It's Day 323......it's also March 24 2020...and we are in Glencoe Oklahoma

It's Day 323......it's also March 24 2020...and we are in Glencoe Oklahoma

Scenery through western Oklahoma continues to look very wintery ...March...in Oklahoma....is very different...than March in South Georgia. The tree's...still dormant....the grasses too...still brown. I guess mother nature gave us a bit of a lucky break in it all yesterday....wanted us to be able to walk around a bit....walk around that high school...in Kiowa.

And it's is easy... to imagine how dramatically different this drive would.... be in just a few short weeks.

And having just driven through all those heavily wooded areas of western Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and, Arkansas…the horizon...here in Oklahoma opens up and spreads out in front of you in a way that makes everything around you feel bigger…and I became soooo much smaller.....in the universe.

The sky’s feels bigger…deeper…and bluer even. The cloudy sky’s of the last couple days...had started to break…and I find myself focusing on the openness of it all when taking photo’s.

It reminds me of our time in Arizona last fall capturing those spectacular…almost unreal sunsets…

I...think I already have a weak spot....a special place in my heart.... for these wide open spaces

And I know for certain.....the west end of Oklahoma has so much more to offer than any one passer by deserves......gotta get back here....for more.

And got a bit of a surprise...of a different sort.... as we moved deeper into Oklahoma.....we were introduced to their Turnpike system. A series of Tolled roads..

I paid a toll twice in the 160 miles we traveled today....a total of $5.25...I guess 3 cents a mile....to travel Oklahoma.

So ..... this might help explain... $1.50 per gallon we paid at the pump in Glencoe…cheapest we've seen since leaving Georgia.....Makes sense that if your not payin it at the pump......ya gotta pay for those roads somewhere.....but in an interesting twist........ doesn’t seem to be working well for their roads. Many sections were indeed undergoing repair…but I find it a bit ironic that some of the worst roads we have traveled this entire trip were in an area in which we actually “paid” to drive on them? Just an observation…but lets face it…the reality is that if you live in Oklahoma, it is likely...... for so many reasons ...and the highways...probably not one of em.

Never really did get into full “driving mode” today. It's actually gettin kinda creepy.....With each passing mile I can feel...this pandemic thing....reaching .... deeper....into our lives......into the country.... and into the world. Businesses....are litterally shutting down around us.....and thinning out traffic....I don't think I've ever been on a 6 lane freeway....and been the only vehicle ....in sight....but that's whats happening I cannot even express the gratitude that I feel for the folks that are keeping the gas stations and grocery stores up and running…I mean....a guy that spends 100 percent of his time on the road.....and I couldn't buy gas all of a sudden....what would that look like? I hope...we all take care of them....by taking care of ourselves.

We only made it around 160 miles from Kiowa today....and I just needed....to find a quiet spot. And just...not watch the news.....and try to enjoy where we are. I think...mostly because I had watched the news this morning.... and it just keeps getting worse.....

In the span of a couple days....Globally...confirmed cases of the virus have over doubled at some 352 thousand....over 15,000 humans....are dead. Here in the US....a couple days back I read 1600 cases...I think... and .... I can't remember if anyone had died.....but this morning.....nearly 44 thousand confirmed cases....and 550 Americans gone....from covid.

I tried to wrap my brain around that....maybe it's just a me thing.....but make it relevant.....I thought....we were in Tupelo Mississippi a couple days back...a city with a population of around 38 thousand......what would it look like...feel like....if nearly half of that cities population died...(15 thousand humans have died globally).....in like....3 months?

And some elements of this whole thing are still so confusing to me....how things are being handled...and communicated. According to the BBC....here....have a look at some of what I watched this morning......(insert Video)....

Britain announced a total nation wide lock down today...asking all citizens to remain at home when at all possible....and at the very same time...almost literally....the guy thats runnin this joint....says nearly the opposite at a press conference today.....I think I get that maybe some of it may be that as a Federal System....we tend to allow these sorts of decisions to be made at a state level.....and as of this morning....42....I think....states have issued some sort of mandatory stay at home order...but that means....8 havent....Oklahoma....even their casinos are closed!

yea...definitely ..... needed a break. And also considered....maybe...we're a little lucky....or a lot lucky even ...that we are out here ...on our own....and far away from all that...population.

Before calling it quits for the day we managed to meander up and across Oklahoma putting those 160 miles in the rearview....when we pulled off in Glencoe....

Thats kinda where the "creepy" part really kicked in......the first thing we saw .... The Stone Wolf Casino....but it was closed. It's Tuesday afternoon....and a casino......is closed. Now I've been to a few casino's....and I have never seen....and empty .... casino parking lot!

I stopped....hopped out.....and walked around a bit...snapping photo's of the empty casino parking lot. It's eerie....surreal...not sure really what words describe what I'm lookin at....what I feel....unsettling for sure.

Then...it did occur to me....that I was standing on what must have been at least 20 acres of parking lot....and it was empty.....I wanted quiet.....and it didn't get much quieter than this. I hopped back in Vacilando...we pulled around and into a corner of an upper parking lot. Let Dougie out for a quick run about....then hit the Levelers on the RV. Got everything situated just right....resisted the urge to reach for the laptop....or my phone.....and just plopped down on the couch. Was actually considering some shut eye when I heard somethin...someone pull up next to us. Got up to see a security guard of some sort climbin out of a golf cart...and headed our way. Uh Oh... I opened the door .... hopped out asking.....How's it goin?

Good enough...the security guard guy responded. Everything ok here? He asked.

