Every day has held some adventure and excitement in some form or another. Duplicating Bud and Temple, we didn't "ride" on Sunday. It was a laid-back day. We visited with Grandmother and Papa. Grandmother does grandmothers proud the world over. We've eaten more in a day than I usually eat! I'd forgotten people were supposed to eat three meals a day. The food has been delicious. Don't tell anybody, but the healthy food has not sent me into shock. Maybe because it was so good or it could be attributed to the good company. Grandmother has taken really good care of us. Most attempts to help out have met with some resistance, but we've tried our best to do so. Grandmother and Papa are Melody's grandparents, but maybe, if I'm really good, they'll adopt me! I think Grandmother's already forgiven me for the grounds in the coffee.

On Monday we went to the Chisholm Trail Museum in Duncan. We were greeted at the door with a poster of Bud and Temple and the book "Bud and Me". Is this a sign or what? After letting the woman in the gift shop know what we were up to, she enthusiastically called the director over and told him what we were doing. We were given a tour of the museum and allowed to wander around for a while. My favorite was the interactive movie of the trail drive. They had it set up to where you felt you were part of the drive. You could actually feel the high winds, the rain falling, and even smell the coffee from the chuckwagon, not to mention feel the vibrations from the pounding of the hooves during a stampede. While touring the museum we ran across a fun part, getting to push a lot of buttons and hearing about different aspects, from the roles on the drive (I became a veteran trail boss!), to the chuckwagon, telling ages of cattle by horns and teeth. There was a statue of a steer. Wouldn't you know, there was a sign that said not to climb on it! Not far away a saddle was set up. I asked Melody if she thought it was set up for people to try. She said probably not. I then inquired what the reason for the stepstool was and she said maybe it was set up for kids to try. By this time I was beginning to mount. She said "or maybe Donna." It didn't stop her from taking pictures. It might be funny, but they may be intended for blackmail as well. They even had a rope for ropin'. Luckily, Steve had given me an introduction into this about a week ago. So I had to try it. They had a sign saying we couldn't climb the steer. There wasn't one saying we couldn't rope it! Why would they put it so close to the saddle and rope if ropin' wasn't part of the plan? I tried and missed, but it was LOUD! I coiled the rope and hopped down. It was time to move on. After the museum, we went to find a bite to eat. We're hoping to eat at local places, not chains, in the hope of finding a story. We finally came across Jay's Drive-In. We could smell the grease before we walked in the door. I really got excited! The owner, Glen, was the only person there at that time, so we got a chance to talk with him. His family had had the place for 32 years, but he thought it had been in existence since the 1950s. No frills, but good food. Glen's main interest in history is WWII. His father fought in that war. An interesting comment he made was that the world had been having wars since the time of ancient civilizations. He figured there would always be a war somewhere at some time. It's just the way things are. About the time wer were leaving, people were starting to arrive. We had hit Jay's during odd hours. If you are ever in Duncan, make sure to stop there. There aren't any huge signs to point out where it is, so keep your eyes pealed. It gives you that nostalgic feeling, not to mention good cheeseburgers and fries. On our way home we drove through Medicine Park. Most everything was built with cobblestones. Hopefully everything will be put back to its former glory. One thing of interest was the art some people displayed. One yard had a totem pole. Animals made out of car parts was another example. A very quaint looking place. We had another bridge experience. This time I had the problem with it. Melody planned to drive across what looked to be an old wooden bridge. I wouldn't have walked across it! She reassured me it would hold 5,000 pounds. And this wasn't even the oldest bridge there!

