kilo-ftd

[kilo-ftd]

D + 58

      My time at the hotel came to an end, and my family was little help. I was truly on my own, and so far from home. I made the arduous ride back to the car, somewhat easier due to being more downhill, and loaded all my gear back into it. Not knowing what to do, I hit the ignition, and to my surprise, it did start after resting for several days. My only goal at that point was to get to Little Rock, where there was more civilization to possibly have a mechanic repair it, and where I could find work if I needed. I did make it to the city, but the car died soon after on a sleepy suburban road. I was able to pull off and park on a side road, where many people stopped to offer me help. I had to turn them down as the problem was much more complicated than a simple jumpstart. I resolved to keep messing with it and researching until I figured out what was wrong. 

      One kind stranger who lived nearby brought me this delicious meal and offered his number if I needed anything. I continued to mess with different systems of the car and research online, sometimes getting to to almost start but it would quickly die. Eventually, someone stopped who knew a little more about cars, and was genuinely interested in them. He troubleshooted it with me for over an hour, and even let me use one of the power relays out of his car to try and see if that was the fault.

           Damage from my car’s short lived career as a Jeep

       We tried feeding the engine carb cleaner, which did help, though we couldn’t get it consistently running. After a while, he shook the car with the gas tank open, and determined that there was no fuel. I reasoned that this was impossible, as my gauge was not showing any signs of malfunction and was reading a solid 4 gallons. I also didn’t think it was possible to have run out of fuel considering the distance I travelled since my last fillup. I had no options though, and accepted his very generous offer to bring me some fuel. My surprise when he came back with five gallons and dumped them all in my tank, and an even bigger shock when the car started and ran fine. He didn’t even want payment for any of it, and was genuinely happy to help. I managed to negotiate his cash app handle out of him so that I could pay him back when I returned home.       Well, dear reader, this is where my grand Ozark adventure ended. With the unpredictable failure of my only means of transportation, i was forced to return home, which I did safely, making sure that my fuel didn’t get too close to the failure point. I sent the good samaritan $100 for the fuel and being so willing to help a stranger. But what was wrong with my car? Did I really run out of fuel?       Of course not. I may be stupid enough to push my rig beyond it’s limits in the pursuit of exploration, but I knew that I had gas in it. When i filled up, I was only able to get 12 gallons before it was full, meaning that the 4 gallons that the gauge indicated was definitely in there. I struggled with surprise engine failures in the months after my trip, but the failure point was inconsistent, occurring anywhere between 3 and 5 gallons in the tank. After much fruitless searching online, i finally found some technical bulleting that described my exact problem. The vehicle has a saddle tank, with fuel split between the two halves, and one half containing the fuel pump, while the other contains what is known as a sender unit. It is a complicated mess of plastic and tubes. But inside the sender unit is a suction jet pump which relies on fluid mechanics to pump the fuel from one side of the tank to the other. When this pump fails, the car is starved of fuel around 16 liters. precisely my failure point. The reasons i was able to start my car after it died was just luck, or maybe things shifted over time and then the problem returned causing the additional failures.       Upon inspection of my fuel tank, I discovered small pieces of plastic debris inside. A portion of the sending unit has broken during the rough driving over rocky terrain, and one of these pieces was firmly logged in the suction jet, clogging it and preventing the rest of the gas from going where it needs to go. It was as simple as removing the debris, and everything was functioning normally again.        But what of my adventures? Well, there is good news, as I am typing this on the eve of my next grand journey. 

      I will be attempting to make this incredible and ambitious 5000+ mile expedition this week. I will have a shoestring budget and rely on making money on the road to support getting me further. I have selected an exhaustive list of targets covering a vast range of experiences across these unique climates and regions. Doubtless I will run into many crazy situations and things will likely go wrong at some point again, but I am prepared to take whatever the road throws at me, as a true nomad, and one way or another I will reach my destination. The plan could change due to lack of time for money, but the adventure will be as rewarding as ever. Join me, if you will, on the next theatre of operations.                             

