7/1/09

Going On A Bear Hunt


We made a stop in at Arbuckle Wilderness near Davis, OK this week. It was time to introduce Sebastian to the joys of aggressive ostrich and ornery camels. Arbuckle Wilderness is a wildlife park that you can drive through to observe and feed animals that aren't native to Oklahoma, minus the bison and deer. My cousins and I have fond memories of trips through the park involving bitten fingers, being chased by ostriches when we got out of the car, being licked by a giraffe, and having to push a vintage station wagon uphill for several yards. Fond memories.


Note the bison above. Some might call them buffalo. Unless you went to OBU.


This was taken two seconds before this ostrich had its head in the car searching my personal space for feed. If my family hadn't been laughing hysterically, I may have peed my pants. When I was about one year old, my parents took me on this same drive with similarly crazed ostriches and my curiosity earned me a bitten finger. They tell that story every summer.



This is Sebastian sticking his head through the sun roof trying to show the rhinos that he had a picture of a rhino on his shirt. They weren't much bothered. And yes, we let him sit in the front on the console as we drove 8 miles an hour through the park.

Brett was finally able to join us on vacation! We're gearing up for birthday number 3 on the 4th of July and hoping the 100 degree weather won't keep us from enjoying the outdoor parts. Sebastian is getting a Thomas the Train birthday this year and has requested chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate ice cream, and fireworks and that boy is going to get it all.

Off to ride the train at the park. Because we love trains.

18 comments:

bryn alexandra said...

I passed this when driving from my hometown of Plano, Texas to my college town of Norman, Oklahoma probably a million times, but never stopped. I'm now so bummed I never did! It looks like such a great time.

smauge said...

Little boys are something else aren't they? only they would think that the rhino would be able to understand let alone SEE the pic on his shirt! Hilarious!

RachelDenbow said...

brynalexandra,

My cousins' and their family live in Plano, which is where we were for the recent wedding. There are SO many restaurants in Plano!

Anonymous said...

So adorable!

Jenn Grigoryev (jenn of all trades) said...

aren't 4th of july birthdays fun? our soon-to-be four year old still thinks all the fireworks are just for him. it will be kind of sad once he realizes there's another holiday involved...

Our Green Nest said...

Oh gosh, I have unpleasant memories of that growing up! :) Hope he has a wonderful birthday!

Waxy said...

That's awesome! I remember when my parents took me to a place like that when I was young - good times!

Lindsay said...

Love the Thomas the Train Birthday Party theme... Husband & I are TTC, would love to have a boy to have a Thomas Birthday!

Big Yellow Dog said...

That giraffe is cracking me up! We have a place about an hour north of our little town that houses wild-life and they always have a big field of bison--and sell bison burgers in their little cafe. An ostrich got into my moms personal space and ate a piece off of her camera on one trip.

Unknown said...

This looks like so much fun!

...on the brink of something beautiful said...

seems like a lot of fun!!

a couple years back my friends and i went to montana and saw bison for the first time. my friend ryan made a shirt that says "I heart bison". i thought it was a cute idea. haha

mrs boo radley said...

Giraffes are my absolute favorite!

Hope you have a fabulous birthday celebration with your boy.

Joy said...

Oh, man. The Arbuckle Wilderness was a source of traumatic memories of animals when I was a child. I think my brother loved it, but I was truly terrified. Those animals ARE really aggressive!

katie said...

that looks like soooo much fun! they have a similar park in arizona, but i've never been.

<3katie

Annette D said...

I used to live in Edmond, OK but never made it to Arbuckle. We used to go to Sulpher to the reservoir there.

Suzanne said...

looks like fun! what a great summer activity :)

i've always found ostriches to be an equal combination of cute/weird/scary!

Anonymous said...

Rachel, I just adore the way you word your posts. They are always such a treasure to read :) Man, that little boy of yours looks like he is getting BIG, and FAST! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and Sebastian has the best birthday ever :)

Karen xx

Kamisaurus said...

If I was the rhino I would so stoked about a little boy wearing a picture of me on his shirt!