Yep....I responded...actually just lookin for a spot to grab some shuteye for a few hours....looked like as good a place as any....

Security guard guy ...... kinda....awkwardly....but I could tell....was searchin his brain for the right way .....to tell me to beat feet.....scram....get lost....

He was alright though....apologized....said They don't want anyone on the premise....all shut down...as ya can see.

Yup..I said....actually thought thats why it would be perfect....certainly aint botherin anyone here......but I hear ya....

Security guard guy offerred.....Truck stop just on the other side of us there is still open....sure you'd be welcome there.

Ah...Thanks man....I told him.....we'll head over there....

As security guard guy left....I was already kicken myself....shoulda asked him....what he knew .... about this....pandemic.....they've obviously taken it pretty seriously around here.

And up with the levelling jacks.....and across the parking lot to the Truck Stop....where we would join four semi's....thats pretty creepy too.....Tuesday afternoon....at a truck stop....and there's 4 semi's.

Now...normally....in my experience....an overnight .... on a truck stop parking lot in an RV is no problem....but....given I'd just been kicked off a completely vacant casino parking lot....thought it best check in at the gas station....Being evicted twice .... in one day....that ed suck.

And of course it was ok....this is where we'll hang out for the night..... Oh...and I guess....hats off to the Stone Wolf Casino.....Security guard guy....he was patrolling both .... the empty casino parking lot....and the Truck Stop over here ..... kinda comforting....to have Security guard guy roll by and wave every few hours.

Dougie and I had been for a long...pretty awesome walk. Decided to head over to the Gas Station Convenience store thingy and grab a few things.....Unpackin the groceries....I'd already grabbed a jug of sanitizer and was wipin things down before puttin away.....when the phone rang.....

Best bud of mine from back in Washington......callin to see where I was....how it was going...

Oklahoma ..... going pretty awesome....cept for this dang pandemic thing.....

Yea...definitely a pain he said...

But then ..... I mentioned I was wiping things down before puttin em away....bought myself box of those disposable gloves for when I get gas....

when he busted into laughter....said.....your not really...that paranoid....are ya?

I think....my brain locked up....so much...all at once...running through my head....

paranoid? I mean....by definition...paranoid....a state of mind characterized by excessive or irrational suspicion and mistrust of others.... one of my very best friends had just asked if I was paranoid?

This wasn't paranoya.....mistrust...or irrational......The World Health Organization...the CDC....and over half...of the countries on the planet....had declared a Global Pandemic....Was I being irrationanal....The last global pandemic...that swine flu thing...originated here...in the US....and killed almost 300,000 humans before it was done....and this thing....Covid....has killed almost 20 thousand people....in the three months...Paranoid...?

And...simultaneously.....thinking.....we are both rational adults with access to the same media and sources.....who's he listening to....why are we both viewing this so differently?

I had to snap out of it and say simply....

Nah...not paranoid....just careful....ya never know. Gotta play it safe right? Your being safe right.

Course....he said....always .....

I thanked him for checkin in......and

As I hung up....I just kept thinking....man I hope he's safe.....

Pretty mentally exhausting day. I almost couldnt believe I really didn't have it in me to even read much about this place called Glenco....but I did

The story of Glencoe....in many ways....looks a lot like those around it....a town that was founded at the turn of the century....and grew up around the railway.....and farming, ranching in the area. But just 15 years later.....the town had grown to nearly 400....when a fire would ignite in the early morning hours of January 22, 1914 and devastate the town. It was never determined exactly what caused the fire.....but widespread belief is that a cook stove fire got out of control...or perhaps a spark from another heat source. The town would work hard to rebuild....but over time, it would become clear that the town would never fully recover.....to this day....the towns population has exceeded 600 only once....in 2010.....but today....499 folks call Glencoe home.....And the town would experience another fire...in 2010....when a controlled burn would get out of control.....causing the evacuation of the town....Fortunately firefighters were able to regain control of the fire....preventing any widespread damage to the town.

But probably...one of the most curious things I read was the Name? There does'nt seem to be one clear explanation for where the name came from. What does seem clear...is that there is a correlation between Glencoe Oklahoma......one word.....and a region of the Scottish Highlands known as Glen Coe....two words. The area is a massive area of stunning valleys and vista's.....and at their entrance....a centuries old village of the same name....Glen Coe Village.......Local folklore around here, however...have varying versions of how the name would make it's way to this wide open, and flat agricultural region of Oklahoma. Some will tell the tale of a brutal masacre in the highlands of Scotland in the year 1692.....when Campbells were sent by the king to the Village of Glen Coe to masacre the McDonalds....Seems they had failed to pledge their allegance to the king in a timely fashion.....so some 30 plus villagers would be slayne as they slept .....others would escape into the highlands....but being winter...many of them would perish.....as a result....in Scotland....the valley would be forever known...as the Weeping Glen. So had the descendants of survivors of the McDonald clan of the Scottish Glen Coe...made their way to a place in Oklahoma some two centuries later....seeking a place...and a way... to permanently remember their tragic loss? Or is it as others will tell....It was simply a name chosen.....and inspired by a storied and picturesqe region of the Scottish highlands.

And that Scottish Glen Coe.....also leads up, and into the largest expanse of uninhabited land in all of Britain.....so yea...regardless why the name was chosen.....sounds like a pretty cool place to be named after.

Enough reading...writing.....I thought......cap off another evening in Oklahoma with a walk with Dougie....

Map tell us....up next.....Kansas.....

I wonder what we'll learn there