Welcome back. I’ve been on the road steadily this past week and on Friday I was in Norman where Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were not only playing football on Saturday but also competing against each other in wrestling on Friday and friends it was bedlam. The Campus Corner restaurants were busy, the gift shops were full and the bars were packed. This also marked for me the last home game autographing books with my friend Joe Washington at the well-known Balfour’s clothing and gift shop. For all you Joe Washington fans we will be back at Balfour’s in February for high school signing day. Besides Joe and myself, there will be a live radio feed on OU Sports talk radio and several other legendary OU athletes will be joining in. I will bring you more details as the date gets closer.
The end of college football season marks the start of another popular sport in Oklahoma. For fisherman the cool weather means that crappie are coming close to shore and it’s time to hit your favorite heated fishing dock. Although I am no longer an avid hunter or fisherman, mostly because of my schedule, I do enjoy getting out to watch and visit. You can’t beat a good heated fishing dock in the middle of winter with blowing snow outside and the fish biting inside. Believe me it’s where fishing stories start!
If this sounds like fun Grand Lake offers three spots with heated docks that are open to the public. Blue Bluff Harbor and Resort, Indian Hills Resort and Marina and Lee’s Resort all have heated docks and provide onsite amenities like cafes and small stores where you can buy anything you have forgotten to pack. There are also cabins available for rent at all three resorts which are fully furnished, equipped with linens and silverware and all have water views. The low winter rates make it even more inviting to be at the lake even if you don’t fish. Best of all, you don’t have to clean up after yourself. If the weather permits there are boat rentals available as well. A three day getaway on a premiere lake in a beautiful cabin right on the water with staff at your disposal for well under $200 this would have to be my scoop of the week.
Of course many of the other lakes in the region offer similar facilities. Lake Eufaula has the Lake Eufaula Marina and Belle Starr Marina. Keystone Lake has Salt Creek Marina and the new Mannford ramp. At Fort Gibson there’s Cypress Cove and there’s Hudson Lake Marina on Lake Hudson. I think I’m also safe in saying that there are hundreds of privately owned heated docks on several dozen lakes just in this area of Oklahoma and Kansas.
Moving along, the date was November 12, 1919. This was the date that officially ended World War I and it was during this year that the Nazi Party was formed in Germany. In America the long dry heat summer was gone and winter was setting in. Oklahoman Will Rogers was already making the Rogers name famous in New York in his performances as the Cherokee Kid on stage, screen and radio. He also became known as a newspaper columnist and radio commentator and as a person who was friendly with royalty and celebrities but never forgot his Oklahoma roots. This is a well-known story and you might think its old news but there’s still one person alive today who breathed the same air as Will and took the same steps he did while he held her hand. At the time this little girl was not in awe of Will being a big star in the movies or his friendships with famous people all around the world. No this little girl who was born 97 years ago and who grew up in the shadow of Oklahoma’s favorite son just called him Uncle Will and if you’re looking for that special Christmas present for a Will Rogers’ fan life just got easier. “I Called Him Uncle Will” was written by Doris “Coke” Meyer who grandmother was Will’s sister. As a youngster she travelled with Will and her stories about him are told in a straight forward manner that makes you feel like you are there with the two of them. This is a good book for sure and can be a bit hard to find but it’s worth the effort. Call (214) 926-1672 for more info.
With all that I’ll say till next time I’ll see ya down the road…….
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