Today was spent traveling from Missouri.... through Oklahoma... to Amarillo, Texas. I wasn't sure I would actually make it this far... but the driving was good today. Today was a huge day for reflection... and it made the hours in the Jeep go by rather quickly.
I stopped for a late dinner at The Big Texan... you may remember it from a previous post. It is a fabulous ... kitchy... interesting place. The last time I went here... I noticed that there was a row of buildings next to the restaurant that are available as hotel rooms... so I decided to check it out. Indeed... rooms are available, and are very "cowboy" inspired. I got a room that was all decked out like the interior of a rustic cabin... complete with large log furniture and cow print duvets. The bed was extremely comfortable. In fact, my only complaint was that I had no wifi connection... but perhaps that was for the best.
Sabrina and I thoroughly enjoyed our take-out dinner from the restaurant... consisting of a top sirloin, roasted tomatoes and onions, mashed potatoes, rolls and iced tea. It was scrumptious. For dessert... I tried a very small piece of their home-made fudge... which was exquisite.
Today we started out in Oklahoma.... and made it all the way home to Albuquerque just after midnight. My daughter did alot of the driving.... and I am very grateful. It still seemed like I felt every bump in the road.. and in that sense... it was rough. However, it was still much easier (no doubt) than if I would have done the driving as well.
Oklahoma is a very pretty state in the springtime. All along the highways were gorgeous wildflowers. The photo above shows tons of the red ones.. .I think they are a form of fire weed.... and they were stunning. We also so lots of daffodils, tulips, dandelions, wild mustard, and a few poppies.
Throughout Oklahoma and later into Texas, we continued to see lots of beautiful farmland and ranch land. We saw tons of cows, and even the occasional goat, sheep and even alpaca farms. America really is gorgeous... and it's a shame we (as a whole) don't appreciate it as much as we should.
My daughter and I had an interesting discussion revolving around Route 66. We were discussing whether there was an equivalent to that kind of thing today (not that I know of). And we were talking about how people travel alot today... but not in the same context. At least the impression I got of the Route66 fame; was that it was treated like a trip... not where the destination is completely the goal... but more of the journey being the goal. I think most people today who are driving/ traveling are more focused on getting to a certain destination... as opposed to enjoying the journey.
We got into Amarillo around suppertime, and on impulse... decided to stop at "The Big Texan" for dinner. If you've never been.... it's an iconic kind of place. The Big Texan is totally kitchy, totally cowboy... and totally everything you would expect a Texas steak house to be. There is a huge dining room full of about 100 taxidermy animals on the walls... wood floors...country style tables... even an authentic cowboy band.
There is a saloon/ bar area... a massive poker room...a gift shop.... fudge and candy area... even a game/shooting range for kids.
There is a hotel/motel right next door that is owned by the same company.... and the building looks like a row of old buildings from a historic western town.
Needless to say, I had an awesome time. The band was fabulous... the atmosphere was fun.... and I had the best. steak. ever. Seriously. I had an 8oz sirloin topped with sauteed mushrooms and blue cheese crumbles and a side of fried okra. My daughter had a cup of chili, cornbread, and a HUGE appetizer that was comprised of fried okra, jalapenos, mozzarella sticks, and rocky mountain oysters. We didn't get dessert (cuz we were stuffed)... but the portions were enormous! and everything looked fantastic. ((Total cost of the meal was just under $40 for both of us))
The following photos are from the Big Texan....(see more on this place: here)
(photos by Elaine A. Russell -- this one was taken at the 2nd Time Around antique shop)
Today we started out near St. Louis, Missouri....and tonight we are in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Today has been sort of a rough day. Lots of construction on the roads... and some bad experiences with other drivers have made it a little difficult. Also... the roads seem to be in worse condition than I remember... or maybe it is just because my back is more sensitive to every pothole and bump in the road *(and there have been alot).