Today, Tuesday, June 10th, we had to make another adjustment. We had our calendar days mixed up. Matt is still in Texas, so we won't be heading toward Santa Fe until tomorrow. Never fear! There's still lots to do. First thing we did was to go to the Apache Museum. Not many things to touch and couldn't take pictures. You know by know how I like to touch things. The museum had a lot of neat things in it. I wondered how young students would enjoy it. If you're ever in the situation where you find yourself thinking, "This is just a lot of old stuff", then try to place yourself at the time these items were invented. Somebody once looked at this "old stuff" and thought, "Wow! I've got the newest and the best now!" And the clothes? They were the top of the fashion industry at one time.
A little later we arrived at the library and gave them a "Bud and Me" book. They were very pleased. Speaking of old things earlier, the library actually has a card catalog! I had to open the drawers to see if it was real. Here I am, touching things again. The librarian is still in the process of getting all the cards in. She says it will come in handy if they ever lose power. Yep! You can't beat the old card catalogs!
Melody took a picture of the park which is located where the Levite's store used to be. Remember, we're thinking this is where the boys got their blanket. It's sad to see where so many buildings have been torn down or are in disrepair. It makes you wonder what stories are disappearing with them. Speaking of stories, I was thinking today that many answers lead to even more questions.
We met Mike in Chandler. He was our Superman and had the computer up and running and delivered it to us, together with Mexican food for dinner. Thank you again, Mike, for everything! On our way back to Apache, we stopped in Arcadia to see the round barn. It was built over 100 years ago. It was built round to help withstand the winds, and are there ever some strong winds in this area, even on a beautiful day. We also stopped at Pops. Fuel, Food and Fizz. Oodles of different kinds of soda pop. The pictures seem out of place with all our other pictures, because it has more of a futuristic look.
The biggest highlight of the day! We got to meet Henry Park, grandson of Quannah Parker! He had lots of stories to tell and had us laughing often. It surprised us to find out he didn't know Quannah was his grandfather until he was studying Oklahoma history in third grade. He never met his grandfather since Quannah died in 1911 and Henry was born in 1930. He asked his mother if Quannah was his grandfather, this according to his teacher, and she nonchalantly said yes and kept working on whatever she was working on. He talked about his grandfather joining the white man's world. He had seven wives and was told that since he was living in the white man's world now, he could only keep one wife and would have to tell the others to leave. He looked at them and said, "You tell them." That was the end of that story. Wise man, don't you think? Henry also talked about his father going to the white man schools and such things as being punished for speaking in his native language. It's sad to see some of the Native American heritage being lost. Henry showed us some pictures. Before we arrived at his home, I was a little nervous. But, Henry Parker is just good people. It reminds me of what the gentleman at the capital told us about meeting the governor. He puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like you. Yes, Henry Parker is good people, and I am extremely happy to have met him. We didn't want to overstay our welcome, then realized we had already been there for an hour and a half. Time had flown. I could listen to his stories all day. Oral history is something I try to teach my students about. Too many times I hear people comment about wishing they had listened more to the stories of their grandparents and asked more questions. Many times this comes when it is too late to remedy the situation.

Listen close, for there are many stories to be told!

Mike is the Hero!

