The scorpion was the cherry on the cake ...

Two weeks ago, a few of the Agero gang (formerly ATX) headed to Oklahoma for a cabin-in-the-woods get-away.

I went for two reasons; my friends asked me to come along, and they promised there were off-road bike trails.

Tailing Kimy-Jo up I-35 to find some
Oklahoma dirt to ride on.

It's true.  Lake Murray does have off-road trails.  As for riding them .... you can read about the trail-adventure-fiasco on the Trail Challenges - Pack Rides blog.  It was rough, and that's an understatement.

The "crashing" disappointments encountered during cycling aside, the company was really good.  I felt my neck and shoulders relaxing not long after I unloaded and stowed my gear, and it felt really good to be far enough away from traffic to not hear it. 

I had hoped to post a blog one evening from the cabin, but I couldn't get a data signal on my mobile, so I was unable to set up a hotspot to access from.  I actually felt good enough to write while I was there.  That doesn't mean I want to spend another night in one of their cabins.  No wi-fi access and a scorpion in the bathroom heading towards my bare feet, first thing in the morning while I was still muzzy-headed with sleep was a permanant turn-off to doing it again.  I can't remember moving backwards so fast, while trying to pull up my pajamas, wash my hands and open the door, all at the same time.

These three were MUCH more fun to spend time with than
the scorpion!  My thanks to S.Elf for wading through
the tall grass to take their pic.

I'd include a pic of the little creepy-creature that was heading for my toes, but .... well, I was at my maximum multi-task limit just trying to get away from the thing.  S.Elf and Kimy-Jo were more awake and far more brave in dealing with it.  They had it cornered, squashed and flushed in under two minutes.

If I head back for a cycle trip, I'd either go for the day and come home later to a scorpion-free house, or find a hotel room, and stay in a room no lower than the second floor, even if I have to haul my bike up a couple flights of stairs.

It wasn't "all" bad.  The scenery was great.  This is at the
bottom of the first trail Kim and I rode.

Kimy-Jo and S.Elf packed enough clothing and paraphanalia to be away from home for about a month.  Allison, Amy and I threw a minimum of almost everything we needed for a two-night stay, and thankfully Kimy-Jo and S.Elf were able to pick up the slack and loan us what we'd forgotten.

I was sure it would take them an entire day to get everything repacked and loaded when we left, but no kidding, they had every bit of it packed up in under an hour.  I was impressed ... really!

My bears, Hugs and Cinnamon, helping S.Elf
remain incognito.

Also, no kidding aside, people should PAY S.Elf to go with them on camping trips (even if you're camping in a cabin - so to speak) because having her along is like travelling with a personal Five Star Chef.  She remembered everyone's food preferences and diet restrictions, and managed to fix food that everyone could eat, and she made enough to feed our group of five, and at least 10 more.  It was magnificient!





The first evening there, Amy, the resident Girl Scout Leader, built a fire in the pit outside.  I'd been out earlier, and heard something coming through the woods towards the cabin, and hauled it as quick as I could run, back inside to the screened-in porch.

Kimy-Jo on the first leg of the first trail.

Later, when Amy got the fire going, I went inside for supplies, and when I came back out the door, she'd left the fire for the safety of the porch too.  She said, "What's light colored, feline and bigger than house-cat?" 

My only guess was a young bob-cat or cougar.  She said she looked up, and there it was, looking back at her, and it wasn't nearly as frightened of her as she was of it.  She did the same thing I'd done earlier, ran inside to the porch.  When she looked back through the screen to see it better, it was leaving for more inviting digs. 

One of Amy's photo contributions. :)

So, no.  We didn't get a pic of the cat either.

I woke up with the migraine-nemesis the next morning, so Kimy-Jo went trail-snooping alone.  She found some decent riding trails that we'd missed the day before (figures), and found some big cat prints in the dirt.  She got some pics, but I haven't gotten copies of them yet.  If they turn out to be viewable, I'll post them in the next blog.

Allison piloting the speed boat.

The lake and the forest at Lake Murray were beautiful, but the water was still a little too cool to be romping in it.  Amy and Allison decided to take a boat out instead of renting wave-runners.  They offer those, as well as pontoon party boats, and the prices were reasonable.

They also have floating cabins that come equipped with their own little swimming areas.  I'm not interested.  I'm thinking I'd be trading scorpions for snakes in the bathroom, and neither one seems appealing.

They have a HUGE lodge, with rooms, suites and wi-fi, so that might be an option if I ever go back there for an overnight trip again.

Amy - displaying her dead-racoon ensemble.

To give you a heads up, soon I'll be moving my weblog to my own website.

I'll keep the blogs posted here intact because I can't move the comments with them.

Amy and Allison found these little guys heading for the lake.

The content from the other pages here will come with me to the new site when I have it set up.  I'll let you know when I complete the transition.

The move will be good.  I'll be free of contention with Google Ad Sense, and I'll have more content options.  The Veterans Honors page will get it's new additions, and a face-lift as well, and ... all around it's a good idea and I'm regretting that I didn't decide to do it sooner.

Another thing, if you're a Tarrant County, Texas voter, and prefer a candidate who maintains constitutional adherance, I urge you to vote for Jennifer Hall for Republican County Chairman.  She's not a member of the Republican "Old Guard and Good Ol' Boys Club" who like to prattle on about the fight to maintain personal liberties for Americans, yet have track records which are the total opposite of what they boast about in their campaigns.

Jennifer Hall - Republican County Chair
Tarrant County, Texas

Do a little digging on her and you'll see what I mean.  And, for the record, the rumors that her husband, Jonathan (aka McGuyver) is a multi-millionaire, as well as the one that Jen's running for office to gain power, is not only a hoot, but totally untrue.

My family has lived next door to the Halls for nearly 20 years.  They are some of the most honest folks I've ever met.  They're well versed with the U.S. Constitution, and are giving up massive hours of their own time, without payment, to ensure it remains alive and well. 

I hope you'll check her out, and cast your vote in her favor, because she's the only candidate running with her communities' desires in mind.

That's it for this one!

God bless, thanks for the read, and don't forget to thank a veteran at your next opportunity!

femmeflashpoint