Tag Archives: oklahoma

29 May 2019

USS Batfish

By icefogger


USS Batfish back on the water

Due to the flooding of the Arkansas River, the USS Batfish has taken once again to the water. The WWII era submarine has been landlocked since 1973 at the Muskogee War Memorial Park in Oklahoma. The flooding this year is the worst on the Arkansas since 1943, when the Batfish first entered WWII.


The normally landlocked USS Batfish

The last time the Arkansas flooded enough to float the Batfish was 1986, when the sub almost broke a line and floated away downstream. The moorings of the landlocked submarine have been strengthened since the ’86 flood, still concerns remained. When the Batfish first started to rise with the water, she was listing considerably. Firemen then filled the sub’s ballast to right the sub.


USS Batfish in service

The USS Batfish has a distinguished history. During its two years of service in WWII, the USS Batfish fired 71 torpedoes, sinking 15 ships total, officially credited with 9 Japanese ships sunk. During its sixth war patrol in the South China Sea, the Batfish and her crew sank three Japanese submarines over a 76 hour period. The Batfish received six battle stars for her WWII service.


USS Batfish back in San Francisco

For six years after WWII, the Batfish was used as a training submarine. She then went back to active duty, serving 5 years in the Korean War, spending much of her time in Caribbean waters. After Korea, she saw another decade of training exercise, before being decommissioned for a final time in November of 1969.

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22 May 2018

Jim Thorpe

By icefogger

Jim Thorpe, PA


Jim Thorpe competing in the Stockholm Olympics, 1912

Jim Thorpe is considered one of the most versatile athletes of modern times. After winning gold in both the decathlon and pentathlon in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, King Gustav V of Sweden said to Thorpe, “You sir, are the greatest athlete in the world.”

Thorpe was a collegiate All-American, NFL All-Pro & charter member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame, and played baseball with three different MLB teams. He also played for a traveling professional basketball team.


Jim Thorpe Olympic statue near Jim Thorpe, PA

When in Pennsylvania for hockey, we traveled through Jim Thorpe, PA. Originally founded as Mauch Chunk, the community made a deal with Jim Thorpe’s widow in 1953. After Thorpe’s funeral in Shawnee, OK, city officials of Mauch Chunk bought his remains from his third wife, and Thorpe’s body was shipped to Pennsylvania without the rest of the family’s knowledge.


Jim Thorpe’s tomb

I had mixed feelings about the monument to Thorpe in Penn. On one hand, the tribute, if a bit dated and weather-worn, was well done and seemed sincere. On the other hand, it was hard to get past the fact that Thorpe has become a road side attraction. Of all the turn-offs I’ve taken traveling, this one was as surreal as any.


Thorpe’s football statue at the turnout/monument

Upon receiving Thorpe’s body, the communities of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk merged and were renamed Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. His tomb was built on a mound of dirt from his native Oklahoma and from the Stockholm Olympic Stadium, where he earned international fame.

In 2010, son Jack Thorpe sued in Federal Court to have his father’s remains returned to Oklahoma. After several court rulings favoring both sides, the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 refused to hear the case, effectively ending the suit and leaving Thorpe’s remains in Pennsylvania. Jack Thorpe died in 2011.

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9 April 2013

Turney, MO

By icefogger

The wind that was blowing over my campsite last night continued to blow across the highway today. Any west to east travel forced us to battle it, but the south to north runs were a breeze. We hit I-35 north of Oklahoma City and drove that to the Kansas border, where we jumped on US 160 to do battle with the wind. North of Coffeeville, we turned onto US 169 which again took us to 35 and our crossing of the Missouri River. It’s always fun for me to cross the Mighty Missouri, but this time I was preoccupied with the maze filled with traffic.

We did hit a Turner high of 18.75 mpg in Oklahoma, but that was aided by both a tailwind and two fills of non-ethanol gasoline.

It was a long day behind the wheel, over 9 hours in fact, driving 486 miles. Some road deconstruction, lots of towns insisting on 25 mph, and early bedtimes in Missouri all played a part.

I had planned on camping again tonight at Wallace SP, but the gates were closed at 8pm, and I arrived at 8:10. I was not impressed. Who closes their gates at 8? The Show Me State. What did they show me? Closed gates. I guess I’m lucky I crossed The River by 7. Its my fault for not googling the park, but it never occurred to me that a state park would close their doors so early.