Today is Tuesday....Thank you Mike for getting the computer fixed and meeting us tonight! You are the best. Thanks for supper in Chandler It was good to see you.... ...we made a couple of pit stops on the way back to Apache...We stopped in Arcadia (because the boys went there on their way to NYC--they saw a magician there! )to look at the old Round Barn...it is really beautiful...surprised that someone could make something that wonderful in the 1890s out here on the prairie...we were in for another treat because we stopped at the Pops station...Donna said that it looks like a space age fuel station. We each got a bottle of "pop" -- me strawberry in honor of Temple who had Strawberry pop on the Santa Fe trip, and Donna had the Round Barn Root Beer...We even bought a bottle of creme soda for Matt for tomorrow.... I thought that he would be here today...but imagine that I looked at the paper wrong! We will head out for Santa Fe in the morning....We have had a great couple of days!
On Monday we went to the Chisholm Trail museum in Duncan! If you haven't been there, you should go! As soon as we walked in the door, we saw our "friends" Bud and Temple...they have a little display about them all of the time, but throughout the year, they have students come to the museum and they give an in-depth program about the boys, complete with a replica of the Brush...They have a workbook they put together that they shared with us! Thank you so much for visiting with us! They even took our picture for their website...they were so excited about our trip....It was wonderful to be guests in your museum..thanks for the coins! We were lucky enough to receive a Chisholm Trail Museum Coin...a rare find these days, as they are almost all gone...Thanks again.
The movie about the Chisholm Trail was out of this world...you could actually feel the wind and rain at times, and then smell the coffee...What a super fun experience...I know all of you reading this would enjoy your time there....
We stayed several hours there, and then we found a little spot called Jay's Drive Inn---Glenn said he had run the place for 32 years! He enjoyed hearing our story, and he told us a little bit about his life and love of history...All in all it was a fun experience!
When we got back to Grandmother's we did a little research on the computer--
Today was a jam packed day....We went to the Apache Museum first thing....Wow! Aunt Mary, you have done a great job of acquiring pieces over the years....I know that it has been a labor of love for you.....Thanks Lena for giving us the tour...After that, we prowled around Woodwards, and Donna found a Cowboy Christmas ornament....very cute...Then we had lots of really good fried food....at Kay Cee's! I know that fried green beans don't sound very good....but they are the best! Thanks for introducing us to them, Molly..... Then we went to the Apache Library to donate a book to them...Stanley Wright came over from the Apache News and took the picture...you looked beautiful Aunt Mary...Thanks for making the introduction to Kelly for us...Then we were off to Eric's Indian Store...what a fascinating place....Eric talked to us for quite a while about the bow he was making....It is a great story...stop by if you get a chance...Donna bought a beautiful Pendelton covered photo album....
then we were off to see Henry Parker!
He is Quannah Parker's grandson....Thank you so much Henry! He shared stories and artifacts about his family....we talked to him for over an hour! I could have listened to him talk all day long.... He told us that many of the things that you read about Quannah are not necessarily true...and 50 percent is made up! We shared with him what the Abernathy's had to say about his Grandpa....they thought he was their dad's friend so surely he was their friend as well...I think that was true..... He shared a story about how he learned Quannah was his grandpa....what an interesting tale...Quannah had passed away many years before Henry was born, so he did not know him personally. Thanks again Henry...what a highlight to our trip...we are so thankful you were willing to talk to us. I didn't do our visit with Henry justice...if was fascinating to listen to him talk...he has lots to say....hope those that are around him on a daily basis are listening...and Henry, hope that your fishing is successful tomorrow....
Thanks Grandmother and Papa for letting us use your car to run around......and letting us crash at your house.... we have enjoyed being here...... :)
Hopefully, we will be in New Mexico tomorrow..... I think that Matt has had a great time preparing for his Wales trip!