That said... we have seen some gorgeous scenery. Kristin did alot of the driving today... so I was able to look out my window at the stunning countryside. We saw lots of rivers and streams... and lots of really pretty birds.... tons of cows... horses and such. We even saw an alpaca farm off in the distance.
And there were the pleasures of being in more "city" areas as well...
We stopped in Springfield, MO for a Starbucks (my first in about 6 weeks)... and we discovered this awesomely loaded antique shop called "A Second Time Around." See this link: here
I think every square inch of this place had cool treasures to see... and we saw a ton.
For dinner, we stopped in Miami, OK at the Waylan's KuKu Burger (link: here). This is the cool place that I took a photo of last summer when I was in Miami... but I didn't get the chance to eat there at the time. This time... we took our time and sat down for a bite. It was really, really awesome. This place had been a nationwide "hot spot" since the Route66 days... and it is still going strong.
I had a fantastic steak sandwich, home-made fries and fresh coffee... FABULOUS.
Almost to our stopping point for the night, we saw a red glow and alot of smoke. Turns out.... some local farmers were burning their fields... and boy did it look cool.
These purple trees were everywhere... and boy are they gorgeous!
Well.. ... we are having fun... but we are making lousy time. I am blaming it on all the weird weather. The wind is still pretty incredible. We are getting blown around a bit... and the driver's door is a little stiff since it got massively jerked once when I opened up my door just as a huge gust of wind caught it on Monday.
So. Last night we staying in Miami, OK. The town is just quaint. I was trying to think of another word... but quaint is appropriate. Alot of the buildings are brick, and look to be circa 1890's. Most of the styling of things seem to be leaning towards the Victorian end (or cater to the route66 theme). We stopped this am to get gas, and also found a Walgreens to get batteries for my camera. Whilst driving thru the main part of town... I decided to get a daytime shot of the fabulous Coleman Theatre in yesterday's post (the last pic that was panoramic). While there... this guy came out of the theater and asked me if I wanted to see the inside? Of course! So Kristin, Sabrina and I all got the deluxe extended tour of the place. WOW. I would go into great deal... but I think I will save it all for an exclusive post on the place. I will say, however, that if you are ever anywhere near Miami, OK... this is a DEFINITE... MUST SEE place.
(Skies in Missouri)
We got back on the road... and drove most all the day.... although we really didn't seem to get as far as we had intended. Along the way today.... we stopped at The Heartland Antique Mall in Lebanon, MO. This is the antique mall that I stop at every time I go back to PA. It is pretty big... has a huge selection of stuff... and it is connected to both a cheese factory outlet, and a Russell Stover Candy Outlet. Yah.. exactly. I got a few treasures... took some photos... ran into my friend Mike that I met last summer when I went to the mall. He has a booth there... and he is an awesome guy.
(Heartland Antique Mall, Missouri)
Driving through the rest of Missouri seemed to take forever. But... I must say... I do like Missouri. Years ago... I would have thought of this state as just being a typical humid... buggy... boring kind of place. I have since come to realize how diverse a state it actually is.... and it really is quite pretty. Caverns.... fields... farms.... interesting rock formations and walls where the road is simply cut through the middle of a mountain. Lots of trees... critters..... people are really friendly... It's a nice place. The weather throughout most all of Missouri today was overcast.
We made it in to Indiana tonight.... and have stopped just outside of Indianapolis. I am estimating that we have about 550 more miles to go... which doesn't seem like alot... until you realize that most of it will be on back country roads once we hit PA... .and those take longer.
( on the road in Indiana)
Our hotel room tonight is on the scanky side... but it was the first one we stopped at ... and the desk clerk said that very few hotels will take guests with animals here... so I opted to just get it. As I said to Kristin... well... it looked OK on the outside...
Talked with my mom on the phone... Dad seems to be in alot of pain... is very distended... but managed to get out of bed and walked about twice today (with much help) in his room. No word yet on a definate discharge date... no word on the possible transfer to a rehab place. So... we'll see.
