Let's see if I can make a list of which Dr T approves

Someone told me recently that she was worried about how often Joseph and I had made the drive back and forth from Lubbock to Fayetteville. The reason? It was so "dreary."

I take offense at that. She didn't even drive the right way! Sure, she didn't take the interstate, but she took the turnpike in Oklahoma, and then went on state highways down to Wichita Falls. I think that way is actually a lot less interesting. The toll road has a speed limit of 80, and doesn't even have any interesting billboards. And, as is normal for train tracks, which the Texas highway follows basically all the way, the engineers chose the flattest and straightest way through the area. The only interesting thing about it is counting electrical posts.

The interstate is a lot more interesting. There are billboards, signs, crazy names--enough to keep my focus for basically all nine hours (or the eight after I have my coffee).


Between Fayetteville and Fort Smith, there are signs that my speed is monitored by airplane and helicopter. I've never seen it, but it makes me smile, because what could a helicopter do if I were speeding, besides radio it in? And I don't know of any airplane that can fly that slowly.

Inside Okahoma is Prague (Pray-gue, not Prah-gue), home of the Kolache Festival the first Sunday in May. I always kind of thought that was what you called the girls dressed up in white hats and wooden shoes. Apparently, it's a breakfast food.

Then comes Lake Eufala, a pretty enough lake with an exit sign for "Lotawatah Road" (I kid you not, and I guess there is a LOT of water there.)

Then it's signs for Weleetka, Wetumka, Wetonga, and Wewoka. I assume that those were related tribes, but I wonder what the middle part means. I think they are in Citizen Potawatomi nation (spelled various ways on various signs). Thlopthlocco! I have no idea what that means, but a sign says it.

There are about 14 signs between Lubbock and Fayetteville for Cemetery Rd., and maybe 4 for Country Line Rd. Very creative.

There're signs for Robertson's Ham Sandwiches. I've always wanted to stop there, but I don't really like ham. They just repainted the sign this semester.

Oklahoma is apparently quite proud of Susan Powell, Miss America 1981, who is from Elk City, which is a certified Oklahoma city (a sign tells me so!).

There's a moon rock in Weatherford, OK.

There's a bent water tower in Britten, TX, with an abandoned truck stop nearby with an itty bitty matching bent water tower on top of their sign.

There's the biggest cross in the Western Hemisphere, where they are building a gift shop, where I suppose they will sell models of the Twelve Stations of the Cross statues that they have outside. Then there's the Top of Texas Catholic Superstore. I have no idea what makes it a superstore.

I just think all of it is so interesting. I want to stop at Sequoyah's Cabin, Roman Nose State Park, and the Heavener Runestone (heave, like puke, not like heaven. Much less interesting). I want to eat kolaches, or stop at the Cherokee Trading Post and pet a buffalo, even though I have no idea where they keep it. It's not dreary, it's fun, especially if you just pay attention.