Monday, October 29, 2012

SULLIVAN MISSOURI TO WEATHERFORD OKLAHOMA…A FINE DRIVING DAY SO WE JUST KEPT GOING

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WE HAVE SOME COLORFUL NEIGHBOR’S PARKED NEAR US FOR THE NIGHT

Despite the obvious people noise from local business's all around us, we were both surprised at how well we slept. Especially Kelly, who can usually be woken up by a fly landing on a hamburger bun 6 blocks away. A cold night so we are very much looking forward to driving into warmer south-west temps in a couple days. Glad to be west of the Mississippi River now as well. Off with my baseball cap & on with my cowboy hat. Yahooie Louie:))
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LOOKED LIKE STORMY SKY’S AHEAD FOR AWHILE THIS MORNING BUT THE CLOUDS MADE WAY FOR LOTS OF SUNSHINE & WARMER WEATHER

We 'un-Cracker Docked about 8 a.m. & climbed aboard I-44 minutes later. I had no intentions of driving all the way to Oklahoma City or beyond today but that's just what we did. We are presently Wally Docked in Weatherford Oklahoma about 120 miles east of Amarillo Texas.  We rolled in here about 5 o'clock this afternoon. This is the same Walmart we overnighted at on our way home from Congress 7 months ago. MapQuest tells me we traveled 502 miles today. Weather was great with a mix of sun & cloud, no wind & the roads were bare & dry. Always seems to me the traffic west of the Mississippi is not as intense as traffic east of the Mississippi.

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A HAPPY LITTLE PHEEBS RACES ACROSS THE PARKING LOT TO GREET KELLY COMING BACK FROM A McDONALD’S THIS MORNING

Nice country west of St. Louis with rolling hills, rock cuts, valleys, lots of colorful Autumn forests & long winding highways. Fair number of narrow laned construction zones along the way just to keep drivers on their toes. One just north of Oklahoma City on the Turnpike sure caught my attention right quick when a red van ahead of us clipped a retaining barrier but managed to maintain control.  Construction lanes were way too narrow.  Made 3 fuel stops today because I have been keeping the weight down by not traveling on a full fuel tank.  Our Motorhome has been humming along like a fine tuned clock & I'm thankful we put all new tires on the rig a couple years ago. Two new front tires in Clinton Ontario & 4 new rear tires in Kingman Arizona 6 months later.

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No route mistakes today, no missed exits or entrances. Always managed to be in the right lane at the right time moving through the heavier traffic areas. The Pilot & the Navigator were on the same page all day. It is so much easier traveling with a partner & I would be very hard pressed to go back to the days of traveling alone when I made solitary trips to both the east & west coasts of Canada. ED FREY, a lone traveler, left a comment in last night's post on just how he goes about planning his trips & doing everything himself.

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SPENCER LOOKS QUITE PUT OUT ABOUT MR. PUMPKIN HEAD SITTING ON OUR JEEPS ENGINE HOOD AT A REST STOP AREA TODAY

This trip to Congress Arizona & last Aprils trip from Congress back to Bayfield were & are different from our usual way of travel. In the past we have mainly used Interstates east of the Mississippi & side roads, secondary roads & back roads west of the Mississippi. We once totally lost ourselves in the backwoods of the Ozarks when on a whim, we swung off the Interstate east of Joplin Missouri & somehow found our way out of the woods near Fort Smith, Arkansas. That was in December of 04. On our old southern route we always preferred & enjoyed the back roads through much of Texas. I have pooh poohed Interstate travels in the past but if one decides to make the best traveling times with the shortest routes & probably the best gas mileages, then the Interstates it is.

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I’M THINKING THAT ROAD ON THE RIGHT IS PART OF OLD ROUTE 66…NEAR JOPLIN MISSOURI

Our Internet connection here in Weatherford was very poor so we hauled out our Wilson Sleek, plugged it in, used our metal step down stool as an antennae base & 'Walla' we had ourselves a right good blogable connection. I remember how disappointed we were in our Sleek when first trying to use it in Congress last March, but here in Weatherford tonight, our Sleek is totally slick:))

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We sure are out of the loop on info about the storm on the east coast. At home we probably would have had CNN or whatever on & been keeping up with the storm updates. When we stop for the night we put our rig's antennae up & pick up half a dozen local channels. Not much coverage about the storm. While driving along today, Kelly was catching me up on storm details from her laptop. Sad to hear about the H.M.C.S. Bounty going down.

