Kansas- Day 3 - to Oklahoma City and back August 3, 2016

Since my husband had a breakfast meeting that I had to get him to at 8:30, I got up at 7. When I went to breakfast, he came along to have a coffee.

While we were sitting there, first one, then another clarinetist stopped to talk to him. When a third mentioned that he was going to the meeting, my husband asked if he could catch a ride with him. When that was worked out, I was able to take my time. One of the clarinetists was from just above Oklahoma City and said it had taken him 4 1/2 hours to get here. I checked Google and it agreed. That was an hour longer than I'd found, when I was at home. But, there was no way around it, as I really felt this was my only chance to visit that Capitol.

I was on the road at 8:51 with 9251 on the odometer. (I'd put a lot more on it today.) Within minutes, I was picking up a toll ticket. That did not bode well. I drove through an area of rolling green hills. At 9:10, I came to the Topeka Service Area on I 70. Even though I'd gone only 17 miles, I decided to stop, because I didn't know when the next one would be. It turned out to be a good stop,as there was a gift shop. I actually found a Lawrence postcard there, which I'd not seen in the town. I also got a couple of pins for my collection. 

I was back on the road at 9:29. In 1/2 hour, I saw exactly 1 car and 1 truck. I know this is a turnpike, but it is also I 35 at this point and when is an interstate that empty? There were some fields and a few farmhouses along the way.

At 10:14 (9324), I decided to stop at the Emporia Service Area and find some chocolate to pep me up. Unfortunately, the shop was over at the gas station and I'd pulled up to McDonald's for decent restrooms. So, I got a small chocolate shake for $2.97, but without whipped cream or a cherry. When I got back on the road at 10:22, I found it helped.

I also found traffic!  It was a shock after the previous stretch of road. When I entered the Flint Hills country, the terrain changed and there were far fewer trees and lots and lots of green grass.

Cattle appeared, which was nice. There were some big herds and then random loners. It was surprising to drive down a hill and find a solar-powered sign that would light up to warn of high water in the event of a flash flood in the little creek. At times, the grass broke away and you could see the layers of flinty rock below.

 Mythical El Dorado was known for gold. Around El Dorado, Kansas, I saw signs of black gold - oil pumps going up and down. It reminded me of Texas.

 I was anxious to keep my knees from stiffening, so I decided to try to stop about every hour. So, at 11:16, (9391), I stopped at the Towanda Service Area for 10 minutes. At 11:37, I was going through Wichita and it was 95 degrees. I was surprised to see aerospace industries there. I just expected it to be more agricultural, which it did become as I left town, and flatter, too.

I skipped the next service area and then realized I should have stopped for gas. Oh, well. At 12:04 (9439), the Kansas Turnpike ended and became simply I 35, but not before I had to pay $11.50 for the toll. It was 99 degrees as I neared the Kansas/ Oklahoma line and I was surprised to see wind farms on both sides of the line. I decided that they must have taken the line "where the wind comes right behind the rain" literally.

 At 12:20, I crossed into Oklahoma and began looking for gas. I first found the Oklahoma Welcome Center, and made a pit stop there at 12:28 (9466).

It was at mile marker 226, which tells you about how wide Oklahoma is at the widest point. A lady who was also going into the restroom asked where I was headed. She was going to Dallas, a heck of a lot farther.

 When I got back on the road at 12:36, the car said it was 104 degrees. I stopped 5 minutes later at the Shell station at Blackwell, exit 222. The odometer showed 9469 and the gas gauge read just under a quarter of a tank.  I put in 9.1 gallons @ $1.959. I was on the road again at 12:46.

It was flatter for a while, but at 1:24, I began to see rolling hills.

After 2, I suddenly realized I could see the Capitol down the road and it looked quite grand down there. My GPS was not as specific as she could have been about how to get into the parking lot and I wound up going around the complex 1 1/2 times. Once in the parking lot, it took work to find the visitor parking. But, at 2:16 (9567), I was parked and took a picture of the Capitol and its oil rig in the foreground. This is the only Capitol in the country with an oil rig on the grounds.

 Due to construction and not great signage, getting inside was a little more complicated. There was security to go through and x-rays of my bags. The guys were nice, though, and cheerfully pointed the way to the visitor center. There, the lady said I could wait for the 3 pm tour or do the self-guided. I chose the latter, but first I bought some postcards, gooseberry jam and pins and had her stamp my capitols passport.

