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Cimarron Group |
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Cimarron Group Round-Up!
Updated April 29th - Please note:
we have now reached our sign-up limit of 60 people, remaining
signups will be wait-listed.
(click for pdf version of the Round-Up! flyer)
First Cimarron Roundup Sierra Club
May 3rd, Roman Nose State Park
Important Note!: Because we are furnishing food, we need to have a fairly accurate count, so please contact Bill Dinger at billdinger@cox.net , or by phone - 405-848-3824 to let him know if you are coming (or, if you have signed up and are now not coming).
Where: Roman Nose State Park, Watonga, OK (see map at right). Roundup Headquarters will be the stone Picnic Shelter at the Three Springs Area – furthest west point of the Park.
Directions: Roman Nose State Park is located north of Watonga, Oklahoma and can be accessed on State Highway 8A which you get to from the east off of State Highway 8 orfrom the west off of State Highway 51A.
When: May 3rd, 2008 from 10 am to 8 pm.
Check-In: All Roundup participants are asked to check in first thing upon arriving. Check-in will be at the Picnic Shelter at Three Springs where you’ll receive a name tag and the latest information. Note: Check in will not be operative until 9 am Saturday.
Camping: If desired, the group has reserved Deer Run Campground (see attached map) for both Friday and Saturday night. (May 2nd and 3rd) Overnight campers will need to pay a separate $8.00 camping fee to the Park for each night you camp.
Food: Lunch and Dinner provided at no cost. We’ll have hot coffee ready on Saturday morning. There will be big coolers of tea, lemonade and water at the Picnic Shelter. Hikers should bring appropriate water containers for the short hikes we will be doing.
Weather Precautions: Barring torrential rains and/or a tornado event, we will hold the Roundup. See Clothing below.
Clothing: As required for the temperatures and moisture conditions. Expected weather will likely suggest shorts or light pants, a short sleeve shirt or light long sleeve shirt for sun block protection. Sierra Club always suggests you bring light waterproof outerwear preferably with a hood because unless it is raining hard, most hikes will go on. As to footwear, most hikes will be quite easy and sneakers will do perfectly. However, people with appropriate light hiking footwear will likely want to wear that.
Miscellaneous Items to Bring: Hat, Sun Block Cream, Insect Repellant, Water Bottle, Camera (optional). The Park has a General Store which will have some of these items.
Presenters, Hike Leaders:
We are fortunate to have some highly qualified leaders to share their expertise on a wide range of natural, craft and hiking subjects for the Roundup.
- Neil Garrison – Neil Garrison, chief naturalist and manager of the Martin Park
Nature Center is Oklahoma City, is a highly regarded and entertaining teacher of plants, animals and minerals. Neil is the go-to guy in our Group for all questions about outdoor Oklahoma and has explored in every corner of the state.
- Dr. Dwayne Elmore – Faculty at Oklahoma State University in the Department of
Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Dr. Elmore is highly knowledgeable in a number of bird species and is particularly interested in wildlife habitat relationships, the role of disturbance and scale to maintain sustainable ecosystems, and social constraints to conservation.
- Jerel Cowan – Jerel is a “Leave No Trace” Master Educator instructor for the Wilderness Education Association, a Program Coordinator for University of Central Oklahoma's Outdoor and Community Recreation Program, a WFA instructor, and is currently working on his dissertation in Environmental Science at OSU. A very experienced hiker, Jerel likes his get-aways most of the time to be either Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska or a variety of destinations in the American Desert Southwest.
- Mike Scharrer – Mike is a Professional Forestry Consultant, a certified Outdoor Skills Instructor with Boy Scouts of America, a transplanted Minnesotan and a naturalist with a wealth of knowledge in outdoor lore, practical knowledge and outdoor games.
- Becky Simpkins – Becky is a retired Naval officer, a Registered Nurse and the wife of Neil Garrison. She has been practicing Gourd craft for a number of years.
Schedule of Activities:
Participants are welcome to join in as many of these as you wish. Naturally, we would like to see you as much as possible but you’re welcome to take advantage of other Park activities as well. You can pick up a brochure of what the Park offers at any number of locations within the Park.