Hey everybody! Hope everything is going as good for you as it is for Melody and me. I forgot to share one incident from Friday night, so thought I'd start with that now. On our way to the motel on Friday we saw what appeared to be a rodeo taking place. We checked into the motel, donned our boots, and went exploring. It turned out to be a high school rodeo. Interesting to watch. I'm glad Rocky doesn't buck like those bulls were! The rest of the story? On our way to the car we had to take the long way, which still ended us at a gate. A locked gate about six or seven feet tall. On our way to becoming regular cowgirls, we did the only logical thing. We climbed over!
Now, let's get back with the really good stuff. Wow! Can you believe June 7th finally arrived? I thought it would never get here. The Crossroads Ranch reunion. It was such an incredible day! I know I will temporarily forget to include some things in this entry. Don't worry. I'll remember as we go along. I wish I had a photographic memory so I can remember all the names, towns, who's who, etc.
First thing this morning we headed out to the Walkers. They were generous enough to board the horses for Marla and Steve. As it turned out, they also boarded the horses for the mule team and the Cosby boys. The horses were going to get a bath for the big day when we arrived. We met the mule drivers from Palo Pinto, Texas. I got to sit in the wagon. All this time hearing about them and I was envisioning wooden seats and a very uncomfortable ride. Instead, I saw they had used some newer technology also. The driver's setas were actually seats out of cars. Pretty clever if you ask me! Still, it would have been a pretty rugged journey. Rex and Jean were great to visit with. Rex looked like he belonged on the set of Bonanza. I also got to meet Wendell and Evelyn Brown. Wendell is a great nephew of Jack Abernathy. By the end of the day I was thinking a copy of the family tree would have come in handy.
Marla said I needed to start coming to the ropings and keep riding. She said I have a natural balance on a horse, or something to that effect. I asked her if it was really a natural sense of self-preservation. She said it was probably some of that, too. At lunch I was it was most likely a weird thing, but when I looked down at my dirt and horse slobber shirt and dirt up my jeans appearance, all it did was add an extra bounch to my step and put a big grin on my face. She said it was another sign I wasn't really a greenhorn anymore since it made me happy to have horse poop on my boots!
Many people have made the comment that Bud and Temple would not have been able to take the same journeys had they tried in the year 2008. The times have changed, as well s the fact they didn't have a mother to say "no". I looked around at some of the smaller kids that would have been about Temple's age. If I had a son that age who approached me with a request to ride, unsupervised, on the trail Bud and Temple took, I would have said no in no uncertain terms and pointed him in a less dangerous direction. Of course, I have to admit those little friends rode their horses much better that I do. In an article in the Lawton Constitution, Mr. Bear wrote an article that described reasons why it could not be done in this day and age. A really nice angle for an article. It was well written. Humorous and, unfortunately, so true. Also, the way it was written, I had to wonder if he had met Marilyn, Temple's granddaughter. While reading the article, I could almost hear the words coming straight from Marilyn. I got to meet Marilyn and her daughter, Lyn. More people I am so happy to have met. I asked Lyn about any adventures other Abernathys might have had. I know there must be some, because I had already met her mother. In all respect, I do have to say she is quite a character. Lyn wholeheartedly agreed. She said she had heard a lot of stories from her mother, and she is sure there are plenty her mother hasn't shared. Also, it seems Marilyn has done some writing. Unfortunately she hasn't tried to get any of it published. I hope she gets around to it some day. I'm sure the reading would be a great experience.