I was looking forward to another night in the tent, but hunger & temperament suggested I simply find a place to sleep for the night.

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9 April 2013

Red Rock Canyon

By icefogger

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A nice run up to Red Rock Canyon State Park, where I camped for the night. It’s the first time in almost a year that I’ve been camping with The Rover. It is a good feeling.

A beautiful night here in Oklahoma, the stars are out and a wind is blowing up above, but none is making it down here below the rocks. Kind of strange to hear the wind blow, but not to feel it.

The Rover ran extremely well today, and I felt I made good time. I spent much of the day on Hwy 281. Oklahoma did get me with a $1.50 toll tax. 281 merged with I-44 conveniently where it coincided with a toll section. I did dive off at the last free exit to keep the extortion to a minimum. One of the risks with running with a 2005 road atlas.

From the GPS:
450.5 miles traveled
48.7 mph overall avg speed
54.2 mph moving avg
8hrs 18mins behind the wheel

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25 April 2012

Back on The Road

By icefogger

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Great Plains State Park
Oklahoma

Well, we rattled our way up across the Oklahoma line from the extreme comfort of San Antonio. Overall, The Rover ran well and cruised along at 55-60 mph without a hitch until around 2pm.

It really was a beautiful day, with the skies a clear, cloud-free blue and the Texas countryside a bright green. Then the thermometer rose into the upper 80’s and the temperature gauge started to show initial signs of red.

By 2pm, it was 90. When I entered Frederick, OK it was 94, and the temp gauge was hitting 210-215 degrees. Not at all what I was hoping to see. I stopped in some Podunk town here in OK for gas, and not even the electric fuel pump could overcome the vapor lock, so I coasted into a Dollar General parking lot to cool off the motor. Leaving the electric fan running solo, I was good to go within 20 minutes. Then the throttle came loose, causing it to stick and rev the engine, but with some elaborate footwork I managed to work around that since I was only 20 miles from a cold beer and a camping spot. Not torching the fact that the engine was as hot as Hades.

The good news of the day: I filled up three times, and the mileage went up from 14.64, 15.55, and finally to 17.03 mpg. At the moment, I am dubious of the final number, but moderately encouraged none the less.

Upon arrival, I basically pulled into the first open site away from all people that I found, even though I knew this was an RV site. The host showed up to collect the fine when I was working on tightening the throttle bolt that came loose. Why does the damn thing have to be under the steering box housing? At any rate, I pleaded ignorance about being in an RV site, and the guy allowed me to stay for the tent site price. Nice guy, and he liked the Rover, although he initially thought I was from Australia. He also had a great time fishing Alaska, and that may have helped out too. He said the lake I’m camped next to has walleye, and that got my attention, but I’ll be leaving early in the a.m. to try to beat some of the heat. 100 degs
is more than likely for the next two days. Oddly enough, The Rover handles -40 much better than +100.

All the fluids have been checked, dinner has been grilled, and I’ve finished my second beer. Time to attempt to post this and then climb up into the tent to look at the maps.

Cheers

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6 December 2010

The Last State

By icefogger

 

Whenever I travel in the Plains States, I find myself wondering what this country would have been like before barbed wire, when the great bison herds roamed the land and the flocks of passenger pigeons darkened the skies.  I started the day with this thought as I looked out at the grasslands, and the road ahead gave me constant reminders, which allowed for good RoverZoning.  And that, allows the miles to roll away.
The wind from yesterday was gone so the road through Oklahoma was calm and the Series ran extremely well.  We hit 19.1 mpg, which has increased our DMR (Desperate Miles Range), when the stars, planets, wind and grade all line up perfectly, to  515 miles.  I can live with that, although I’m 1000 miles short of the number other trekkers are willing to tolerate.

I crossed the Red River into Texas today.  It hit me that, if all goes well, this is the last U.S. state I will see for a while.  Let’s hope that all goes well.
After all the years of seeing moose in my backyard, the sight of a leaping whitetail buck still causes my heart to race.  So does the sight of a small doe walking out onto the highway into my headlight beam.
The Rover rocks like a boat when the brakes are slammed with excessive force.  But the Rover does stop.

 

 

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