Oklahoma! Where the roads suck as you go down the plain - Jun 11, 2007

We planned on taking the Indian Nation turnpike all the way up to Tulsa, then spending the night at Claremore. We hate paying the tolls, but the last time we were on Hwy 69, it nearly killed us with the uneven pavement and bouncing.

We were doing ok, until we decided that maybe Hwy 69 north of McAlester wouldn't be so bad, besides, we need to stop for lunch, gas and groceries and there was a Super WalMart. So we got off the turnpike. WRONG! Upper 69 is just as bad. Finally, we got onto the Creek turnpike, then the Will Rogers Turnpike (All of these toll roads cost us over $18)We were really in a pitiful state (no,really- Oklahoma!) We saw a sign that said "Joplin - 100 miles", so we said, "Let's get the hell out of Oklahoma." And we did.

We were still feeling pretty good by the time we got into Joplin, so decided to press on for Springfield and Lambert's Cafe - home of Throwed Rolls

Throwed Rolls

There is a Passport America park right behind Lambert's so we could just walk over there, which of course, we did. Here you can see a roll actually being thrown (or throwed, I guess) and do they ever taste good!

Jeff got the chicken fried steak which comes with mashed potatoes and two sides

Check out the size of this meal

, then there are the "pass-arounds" - fried okra, blackeyed peas, fried potatoes and onion etc. We took home enough food for supper the next night.

It was a great ending to a day of crummy and expensive roads. We think we may just skip Oklahoma in the future.