March 10, 2010
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Joan's Blog - 2009
Day 1 – Oklahoma City to Gore
It’s here….Where in the State is the Magic
Man, year four! We left Oklahoma City mid-afternoon and headed east on I-40. Our
destination today is the Fin and Feather Resort in Gore. Jeff has been telling
me about his family vacations to Lake Tenkiller for several years, and I wanted
to experience it for myself. www.finandfeatherresort.com
We stopped along the way in Okemah at the Grape Ranch, where we picked up a $25 gift certificate for the vacation package. It’s been rainy, so the grounds looked lush and beautiful. We turned down the offer of a wine tasting, since we were driving, but I was tempted! On our way out, we stopped to look at something in the pond. I think the Grape Ranch has its own version of “Nessie” but I can’t be sure. www.graperanch.com
Just as we were approaching Checotah, Jeff played
Carrie Underwood’s “I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore” – perfect! We arrived
in Gore at 5:30 or so and took a leisurely drive through town. We stopped
briefly at the Lower Illinois River before going to the resort. We saw an
enormous school of fish, which explains the many people canepole and flyfishing.
We arrived at the resort just moments later where we were met by Lezli Pool. Lezli’s grandparents (Les and Jerrie Manns) purchased Fin & Feather in the early 1960s. Nearly fifty years later, there are several generations of the family at work here, including Lezli’s husband, Steve Pool.
Steve serves as the executive chef at the resort, so he’s the man in charge of
the famous themed buffets. In 2006, Steve opened Soda Steve’s, which serves a
variety of sandwiches, burgers, and their famous cheese fries and homemade root
beer. I think we tasted about everything on the menu. Just when we thought we
couldn’t handle even one more bite, Steve brought coconut cream and pecan pies
and an order of hot fudge nachos. Unbelievable! Really. I mean it. http://www.finandfeatherresort.com/dining/dining_sodasteves.html
We toured a bit more before making our way to our cabins. My cabin was large,
comfortable, and well appointed. It even had a Jaccuzzi tub in the room. After a
comfortabe night’s sleep, we made our way back to Soda Steve’s for the
morning broadcast.
Steve met us at 5:00 a.m. with hot Soda Steve’s blend coffee, fruit, and
yogurt. I could get used to this! We heard about Steve’s man mission trips to
Costa Rica and Vietnam. He showed us a bottle of Vietnamese snake wine he picked
up about a month ago. According to Steve, the wine really bites you back! I’ve
known Steve, Lezli, and their kids for less than a day and they feel like
family. This is the kind of place that gets into your blood. I understand why
families return here year after year. Fin & Feather is a perfect family
getaway.
Day 2 – Gore to Wilburton
We started our day at 5 a.m. in Soda Steve’s.
Fortunately, our host (Soda Steve himself) beat us there and already had his
special blend of coffee brewing. Bless you Steve! Jeff is used to getting up
before 4 a.m. but I’m not. How can just two extra hours of sleep make such a
big difference?
After the broadcast, we grabbed a quick breakfast in the main dining room. Wanda was our waitress, and she recommended the pancakes. Good call. They were so good they didn’t need syrup (but we still used it).
By about 10 a.m. we were on the road to Wilburton. Our Robbers Cave vacation package contains certificates from Pete’s Place and Lovera’s Grocery in Krebs, so we made a slight detour on our journey. Both places are just fabulous.
We made it to Robbers Cave early in the afternoon, so we checked in to our cabins. We stayed in 101 and 102, each of which has a stunning view. The cabins were built by the CCC back in the 1930s and they are in fantastic shape today.
We met Merle Cox, Park Manager, at the Robbers Cave Nature Center at 3. We
explored the Nature Center with Jackie Martin, who let us hold a snake and watch
another one feed. Jeff provided the “Circle of Life” soundrack when the
snake ate the toad. High cringe factor here, but it’s quite educational.
We wandered down to the water to check out the
yakanoes. It had been raining most of the day, so we opted not to get out on
Lake Carlton (named after Carlton Weaver, who donated the land nearly a century
ago). Instead, we fed dog food to the blue catfish from the dock. There are some
BIG hungry fish down there.
