10 Things I Learned on a Road Trip from Texas to Oklahoma and Arkansas

On April 29th my father turned 84, and his sister, my aunt, turned 90 the same day. I attended the celebrations by flying into Austin and taking a road trip with my parents to Ft. Coffee, Oklahoma. I stayed in a hotel in Ft.Smith, Arkansas. Here are 10 things I learned:

1. Texas is the "lone star state".

2. Oklahoma's state slogan is "Native America".

3. Arkansas is "the natural state".

4. Spiro, Oklahoma, where I thought my 90 year old aunt lived had a population of 2,164 according to the 2010 census.

5. Ft. Coffee where my aunt actually does live had a population of 424 according to the 2010 census.

6. Ft. Smith, Arkansas is the second largest city in the state with a population of 86,000 in the 2010 census.

7. Spiro Mounds is the only Archeological park in the state.

8. The respective state capitals are Austin, Oklahoma City, and Little Rock.

9. The two traditional stops on the road trip are IHOP in Waco, Texas and a Braum's Ice Cream in Oklahoma.

10. Oklahoma has casinos.

Peace, love, compassion, and blessings.