Christmas Road Trip Day 2

Day 2: Springfield, MO - Amarillo, TX We had a wonderful stay at the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield. After a fantastic breakfast, we departed on leg 2 of the journey west on I-44. About an hour west, we made a stop in Joplin, MO, the town so tragically hit by a tornado in 2011. The swath it cut through the town was almost a mile wide and it killed 1,000 people. The devastation was still evident but they are rebuilding and you could see that much had been done already.

I made sure to cue up "Oklahoma!" on Pandora as soon as we crossed the Missouri/Oklahoma border to add a little excitement to the trip. I have to say, the song describes the state quite well and the winds were blowing heartily along the plains. Makes for some tense driving in the "big rig" as it is a wonderful wind catcher.

Our next stop was Oklahoma City and the memorial site of the 1995 bombing at the Federal Building. It was a sobering experience. Colin was just 6 months old when it happened and I remember holding him closer that day as I watched the news unfold and the children from the day care center being pulled out. Being a new mom made the tragedy all the more real for me. The memorial is a beautiful tribute to the people that senselessly died that day.

Next stop - Amarillo and the Big Texan Steakhouse! Now that was an experience! The gift shop alone was worth the stop with souvenirs like a rattle snake cane, longhorns, and every type of cowboy hat imaginable, not to mention all the tacky stuff you can dream up. They are famous for their 72 ounce steak eating challenge. If you can eat the steak dinner (steak, potato, side) in an hour, it's free. If not, it's about $100. We watched one man try and fail. He at 44 ounces and just couldn't do any more. We were serenaded by 2 elderly cowboys with a guitar and violin. The violin player was on oxygen but he was still a fiddlin'! Next, in walked Cowboy Santa! Yep, it was a true Texas experience. One we won't soon forget.

The Oklahoma City Memorial. Each chair represents a person who died that day.

Tonight we lay our heads down thankful for another full day and a safe arrival at our destination. Time to hit the hay and get ready for the next leg - Amarillo, TX to Flagstaff, AZ.