Tag Archives: Oklahoma

Skywatch Friday – In the Neighborhood

Here’s a sunrise one morning from our driveway

And a sunset from the same driveway on a different day

And some trees changing color at Pepsi Lake on Turkey Mountain.

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday

Return of the Big Boy

This past midmorning Monday my friend, Tom, and I ventured up to nearby Claremore, Oklahoma to see Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” steam powered locomotive roll into town on the homebound leg of the “Heartland of America” tour where it went through 23 states. Tom and I saw it in Vinita, Oklahoma three years ago and we wanted to watch it again.

This is the train entering town. I was taking video with my cell phone and had my “good camera” in the other hand. I wished I had stuck with the video a little longer but oh well.

They are massive machines. The drive wheels are 58 inches in diameter. The engine and it’s tender weigh 1.2 million pounds and stretches 132 feet long. It’s so long the engine is articulated because it can’t negotiate some of the track curves otherwise.

Union Pacific ordered twenty five of these monsters in 1941 for service between Logan, Utah and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Big Boy, engine number 2014 was delivered in 1941 and was retired in 1961. UP reacquired it from a museum in 2013 and refurbished it and it re-entered service in 2019 in time to celebrate UP’s 150’th anniversary. It is the only engine of its type still in service. Seven others are on view at museums around the country. Get the deets here. Presently the Big Boy is the biggest Steam Locomotive in the world.

The engine is on its way back to Cheyenne, Wyoming on October 23, and will be available for viewing at several spots, including Denver. Check out the schedule here.

Fore some reason I didn’t think there would be that many people interested. Boy was I wrong. We had to park and walk a long ways. The designated viewing was kind of cramped so we were kind of crammed into a small space and it was hard to get a view without a lot of people.

This makes it look like the train is tearing through a bunch of Okies, but it wasn’t. UP had a ton of their Railroad Police going up and down the track telling people “Get off the tracks, there is a train coming.” Lots of people put coins down on the track and when the train stopped, they asked the RR Cops if they could reach under the train to retrieve their coins and were asked if their lives were worth a penny.

But hey, almost everyone had big smiles on their faces. Something about a monster locomotive makes people happy.

Tom and I decided to leave cuz it didn’t seem that the train crew was in any hurry.

Here is my post from seeing Big Boy in 2021.

I’m linking with My Corner of the World.

360 Degree Skywatch over my Backyard in Tulsa

Recently I posted some sunset photos from my drone. I had forgotten that I made a 360 video of the same thing. A video from my drone at 150 meters over my backyard.

It’s only 35 seconds long.

I start out looking straight west and then go to the right. Not often you get color everywhere one looks at sunset.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday.

My Corner of the World – 2024 Chalk It Up Festival

The Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow had their 2024 edition of the “Chalk It Up Art Festival” on their Main Street last weekend. Artists who entered got a designated space on the blocked-in street to create a work of art with chalk. We try and go every year. Lots of people enter and they are quite talented. The theme this year was “In My Own Back Yard” The following were my favorites.

Lots of entries featured pets.

Some had kind of a fantasy thing going.

This reminded us of our dear departed Rascal. He was such a good dog.

As a kid who couldn’t stay inside the lines on my grade school art projects, I appreciate people who bend the rules a little bit.

And I loved this. Who doesn’t love blowing dandelion seeds in the wind.

I think this won the “People’s Choice” award.

I think this had best in show. I love the deep rich colors of the work.

Another dog, Mango has his own swimming pool.

I think there were over fifty entries including those from children to adult artists. A talented group of artists for sure. They have Chalk It Up on the weekend of the September every year.

Sad thing is that the artists can’t dig up their huge pieces of pavement and take them home. Late Saturday afternoon, the police take up the barricades blocking traffic and people waste no time driving on this art. Oh well, that the nature of it.

I am linking with My Corner of the World

Tulsa’s Williams Crossing Bridge at Night

Last night I ventured out to the Arkansas River to check out the new Williams Crossing Bridge’s lights.

I was impressed. They are LED’s and have lots of colors possible.

The bridge has only been open a month. It is 1440 feet long. It is high enough over the water to keep it clear of a 500 year flood event.

