Robber's Cave

     Tuesday, May 22nd

     Left campground about 9.  Got quite cool in the night but forecast is for 90s in OK.
     Dumped.
     Shortly arrived in Oklahoma and very shortly after was a sign "Welcome to the Cherokee Nation".  I think there's like 8 different tribes located in OK and I passed through many of them today.
     As reported earlier, I posted yesterday's blog from the Welcome Center:

This was the picnic table area at the Welcome Center - can you tell you're in Indian territory?

     I had to get back on I-40 at Ft. Smith where I was last night because I had to enter OK that way so I could get a map - remember good ole Jackson, MS  AAA was closed on Sat.  But surprisingly all those big trucks I'd encountered before must have ended their route in Little Rock because there were virtually no trucks this a.m. but I wasn't on it for very long - went south to experience some of the Talimena Pkwy (rt. 59) which again was suppose to be scenic but nadda - maybe it is further south but I wasn't ready to hit Texas yet.  Then headed west to Robber's Cave Rec. area.  Supposedly this cave was where robbers hid out and stored fresh horses back in the Cowboy & Indian days.  I intended to hike up to it - a 1 hr. round-trip hike but after going a short distance decided best not to - practically straight up and it was climbing over rocks, not a path. 

Of course, the picture doesn't do it justice:)

     The rocks had paint stripes on them so you wouldn't get lost but I thought there were worse things than that and besides, I don't know what I was thinking - Caves - not so much. 

      So, since it was only 1 o'clock, decided to drive a couple of more hours.  Nadda.  You see, I had decided to stay off I-40 and do a back country route and back country was putting it mildly.  Lots & lots of vacant land, many LITTLE "towns" where you had to slow down for 2 houses and a church, and NO campgrounds of any kind!!!  (State speed limit must be 65 because even on the narrowest, curviest, no shoulder roads, that was what was posted - like driving to Brainardsville - you'll see, Evelyn & Mike!)

• cowboys in OK still keep their horses out front of their house
• refreshing to see cattle & horses grazing in grassy fields instead of packed in pens
• just a reminder to buy stock in Dollar General or maybe Sonic - they're everywhere too

     Got to Oklahoma City area - but I was still not in the city, NO campgrounds.  I almost spent the night in a Casino parking lot - I'd heard they'd let you and there are MANY casinos in OK - but it was too hot so I tried my trusty app - hadn't worked all day because I also had no cell service all day.  (Thank you Rhoda for being so healthy!).  There was ONE in the whole area W of OK City - I pulled in a 7:30 - the latest ever.  It's an adult only (thank goodness it's rated A and not R), cash only, no bathrooms and I had to give out all kinds of computer ##s before they'd give me the password for the internet.

     So, cousin Nancy, I've thought of you a lot today because I know you've been here to visit a friend and because you like cowboys (as does Sally).  I think I saw more Indians than cowboys though.

     Thought of Joanna too and wondered where her solar project is.

DATA:

mileage:  333

gas:  $34@ $3.28                         weather:  again, warm but not hot.  Everything everywhere has been

camp:  $30                                                   so dry - creeks dried up

town name of the day:  Quinton (for my little Quinn)

church name of the day:  Cowboy

interesting:  Jesse James is running for Sheriff in some town in OK

                   I think I'm in a different time zone but not sure