From Pine Bluff to Texola

 

On the way into the RV Park in Pine Bluff we saw a family of Canadian Geese walking across the roadway...on our way out Saturday we saw the family in water by the roadway.  This was a common occurrence for me for the seven years I lived in the Park.

One year a mama had eleven little ones...it was fun watching them get bigger and bigger each day/week.  I think eight of them made it to adult or young adult status.  Unfortunately not only did mama have to deal with foxes and the rare coyote, but the speeding vehicles too.

We were under very tight time constraints due to me wanted to get across Tornado Alley without having to face inclement weather.  We did drive down Main Street and by the new Main Library, which opened up during the COVID stuff.  It is nice from the outside, and the pictures I have seen of the inside are real nice too...but that will need to wait until another trip.

So the purpose of being in Pine Bluff was to see a long-time friend.  We picked Chilis to eat at initially...but when we got there they said there was a 25-30 minute wait.  But nearly EVERY table was open...they only had ONE SERVER, and they would NOT let us wait at the table, we would have to wait at the entry area.  Out the door we went.  Thank goodness a Colton's Steak House opened in White Hall, the community just north where my children were raised...and it was a delightful meal with the place fully staffed and bout 2/3rds full for a Saturday afternoon.

On our way back from Colton's Steak House, we dropped by the Dave Burdick Watson Chapel Public Library.  This is the first time I have seen it remodeled, and I did not have my camera with me.  All I can say is that I was very very impressed, and on our next trip I plan (I hope) to take pictures of at least this Library and the Main Library.  The remodel doubled the size of the old library, and includes a nice meeting room and more space for computers, study room(s) and more books.

On our way to the Fort Smith area we had a detour in Little Rock which took us over the Arkansas River near the Big Dam Bridge (the bridge that is over the "Big Dam", which is one of the larger dams along the Arkansas River in Arkansas.

By 6:15 we were pulled into the RV area of the Alma Arkansas Cracker Barrel, and met Marcia's relative there at 6:30 for dinner.  It was past 8 pm when bid our farewells, and we slept, with permission, in the parking lot...which turned out to be fairly quiet...although a certain little doggie growled at every noise for the first hour or so.  

We were on the road again by 7:15 am, and it only took10 minutes or so to get to Oklahoma.

Noticed fairly quickly that we had a headwind coming just from 11:00 position if the 12:00 position was straight ahead.  Thank goodness for the many trees that line the highway from time to time which cut down the intensity.  One time however it got my attention and I sat straight up with both hands gripping the wheel...thank goodness it did not move us over too far to the right.  I can notice my hands hurt though just typing this blog, that is how tight I had to hold the wheel for much of the day.

A few hours later, about 11:30, we entered the city limits of Oklahoma City and came up an exit for Tinker AFB.  Normally I see jets or C-130's (and even a B-52 one time) flying near the base, but not today...nothing.  Perhaps because it was Palm Sunday today?

About 15 minutes later we are driving past downtown Oklahoma City.  Stopped just past town to fill up again at Flying J...$125 for 34 gallons.

As we got close to the town of Clinton, this truck with a load of hay drove by us...those are sure large haystacks!

And, of course, there is the killing fields...I mean...Windmills (Just from a few days ago:  A subsidiary of one of the largest U.S. wind energy companies has been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay over $8 million in fines and restitution after at least 150 eagles were killed at its wind farms in eight states.)

At long last we made it to Double-D RV Park in Texola, OK...it is right on the boarder, in Oklahoma, of Texas and Oklahoma.  It is a Passport America Park for only $14 per night, 16 RV campsites with electricity and water, AND we are the ONLY ONES HERE!  It is a self check-in pay where you drop the envelope in a metal slot.  So YES, we allowed Indy to roam a bit off leash.  She is SO GOOD about obeying me when I say, "Too Far" or "Go Over Here", but I would not do it if there were others around, especially other dogs...she gets too excited.

The Park once had a restaurant in front of it...I have no idea how long it has been shut down, but the name has been taken off the sign.

Her and I sat outside for a good hour, and she just kept watching and watching for people.  Nothing came...other than the distant sound of cars and trucks going by, it is nice and quiet.  It will drop down into the lower 50's by morning, but our space heater can handle that without any problems what-so-ever.  Tomorrow....Albuquerque for 3 nights to try and get our AC fixed, and get some rest.  I feel so much better now that we are past the Tornado Alley area.  Looks like it might get dicey later this week.

Glad we are out of there... (Here is link to a blog I did on May 1, 2017 when a Tornado hit ground just a thousand yards from where we were staying in a Walmart Parking Lot. THAT was close enough...don't want to go through that again.)