I want to get to Mike's around 4 pm, and Map Source says the route I've laid out will take 7 hours, which means I should leave at 9. So naturally, I was ready early, and rather than kill time, I left, heading east on 256. It's aiming just a bit south, but it's a nice morning, and I don't care.

Pretty soon, though, I see a "Welcome to Oklahoma" sign, and the speed limit drops to 65--but it's a nice morning, and I don't care.

When I laid out this route, I put waypoints in towns that I was sure had fuel, so I'm monitoring those, and watching the gas gauge. Finally, though, I get to Altus, and decide to fill up, even though the low fuel light hadn't come on. (What's this world coming to?)

I'd noticed a lot of air traffic as I approached the town, and theorized there must be a military base--sure enough, there's a sign for "Altus Air Force Base," and all the big planes I'd been seeing are explained by the fact that it's where KC-135 and C-17 crews train.

I'm on this route because the more direct one would have taken me through Oklahoma City, and why go through a big town unless you have to? But smaller towns are almost as bad, a current example being Lawton. Nothing against it in particular, but stoplight-to-stoplight riding isn't high on my fun meter.

Finally, I start heading north occasionally, revelling in the 20 mph tail wind, rather than a 20 mph crosswind--gotta watch the speed, though, which tends to creep up in that circumstance.

A bit of I-40, and I'm in the home stretch, heading up through Okmulgee and some road construction (in the south lanes, fortunately) and into Mike's driveway at 3:15--well short of 7 hours, even with two gas stops.

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