Poteau, Oklahoma

Until Trish was nine years old, her father had a career in the Navy.  Since her mother had grown up on a farm in Poteau, Oklahoma, whenever her dad was deployed on a Navy assignment, the rest of the family would go back to live on the farm in Poteau.

Poteau is down in the southeast corner of Oklahoma and is mountainous and mostly forested.  There is a beautiful and little-traveled scenic highway called the Talimena Scenic Highway that goes from Mena, Arkansas over into Oklahoma south of Poteau.  This was our route there from Hot Springs.

The original farmhouse is still there, and it has been enlarged and brought quite up to date by Trish’s Uncle Truman and his wife, Aunt Linda.  (They even have a 30 amp plug so we could plug the Airstream in and have air conditioning in the driveway.)

Trish with Uncle Truman and Aunt Linda in front of the Poteau farmhouse.

We left Poteau early this morning to make a major move west.  Tonight we are in Albuquerque after driving 737 miles today.  The drive enables us to slow down a lot over the coming days and take our time around the southwest.

Along the way we did stop for a visit at the Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma.  For anyone who grew up with the legends and stories of America’s First Highway, this museum is a must.

At the Route 66 Museum.