7-25-17

We stepped out of the hotel to a humid morning in Oklahoma about 7:55. Scott and the kids wondered if it was this humid at home. I imagine it is. I already miss the bright blue skies of California and Arizona. I miss the clear air at 5000 feet in elevation. I even miss the dry furnace of the heat at 108 degrees. It doesn't help that as the day progressed I developed a sore throat and cough. I think the humidity of the crappy hotel room coupled with the return of lower elevation pines and oaks is causing some kind of allergy reaction. I took a Claritan and the day progressed. 

We drove about 30 minutes and were early to the visitor center at Chickasaw National Recreation area so we played in the spring fed creel with the clear, cold waters. When I say we, I mean Lorelei and I. The water was too cold for the boys. We did the visitor center and hiked up to the springs. Scott and I drank from it because it is said to have healing properties. My experience is not so much. I feel crappy the day after. 

We drove from there for about 3.5 hours, stopping to get gas and make sandwiches. We arrived in Fort Smith, Akansas and had a nice visit to the fort. This was the same Fort that has been referenced in many western movies and in fact Hang'em High was on in our hotel last night. 

After the hot visit to the Fort, we stopped in Fort Smith for dinner and then drove an hour north to Fayetteville to check in about 6:00 at our hotel. We did a load of laundry to get us all home in clean clothes and Luke did his French homework while Lorelei and I lay in the bed watching TV.