RIDE EM' COWBOY

June 15

Hey there Campers;

When I last left you the wind was howling and sweeping down the plain. Things were rocking and rolling. I was told that it was lighting and thundering and raining. I did not hear a thing. Ya'll know that when my head hits the pillow I am out for the count. 

It was slightly overcast when we got up. But we were treated to another Barbie breakfast. Don't know how we are going to survive not having these breakfast soon. We are going to see Nick and his kids today. Barbie got a call from Eli stating that he wanted to see his "black grandfather" today. Eli is always so funny. You never know what will come out of his mouth.



Since it is Father's Day, we treated the guys to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. We were all thrill to spend time there.

When you first walk in to the museum, you see a very impressive statue.This statue was sculptured by James Earl Fraser who just happens to be Barbie's great grandfather's cousin. It is called, The End of the Trail,  A Native American View. Can you believed it was first housed outdoors in Visalia, CA. Talk about small world. That is the home town of our very own Alex Dalida. The statue was representing the end of the trail of the uprising of the Native Americans trying to preserve their way of life.

The same artist carved the Lincoln statue in another wing.










Our family continued on looking oil paintings and sculptures with western themes from artist from all over the world. It is a high honor to be able to show your abilities in this gallery.

They had special sculptures and painting from very famous artist like Frederick Remington, Charles Marion Russell. Mr.Russell also carved buffaloes and elk on a Winchester 1895 Sporting Rifle.No pictures were allowed to be taken in these special rooms.

Here is another fact I found out today. Barbie's mom's grandfather was a Indian Agent in the Minnesota Territory. He was from Pennsylvania Dutch. I was glad to have my sister there touring with us. She, Rex and Nick were a wealth of info. Who better to tutor than real horse folk.

This was a very interesting sculpture. It is called, Canyon Princess. It is evoking the grace and power of all western wildlife. It is a female cougar and is made of 31 ton block of marble and is 15 feet tall. The artist is Gerald Balciar of CO. It is an amazing work. Very eye catching.











As we continued down the hall, there was a map that listed every tribe of Native American in the North American Continent. This info would be good for all those who are studying Indian Lore.

We finally got to the section that had all the movie western cowboys. It is called the Western Performers Gallery. This was one of our favorite because we know a lot about the old western cowboys. You know you are old when you know who the cowboy Tom Mix is. I know most you are saying "who the heck is Tom Mix". Well just Goggle him and find out.

Did you know there were over 1,700 novels based on Buffalo Bill? Please don't ask who Buffalo Bill is. I know you studied him in grade school. If not Google him too. The great western novelist, Louis L Amour brought the west to easterners.

Some of the greatest western stars are, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers,Hop-a-Long- Cassidy, Walter Brennan, Joel McCrea, Gary Cooper, Henry Fonda, Will Rogers just to name a few.

Even Danny Glover was in westerns. Remember him in the Lonesome Dove series.














There are also women/cowgirls in westerns. My favorite was Maureen O'Hara.  If you have not seen her movies you really should. She is still kicking it and looking good.

Of course my all time favorite is whoooooo? John Wayne. Remember I talked about him the other day!!! He was called "The Duke". When most people think cowboy they think of John Wayne. John helped change the westerns. Remember him in Stagecoach, True Grit, McClintock with favorite leading lady Maureen O'Hara? Just down load one of his movies and you will be hooked.

 

 Here are facts about westerns you may not know:

• The first Indians in movies were real Native American. They were later replaced by blue eyed actors. Can you imagine Burt Lancaster as an Indian? Well he was.
• Gene Autry is from Ravia, OK
• 5,000+ silent westerns made
• AZ, was the first state to have a western filmed in it.
• 1903 was the first western filmed - The Great Train Robbery with Bronco Billy as the star.
• G.S. Garcia was a famous silver tack master in Elko, NV 1890's. It was a previous to have spade bits made by him. Nick has 2 of them.
  

Can you imagine there are over 8,000 of types of barbed wire. They have these cool drawers that you pull that shows each type.