                                Adventure is out there!                                            - 5/15/23 -

[kilo-ftd]

D + 57, Devastation

      I jacked the car up in the Walmart parking lot, sourced a new oxygen sensor from a nearby auto parts store, and was able to fit the new part without much difficulty. With much jubilation, the car started and ran fine again, so the problem was certainly fixed. I got on the highway and navigated in the direction of Little Rock, but my success was short lived. A few miles in, the car completely died again, and nothing I could do would start it. I was completely clueless as to what was going on, and in no position to survive on the side of an interstate.

       I resigned myself to using my bike to flee to the safety of a hotel, and loaded up all of my electronics and food into my packs, not wanting to leave them in such a vulnerable spot. I had bought a new xbox on the trip while I was flush with cash, but now that stockpile of funds was quickly running out. The heavy load made the trip extremely strenuous, even on an electric bike. I was completely wiped out when I arrived to my room, and spent alot of time in bed enjoying my new games. I still had no idea what was wrong with the car, but at least I was safe and fed. I used some of the downtime to try and find help and borrow money from family to at least get me back home. 

[kilo-ftd]

D + 55, Disaster

I would end up spending a full day on the mountain, sleeping for most of the time, exhausted from all my adventures, and enjoying the complete isolation, I didn’t hear a soul all the time that I was up there. When I awoke the next day, i was greeted by the majestic view that I could not see before.

       This area was known as Crytal mountain, and I did some digging to recover some more heavy junk for the collection. I then had navigate back down the rough trail, rocks banging against my undercarriage all the way. When I reached civilization to resupply, I inspected my undercarriage and found many ugly dents and scratches, but everything seemed to be performing ok. Though there was a tear in the wiring for my exhaust’s oxygen sensor. I patched it up and moved on. I managed to find a place to fulfill my gem digging dreams, but it was hot and out of the way and I didn’t stay long.

      My next stop was another CCC project, and then another rock shelter in Petit Jean State Park. There wasn’t much to see, but there was an interesting section of turtle like mounds of rock that the trail ran through.

      After leaving the park, my off road hubris finally caught up with me. The vehicle completely died while driving and would not start again. worse, I had no phone signal to even call for help. I attempted to work on the car, but my first problem was identifying what the actual problem was. I had plenty of tools with me, but little knowledge, and couldn’t get it to fire up. I kept hiking back and forth to a spot with a little signal, and managed to sign up for AAA, though I would have to pay an emergency fee for attempting to use the service immediately as a new customer. After spending hours stuck in the middle of nowhere, I was ready to do it. 

      I did eventually get a ride to the end of the road and down the hill, where I had full bars and could look for better help. I called in for a tow truck, but after waiting and waiting, it never arrived. Around 1am, AAA contacted me to tell me that they couldn’t find anyone to come get me. I accepted defeat and spent the night on the side of the road, finally getting a tow into town the next day.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 51 - 53

      The next day does not contain much to report. I spent a good while driving through the remote country to arrive at the site of a civil war battle. My intentions were to explore the land and metal detect for artifacts, though the heat and remoteness made it difficult, and it wasn’t long before my only folding shovel broke on the hard ground. I was forced to give up my search and continue onward. I spent another day in a hotel, missing the comforts of a real bed and air conditioning after so long on the road. My next target took me north to the crystal hills, where there are various mines that you can pay to dig for gems. 

      The first location I arrived too late to partake, though they did have an impressive collections of minerals for sale. It was the same story at the next place. My hunt for gems would have to wait until later.

       I took some back roads to some scenic views and an off the beaten path geocache, making my way towards the historic town of Hot Springs. 

      When I arrived, I stopped at a cute little place called the Arkansas Alligator Farm. In operation for over a hundred years, they had a cool little petting zoo with goats in addition to the alligators.

      I hung out with them for a bit as they tried to chew on my clothes and cutely climbed on stuff in that awkward goat way. I fed them bits of bread and enjoyed their attention, then moved on to the rest of the place. 

