The mailbox of B&P Crosby on US 64.
The mailbox of B&P Crosby on US 64.
Another mailbox on US 64.
The Harris' mailbox on US 64.
Workmen inspecting a bridge on Interstate 40.
The Gittin Place convenience store in Vian, OK.
Mural in Vian, OK.
Ray poses for the End-of-the -Trail photograph in front of the motel swimming pool.
Bill Holman, owner of the Wildhorse Mountain Bar-B-Q restaurant.
Inside the Wildhorse Mountain Bar-B-Q. Bill Holman is behind the counter.
Last Modified on 9/28/2000 at 3:34:44
Day's Narrative: I had my usual breakfast in a restaurant next door to the motel. After that I started riding on old US 69 which runs parallel to the high traffic present one. This was a warm morning compared to the last two. I only needed a light jacket which became too warm around 10:00 a.m. At Checotah, OK I switched to US 64 which runs along with Interstate 40 on the North side. Usually in the US West one can depend on roads running parallel to interstates being virtually empty of traffic. That's not necessarily true in the East, as I have discovered in North Carolina and Tennessee. Connie caught up with me in Warner, OK, as usual about 10:30. We chatted for a while and I put my morning jacket in the van. At 11:30 at Gore, OK I saw the Burger Barn and thought that would be a good place to eat lunch. I met the waitress and we spent some time talking about bicycling, but she declined to be photographed. A couple there also having lunch highly recommended the Wildhorse Mountain Barbecue restaurant in Sallisaw. By the way, The Burger Barn has great burgers. US 64 was almost empty of traffic which let me cycle along and look at the surroundings. I was doing this just outside of Gore, OK when I looked up in front of me and found a tractor-trailer truck coming directly at me passing a car. It was so close I had no time to react -- no time to head for the shoulder. Fortunately, the truck pulled into the other lane in time to avoid hitting me. The car it was passing ran onto the shoulder to give the truck room to get back into its lane. What was this driver thinking? Was he expecting me to get off the road and out of his way? Why didn't he blow his horn? I will never know. Normally I watch for this sort of thing, but there was so little traffic on this road, and it was so straight, that it never occurred to me that a vehicle would attempt to pass coming at me. Later on I stopped at Vian, OK for a Coke and was sitting on the window sill outside "The Gittin Place" (see photo) and a young man came up and asked to borrow 35 cents. I said OK, and after I gave it to him I asked what he needed it for. He said to use the telephone. Well, this seemed like it might turn into an interesting conversation after his phone call so I decided to wait until he finished talking on the nearby pay phone. I finished my Coke and he was still talking. So I waited some more, then went across the street and took a picture of the mural (see photo). He was still talking. I guess he really did need that 35 cents. Finally, I gave up and put my gear back on and got ready to leave. As I cycled away I looked back and he was still talking. It was only a few miles from Vian to Sallisaw. Connie says I pronounce Sallisaw "Salazar." I guess I've lived in New Mexico too long. I got to the motel about 2:15 p.m. I was good to get in early. The last two days I got to the motel around 5:00 p.m., which doesn't leave much time to do anything else in the afternoon and evening. Connie and I went to the Wildhorse Mountain Bar-B-Q this evening and the barbecue was delicious. They have three kinds of barbecue sauce "Hot is real hot, medium is sorta hot, and mild is baby sauce." The food lives up to its reputation. It is excellent barbecue -- especially the pork ribs. © Ray & Connie Poore, 2000
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