Oklahoma Scenery
We said goodbye to Shawn & Shanna and their family, and we drove about 3 hours to get to Black Mesa State Park in Oklahoma’s panhandle. As we drove into the park, seeing a few antelope, we began to believe we would have what we planned for, some solitude on this July 4th holiday. We also wondered if we would find some shade, but as we rounded the bend and headed into the camping area, we found many cottonwood trees and were very thankful. We searched for Lake Etling, but instead found a small pond up against a cliff with bullfrogs and small fish in it. Brian scouted the cliff a little, thinking we might be able to rappel off it into the water, and had it been cooler it would have been a grand adventure. But the kids enjoyed the pond anyway, swimming about in it and playing around it. They also explored the park area where they found a fenced area they claimed as their own little house. They even buried a small dead bird they found there. After dinner and showers, the kids had a hard time going to sleep with the sun shining a bit too bright at 7p and even at 8p. Eventually though we were all able to sleep, and we awoke to beautiful bird cries and woodpeckers pecking away above us, as well as the bullfrogs croaking. After breakfast, a short hike on the nature trail with a bunny sighting and a cactus poking Chloe (she is certain it jumped at her), we decided to drive to find the area’s well known dinosaur tracks before heading on to Kansas. However, as we drove we found the way not marked well, and we had to stop because Kendall threw up without any warning. As Brian was cleaning it out, I went to the back of the van to get some cleaner to spray the carpeting, but Brian had not warned me to open it slowly. The Berkey water filter(full of water) fell on the ground, splashing me completely. Brian was huffing at me as I began laughing and came to give him a big hug! I also gave Kendall one. I told her getting wet might help her feel better. And Chloe and Sydney laughed along with me too! Elijah was on his way to sleep by this time, and soon after we decided the search for dinosaur tracks was over.
Lake Etling
Nature Hike
