WILBURTON, Okla. — The roads which take you to Southeastern Oklahoma twist, turn and wind all over the landscape.
Driving them is difficult.
Driving them during a pouring rain, along side of a huge truck filled with logs the size of ship’s mast is worse.
Add three bickering kids and a very pregnant wife to the equation and you should probably consider yourself insane, or a candidate for sainthood.
For the record: I’m not going to be sainted anytime soon.
Instead, the trip was a dad-inspired idea — a weekend camp out at Robber’s Cave State Park.
The result was somewhat different: A rain-soaked, three-day weekend that actually turned out to be fun and muddy at the same time.
And despite the trucks, and the fighting kids, it was well worth the drive.
Because, to put it simply, the Robber’s Cave is beautiful.
Nestled in the heart of the San Bois Mountains (yes, Oklahoma does have mountains, they might not be big ones, but they’re mountains, just the same) the park is considered a favorite of outdoor lovers.
A scenic, tree-filled stretch of Oklahoma just north of Wilburton, Robber’s Cave comes complete with cabins, camping and RV facilities — which include electrical power and running water — the Belle Starr View Lodge, and enough georgeous scenery for the National Geographic lover in every family.
Seriously, the park is a must see if you haven’t spent much time touring Oklahoma.
There’s also a small, but beautiful lake, a swimming beach, a swimming pool, playgrounds, miniature golf, hiking trails, paddleboat rentals, and a nature center.
And rain.
Lots and lots of rain.
Rain which created mud.
Rain which soaked the tent.
Rain which made my Nacho Cheese Doritos soggy.
Sure, maybe I should have known better than to plan a camping trip on Memorial Day weekend in Oklahoma, but I couldn’t resist the lure of tall pine trees and starry skies.
After fighting the traffic along Interstate 40, pot holes the size of small cars on the Indian Nations Turnpike, and the snake-like curves of Little Dixie's state highways, we arrived and found our campsite clean, ready and waiting for us.
With storm clouds billowing overhead, the tent was quickly erected and a fire built.
One thing: If you’re considering sleeping on the ground (or the concert pad) don’t. Do yourself and favor and purchase a self-inflating air mattress — don’t get the pump kind, you’d need someone with the lung capacity of Superman to fill it, and those manual foot-style pumps aren’t worth the box the are packaged in.
Also, make sure you tent’s flaps, zippers and rain shield are firmly zipped, buttoned and flapped — there’s is absolutely nothing worse than a soggy blanket on a cold, rainy night.
Remember, too, that a warm fire solves many problems.
With showers and real restrooms (read that as flushable toilets) within walking distance, there’s really no reason why the average weekend traveler can’t be relatively comfortable and enjoy the outdoors at the same time.
Of course, these days many citizens (mostly those who have retired) have sold the family farm, invested the proceeds in an RV the size of battleship, and set out for the open road. This was evident last weekend, as our campsite was one of only a handful using tents.
Somehow it seems to take all the fun out of things to go camping inside a bus, complete with air conditioning, HD satellite TV and a microwave.
Anyway, after a full night’s sleep, we set out to explore.
Another tip: Make the kids sleep somewhere else — preferably in your bother’s tent since he’s the uncle and he and his family consented to joining you on this little adventure.
Down the road from our campsite we found THE Robber's Cave.
But you have to want to get there.
A twenty minute hike later — the kids did it in five, but I was walking behind a pregnant woman — we arrived.
The scenery is stunning.
And even though there isn’t much left of the cave — apparently a portion of it was blown up by bad guys years ago — the hills, and the rustic, almost primal rock formations, make you feel like you’re in another place.
Yet another tip: Don’t worry too much about staying clean.
Dirt, water and the ever-present smell of wood smoke will all conspire against you. At times my kids looked like third world refugees as they scampered through our campsite munching Smores and chasing the tiny, hopping frogs which moved in with us.
But night would bring a glowing fire, good coffee and a trip to the shower where the hot water was abundant.
The kids loved it.
My wife smiled.
And I got to hang out with my brother, his kids and God.
There, seated under a canopy of tall, beautiful pine trees and a round glowing moon, I knew I was in the presence of a being far greater than myself.
And for me that made the battle against the rain, the roads and even the log trucks, all the more worthwhile.
Driving them is difficult.
Driving them during a pouring rain, along side of a huge truck filled with logs the size of ship’s mast is worse.
