Wheeler Dealers Camping Club visits Topeka, KS
/Wheeler Dealers members gather for a group photo following the September campout at Melvern Lake. SUBMITTED.
Mystery meals, Flights over Topeka, and supper in a Magical Forest were the highlights of the September Wheeler Dealers Camping Club monthly campout at Melvern Lake, KS hosted by Cecil and Linda Sparks.
Thursday evening was supper in the Magical Forest, dubbed this area of a nature trail near the campground by host Linda Sparks. The group gathered under the trees with various finger foods prepared by Linda Sparks and Karla Hill.
Friday’s theme was “Flights in Topeka” for the flights of beer sampled and the flights of stairs climbed at the Kansas State Capitol building. Members drove to Topeka for lunch at the Iron Rail Brewery in the downtown area. Decorated as a tribute to the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad, the Iron Rail Brewery and Restaurant features various home-brewed beers with such names as Tangerine Wheat and Oktoberfest among others. For lunch, members chose from salads, sandwiches, and BBQ smoked fresh daily. Following lunch the group walked across the street to top off the meal with delicious hand-dipped chocolates from Hazel Hill Chocolates.
The meal and chocolates were walked off with a self-guided tour of the Kansas State Capitol building. Completed in 1903, the Capitol building has been restored to its early 20th-century appearance with art, sculpture, and colorful Kansas history within its walls. The 105 counties in Kansas are depicted in stone on the lobby floor. Some members chose a trip up the Cage Elevator, installed in 1923 in place of the newer modern elevators. The Governor’s Office had a sign inviting people to come in, but unfortunately the Governor wasn’t in the office at the time. The group had hoped to go on a guided dome tour, but they were cancelled so members took the self-guided Capitol tour.
Saturday was “train day.” The mystery trip took the group, sack lunches and chairs in hand, to a walking bridge in Melvern which trains pass under frequently each day. Tables and chairs were set up for members to eat their lunch and then play Mexican Train, a favorite dominoes game. When trains passed underneath members held up signs they had made saying such things as “Smile” with a smiley face and “Sooners Say HI” while waving at the engineers.
Friday evening’s mystery trip was titled “Dogs at Sunset.” A picnic area overlooking Melvern Lake featured hot dogs for supper accompanied by side dishes prepared by other Wheeler Dealers members. A beautiful sunset over the lake ended the day.
Sunday morning the group concluded the campout with the traditional pot luck breakfast followed by the monthly business meeting.
Other campouts scheduled for the year include:
October – Canton Lake hosted by Charley and Vie Bottger, Lowry and Rebecca Blakeburn, and Jon and Kathy Tippin
November – Big Hill Lake, Cherryvale, KS hosted by Cecil and Linda Sparks, Clarence and Karla Hill, and Lee and Ellen Cobb.
December – Christmas Party at the McCord Senior Center hosted by Gary and Nancy Shepard.
Wheeler Dealers monthly campouts are held weekends from March to November with only lunch or breakfast gathering in February and August and a special Christmas Party in December. Members can make their own reservations at many of the Corps lakes through recreation.gov, the Corps of Engineers reservation service.
Current members are from Bartlesville, Sand Springs, Tulsa, Nowata, Norman, and Ponca City. However, anyone is invited to join.
Persons interested in joining or knowing more about upcoming campouts should contact Lowry, president, at 580-304-5445 in Ponca City or Clarence, vice-president, at 405-612-7781 in Bartlesville.
