The Best of Boulder comes to Enid

Last weekend little brother Jimmy came to town in an act of spontaneity and academic rebellion. Naturally, I wouldn't waste an outdoor adventure opportunity with a strong climber around - so after an uncomfortable night at the bars - we made an early departure to the Ozarks.

We made the most of our brief time together at a goat-herding dude ranch in northwestern Arkansas. Repeating such classics as Strong Man, Green Goblin, Love Slave, Greatest Show on Earth, and African Herbman.

Of course, the better 2/3rds of Randalf came in toe. The lover and the goat-chaser, admired great heights and local fauna. Making for an all together complete weekend.

I'm not reinventing the past

. . . I'm just slow to retell it.

Round one:

25 September 2010

The Randalf crew conquered an adventure race at Vance Air Force Base. Dressed in tartan kilts and war-painted with blue - in Braveheart likeness - we fought for freedom and proved victorious and finished first on the fields of friendly strife that fine fall morning.

http://www.vance.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123224372

Yes, Keri and Andrew - through excruciating craftsmanship - made the kilts for the party.

"Was it everything you were expecting?"

Asks Keri as we drive away from the grass parking lot, Farris Wheel, and funnel cakes. "I think so," I honestly replied, "I'm really not sure what I was expecting."

The Oklahoma State Fair is in many ways the premier event in Oklahoma and also where we spent the better part of our Saturday. And being that it was a fair and carnies being the people they are, Andrew was tempted into trading his better judgement for pride in a bid to win his lovely lady a prize.

When Andrew failed, Keri traded her better judgement for an attempt to show Andrew up in throwing skills. In the end, the carny was the only winner.

Looking to reconcile his pride, Andrew quickly sought a carny that peddled a game he would have a better chance of winning.

Brawn for brawn the Randalf lovers proved equally matched in a demonstration of Marine Core fitness. Winning a water bottle and key-chain for their efforts.

Goaded by Andrew, I abandoned my modesty and looked up to the unnecessarily high bar. In this moment I recalled the two previous times I've tested my lats for a Marine. Once because my father wanted to prove how strong his eight year old was and the second time later in high school in an effort to impress a girl. Now once again, here I was - high bar and Marine - tasked to win Andrew a shirt. In the 45 seconds that followed, I learned doing pull-ups to win a shirt is a whole lot easier than doing pull-ups to win a heart.

So I'm not really sure what I was expecting from the state fair - but after eating enough funnel cake and smelling enough stockyard animals - you stop thinking do deeply and just reflect pleasantly, thankful this kind of thing only happens once a year.

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch

So I've lived in Enid, OK, for just over a year now. This special anniversary was marked by the in coming academy kids - graduating class of FY2010 - recently making their way out into the "real Air Force" at Vance AFB. Their arrival - of course - makes me, officially, no longer the absolute bottom of the officer core.

Not yet worn down into complacency by oppressive Oklahoman heat, a new comer, 2LT Sam Peplin (a former Tiger Ten-er) invited me to come climb with him in Arkansas at the Horseshoe Canyon Ranch.

I had nothing else going on, so I said "yes."

So the Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is a goat-herding dude ranch named for an exposed 60' sandstone cliff band that encloses the property somewhere in the Ozark mountains. In recent years, climbers have tapped the sport climbing potential of the area and provided numerous classic routes for the region. The quality of the climbing attracted weekend warriors from states as far away as Texas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Minnesota (Sam) and Colorado (me).

The rock was a super solid, uniquely featured, brilliantly colored sandstone similar to Horse Pens 40 in Alabama. Incredible stuff.

Nearby, Kyle's Landing, a national forest river access point provided a serene post-climbing soak in the warm, clear water. Positively sublime.

After three days of climbing, I'm now physically exhausted but super stoked for sending Love Slave (5.12a) on my third try amongst other remarkable routes.

The weekend proved productive for all members of 2901. Andrew and Keri finally found an affordable priced, aesthetic, and most importantly soild dining table from the good folks at K-Mart. They put their purchase to immediate use, serving a Meadowlake duck Andrew caught and broiled for dinner.

The stink of his mess permeates the house. A rather vile predicament for a snobby vegetarian.

