Permanent SAG

Bluff Landing

We arrived in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, about a week ago. Isn't it amazing what can change in just one week?

After a nine-hour drive from Austin on Thursday last week, we finally reached our destination: Our hometown of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. We exited the highway and immediately headed for our favorite campsite, Bluff Landing, on the Verdigris River. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll remember Bluff Landing is where we first camped when starting this adventure. Consort and I were both exhausted from the long day, and the pups were ready to get out of the truck and stretch their legs.

The road going to Bluff Landing is barely a two-lane road. With the F-350 and fifth wheel, we pretty much take up the entire road. There are trees and brush that line either side of the road leaving no shoulder. We were completely surprised when we reached the entrance to Bluff Landing; there was a chain preventing entrance into the park and a sign that read, Park closed for repairs until further notice. Bluff Landing is not a park that takes reservations, it's strictly first come, first served, so we had no idea the park was closed. We were not expecting to park in our favorite site, but we knew there would be many other available sites to choose from. The last thing we expected was for the park to be closed entirely.

Realizing we could not go forward into the park left us only one alternative: Back it up. The road is terribly narrow, as I previously mentioned, and there is scarcely room for the F-350 to turn around, let alone the fifth wheel. At the entrance to the park, there are two very small and rutted roads that split off the main road. The main road leads into the park and was chained. The other two roads are not really roads at all, but old driveways that now lead to nothing. Consort was not pleased.

As consort began maneuvering the fifth wheel into the tightest turn imaginable, a white pickup pulled up beside us. We recognized the driver immediately as Michael, the maintenance man who lives onsite at Bluff Landing. He explained to us that the COE had shut the park down to work on water lines and trim trees. He told us if we would back up just a bit, he would unlock the gate and we could drive down to the campsites and turn the camper around without any problem. At the end of such an exhausting day, this was welcome news.

Allow me to digress a moment. The very first outing in the fifth wheel, we parked at Bluff Landing. I woke up in the trailer that first morning by myself, consort was still working then. It was up to me to take the dogs out for their morning nature call. I went out in my pajamas and a hoodie. I did not take my phone or keys or anything else for that matter, well, except for a roll of poop bags for the three mangy mongrels.

We strolled around the nearly empty park enjoying the morning until everyone had finished his or her business. I headed back for the trailer ready for my coffee. When I tried to open the trailer door, however, I realized the door was locked. And there was no reasonable way to break in. So there I am, locked out of the trailer, wearing pajamas, no coffee, and the wee heathen mongrels in tow.

Embracing my fate, I decided to take the dogs on a longer walk. What else was there to do? As we walked through the park, I noticed a guy down by the river. I headed over and introduced myself, then told him our predicament. He offered to lend me his phone, and I happily accepted. I called consort at work and he came to my rescue without delay.

I tell you this story to simply say that the guy who allowed me to use his phone was Michael, the same guy who opened the gate so we could turn the fifth wheel around. I think I'm going to have to bake that man some cookies.

When we were turned away from our first choice of camping, it was already early evening. Rather than trying to locate another campsite for the night, we headed over to daughter and SIL's house planning to park the trailer in the street. As we were pulling up to the house, all three grandsons and SIL were outside playing ball. The boys dropped their balls and mitts and came running down the street yelling, Hello!! I wish I'd gotten a picture of SIL's face. He remained still, as if he was frozen to the ground, but he looked as if he, too, was yelling, and I don't think it was, Hello!

We are still parked on the street in front of daughter and SIL's house. Now we're dealing with the shut-down of America due to the coronavirus. Tulsa and Broken Arrow have followed the guidelines given by the federal government. School is suspended, gyms, theaters, bowling alleys, restaurants, churches are all closed down for at least two weeks. Grocery stores are open, but the aisles are bare, as you can see from the photo above. We're basically on a two-week lockdown.

We're fine, we've landed in a good place. Daughter & Co. have opened their home to us and treat us like royalty. The dogs are happy running in the yard and playing with daughter's dog, Boomer. I hope for all of you out there that you, too, are in a good place. These are trying times for everyone. If you get the chance, help out your neighbor. You'll make yourself and someone else feel better, I promise.