We were up at 4 a.m! None of us slept well in Flagstaff. Perhaps our meal at Sizzlers didn’t agree with us. Whatever the reason, we were on I-40 heading east at 80 mph as the sun rose over the mountains in eastern Arizona. Beautiful! Dad started driving but was ready to resume his role as navigator/passenger with our first restroom stop. For the remainder of the day I blazed across Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and into Oklahoma. We covered about 860 miles with temperatures starting at 54 degrees in the morning and peaking at 108 degrees in Oklahoma. Oklahoma also greeted us with intense wind gusts that had the Town and Country rocking. The terrain offered very little to see. The same desert, more cows, and some times smelly fields of unidentifiable vegetation surrounded us on all sides. My father the historian kept himself entertained identifying remaining sections of historic Route 66. Yes, the drive was that exciting.

We arrived in Oklahoma City while still light enough to take in the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, a moving tribute to the victims and survivors of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. The experience was so moving that I need to process it further before sharing it.

Good night.