Tuesday, March 29
As early as possible (that varies with me), we hit the road for Tucumcari, NM where we hoped to find a better breakfast than last night's dinner. Again, the Triple-A guide wasn't much help, so we chose to drive through town and see which restaurant had the most cars outside. It turned out to be Rockin' Y's Roadhouse. (The rockin' Y's are the owners, Yvonne and Yvette.)
What a delightful choice. Customer service a big plus, décor delightful (not so nostalgic), and food some of the best we've had. If I remember, I'll write AAA to suggest adding this one to their Tour Book. I count it among one of my favorite stops, because of all the places I've looked for Southwest pottery, this restaurant had a selection for sale that was just what I'd been looking for. I, at least, left satisfied in more ways than my appetite, with a full stomach and a colorful pot in a box.
One thing I enjoy about traveling with Henry, the bear, is that it brings out the kid in Duffy. Henry is Ahna's envoy traveling with us. So, it is like traveling with Ahna, and we're treating Henry like a family member. We talk to him, consult with him, and care for his very minimal needs. We can love on him, talk to him, and treat him as a traveling companion, in lieu of loving and hugging grand-kids and their parents. Traveling with Henry is like traveling with a pet, but better. Henry doesn't need to be fed or walked; he doesn't say much (anything, really, unless we put words in his mouth), and he's a wonderful listener. And, he's always cheerful. His face is a an expression of eagerness and delight in discovery. Please don't think we've gone dotty, but we don't see how we can travel without him. Maybe, Ahna will let us travel with us again, and maybe, when she grows up and out of the house, she'll let Henry come live with us. It's worth dreaming about.
Our destination today was the farthest east we would get this trip – Woodward, Oklahoma – a place I've wanted to see for quite a few years. There is land here that has been in my mother's family for decades. When we left home, we did not have firm plans to make this detour, but then realized we would be fairly close once we arrived in SE AZ, and it might be a long time before we'd have the chance again. I spelled Duffy with the driving and drove through Pampa, NM (not my name-sake) and crossed the New Mexico / Oklahoma state line. Sooner country.
We found a wonderful, and fairly deserted, state park called Boiling Springs just north of the city of Woodward. The name implies thermal springs, but actually the term boiling refers to the action the water takes as it burbles up through the sand in this part of the park. It's a beautiful place with trees, lots of birds and other wildlife. Lots of white-tail deer inhabit the park, plus racoons and wild turkeys. It's also close to Oklahoma's Alabaster Caverns, the largest deposit of black alabaster, perhaps worldwide. Sadly, we didn't get to these caverns, but it's on our list of places to visit another time.
The camp host was, surprisingly a young man, who lost his home in the Phoenix area at the same time that his employer began laying off workers. He and his wife decided to make a fresh start, and chose Oklahoma because the recession had not hit as hard in this state, according to his research. At any rate, he pulled his motor home into Boiling Springs State Park at the same time a camp host was needed, and found employment at Alabaster Caverns at the same time. The park lets his family stay for free in return for collecting park fees. It's been a good relationship.
The camp host also turned out to be a great resource for tonight's dinner. Not because he fed us, but because he recommended Big Dan's Steakhouse in Woodward. Built on the premise that good food, great service, and reasonable prices equate to treating the customer right, this restaurant has a big following. And, great food. Trust the locals, we say.
Until next time,
Pam
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