      The alligators were separated into pens by age brackets and very chill, naturally not moving much and preferring to lounge until food comes around. The farm has regular feeding times, though I was not able to witness one. There are a few cages with other mammals though you cannot interact with them. I stopped by the gift shop and bought a cute alligator bobblehead which still sits on my dashboard.

      I stopped at a local spot for a quick bite and then made my way to a spot on the map marked as a secret cave. It was an incredibly steep and slipper climb up loose rocks to the top, which left me winded before I reached the cave. The ground was littered with fragments of interesting looking mineral formations, and AI filled my pockets as I went. When I reached the cave, it wasn’t very big, but you are able to crawl down into it and experience some darkness. i even spotted a salamander hanging out.

      I headed down the road back into town and refilled my bottles at one of the public hot springs fountains. The water was indeed warm and is supposed to contain healthy minerals, and I wasn’t the only one filling up. Then I went just outside of town to my next target, the ruins of the Chewaukla Bottling Works.

     Sitting just off the road and largely obscured by trees, the factory was very overgrown and had suffered from a fire decades ago. The basement level was completely flooded nearly up to the ceiling and there wasn’t anything to see other than the crumbling remains of roofless brick buildings. I encountered another pair of explorers, who were also interested in the mineral specimens littering the creek next to the plant.

      It was time to end my short stay in Hot Springs, and I headed back into the mountains, up increasingly worse and worse roads, seeking another overlook spot. when i finally found it, the last stretch of road to the top was extremely rough, a real challenge for my basic SUV. Though I have four wheel drive and all terrain tires, the ascent was overkill for my car, and I probably should have been more cautious. But i had driven so far to get to this place and did not want to give up just for a half mile or so of rocky terrain. I slowly crawled and bounced my way over the rocks and washed out ruts and managed to reach the peak without totally destroying my ride. I gathered wood and made a campfire, marveling at my complete lack of view due to the dense mountain fog.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 50

      The fiftieth day was a rare treat for a rockhound. I arrived in Murfreesboro, home of the Crater of Diamonds , where for $13 anyone can come and dig for real diamond, as well a s other interesting minerals, in the remnants of a long dormant volcano. This is the only place in America that consistently produces diamonds, though the quantities are too low for commercial operations, but not for lack of trying.

       I grabbed my shovel and bucket and rented some sifting screens, heading out into the furrows of the plows looking for a spot that seemed fruitful. I dug and dug, sifting and filling my bucket with the clarified dirt. The hot sun blazed on my work site, and I eventually set up an umbrella to try and beat the heat.

      I worked at the earth for hours, excavating a hole several feet deep, and big enough to fit my legs in. I’m not sure if deeper was the game though, as the soil changed as I went and seemed to be less productive. Each time my bucket was filled, I hauled it over to the sifting troughs to wash away the dirt and reveal and rocks left behind. 

      I repeated this process for about six hours, but was unable to produce any gems. I did recover some minerals though, and took them to the visitor center to be identified. If you do find diamonds, they will be able to tell you, and even certify them for you. I left empty handed save for my prizes of volcanic rock and a few gem like minerals. 

      The next stop was the Ka--Do-Ha Indian Village, which screamed tourist trap from the moment I pulled up. The site had a gift shop with a small museum, and offered viewing of an excavated ancient native settlement.  The museum was a small collection of artifacts and not much worth writing about. The real ttraction was in the backyard.

      The settlement remains consisted of traditional looking burial mounds, which had been dug up to display the actual remains of long gone indigenous people.  Of course, due to the brutal callousness of such an attraction, they were forced to remove the remains and replace them with replicas. Still, it seemed in poor taste to have such a site in the hands of local private owners looking to make a few bucks. The burials may have been returned to the earth, but the sour taste of exploitation still lingered around the place. There were several mounds to view as well as what was touted as a buffalo kill site, but given the nature of it all, it is hard to say if any of it was even authentic.