We tried to make both dedications. We missed both. We did make the ranch in time. I have to stop and applaud Ray and Virginia Walker and their family. They own the land where the Abernathys once had their ranch. It was very generous of them to open their home to so many people. If you ever meet them, I don't think you would be surprised. They're great people.
We met so many people. A lot more knew of us than we did them. Everybody in Frederick made us feel very welcome. Melody made the comment one time that so many people want a one word answer to the question, "What are you doing?" So it's a little difficult to answer when we have a whole story to tell. It was super today, though, because everybody got to talk to their heart's content about those adventurous Abernathy boys.
We got to ride with many others today to move some cattle. Rocky was being a little toot from the moment I prepared to mount. Steve took him aside and "gave him a little talkin' to." I wondered if he was acting like he was (Rocky...hee hee) because there were so many horses around. Then again, that didn't really make sense because he's such a little socialite. Remember, in the beginning he got the nickname "Gabby" because he talked to every horse we met. We decided perhaps he was just showing off. Melody and I agreed that, as inexperienced cattle drivers, we would lag behind. Every once in a while we could yell "Get along little dogies" in the hope that people would think we were actually helping. So now we get back to Rocky wanting to be a little toot. It was only moments before we were at the very front. This would seem okay for a while, at least until cattle appeared. Then my plan was to backpeddle the best I could. Brad, Marla and Steve's son, came running up behind us on Cherokee one time. It got Rocky to dancing around pretty good. Steve yelled out to me to just kick him. I kicked and pulled on the reins at the same time. Rocky, bless his heart, would probably become mentally deranged if he had to put up with me much longer. At this point, he just kind of stomped his feet and shook his head. Then we sort of got back on track for a while. We didn't have another "major" event until closer to the end of the drive. I actually got some of the cattle to move along. And I'm sure it had nothing to do with the zillion horses coming in behind me! Konner rode beside me most of the time. Grandma tried to stay nearby. Konner was pretty enthusiastic about rounding up the herd. He did a great job! It was close to the end when some of the cattle took a detour through some brush. It was exciting watching the real cowboys race after them. Man, were they fast! Next thing you know, the entire herd decided to go the same way. Guess who stood between the cattle and the shortcut. You guessed it. Me and Rocky. Did he appreciate this experience? Absolutely not. I tried to turn him in another direction, but he didn't want those critters behind him either. That was the second time I had to try to keep up with Rocky's fancy footwork. We did arrive in one piece. After relating the drive to Marla, she put it into perspective with a grin on her face, "You didn't want it to be boring, did you?"

