OK!

After visiting a variety of state parks in the last few months, from Michigan, Indiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Alabama, I've become quite the park system fangirl (and critic). I've found that state parks are a really good gauge for gaining insight to a state's political, social, and environmental values. (BIG differences from north to south) So after visiting Lake Murray SP in Oklahoma, (and wishing we had more time to visit their other parks) Oklahoma appears to be on top of their state park game.

Lake Murray SP is Oklahoma's largest and oldest state park, it was built by the CCC and WPA. It's BLUE.

The vegetation begins to get scrubby in Oklahoma, and the trees don't grow so tall. They even sway differently than we're used to...we're getting closer to the desert!

The rain finally stopped Monday evening and we were able to enjoy a week of lakeside camping with beautiful sunsets every single night.

Throughout the week we biked 40 miles around the lake, the hills are friendly but the wind is mean.

Oklahoma is also on top of their hand-painted sign game

I was so excited to finally visit a nature center! We have not seen one since leaving Indiana. The Tucker Tower nature center is beautifully designed and thoughtfully curated. It features half of a meteorite found in the park in the 1930's, which is the fifth largest meteorite found in the world! From there, it's a short hike up to Tucker Tower, which is full of CCC and WPA displays and memorabilia. *swoon* Oklahoma, you really know the way to my heart. Now if you could just install recycling facilities...another thing we haven't seen since Indiana.

We hit the road on Saturday, headed for Amarillo. Had to stop in Chickasha and eat a fried onion burger before leaving Oklahoma. This place, so much, so good. Didn't eat again until the next day.

Stopped on the walk back to gawk at the gorgeous art deco courthouse

Then,