Next, Jackie and Merle led us up to Robbers Cave.
There are two trails that lead to the cave and we opted for the “yellow dot”
trail – which probably stands for “easier.” It was a nice hike/walk up to
the cave. The rain started to come down when were about half way to the top. The
rocks provided a bit of protection when we got to the cave, which is good
because we wanted to hear Jackie tell tales of the outlaws who used to use the
cave as a hideout. She told us about Jesse James, the Youngers, the Dalton Gang,
and Belle Starr. Some folks believe Belle buried a treasure around here, but
nobody really knows whether there is any truth to the tale.
The rain made our trek down a bit more
treacherous, but we didn’t really have any trouble. We had planned to go for a
horseback ride at the DbarT stables, so we headed to the barn. Dan Tomalchoff,
who moved here from Arizona, was happy to stay dry with us in the barn. He kept
us laughing for about an hour with his tales of movie making and stunt riding.
After being walked through brambles by my horse at Tatanka Ranch last year, I
was very happy to stay in the warm barn and look out at the horses in the muddy
field. Still, I’ve heard from several people that the trails at Robbers Cave
are some of the best in the state and I do want to get out there at some point
– hopefully on a dry day.
We still had a little daylight left, so Jeff and I drove to Wilburton to have dinner and grab some snacks for the morning. By 7:30 we were back at the cabins. It was a very good day.
Day 3 – Wilburton to Hochatown
Merle met us at the Robbers Cave Nature Center at 5
a.m. with homemade biscuits, sausage, and gravy. Merle fessed up immediately
that his lovely wife Debbie had made the breakfast. Thank you Debbie!
The gift shop at the park has all kinds of great items for the kids, including lighted miner helmets, walking sticks, and lots of great books. Belle Starr sort of haunts the place as she peeks out behind one of the windows. The first time Jeff noticed Belle he jumped about a foot!
The early morning was absolutely beautiful. We’ve had a lot of rain on this trip, but it stayed dry until we left the park. We had several visitors during the broadcast, so the folks in the park are early risers. Dan Tomalchoff came by with his dog, Skunk and Rick Bailey from Robbers Cave State Park Paddle Boats and Mini Golf stopped in to explain what we missed not going out on the yakanoe. Jackie Martin came in early for her shift at the Nature Center. Later today she’ll be leading a group of second graders up to the cave.
We said our goodbyes at about 9:30 and headed for Hochatown by way of the Heavener Runestone and the Talimena Scenic Byway. We drove east to Wister and then south to the park in Heavener. If you haven’t been to Heavener Runestone State Park, you should go. The runestone is the destination, but the elaborate stone stairway leading to the stone makes the journey a delight.
After a short drive up the hill (great view) we headed for the Talimena Scenic Byway. It was overcast and rainy along the drive, but it was still stunning. The drive is beautiful year round, but truly spectacular in the fall.
We stopped at Girls Gone Wine when we arrived in Hochatown. Chandra Rickey owns Lago Vista, where we are staying, and she’s a partner in the local wine store. We chatted with Rhonda, Michelle, and Chandra and took a tour of the newly expanded winemaking facilities. Michelle gave us a bottle of Friends 4 Life for the vacation package and she told us the touching story behind the wine.
A year ago a good friend who worked at the shop passed away from breast cancer. Shawn Hutchings was a schoolteacher in Broken Bow. When the Rhonda, Michelle, and Chandra asked what they could do for Shawn, she said “Take care of my kids.”
The result of this request is Friends 4 Life, a refreshing white merlot with a hint of strawberry. So far, sales of this wine have put Hunter Hutchings through his first year of college at OU. Future sales will support Hunter’s sister, Hailey, who is just 15. If you are in the Hochatown area, stop by and purchase this great wine for a great cause. www.thegirlsgonewine.com
Chandra had given us our keys, so we made our way to Lago Vista www.lagovistabedandbreakfast.com. The bed and breakfast is a short drive from the shop, so we were there in no time. We drove up a fairly steep drive before arriving at the incredible structure. It was just starting to rain again when we arrived, so we hurried inside. Shortly after we closed the door, it started to pour. The rain came down so hard that I would be worried about flooding if we weren’t at the top of a hill.
