Week 1

Week 1 - June 22 - 26

Wednesday - League City to Thackerville, OK - WinStar Casino and RV Park (5*)

Dinner at Chips n Ale in the casino then some gambling.

Thursday - Thackerville, OK to Oklahoma City, OK - Twin Fountains RV Park (4*)

Well today got started off on an unexpected note...Larry got bit by a dog! Luckily the Fire Department Station was just across the street where they treated his wounds and sent a Sheriff out to get a report. On to Oklahoma City. Once we got to OKC, I contacted the Aetna nurse line and they set up an appt. for him to get a Tetanus shot and antibiotics.

Friday - Oklahoma City, OK

OKC's oldest drive-in and family tradition for 48 years.

Oklahoma National Stockyards - obviously nothing going on today! Stockyards City was founded October 3, 1910 and was built to serve the nation as a primary source for meat processing and packing. Although the meat packers have closed, the Stockyards still retains its profitable cattle trading and related businesses.

The Milk Bottle Grocery was constructed in 1930 and the milk bottle was added in 1948. The bottle was designed to draw attention to the store and served as an advertisement for the dairy industry. It is located on Route 66.

Overholser Mansion was completed in 1903 for Henry Overholser, the man most responsible for the thriving city that Oklahoma City is today.

St. Joseph Old Cathedral, ca. 1904. This cathedral sits diagonally across from the once Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and was heavily damaged by the bombing.

And Jesus Wept Statue

This understated memorial stands as a moving testament to those whose lives were lost, as well as to those whose lives were forever changed by that one senseless act of rage. Note the Memorial is behind and across the street from the statue.

Oklahoma City National Monument and Museum

9:01 am - the innocence of the city

The smaller chairs represent the children that lost their lives in the daycare.

9:03 am - the moment the city was changed forever

The Survivor Tree

These outer walls and the one behind the chairs were the only parts of the building still standing.

Rescue Team 5 remarks

9:02 am - the moment of the blast

Artwork from children around the world expressing encouragement and love.

Seeing this memorial was an emotional experience I hadn't expected. Coming here brings the reality of senseless violence close to home.

Oklahoma State Capitol, ca. 1917. Beautiful interior and paintings.

One of my favorite paintings in the building. Very typical of Oklahoma skies!

Skydance Pedestrian Bridge over I-40

The design was inspired by the "sky dance" of the scissor-tailed flycatcher, Oklahoma's state bird.

National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

Nice museum with beautiful sculptures, paintings and other forms of art as well as many exhibits to the cowboy and western heritage of our past.

Especially enjoyed the movies section of the museum. So many of our old favorites and their memorabilia from the movie sets.

Saturday - Oklahoma City, OK to Halstead, KS - Spring Lake RV Park (2*)

Sunday - Halstead and Hutchinson, KS

Today we took a little drive through the town of Hutchinson before our scheduled tour of the salt mine.

This was a most unusual site in front of someone's front yard!!! Go figure!!

And then a beautiful mural on the side of an old building. So typical of Kansas.

Strataca - Kansas Underground Salt Mine Museum
Really enjoyed our tour of the salt mine today. This particular mine area produces salt that is delivered to the cold states for de-icing highways and is used by Hollywood and others for vault storage.

Salt, salt everywhere!!

Big ole slab of salt

Sometimes the tops do cave in...back in the old days. Safety measure to prevent that now.

Different variations in water exposure ions ago.

We get to pick our own souvenir salt pieces!!

Some of the many things stored in the underground storage.

Leaving Hutchinson we traveled out in the countryside to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, only to realize that is was mainly a migratory refuge. But we did spot a few birds!!