Oklahoma and Amarillo by morning...

So, after leaving Ft. Smith, Arkansas, we headed directly west along route 40 to Oklahoma City. Not much along the way but the various Indian nations and a fair amount of Casinos. We did stop for a great lunch at Cowpoke's Cafe in Weleetka, Oklahoma. Great home style cooking at what turned out to be the busiest place in town. It looked like everyone was there but then again, Weleetka's population is 1,002. 

We moved on to Oklahoma City for several days of work.  The temperature dropped down to 30 degrees two nights. But, we are more prepared this year with a heated fresh water hose and a special quilted envelope that Jo made to cover the water faucet and regulator. So, no problems not having water due to frozen lines. We stopped for lunch one day across from this drive in and I loved the sign.

Takes you back a bit, doesn't it?

Next stop was Amarillo. We realized it had been 21 years since we had been to the panhandle and it hasn't changed one iota. Endless ranges of flat land and steers everywhere.  Here is where the steers stop.

Yep, that's the place with the free 72 oz. steak. As long as you finish it in an hour along with a salad, baked potato and roll. Apparently, the next stop is the cardiologist for a cardiac catheterization.

We tried to get in but the wait was 45 minutes and the noise was 4500 decibels.  Off to Rosa's Cafe for Mexican. 

On Friday, we headed north about an hour to Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument.  The area was first used as a quarry 13,000 years ago by the Clovis-Paleo-Indians. This was the end of the Ice Age when prehistoric man was using stone arrowheads and spear points to hunt mammoths. The quarries were then used by more recent Indians and ultimately by Americans for flintlock guns. Sounds boring but it wasn't. There has been no unescorted access to the quarries since the 1950's when guided access started. Our tour was conducted by a park ranger with a degree in anthropology and over the two hours and 15 minutes he provided so much information on the Indians, the wildlife, history, geology, and archeology. The hike was only a mile but it went up 170' to the quarries. That's like walking up the stairs in a seventeen story building. He stopped three times along the way, allowed rest and used the time as a learning moment. What a great day!

 Ranger Jacob at the top of the mountain explaining the quarries.

Minerals of all colors.

This was one of the best tours we have had and in Fritch, TX no less.

The bus is leaving the station and on the way to New Mexico.