A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Seven

Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain
Where the wav-in wheat can sure smell sweet
When the wind comes right behind the rain
Oklahoma ev'ry night my honey lamb and I
Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk
Makin lazy circles in the sky

Lyrics to “Oklahoma” from the musical Oklahoma

By Rogers & Hammerstein

We left New Mexico in the rear view window as we entered the Texas panhandle only to cross over to Oklahoma. The topography along the highway from Capulin Volcano wasn’t that interesting as the prairie took hold.  We passed an old windmill, one that I had stopped to photograph upon my previous trip along this same bi-way, though at that time it was winter with a smattering of snow on the ground.  The lone windmill on the flat sparse landscape spoke much about this part of the country.

The only real town in New Mexico we passed was Clayton and it was fairly sparse.  Even though it was Monday it seemed like a ghost town.  I’m not sure if I saw a single person that wasn’t driving a car.  

Clayton, NM

I almost missed the Texas state line since there’s no town where you cross, just a grain elevator. The next town is Texline, which isn’t much of a town.  I did notice that as soon as you entered Texas that the land became cultivated and farmed.  The next biggest center was Dalhart many miles down the road and a typical small Texas town.  Hey, there’s the Dairy Queen.

 

We continued towards Amarillo where I was planning on stopping for dinner but when we turned south in Dumas I heard a five year-old exclaim that he had to go to the bathroom and couldn’t hold it.  Luckily, we were surrounded by places to pee and for dual purposes to eat.  I combined both needs by turning into the Pizza Hut.  Perfect for Avery – he could satisfy both immediate bodily functions with happiness and I could maybe get something other than burgers or pizza.

Unfortunately, this Pizza Hut did not have a buffet so we had to order off the menu.  Since we didn’t have a real lunch our stomachs thought we needed more to eat than we ought.  I got a medium pizza split half pepperoni half cheese for the kids but Olivia oooh and awww’d over the Buffalo wings and cheese bread.  I warned her she had to eat it all if ordered.  I chose to have pasta.  After drinking a whole glass of Sprite Olivia discovered she couldn’t eat all the wings or bread or pizza.  Told ya’ so!   At least the box of leftovers came in handy upon our late arrival into Lawton and as a in transit snack source.  Before we left the restaurant a bit of wisdom was elicited by my twelve year-old as she admitted she shouldn’t drink too much before eating her meal.  Sometimes they just have to learn it on their own.

Refreshed and ready for a nap (the kids, that is), we mounted the Honda and headed into Amarillo.  One wonders while driving the panhandle of Texas why anyone ever decided to stop and live here.  There is some interesting topography but it’s pretty much flat and desolate.  How a city like Amarillo grew here is perplexing but I’m sure ranching and farming has sustained the economy.  Interestingly, the largest still sustaining ranch in the area, the JA Ranch, was started by Charles Goodnight (see previous post).   

The Yellow Rose of Texas was also known as the helium capital of the world because it once had the biggest fields of helium.  I wonder if everyone spoke in a high voice and where did all that helium go?  You would think it would also be the balloon capital of the world, as well.  They had to change their old slogan, “Get high in Amarillo.”  It’s also home to the Cadillac Ranch – the row of old cars that stick out of the ground as prairie art.  It was on the itinerary but we were hurting for time and the sun was sinking so I nixed the stop, even though it was right off the interstate -maybe next time.

Cadillac Ranch

We stopped for gas before getting on I40 for only a few miles before exiting onto US287 towards Ft. Worth.  I was amazed at the low gas prices that continued to get less and less as we went east and east.  $3.32 a gallon, I believe I paid.  Take away the $3 and that’s what gas cost when I was a kid in New Jersey in the middle 60’s.  We’ve come a long way, baby.

The sun sunk into the west Texas horizon as we continued eastward.  Memphis (Texas) was our stopping off point as we turned towards Oklahoma.  We got on what was supposedly a state highway but really looked like a farm road though with a speed limit of 75mph, go figure.

Memphis, TX

As it got dark you couldn’t really see the landscape but I could tell there wasn’t much to see.  We snuck into Oklahoma under a moonlit night.  We drove through nothing towns until finally getting into Lawton late.  The dark U.S. Highway turned into a suburban type street lit by street lights and then a little more urban as houses turned into strip malls, fast food joints, drive-in banks and oil change places.   The road took us straight to the Quality Inn.  This time we couldn’t park right in front of our room but at least it was on the first floor and not too far from the car, so unloading bags wasn’t that difficult.  It was harder to get the kids to help unload.  The contents of the Pizza Hut box came in handy as it prevented a run to find an open fast food place.  The kids were tuckered out after climbing all over the volcano and driving most of the day.  It was hard to believe we started the day in Colorado Springs.  A good night’s rest and then it was a tour of Ft. Still…where Poppa trained…many, many years ago.

