#2: [27-Nov-24]

#1: [20-Aug-00]

23-May-2026 -- As I had a multi-year tradition of setting aside a few days, preferably near the summer solstice when I would have the most daylight, to get out onto the landscape and see fields, old railroad depots, trails, and confluence points, and as I would be teaching soon at a geotechnology conference at Dallas College, where the focus is mapping and caring for the land, and as it had been six months since I had last visited a point, the weekend had finally arrived. I had been looking forward to it for quite some time and it exceeded all my geo-hopes and dreams!

The Approach: I flew into DFW airport in Dallas and was soon traveling northeast in a rental vehicle. Traveling northeast on US 75, I had never been on this stretch of road before, so I was thoroughly enjoying myself, adding many new counties. And once I went to the east on some truly small rural roads, things became even more interesting. By mid-afternoon I had visited 35 North 95 West, and now journeyed north to 36 North 95 West. I went through some very small towns and narrow roads and it was wonderful. Standing water was everywhere and I knew I had a wet hike ahead of me.

I drove north from Tahlequah on Oklahoma 82, then on Elm Grove Road. I was descending the ravine driving north when I contemplated departing the roadway at that spot and walking the rest of the way. But the day was ebbing and I thought I had better do the proper thing by visiting the house near the confluence point. I turned west on E Red Fuller Road, parked, and walked to the house, passing a donkey, horses, and cattle in the yard. I had the confluence landowner permission request with me. Nobody was home. I contemplated my options, then set out through the pasture, under the electric fences, talking quietly to the animals so they wouldn't become alarmed. Plus, I had my map hat on and my 50 US state geography shirt on, besides, and hopefully, I looked pretty harmless.

The Site: After walking through one field and then into the adjacent one to the south, I gained the confluence and about 100 burrs in my clothing. The confluence lies on flat land, in a field currently in pasture grass. When one thinks about the places this confluence COULD be, in ravines, a long ways from roads, it is indeed remarkable that this one is so accessible. I posted a video at this location . The views were quite lovely in all directions, especially with the sun descending to the west. It had recently rained, and I would get drenched en route to Arkansas about 30 minutes from now, but at the moment, all was calm. Only a few structures are visible from the site; it is mostly fields and trees. I saw no wild animals, people, or birds. The landowner's animals had moved off to the south, well away from me. Before my earlier point today, I had not been to an Oklahoma confluence in 3 years and it was great to return. I am only missing one now in the state at the Kansas Oklahoma border. It took me 25 years to get all the rest of the points.

I thought about the Native Americans and settlers living here on the land through the centuries and admired them. I have stood on 36 North many times in the past from California on the west to North Carolina on the east. I have also stood on 95 West many times, from the forest in Minnesota on the north end to a muddy field in Texas on the south end. I had been eyeing this confluence for a long time, and nearly visited here on my 13-confluence trek in Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas nearly one year ago.

Weather Conditions:The temperature stood at about 80° F under humid conditions, post-rainstorm, partly cloudy skies. Only a moderate breeze was blowing in this glorious day. It was late spring in the early evening. Upon exiting the point, I found a slightly easier route under the fence. I walked downhill and checked the house again--nobody home. I arrived back at my vehicle after about a 40 minute trek. I spent awhile trying to get the approximately 1,000 burrs out of my socks; at least the ones that were the most painful. Once done, I drove east, south, and then east into Arkansas, upon which, the rains began.

Next Stop: Big Foote Campground, south of Fort Smith Arkansas! I arrived there about 10:30 pm after an exciting drive through the mountains in the dark, in the rain. The campground was lovely, the clouds cleared, and the moon lit up the entire campground.

Onward with gratitude!

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When the trip was all said and done, here are the final statistics:


-------------------------------------------------
Days set aside to visit points:  4.

Confluence points attempted:  14.  

Confluence points successfully visited:  13. 

Points where I met the local landowner = 5 of 14 points. 


Miles = 1,945, Kilometers = 3,130.
  
Percent of travel on interstate highways:  15%
Percent of travel on US, state, county roads, and the "back of the back roads":  85 % Hooray!

Campgrounds = 3.  

Rainy confluence points:  3 of 14.
Beautiful confluence points:   14 of 14.

Convenience store stops = 7.  

Points that turned out to be

                easier than I thought they would be =           1 
                about the same as I expected them to be =       8 
                more difficult than I thought they would be =   5 
		-------------------------------------------------------
			                                     14 points.
Points          in prairie or scrub      3
                in woodlands             5
		in non-tilled fields     2
		in agricultural fields   4
		-----------------------------------
			                14 points.

Points along 	36 North = 1 
		35 North = 4 
		34 North = 2 
		33 North = 3
                32 North = 4  
		----------------
			   14 points.

Points visited on 	Day 1 = 2 
			Day 2 = 5 
			Day 3 = 4 
			Day 4 = 3
		-------------------
			   	14 points.  

Points visited in the 	morning = 	6 
			afternoon = 	5 
			evening = 	3 
		-------------------------------
			   	       14 points

Points visited in 	Oklahoma =       2
			Arkansas =       4
			Louisiana =      2 
			Texas =          6
		-------------------------------
			   		14 points 

The most frequently visited latitude line:  
-------------------------------------------- 
                       32 and 35 North:  4 points each.

The most frequently visited longitude line:  
-------------------------------------------- 
                                      94 West:  4 points.