Okay in Oklahoma

July 5, 2007: Sequoyah Bay

Today’s drive wasn’t that bad at all, we only managed to need to stop for directions once when we were close to the site. What’s with the same street having like six names but there not being a single road sign?!! Geesh. We stopped for gas soon after we entered Oklahoma and Sara purchased a coon skin hat. Oh yes my friends, from then on I wore my cowboy hat and she wore a dead animal atop her head (a fake one of course).

Anywho, when we first crossed the border into Oklahoma, we stopped at the visitor’s center and took pictures and Sara sent her friend a text message “It’s OK in OK” because she’s a dork. Imagine our surprise when the town where our campsite was located was named Okay, Oklahoma. More Kodak moments followed especially when we found the post office that said Okay, Oklahoma and we of course had to stop. A wrong turn or two here and there left us in need of some local input, so we found a gas station and Sara was sent in. The attendant was happy to oblige and the conversation went a little something like this…

“You lost? Where ya headed?…You need to turn on back and go back to Okay, okay? Now if you’re going through Okay, okay, you’ll need to go straight okay? And once you’re through Okay, you’ll need to make a right okay, make the right after you’re through Okay, okay. ”Sara smiled politely fighting back the giggles and had to start saying “uh huh” instead of “okay” because lord knows there were plenty of them in the conversation already!

We were on our way once again and had heard that there was flooding in areas or Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma, but thought that we would be alright because we were farther north. We arrived at the site to check in and were told that 75% of the sites were under water. Apparently the lake was 25 feet higher than normal and still rising. We picked a site that was high and dry and decided to chance it as it was only for one night. I set up Sam and Sara made some sandwiches for lunch, which we ate by the waterfront, which consisted of a picnic table on the rim of the water. We thought the bugs were bad in Mississippi, but the Oklahoma flies were going to give them a run for their money. We cursed their mangy presence and squashed as many carcasses as possible.

In the distance I heard some generators and convinced Sara that we should go check out the marina and see what was up. Thank God for that. In the midst of the flooded chaos was a floating building that served as a little café and general store with cold beer on tap and food that we didn’t have to make ourselves, praise Jesus! We quickly made friends with Cathy and Dana and remained in their presence for the next five to six hours. Dana told us to help ourselves to the tap and hang out for as long as we wanted in this nearly bug-free oasis.

The people at Sequoyah Bay were awesome and Sara decided that she loved Oklahoma and wanted to move there and buy the little marina store/café. In the morning we’re headed to Alabaster Caverns in northern Oklahoma, let’s see if she falls in love with that place more.