Lago Vista is stunning! My photos won’t do it justice, so you’ll need to plan a trip to see it for yourself. Our rooms are on the third floor with a view of the lake. There are two more rooms on the second floor, the kitchen and living room on the first floor, and a game room in the basement with a stone patio and an outdoor fireplace. It’s incredible.
Once the rain let up, we ventured out. We toured Broken Bow and then came back to Hochatown to have dinner at Abendigos. We each had steak, baked potato, and a salad. It was SO good! The restaurant is very close to Lago Vista, so we had just a short drive home after our meal. Another fantastic day!
Day 4– Broken Bow to Ardmore
We didn’t have far to go this morning, just downstairs to the Lago Vista dining room. Shortly after we set up for the broadcast, Chandra came out to make us a pot of coffee. Sooner, the three-year-old chihahua who serves as the B&B mascot, came with her. She wanted some affection and we happily obliged. Jeff had planned to sit on the back porch, but it started to pour shortly after the broadcast started. Fortunately, the sky started to clear at about 9 a.m. and we were able to see Broken Bow Lake. What a wonderful way to greet the day. Chandra made us breakfast before we left – waffles, bacon, and yogurt parfaits. By the time we left, we felt completely pampered.
We pulled out of Hochatown and headed toward Ardmore. Along the way, we stopped in Hugo to visit the Frisco Depot, which houses a lovely railroad museum. We learned that the original Buster Brown, Edmond Ansley, was from Hugo. Who knew?
After exploring the museum we visited the Mt. Olivet cemetery, home to Showmen’s Rest. Over the years, many circuses have called Hugo home for the winter. The cemetery serves as the final resting place for many performers.
Our next stop was the Texoma Peanut Inn in Madill. I know, it sounds like a hotel, but it’s a peanut company that roasts nuts, sells local Oklahoma products, and does a brisk specialty basket business. I bought one bag each of Cajun and jalapeno seasoned peanuts. Yum! If you are passing through Madill, you should absolutely make a point of stopping here.
We arrived in Ardmore mid-afternoon and went directly to the Cloverleaf Boutique. If you haven’t been to Cloverleaf – get in there! Seriously, it’s a feast for the senses. The Ardmore store is larger and a little funkier than the Oklahoma City store, but they are both out of this world. They carry designer clothing, creative holiday ornamentation, jewelry, cards, and hundreds of other fantastic gifts. I think Jeff was a little overwhelmed by the pinkness of it all!
We drove to the Shiloh Morning Inn, located about twenty minutes from downtown to check in to our rooms. Bob and Linda Humphrey (and one-year-old chocolate brown standard poodle Caleb) gave us a tour of the inn and the four cottages. I’d been here before, but never to stay overnight. I’m so excited to finally be able to experience this special place.
But first, we needed to go to town to visit Jadean at the Main Street Wine Depot, a fabulous shop in a renovated building downtown. Ask Jadean to tell you all about the building’s history when you stop here. It’s colorful! Janet Bateman from the Ardmore Convention & Visitors Bureau had arranged a tasting for us, and it was really fun. We sampled several bottles before we had to rush off to dinner at Café Alley.
Café Alley was incredible. Owner Samantha Norton suggested the stuffed poblano pepper, which was absolutely amazing. It was served with superb homemade black bean salsa. After the appetizer, we enjoyed salads, flatiron steak, and tilapia. All were excellent. I’ll be stopping here every time I come to Ardmore in the future.
By the time we arrived back at the inn, we were both ready for a relaxing evening – and the Shiloh Morning Inn delivered!
We headed north from Ardmore and made a stop in Pauls Valley. Jeff hadn’t been to the Toy and Action Figure Museum www.actionfiguremuseum.com , so we had to visit. The museum is a feast for the eyes and the memories. It’s easy to see why it attracts visitors from all over the globe. Josh Kraft, the manager, gave us the grand tour and supplied a four pack of admission tickets for our vacation package. He also tipped us off to the homemade cinnamon ice cream at Bob’s Pig Shop, a Pauls Valley staple for more than 60 years.
