Days Five and Six... But In Reverse

 

For some reason, Blogger would only let me post these pictures in reverse order. I could have corrected it by adding them all one at a time but since it probably doesn't matter to those of you who weren't on our trip, I decided to go the easy route and just leave them in reverse order. Above on our final day, we stopped at one of many Route 66 stops where they had an Ark above in pretty poor condition and a better conditioned whale below.

As we stretched our legs and posed for pictures, at these largely deserted sites, I told me family all about Route 66 and what it was like back even before my time.

Prior to Route 66, we spent an afternoon at an aquarium in Tusla at the request of my daughters. One of the exhibits has a bunch of seahorses hanging around. I couldn't help but wonder if it is socially acceptable to ask a male seahorse if they are pregnant or if that is just a beer gut.

No surprise that my kids love the large jellyfish exhibits the most. For the most part, I did too. I was amazed at how clean all the aquarium glass was for being in the middle of the afternoon. In most aquariums I have been to over they years, it would be nothing but oily handprints and snotty nose prints by then.

Evidently a fish lost in deep thought.

Although I wouldn't have known this at their age, my kids definitely knew and informed me that this was a Lion fish.

Prior to the aquarium and a lunch with an old schoolmate of mine, we stopped at an art museum of sorts. It had lots of paintings but also art displays which I tend to enjoy the most. Above is a Buckeye burl which the woodworker in me was highly envious.

This art display really grabbed my attention.

I'm not really big on old paintings of various historical people and scenes but this painting of the Grand Canyon spoke to me enough that I snapped a quick picture of it.

I'm guessing this was Medusa?

The museum was located in the Phillbrook Mansion, in a part of town full of huge mansions and perfectly manicured lawns. I really felt self conscious driving my old dirty minivan through the gates to get to this now art museum but I'm glad I did.

The day before, we ended up the day with a drive through a huge wildlife reserve where we got to see lots of bison.

The visitor's center was permanently closed for reasons I never saw explained but it was an enjoyable way to spend a hot windy afternoon.

Another place I put my foot down and told my wife we could stop if that is what she wanted was in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, home of the Pioneer Woman cooking show. Above is her actual filming studio/lodge/guest accomodations. 

Same place from the outside.

Same place but of the view overlooking their ranch which according to them, is comprised of "less than 100,000 acres" of owned and leased lands. The question answering people were rightfully cagey on some of their responses to protect the privacy of the family.

I was ticked by the "Robbery Alarm" on the side of this bank in Pawhuska but later learned that it was the site of two robberies in a single day so perhaps it was warranted. 

Getting to the Pawhuska courthouse is not for the mobile challenged. This was about half the steps required to get there from Main Street.

Of course downtown Pawhuska was another tourist trap place but fortunately for us anyway, not nearly as crowded as the one in Waco. We got here first thing in the morning before it was crowded so there were no lines at the bakeshop or the mercantile when we visited them. After visiting the bison, we stopped in again to see about a very late lunch or early supper but by then it was a lot more crowded and we were told it would be about three hours to seat us so we just continued on down the road.

This post as I mentioned earlier was in reverse but had it been in regular order, this would be the point where I would say we decided we had enough of traveling and eating out and so pointed our vehicle home and arrived there that evening safe and sound.