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So it's been what, nearly 2 months? But we did indeed make it back ok, and we had a pretty good time.
Day 1 - We left late, because of course we did. But, it's the first time I've ever driven through west TN north of 40. Turns out we have interstate-grade highways all over the place. Getting from here to there was pretty easy, though we ended up clipping through Missouri on our way to Blanchard Springs. We have some good pictures of the caverns, considering the dark, and some less than stellar pictures, considering my weight I do recommend the stop if you're in the area or even passing nearby. Lovely country. BUT, do be aware that the staff on site have a serious chip on their should regarding not being part of the NPS. Made the mistake of asking about a stamp for my passport. Sheesh. From there we descended to Fort Smith. Stayed in the Best Western Van Buren - perfectly acceptable place for overnight.
Day 2 - No pics, as this was entirely about covering some distance - about 750 miles of it to the Route 66 Hotel and Casino, just outside Albuquerque; I chose this because I wanted the boy to see what a Casino is. I do want to note that the hotel is quite nice, and very reasonably priced - on its own. However, I drove through Albuquerque to get there, and that city is a case study in low expectations. I'll stop there, because it's not nice to kick someone when they're down.
Before that, we went through Oklahoma, which I've been through before in the north and east. The most striking thing was that 40 was a speed trap, and OK City has delusions of urbanization. Seriously - the eastern city limit is nearly 40 miles form downtown and well over 30 from any actual settlement. Texas was a study in "go away", with high speed limits, clear roads, and no police. I would normally said "well engineered for travelers", but they made it remarkably difficult to get over to Amarillo; while you can see it from 40, actually reaching it is amazingly difficult.
Day 1 - We left late, because of course we did. But, it's the first time I've ever driven through west TN north of 40. Turns out we have interstate-grade highways all over the place. Getting from here to there was pretty easy, though we ended up clipping through Missouri on our way to Blanchard Springs. We have some good pictures of the caverns, considering the dark, and some less than stellar pictures, considering my weight I do recommend the stop if you're in the area or even passing nearby. Lovely country. BUT, do be aware that the staff on site have a serious chip on their should regarding not being part of the NPS. Made the mistake of asking about a stamp for my passport. Sheesh. From there we descended to Fort Smith. Stayed in the Best Western Van Buren - perfectly acceptable place for overnight.
Day 2 - No pics, as this was entirely about covering some distance - about 750 miles of it to the Route 66 Hotel and Casino, just outside Albuquerque; I chose this because I wanted the boy to see what a Casino is. I do want to note that the hotel is quite nice, and very reasonably priced - on its own. However, I drove through Albuquerque to get there, and that city is a case study in low expectations. I'll stop there, because it's not nice to kick someone when they're down.
Before that, we went through Oklahoma, which I've been through before in the north and east. The most striking thing was that 40 was a speed trap, and OK City has delusions of urbanization. Seriously - the eastern city limit is nearly 40 miles form downtown and well over 30 from any actual settlement. Texas was a study in "go away", with high speed limits, clear roads, and no police. I would normally said "well engineered for travelers", but they made it remarkably difficult to get over to Amarillo; while you can see it from 40, actually reaching it is amazingly difficult.