Crossroads Ranch at Last!

I got up early on Saturday...you know that is quite a thing for me to do...it was almost like the feeling you have at Christmas....the big day finally arrived...Donna and I would actually go to the Crossroads Ranch, home of Bud, Temple, and Jack! And not just go there, but ride horses around the ranch and have the opportunity to talk to Marilyn, Temple's daughter..... But there was much excitement before then.... When I got up early, I logged on to the computer and started typing, and all of a sudden the computer just went black!!! and yes, this is the brand new computer...just 8 or 9 days old.....I was so upset....it seemed to ruin the whole drive from Vernon to Frederick...I did have a little fun as I pointed out the RED RIVER---reminding Donna that we had been in Texas the night before... We arrived at the Walker home in time to see the Mule Wagon heading out to the Crossroads ranch....They tried to distract me from the business of the computer, but I must confess I was very upset...finally, we were on our way into Frederick to take some pictures of the horses and us at the courthouse with the beautiful sculpture of Bud and Temple, and yes, Mike, they are just about my size! Sharon was there and a couple of people from the Frederick newspaper....very funny when they ask us to "move over just a bit" for the picture while we are on our horses, just doesn't know how inexperienced we are! We managed to look pretty good, and I think all the people there captured some pretty good pictures.... We were getting pretty hungry so we headed south and went to the Mexican Restaturant, Los Arcos,--great food by the way! As soon as we finished, the rest of the Hewitt bunch rolled into town. While Steve and Marla waited for them to eat, Donna, Matt and I headed east of Frederick to the new historical marker marking the spot Jack caught the wolf with Teddy Roosevelt looking on. Before we made it out of town, I spotted a red convertible mustang, and thought " how fun...oh that looks like my mom's car, oh, that is my mom and dad!" The went with us to the historical marker and then on to the one that marks the Crossroads Ranch. It was nice to see them and have them be a small part of our trip.... At the ranch, they stayed long enough to see that I really was on the horse! I know they aren't the only people who can't believe it. It was really good to see Mike when we pulled up to the historical marker east of Frederick...although he has Harold, the cat, at home, I think he misses us too! Thank you very much for coming and being a part of this day, Mike....I appreciate the effort it took for you to get to Frederick and glad you were there to share this experience with me! What a fun day it was! The Crossroads Ranch is 4 miles off of the highway, and the Walker's had placed fun signs welcoming the guests along the way...they were done in the style of the old Burma Shave adds...really a fun way to get the day started!
I don't even know how to begin to describe the feelings I had as we drove into the ranch.....lots of questions were rolling around my mind, like where was the house, and what was their favorite part of the ranch, did any of these trees grow along the river when the boys were alive, and does it look the same, or different now???? Just by looking around, you understood why Sam Bass was such a great horse on the Red River--he had grown up along this part of a fork of the Red River--he knew his way around the river bottom...It was very peaceful...and just a feeling of amazement about the Walker family for their generosity in welcoming family and strangers alike onto their property, so that this piece of Oklahoma and American history can be remembered and celebrated! Thank you so much Ray and Virginia! Mrs. Kent Walker was riding beside me for a little stretch of the cattle drive, and it was so heart-warming to hear her talk to her young son, age 4 or 5, about the reason they let all of the people come out to their ranch to celebrate the great adventures of Bud and Temple, and to let others know what great boys they were. What a super family! Thank you for the hospitality. I was riding CC during the cattle drive....I will say that he is a great horse, but not as smooth as Patriota and Little John...we got along great though....except for the times the mule wagon came by.....he hated the wagon and wanted to move himself far from it...I must confess that during the cattle drive, I had to concentrate on riding so much that I didn't think about Bud and Temple too much... LOL But I did think that being a cowboy in search of lost calves would be a very lonely occupation...lots of long days and nights away from others... When we were almost finished with the cattle drive, the mule wagon went around us again, and I spied Marilyn! It was very good to see her, and it gave me an instant energy boost. She was so wonderful to talk to....definitely not a reserved person....I can tell she is as adventurous as her Dad....we were able to pose for a great picture with her and Representative Don Armes!! Later in the day we were able to sit and visit and let Matt roll the video camera while she talked about her dad! An unexpected treat was to meet Temple's granddaughter Lynn---what a sweet friendly lady....she had wonderful stories about the love her grandpa (Temple) had for his wife...what a super legacy to leave for your family....She also shared that going to Uncle Bud's house meant that they spent a lot of time in the library, because he had lots and lots of books in his house. Thank you so much Marilyn and Lynn for being so open and sharing your stories with me! Another highlight was getting to sit in the BRUSH ! Thank you so much for that privilege..... All I can say about that is it was "so cool" to sit in the same model that Bud and Temple drove from NY.....you know they had so much fun..... The one in Frederick is in mint condition...a beautiful red just like the boys' car.....The entertainment and dinner were outstanding! Leaving was extremely difficult, but I am already looking forward to next year and seeing my new friends once again! We will be calling you Ray to check in and tell you what is going on......Saturday night we stayed in Apache--Matt crawled in at grandmother's but we stayed at the Countryside Inn....we ate a quick bite at Sonic for breakfast...and then went to G and P's so Matt could get started on his trip to Dallas....Reading the Lawton Constitution on Sunday was a great treat! There was so much coverage of the Crossroads Ranch Reunion and our trip! Thanks so much Zeke! We loved talking to you.... The rest of the day Donna and I took it pretty easy...I even took a little nap...we visited Aunt Barbara, Gage, Julie and Justin! It was really nice sitting outside and getting a breeze at your house.....
More storms in northern Oklahoma.....glad we aren't in a tent out in the weather! More soon....