We had arranged to meet Dave Martin at Quail Ridge Hunting & Sporting Clays www.quailridgeok.com
, which is located just a few miles from downtown Tecumseh. There is a small county cemetery just
outside the gates of Quail Ridge. We stopped to wander among the graves. It was fascinating.
We met Dave Martin and certified sporting clay instructor Jim Thomas at the office, where we got some basic instruction and picked up our ear protection. We loaded into a golf cart and drove to the wobble trape area where we learned how to hold the shotguns and took some practice shots. Jeff has experience and was actually a great shot. I was terrible until Dave and Jim figured out that I am left-eyed (right handed). My options were to shoot with one eye closed, or switch hands to shoot left handed. I chose to shoot left handed and it worked! I wasn’t good, but I did a respectable job.
We toured the course, which is surprisingly similar to moving from one hole to the next on a golf course. Each station offers a new and exciting challenge. Dave and Jim are excellent shots, Jeff is a good shot, and I’m, well, not.
Next, we headed for the Maverick Hotel in Tecumseh, www.themaverickhotel.com
, where we met owners Bob and Cherie Trousdale. Bob calls the Maverick Hotel the smallest hotel in America. I’m not sure whether it’s the smallest hotel, but it’s close. There are just two rooms, the Broadway Suite and the Urban Suit is a gem located just minutes from Oklahoma City.
We took a quick shower and met a group of Tecumseh residents for dinner at Zocalo Mexican restaurant, which is directly across the street from the hotel. The food was outstanding. The restaurant has been open for several years and appears to do a brisk dinner business. My fajitas were amazing as were Jeff’s nachos. Yummy!
When we walked out of the restaurant, Bob had arranged for a limousine from the Firelake Casino to take us to the Honeysuckle Garden. Linda Prayter built the event center five years ago. The grounds are impeccable and the hand painted gazebo is a stunning location for a wedding. Check this out if you’re looking for an event center.
I got up and walked the twenty or so feet to the Maverick Hotel lobby. Jeff was already set up and was working away. I made the donut run for the Friday Free for All. There’s a great little Daylight Donuts shop that opens WAY before daylight. I bought extra donuts because I sensed Tecumseh is the kind of town where folks will stop in to say hi. I’m glad I did because we had quite a few visitors during the broadcast. It was great fun!
We said our goodbyes at about 9:15 and headed home to Oklahoma City. Another successful and FUN Where in the State is the Magic Man? tour is complete. I can’t wait for next year!
By the end of dessert, we were really tired. We took a luxurious limo ride back to our lovely hotel suites and called it a night.
2008
Sunday - Oklahoma City to Bartlesville
I can't believe a year has passed since our last WITS adventure! Here we are - Where in the State is the Magic Man, year three.
Jeff met me outside my office in the First National Center in downtown Oklahoma City. We're traveling this year in a red Ford Expedition, courtesy of Reynolds Ford in Norman. It's going to be a comfortable week.
Before heading out, Eric Snyman of Cobra Applications met us to apply our new logo to the side windows. It looks incredible.
We pulled out of the city at about 12:45. We took I-35 north to Highway 33, and then we headed east. By the time we got to Perkins, we decided to stop for lunch. I had been in Perkins last year for Pete's Market Day (where Oklahoma Today honored Mike Larsen as the Oklahoman of the Year) when the town broke ground on the new Centennial Plaza. I wanted to stop to see what progress had been made.
Several buildings have been erected, there is a playground, and a statue of Pistol Pete stands tall in the middle of the field. We drove along the sandy road to a spot just west of another car where a couple was securing bikes on top of their car. I chatted with them for a few moments about the stature before we introduced ourselves. Doug and Lou Moore Hale live in Stillwater. Lou is a sculptor (http://www.oufoundation.org/sm/spring07/thams.asp?ID=238) and Doug is an emeritus professor of history from Oklahoma State University. Interestingly, Doug and my father were on the history faculty together many years ago. We had a lovely chat about my father (who passed away two years ago), Lou's sculpture, a book Doug is reading by Fred Harris, and about Oklahoma Today they subscribe! Jeff just shook his head as we left, marveling at the exchange. After all, I hadn't seen the Hales in several decades.