It connects Tulsa’s Gathering Place on the east side of the Arkansas River to the RiverParks Trails on the West side of the river. It is 18 feet wide and has separate lanes for pedestrians and cyclists. It is the first “Steel Plate Arch Bridge” built in the United States. (See below what a steel plate arch bridge is)

I think it is gorgeous. I am planning to be there at sunset in the near future to get some Skywatch Photos.

I am linking with My Corner of the World

References

Black Wall Street Times

City of Tulsa

The Architects Newspaper

Architectual Record

I asked CoPilot AI what a Steel Plate Arch Bridge is and the following was the answer.

A steel plate arch bridge is a type of bridge that uses steel plates to form an arch structure. Here are some key features:

Structural Design: The arch is created using steel plates that are often bolted together. This design allows the bridge to handle significant loads by distributing weight efficiently through the arch shape ¹.
Compression Forces: The arch primarily works in compression, meaning the forces push inward along the curve of the arch, which helps in maintaining the structural integrity ¹.
Versatility: These bridges can be tailored to various site requirements and are often used for overpasses, pedestrian walkways, and small to medium-span crossings ².
Durability: Steel plate arch bridges are known for their strength and longevity. The use of galvanized steel plates helps in resisting corrosion, making them suitable for various environmental conditions ³.
Ease of Installation: The modular nature of steel plates allows for easier transportation and assembly on-site, often using local crews and equipment ².

35th Anniversary Celebration at the Zoo

Earlier this week, Heather and I had our 35th year anniversary. It doesn’t seem that long in some ways but we have been through a lot together.

We decided to celebrate by grabbing our son and heading off to the Tulsa Zoo.

A highlight for me is that there new cubs, just born. They had a video feed into the nursery where momma tiger was giving her cubs a bath. Pretty cool.

Dad was close by, resting.

Lots of cats were resting, like these cheetahs.

And a jaguar.

An Aldabra Tortoise was on the move.

And these giraffe’s were not sleeping either.

These red and yellow barbets were sitting at attention.

And the red panda was up in their lair snoozing away.

The African penguins were getting ready for a dip.

The scarlet macaw was showing off.

The kanagaroo was frozen in place.

The gator was dreaming gator dreams.

A bald eagle was surveying the landscape.

The long tail finches were lunching.

The blue iguana was smiling at everybody.

The pink flamingoes were carefully guarding their new chick. I found out that a group of flamingoes is called a Flamboyance. I love it.

We had a great time!!

I am linking with Saturday’s Critters.

Skywatch Friday – Turkey Mountain Hike

One day last week I started out from Turkey Mountain’s upper parking lot and had to check this device. I’d love to have one in case anybody is wondering what to get me for back to school! I’m not going to school but you can buy it for me anyways.

And then I went tot the north end of the parking lot and took this shot of downtown Tulsa. Turkey Mountain is a true urban wilderness. It’s only about six miles to downtown.

And then I took the new Three Pillars Trail over to the Three Ponds. I keep hearing they are the three sisters or the three pearls. So I don’t know about those names but they are definitely ponds so I am using that for now.

They are going to make some great season photographs.

Nice reflections everywhere you look.

I left the ponds and continued westward when I found this fella. I posted this same photo on my Saturday’s Critters post last Saturday. It’ a rat snake, and they are not venomous.

And then went and checked on my most previous employer’s pipeline they are building through the park.

They are doing a good job. The right of way is in good shape and the welders, pipefitters, equipment operators, x-ray hands, and inspectors are not out and about wandering all over the place, poaching deer and fishing the ponds. At least not during working hours.

I’m told that they are going to be done pretty soon and they are going to mulch the right of way and plant a wildflower mix. That sounds good to me.

I went a little bit further and find a couch to relax on. It looked a little firm to me so I just kept moving.

Went down a side trail and had to double back. The pipeline folks were excavating and didn’t want any tourists or know it all retired pipeline engineers.

I passed this little mess. Years ago, Turkey Mountain was an oilfield and the workers had trash pits they covered up. Well they are getting exposed now and the old trash is coming to the surface.