Other People's Stories

Here is a poem written by a man we met while in Cache, Oklahoma. Thank You Jerry for letting us post your poem it is wonderful.




The Angels
By Jerry Harwood for Herbert Woesner

The Angels came to visit today
They carried the soul away
Of a gentle man away.
Into the Heavens so far above
He flew there with them
On the wings of God’s love

A soft-spoken man
With a heart of gold,
Who’s time had come
He had simply grown old.

He is at peace far from here and
In our memory
He will always be near.

We shouldn’t be sad and he
Wouldn’t want us to cry,
For he will be with us always
As the years go by.

Just a quick note

Just a quick note about yesterday. We came to the conclusion that the horses got new shoes, Melody got new shoes, and I got new shoes. I'd like to say we're all looking snazzy, but the heat does show by the end of the day! Something new today...I tried a Mint Mocha Chip Frappucino at Starbucks. I finally ventured away from Folgers. My sense of adventure is climbing. I am always hoping to meet new, interesting people. Today we met Rose at the Bianco Italian restaurant. She and her husband, who has now passed away, opened the restaurant 56 years ago. She was born in Naples, Italy, and moved to the U.S. when just a baby. She lived in Amsterdam, up-state New York, until she and her husband moved to Lawton, OK. Developers are trying to get her to close down, but she is hanging tight. You go, girl! The food was absolutely wonderful. We returned to Melody's grandparents to spend the night. It was storming outside. I had lost my journal yesterday and finally found it after the storm. It was on the ground and survived the storm. For all of you who know me well, I have a shocker for you. I ate THREE helpings of fruit!
Today we went to the Visitors' Center at the Wichita Mountains. We took pictures of bison along the road. They didn't particularly enjoy being photographed. They aimed their backsides whenever possible. Think they were trying to make a point? We also visited Prairie Dog Town. The sign said not to feed them people food, but one of them found a cracker on the ground and started to chow down. Cute. I wasn't going to be the one to try to take it away! Again on the road we went to see the heart-shaped rock. We found it right away. We had to find a path to stand next to it. I thought I was lost, but standing right next to it, I couldn't tell it was the right rock from my viewpoint. We did see flowers that seemed to grow out of the rocks. The only thing I could think of that would explain it was we had learned that lichen is a combination of algae and fungi that eventually turns the rock to soil. I don't know how long is takes, but I'm thinking that process allowed the little flowers to grow. We were supposed to get samples of some rocks. I was game to grab whatever was nearby, but was informed that there are certain places you can't just help yourself, so we had to wait.
We finally made our way to Frederick.First thing we saw was the Brush. Boy, was it shiny! We also got to see the exhibit in the barn of the Abernathy boys. Jack, head of the historical society, gave us a tour of a house from the 1920s. One thing we want to do is to compare technology of now with the time the boys went on their adventure. This just gave us an opportunity just to compare everyday technology of the home.
We met the boys who had ridden from Blanchard. We had followed their progress in the newspapers and were really excited to meet them in person. We toured the house together and later toured the Crawford Collection. If ever in Frederick, one needs to see this. Animals from all over. We learned that some hunting is not necessarily just for sport. There is a conservation aspect to it also. Bill Crawford could explain this better. The whole collection is amazing. The really hard part was the "DO NOT TOUCH" signs. Logically, this made a lot of sense, but, really, where else will I ever get to feel the fur of a polar bear? I have to admit there was a struggle going on inside me. Parts of me regrets not copping a feel, but another part feels good for doing the right thing! I finally got to meet Sharon Bennett. She is the person we talked with over the phone for the radio interview, but I had never met her in person. One more person to add to my list of people I am happy I met along our journey. I know she has put in a lot of time on tomorrow's events and I'm sure everything will go great! We learned the Cosby boys wrote to President Bush three times about riding horses with him on his ranch. Apparently,they have received no response, Melody and I sent separate letters to George and his wife. Where is Teddy Roosevelt when you need him? Sure, the present's busy, but one would think he could at least manage a "my man will call your man" scenario...you know, at least a form letter. I figure it would be great if someone had a number to the white house to call and say, "Hey, come meet three groups of people, ordinary people doing extraordinary things."
Yeah! Marla and Steve arrived with the horses. Rocky and Patriota were two of the six brought down.Rocky is still huge and as beautiful as ever! I hope I get to ride him tomorrow! I can't wait!
I looked at the stars tonight. They aren't as bright as the nights we camped out.

