Wheeler Dealers visit Sand Hills State Park in April
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The Strataca Salt Museum underneath Hutchinson, KS was one of the attractions visited by members of the Wheeler Dealers Camping Club during the April campout. SUBMITTED.
Submitted by Kathy Tippin.
One never knows what the weather will be like in April in Oklahoma and Kansas. This year it was windy, but many members of the Wheeler Dealers Camping Club didn’t let it stop them from gathering for the monthly April campout at Sand Hills State Park, in Hutchinson, Kansas. This second campout of the season was hosted by Gary and Nancy Shepard, Ponca City, and Clarence and Karla Hill, Bartlesville.
As Vicki Blevins, Ponca City, said, members “blew in to Sand Hills States Park” with many arriving Wednesday and others on Thursday and Friday. The biggest challenge was setting up the club tent in the wind, which is used for visiting and playing games during the campout, according to campout host Clarence Hill.
Some spent time those first couple of days shopping and eating in nearby Buhler with lunch Wednesday at the Mustard Seed and on Thursday at LaVon’s where they enjoyed homemade breads, sandwiches, soups, pies, and cinnamon rolls. Thursday evening members gathered together in a meeting room at the nearby Fairfield Inn for finger foods and sweet treats along with stories from each camper.
Friday several members visited the Strataca Underground Salt Museum to explore 650 feet below Hutchinson. A very “interesting museum” said one of the members. They saw movie costumes and props, a self-guided tour telling about mining, and explored the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s sections of the Carey Salt Mine.
Others chose to explore other areas of Hutchinson including The Clayworks at Disability Supports where artists of all abilities find creative expression and a place to sell their work earning 100% of what it sells for. Other activities included shopping in the Amish community of Yoder with everyone meeting for dinner at the Carriage Crossing Restaurant in Yoder.
Saturday morning several members attended the annual Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale (KMRS) at the Kansas State Fairgrounds sponsored by the Mennonite, Brethren in Christ, and Amish congregations to raise funds for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a worldwide relief organization and ministry of Anabaptist churches responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice.
The day began for some with breakfast at the sale.
“They were serving a special kind of sausage for breakfast,” said Clarice Olsen, Bartlesville. “Going through the food line they asked if I wanted one or two sausages. Thinking ‘Jimmy Dean’ sausage I said two. They were so huge Lowry (Blakeburn) ate my second one.”
Others joined the Olsens and Blakeburns for the sale which included auctions of antique cars, farm machinery, toys, furniture, food, and the popular quilts, several of which went for over $3,000 each.
Saturday evening was the traditional club potluck supper with brisket provided by the campout hosts and other members bringing sides. This was followed by games of Cornhole, Mexican Train, and Yahtzee, which, according to Vicki Blevins, became “quite wild at times.”
Sunday morning the campout concluded with a potluck breakfast and business meeting. Plans were given for the May campout at Keystone State Park. Five rigs stayed an extra day and took advantage of the time to visit the Kansas Cosmosphere, a world-renowned space museum and science education center.
Most campouts are held in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, or Missouri with two or more couples planning the location and campout activities which often include visiting area attractions, eating at a local restaurant, games, and pot luck meals.
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 or travelok.com for Oklahoma State Parks. The following campouts scheduled include:
May – Keystone State Park, Keystone Lake, OK
June – Blue Bill Point, Ft. Gibson State Park, OK
July – Arrowhead State Park, Eufaula Lake, OK
August – Meet and Eat and Swim Party in Bartlesville, OK
September – Natural Falls State Park, Colcord, OK
October – Grand Lake, Grove, OK
November – Brush Creek Park, below Keystone Dam.
December – Christmas Lunch, McCord Senior Center, Ponca City, OK
Current members are from Bartlesville, Edmond, Harrah, Nowata, Norman, Owasso, Ponca City, Sand Springs, Stillwater, and Tulsa.
