Day Four - Ardmore OK to Corpus Christi TX

After a refreshing night of sleep at the Lexington Inn in Ardmore, we headed south again on Interstate 35. It was an uneventful day of driving through Fort Worth and Waco and then we hit stop and go traffic in both Austin and New Braunfels. We arrived in San Antonio around 5pm and made it through the Alamo before it closed for the day at 5:30pm.

 
After quickly touring the Alamo, I introduced Victoria to the San Antonio River Walk where we walked most of it before sitting down for dinner.

While I've visited the River Walk several times starting in 1981 when I came to San Antonio for Air Force basic training, I had never been to the La Villita Historic Village. That's where we ended up for dinner, at the Guadalajara Grill.

After dinner, we headed south on Interstate 37 for our final leg of our journey to Corpus Christi. Around 9:30pm, we arrived at our destination, Darren's apartment.

Mission accomplished for the first half of the Spring Break Road Trip!

Day Three - Wichita KS to Ardmore OK

Upon arising from a great night of sleep, Victoria and I enjoyed breakfast with Victoria's Aunt Elvira. We departed late morning and made our way a few miles to Don and Paula Henry's home in Clearwater KS. Don mentored me in the early 1980s when I lived in Wichita KS. We met their daughter, Leah, along with her three children and had lunch with all of them. It was early afternoon by the time we said our goodbyes and headed south on Interstate 35 toward Oklahoma City.

When we arrived in Oklahoma City, I took Victoria to see the National Memorial. Here she is pictured with the Survivor Tree, a 90+ year-old American Elm which survived the blast. 

And here is a short video I shot of the Memorial from the same spot.

After we visited the Memorial we continued south until we made it to Ardmore OK where we spent Wednesday night. Into the state of Texas on Thursday!

Day Two - St Louis MO to Wichita KS

Victoria and I left St Louis early Tuesday morning and made it to Kansas City before lunchtime. I specifically wanted to visit the place of my birth, Trinity Lutheran Hospital. Much to my surprise, the hospital building has been converted into condos! Maybe I should buy one and end up where I started, heh?

From Kansas City, we made our way to windy Hillsboro KS where Victoria was able to see what one of her alma mater, Tabor College, looked like 30 years after she attended there.

From Hillsboro KS, we made our way a few miles southwest to Goessel KS where we visited with the Wagner family (Doug, Gretchen, Leighton, and Lana). Doug grilled HUGE Kansas steaks and we enjoyed dinner and dessert with them.

After leaving the Wagner's we drove about one hour south to Peck KS where we spent the night at the home of Victoria's Aunt Elvira.

At the end of day two of our road trip it was so good to have a hot shower and climb into bed after a long day of travel and visiting.