I Know There's a Lake Around Here Somewhere, But First an Appliance Commercial

I know the title doesn't make much sense, but every once in a while something happens to remind you of your youth and that something happened the other day and threw me right back to the early 1960's.

I grew up in a middle class neighborhood and the house we moved in to had a stove and a fridge. You know the type of fridge that advertised with "lead-lined" on a little nameplate just inside the door. This was somehow supposed to reassure the home user that this was a superior grade refrigerator, and it came with a lever-lock door, that made a solid "ka-chunk" when it was closed.

The counterpart to this marvel of modern food refrigeration was a General Electric push button stove. The numbers corresponding to the buttons would illuminate, starting with a pale yellow on low heat and moving up to fiery orange-red to show when incendiary was selected. You can also see the pink accent in the clock face. 

I learned to bake on this stove and have fond memories of it. I imagine it to be a vintage late 50's model, all gleaming enamel and shining nickel-plate.....

Had the house been a couple years newer we probably would have had this model. The push buttons illuminated from within and there were additional settings for timing, temperature (via meat probe) and cooking times. The warming oven in this model was basically to keep plates warm until you were ready to serve , whereas the earlier model had a real warming oven for rolls, sauce or other side dishes. Ah me............

This beautiful state of the art number was probably vintage 1967. As you shall see it definitely belonged in the kitchen of the future. I remember those days when the future held so much promise, and that future was sold to the buying public in ever shinier pieces such as this.

This marvel had burners that pulled out on a tray, will wonders never cease, and two overhead ovens that could be checked at a glance. The doors on the ovens cantilevered upwards, thereby avoiding the blast of heat to the eyebrows and nose so common with everyday stoves. It also had a narrower depth which made for a roomier kitchen.....why......this was the type of stove astronaut's wives used!!!

I was tempted!

We now return to our ride report, already in progress as you see Miss Vicky and Maj getting ready to head out. Our route today would basically describe a large rectangle of about 100 miles in total. The temperature was starting to climb as we headed out of the driveway.

Miss Vicky was ready to roll, and Scooterchick was ready to ride her.

You can see the latest changes to the "hillbilly seat mod" Maj now sports a blue garden kneeler, two layers of foam, a Canadian Tire gel seat pad and sheepskin. All in the search for comfort........

I know what you're probably saying.....more seat time equals a tougher butt!

Our first stop was in Duncan, about 45 miles east of here. We stopped and had a drink of water and cooled off in the shade for a bit. Duncan is a pretty little town, and pretty surprisingly, has about 25,000 people.

Our next stop was about 20 minutes south in Comanche. Comanche doesn't have 25,000 people and in fact doesn't have 2,500 people. There were about 1,500 at the last reported census. This is the Post Office.

This is an old mural at the end of the block from the PO. Back in the day, sides of buildings were frequently used for billboard advertising. It gave the building owner a little extra income and the general public something new to look at. Presumably the brighter the colors the more vibrant the product.

You know you're in the sticks when you stop to photograph the Post Office and find a spent shotgun shell lying in the street. I didn't collect it for a souvenir.




Here is my beloved stopped at the corner of Anytown USA. No wait, I mean Comanche OK. You can look down the length of Main St. (all one block of it) to the Highway Junction.

                                    

I thought I should include this public safety building or shed or warehouse whatever it is. It serves the Police, Fire Dept. and I believe the Conservation Officer.

Apparently the town of Comanche had some prosperity at one point. This lovely old house is proof. Was it owned by the doctor? Was it at one time a bordello for range riders and wildcatters? I didn't inquire.

We headed west from Comanche intending to take the road which goes south over the bridge across the narrows at Lake Waurika, and then west again. My impeccable navigational skills failed me completely, and we somehow managed to miss the lake completely, and believe me it's a sizeable lake.

 We found ourselves, having passed through Hastings, which is really just an intersection and stopped at Temple to get gas. This is the Temple PO. and my beloved. Doesn't she look hot.....it was hot!

Here is a mural commissioned by relatives and commemorating Charles "Hoot" Gibson. For more information on Hoot here's a link.   http://www.lexingtonleader.com/news/2011-03-17/Obituaries/Charles_Hoot_Gibson_Jr.html

This building housed the Temple Historical Society and Museum. The next building is the Fire Dept.

This is the entry to the Tipton Crown Park. I have no information about this whatsoever, but the fact that the park is only as large as 2 city lots makes that about all the information you really need...doesn't it?

As we continued to roll westward I had a quick glance at my dashboard and happened to notice that we had exceed 90F. If you know me that means one thing.

Yes, as it turns out you can take your scooter to a drive in restaurant. we parked in the shade to consider what America's Drive In could offer us.....besides shade.

That's right boys and girls, it's Hot Fudge Sundae time. We sat at a table and made short work of that puppy I can tell ya.......

We headed back up the road toward Lawton and I knew we were getting close when I could see the copper domes of the Space Port in the distance.

Did I say Space Port? It's actually Geronimo High School. got you going for a minute though didn't I?

Here's my beloved Scooterchick giving me the thumbs up. I saddled up and we blazed a trail for home. 1 more stop to make. We pulled in to Save-A-Lot to pick up a few neccesitos.

I checked the bill when we got home because I am still all agog at American prices. I know I mentioned that we got gas for $3.14 a gallon the other day. That works out to about $0.35/ litre.

Our bill at Save-A-Lot for four pounds of sweet potatoes, one pound of cheese, one pound of butter, two and a half pounds of bananas, a five pound bag of instant masa and a gallon of milk......$14.97.

So we arrived back at home and unloaded the groceries from the scooter and showered. So much for our entirely lakeless adventure....we had fun anyway and hope you did too.