Fort Sill, here we come!!

Sis and I will hit the road Monday afternoon, on our way to OK to watch and cheer on Sweetie as he graduates from basic training. I figure, with my luck, we will hit St. Louie right at rush hour!! Should arrive at Ft. Sill in the afternoon of the 29th.

We will take I 70 from home here in E.Cental IL, to St. Louis, then take 44 the rest of the way there. I know we'll miss lots of pretty country by taking the interstate, but this is gonna be a rush trip. We may have a day to sight-see on the way back, though.

Everyone had some great info to give when I posted earlier on this subject - thank a bunch! Doc suggested earlier on that I ask for emergency contacts along my route - would anyone be willing to e-mail me their location and a telephone number in case Sis and I have an emergency along the way? I'm thinking emergency along the lines of needing a garage reference in case of car breakdown/flat tire or a medical problem. I sure would appreciate it - kinda scary to travel alone!!

Thanks for all the help!!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), August 26, 2000

Answers

I moved from Northwest Ill, to Ok., it was about 850 miles. It should be less for you. We were hauling horses so it was a long long drive. Good Luck, I am 3 hours east of where you are. We transferred from Savanna, Ill, to McAlester, Ok.

-- Debbie Wolcott (bwolcott@cwis.net), August 26, 2000.

Hi Polly, Sorry we're not on your route. Where is his duty station going to be? Does he still have to go through AIT?

Hubby's based at Ft. Bragg, NC. If Sweetie's headed this way and needs any assistance please don't hesitate to e-mail us.

Hope your trip is a safe one. My dad always told me to carry a nylon stocking in the glove box. Can be used to make an emergency fan belt. (don't know if it would work on these modern vehicles) Make sure your spare tire has air in it!

Enjoy the graduation!

Pauline in NC

-- Pauline (tworoosters_farm@altavista.com), August 27, 2000.

i am located about 30 miles south of lebanon missouri on I-44 if you need help i might even be able to get that far with my car. if you would like my phone number e-mail me.

one thought i have is in regards to names i speak from experience beign a male named gail. even though my basic was navy i hope when you get their you don't call him "sweetie" might not be good for him.

good luck with the trip and things to follow.

gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), August 27, 2000.

Pauline,

Yup, still has AIT to go - somewhere in TX, I'm at work and can't remember the name for sure - Fort Hood maybe? Supposed to also be stationed in TX, but who knows when you're infantry? Just hope if he has to fight that it's foreigners, not Americans. Don't know what we would do if that happened.

Also - Thanks to everyone who e-mailed me phone numbers - I won't be nearly as spooky now that I know help is near!! Many thanks - aren't Countrysiders great?! And if any of you all are gonna be in my neck of the woods and need a hand - let me know.

Again, thanks ..... Polly

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), August 28, 2000.

Polly, We are located about half way between Tulsa & OKC, just off I- 44. If we can be of assistance e-mail & We will be gald to help. I am fairly familier with Lawton & Ft. Sill too. You can't really get too lost. Just exit right off I-44 at the Ft. Sill Main Gate & drive right up to the guard shack. If we are talking about the same "Doc" We know him personally & are proud to call him & his MRS. friends.They have visited us sev. times & we are always glad to see them. e- mail if you need our Tele. #. Good Luck

-- Tom Campbell (tjcamp6338@aol.com), August 31, 2000.

We're home!! And, boy - do I have a lot of catching up to do!!

I sure appreciate everyone who offered to help in case of an emergency, as I was a little spooky abut two small females taking off across country - I know I e-mailed you all personally, but I want everyone to know what a great bunch of "neighbors" we've got on here (right, Gail?!)

The trip was great - and Oklahoma is a beautiful state; albeit a little dry and windy right now. Missouri was also nice, though it was mostly just a drive through experience. Met a lot of really wonderful folks on the trip - service and non-service folk alike. Graduation was a tear jerker - I wanted to give all the kids a big hug and tell them how proud I was of them! Ryan (Sweetie) mostly wanted to lie in the air conditioning, swim in the pool and eat fast food - oh, and listen to music and watch TV - all things he'd missed in the past 10 weeks. Sis didn't care what she did as long as it didn't involve getting more than a foot or so from Ryan! I didn't realize that I was in the third largest city in OK until I read it in the paper - the 3rd day we were there - I'd have been scared to drive if I had known that!! Had no trouble getting around or finding anything, except the public library, and two very nice young ladies hopped in the car and directed me there, and then showed me where the mall was since they were on their way there in the first place! I wasn't even worried to let the kids take the car and head out by themselves - and I won't let Jes go to Springfield here at home, by herself! The Witchita Mt. Reserve was neat - they were having a round up while we were there. Ft. Sill was interesting also, especially the displays from way back during the land rush, etc...

Enough boring you all with my vacation stories (aren't you glad I didn't bring my slides!?) - again, Thanks to everyone who offered help!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), September 03, 2000.