      A brief search was not able to locate any details about the “amateur archeologist” or much information on this village. the cheap price of admission included digging for relics, though they were clearly seeded into a large bed of sand which was laid over the grassy ground. The proprietors offered other activities such as metal detecting, but I did not oblige. 

[kilo-ftd]

D + 49

      My next adventure was at Robber’s Cave State Park. I took the trail the long way around from the parking lot, enjoying the natural beauty and hunting geocaches. It terminated in a long descent past the cave area and back to the start. I then turned my attention to the main feature, a steep hillside of giant boulders with tons of nooks and crannies to explore.

      The ancient looking trail wound its way among the boulders, up rough stone steps, and through crevices and fissures, some sections which were blocked off without climbing. i gladly partook, enjoying the physical freedom of scrambling around like a kid on a playground. There were lots of visitor’s to the park with children running around having a great time.

      I scrambled and pushed my way to the top of the rocky ledge, stopping to take in the view. Thanks to a tip from another visitor, I was able to find the actual cave after getting lost in my play. It wasn’t much to look at, though the significance of the sight was more in local legend, with the massive boulders making excellent hiding for bandits and their horses.

      I took a different route down than the way I came, and spontaneously decided to descend a rock face instead of hiking down. Slipping and sliding and grabbing onto any available hold, I made a bumpy but safe landing halfway back down the hill. After this, I maneuvered my rig to the Talimena Scenic Byway on route 1, a winding mountaintop road full of amazing views of the raw and natual Ozarks. 

      It was a long and uneventful drive, but full of wonderful views, culminating at the lodge at Queen Wilhelmina State Park, where I spied this tower. Unfortunately, it was not accessible to the public. My consolation prize was a decent wifi signal.

      The sun was slipping behind the horizon, and I made a mad dash through the hills to reach the next tower I knew of, though when I arrived I found the gate to the access road closed. I continued on to an even lesser known tower, and had no problem driving right up to this one. There was no fence or gate blocking it, however it would be a bit of a stretch to call it accessible. 

      The first two levels of stairs were completely removed. I made short work of climbing the tower structure and ascending the rest of the stirs, marching up an endless path of dust and bird poop. 

      I made it to the top, but without the sun to assist me, there was not much to see except the dim glow from nearby towns. Stay tuned, for the adventure continues!

[kilo-ftd]

D + 48

      I continued south to my next destination the Historic Fort Smith on the border of Arkansas and Oklahoma. In addition to being a military post, this fort served as the court for the region.

      The tour was much like the others, self guided and full of information. 

      There were displays about frontier justice and some of the fort’s more famous prisoners, as well as recreation jail cells that you could hang out in.

      The tour included artifacts from fort grounds and a look at some of the ruined foundations of the original buildings. I wandered all the way down to the river, where flat sections of bedrock jutted out into the water and made for a natural recreation platform.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 47

       The next day was more of a nature kick, driving up into the Ozark mountains to check out some overlooks. There were pullouts and shelters of masterful CCC stone workmanship.

      I took a hike down the Yellow Rock Trail, which gave me incredible views of the unspoiled wilderness at the edge of a cliff. In the area was a quick stop known as Moonshiner’s Cave, a small rock overhang shelter which had a simple primitive brick wall built to protect it. It was a quick hike to get to it, but it was getting dark by the time I found it, and there wasn’t much to see.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 46

      Having reached Joplin, I was able to stop and take advantage of the local museum, which offered an in depth look at the rich geological and mining history of the region.

      There were lots of maps and displays of old mining tools, as well as a large collection of interesting mineral samples and fossils.

      There were also dioramas showing the design and functioning of pre industrial mining technology, and a large processing and mill complex. After having visited so many mines and caves, it was interesting to see more of the history and effort used to develop these resources. 

      Continuing on, I briefly checked out the rest of the museum’s offering, which included a section on the devastating tornado that struck the town in 2011, and other various local legends and history. There were even some micro museums, including an odd cookie cutter museum, recreated historic rooms, and restored antiques. Outside there was a fenced off yard full of mining and extraction equipment, though it was not open when I visited. This concluded my brief foray back into Missouri, and I turned my ship south towards Bentonville, AR, the birthplace of Walmart. 

