On the Road 8 x 30; 24 x 7

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11-11-2005 Meandering around in McAlester, OK

Friday, November 11, Veteran’s Day did not bring too many more campers to the Park. There are no new folks in our campsite but later on we see a new 5th wheel over at Echo Ridge when we go over there to fish. It is sunny, windy and warm today. It was much calmer yesterday. I was up at 6:30 and our new pop-up neighbors already had a blazing campfire going. It was too cold in their pop-up I guess. They should have invested their money in a little heater instead of all those strings of party lights they have hanging from the trees.

At 10:30 we drove south on 69 to McAlester and did all of the antique stores on Main. There was one used book store but it didn't have much. I did enjoy playing with a little kitten that was the resident mascot of the place. I found about twenty old postcards between two of the antique stores. At 12:45 we drove back out to Hwy 69 to eat at Hunan Chinese Restaurant before it closed after lunch. But lunch was served until 2:30 so we had no problem. I had Embassy Chicken (sweet, sour and spicy sauce.) Bob had Cashew Shrimp. We split a Crab Rangoon appetizer. It was all kind of mediocre. I guess Lanna's Thai place in Tulsa spoiled us.

We drove just south on 69 to an Econolodge that had free wireless but I couldn't get it to work. I must have a setting messed up. Help! I need tech support. Maybe Casey can rescue me if we get to see them at Lake Texoma. There was a nice looking golf course behind the hotel and we investigated. But it was a private country club; members only.

Back home we slapped our heads when we realized we forgot to buy a paper. I blamed the carbohydrate-induced coma brought on by the Chinese food. So I filed postcards for a half an hour then we put on our fishing shoes and drove to Echo Ridge campsite to fish. It was windy but warm. I put on one too many long sleeve shirts and had to shed my jacket in spite of 25 mph winds. Nothing was hitting until we got way around the shore off of a windy point. Something grabbed my buzz bait and pulled it under every time I made a cast but I couldn't set the hook. We tied on white beetle spins and caught a mess of white bass. There was not much size to them but it was fun; especially on our ultra-light tackle. We fished until dark at 5:55.

Back home the pop-up people have music blaring by the campfire. Fortunately they were playing some great Country tunes. We were reading the paper and the Ranger knocked on our door to collect the fee. Bob told him we were paid through Saturday night. We noticed the neighbors turned the music off when the Ranger drove in:-)

It's 6:33 p.m. and 66.4 degrees.