Day 9: Manhattan, KS to Chamulet, OK

As you all probably noticed on Day 9, I finally had some internet access to update my blog. It is now Day 13 and I can update once again. Once I get my power cable back I will upload a bunch of pictures.

After my 2 hours of blogging I finally left KS and drove on this little tiny back road highway for most the way. I hit 90 mph passing a slow trucker. That was the most exciting event on the road. I got on to I-40 and took it straight through OK City. I didn't even realize I went by it.

Before I got on the road I had punched the address for the campsite into the GPS. I followed it all the way to exit 104 on I-40. By the way, once you get to those highways down there, they stop numbering the exits in sequence. They are numbered by mile. So exit 1o4 is at mile 104. So as I passed exit 108 I saw a sign for KOA. I thought, hmmm that's wierd. Maybe there is another KOA at 104. So I got off at 104 and the GPS took me down this backroad. I was doing about 70 mph down this backroad passing pretty much nothing. When I got to the road I had to turn onto, it was a dirt road. I took the better judgement and turned around and went back to the KOA at exit 108. Turns out they moved a while ago.

The campgrounds were pretty empty. It was about 3:30 and pretty damn hot. I sent my tent up and went to take a dip in the pool. There were about 14 kids in the pool. I'm pretty sure they were all brothers and sisters. Wouldn't surprise me. The older boy was throwing a football to the younger boys who were jumping into the pool to catch it. They were all talking with a wicked strong southern twang. I felt like I was watching FNL.

The weather started to cool down a bit, so I decided to talk a walk. There was a gas station right up the road so I figured I could by some beer. Nope! Apparently OK doesn't sell beer in gas stations. WTF, mate? Once again, another sober camping trip. Next to the gas station was a Cherokee Trading Post with "Authentic" Native American collectibles. There were some cool things in there, like the flutes and the weapons and the moccassins. But for the most part there were alot of paintings of wolves and half naked hot indian girls. I guess that's authentic. They reminded me of the picture Bret painted for Sally on FotC.

Back down at the my tent I made some dinner then started reading. Nothing else to do. I called it a night around 11 o'clock. Camping alone kind of blows.