Venturing Out

Since arriving in Oklahoma/Republic of Texas three weeks ago I have not left the confines of the house/Wal-Mart/nearest repair shop for air conditioning/plumbing/car. And, since the air conditioning gave out exactly one week ago (during the hottest day of the Oklahoma summer...113 degrees) we have been holed up in one 10 x 10 bedroom in the back of the house with a window unit and Aero-Bed (mind you it has to re-inflated every 10 minutes because Zinger used it as a cat scratching post) attempting to stay cool. So, on a day when no repair men were scheduled at the house we decided to venture out to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. We needed a little piece of home (mountains) mixed with a little culture of the area. We took the dogs because I refuse to travel anywhere without them for fear that the air conditioning in the house gives out and I come home to carnage. So, with out any further adieu I give you our venture through the wildlife refuge.

We drove about fifteen miles outside of Lawton through fields of what I believe were soybeans (or maybe marijuana??) to reach the wildlife refuge.

Radleigh (the terrier) was terrified that we were going on another 23 hour car ride through Virginia,

Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. She is not a fan of anything with four wheels.

The "mountains" here look dramatically different than the MOUNTAINS at home (and dare I say they pale in comparison). We are used to the Peaks of Otter, the view from Susan's land; however, for the time being these bumps will provide some comfort (but seriously, are they really mountains???).

Both Whitey The Truck and Susan wanted their picture taken with the wildlife refuge as the back drop. Whitey has been quite the trooper during this whole process. He hauled two dogs, two cats, and three fish all the way to Oklahoma without a hiccup. Mind you, when he arrived and we put Fluffy's Discount Liquor Gas in him, he balked, coughed, hiccuped, and demanded the high grade gas. Susan was just thrilled to have the opportunity venture outside the confines of academia and wanted to mark the occasion with a picture.

There are many beautiful lakes (ponds?) that dot the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Kira very much wanted to get out and swim but Dr. Harvey wouldn't allow it. She was afraid Kira would leave wet doggie prints on Whitey's interior.

My favorite part of the whole trip was seeing the bison that roam free in the wildlife refuge. It has been since I lived in Kansas since I last saw a bison (or anything other than a bun...ummm...BISON BURGERS!).

Apparently this was Radleigh's favorite part also because she decided to attempt to launch herself out of the truck via Kira's back.

But...she didn't know what was up ahead!!

PRARIE DOGS!!!!

The entire Prairie Dog clan was upset because one Prairie Dog escaped and found a piece of bread (it was the fat one....always leave it to the fat one to find extra food).

Thus ended our tour of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. We would like to go back again sans dogs (once we have air conditioning). There is a museum, hiking trails, Mount Scott (not really a mountain...but someone did get lost hiking on it and made the local news the other night), and a gift shop!!!