We got on the road about 9:30 after getting the LP tank filled and headed south toward Joplin, MO. As we got closer to town there was a flashing sign that stated that Tornado volunteers should use a certain exit into town. We only saw some trees that were damaged by the storm from the highway.

We took highway 166 west from I44 and west across the southern part of Kansas to the town of Coffeyville. It is in Kansas but South Coffeyville is in Oklahoma. There was a relatively new Wal-mart at the intersection of 166 and 169 which went south from Coffeyville. We needed some groceries so we did some shopping, ate some lunch and of course a little nap and hit the road.

Shortly after we left South Coffeyville we were detoured to the west on sr10 apparently due to a bad accident just ahead that had the road closed. Most of the traffic was taking a gravel road south to get around the wreck. We saw some 18 wheelers coming down the gravel road in a cloud of dust and we did not want to go that way. The semi ahead of us stopped to talk to one of the safety men and he went on west on sr10, so we followed him and the semi behind us did as well. As we passed the gravel road it only looked about one and a half lanes wide and it would have been difficult to pass anything as well as contend with all of the dust and dirt.

We continued west to US75 and then south to US60 and then back east to 169, a detour of maybe 40 miles, but better than all of that dust and dirt.

We continued south on 169 until we got to sr88 and then east a couple of miles to the Hawthorn Bluff campground on Oologah Lake. This is quite a large lake with lots of camping spots with water and electricity as well as lots of shade trees, What a welcome site to see lots of shade to help with this sweltering heat. We will be here for a week or so before we move to Oklahoma City for our next show on the 29th and 30th of the month.

Hopefully we can keep fairly cool here in the woods.

The photograph is of the swimming pool at Lake Paradise. They say it is the largest pool in the state. It sure looked inviting on a hot summers day.