On the way to Oklahoma City, I stopped by the famous Cadillac Ranch art installation in the middle of a golden field just off the famous highway, Old Route 66.

The public is allowed and encouraged to deface this work, which was brought to life by hippies back in the 70’s with the help of a Texan billionaire.

You hear all kinds of languages and see all kinds of people walk from the side of the highway to the row of vintage car tails. You can purchase spray paint to put on the cars wherever your heart desires. Caps of the cans litter the side of the walkway, which isn’t attractive, but is somehow part of the appeal. Scattered messages are scrawled onto the pathway. I didn’t spray paint the cars because there were too many people and they were maskless. Hey, I’m trying to be responsible here.

There’s also a stand outside the entrance gate where a tired looking young man was selling his art wares. Keychains and paperweights with chips taken off from the Cadillacs themselves. I bought a magnet to support.

Back on the highway, and I drive up to the Alibates Flint Quarries to visit.

To get there, you end up at a fork in the road to divide between the quarries and the recreational center of Lake Meredith. A long, twisted and hilly road through the rust colored, rocky mounds and you come to the visitor center, which was small but very well kept. There’s usually a tour of the quarries but, you know, Covid. They also don’t do the tours when the temperatures are very high, and we are of course at around 100 degrees.

This place is designated a National Monument due to mammoth hunters using the rocks as weapons and tools for hunting. The Native Americans dug out the quarries by hand to get the best flints for tools. There’s also petroglyphs and archaeological pieces.

There’s these edible chocolate flowers!

And the scenery is calming and isolated.

I wish I could have spent more time here but I had to get to Oklahoma City by nightfall.