OT: Short vacation...........

[K2C Sooner]

I have a three to five day remodel scheduled for my house. The last thing I want is to hear roofers, construction workers and painters while I live in the premises.

It's a perfect time for a mini-vacation. I live in the Tulsa area and I'm looking for places to drive. I've done the Branson and Eureka Springs thing, so I'm looking for some new ideas. I've also done the Dallas\Fort Worth scene.

I'm thinking about Guthrie, Ok on to Dodge City, Ks and finishing in Coffeyville, Ks. I love the western history and wonder if any of you can tell me if this mini trip would be worth it?

If not, what do you recommend?

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Well, I'm only pimping the place 'cause I used to live there, but, here goes.

Head down the HE Bailey turnpike to Lawton.
Ft. Sill has an excellent museum with 'Cannon Walk' there outside.
Then you might consider going over to the Wichita Mountains, Beautiful this time of year.
Medicine Park, right at the entrance to the Mountains (as it were) could be a nice place to rent a cabin for a night also.
(Veritas' grandfather used to own the whole town...lost it in a poker game...

)
If you're so inclined you could drive to the top of Mt. Scott. Great view of the the area from there.

Buffalo, (the dreaded) Longhorn are in abundance, lots of nature crap to indulge in.

That's my pitch...

(oh, one more thing...Red Rock Canyon, not bad also)

This post was edited on 4/18 10:36 PM by Soonersincefitty

 

[K2C Sooner]

Originally posted by Soonersincefitty:
Well, I'm only pimping the place 'cause I used to live there, but, here goes.

Head down the HE Bailey turnpike to Lawton.
Ft. Sill has an excellent museum with 'Cannon Walk' there outside.
Then you might consider going over to the Wichita Mountains, Beautiful this time of year.
Medicine Park, right at the entrance to the Mountains (as it were) could be a nice place to rent a cabin for a night also.
(Veritas' grandfather used to own the whole town...lost it in a poker game...

)
If you're so inclined you could drive to the top of Mt. Scott. Great view of the the area from there.

Buffalo, (the dreaded) Longhorn are in abundance, lots of nature crap to indulge in.

That's my pitch...

(oh, one more thing...Red Rock Canyon, not bad also)


This post was edited on 4/18 10:36 PM by Soonersincefitty

Thanks fitty. I'll google up those suggestions. I once traveled that area as a sales manager and the sales rep was the owner of the companies son. He was a pot head and I couldn't fire his butt. We would start in Enid, Ok and travel all the small western towns until we reached Lawton. I wasn't much of a fan of the area. I was allergic to cotton and damn there was a lot of cotton balls in those days.

I did like Quartz Mountain, I used to golf the course. I'll never forget the signs that read "Check for rattlesnakes before you retrieve your golf ball", after the putt.

How's the fishing? My wife loves to fish.

 

[Plainosooner]

Red River NM is a pretty neat place, though this time of year, it's a little less fun. In the summer, it's so cold in the morning. In the winter you can ski. I've never been there in April, but it's a great place to relax.

 

[sybarite]

Lot of lakes on the Wichita Mountain reserve. You can fish, but I'm not sure what you need for licenses. Every form of fish is in the various lakes, and some of the lakes are almost inaccessible. Smallmouth bass, crappie, channel cats, and sunfish are commonplace. I used to watch people shoot arrows into the stream from a cliff. I'm not sure that is a legal way to fish.

Little depressions in the boulders on Mt. Scott are one of the very few places that I've ever found fairy shrimp. They are encysted when it is dry, and spring to life after a rain. A lot of depressions yielded shrimp if you just got some scrapings and put them into water for a day or two. Need at least a magnifying glass to see them.

I wouldn't get out of the car and walk up to the buffalo. Had friends who had a car overturned.

All in all, I think I'd rather go to Memphis.

 

[K2C Sooner]

Originally posted by Plainosooner:
Red River NM is a pretty neat place, though this time of year, it's a little less fun. In the summer, it's so cold in the morning. In the winter you can ski. I've never been there in April, but it's a great place to relax.

Thanks Plaino, I'll google the town.

 

[K2C Sooner]

Originally posted by sybarite:
Lot of lakes on the Wichita Mountain reserve. You can fish, but I'm not sure what you need for licenses. Every form of fish is in the various lakes, and some of the lakes are almost inaccessible. Smallmouth bass, crappie, channel cats, and sunfish are commonplace. I used to watch people shoot arrows into the stream from a cliff. I'm not sure that is a legal way to fish.

Little depressions in the boulders on Mt. Scott are one of the very few places that I've ever found fairy shrimp. They are encysted when it is dry, and spring to life after a rain. A lot of depressions yielded shrimp if you just got some scrapings and put them into water for a day or two. Need at least a magnifying glass to see them.