Add three bickering kids and a very pregnant wife to the equation and you should probably consider yourself insane, or a candidate for sainthood.
For the record: I’m not going to be sainted anytime soon.
Instead, the trip was a dad-inspired idea — a weekend camp out at Robber’s Cave State Park.
The result was somewhat different: A rain-soaked, three-day weekend that actually turned out to be fun and muddy at the same time.
And despite the trucks, and the fighting kids, it was well worth the drive.
Because, to put it simply, the Robber’s Cave is beautiful.
Nestled in the heart of the San Bois Mountains (yes, Oklahoma does have mountains, they might not be big ones, but they’re mountains, just the same) the park is considered a favorite of outdoor lovers.
A scenic, tree-filled stretch of Oklahoma just north of Wilburton, Robber’s Cave comes complete with cabins, camping and RV facilities — which include electrical power and running water — the Belle Starr View Lodge, and enough georgeous scenery for the National Geographic lover in every family.
Seriously, the park is a must see if you haven’t spent much time touring Oklahoma.
There’s also a small, but beautiful lake, a swimming beach, a swimming pool, playgrounds, miniature golf, hiking trails, paddleboat rentals, and a nature center.
And rain.
Lots and lots of rain.
Rain which created mud.
Rain which soaked the tent.
Rain which made my Nacho Cheese Doritos soggy.
Sure, maybe I should have known better than to plan a camping trip on Memorial Day weekend in Oklahoma, but I couldn’t resist the lure of tall pine trees and starry skies.
After fighting the traffic along Interstate 40, pot holes the size of small cars on the Indian Nations Turnpike, and the snake-like curves of Little Dixie's state highways, we arrived and found our campsite clean, ready and waiting for us.
With storm clouds billowing overhead, the tent was quickly erected and a fire built.
One thing: If you’re considering sleeping on the ground (or the concert pad) don’t. Do yourself and favor and purchase a self-inflating air mattress — don’t get the pump kind, you’d need someone with the lung capacity of Superman to fill it, and those manual foot-style pumps aren’t worth the box the are packaged in.
Also, make sure you tent’s flaps, zippers and rain shield are firmly zipped, buttoned and flapped — there’s is absolutely nothing worse than a soggy blanket on a cold, rainy night.
Remember, too, that a warm fire solves many problems.
With showers and real restrooms (read that as flushable toilets) within walking distance, there’s really no reason why the average weekend traveler can’t be relatively comfortable and enjoy the outdoors at the same time.
Of course, these days many citizens (mostly those who have retired) have sold the family farm, invested the proceeds in an RV the size of battleship, and set out for the open road. This was evident last weekend, as our campsite was one of only a handful using tents.
Somehow it seems to take all the fun out of things to go camping inside a bus, complete with air conditioning, HD satellite TV and a microwave.
Anyway, after a full night’s sleep, we set out to explore.
Another tip: Make the kids sleep somewhere else — preferably in your bother’s tent since he’s the uncle and he and his family consented to joining you on this little adventure.
Down the road from our campsite we found THE Robber's Cave.
But you have to want to get there.
A twenty minute hike later — the kids did it in five, but I was walking behind a pregnant woman — we arrived.
The scenery is stunning.
And even though there isn’t much left of the cave — apparently a portion of it was blown up by bad guys years ago — the hills, and the rustic, almost primal rock formations, make you feel like you’re in another place.
Yet another tip: Don’t worry too much about staying clean.
Dirt, water and the ever-present smell of wood smoke will all conspire against you. At times my kids looked like third world refugees as they scampered through our campsite munching Smores and chasing the tiny, hopping frogs which moved in with us.
But night would bring a glowing fire, good coffee and a trip to the shower where the hot water was abundant.
The kids loved it.
My wife smiled.
And I got to hang out with my brother, his kids and God.
There, seated under a canopy of tall, beautiful pine trees and a round glowing moon, I knew I was in the presence of a being far greater than myself.
And for me that made the battle against the rain, the roads and even the log trucks, all the more worthwhile.
Comments
But I concur -- there is nothing quite like being in a tent in God's wonderful creation. At the end of a long hike, sitting by the fire, smoking my pipe, just looking and listening to nature. And lest we forget, there is almost nothing better than breakfast cooked over an open fire!
'Honey, where's the camping gear? We are going on an adventure!'
Peace to you.
+ OD