Mamah Papah and Bekah

Last weekend the Morrises visited Enid America, generously spending their time with the Randalf crew. Together we toured northern Oklahoma seeing new and old sights for the first time. From walking through a Philanthropic oil tycoon's estate to watching a field of chaffed-wheat burn under the night sky, it was a pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful family.

A New Yorker, the Toner, Selenium, and Waynoka

So what of the track select results for the better half of Randalf? On Thursday night, Andrew with nervous anticipation and much trepidation leading up to the evening - finally received the Air Forces' blessing - and will be flying the T-1, a friend, an instructor, and a coffee-maker for the next couple of months.

He was pretty excited.

Soon it was Matty's turn to fly the T-6. With a little baby-aero instruction and cockpit orientation - we strapped a jet to the kid and he took off.

He did good.

Saturday afternoon we left for a better part of Oklahoma: the salt flats, for some crystal extraction. With lightening looming not far away - Andrew ensured expeditious crystal scavenging.

With a little help, Matty eventually tore open the earth in the right spot, reached into the red clay and removed his prize: a selenium crystal.

Later, for dinner we ventured further west to Waynoka - a remote cluster of houses and roads resembling a small town - that happened to have a German restaurant with an utter disregard for beer laws in Oklahoma.

Always the gentleman, Andrew assisted Keri back to the car - across the slippery mainstreet.

Matty is now currently up in the air - on his way back to New York, the future, and his membranes - I can't wait to see him in another 6-12 months from now.

Be careful what you wish for

I got T-38's

. . . that's a good thing.

Formation Solo'd, Today!

As of today, I've only nine more flights remaining.

The Long Road East and Walking a Fine Line

Joey - newly engaged! - and I followed the shortest stretch of pavement back to Enid after our respective FourthofJuly adventures in Colorado. It still took 10ish hours, one book-on-CD, and two pizzas but we found our way home, chasing a storm through Kansas all the way.

So it's been a dream of mine to own a slackline - a taunt, thin piece of webbing strung tightly between two trees - and now! it's a reality.

Andrew tests his balance and proves the current Randalf record holder for longest time on the line (9 seconds and one step forward).

Monster

This cat has no shortage of personality or rambunctiousness.

Two Milestones, One Day

It only took four short months for my stargazer lilies find maturity and bloom . . .

. . . and one eternity of - looking only inside the cockpit - flying tedious, treacherous instruments. But the headache is over and I'm instrument complete!

What's next?: FORMATION! I am sooo psyched, I can't even believe it.

A Monster Sleeps

Fatter and furrier than ever before, Monster remains just as awkward awake or in sleep.

Wichita for the Day

Wichita - while no further away than Tulsa or Oklahoma City - remained elusive to the Randolf crew (a political demarcation held fast the mental perspective of relative metropolitan proximity) until this weekend. And just like any other city - in lieu of better, local guidance - my choice destinations were: a botanical garden, an art museum, and the local coffee shop.

The Wichita Botanica gave all the satisfaction I've come to expect from a mid-west municipal garden. A rather delightful jaunt in just-tolerable heat and humidity.

A small sector of tranquil, fragrant lavender shared a separate perspective of the weather. The peaceful aroma gave hint to an unparalleled content with Kansas' hot, wet air.

The red-spotted purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis) beared no issue with her enclosurement amongst a small field of rich nectared flowers of modest color and bloom - perfectly suited to enrapture the insects from chrysalis to wing'd form.

Less modest and in full bloom, day lilies were plentiful elsewhere in the gardens.

Fixated with nurturing life in a relegated and postponed maternal affection this indefatigable and relentless displaced emotional outpour was focused intently towards the recent progeny of transient geese in a local riverside park.

Earth Day, Everyday

Feeling possessed to leave an indelible mark on Randolf, I planted a tree in our front yard today. A blue spruce - the Picea pungens - Colorado's conifer. I hope it takes to Oklahoma as well as I have.

2010 Okeene Diamondback Roundup

Rural Oklahoma celebrated its 71st Diamondback Rattlesnake Roundup today, the world's original and oldest hunting event of its kind. 5,000 snakes were captured and caged in Okeene, Oklahoma - about 30mi from Enid - then transmuted to belts and novelty meat. The locals love it - vegetarians, not so much.