I wouldn't get out of the car and walk up to the buffalo. Had friends who had a car overturned.

All in all, I think I'd rather go to Memphis.

Are the shrimp good to eat? sarc:

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Yeah, don't mess with the Buffalo. They're like moody Brahmas...on steroids.

On the other hand, and no surprise, the Longhorn are so dumb you can tip them...when they're awake.

(yes, I'm aware that 'cow tipping' is urban legend and any reference to that was done to make sport of well, cows...
This post was edited on 4/19 12:12 AM by Soonersincefitty

 

[JMISASANO]

Take the wife on a 5 day trip to the Bahamas or something.

Download Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, Rawhide, Lawman, Bat Masterson and Cheyenne reruns on your technology and watch them on the flight, fishing charter, golf cart and/or pool side.

 

[Section22Sooner]

Originally posted by Soonersincefitty:
....the Longhorn are so dumb you can tip them...when they're awake.

If you go to the Wichita Mountains, and you have 4 to 5 hours to kill on a nice day, walk the Elk Mountain trail, an easy well marked trail to the top of Elk Mountain. You access it from the Sunset Lake parking area. Once you get to the top, enjoy the view for a few minutes, then hike west along the mountain top (make your own trail). You'll see "The Biggest Rock in Oklahoma" off to your south as you hike. In about 20 minute or so, you'll reach the amazing Valley of Boulders, something that is relatively unknown in Oklahoma but is a treasure. Looks like something out of a western movie. Great place to explore. There is a small cave up there where I listened to the OU-Tulsa football game one time during a huge downpour. Take water and never go alone.

There are many more things to see at the Wichita Mountains requiring less time and effort.

 

[CTOkie]

San Antonio along the River Walk.....and visit Fredericksburg which is 90 minutes north and see the Nimitz Museum while your better half shops....and shops....and shops.
This may be beyond your preferred driving range, but it's worth the drive.

 

[PryorFan]

We are heading to Stockton Lake in Missouri for 3 weeks of camping and fishing (walleye and crappie) with friends and family! My idea of a mini vacation.

Short trip to the mountains are always nice (Angel Fire, Red River, etc) but would be a bit cold this time of the year with good chances of snow.


This post was edited on 4/19 7:17 AM by PryorFan

 

[Oklabama]

I have always enjoyed San Antonio during it's fiesta. Check it out. www.fiesta-sa.org April 16-26. Weather is typically great this time of year in SA. There are also a couple of stops on the way down worth seeing. Aquarena Springs in San Marcos is cool and a "nature" stopover worth visiting. The water is so clear that underwater scenes for movie have been filmed there. Glass bottom boats tour the springs. Salado isn't far off I-35 and is a small town full of art galleries and Texas stuff that's worth the stop. Georgetown is cool. My favorite is New Braunfels, which is about 30 miles north of SA on I-35, and was our family's vacation spot each summer when we lived in Houston. Great tube trips down the Guadalupe River, camping alongside the river and close to SA. I like breaking up the long trip with these short stopovers.

 

[Sunburnt Indian]

So now you tell me!

I did my 1/3 mile walk with the buffalo at the Wichita Wildlife Refuge at age 17. I froze two times during, while a bull seemed to take a dim view of my presence. The old Comanche coach told me to look for an escape when he let me out of the '49 Plymouth. A boulder lay 100 meters at 11 o'clock. I was prepared to run for the perceived protection of the boulder.. A third mile later upon reentering the Plymouth is the only time I ever saw the old Comanche smile.

I am Walks with Buffalo to the now dead Fort Sill Quahada Comanches.

Am I today stupid enough to walk among the American Bison? No.

 

[veritas59]

I'm going with Fitty and 22 here, based upon the parameters you've set for your trip. Plaino's idea about Red River is good, but you'll spend most of a day driving each way. Every time I take my kids back to my home town of Lawton, I wish we'd had more time to explore when it comes time to leave. I've camped and hiked at Sunset Lake many times and love the trail up Elk Mountain. You can easily spend most of the day stomping around there. After your afternoon at the refuge, you can treat yourself to a Meers Buger at the Meers Store; there's nothing else like it. The new Field Artillery Museum at Ft. Sill is awesome, and it's free, as is the Cannon Walk that surrounds it, along with the old guard house. I could have spent a full day there.

