many many miles - Day 2

after a little over 1000 miles (1050) and a few hotels that were full or overpriced, i am resting for the evening. i will update this entry over breakfast tomorrow... and since its late now... it might be late then. (That was posted at 3am)

Day 2 started early in the morning sort of. I woke up and visited with Ryan and Chrissy for a little bit before hitting the road. I-40 to Tennessee was OPEN! so proclaimed all the little lighted signs... what a relief because I had forgotten that it might be closed due today a rock slide earlier in the winter.

Today was the first day of summer and I didn't know it until I heard it on the radio. It was a hto one too... not that I knew really because I spent the whole day with the AC on, windows up, enriching my brain. A gas station attendant in Arkansas let me know it was 104 (!) degrees when I asked.

At 430, somewhere in middle to western Tenn, I finished my first book on tape. I started it shortly after getting on the road and was entranced the whole way... course it was a Dirk Pitt book, but it was still entertaining. It is really easy to sit still for hours when my brain is engrossed. After the book finished, I listened to a back log of NPR podcasts and kept my brain active. The best one I listened to was a valentine's podcast regarding clawed frog mating calls.

While going through Memphis and getting stuck in a spot of traffic I wondered when I would have time to go there and visit the King and also noticed I had traveled a hundred miles further than I had the day before. Hooray!

I stopped randomly in Arkansas for dinner after putting it off for way too long and lucked out at a place called the MarketPlace... it was Paula Deen approved. The menu was fresh and inviting and it was hard to choose. I had a sandwich that was packed with flavor and some grilled veggies, but there were so many other tasty sounding options. With an almond coffee to go, it was back on the road.

As I approached Oklahoma I noticed there were low ridges on the horizon. Much shorter than the BlueRidge and not as many, but still not flat and boring... that was for the rest of Oklahoma. Maybe Oklahoma isnt really that boring, but the sun went down and things are not interesting in the dark. It is amazing how many native american owned casinos there are all within ten miles of the highway.

It was a perfect summer night for driving... warm... windows down... country music. It's surreal sometimes what you notice. I noticed the clock turn midnight (east coast time) at the exact moment that my idiot light came on. Oops. I knew I needed gas, just didn't do it until I has to.

I just kept going. I was thinking of stopping all over, but kept putting it off. I am glad I got through Oklahoma City in the dark with little traffic because there was lots of splits and turns and blinking traffic cones. When I did decide to stop, the hotels were full, overpriced and only had smoking rooms available, so I kept going. I thought about sleeping in my car, but decided eventually against it. So I kept going and finally stopped around 3 east coast time in Clinton OK.

I know that starting at 9:15 seems off, but I knew I should get a good sleep in, eat breakfast, get my directions, and now I am ready to get on the road. Today's destination is Aunt Shirley's. GoogleMaps says its about 12 hours away... so another long day in the car. I'm going to see if I can figure out where I put my next book on tape.