We had a lovely lunch at El Mexicano, in Perkins. The Larsen's had recommended the restaurant several years ago and I've always found it to be tasty.
After lunch, we continued east on Highway 33 through Cushing, turning north on Highway 99 at Drumright. We followed the highway without stopping until we got to Barnsdall.
As we drove in to town, Jeff said this was the home of Anita Bryant and Clark Gable. I hadn't seen the sign so I made him go back so I could snap a photo. Sure enough, it says Barnsdall is the former home of Anita and Clark. Apparently, Anita was born in Barnsdall and Clark worked as a roustabout in the oil field near here. About a quarter of a mile down the road we found the state's only oil well on Main Street. Barnsdall had been quite a surprise.
We arrived at Woolaroc by 3:40. Thelma, the gate attendant, allowed us to come in for a quick tour. We spent an hour touring the grounds, museum, and lodge. My friend Jenifer Houston in Oklahoma City, a Bartlesville native, had told me not to miss the shrunken heads - so I dragged Jeff to the case first thing. I was intrigued and horrified all at the same time.
We left Woolaroc just before five and drove directly to the Price Tower. We took a very brief (six minute) tour of the Price Tower Art Center, where the current exhibit is Setting the Table: Designs in Mid-Century Dinnerware. It was surprisingly engaging. The museum closed at five, so we decided to see if we could get a tour of some of the rooms at the Inn at Price Tower. Sharon was kind enough to show us several rooms, including a suite. It was lovely.
We drove a few blocks to the Frank Phillips Home, which is grand. It reminds me of the Hefner mansion in Oklahoma City. Unfortunately, we were too late for the tour. We also missed the new Phillips 66 Museum, which I've heard is fabulous.
We grabbed a bite to eat and drove to Osage Hills State Park, located just about 15 minutes west of town on Highway 60. The park, once an Osage Indian settlement, is lush and secluded. We saw turkeys (I'd have to call them tame because they were snacking just outside the park office), deer, and a raccoon on the way to the cabins. According to park ranger Mike Vaught, the cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1936 and 1940. Mike said the well-preserved structures are a big draw for the park. I want to come back in the winter so I can make use of the beautiful fireplace.
We'll broadcast Monday morning from the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce and then we'll hit the road for our next destination.
Day 2 - Bartlesville to Ketchum
After our broadcast from the Bartlesville Chamber, we went directly to the local Starbucks in the Food Pyramid grocery store. This started what is sure to be a week of wisecracks from Jeff about my need for caffeine!
Our first stop (after coffee) was the Phillips 66 Museum in Bartlesville. We had missed it yesterday but didn't want to leave town without seeing it. We met museum director Lorrie Rockman and docents Dick Bresson, Paul Beach, and Pete Schmitt. We spent just a few minutes touring the facility, but I would have loved to stay longer. Did you know the Phillips 66 is responsible for the Hula Hoop? It's true, a Phillips 66 plastic called Marlex , invented in the 1950s, was used to produce the toy. Paul Endacott, president of Phillips 66 in the 50s is said to have kept a Hula Hoop in his office to demonstrate the plastic to visitors.We said our goodbyes to the docents and hit the road for Vinita.
Before long we came to the town of Nowata. As we drove through town we noticed several very large buildings that look like they are in the process of being renovated. One building, the Savoy hotel, caught my eye. According to a local paper, the hotel was originally built in 1909, but burned just before opening. The 200-room hotel was rebuilt in 1911.
We stopped at the Post Office to ask what we should see before we leave town and were told not to miss the Nowata Historical Museum, located just down the street. We went immediately there and were fortunate that Carroll Craum (a lovely lady who said she received draft notices in the 60s because of her unusual name) and Nita Wesson were on the property. The museum isn't usually open on Mondays, but we got the grand tour, speckled with some interesting and colorful stories about the past residents. I asked Carroll about the Savoy and she told us it was once famous for its radium baths, which were said to cure what ails you!
After leaving the museum, we meandered toward Vinita. Our destination for the day was the Summerside Cottages in Ketchum, but we had planned to stop at the Summerside Vinyard & Winery in Vinita along the way. We opted to skip past the winery once we realized just how long it might take to circumnavigate Grand Lake. I called Marsha Butler and arranged to meet at the cottages at 7:00. We would see the winery in the morning.
