Oklahoma

Monday, June 28. We got an early start out of Fort Smith with large Starbucks, ready for one of our longer days of driving. It started out threatening, but we never got the rain. Emily had recommended we work in the Oklahoma City Bombing Monument and we were able to do that. It's been overshadowed by 9/11. But the memorial here is very peaceful, very personal and moving. Here's a picture record of our day.

Lots of farmland.

Oklahoma City: The Memorial

The pines will be 100' tall, the same height as the building that was destroyed, replicating its stature for all time. The reflecting pond is only 1/2 inch deep but looks deeper and gives a sense of calm and serenity.





Each "chair" represents a person who died in the bombing. The row they are in indicates the floor on which they perished. The smaller chairs are the children. Each chair is hand made, distinct from the others, as was each person. The base lights up at night.




This old elm tree survived the blast, just barely. A team of horticulturist worked to save it. It's called the survivors tree, dedicated to those who lived. The name of each person who survived the blast is engraved on a wall. And each spring they take the seeds and saplings and distribute them around the country.

Out of Oklahoma City toward Texas


We spotted the windmill "alley" that was so prominently promoted a few months back by T. Boon Pickens. These things are massive. And they go on row after row for as far as the eye can see.




We were heading for Amarillo, Texas. We ate lunch at a Sonic because there really isn't much choice between cities. Sonic is coming to Connecticut with much fanfare, I suppose because it is a drive-in and after eating there, I really can't think of another reason. We drove many, many miles without seeing anything at an exit but a gas station. We did see lots of beautiful open land and sky. One of the highlights of the afternoon was "the largest cross in the western hemisphere."




We arrived in Amarillo, a really great city, around 4 pm. We've got the routine down pretty pat by now. I check in and Ray unloads our suitcases from the top of the car.

We stayed at a Drury Inn. Nice room with mini kitchen (which we didn't use.) They serve wine and snacks till 7 which we took advantage of. Then found a great ice cream place...the cold stone kind... around the corner and sat in the sun eating dessert.