It was hard getting the kiddos up and out but we had to make the complimentary breakfast before it closed.  We made it in time  to enjoy a bagel, waffles and some dry cereal for Avery.  That rascal. 

I was retracing steps, since I had been at Ft. Sill many years ago for work, getting footage for a contractor training video.  The only thing I remembered was the old artillery that peppered the post’s grounds.  Two days earlier, after Avery spawned the idea to go see where his Poppa trained I emailed said Poppa about  the possibility of getting on the base.  There was speculation but he seemed to think we could get on by showing ID and  possibly car registration.   

Thomas Raymond Brooks in Vietnam

Come to find out that Ft. Sill is a tourist attraction and getting on is as easy as going to Six Flags, except you don’t have to pay $60 to get in. 

After going through the gate and getting waived through without stopping a couple of turns found us at the Field Artillery Museum, our first stop. In 1911, Ft. Sill became the home of the U.S. Field Artillery Center and School. 

Today, the U.S. Field Artillery Museum showcases the history of the cadets who have honed their artillery skills at Fort Sill over the course of a century. The museum had a tremendous historical display dating back to the Revolutionary War and up to present day.  Avery was in hog heaven with all the guns, artillery and other devices of war.  They were able to see the artillery that their Poppa worked with during the Vietnam War as well as uniforms and other paraphernalia.

Civil War era

World War II

Like what Poppa wore

Vietnam era guns

Vietnam era artillery

The museum also had a part of the World Trade Center that was destroyed on 911.  Olivia wanted to get her picture with it since she was born not too far from the towers six months before that fateful day.

Upon leaving we walked over to the large open space where every conceivable piece of artillery used by the American military and some foreign countries were on display – big and small.  We walked among them but the heat became an issue so we walked back to the car to move on.  

We then drove over to the old fort quadrangle, a National Landmark.  The old fort consisted of various buildings and housing surrounding a large courtyard.  There’s a historical museum and, what else, a gift shop.  We toured the museum and learned a lot about Ft. Sill’s place in shaping the American frontier, including the African Americans who were called Buffalo Soldiers.  

Buffalo Soldier

We learned that the famous Native American, Geronimo, was briefly incarcerated at Ft. Sill and then later worked with the Army and lived nearby.  His grave site was on the grounds that we would see later on.  The soldier docent told us about where to go see the guardhouse where Geronimo was held and other sites around the base.

Geronimo

But first a walk into the gift shop where I couldn’t get out without a little something for the kids and a beer stein with the Ft. Sill Field Artillery insignia on it as a gift for their Poppa. 

Next we walked along one of the barracks and then around to the guardhouse building.  The guardhouse was set up as a museum.  They did a very good job in recreating what it looked like back in the day.  There was even Disney-like animatronic soldiers talking about the life of soldiers on the prairie, and being alone with them was a little creepy.  Downstairs were the cells where they kept the prisoners and as they claim, Geronimo.  Olivia couldn’t get herself to go down the wooden stairs with Avery and I and decided to wait for us outside.  

Guardhouse

Guardhouse jail cells

We then headed back to the car and saw a small video crew trying to interview what looked like a World War II veteran.  We were parked right across from them and though I’m a filmmaker and sympathetic to their plight, I had to get my kids into an air-conditioned car and on with our day.  Sorry guys, I’m starting my car and driving off.  You shouldn’t have picked a spot right across from the museum and gift shop.

We next tried to go to “the bluffs” where Maj. Gen. Phillip Sheridon discovered the perfect spot to build a fort.  He was leading a campaign to halt Native American attacks on settlements in Texas and Kansas with the help of Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickock.  The soldier docent was nice enough to mark on a map where to go but even with that I got lost and started down a road that took us into the artillery practice range.  Since I didn’t want to be accidentally blown up we retreated and finally found the bluffs, which were a little underwhelming, to say the least.

Bluffs

Onward, we ventured to find the cemetery and Geronimo’s gravesite, which was past the golf course and in the middle of nothing.  It was Avery’s first time in a cemetery and as crazy as it seems, he was excited about it and began running through the rows of grave markers.  I had to teach them graveside etiquette – not nice walking on people’s graves.  A path took us right to Geronimo’s pyramid gravestone, as well as those of his wife and family.  