She'd suggested I go cool off in the permanent art collection first, as the rotunda is not air conditioned yet. However, when I couldn't readily find that, I just headed to the 5th floor and started my tour. The magazine-sized booklet did a good job of telling you what you were looking at. No special symbolism in anything in the House or Senate, but they have been restored to more-or-less their original looks. The House is really quite splendid. Both have nice stained glass in the ceiling.
 Senate:

Found portraits of famous Oklahomans, some of whom I knew, like Mickey Mantle, Will Rogers, Woody Guthrie and Jim Thorpe, and others whom I didn't.

 Seqy

I was disappointed that the Supreme Court was locked and the constitution was off somewhere else for the time being.

       One of several sculptures in niches.           
    This statue is on top of the dome:          













I did finally find the art gallery and it had some nice pieces, although it wasn't quite as cool as she'd said.                                                                 Bob Barker: Landscape Fragment

Before leaving, I stopped back in the visitor center for a food recommendation. When I emphasized that I didn't want a chain and that this was my only meal in Oklahoma, they recommended Backdoor BBQ, which was less than a mile away.

 I was in the car at 3:55 and parked on the street in front of the place in just 9 minutes.

I was the only customer and I headed for the counter, when I saw that that was what you do, based on the signs.

I was greeted warmly by the man and lady behind the counter as I approached. I told the lady, that this was my only meal in Oklahoma and what would she recommend. She asked if I wanted a platter or a sandwich, and I decided that the 5 hour ride necessitated a sandwich. She suggested the brisket, which she liked fatty, but I chose lean. I chose potato salad as my side and it had green onions, red potatoes, bacon, etc. in it and reminded me of my grandmother's German potato salad, which pleased her. The sandwich had a toasted bun, that was greasy on the top, but not in a bad way. There was plenty of delicious meat inside. I put some classic sauce on it and later added some sweet.

The place looked like a barbecue place and this black couple just had that Southern charm that goes so well in such a place. I changed my mind and did get a jar dessert, because how could I not? I got chocolate dirt pudding and when I hesitated to take the proffered homemade whipped cream, she said, "You know you want to!" And I did. It was not as good as the sandwich, but not bad.

The three of us exchanged some joking banter as I refilled my iced tea and also my water bottle, which she'd kindly agreed to. When I told them that I'd posted a picture of my sandwich on Facebook and it already had likes, they were very appreciative. 

I was on the road at 4:55. I soon saw a sign that said 101 degrees, although the car said 108. Traffic was heavy, but this was rush hour. It got better the farther out of town I got. At 6:13, the car said it was 100 degrees. At 6:38, I'd crossed into Kansas and there was a welcome sign, which there had not been in Oklahoma. At 6:51, I picked up my toll ticket.

At 6:59 (9703), I finally reached a rest area, the Belle Plain Service Area. I took a little longer to stretch my legs.

 Wheat across from the rest area:

I was back on the road at 7:12. It wasn't long before I saw the gas gauge heading to 1/4 again. So, at 8:10 (9774), I stopped at the Matfield Green Service Area. I'd driven 305 miles since the last fill up. It took 9.1 gallons again @$1.989. I used the restroom, planning not to stop again,if I could help it. Before getting back in the car at 8:20, I took a picture of the sunset on the prairie to post to Facebook later and one on the other side of the road as well.

 The sun stayed over my right shoulder until it finally set. In the dark, the road was trickier, because of the curves and construction cutting out lanes. However, at times, it was empty enough to put on the high beams. That had to stop near Topeka, but traffic was significantly heavier as I headed east.

As I took the exit ramp to East Lawrence, I had to slam on the breaks, because the idiot ahead of me stopped right in the lane next to a car on the shoulder with its flashers on. I had to go around to the left. At 9:43 (9880), I paid the $11.50 toll. At 9:48 ( 9882), I parked at the hotel.

I didn't go in right away, but texted my husband to see, if I had to pick him up from the evening concert. While I awaited his reply, I read the texts between him and my daughters about a stabbing in London and made a response. I also posted the sunset picture and said how important it was to be able to rock out to good music to stay with it on that incredibly long drive. I'd driven 631 miles today!

After 10 minutes of no response from my husband, I wrote him that I was giving up and going in to shower. When I reached the room, he texted that there was a shuttle he'd take.

I should be dead on my feet, but mainly my legs just ache from being in the driving position for so long.