 

[iasooner1]

Catoosa,

Here's a crazy thought: find a B & B or two in old Tulsa, go to Gilcrease & Philbrook, let the wifey do her thang & save on all the mileage while keeping a keen eye on the remodel. Then go on a cruise with the money you saved,

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

If you're into fishing, I know a guide that's literally slaying the daylights out of stripers at Lake Cooper about 1 1/2 hrs due East of DFW. I've booked with him before and he's a great guide and lands some very nice large stripers. Let me know.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Well, got to give it up, that's a viable and very cool alternative.

Matter of fact, I think there are a couple of world class guides right there in your back yard K2C on Lake Skiatook.

Here's what ya do...book a nice hotel for the misses, then you, or since she's into it, both of you go and let the guide put you on them, furnish the gear, et al.

I've hired them twice and it's just too damn easy. All you need to bring is your food and the drink of your choice.

Best 250 I ever spent was when I caught 4 hybrid strippers totaling around 90 pounds. Very cool considering I was home by 1:00 PM.
Do it...

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

Fitty, I took my wife with me once when we booked this guide. He was very good to her and literally took care of her baiting etc. She loved it. we cught more fish in two hours than she's ever caught in her life combined. Her quote, "Catching is better than fishing." The water level on Cooper just hit normal level after two years being down quite a lot, as a result, the fish are hitting like crazy. Unfortunately, I can't go as I have too much work in front of me.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Well, Nota, not sure of the details but, you need to delegate that work to your best work person there, (non gender specific)
and go drown some bait!

The fishing window is closing quickly!

 

[packersooner]

Hey Pryor what campground will you all be at? I'll probably be up at Stockton at least a few times during your three week stint. The crappie have been on fire, but the cooler weather this week may slow them down a bit.

Jason

 

[Deweygolfer]

Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri is a great getaway for downtime and relaxation along with Roaring River State Park.

 

[Soonersincefitty]

Yeah, Big Cedar is a good one.

 

[SoonerMikee05]

I have a three to five day remodel scheduled for my house. The last thing I want is to hear roofers, construction workers and painters while I live in the premises.

It's a perfect time for a mini-vacation. I live in the Tulsa area and I'm looking for places to drive. I've done the Branson and Eureka Springs thing, so I'm looking for some new ideas. I've also done the Dallas\Fort Worth scene.

I'm thinking about Guthrie, Ok on to Dodge City, Ks and finishing in Coffeyville, Ks. I love the western history and wonder if any of you can tell me if this mini trip would be worth it?

If not, what do you recommend?

Fredericksburg, TX. Very cool little town in the Texas Hill Country. Wild flowers are in full bloom. The Admiral Nimitz museum is a must see. They have lots of WW II stuff, a Japanese Pearl Harbor mini sub, and just about anything US Navy. The town is similar to Eureka Springs on a larger scale.
There's also a little town close to Fredericksburg where guys with guitars go and do impromptu jam sessions, while downing as many long necks as possible. Can't remember the name of the town, but if you're interested I'll find out.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

Fredericksburg, TX. Very cool little town in the Texas Hill Country. Wild flowers are in full bloom. The Admiral Nimitz museum is a must see. They have lots of WW II stuff, a Japanese Pearl Harbor mini sub, and just about anything US Navy. The town is similar to Eureka Springs on a larger scale.
There's also a little town close to Fredericksburg where guys with guitars go and do impromptu jam sessions, while downing as many long necks as possible. Can't remember the name of the town, but if you're interested I'll find out.

That would be Luckenbach... and it's definitely a good time. Sundays are always free and always some great musicians doing their thang! Fredericksburg is solid but one has to be careful as it's set up for tourism on steriods. The museum though.. it rocks. Also, the local municipal airport serves a great breakfast in a pretty cool setting of the Forty's while you can look through large plate glass windows at all of the planes coming and going. Nice place.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

I have a three to five day remodel scheduled for my house. The last thing I want is to hear roofers, construction workers and painters while I live in the premises.

It's a perfect time for a mini-vacation. I live in the Tulsa area and I'm looking for places to drive. I've done the Branson and Eureka Springs thing, so I'm looking for some new ideas. I've also done the Dallas\Fort Worth scene.

I'm thinking about Guthrie, Ok on to Dodge City, Ks and finishing in Coffeyville, Ks. I love the western history and wonder if any of you can tell me if this mini trip would be worth it?

If not, what do you recommend?

I've been to all three and enjoyed the slower pace. Another option is to travel Rt.66 (the old/original Mother road) Oklahoma has some pretty good stops along the way.

 

[K2C Sooner]

Thanks for all the suggestions. After all this my wife decided she wanted to go visit her new grandson in Beggs, OK. She is planning on staying 3 days. I've decided to just stay at home and supervise the remodel.

I enjoyed reading all the destinations that were posted and will keep them in mind when I plan my next trip.