Geronimo's grave

That was it for our tour and we ventured back through the post and towards the interstate.  The kids were hungry so we drove back into Lawton and found the nearest McDonald’s – what else.  We wanted to get to Winnsboro in time for dinner so I told them we had to eat in the car.  We quickly got on I44 with a direct route to Wichita Falls, Texas where we would take US287 to Decatur and then pick up US380 through Denton, McKinney and then on to Greenville. 

Passing near Frisco I texted Johanna’s brother, Kevin, to see if his kids were back from Tennessee where they were visiting his wife Kim’s family but they were still away so a detour to their house wasn’t in the cards.  Once in Greenville we were an hour away from my sister’s house.  A quick jump onto I30 to Sulphur Springs and then on State Highway 11 took us straight into Winnsboro.

We arrived in time for dinner - as planned.  Everyone, including three dogs (down from four), three cats, a Grandma Helen, an Aunt Kim and Uncle Van and Cousin Molly, greeted the three of us.  It was nice to finally settle for a while and not be jumping in the car and traversing our fair nation.  Leg One was complete and a successful road trip, if I say myself.

(Next on A Road Trip Adventure Across America: Sleeping among boxes, the drama of drama camp and the Deer Run Experience)

A Road Trip Adventure Across America - Part Six

“Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.”
Francis Bacon

One of the goals of this road trip was to expose more of the world to my children and so far I have succeeded in doing that quite well, I believe.  They have seen a lot more of the United States than I had at their ages and I hope when they reach their adult years they will have fond memories of this trip.  As far as I’m concerned it has been quite an experience for myself, as well, not only because I was able to see the world through young eyes but, in no disrespect to Sir Francis Bacon, the educational value was high for me, too.

My last entry had us leaving Colorado Springs heading south back to New Mexico. In the two times I crossed the Raton Pass both were at night and so it was nice to actually see it in the light of day.  

After filling up gas and stomachs in Raton we got on Highway 87/64 towards the panhandle of Texas but we first had a scheduled adventure at Capulin Volcano.  Olivia studied volcanoes in 6^th grade and we actually built one – a cross sectioned volcano that was supposed to show how the lava moves up through the tubes and comes out on top and through fissures. I had rigged a system using a turkey baster so that when squeezed the air would push orange liquid up the clear tubing to simulate an eruption.  In a rush to get it done before her project deadline I wasn’t able to test run the system.  I left it up to the class to be test pilots.  Olivia claimed it sort of worked but not so much.  Oh well, it was a nice father-daughter bonding project and like most of those go, Dad did most of the work.  “Olivia, hand me the pliers, please…Olivia?  Olivia where are you?”

Olivia did learn a lot about volcanoes and was passionate about the knowledge so I thought she’d like to see a real one, albeit a dead one.  A live one, as Avery says, “would be REALLY hot and we’d burn up like Anakin Skywalker.”  Yes, after watching Episode III more times than George Lucas ever did he was well versed in what lava can do to a person if you get too close.

Chugging away down the highway I expected better signage.  I could see the volcano looming to the side of us and a small grouping of structures that could have been a town…sort of, I guess.  I didn’t see a sign so I went right past the road that led to Capulin.  After seeing the volcano fade in the distance behind us I kind of figured out I made a mistake and quickly turned around.  Duh!  There was a sign, though it was easier to spot when you’re looking for it.  

We finally found the entrance to the park and drove up to the visitor’s center. 

Before the trip I had printed out some literature from the Park's web site geared to kids and knew that Avery and Olivia could become Junior Rangers.  With the help of the ranger on duty they each received age-appropriate Junior Ranger booklets, outlining everything they needed to do to become Junior Rangers.   

Avery’s was fairly easy.  He just needed to identify certain things while hiking the park, such as flowers, bugs and shrubs pictured in the booklet.  If he could spot a ladybug he would get a special commendation.  Olivia’s was a lot more involved:  She not only had to identify plants and animals but answer fill-in-the-blank questions, arrange a geological timeline, answer questions from what she observed in the visitor’s center and a video that runs on a loop, as well as all the field work.  They seemed surprisingly eager to win their certificates and to do all the work.  We saw other kids come in who had just finished their booklets and I was surprised at how enthusiastic they all were.  It’s a very good program so kudos to the U.S. Park Service outreach.

The ranger told us to drive up to the top of the mountain and we could hike around the rim of the volcano crater and down into the crater, as well.  There was also a ranger talk scheduled in a little over an hour.  That would give us time to hike and work on their Junior Ranger requirements first.  We got back in the car, booklets ready for exploring.

