That old familiar verse "All I want for Christmas is..." kept running through my head during my 10-hour drive. I filled in that blank with "some peace and quiet." To achieve my goal, I headed for the western most location in the Oklahoma Panhandle - Black Mesa State Park, home to Oklahoma's highest point. Some have called it a peak, but take a look at the photos, and you'll realize that's absurd. Nonetheless, that is where X marked the spot on my map. Being an Oklahoman all my life, I figured at 31 years and more than 11 months, I was past due to see the one part of the state I had never visited. So, with my truck packed, I hit the road.

As with any good road trip, there are certain things a person has to put up with - road construction, slow drivers and bad drivers to name a few. I guess my biggest disappointment is how bad coffee is on the road. I mean, chicken strips and cheeseburgers are pretty much the same anywhere you go, but coffee can go from bad to really bad in less than 10 miles.

With Oklahoma going through a drought, I also wasn't prepared for a sand storm somewhere just west of nowhere. The first tumbleweed I hit had me thinking I had just killed something, but I soon got my wits about me when a dozen more passed my windshield. After arriving in Boise City, Okla., around 8 p.m., I decided that the sand storm was too strong for the tent and did the unthinkable. In Boise City, you have two choices for a motel room, and neither are four-star. But, for $41 plus a bit, one can't complain. Well, except the heater didn't work. On the flip side, they did have high-speed wireless Internet.

After a fair night's sleep, I rose early to make the final 30 miles to Black Mesa. In the predawn light, I realized the farther west I drove, the narrower the roads became and the more barren the landscape. At times, I convinced myself the road in front of me led to nowhere. This is a really different landscape than my home of south-central Oklahoma. As quickly as I had convinced myself of the road to nowhere, the landscape changed - from nearly flat to the kinds of peaks and valleys I expected to see surrounding Oklahoma's highest point. Since the sun had been up for less than an hour, I decided to take a detour and make my way through the state park. It's pretty much your standard state park. Campsites, picnic tables, lake, etc. OK, so the lake wasn't what I expected, but there is a boat ramp.

With the sun and temperature rising, I pointed my truck back towards the main road. Another 15 minutes of driving, and I sat silent at the trailhead for a few minutes before exiting my truck. It wasn't that the view was anything special, I just like to take in the area before starting off on a trail. I checked my watch for a start time of 9 a.m. and headed off on the 8.4-mile, up-and-back trail. With a trailhead elevation of 4,321 feet, it took me 15 to 20 minutes to adjust my breathing rhythm since I was coming from around 900 feet the day before. The first 2.7 miles were nothing more than a walk down what looked like a cattle trail - a relatively flat stroll through a valley outlined by mesas. I was pleased to find such a well, marked trail since it's impossible to see the top of Black Mesa from the trailhead. Once you reach the bottom of the mesa, the climbing begins. At this point, the trail changes to loose rocks and hard-packed soil, but in less than a mile the climb ends, and you go back to a style of trail that resembles that of the valley. The top of the mesa looks like an open pasture that goes on forever. The view from atop the mesa allows one to see four states in a 360-degree turn. The monument at the summit marks the end of the 4.2-mile trail. The view wasn't anything spectacular, but there is always a sense of accomplishment upon reaching a summit. After taking a few minutes for photos and filling out the logbook, I retraced my steps back to the trailhead with a finish time of 1:20 p.m.

I filled my water bottles, changed shoes and got back in the driver's seat in search of food.

So, who's going with me next year? Did I mention it was Christmas Eve?

To read more about the Black Mesa and to see more of Broderick's work, visit Stearns Photography.

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