Friday, 1/23. From Counce, TN, which is 10-15 miles south of US64, we opted to let Miss Magellan lead us to Memphis by the quickest route. Thus, we first took a state highway that winds south into Mississippi. This also happened to be the route used by trucks hauling logs to the PCA paper plant. Besides meeting a dozen or so trucks in as many miles, I had an empty one behind me, eager, I'm sure, to go pick up his next load. No place to pull over and at every intersection where our paths could have diverged, they didn't. But, I was doing close to the speed limit, so didn't feel I was impeding his legal progress. Fortunately, it wasn't long until we were on a divided highway straight into Memphis. Got through that city and across the Mississippi River with minimum stress. Almost always, other drivers are helpful when I suddenly discover we need to change lanes.
Hard to get pictures of rivers and bridges when you're driving, so here's one from the internet.
I found some other good daytime pictures at this
website, but couldn't copy them.
Still eschewing interstates, we caught up with US 64 crossing Arkansas. It runs straight west on a route that runs north of I-40, bypasses Little Rock, then becomes intertwined with I-40 at Conway, NW of Little Rock. From past experience, I know I-40 in eastern AR has rough pavement (or construction) and lots of semis. Anyhow, them's the reasons for taking 64. Found it to be generally 2-laned, but with frequent passing lanes. Also, paved shoulders, good pavement, and optional loops around most of the towns along the route. And it's flat - Mississippi River Bottom Delta Land. Not much traffic except for Wal-Mart trucks coming from somewhere. All of which makes for more serene driving.
Anyhow, while driving in a slow-traffic lane at one point, I saw the flashing light of a vehicle leading two wide-load trucks hauling modular houses coming up to pass me. I pulled further to the right and slowed down because we were approaching the end of the passing lane. The houses passed, followed closely by two semis. By the time these all passed, we were essentially standing still at the end of the passing lane. All of a sudden we saw the semis making emergency stops, smoke rising from skidding tires. Well, there was a bridge just past this three-lane section and apparently the house-haulers suddenly braked because of oncoming traffic on the bridge and that caught the semis by surprise. Fortunately, no collision (Semi Hits House on Bridge was the headline I could see).
At Conway, to save time we got back on I-40 and stuck with it for a while until the pavement went bad, so it was back to US 64. At this point both roads are following the scenic Arkansas River valley. Late afternoon, so we eventually got back on I-40 and got to a campground in Van Buren, just three miles from the OK border. Eight hours on the road today, longest since we left Jordan Lake. Up next: family weekend in OK.
We've driven I-40 across eastern OK several times in recent years, often in a motor home and it is so rough (worse than Arkansas!) that I have repeatedly composed letters in my head to the Governor, but never got them on paper and in the mail. Want to tell him to put a billboard up at key points, with his face, telling travelers: "I sincerely apologize for the condition of Eisenhower's magnificent interstate highway system in our great state and promise to fix it quickly." Now I wondered if the Obama stimulus package would expedite the work. After we got to Edmond, I saw a newspaper article that said OK was in for $544 million in highway funds. Now my letter will ask that it be spent on I-40.
Also, while driving, I composed this jingle for the governor to put up:
Pardon our bumps
The economy is in the dump.
Spend more of your money
and we will make this road
Smooth as honey
Burma-Shave
Anyhow, the road was fine at the border, but soon deteriorated. Just beats you like a drum. Then, hopeful sign for future trips, there was a stretch of 10 miles or so where new pavement was being put down. After that, another stretch badly needing new pavement led me to opt off at the first available exit. The big treat there was diesel fuel at less than $2.00! (But that got me to speculating that the reason for the low price was probably because OK, an oil-producing state, doesn't tax the oil companies (and consequently drivers) as much as other states do, so consequently the state has less funds for road repair and maintenance. More taxes! Better roads!) Had about an hour's interlude on pleasant backroads, then back on I-40 for the rest of the way into OK City (and the pavement improves the closer you get to the city).
Got to OKC in early afternoon and checked in to the Twin Fountains RV Park, a nice place at the intersection of I-35 and I-44 in NW OKC. Has everything but a RR track. Plan to stay here two nights and leave Monday. Went to see my Mom and then to sister, Connie's, for dinner and visiting.
Cold weather in OK. Susie says OK is the coldest place she's ever been and also the hottest place she's ever been. I suggest we take a side trip to see son Jeff and Valerie Hinkle in Aberdeen, SD. We've been getting frequent reports from them: lots of snow, temperatures in the -30 degree ballpark (and that's too cold for playing ball). Think Fargo. No, thanks, she says.
You would think that after our NC experience we would be closely watching weather forecasts. You would be wrong. My sister, Verla, also at Connie's, said, Did you know we're supposed to get freezing rain Monday? Uh, nope. We watched the TV weathermen closely that night and it was "deja vu all over again." Ice storm coming! Hazardous driving, downed power lines, and other mayhem on the way! At that point we decided to leave Sunday afternoon.
Sunday morning we went to a Methodist Church in Edmond, then went to the assisted living home where Mom lives and there attended the service for the residents that Verla and her husband, Clarence, do every Sunday. Good thoughts and messages both places. Maybe we can count this double-dip as a make-up for one of the Sundays we missed. Here's a shot of Verla and Clarence followed by a shot of us with Mom.
On Sunday afternoon we drove about 120 miles (on I-40 - better here than in eastern OK) to Elk City for the night. Stayed at a RV park we've stayed at before. In fact it was here, a few years ago, where a group of Allegro Bus owners, traveling together, turned me on to this breed of motor homes.
Tomorrow we're going to drive (300 miles) to Santa Rosa, NM, for the night, then to Corona, Tuesday, to celebrate belatedly the 50th anniversary of Susie's brother, Charlie, and his wife, Sue's. You may recall that about six weeks ago (seems like three months) that was our objective on the first day of our trip. We'll get home Tuesday afternoon. Been a lot of fun, but we're ready.
Cheers,
Susie and Rob
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