Thursday and Friday

It was so nice waking up Thursday morning at the Swandarosa and the cool breeze rustling in the trees....We slept a little later than the beginning of the trip...what a treat... We made our way to Grandmother and Papa's house. Hot bacon, eggs, and toast were a real treat to us....Donna had a new experience---orange marmalade--and she liked it! I returned the key to the Swandarosa, mailed some letters, and set up a time to give the book to the Apache Library while Matt and Donna stayed at G & P's. Of course Grandmother had a great lunch for us....ham, potato salad, cantaloupe, and watermelon...Thanks...after lunch we headed to Lawton to get some new shoes for Donna and the car....it took a while so we sat at Starbucks and used the wifi...It was probably about 5:00 before we left, and then we had to go to Atwoods. We drove out to the Visitor Center in the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge, but it closed at 6:00...so after a few minutes of looking around we decided to put it on our list for Friday....We decided to go back to Cache and try to take a picture of Quannah Parker's house.... Well, we were in for a treat...we met some nice people sitting on the porch of the Trading Post...Jerry and Mickey from Lawton....they introduced us to Wayne, who gave us a tour of the Star House, Quannah's Home. This house was once a part of an amusement park called Eagle Park in Cache. I remember going to the amusement park when I was a kid.... The best part of seeing the house to me was the fact they have an original dining table in the house. They have a list of people that were guests at the table. It includes many of the people that are connected to the Abernathy story....Charles Goodnight and Burk Burnett are two examples....Thanks for the tour Wayne! A storm seemed to be approaching, but from the radar it didn't look like it would hit just yet, and since we were starving, we decided to grab a bite to eat in Lawton. Since we are trying to get to know locals in the places we visit, I suggested we eat at Bianco's.....This restaurant has been in Lawton since 1952.....they introduced pizza to Lawton......What a wonderful meal we had.....the garlic dressing is so delicious. We were able to visit with the owner....Rose Bianco....she told us several stories about her family and how she ended up in Lawton....How lucky Lawton is to have such a great lady.....So after getting absolutely stuffed, we headed north to Apache to spend the night with Grandmother....We knew that it was storming to the north, but we thought we would make it there before the storm hit....but I was wrong....when we were about 9 miles south (porter hill) the wind and the rain hit....Matt says that it is the 3rd hardest rain that he has ever seen....the wind was blowing so hard the rain looked like it was falling in horizontal sheets instead of falling vertically......I had been talking to Mike when it hit, but I quickly hung up so I could put two hands on the wheel....finally we arrived at G & P's and made a mad dash for the door....their large pecan tree provided quite a bit of protection from the driving rain.....I was very thankful Apache did not receive the hail that many other parts of the state received---Thomas had a horrible hail storm--I am thankful the Kliewer's are okay despite losing many windows in their home.
Thanks G and P for providing a place for us to rest Thursday night......
I slept in a little of Friday morning...8:00 Am....We had a light breakfast...more fruit for Donna...she says her body is going into shock! We made a pitstop at Mom and Dads before leaving Apache....it was fun to show off the pictures and see what they are doing with their decorations--good to see the giant rock again....At last though, we headed to Frederick...We did stop at the visitor center again... learned lots of things, and picked up the DVD of the wolf hunt....
After leaving we saw buffalo and lots of prairie dogs.....I think we were able to take lots of good pictures of the buffalo, but I haven't looked at them yet..I am thankful that Matt insisted we stop at the heart shaped rock...it really is worth the small hike...hope the pics turn out.. and get uploaded soon..we stopped at Joe and Linda Chebatah's house in Indiahoma.....thanks for the hospitality....Outside of Synder we saw some foals and colts...of course we stopped and took some picks...But at last, we arrived in Frederick...We went to the courthouse to see the statue of Bud and Temple...but we were distracted by the shiny red car over at the museum! And yes, they had the Brush out polishing it and making it shine for tomorrow......The Bud and Me display is so well done....the map and pictures are definitely first class! We met Virginia Walker there. We were in for another treat--the Crawford Collection! Bill Crawford and Ray Walker gave us a personal tour! I told him that when we see the Smithsonian we can say they don't have anything better than the Crawford Collection. It is a tremendous collection of big game from around the world....thank you so much for sharing it with us....We were able to go with the Cosby boys...these boys rode from Blanchard to Frederick with their dad...Way to go guys....We took Ray Walker up on his offer to house the horses at his place...thank you so much...it will make tomorrow easier logistically.... Sharon Bennett loading us up with all the things we need for the rest of our trip...Thanks Frederick Chamber and Tillman Historical Society..you have helped us so much with our trip, and we appreciate all you have done.....We met many other people today..we are double checking names and will give more of a report tomorrow after the big day...am really looking forward to meeting all of the people at the dinner....glad that the Hewitts arrived safely with the horses...was fantastic to see Rocky and Patriota again....will go see Little John when I get home...