OOOOOOOKLAHOMA!

We got our first taste of the windy west in Oklahoma.  We’ve been “out” one full week now and we were greeted with cool winds which made us grab jackets.  Driving in on Wednesday from Arkansas, you could tell when you crossed the state line, the Ozarks disappeared and were replaced with rolling hills and constant pastures for horses and cows. 

The River Resort Campground (Good Sam) was a BIG disappointment.  Though it rated 8’s and 9’s in our book (out of 10), shabby and crowded were the words that come to mind.  If I chose to sit at our picnic table, I would virtually be in our neighbor’s bedroom… or could at least touch his slide out!!  Dave did one of those “I told you so’s”… meaning he should have checked it out on Google Earth and not just go by what I read in the in the book!!  But there are “slim pickin’s” in Bartlesville and it will have to do.  And it does have good internet and is convenient.

Bartlesville is one of my “finds” from TSI excursions.  I had enjoyed the town when I was here 2 years ago training on the Osage Nation and wanted David to see the Frank Lloyd Wright “skyscraper” in town.  We got in just in time to go down to the Tower for a drink and supper in the Copper Lounge.  The next morning we got up leisurely and went back to the Tower for the 11 am tour.  The building was built for the Price Company Headquarters.  Originally Wright designed it for NYC, but the depression had him shelve the design.  At 19 stories the building had 2 floors of retail, eight 2 story apartments, office space for rent and 3 floors for the Price Headquarters.  NYC apartments were not a hit in a little Bartlesville, so only the corporate apartment remains.  The rest were converted to office space, and have now been reconverted to a hotel.  On the tour we got to see the top 3 floors with the corporate apartment, Copper Lounge, and Mr. Price’s office.  The lowest 2 floors are gallery spaces.  Like all Wright buildings, it had water issues.  (He put huge planters in Mr. Price’s office with no drains!!) And the secretaries hated the chairs he designed.  When he found out, he suggested they hire new secretaries!!!   The copper clad outside is meant to mimic tree leaves and is exquisite.   In the foyer, Mr. Wright wanted a blank wall and Mr. Price wanted a mural.  They compromised on a gold leaf lettered quote from Walt Whitman… except Mr. Wright made it up from phrases from Whitman and words “he should have said.”  He was a genius and very arrogant!!

After lunch we went to the Phillips 66 museum.  I almost missed the panel that explained why they used 66.  They were trying out an enhanced gas on route 66 and realized they were going 66 mph and when they were brainstorming branding ideas it just clicked.  The number of patents that they hold was amazing and I was impressed that Betty Crocker was the first woman to serve on their Board of Directors, and it was in their research labs that post-its were born.

Here are some pictures I didn't link to previous posts, but might be fun to share:

Parking meter in Memphis

Dave's toilet seats in Memphis!

Deb Sees Rock City

Listening to Blues in BB Kings

Architecture at Crystal Bridges

Barge on the Mississippi