Oklahoma City, OK to Santa Rosa, NM
11/8/07
Oh boy, cowboy country! My first taste (figure of speech) was when I checked in and a cowboy was in line in front of me, so I had to wait until he had completed his check-in process. I used the time wisely to become acquainted with this new state and surroundings. Emmm….tight well fitting jeans accentuating his assets, huge silver belt buckle, nice boots, shirt that seem to elude to but not stick close enough to the body to fully outline a chiseled "V" shaped shoulders to waist, a waist that I'm sure was smaller than mine, and of course, the black hat. He was a sight and I was sorry when the receptionist handed him his key and he was on his way…welcome to Oklahoma!!
My next encounter with the cow boys and girls was at breakfast the next morning. I enjoyed hearing them talk about their competitions, what their horses were doing or not doing, how they felt when they won, and of course checking out their wardrobe sure beat reading the paper. My spirits were high hearing the election results and anticipatory with what we could really get done if both the House and the Senate go Democrat --- I'm filled with hope. Hope was heightened later in the day with the announcement that Rumsefeld would step down – well overdue. Suppose it would be too much to hope that Chaney would do the same?
I set myself up for a day of endurance. My memories of crossing OK and TX were painful. I'd identified nothing of interest for the day—not National Forests, State Parks or really anything green on the map. So I knew it would be a day of just driving. What I had not expected was the HEAT. It was hot and my side window is not treated with that black stuff most people have on windows to block the sun. Thank goodness I got the AC fixed prior to my departure – I used it all day.
We stopped frequently to stretch, wake up, cool down and see the scenery – just kidding on the last one …there is no scenery. It's FLAT, brown, and uninteresting. The funniest thing I saw all say was at a rest stop once I crossed into TX. The picnic tables were iron (maybe too hot for wood?) and the BBQ was in the shape of the state of TX—photos to follow.
There was a distinct change in the landscape in the western end of the Pan Handle, and I was surprised when we crossed the state line into NM – my planning had been off. I hadn't expected to be in NM until the following day. My next surprise was when I stopped at the Visitors Center and learned I just ginned an hour – yep, Mountain Time.
My plan called for camping at Santa Rose State Park, but after driving on a one-lane road for 50 mines directly into the setting sun, I was fatigued and pulled into a motel. I made it across OK and TX….a great accomplishment in my book. So I had to wonder: why did it seem like "forever" when, with friends, I crossed these states on our way to Cape Cod back in college? Could it be? Did all these years bring on an increased sense of patience? Let's hope so.
