#3: [21-Apr-23]

#1: [06-Sep-01]

31-Aug-2013 -- I was driving south on US 283 following a hike to 37 North 100 West, which was quite a bit more strenuous than expected. I was looking forward to a much easier walk, and 37 North 99 West beckoned as it seemed like it would fit the bill. I drove east on US 64 and had a much needed lunch stop at the Love's Convenience Store in Buffalo, Oklahoma. I also bought a bag of ice, as my vehicle has no air conditioning and the temperature was already over 95 here in the late morning. I crossed the Cimarron River and reached County Road 230. Once here, I drove north. The road was paved but really only slightly wider than one lane. It was surprisingly hilly. I jogged to the east a few miles and it became County Road 250 where the pavement gave out. The road was quite a bit longer than expected and I wondered if this would be my last confluence of the day. The road was quite sandy on the last gully before reaching the Kansas State Line.

Once here, the road ended in a T intersection, with an east-west road lying just about on the state boundary, just 30 or so meters south of it. As I drove east, I noticed quite a few facilities for natural gas extraction. The road made a curve to the north and yet the old section-line road was still there, which probably existed before the curve was installed. I drove south on the old section-line road and parked. It was just after noon and the temperature was about 97 F under hazy but bright skies. I found the confluence in a flat field just to the east of the north-south road. The longest view was toward the southeast. I had been to 37 North numerous times, from California to North Carolina, and over in Tunisia. I had also stood on 99 West several times, from a pricky-pear-studded spot in Texas on the south to a lake in North Dakota on the north. I was surprised that only one other visitor had been here, and that was 12 years ago. This was an easy confluence, though, admittedly, it was a long way from the nearest US State highway. On the ground here, a few alfalfa plants existed but the soil was bone dry and I wondered if this were a fallow year for this field. I noticed some natural gas lease permit signs to the south, on the dirt road heading east.

As I walked toward the signs, a man drove up on a small ATV (All Terrain Vehicle). He was indeed the landowner and I explained my mission, which led to a discussion on surveying and boundaries. He told me that the north-south road leading into Kansas was a county line, which I did not realize, and that added an additional boundary to this border region. He was a friendly fellow and had a lot of work to do, so he left. Before he did, I mentioned that I thought the terrain was beautiful, to which he replied "it is a bit harsh." I verified later that it was indeed the Barber-Comanche County line that stretched to the north from the confluence. After he left, I took a picture of the benchmark that was on the south side of the road. After a bit of a sightseeing walk, and in particular, the hay bales to the west were particularly scenic, I reluctantly left the scene. It was always satisfying to be on the 99th Meridian, equally satisfying as the 100th Meridian for some reason.

As I drove out of the area, the temperature was really starting to heat up, forcing me to chew on bits of ice that I had purchased at the Love's Store. I drove south the way I had come in, and then decided to try for 36 North 99 West. For the next 2 hours, I roasted on the way to that confluence point, nibbling ice and pouring water on my head as the temperature went over 100 F and neared 105. However, it was still a great day to be out in the field and in these wide open meadows.