Catching Up to Oklahoma Continued

Friday, March 22, 2013 10:10 PM Room 127 Quality Inn Ponca City, Oklahoma

When we got on the road in Las Vegas, New Mexico the clouds over the mountains to the West looked rather ominous but the skies to the East were sunny and clear. As we gassed up we saw a cowboy, spiffy in his well creased jeans, perfectly tailored shirt, impeccably blocked hat and pretty clean boots mount his American Van Lines semi and head off to the south.

We continued north to Springer and then east toward Clayton. Helicopters headed directly our way and I thought sure they'd blow us off the road as I took pictures--LOL  Not much for clouds but one formation looked like a sky jumper to me.Left the mountains behind as we traveled east towards Oklahoma and were surely on the plains once more. The iconic symbol of the whole Midwest is, for me, the windmill. ND, SD, Neb, Ks, OK, Iowa, even parts of Indiana and Illinois--flat, flat, flat!

There is a stretch of the Oklahoma panhandle that no State claimed in the original division of land among the territories and the Native Americans. This was No Man's Land and since there was no official governance it was a terrific place for outlaws and other desirables. It is part of OK now but is still called by its old name. And in that place we found a terrific maker of jerky. We got ourselves a pound of the stuff--half a pound hot, half a pound mild. All wonderful. Nice guy, too. Miss Kitty, the cat, was amusing herself by hanging out with a young boy on the bench on the porch in the sun. He petted her, she purred. Pretty nice arrangement!

On we went over the Plains to Guymon, where we stayed last year and to Eddie's Steakhouse, where Eddie himself is there to greet you. He sits at the head of the bar and is happy to chat. He is 77, been running the place for 32 years, loves golf , wants to retire but neither son wants anything to do with the business. One, an orthodontist, makes more in one year, according to Eddie, than Eddie has made in his lifetime--an exaggeration but the point is made. The other is in Real Estate in Dallas and doesn't want to come back to OK.  Oh, well.  The steaks are to die for--thick, tender,juicy and delicious. Who has room for sides or rolls?? Who wants to eat sides or rolls. And the beer is cheap. We'll miss him if he goes.  One can surely see we have a good time there. KandB