Arkansas

From: Forrest City, AR
To: Tenkiller State Park, OK
Mileage: About 485kms

Today was an uneventful day. The motel didn't give me the wake up call I requested, and I woke up much later than usualy.  I missed the breakfast I'd used to justify spending money on a motel over a campsite, and I was annoyed at the motel.  So I started off cranky.  I checked the tire pressure, and lubed the chain, and set off.  I stuck on the interstate most of the way, and didn't do or see very much, not that I could:

Eventually, I had to get some gas, so I pulled off and filled up in London, Arkansas.  Immediately after pulling off the interstate, I was struck with how pretty the landscape was.  Mountains (well, hills really), lakes, rivers, etc.  None of which is visible from the interstate!  I spoke to a biker at the pump who said I could ride route 64 which runs parallel to the interstate for a while.  So I did.  It was a nice, smooth, fun ride, though nothing too special.  I did, however, see this demolished old brick house:

I really like western Arkansas.  Eastern Arkansas is terribly boring and flat.  Nothing to look at, nowhere to turn.  Western Arkansas is nice - a bit of landscape, some towns, lots of lakes, etc.

Aaah, nature.

The road turned to construction, and before I knew it, I was entering Oklahoma with no place to stop and take a photo of the sign!  I pulled into the welcome center (not centre!) and asked for some suggestions on a campsite, and how to ride historic Route 66.  Even the welcome centers in Oklahoma are nice!

I stopped at Tenkiller State Park and picked a campsite.  Here she is!

View from my site

The walk from the waters edge back to my site

Nearby boulders.  These are about 8-9 feet tall

Aaaand here I am, writing these posts using the wifi at the park visitors center.  I cooked my dinner here using my stove and mess kit (a Mountain House chicken and rice camp meal, and a bag of trail mix).  See, uneventful.

Tomorrow I'm going to try and ride the longest remaining segment of the old Route 66, and maybe make it all the way across Oklahoma.  They're calling for thunderstorms though, so we'll see.  Check tomorrow for pics!