I could see us in an episode of Dora the Explorer chugging up and around the volcano in our animated blue Honda. If Olivia was Dora and Avery Boots then I must be Benny, “a lovable six-year-old bull with a big heart”.

Great views of the valley could be seen 350 degrees as we meandered around the volcano to the top.  It wasn’t crowded, which was nice.   

There were only a few others around when we got there so we kind of had the place to ourselves.  It was warm but not too hot as we first ventured down into the cone, which was about a quarter mile hike.  

Avery spotted a bunch of items on his list, such as the tent worms and cactus.  It was interesting being down at the bottom and thinking of what it looked like when it first erupted.  As Avery pointed out we would have been in the middle of the lava and burned up.

At the bottom of the crater

On the walk back up the trail Avery somehow spotted a ladybug.  I’m not sure how he did it - we were just walking and he blurted out, “Ladybug!”  I guess because he was closer to the ground it was a touch easier, but the tiny orange creature was sitting on a dry grassy plant in the shadows of a shrub. I’m gonna have to start calling him Hawkeye.  I took a picture to prove Avery’s discovery to the ranger and I didn't think I captured it. The bug flew away before I could get another one.  Luckily, the ranger believed us and awarded Avery a special ladybug button when we got back to the visitor’s center. On later inspection the ladybug was visible in the picture so here it is to prove Avery's perfect eyesight.  Look closely at lower half in the middle. Way to go, Avery, Ladybug Hunter.

Next was the hike around the rim of the cone, which was about three fourths of the total circle.  It was a fairly hard hike because of a lot of ups and downs but we were able to blaze the trail, though a little weary at the end.  A sign read that it took about an hour to hike so we’d be able to get back in time for the ranger talk.

It didn’t take long for the kids to start fussing.  Avery wanted to be carried (I don’t think so 45 pound boy) and since Olivia was so sweet all the bugs in Capulin swarmed around her.  She is deathly afraid of and detests bugs and lets everyone know it in a 4 square mile radius.  At least we had all the discovery signs along the trail that kept their interest, as well as their Junior Ranger duties to fulfill.  I tried to be a good platoon leader and encourage them along the way, giving them rest stops and some history and science lessons.  Olivia kept getting worse and worse but at least she was aware that she was quite annoying.  She apologized and asked if I was mad that she was upset about the bugs, which I appreciated.  I encourage them to be aware of how they affect those around them.  

All in all, I think the kids enjoyed the hike but were glad when we got back to the staging area/parking lot.  While filling water bottles at the water container we saw the ranger had arrived.  Perfect timing.  There was another family, along with the three of us, for the talk.  The ranger reminded me of my cousin Justin in both a physical way and the delivery of his speech.  He told us all about the history of the volcano and that part of New Mexico.  It seems two real-life cattle dealers, Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving forged a cattle trail that skirted the volcano.  They would make a camp there because it afforded a high spot to check for bands of Indians prone to attack white people and their cattle.   

He also told us that Goodnight and Loving were the basis for the characters in the book and miniseries Lonesome Dove, played by Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones.  I did not know Lonesome Dove was based on real people and events.  And it was nearby where Loving was killed by Indians and asked Goodnight to take his body back to Texas (poignantly recreated in the miniseries).  I always thought the terrific author and Arthur, Texas bookstore owner, Larry McMurtry, made the story up (I met him back in the 90’s), but history is a great source for material and he enhanced it perfectly.  Zach also told us about famous outlaws, train robbers, that hid out there and other interesting stories.  I enjoyed the talk and learned quite a bit.  Thanks Ranger Zach.

After the talk we headed back to the visitor center.  Olivia needed to finish some of the tasks in her booklet first.  While Avery perused the gift shop I helped Olivia complete what she needed.  It didn’t take too long and both kids presented their booklets to Ranger Lynn.  She looked it over and asked if they had found any ladybugs, which big sister Olivia blurted out with pride that her little brother did find one.  Avery received the before mentioned ladybug button along with their Junior Ranger certificates and patches.  Then Ranger Lynn asked them to raise their hands and they got sworn in as Junior Rangers, repeating the oath.  Dad was proud…which allowed the kids to convince me of getting a bunch of stuff in the gift shop, like ranger hats and t-shirts, volcano book and volcano making kit – all in the name of education, right?  They deserved it.

After our volcano adventure it was back in the car and the long trip to Lawton, Oklahoma to see where Poppa trained.

(Next on A Road Trip Adventure Across America:  Fort Sill and finally we get to Winnsboro just in time for dinner)