We were working with Deborah Wolek of the Grand Lake Association to complete our getaway package. She gathered some outstanding additions for us, so we wanted to make sure to visit the some of the partners before the broadcast in the morning.
We stopped in to see Kate at Magnolia's in Grove. Kate was engrossed in something and didn't hear Jeff walk up to her. Jeff's voice is sort of deep, so when he said her name she about went through the ceiling. We all had a good laugh. The atmosphere in the store is so inviting that we found ourselves playing for at least thirty minutes. We tried on hats, looked at memorabilia on the walls, and I even bought some Monkey Powder, which is said to cure chafing. It's supposed to be good for people who ride motorcycles (hey, I have a scooter!), but I just thought it was too funny to pass up.
We toured Grove for a little longer and then decided to drive to Monkey Island. We were looking for someplace to sit outside for dinner, but season hasn't really started here. We're about one week too early. After driving all the way down the island (which is really a peninsula, except when it floods) we drove on through Bernice and Cleora on the way to Ketchum. We found Summerside Cottages in Ketchum, but didn't stop yet.
We had some time so we drove south to Langley and then east to Disney. We saw a couple of potential spots for dinner, but decided to drive a little further to see Pensacola Dam. I'm so glad we did, because we saw the open floodgates. I was dazzled by the sight of so many gallons of water rushing out, cutting into the rock below. I bet we spent an hour wandering around the area, just marveling at the view.
Finally, we realized we were hungry, so we made our way back to Pistol Pat's in Disney. The food was great and we even got to eat outside!
By this time it was almost 7:00 so we drove to Summerside Cottages, where Gary Butler showed us to our cabins. Jeff had a darling little cabin with a sleeping porch and I had a larger cabin with a water view. They were both fabulous, and they even had televisions - something we were not expecting. I could get into lake living!
Day 3- Ketchum to Wagoner
Somehow, my alarm didn't go off this morning. Jeff and I were meeting Gary and Marsha Butler outside my cabin at 4:30, so I was a bit disturbed when I woke up at 4:23. I must have heard Jeff start the car, thank goodness! I managed to walk out at exactly 4:30 - whew!
The winery is located about twenty minutes away from the cottages, so we arrived a little before 5:00. Jeff and Gary got the remote set up while Marsha and I chatted about the wine business. These folks really seem to be prepared for a big future. The store is fabulous, the vineyard is beautiful, and the wine production is going strong. Unfortunately, we didn't do any wine tasting. I don't think "It's 5:00 somewhere" means five a.m.!
We didn't have wine, but we did have popovers. Marsha made them fresh for us, just she's been doing since she was nine years old. Outstanding. After the show we spent some time hearing about how the wine is made. The harvest depends on the weather, they lost the crop last year because of the ice storm but this year looks good. The main vineyard is in Ketchum, but there is a small vineyard planted in front of the winery. Marsha has planted climbing roses and wild flowers all around, which makes this about the prettiest vineyard I've ever seen.
We left the Vinita by 10:30 or so and headed south on Highway 69. We took a couple of short side trips off 69 to see rolling hills, green pastures, and even some horses. We drove through Big Cabin, Adair, and Pryor before we stopped in Chouteau at the Amish Cheese House. The store is immaculate. The shelves are stocked with all kinds of natural (and not so natural) food, baking supplies, jams and jellies, and even candies. The cheese assortment is wonderful, but I opted not to purchase anything perishable.
Our destination today was The Canebrake in Wagoner, but we had some time to explore. We decided to head to Muskogee, so I called Ervalene Jenkins, the eastern Oklahoma account executive for the magazine. Erv met us at the Five Civilized Tribes museum and then led us to Smoke House Bob barbecue. Bob is a character. When I asked him what his specialty is, he said all of it. Bob's barbecue is just the way I like it, fork tender with sauce that's a little on the spicy side. No sweet sauce for me!