Tomorrow will probably be a long day of driving... and it is already 1:30am ... as we lost 2hours to time changes. Will post as soon as I can tomorrow... connections permitting...
After yesterday; frankly; I was a little reluctant to head out on the road again.
But head out... we did. Somewhere near Kellerville, TX we drove by a nasty accident where it appeared that there were several fatalities. A helicopter was trying to land nearby... presumably to transfer a survivor that all the medical people were attending to. The police had traffic stopped on I-40 heading east, and were waving people to go on.. on I-40 heading west. I tried to find out what happened... but couldn't find anything. Within the next 20 miles or so... we saw almost 30 dead dear along the road as well. All I can think... is that the storm that has been around us... was actually ahead of us at that point... and must have caused some awful winds/ storms or whatever and caused the damage the day/night before. Tonight... while watching the news... I did see where tornadoes had touched down in that area as well. .. and also in Oklahoma. It was all very surreal.
Life is so precious. I think that sometimes we take it all too easily for granted.
(local farm in Texas)
The rest of our day was relatively uneventful. We drove.... alot. When we were in Elk City, OK.... we found a massive 18 wheeler sized truck wash.... and washed the SmartCar. All the mud from last night's fiasco was erased... at least from the outside of the car. Kristin drove the better part of the Oklahoma turnpike route... and around the city of Tulsa. She did a fantastic job.
(Southwest Antiques, in Weatherford, OK)
We would stop... but mainly for gas,water, or to walk about. We stopped at a fabulous Antique Mall in Weatherford, OK ( it was much bigger on the inside than it appeared from the outside); and for burgers at Braum's ( and Kristin got an awesome hot fudge Yogurt based sundae).
The scenery is changing from the almost completely flat fields and ranch land... to slightly more hilly areas... red dirt...and trees. It was great to see the wind farms in action... they are really cool. We are gradually seeing more water as well... rivers, creeks, and ponds. Signs of spring are peaking about as well... some fields have been really, really green. ... but most are still dressed in their winter clothing.
(sunset in Oklahoma)
And we stopped for the night in Miami, OK... just a few miles west of Joplin, Missouri. We are staying at a MicroTel Inn; and it is fabulous. Last night we paid about $50 for a really tacky and somewhat questionable Motel 6. Tonight; we spent about $60... and have a beautiful room; clean and fairly posh... and we get breakfast as well. Go figure.
( Theater in Miami, OK)
Talked to my mom on the phone... the hospital (actually .. a social worker)...is talking about the possibility of transferring my dad to a rehab place of some sort. She apparently told my mom that dad could be transferred as early as tomorrow. He just had massive surgery yesterday. He is still in a heavy fog of pain... and can't really move at all. Sometimes I really don't understand hospital/ insurance stuff at all. I can't really see how that could happen... but I am trying to get there.... in the meantime, I encouraged my mom to talk to someone tomorrow about it.
But for now... rest well. Be safe. Appreciate the bounty we all have.... health, family, friends... blue skies, happy puppies.
I've been thinking alot how we (*I) need to take control of our lives. How we actually are the directors and pioneers of this time we have. Yes, circumstances and obligations and such play a heavy hand... but ultimately... we are in the driver seat. It is up to us if we are going to make something of ourselves, or hold onto excuses as to why we couldn't fulfill our dreams.
Traveling thru the Midwest, there are visual reminders of the pioneer days. Times when people pulled up their bootstraps so to speak... and did it or died trying.
To my friends "C&C" ... a photo homage to the wild west.
...at least when you are on I-40. My niece was amazed when I visited her in Landisville, PA because my directions from her house to ABQ all fit on one page. This is because (in part at least) because you are on I-40 for over 500 miles. Kinda like the song by the Proclaimers ...