And then I went back to my car. I was hot and tired. It is warm here in Tulsa.

That’s all for now!!

I’m linking with Skywatch Friday and My Corner of the World

Muddy Trails to You….

A shadowy muddy trail on a hike I took the other day at Oxley Nature Center. It was early and I must have been the first one on the trail based on all the spider webs I walked through.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Saturday’s Critters – RiverParks Ride

I went for a bike ride on the trails alongside the Arkansas River July 5. The weather broke and the temperature was quite nice for a change. I took one of “good cameras” with me and this is part of what I saw.

A slider turtle basking on a rock.

I saw a bunch of great blue herons. Lonesome sentries all up and down the river.

And several white egrets.

And one of each in the same frame.

So this blurry photo was at the far end of my camera’s range. iNaturalist thinks it might be a golden eagle. I think it might be a young bald eagle. Any suggestions?

And here is a plump of geese. I love collective nouns for wildlife and geese seem to have more than any other animal. “Plump” is new to me and I love it.

And here is a group of people fishing just below Zink Dam. I get nervous when I see this because you have to wade out there through some fast moving water.

And another group below the dam. Note the guy in the middle has a dog on a leash.

The dam and nearby trails is not open to the public yet but I guess that doesn’t apply to this couple who showed up so the guy could take photos of the woman.

And this guy, far from the dam, in a legal spot chilling, listen to music maybe while pondering the river.

I’m linking with Saturday’s Critters. Go check them out!!

Tulsa Tough – 2024 Edition – FC Tulsa Arts District Criterium

Tulsa Tough is a series of bicycle races held in Tulsa every year during a long weekend in June. They have distance races of various lengths over two days. They have a bunch of short races close to downtown called Criteriums where the racers are on a closed course of a mile or two and they go round and round a bunch of times. One races is in the Blue Dome District, one in the Arts District and another on Riverside (Crybaby Hill). They have a bunch of categories from kids divisions to men and women amateurs of various ages and then the professional divisions. They also have a five mile or so “Townie Ride” that is free, so you just show up with your bicycle and ride.

Just the way things have been I always go check out the Riverside criteriums on Sunday. For one thing it is home of the infamous crybaby hill which is more of a drunken party with a bicycle race going on. (Check this link about my first visit to Crybaby Hill in 2015.)

I’ve only participated in one event. That was in 2019 when I rode in the “Picolo” event. The shortest distance event they offer at 32 miles or so. It kicked my butt pretty hard and I didn’t even finish. I was close to the finish line and I passed my car and said, heck with this I’m done so I pulled out of the race, and loaded up my bicycle and went home. Read about it here.

I had a conflict this Sunday so I checked out the Arts District Criterium on Saturday. It’s not near the party but it is still lots of fun.

Oh look at the time! I’ve droned on and on and spent the whole time yakking about me instead of the race I went on Saturday. Figures though, aren’t blogs just about the writer? So I’ll shut and show you the photos I took Saturday afternoon. I had places to be so I wasn’t there very long.

The thing about the criteriums is that riders are all very good and in great shape so they get kind of bunched up. At least right at first and it takes time to separate the faster ones from the slower ones.

I like the intense competition. Everybody is in it to win it and they don’t want embarrass themselves.

And also they are very close to one another. If somebody falls or makes a wrong move then a bunch of people are going down also

So I had found a spot right on a turn where nobody else was so I set up and was taking photos wondering why nobody else was there. Along comes a course marshall and we start chatting and finally ask him if I was okay where I was and he said sure no problem. Then he says hey you know something if you could get your camera down close to the ground and shoot up that might make a more dynamic photo.

So I did experimented with that a little bit with my camera down below the barricade but not intruding on the course and wow. I thought it made a big difference.

I had put the camera on sport mode so when I pressed the shutter it would take a bunch of photos until it buffered out so I ended up with a ton of photos but I only kept a few and am posting just a few of them here.

The guy had a bunch of other tips and then had to go. His last words were you need to remember that the place you are taking pictures from is also a good place to crash and if you are down low right behind the barricade and you get hit, it is going to hurt. I said yep I had already figured that out.