This is the fifth entry of a multi-entry series.
- First installment: On the Road Again: Going East Intro (http://wander-world.blogspot.com/2017/10/on-road-again-going-east-intro.html)
- Second installment: Eastward Bound: UT to NC – Day One – Moab, UT. Red Rocks (http://wander-world.blogspot.com/2017/10/eastward-bound-ut-to-nc-day-one-moab-ut.html)
- Third installment: Eastward Bound: UT to NC – Day Two – Albuquerque, NM. High and Winding Roads (http://wander-world.blogspot.com/2017/10/eastward-bound-ut-to-nc-day-two.html)
- Fourth installment: Eastward Bound: UT to NC – Day Three – Elk City, OK. Get Your Kicks on ... the Windy High Plains (https://wander-world.blogspot.com/2017/10/eastward-bound-ut-to-nc-day-three-elk.html)
If Western Oklahoma is windy and red-yellow-sandy, Western Oklahoma is lush green and full of trees! Almost no wind, either. I suppose because of the trees. One of the reasons we're moving back to The South is vegetation. We both love the desert, and we agree it has its beauty. However, the stark nakedness of it makes you miss the green after a while.
After several days of driving through the mountainous deserts of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, and the semi-desert of Western Oklahoma, we finally saw much longed trees today, almost the entire way into Arkansas, except for the first couple of hours of driving through Oklahoma.
While in the dry, naked Oklahoma, we saw skies of menace which reminded us of Kansas seven years ago, when driving towards Utah. Tornado skies are something else - menacing is an understatement. They are a universe all of their own selves. The little lady at a gas station, sporting a Michigan sweatshirt, congratulated us for getting out of there "before the storm and the gusts start". We were grateful, too. A car is an evil thing to manage when the wind pulls it all directions.
Like a patchwork of American history, Oklahoma is home to many Native tribes. Today we passed through the homes of many Native Nations: Chickasaw, Kickapoo, Seminole, Muskogee (Creek). This is always a rare treat to me, as this, to me, is the real America. It makes me respectful and so grateful that they share their land with us.
As
we approached the Eastern states, even starting yesterday, the
weather has gotten warmer and warmer and more and more humid. It's
strange that most of the trees in Arkansas and for the most part in
Oklahoma, too, have not even turned colors yet – it's past the middle of
October. When is the fall starting here?!
Today,
for the first time, I heard cicadas when we pulled in for the night
in the Little Rock, AR KOA campground. Such a familiar and long
missed sound. So soothing to me … For the first time today, we also
turned on the A/C in the camper, instead of the heater. Yay – we're
in the South! Not our South yet, but it counts.
Driving
today was harder than any other day, and not sure why. The altitude
has gotten lower and lower and the wind died down eventually towards
the end of the day, but the day seemed longer and dragging …
I was so excited to come through Arkansas, the home state of one of my favorite US Presidents (and he is not Republican!). And I was so shocked that even after being through Texas, Arkansas was the first state on this trip to sport a bigger than life "Trump - Make America Great Again" billboard. I was so disappointed, I did not even take a picture. Some things are better to remain uncaptured.
I always thought Arkansas is a poor state. But looking at the lush green highways that remind you of the Rhine Valley, you would not know it. Stepping inside of one of the communities, with broken roads, and missing street signs, with poor gas stations almost cracking from age and humidity, with leaky appliances and toothless attendants remind you that you thought right. People are ever so nice, though, and such nice, yielding drivers, too
Some
camping notes: we see people from all over the country in all these
KOAs we're staying at. Seems like mostly older, retired people and
all states are represented. KOA campgrounds are magical places –
you have running water and electricity just like you would at home.
It's such a treat. Thus, the A/C tonight. Hot shower in our own
private shower, every morning, night lights and a place to charge all
our electronics are some of the luxuries. I sometimes (only
sometimes) I get how people can be into the whole tiny living thing.
We really are missing very little. Well, besides space, of course.
Gypsy-the-Cat
has gotten to have his own routine. He sleeps during our drive in his kennel in my car, and he
comes out to the camper for lunch (midway during the day), then goes
back to snoozing for the remainder of the drive. He mostly sleeps and
eats at night. We found out that even if the litter doesn't smell to
us at all, the ammonia in the litter can set off the carbon monoxide
sensor in the camper (which is 2 feet away from his litter box). Who
knew?!
We also found out that although KOAs may say "full hookups", sometimes, they run out of water. But we have had our emergency supply handy, so we were good. Our neighbors, not so much.
We're
two full days away from our final destination, but having gotten four
of the days behind us feels great, albeit incredibly tiring. I do
believe we will take the first day we get to North Carolina to just
sleep it off … But who knows … “miles to go before I sleep”
yet.
The dark skies before the Oklahoma storm
On the Western (windy and barren) side of Oklahoma, all trees have this shape, because the winds twists them so
If I had a dollar for every truck, billboard, sign I have seen through Oklahoma announcing that this is the land of American beef ... I would make it out OK, I think ...
Oklahoma City skyline. All I could think about driving by it was "The Oklahoma City bomber"
After a looonggg drive for days through the desert of many states we came to this, largest body of water we had seen for a while. I chuckled when I saw the name of the road right past it: it was Lotawatah Road. And this is a true story!
Arkansas is like a perpetual park: I have never seen so many National Parks, National Monuments, State Parks one after another within a short distance like in Arkansas
I could not get enough of these trees!
I never understood this American staple: this is a water park with a giant water slide. They are always, no matter what state, right over the very busy highways! Why some architects deem them picturesque and delightful right next to rush hour traffic is beyond my understanding!
Bridge over the highway in Oklahoma City
What is the first sandwich I make when I get to my camp site in Little Rock, AR with cicadas chanting outside and dripping sweat from too much humidity?! Why, a tomato sandwich, of course. Yes, I am home. Let The South begin!
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