On to Chickasaw National Recreation Area

From Poverty Point our next stop was Barksdale AFB for two nights. Bob had some things he needed to get for the RV and we wanted to stock up at the commissary  in anticipation of hungry grand kids. We didn't take any pictures at Barksdale, but we did enjoy the sounds of freedom as B52s flew over doing touch and go landings.

When we left Barksdale, we knew we would have a long day's drive to get to Chickasaw National Recreation Area south of Sulphur, Oklahoma. We persevered and made it there late in the afternoon. Bob had checked the weather and decided to change all of our other reservations due to tornadoes and severe storms. Instead of heading north east from Sulphur after we collect the grand kids, we are going to go east into Arkansas.

Our site at Buckhorn Area was a nice long one, but not very level! We had to go buy some levelers to go under our tires and jacks to get the front high enough to make the RV level. Television reception was good, but cell phone and Internet were iffy in this area.

We arrived at Chickasaw NRA two days before we were to get Chris and DeAnna so Bob and I explored the area. This is the view from Bromide Hill.

Many of the features in the park were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. Lincoln Bridge is one of those features. It crosses Rock Creek near Vendome Flower Park.

 Veterans' Lake has a paved walking trail around it. Bob and I walked that the morning before we drove to Ft. Sill to get the kids.

 It was great to see Bobby--we hadn't seen him since his mid-tour leave from Afghanistan in May, 2012. We met him and the kids at the exchange at Ft. Sill. After a quick dinner and some together time, we packed the kids and their belongings in our car and headed back to the campground 2 hours away.

Wednesday morning we took the kids to see the sights and to work on their Junior Ranger books. One stop was at Vendome Well. You can tell from DeAnna's expression that it didn't smell very good.

 Back at the campground, we put on our water shoes and explored the shoreline near the campsites.

 Of course, there was some posing for pictures.

 Late in the afternoon the kids wanted to swim, so it was off to the lake once more.

 Chris just wanted to relax.

 DeAnna wanted to paddle around without making a wake.

 On our last day, we went to Travertine Nature Center for the kids to complete their Ranger books to earn their badges.

 Hiking the trail behind the nature center was a must. It has been very dry so the spring that should have been flowing over the rocks was dry.

We did find a crossing where we had to jump rocks to get across the creek.

Then, Buffalo Springs at the end of the trail was also dry!

 Friday was moving day--on to Kiamichi Corps of Engineer Campground on Hugo Lake near Hugo, Oklahoma.