      The quaint city center has a small interactive museum detailing the life and rise of Sam Walton and his namesake empire. There’s a complete recreation of his office, lots of historic prints and memorabilia, and really interesting information about the development of the stores from a local family run affair to a national juggernaut. While I have mixed feelings about their business practices, it was still interesting to witness their journey and success, even if it may be presented with a bias.

      There is no denying the cultural significance of this American institution, and it’s history is a part of ours, for better or worse.

      As night fell, I made my way over to The Railyard, a well developed space that was converted into a complex BMX park, even open late with lighting. My BMX skills, if they could be called that, were extremely rusty, and I was terrified attempting to navigate the curves and jumps of the courses. It didn’t help that my brakes were barely functioning.

      After a bit of practice though I was able to navigate some of the novice tracks, and it was a great end to another great day.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 45

      Today I took a detour from my original route to hit up Carthage, MO. My first target was the library, where I pulled some books to try and research the network of limestone mines that ran beneath the city. Many of them had been converted to cheap and efficient storage, but many more of the tunnels are left empty, untouched by humans for many years. 

      My search was fruitful, but the journey to find an entrance is harder than even finding the locations of old mines. It was another slog through tough forst, and I ran straight into a swampy marsh which nearly swallowed me, but I eventually did find an entrance, looming and dark against the cliff face. 

      I wandered through the tunnels, slopping around in the muck, encountering graffiti and rusted old equipment, The mine was sparse of signs of humanity, and I had no idea where I was or where I was going, but wander I did. I even found a small shaft with a ladder which appeared to lead to a lower level, though I did not attempt to explore it. Eventually, and bizarrely, I began to notice fresh air and light, though I knew I hadn’t gone back to the entrance I came in.

      Somehow, I had entered on one side of a cliff, and exited on the other side. This was fortunate though, as it made the return to my car easier and swamp free. My next stop was discovered almost on accident, on my way to Joplin. 

      The Precious Moments Chapel had an adjacent campground and wedding venue which was very recently abandoned, judging by the condition of the place. There was still working electricity and the place was spotless. I snuck in through the back of the campground and when I reached the main road I stopped and discovered a completely normal but abandoned house. the water was out but the lights were still functional. It looked like it hadn’t been that long since it was occupied, but the road leading to it was blocked by fallen branches, so it definitely wasn’t being maintained. 

       I encountered and passed this massive ornate gate on my way to the main complex. There was a large house which was set up with signs for tours, dubbed only The Main House, and I was unable to find a non destructive way in. There was also a pink house and small chapel, which were unlocked.

      I quickly explored the small house, which appeared to be set up as a sort of honeymoon cottage, and popped into the chapel, finding it largely empty.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 44

      I spent a few days at a hotel, and then continued my northwesterly journey. I stopped by the Oral Roberts University, and finding the Elsing Rock Museum closed, continued into the night. I spent some time chilling at a library and gaming, and then made a brief stop at a local roadside oddity, a left behind cement mixer humorously painted to look like a lost space capsule.

      Tonight’s target was the vast expanses of the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant. Long since closed, the land was in private hands and being used for storage and farming. It was the typical infiltration, finding a safe place to park and a long trek through dark and difficult woods. Eventually I managed to reach some buildings and discover the gloom that awaited inside.

      I followed the railroad tracks for forever, safe in the cover of the trees, hiding from any still working light sources. I discovered that the larger buildings were being used to house a massive quantity of solar panels, still in their boxes. Whether it was intended to be a distributor or the start of using the land for a solar farm, I do not know. I did not stay long because I didn’t want to be caught messing around with them. I did stop to admire this crazy sign on a gate I passed through.