There was a replica of a typical western town built in the museum. Of course Eli had to try the jail out.

The Garden Gallery had lots of things to see. Several native plants, flowers, birds, graves of infamous rodeo bucking bull Tornado, famous bucking horse Midnight & Five Minutes to Midnight etc. Ok, only cowboys would bury their horses and steers in a public garden. Several famous statues,- Coming Through the Rye - Frederic Remington and Buffalo Bill - Leonard McMurry.









There is so much to see and do at this museum we can not even tell all. Ya just gotta go when you are in town.

Well campers, it is time to say goodbye until the next time.

Lo & Bren

Question of the Day

What is John Wayne's real name?

SWEEPING DOWN THE PLAINS

June 14

Hey there Campers;

We had a great day. We started with a great Barbie breakfast and then went to church in Edmonds. It is funny how you get to see people you have not seen in a long time. There always seems to be people we know wherever we go. Today, we saw Paul & Larry Brinley's niece whom we have not seen since she was a little girl. She just moved to OK last week. We did not get to see Larry as he was in CA for Karissa graduation. You go Rissa Bell. Happy graduation tomorrow. Sorry we could not be there.

We had lunch at Becky, Nick S mother-in-laws house. It is always good to eat with family. Nick & Sara are getting a new house so we went to check it out. It is really cute. Of course you know he is planning to remodel. We will not get to see Sara this time as she is taking a course at South Western in math. She is getting ready to be a full time teacher starting in Aug. We are all glad as things are working well for them in OK.


Nick took us on a tour of the city. We in CA may think OK is backwards but I tell you they have it going on. The homes of the "old money Oilmen" were like Hollywood. It is not far from where they will be living. Very little is gated. There are more universities in OK than in any state in the USA. OK was not hit hard by the 2008 recession. Looking for a place to live? 

We also saw the school where Sara will teach and the boys will go.

We came back to Becky's house to check out Nick's man toy. His precious Jeep. What is it with men and their cars??? Well, I guess they can say the same thing about our shoe collection. Ok. I will be quite because I love me a good shoe. Oh Yeah!!

On the way back to Barbie & Rex's we stop to see Ferdinand the bull. Oh my is he a bull. Talk about a rack on him. Watch out lady cows.

On another farm across the street must have been his cousins

When we got back to Barbie's we made the Adventist staple for Saturday night dinner. Haystacks.

We Campers, it is time to call it a night. The wind is really sweeping down the plains because it is shaking the Hilton.

Until next time/

Lo & Bren

Question of the day
What famous trail in on Hwy 81?

FROM THE CANYONS TO THE PLAINS

June 13

Hey there Campers:


Started today bright, bright, bright. Just as we got on the road we saw a guy on a bike (yes a pedal bike) thumbing for a ride. Talk about contradiction!! Had to ask myself Hmmmmm. Was he late for work or what. As we got into New Mexico we felt like we were in a John Wayne western with red rock on both sides. (For all ya'll who don't know about John Wayne goggle him He was an American through and through.)

We keep looking for those Cowboy and Indians to show up on the ridges. OK. I admit it. I was hooked on westerns as a kid. Give me a good western and I can sit all day. But no Cowboy and Indian fighting. The Lone Ranger had Tonto worked well together. As my Goddaughter Tanita would say stop digressing. Ok,OK.

We briefly went into TX. If you take Hwy 40 it is the shortest way across TX. Otherwise you will be traveling in TX for days. Did you know Alaska is bigger than TX. AK is several times bigger than TX. Just don't tell Tx that. Them be fighting words. In their minds NOTHING is bigger than them.



I am always amazed at the huge cross that is at a church just outside of Amarillo. If you ever have time to stop there it is a wonderful that has sculptures that show the life of Christ from birth to Crucifixion.

