Slobberknocker

Days 23 and 24

I arrived in Oklahoma City late, hungry and tired. It had turned into a good pattern of getting from point to point. I started driving later in the day, get to the city I wanted to see and venture out the next morning.

Sunday morning, it was starting to get warm and the humidity I had missed over the last week was starting to be felt again. First stop is the OKC Memorial. I was 15 at the time. I remember it vividly. The images of a the building, the picture of the fireman sticks out the most. I was there too early for the museum. I wanted to connect the images in my head to the site. The two archways had times on them. 9:01 and 9:03. The last moments of peace and the start of recovery. A reflecting pool between those two times. On the east side of the memorial is some of the wall built into the arch. Touching that little bit of broken concrete and rebar hits you. I headed south to the parking deck and plaza from the south side of the Murrah Building. It’s connected to the memorial and from what I can tell, the underground parking deck is still in use. It looks just as it did in 1995. I was taken back and loved the idea of having this still here. They could of removed the whole block but left this. You can stand at the south entry where the doors to the building was and overlook the memorial. The only picture I took was of the sign of the building on the wall. Sometimes it’s better to just use your eyes and put down the phone.

Three years later I started in the event security business. After Oklahoma City and other terror attacks they started putting in a buffer zones around building. New building and venues were not built “right up to the street”. Larger sidewalks, planters, and garden spaces was used to setback building from vehicles. If you didn’t know, you just thought, oh they put a nice green space outside this building but really it was to set it back from cars. “Jersey Barriers” started to be dropped off outside of buildings and streets closed where they could not set back buildings. I remembered as a kid driving down Pennsylvania Ave past the White House. I would of never thought that in my job, actions from that day I now have to take into account of parking and vehicles access near venues.

Okay, lets go Boomer Sooner and get the Jim Ross experience. Some people thing football at Oklahoma but I just think of good ol JR. I geek out and drove by the National Weather Center and as normal, checked out the football stadium on campus. The cool thing about this trip is with some places closed, it leaves things to come back and do. Time to hit the road, off to St Louis. I did the Lewis and Clark trail backwards. Starting at the end so it was only fitting to see the arch.

The drive between Tulsa and St Louis was interesting. As you get near Missouri, I just happened to notice another spot where I could stand in three states at once. So I pull off and lay down on the spot between Kansas, OK and Missouri. I did this also going to Mt. Rushmore where I could stand in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota.

I reach St Louis again late and stay by the arch. Since I was not going to be here long and you can’t go in it now, I took a bird scooter around Busch Stadium and tried to find dinner. Ended up going back to the hotel and ordered Papa Johns. I had my big bourbon and chowed down on cheese sticks.

Over halfway home now and heading to Tennessee. 1st, I was stopping by Cape Girardeau and seeing one of my dearest friends. Shannon and I go back to my start at NC State overseeing the S1 account. She’s the best! Down to earth, a wonderful professor, leader and overall great person. It was amazing to catch up with her.

I cross over the Mississippi, did the Good ol Roy and spat in the river for good luck. I made it to Nashville, grabbed some more bourbon and a slurpee. I wanted to make it to Asheville but only got as far as Knoxville. Last day. Back on 40. I’m heading down to Raleigh to see my home. Cue Wagon Wheel…