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KELLY READS ALOUD HURRICANE SANDY’S UPDATES

I’m not totally certain about this but I think I was aboard the Bounty when it was anchored in St. Petersburg Florida in 1965.  I have photos at home of my Mother, my Aunt Jean, & myself all standing on her deck by the large wooden steerage wheel.  And I’m pretty sure it was the one ‘Mutiny On The Bounty’ was filmed on.  I had flown to Florida after I got out of boot camp at H.M.C.S. Cornwallis near Digby, Nova Scotia.  My Aunt Jean was living in Bradenton at the time & my Mother was there visiting.  Pretty sure it was the Bounty.  When we get back to Bayfield I will post those photos.

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I have had some emails coming in from folks that I intend to get back to just as soon as I can when all this traveling dust settles down. Thanks folks:))
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WALLY-DOCKED IN WEATHERFORD OKLAHOMA ALONGSIDE I-40

GROANER’S CORNER:((Latest news reports advise that a cell of five terrorists has been operating in the Harlem area.
Police advised earlier today that four of the five have already been detained. The Regional Police Commissioner stated that the terrorists: Bin Sleepin, Bin Drinkin, Bin Fightin and Bin Pimpin have already been arrested on immigration issues. The police advise further that they can find no one fitting the description of the fifth cell member: Bin Workin, in the area. Police are however, confident that anyone who looks like Workin will be extremely easy to spot in the community.

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14 comments:

  1. As much as I would have loved to see you guys I am happy you decided not to come this way - we are getting hit with lots of snow and rain -- maybe next year Keep in touch!!

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  2. I know you are eager to get to AZ but while you are close to Amarillo you should check out Palo Duro Canyon. It is really pretty and there is actually RV sites at the bottom of the canyon, with hookups.
    Safe travels. Love the pic of Pheebs running towards Kelly.

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  3. Looks like you're only sharing that parking lot with one other traveler.

    George and Suzie from Awesome Travels look like they're in a Walmart Campground. Over 35 rigs by 5:00 in the evening.

    Live reports were showing Sarnia getting badly battered.

    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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  4. Was it Kelly or the McDonald's bag? Just kidding. We know Pheebe's would much rather have Kelly.

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  5. Go Al, Go. you are really putting the miles under your rig.You will need to take a two day nap when you get to Congress just to rest up. Glad to see all is going well and your Bombardier/Navigator is keeping you on course.Be safe out there. Sam & Donna...

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  6. You are sure putting some miles, I was on the Bounty too, my girlfriend's uncle worked for MGM so when the bounty came to Vancouver in 64 we had a private tour. So sad it sunk and sad for the people on the east coast.

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  7. You are making some good time Al, we will be right behind you...should be in Weatherford tomorrow if we get the Motorhome serviced today here at Motor Homes of Texas in Nacodgoshes....Safe Travels!!!

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  8. Looks like you are making good time, think you are kind of anxious to get to Congress Take care and be safe.

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  9. Are you sure Mike isn't in the pilot seat with you--500+ miles!!! Good job! Kelly and I are about the same, my Dad used to say, "you can hear an ant crawl across the floor." and I almost can. I've taken to sleeping in ear plugs--tell Kelly to give it a try!

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  10. Getting South and West as fast as possible is the plan we use too. Those long days in the beginning of the trip are easy to do...I hate doing them on the way home..I drag one foot out the truck door all the way..Be safe!
    When are we breaking out the egg salad?

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  11. yet another travel day under your belt!..soon you will be seing the sunshine in Arizona!
    that was quite the neighbour you had..good thing they didn't catch a glimpse of Spencer..he would have matched perfectly!

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  12. Happy to hear you are making great time and all is going well.

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  13. Thanks for the shout out Al. I always get a huge spike in my visitor count when you do that. They don't stay long however because I don't have the great pictures that you offer. My prose is not as interesting either but that is another story entirely.

    I am following your route which I think is what Google Maps would recommend( Interstate Highways). I have then selected the Option of No Highways (misleading, they mean No Interstate). So far you have traveled 1,370 miles in 3 days. I would have had to travel 1,461 and would have taken 5 days to do it.

    This is not meant to be critical of you (however, you know how I hate Interstates) but is offered to your readers as another way to travel.

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  14. Do you suppose that rig and tow vehicle in the first picture could be Spencer's "real" parents? Hope you kept a close eye on him.

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