IS THE FACT THAT THE WHITE MAN WHEN HE FIRST CAME OVER AND SETTLED WHEN THEY WERE GOING THROUGH, THEY COULD NOT SURVIVE AGAINST THE BUFFALO.

PEOPLE THINK THEY WERE JUST ON THEPLANES KNOW THEY WEREN'T .

THEY WERE ALL UP TO CANADA AND AS FAR SOUTH AS MEXICO AND RANGE FROM COAST-TO-COAST.

HE KEEPS 3250 HEAD OF BUFFALO ON HIS 500 ACRE RANCH.

L.C.

RATCHFORD.

HE OFFERS RANCH STAYS AND TOURS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.

DO OFFER TOURS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

WE HAVE A NICE CABIN THAT THEY CAN RUN AND STAY HERE ON THE FARM.

GETTING A FEEL OF THE FARM LIFE AND HOW IT IS TO WORK AND BE AN OPERATING BUFFALO RANCH RATHER THAN JUST TO SEE THEM IN A ZOO OR POSSIBLY YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK DRIVING THROUGH.

IT'S A DIFFERENTEXPERIENCE.

IT'S A WAY OF LIFE .

IT IS DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF JOBS BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE 95 8 TO 5.

THESE ANIMALS ARE TOP PRIORITY.

YOU HAVE TO BE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ASSISTING ONE AND GIVING BIRTH OR WHETHER A FENCE FALLS OVER IN A MAJOR WINDSTORM AND YOU HAVE TO GO OUT IN THE RAIN TO FIX IT.

THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH FARMING.

IT TAKES TOP PRIORITY OVER EVERYTHING.

ITDOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE PLANNED OR WHAT YOU WILL DO .

THE RANCHING OF THE BUFFALO AND TAKING CARE OF THEM REALLY IS NUMBER ONE .

>> YOU HAVE ONE BUFFALO HERE PRINGLES?

SHE IS LIKE A PRIMA DONNA.

>> SHE IS.

HER MOTHER DIED GIVING BIRTH.

WE RAISED OUR BOTTLE.

SHE'S BEEN AROUND PEOPLE OVER LIFE.

SHE IS STILL A WILD ANIMAL BUT SHE IS MORE DOMESTICATED BECAUSE SHE THINKS SHE IS A DOG.

SHE SOMEWHAT OF A PET BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO WATCH HER AND MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T HURT YOU.

THE AMERICAN BISON REPRESENTS WHAT WE WERE AS A COUNTRY.

VERY RESILIENT.

ABLE TO COME BACK FROM ALMOST EXTENSION.

HARDY .

FOR EVER, I THINK.

[MUSIC] >> THEY ARE QUITE A FEW AREAS AROUND THE STATE THAT ARE CALLED LOVERS LEAVE.

ONE OF THEM HAPPENS TO BE A QUEEN WILHELMINA STATE PARK TOP RICH MOUNTAIN.

THIS IS A HIKING TRAIL THAT'S ABOUT ONE MILE IN LENGTH.

LET'S CHECK IT OUT.

[MUSIC] AFTER CROSSING THE STATE PARKS MANY RAILROAD TRACKS, THE TRAIL ITSELF BEGINS WITH A FAIRLY EASY STROLL DOWNHILL THROUGH THE FOREST ALONG THE NORTH SLOPE OF RICH MOUNTAIN.

LOVERS LEAF TRAIL IS A LOOP TRAIL IN THE FIRST SECTION OF THE TRAIL IS ALSO A PART OF THE OUACHITA TRAIL.

IT'S ONLY ABOUT 3/10 OF A MILE TO THE ACTUAL LOVERS LEAF OVERLOOK.

IT CAN BE VIEWED FROM A LARGE WOODEN PLATFORM.

HERE, YOU CAN ENJOY STUNNING PANORAMIC VIEW OF RIDGE MOUNTAIN SOUTH FLOW AND THE SURROUNDING OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST.

RICH MOUNTAIN IS THE HIGHEST SUMMIT IN THE OUACHITA MOUNTAIN RANGE.

IN SECOND BEHIND MOUNT MAGAZINE.

THE WAY THE STORY GOES ABOUT THIS LOVERS LEAF, ACCORDING TO LOCAL LEGEND, A YOUNG NATIVE AMERICAN MATE JUMPED OFF AFTER HER SWEETHEART FAILED TO RETURN FROM A BOTTLE.

[MUSIC] PASSED THE OVERLOOK, THE TRAILS DIFFICULTY INCREASES DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE LOOP DUE TO ELEVATION CHANGES AND ROCKY TERRAIN.

SO, YOU MIGHT JUST WANT TO RETURN BACK THE SAME WAY YOU CAME ON THE TRAILS.

PAY A VISIT TO QUEEN WILHELMINA TAKE A HIKE ALONG LOVERS TRAIL.

TO VIEW THIS EPISODE AGAIN OR ANY OF THE OTHERS, VISIT THE WEBSITE AT AETN.org/EXPLORING ARKANSAS.

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK FAN PAGE AND WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN THE NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EXCITING ADVENTURE ON EXPLORING ARKANSAS.

[MUSIC]