2018 10 15 - 10 23 Fort Dodge RV Park, Oklahoma Memorial, AT&T Stadium and the Alamo

Fort Dodge RV Park, Dodge City, Kansas - 15 October 2018

Even is southern Kansas we cannot shake off the weird weather and woke up to a dusting of snow on the truck. 

Dakota at the Dog Park at the camp site.

Oklahoma City Memorial, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - 17 October 2018

The footprint of the Murray Building now holds the 168 chairs, etched with the name of those who perished and are arranged to indicate the floor where each victim was located. Even at night, the chairs clear bases glow with internal lights.

Originally installed to enclose the crime scene, it quickly became a place for people to express their sorrow by leaving tokens to the victims, individually and collectively. Periodically these items are removed and preserved in the Museum Archives.

The Reflecting Pool was once NW Fifth Street where the vehicle housing the bomb was left in front of the Murray Federal Building. At each end of the Pool is the Gates of Time. The 9:01 East Gate depicts the innocence before the attack while at the opposite end the 9:03 West Gate (above) marks when healing began. The Reflecting Pool is gently flowing waters designed to help soothe and inspire calm. 

Again, at night, the etched times of innocence and healing glow. 

The victims' chairs face the Museum which houses two floors of interactive exhibits, video recordings or survivors and family members, crimes scene photos, evidence and trial outcomes. This building, the former Journal Record Building, left in its damaged state, shows the impact of the blast. 

The Memorial Overlook frames the Memorial and the city.

The Survivor Tree is encircled by the Promontory Wall with a message of resolve, "The Spirit of this City and this Nation will not be Defeated; Our Deeply Rooted Faith Sustains Us." This near-century-old American Elm stands at the highest point of the Memorial as a symbol of strength and resilience. There are photos from the 1920s of this very tree in the yard of a city residence. At the time of the blast, this tree was centered in a parking lot across NW 5th street from the Murray Building and was surrounded by burning cars. Many of its branches and all its leaves were blown off. The main trunks were scorched. The rebirth of this tree is an endearing symbol of American community, strength, resilience and hope. It is a place of comfort, peace and serenity. 

We were very moved by the Memorial and somewhat surprised by the number of visitors to a site in middle America for an event which occurred over 23 years ago. We even met a mother and daughter who are Oklahoma City residents touring for the first time. 

The Survivor Tree is professionally managed by a certified arborist who monitors its health. 

As the tree grows the brass plate at its base is cut out to accommodate its trunk size. This platform is raised above the ground level of the tree to prevent any damage to its root system. 

Looking back at the 9:03 West Gate. 

The victims' chairs include 19 smaller chairs representing the children who were visiting the building or had been left at the Day Care Center. There are also at least five chairs of folks who were outside the building. One chair is for a nurse who had run into the building to assist the injured and a section of the building fell on her head. When she exited the building, she collapsed in the arms of another woman outside and died of her injuries. 

The Plaza is a surviving original area behind the Murray Building which now offers a breathtaking view of the Memorial and Museum grounds. 

Water feature from the top level to the ground level of the Murray Building Plaza. 

Treetops RV Resort, Arlington, Texas - Thursday, 18 October 2018

A brief couple of days stopover with a lovely garden just outside our door.

It included a running fountain and several statues, benches and paths.

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, home of Dallas Cowboys - 19 October 2018

The 80,00+ seat capacity, formerly Cowboys Stadium, has a retractable roof was completed after 3 years of construction on May 2009. The standing room capacity in around 100,000. The "Jumbotron" board is 70 feet tall and hangs from the 20-yard line to the 20-yard line (that's 180 feet). The stadium also accommodates basketball, boxing, wrestling, concerts, rodeos, college and high school football, soccer and motocross.

Each end-zone section behind the seats are standing-room only areas. There are 380 suites that seat over 12,000 fans per event. 

There are commissioned contemporary art created for site-specific areas in the stadium. It features paintings, sculptures and installations by 18 artists. 

Also home of the Cotton Bowl Classic, most recently on 29 December 2017 the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the USC Trojans by a score of 24-7. The replay the game behind the trophy with the helmets of each team. 

Inside the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room (I had no control over where the tour went) and for some reason the tour guide asked some of the guys to stand in front of the ladies lockers and strike a pose like the cheerleader they stood under. 

Next stop was the Dallas Cowboys team locker room with #21 Ezekiel Elliott. Nothing is ever left here, the players do not practice at this stadium, once the game is over, the players leave and the entire room is "fumigated" so it does not smell like a locker room. Thank goodness. Super Bowl XLV was played in February 2011 and the "Home Team" Green Bay Packers is the only other team to have ever used this locker room.  

From the locker room through the reception room and out onto the field. 

In the End Zone.   

Bob takes a knee on the 50 yard line. 

On our way off the field through the visitor's tunnel from the 50 yard line. 

River Ranch RV Resort, New , Texas - 20 October 2018

No real amenities here other than a Dog Park but it is close to the RV dealer we have to take our house to so they can check out our failed microwave. 

Two highways, one to the north and one to the south. And the Guadalupe River running fast and strong from  days of rain. 

A crawdad escaped the rushing waters in search of calmer hunting grounds.