Returning home

Today marks my eleventh day on the road, and the end of my trip. Due to the change in my accommodations for the night before, I had a lot of miles to cover today (nearly 300) so I knew I would be taking a leisurely pace through the rest of Oklahoma. I woke up and got on the road at a reasonable hour, opting to defer breakfast for now so that I could get some miles under my belt before eating. I headed east out of Alva on US-60. 

I passed through much of the same scenery of cattle grazing on grassland as I did the night before and after about an hour and a half arrived in Ponca City. Apparently, a former governor of Oklahoma made it their home base and built a couple of grand mansions and estates in the city. It was also in the midst of a weekend herb festival which was apparently very popular, so I avoided that and went to check out the downtown after grabbing a quick bite to eat at a local diner. 

The downtown was pleasant but quiet. It’s clear that this was once a bustling city at the end of the railroad. I even found the old boarded up railroad station which was still in good condition and seemed like it could be in a movie set. 

After feeling properly exercised I continued on the road and entered the ancestral lands of the Osage Native Americans. Several peaceful tribes made their homes alongside the waterways in this area, and hunted buffalo. The tribal council has done a good job erecting information signs and displays. I learned that the Osage people were often very tall, being typically over six feet and sometimes as tall as seven feet. 

I continued east and made a quick gas stop in Vinita (which was also my first gas stop of the trip) before arriving back home. 

11 days, 4 states, 2778 miles.