We made our way downtown to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, where executive director Beth Seim gave us the condensed tour of the museum. They have a new touch screen system in the lobby that allows the user to pull up all of the Hall of Fame inductees by year. Across the street is the Three Rivers Museum, where they will unveil a statue of a Girl Scout (the first cookie was made and sold here in 1917) on May 31 at 4:00. The museum wasn't open, but the executive director, Sue Tolbert was there and gave us the quick tour. She said this is her dream job!
After leaving Three Rivers Museum, we made our way back to Wagoner. The Canebrake is located about eight miles east of town on Fort Gibson Lake. We easily found the resort and were completely WOWWED upon arrival. This place is unlike anything in Oklahoma. The minute we walked it, I knew this was a place I could come to relax. Yoga classes, ropes course, hiking, volleyball, and even tetherball is available here. We checked in to our cottages and had some time to relax before the special evening event. I checked my email and took a shower in the enormous tile bathroom. As I sat on the bed I wondered if I could just stay for the rest of the week!
At 6:30 we went to the restaurant and met Sam, the executive chef and partner. Sam designed the kitchen to be open to the dining room. It's very comfortable here. We had dinner on the patio, where we were treated to a five course meal that included fish & chips with summertime slaw, grilled elk with blueberry sauce, glazed carrots and quinoa, petit filet with fried okra, tomatoes and purple mash, grilled quail with lemon-sage butter, sweet peas and rice, and a champagne sorbet with chocolate tuile. Add scotch, wine, and cigars and you've got one heck of an evening at The Canebrake. If you have a free weekend, book a room here. You'll come back again and again.
Day 4 - Wagoner to Stroud
We met Adam Miller in the lobby at 5:00 a.m. He made us coffee, brought us fruit, and entertained us with some wonderful stories. Adam is the marketing director at The Canebrake, but he's clearly multi talented. After the show, Adam took us on a tour of the entire property, including the "green" yoga barn, where Lisa teaches classes. The facility is amazing.
By 10:30, we said our goodbyes and started our trek toward Stroud. Sandy Sarette had told us we could experience the ranch on ATVs on horseback if we arrived early enough in the day. This offer was just too good to pass up, so we made just one stop along the way. We made a quick stop at Center 1 Market in Tulsa's Brookside neighborhood. I'd been there a few months ago and wanted to share it with Jeff.
We pulled in to the ranch at about 12:40, just in time to check in to our rooms, freshen up, and grab lunch in the great room. After lunch, Sandy gave us a tour of the ranch on the Mule (sort of an ATV work truck). Poor Jeff had to sit in the back with the weeds, but he didn't complain. I did keep offering to let him squeeze in the front seat, but he seemed happy back there.
The ranch has seven horses: five gentle geldings; one sweet yearling named Paddy (he was born on St. Patrick's Day); and a headstrong paint named Magic, but nicknamed Satan. Magic is beautiful, but she's a little bossy.
Sandy took us all over the ranch on all terrain vehicles. We even stopped at the Elvis Tower. According to Dave, the previous property owner purchased the tower on eBay because Elvis signed it at the top. This has not been authenticated, but it makes for a good story. We drove the ATVs on roads, through fields, and even through heavily wooded areas. The vehicles just powered over everything. I think I want one!
Later we discovered even more of the ranch on horseback with Toby (on Sam) as our trail guide. Jeff's horse (Three Dot) was well mannered and calm, but my horse (Rojo) was a little frisky. Rojo was just as happy to go through the trees (literally) as he was to go around. We saw Fred the donkey and Larry the llama, and Wilma and Wanda the Watusi cows. The Watusi are known for their majestic long horns (not to be confused with longhorns). Fred came to the fence for a visit as we ambled along. He's a vocal little donkey, but the horses seem to like him.
The ranch crew treated us to a lavish dinner in the great room at the lodge. We had chicken fried steak, tilapia, steak, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, and delightful little sweet rolls. This massive feast was followed by delicious soppapilla cheesecake. Wow!
Sunburned, sore, and sated, we settled ourselves on overstuffed leather couches and watched the American Idol finale on the giant television as we checked our email on the Tatanka wifi network . All this and David Cook won, life is good!
