I couldn’t take it anymore; I had to get out of Texas. Ideally, I would have headed to the beautiful desert country of New Mexico and Arizona, but unfortunately you have to drive through an awful lot of Texas to get there, and I only had a couple of days. Instead, I decided to go north to take a look at the hills and pine forests of the Oklahoma countryside, so last weekend I saddled Jules up and headed out on the highway.
A few journeys to and from Dallas notwithstanding, this was the longest trip I had yet taken with my oh-so-reliable car, so I was naturally a little apprehensive about a) how far I would get and b) whether I would make it back again. Surprisingly enough, Jules behaved himself magnificently, and the two of us had a great time on the road together.
My goal for the trip was to drive up the beautiful section of U.S. Highway 259 through East Oklahoma. Planning the drive the night before, I thought I might make it to Fort Smith, AK for the night, but what I wanted most of all was to drive along that lovely curvy road through the Ouichita National Forest in the glorious golden sunlight of a “winter” afternoon.
Winter gets scare-quotes because for most of the journey I had the windows down (I would have had the sunroof back if it worked) and the wind in my hair. Highway 75 North out of Dallas is typical Texas highway fare; wide lanes, heavy traffic, crazy drivers, dull scenery. Things got interesting right at the TX-OK border; I was admiring the play of the morning sunlight on the texture of a rusty railroad bridge across the Red river, wishing I had thought to bring my camera with me from Longview, when I almost ran up the back of a truck that had inexplicably slowed down in front of me. Fortunately this was a case where almost didn’t count, and moments later I had made good my escape from the Big State.
I joined Highway 70 East at Durant, rolled down the windows and watched the scenery change to include vegetation that could be classified as something more than ambitious bushes and terrain that was distinguishable from the curvature of the earth. There was considerably less traffic too; the road was empty enough that I felt I could get away with seeing how Jules would react to high pressure applied to the gas pedal. (I got the needle up to 100 before I chickened out… I didn’t want to push my streak of mechanical good luck too far.)
After stopping for lunch (jerky, wheat thins and milk duds) in Idabel, I turned north again on 259 and discovered that I had timed my journey perfectly. The weather had been beautiful and clear all day, and the mid-afternoon sunlight provided the landscape with a lovely golden tint. As I mentioned, 259 meanders through Ouichita National Forest. The curves up, down and around the hills are great fun to drive (especially with a stick shift) and the (green!) trees looked gorgeous in the yellow light.
I decided in the end that Poteau, OK was just as good a place as Fort Smith, AK to stop for the night. I picked a motel whose sign advertised waterbeds. The bed in my room was huge, but it wasn’t watery. The air conditioner was occupied by a family of birds. Only one light in the room worked. The rhythmic gasping that was transmitted through the wall suggested that my neighbours were either in the throes of passion or the grip of a nasty stomach virus- I wasn’t inclined to inquire too closely to find out which. All in all, it was an adequate place to sleep, and I’ve been in worse places- a certain establishment in Gallup, NM last summer comes to mind.
I got going again in good time in the morning. Sunday’s weather wasn’t nearly as nice for driving in, and I took a slightly more direct route back to Dallas. I managed this drive non-stop, thereby discovering that Jules’ maximum continuous operating time is approximately equal to the endurance of a full tank of gas; we were running on fumes by the time I got back to Mesquite, and Jules’ temperature was getting a little too warm for comfort.
As far as road trips go, this was only a little one, but it was good to get out by myself and leave Texas, if only for a little while. I now have reasonably high hopes that Jules will survive a Spring Break roadtrip to visit my brother in North Carolina.
Three comments…
Hooray for getting out of Texas for any amount of time (and haha; I am never obligated to return)
Come on, the place in Gallup wasn’t that bad, although I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a classy establishment.
Sunroof? Stickshift? Check it out. After surviving its final cross country voyage, the civic has been officially retired.
Okay the link didn’t post. You’ll have to do it the old fashioned way:
http://www.acura.com/models/model_index.asp?module=rsx
Wow, finally a real post. Glad to hear the trip went well. I know what ya mean about getting of Texas, hence I really left it. Unfortunately I didn’t have the luck you did: my beloved Cow Power died on me in West Virginia, and is no longer.
Glad you enjoyed your trip to beautiful Oklahoma. Come back anytime!