Summer Trip IX

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

US 60 going east towards Ponca City. NO traffic, but rolling hills toward the horizon.

     Today from Enid OK to Grove OK. A look at the map showed that Grove was located where there were a number of lakes. Today was the 4th of July, so the odds were a lot of people were going to be at the lakes for water sports and to celebrate the 4th of July. Because of my concern that it might be hard to find a room in Grove on the 4th I had called from Ed's Cafe in Shattuck OK during lunch the day before. I found a motel with good reviews called the Cherokee Queen Motel that also had a reasonable price. I always like to start the day knowing I had a place to sleep that night. The plan today was to take US 60 close to Grove. I was going to have to get off of US 60 and get on US 59 and go south about 8 miles to get to Grove. No biggie! US 60 proved to be a great route. Very little traffic, in and out of small towns. A very nice ride.

There was a TV show called Sanford and Son and one of the characters was Lamont. Ever since we have been calling each other Lamont. Imagine finding a town in Oklahoma called Lamont!

     By the middle of the day the heat was back, but with LOTS of humidity. The temperature was generally in the upper 80s, but with the humidity it felt hotter. As long as I was moving it wasn't bad riding. Running along 70 mph for the most there was plenty of breeze on the bike, and it was pleasant. When I went through good sized towns like Ponca City and Bartlesville with many traffic lights it became uncomfortable. I was only going around 203 miles, no need to rush. Although there were some dark clouds around I never felt threatened with rain.

Grace OK sits right on this lake. LOTS of watercraft, and around the lakes LOTS  of money. 

     Lunch and gas in Bartlesville, and then continue west. By the time I got to Vinita I was getting close to Grove. I took a detour and found myself on a little used road, and there was a state park along it. This park was on the banks of a lake and seemed like a good place to stop and finish yesterday's blog. As I pulled into the park area I noticed that the lake had flooded into the park, leaving several picnic tables almost totally submerged. It was around 1:30 in the afternoon, and I was the only person in an area with 40 or so picnic tables. As I sat there some people did begin to show up, and buy the time I left there were probably a 1/2 dozen families setting up to have picnics, or to let their kids play in the sand.

The Cherokee Queen Motel. Not fancy, but clean and comfortable. Just to the right is the BBQ restaurant.  

     After glancing at the map I decided to navigate on OK 85a to US 59 to Grove. At an intersection I took a right, when I should have taken a left. OK 125 took me down this peninsula to Shangri La, which was a huge resort on the lakes. I rode past development after development of expensive vacation villas, houses, and condominiums. Eventually the road ended at this HUGE complex for well to do vacationers. I felt like I REALLY fit in! NOT! I turned around and back tracked, corrected my mistake and arrived in Grove, a place where those of us who are less "well heeled" can vacation. I arrived at the motel around 3 PM. The Cherokee Queen Motel is not fancy, but it is clean, comfortable, and has a BBQ restaurant on the premises. Works for me.