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Tulsa District Record July 1997

Riding Off into the Sunset . . . But First Riding with the Rangers

Lt. Col. Thomas M. Frendak Deputy District Engineer

As MANY OF YOU KNOW, I Wll.L BE LEAVING THE TULSA Drsnucr ON THE 29m OF JULY. My next duty assignment will be to the Anny Environmental Center at Edgewood Arsenal, about 25 miles east of Baltimore, Md. My wife, Lori, and children, T.J. and Brianna, departed Tulsa in early June, and they are currently living with Lori's parents in Pennsylvania. Our house in Tulsa is up for sale, and a realtor holds an open house every Sunday afternoon. So, with no family commitments and a realtor who literally kicks me out of the house each weekend, I decided to experience a ride with our rangers.

I had the idea, the opportunity and the privilege to "shadow" the Oologah Lake park ranger staff on an absolutely beautiful Sunday afternoon in June. My goal was to observe, flISt hand, the duties of our rangers, meet our park attendants, and interface with our customers, the citizens.

Our rangers are part of a caring, professional team which creates thousands and thousands of delighted customers at our lakes.

On the day of my ride, I arrived at the Oologah Project Office promptly at noon to meet the ranger staff, including Glenda Vincent who had just returned to work that day after being off following the birth of her child. After discussing the planned activities for the afternoon, Paul Shockley and I departed the office in his very distinguishable green ranger truck. We visited Hawthorne Bluff Park, and spoke with Mildred, our gate attendant. who, incredibly, remembered my parents and I visiting Oologah last summer. The weekend campers were slowly departing, and Mildred said she was already gearing up for the onslaught of customers for the 4th of July weekend. Orvan, the park host, said his greatest challenge is quieting down the campers after 10:00 p.m.

Our next stop was the beach area.

The Sunday after-church crowd was in line at the gate anxiously waiting to pay the day-use fee. Hawthorne Beach is an alcohol-free beach, and families dominated the sand and surf.

We then traveled to the main fishing area below the dam at Verdigris River Park. Fishermen lined the bank in search of the big catfish lurking in the swift release waters (2,000 cubic feet per second).

As we passed by, a friend of Paul's proudly raised up his stringer which held a modest 20-pound flat head.

Finally, Paul and I visited the Redbud Bay Marina. This leased property contains a small campground, and the marina has several docks with numerous slips.

This is where the Oklahoma Lake Patrol boat and Oologah project's "Whaler" are kept.

A day at Oologah would not be complete without a stop at the Catfish Kitchen.

Their Sunday buffet is out of this world, so get there early because they only serve until 3:00 p.m.

After lunch, I met Joe Custer, and we patrolled Ql! the emerald-green lake in the Whaler. Within minutes, Joe warned several boaters about standing in their boats and a personal water craft operator about a violation in the No Wake Zone.

We then met up with Lake Patrolman Randy Green. Up to that point, his day had been relatively calm but the crowd was beginning to pick up. We cruised up to the Spencer Creek Cove Park, and, on our way back, passed by the Will Rogers' birthplace located high on a hill overlooking the lake. Joe pointed to the water off the stem of the boat, and said, "That's where the home used to be before they moved it in 1960." At 4:00 p.m., we headed back to the project office for a shift-change briefing, and were met by Park Ranger David Stewart and Ron Williams, summer ranger. Soon, David and I were in. the water - each of us on our own wave runner.

Both wave runners were donated to the project office, and are great assets in the coves and shallow water found in the northern section of the lake. While on our patrol, David provided technical assistance to a person with a motor problem, and towed another boat with battery problems to shore.

As sunset approached, I said my farewells. I had enjoyed my rides on the land, on the water and in the water with the Oologah park rangers. Thanks, Tulsa District; this was one of the many experiences I will never forget.