So -- my first stops were at the Cherokee Trading Posts in Oklahoma. There were 3 of them in a row.. somewhere in the middle of Oklahoma. Typical kitchy travel stuff. ... with tons of authentic and really nice stuff in the mix. I saw porcelain dolls, native flutes, moccasins, leather travel bags, taxidermy rattler snakes, tons of jewelry.....wow. Near the massive gift shops were always a restaurant (which I didn't go to) and a park which sported real live buffalo. Such beautiful creatures ! Sabrina even laid down next to the biggest one of them all (course, separated by a fence)... but it was amazing. This was my major stop for the day.. and Brina and I took our time looking thru everything.
An early lunch was spent at a Braum's. I think this is a midwest type of chain... famous for it's burgers and old fashioned ice cream. They have a deal where you can get a bag full of burgers for only 5 bucks. I remember a few years ago when Michael went with me on this trip. He ate 2 bags of burgers... and washed them down with thick milkshakes. (and then slept for a couple of hours )
Oklahoma scenery is full of farm land, fields, and the reddest dirt I have ever seen in my life. It is almost like watching super Technicolor tv when you see the bright green of the grass next to the bright red of the dirt. I even saw a couple ponds that could fool you into thinking they were pools of blood.
Texas. Ah Texas. You'd think there were be one ranch close to I-40 with Longhorn cattle.. but no. I think the people of Texas should make this a tourist stop. I for one, would like to see a Longhorn close up. Brina and I stopped for a drink somewhere close to Amarillo. We laid down in grass of a McDonald's and tried to cool off. I felt like the air conditioning wasn't working.. but in retrospect.. I think that it's just that it was 95 degrees outside... and I couldn't get cool enough.
Around 3-4pm, we hit the border to New Mexico. Almost immediately, the topography changes from totally flat .. to starting to get hilly and with arroyos. We saw 3 trains go by when we were near Cuervo, NM (one of my fav places)-- I just love trains. We stopped for gas in Santa Rosa, and a pit stop at a very skanky place that I will not mention. We also saw a herd of what looked like gazelles ! feasting on the grasslands fresh with rain.
We encountered traffic congestion to the west of the Sandias... there is alot of construction going on, couple with a fender bender... made life a little complicated. If you've never seen the Sandia Mountains.. I would consider it a must. They are the most awesome jutting monoliths of mountains... full of pine trees and deer.
By 7:30 I was home. I had been craving ice cream since Texas.. so the whole family went out to Coldstone for a treat !
So -- yesterday's travels took me from Rolla, Mo to El Reno, Oklahoma. I started off with a really good breakfast from the hotel. French toast, orange juice and coffee. I haven't had french toast in years... and it was really good. I also grabbed a piece of sausage for Sabrina, who licked it up pretty quickly :) The first stop of the day was at the Heartland Antique Mall in Lebanon, MO. I always stop there.. it is just full of so many cool things. This time, I picked up a couple of state quarters that my dad is missing, a couple really old hammers, a couple vintage Japanese bowls, and a carved piece of carnelian stone that looks like a locust bug.. made into a bead. I love this kind of stuff. I also stopped at the Cheese Outlet and got some churro nuggets (told you they were addictive). Brina and I stopped for lunch at a McDonald's along the route. They had a gazebo in the lot (for smokers) but it was the only shady spot... so we grabbed it to eat our lunch in. We ended up talking to a local young guy. He's had a rough life. Divorced parents, older brothers who are in trouble with the law... a car that's literally falling apart. He is trying to make it. Trying to work two part time jobs, trying to stay clean and out of trouble... I'm sure this is a pretty normal story for alot of people. I think it proves how many people are really trying hard.. in spite of the economy and all kinds of struggles. The rest of the afternoon was a blur of gas/pit stops. Stopped at a Starbucks in Tulsa Ok, and talked to a nice couple on their first date :) Stopped for the night at a Motel 6 in El Reno OK. It is right next to a Taco Bell (taco salad for supper !) and right down from a Walgreens.. so I could get my photos onto cd. The car is doing really well... but somewhere along the way I lost the door cover to my gas tank nozzle. Not a big deal.. just odd. Not sure if it fell off, or what. One more day of traveling to go !