By the time Idol concluded we were ready to retire, so we made our way to our cabins on the manicured paths. The ranch has ten luxury cabins set in a semi-circle overlooking a pond. My cabin had a large sleeping area, a kitchen with a table, and a sparkling clean bathroom with a large shower. Show me the pillow - I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight!
Day
5 – Stroud to Oklahoma City
After just a few hours Tatanka Ranch already felt like home. Dave had given Jeff the keys to the lodge so we could get in to set up on our own. I made coffee while Jeff got everything ready for the morning show. Sometimes the connection to Oklahoma City can be challenging, but everything worked beautifully from the lodge.
By 7:00 or so, the “family” started to arrive. Toby’s wife Pam made scrambled eggs and delicious cinnamon rolls and Dave cooked some of the best bacon I’ve ever eaten. Sometimes there is no substitution for plain, simple food.
Sandy and Dave told us about a general store located a few miles from the ranch called the B & B in Kirkwood. Sandy gave us a hand-drawn map, but we must have taken a wrong turn at some point because we got a little lost. Fortunately, we saw a UPS truck coming our way and Jeff flagged him down. We asked if we were going the right way (we weren’t) and if he knew the way to the B & B (he did). We followed the truck all the way to the store – thank you UPS!
The store was everything the Sarette’s had said it would be. Antiques, soaps, sundries, an original phone booth, high school photos, an original ice box, and colorful owners. If that’s not enough they have a “pickin’ and grinnin’” session with several seventy and eighty-something musicians every other Wednesday from 10:30 to noon.
We left the B & B and meandered down Route 66 toward Chandler. As we rounded the bend to head south, we saw the restored armory, now the Route 66 Interpretive Center. We explored the center with volunteer Cassandra and assistant director Jade Phipps. Jade brings her pet ferret Alaska to work with her every day. The armory building has a very large event hall, which was set up for the Chandler prom. What a perfect venue!
Our next and final stop: Oklahoma City. Jeff hadn’t seen the Chesapeake Boathouse yet, so we wandered down to the river. The boathouse was buzzing with activity. Junior rowers who qualified for Nationals at the recent Central Youth Rowing Championships (Regionals) competition in Oklahoma City were working out. The American Collegiate Rowing Association regatta starts tomorrow (Friday, May 23, 2008) so teams were starting to arrive. Several were already putting boats in the water to test the course. The boathouse is absolutely stunning, and there are several more in the works for OCU, UCO, and OU. Oklahoma City will have a boathouse row in a few years.
The ACRA rowers are bringing in boats, the Big 12
Baseball Tournament is attracting crowds and busloads of team members, and then
the normal tourist crowd is out and about. After a short drive through Bricktown,
we checked in to the Skirvin Hilton - WOW! The lobby is stunning with its
elaborate chandeliers and plush furnishings. We were delighted to find rotunda
suites when we opened our rooms. I’ve been a huge fan of the Skirvin Hilton
ever since they opened, but I’ve never stayed in one of the rotunda rooms. I
could live here! Seriously. My room is big HUGE. The bed has six pillows (not
including the bolster). First I thought six was excessive, but later in the
evening as I sat nestled in the pillows typing this entry, I realize six is
exactly the right number.
Day 6 - Oklahoma City
I’m not sure I’ve ever been in a bar at 5:00
a.m., but the Red Piano Lounge at the Skirvin Hilton can hardly be called a bar
anyway. The lounge is comfortable and inviting, even before sunrise. The staff
(Mia and Amie) beat us to the lounge. They were already preparing coffee, water,
and an assortment of pastries for listeners. I’d have to confirm with Jeff,
but I'd be willing to bet this is the best spread ever offered for the “Friday
Free for All.”
We had quite a few listeners visit during the broadcast today. It was fun to see their faces when they saw Jeff sitting at the piano. After we ended the show, the Skirvin Hilton invited the Yellow Cab drivers to come enjoy the pastries and coffee. No sense wasting any of this fabulous food. What a great hotel! Thank you James, Vanessa, Amanda, Robert, and everyone else who made us feel so welcome.
Well folks, that it for Where in the State
2008! Tune in next year when we discover five more incredible
Joan Henderson, Publisher of Oklahoma Today