We were flying through New Mexico and on to Texas to get to Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plains. Boy was the wind sweeping. We are on our way to Rex & Norma's house. (They are also known as Barbie & Ken). You know we were trying to get there before dark but it did not work out. Oh well, a little night driving won't kill us. Of course it was my turn to drive. So we have them on GPS since we were here last year. Sooooo, why did we have to go by the Federal Prison, 3 small town, tons of stop lights before we hit Route 81? That was the short cut???? When we got on Route 81 of course there were very little street lights and we were both straining to see the turns. Barbie told me to be very careful and drive the speed limits as the OK State Police patrols Route 81 and they love to give tickets. If it said 25 MPH I went 24. Ok I admit it. I was a little paranoid about the cops. ( I must have watched too many Burt Reynolds movies with that Firebird and cops after him. You know those Smokey & the Bandit movies.)

We finally arrived at Barbie's street and Lo turns into the motorhome whisperer. He says "stay away from the ditch". Am I crazy, what ditch??? Like I can see a ditch when it is pitch black. When we get to their house he say's "slow down or you will miss the driveway" Am I crazy what driveway? Like I can see the driveway when it is pitch black. Luckily Rex is out with a flashlight showing the way in. Glad to see Rex and we call it a night. Thank the Lord.

Well Campers until the next time.

Lo & Bren

Question of the Day

Who wrote the musical Oklahoma?

MACGYVER TO THE RESCUE

June 12

Hey there Campers;

Today started off with great weather. Not to hot or cold and slightly breezy. Lorenzo "Macgyver" took the muffler & turbocharger to the shop. The mechanic did well with Lo's design to fix the part. I decided to take a tour of the town. Of course you know I had to get my Fitbit steps and 5 miles in. It really is quite a historic town. Imagine what the settlers saw as they crossed the mountain ridges. Future homesteads with fertile lands. While on my walk I decided to stop at the bakery and get us breakfast while Lo put on the fixed parts. He was almost done by the time I got back. We loaded up and left Dodge with a flair. We headed to big time AZ. You know you have travelled a lot when you pass a location and remember that we ate there or we had a motorhome issue there. He, he,he. (Remember the 2011 trip when we had the radiator issue in AZ? Oh the joys of travel) Don't get me wrong the Hilton (aka motorhome) has been a real joy and only has one or 2 major issues which Lorenzo "Macgyver" always gets fixed. I love a man who can work with his hands......



We spent the night in Winslow, AZ at one of our favorite spots, the Flying J truck stop. There is usually a Denny's there so I don't have to cook. Hooray!! Hanging out with trucker definitely has benefits.




Well Campers, it is a beautiful full moon night over the plains, so we are going to call all the little prairie dogs in and go to bed.

Until next time, see ya.


Lo & Bren

Question of the day

What famous canyons are in AZ?

BRANDY ADVENTURES

June 11

Hey there campers;

The Brandy's are at it again. We are off to another adventure. This time we're on our way to Nova Scotia and the to the Faith on Fire Camporee. Before we left we got a beautiful card and hand knitted potholder from VK wishing us well on our travels. We started off today with lots of sunshine and cooler weather than the last few days. When we got to the Tehachapi's  mountains "old Eagle Ears" heard a noise. Aren't guys funny. They can hear a car noise but not their wives. LOL!!  So I pulled over on the next off ramp.

So my honey Lorenzo "McGuyver" flipped under the motorhome ( a.k.a. the Hilton) to find out what the problem was. The muffler and the turbocharged pipe came apart. This has happened before so not to worry. So we parked in the Home Depot parking lot and he proceeded to work up on it. However we need to have the two parts welded together. We called around a couple of places got great information from the local people. The people were amazingly helpful. If you got to break down here is the place. This will be done in the morning and will be on our way up again. The Lord always blesses. This problem could have happen in Timbuktu. We had a nice Mexican dinner and awaited for the next day to come.

Did you know Home Depot has Wi-Fi ??? We have used it several times. It works even in the parking lot of the store. Yahoo!

Question of the Day:

What is the Tehachapi's  known for?  All who drive to Vegas should know this answer.

Until next time Campers

Lo & Bren