Today I woke up at at 9:30am.. still pretty tired... and stayed tired all day. I can only assume that I am just not used to all the driving. It has also been very humid.. and I have been driving in and out of storms.. which also adds to the feeling of fatigue. Right away, I was able to find a Walmart near the hotel, and was able to purchase a new cord to hook my camera to the laptop. However, the pics still won't load.. so I can only assume that there is something really wrong with my camera. This is not a surprise, as my camera is not so elegantly held together with duct tape and prayer.
Drove for a couple hours, then stopped for lunch at a Wendy's. I am constantly amazed at how many people come up to me to talk about the SmartCar. I have been averaging about 50-60 people every day during my travels, who ask about the details on the car. If I had a $1 for every one... . he he. I actually don't mind. It is great to see people so excited about it... and I understand their enthusiasm.
Later on, Brina and I stopped at a Speedway Gas station in Wadsworth, OH. I got to talk to a very nice young girl about life... young, tattooed, rebellious, and an artist... living in a really really small town. Ohio is full of well manicured lawns and the towns of nothing but 3 bedroom brick ranches. Large corporate buildings and factories. Heavy steel factories, lots of really big buildings composed of brick...reflecting the heyday of industry in the East.
Around dinner, we stopped at a little gas station/cafe/gift shop at the junction of I-80 and Rt66. We are in PA now. Now comes the part of the trip where the road winds up and down thru the top end of the Appalachian Mountains. Small little villages with no red lights and one country store. Areas that are only hosts to the seasonal campers and hunters with sporadic trailers and cabins strewn about. Luscious green fields, primitive forests, and quiet blue ponds. Dairy farms and small herds of sheep. Rusty old tractors gathering rust in the sun strewn fields. Barns echoing times gone by, now left to fall into the ground. It is my home state... and I had almost forgotten how loudly it speaks to my soul.
The last leg of the trip takes me thru Mt. Jewett, Kane, Smethport, Port Alleghany, Roulette, and finally to Coudersport. Along the way I took photos of fields, farms, and some vintage train cars that a gentleman is restoring into guest houses. I took pictures of lots of flowers. This is what I started taking photos of as a child, and I still love to take nature shots. I had actually considered studying Biology at one point... and at one time I knew the names of every plant or tree I saw.
As I arrived into Coudersport, it started to lightly rain.. and there was the most gorgeous HUGE rainbow. It was soooooooooooo bright. I did take some photos.... along with another guy in a small car that stopped alongside the road.
Picked up a salad for supper ... and drove to my parent's house. Brina has been happily sleeping in her bed since we arrived at 8pm.
Total expenses: $60 for gas, food and snacks. $20 for a camera cord at Walmart. Drove about 500 miles or so today.
'tis the ides of March. And while most days are sunny and very much SpRiNg.... I was recalling a day a couple years ago, about this time, when we were traveling to PA.
We were driving through Oklahoma, and all the sudden we were in the middle of this tornado storm. We kept coming in and out of the edge of the eye, and we would get completely trashed and thrown about with wind and rain. We pulled off at the first exit (along with 17 semi trucks !) and waited it out in this little tiny gas station where the lady working made us coffee and we shared stories. It was awesome.
*photos by Elaine A. Russell
(photos by Elaine A. Russell -- this one was taken at the 2
(Waylan's Restaurant.... Miami, OK)
(Skies in Missouri)
(Heartland Antique Mall, Missouri)
( on the road in Indiana)
(Vintage Conoco Station in McLean, Texas)
(local farm in Texas)
(Southwest Antiques, in Weatherford, OK)
(sunset in Oklahoma)
( Theater in Miami, OK)