      Due to the darkness and the necessity for secrecy, it’s often difficult for me to get good pictures, However, I was able to get a few in the more secluded areas of some of the manufacturing facilities. This particular ammunition plant was a heavy hitter, producing artillery shells and bombs for army aircraft.

      I hiked for miles along the old tracks, roads, through long untouched forest, and the covered walkways that connected the bomb production buildings.

      I discovered unusual machinery, which appeared to be used to hoist and transport the explosives through the assembly line. the craziest part was a heavily fortified chamber which to me looked like the point where the explosives would be loaded into the munitions. 

      The buildings were mostly empty, being out of use for several decades, but I did discover some areas which had been built up out of old howitzer shell crates. Being unable to carry an entire crate back with me, ad having nowhere to store it in my car, I was at least able to save a well preserved section of one and take it home with me.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 41

      Day 41 was a trio of some of the best museums Oklahoma City has to offer. There are alot of pics, and not a ton to say, so enjoy the visual feast.

      The first one was the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. There was a larger gallery of western paintings and a few sculptures. Outside, there were mock old west buildings and decor, and ltos of activities for children. But was interested me the most was recreations of 7 different native home styles, that you could walk around and into to get a sense of how people used to live before colonization. 

.      Heading back inside, there was an entire recreation street of an old west town, with a school, church, shops, and an iron jail cage.

      Further on was a great collection of more native artifacts and dress, and old west tools and weapons. There was also frontier soldier kit and lots of stuff related to the business of riding horses. As I explored deeper, I discovered walls and walls of 1800s weaponry. 

      The final section had an entire room dedicated to the rodeo industry and it’s celebrities. I spent some more time browsing the vast art collection, much of which was for sale, and then moved on to the small but densely packed Oklahoma Firefighters Museum.

       This place was an interesting break from the regular fare of American history, focusing entirely on the equipment and regalia of the firefighter. Ancient looking fire engines, some without even motors, took up the center of the room, surrounded by firefighting hand tools, fire suits, oxygen tanks, hose attachments, and an incredible wall of patches.

      The patch collection was the work of a very dedicated collector, and contained nearly every fire department in the US, as well as some foreign ones, and historical ones like the Soviet Union. Even though it covered three of the walls of the museum, there were more still that there was no room to display.

      Also of note was the recreation of an antique fire department switchboard. Outside there were a few derelict engines too big to fit inside the museum, and a small playground. 

      The final museum of the day was a familiar stop, the 45th Infantry Division museum. It was much the same as the others, but equally as impressive. I could spend all day browsing the walls and walls of military history up close and personal.

      The collection was organized chronologically, from the early 1800s to the present, showcasing every war and campaign that the division participated in. 

      There was a group of display boards full of military patches, which as a collector (of mostly novelty ones), this was a very good day for me. There were cases and cases full of uniforms, guns, and war trophies. The 45th ID was fairly unique in that they were one of the unit’s to raid Hitler’s summer residence and an apartment he used, and they brought back a collection of his personal dinnerware, linens, stationary, and other fanciful stuff he surrounded himself with. A museum is the only place where that stuff belongs. 

      The collection continued with beautiful displays of WW2 vehicles and the unit’s foray into aerial combat. There was a collection of gas masks over the years, and old medical kits, and a jeep with a massive artillery gun slapped on it, bifurcating it’s windshield.

       Another room had a collection of deployable guns and radio equipment, I wandered for hours through the labyrinth of rifled in glass cases, marveling at the long history of the technology of killing each other... through Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and finally to Afghanistan.

      The last area in particular had a grim display of various types of improvised explosive devices, a tool used to teach soldiers what to look out for. Finally it was time to move outside, where there was another large collection of military vehicles and aircraft.

Planes, cannons, rockets, helicopters, tanks, and more, the garden of mechanized warfare was paved and a pleasant stroll. 

       This wasn’t the end of my day however, as I took a bonus stop to hike through a location known as the Ruins of Gandini's Circus, just north of the city. The place was full of rusting and decayed shells of long abandoned vehicles and structures. There weren’t really any buildings left, but it appeared some people had been trying to live in some of the trailers. I wandered through the graffiti covered wasteland, bemusedly tossing around osage oranges during my search for anything significant. I encountered a few other explorers, but did not engage them.

      As night fell, I reached my final stop, which was an out the way overlook of a lake. Not to waste the opportunity, instead of enjoying the view, I grabbed my UV lights and searched for fluorescent rocks. I found a few cool specimens, and managed to spot this lil guy.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 40

      Day 40 took me to the recently opened First Americans Museum. The place is fully managed by native Americans, and the grounds and building are a beautiful mix of modern architecture and indigenous spirit. 

      This museum was a fascinating look into the history and struggles of native people in the US. The first collection was preserved native clothing and other fragile items, many things which I had rarely never seen before. So much of native history has been lost, and it was wonderful to see some of it being restored. 

      The native clothing was full of colors and imagery and was of impressive decorative quality considering the conditions and tools with which it was made. The museum grounds used to be an oil field and contained thousands of tires dumped and left to rot, but was beautifully restored by the museum’s caretakers.

      The museum also had sections on countering stereotypes, and the widespread military service of indigenous Americans. 

      I ended the night with a fun evening at Dave and Buster’s where I have so many tickets that I always eat for free.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 39

       Today’s stop was the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norma, OK. It was a museum of natural history full of natural history museum stuff.

      There were fossils, and displays of ancient marine and land life. 

      Lots of cool partial actual dinosaurs and casts of skeletons, as well as info about the geological history of the state.

      The next room was all about local native history and artifacts found at specific sites. This animal skull with a spear point stuck in it was really cool. They had an extensive collection of stone age and modern native artifacts. 

      At the end of the night I enjoyed some video games on a projector in a parking lot, lol.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 38

      At long last, we reached the first of August. It was time to play with some animals. I continued my journey to the next stop, the Arbuckle Wilderness. This is a vast, drive thru park, where you can buy food pellets to feed the animals. 

      There was a good variety of “wild”life, and  it’s a rare treat to be able to get so close to them. Since the are so used to being fed, they’ll wander right up to your car expecting a snack. Be careful though, especially if you have little ones doing the feeding, as some of them have grown quite bold and will try to rip the food cup right out of your hands. I had to wrestle mine away from the grip of a feisty critter more than once. 

      The drive through is quite long, and if you only have one cup you will probably run out before the end, leading to many disappointed furry friends. This experience was well worth the money.

       I continued my journey by detouring over to Sulphur, OK, to visit their collection of springs and small waterfalls which have been built up with concrete into a popular local swimming hole. I wasn’t expecting to swim, so I just walked around and did some ingress, but it was a neat spot.

[kilo-ftd]

D + 37

      Yesterday was my birthday. In lieu of adventuring, I spent the day in a hotel playing games. :)

[kilo-ftd]

D + 36

      The next day started with what else but another museum. The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. I had never even heard of this trail before visiting this place. It was not, as you might first think, a pioneer trail leading west, but was a long and dusty route taken by cattle ranchers and cowboys, driving their herds from ranches in Texas and Oklahoma to existing rail terminals in Kansas. The tour started with a sensory movie of cowhands on the trail, doing the dirty work of managing hundreds of cattle on a long and remote journey. The film includes real wind, water, and even smells during its presentation. The kids love the bacon being fried, I hear, though I enjoyed my showing completely alone, which was a slightly awkward experience.

      There was a gallery of western art and static displays of regional animals, and apparently not much else by my lack of photos. Afterwards I ventured south to make a quick stop at a rock shop. Located on the edge of Comanche, OK, Mine Shaft Rocks and Minerals is a rockhound’s dream. The prices for smaller pieces were very affordable, and the selection was huge. Rows and rows of specimens filled the back room, and the front was full of buckets and containers of rocks waiting to be picked through. There were even some fossil specimens, and the owner showed me into a side room with her work in progress fluorescent mineral display. 

      I’m all outta words so here’s my rock haul from all these adventures.