· Friday night – No activities planned but Doug Hill of our group (along with a few others) will be at the campground on Friday to meet and greet any early arrivals who may want to camp that night.
· Saturday, 9 AM to 10 AM – Check in, Coffee Hour and Socializing. Note: There will be someone at the check in table through 2 pm. Late arrivals are still welcome.
· 10 AM to 10:15 – Welcome and Orientation – Bill Dinger, Cimarron Group Chair and Deborah Tautfest, Roman Nose Park Ranger
· 10:30 AM to Noon – Hikes, Talks and Demos
Ø Birds and Habitat, Observations and Connections – Dr. Dwayne Elmore
Hike and Presentation - This will be a hike w/ binoculars (provided by Dr. Elmore) and a presentation afterwards about species habitat preferences.
Ø Wild Plants - Edible and Not-So-Edible – Neil Garrison
Hike and Lecture – Neil will show us what to eat and what to avoid on your
typical nature walk – all those things we walk right by, amazing!
Ø Gourd Crafting – Becky Simpkins
Demonstration - Becky demonstrates the techniques of gourd crafting with
wood burning tools and paints. To be held near the Picnic Shelter.
Ø Historic Trapper Games of the Northern Lakes – Mike Scharrer
Demonstration and Game – Mike sets up a favorite game of the Great Lakes region which the fur trappers called “Cat and Mouse” – physical and fun!
· Noon to 1:15 – Lunch at the Picnic Shelter – Delicious and mostly locally grown and as prepared by the wonderful folks in the Conservation Committee and Book Club. The latter half of lunch hour will be a discussion of how our Group might more effectively serve our members in outlying areas of our district. Moderated by Bill Dinger, David Franklin and Tom Libby.
· 1:30 to 3 PM – Hikes, Talks and Demos.
Ø Snakes: Love ‘em or . . . Hate ‘em – Neil Garrison
Lecture and Hike - Neil will bring some his slithery friends to share with the
group after which you’ll go on a walk looking for signs and habitat.
Ø Leave No Trace – A Cornerstone Policy for Man in Nature, Track 1 - “It’s more than picking up trash”– Jerel Cowan
Hike and Lecture – Jerel will lead the Group on a short hike around the edge of the lake where he will discuss and demonstrate various “Leave No Trace” principals.
Ø Flint-and-Steel Fire Making in History – Mike Scharrer
Demonstration – Mike will show how the folks who lived in the woods
before Zippos and matches made their fires.
Ø Sustainable Dining or “Waiter, There’s an Enormous Carbon Footprint in
My Soup!” – Stephanie, Carole, Vicki and Dianne
Talk and Discussion – Yes, the irrepressible gals of our Conservation
Committee and Book club lead you on an exploration of how to eat more Sustainably in order to save the world and be happy! It’s all true!
· 3:00 PM TO 3:30 PM – Break Time and Visiting at the Picnic Shelter.
· 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm – Hikes, Talks and Demos.
Ø Leave No Trace – A Cornerstone Policy for Man in Nature, Track 2 – “Being
Invisible to Others”- Jerel Cowan
Hike and Lecture – This fascinating activity involves another short hike near the lake (in a different spot) that will demonstrate the importance and techniques of being invisible to others while in the out of doors – it’s magic!
Ø Woodland Ecosystems – Mike Scharrer
Hike and Lecture – Mike will lead a hike to identify trees and shrubs and to examine their habitat and their relationship to the environment and each other.
Ø Native American Arrowheads – Neil Garrison
Demonstration – Neil will offer a demonstration of how the Native
Americans chipped arrowheads out of stones.
· 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm – Mingling, Visiting and Chuckwagon Cooking Demo
We’ll gather at the Picnic Shelter to trade stories and see our Chuckwagon dessert being made by Dawnette Bell and Mike Martens.
· 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm – BBQ Dinner at the Picnic Shelter from Earl’s in OKC
We’ll enjoy chopped brisket, pulled pork, green beans, potato salad, baked beans, slaw, okra and Chuckwagon dessert. Yee-haw!
· 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Cowboy Poetry, Singing and Goodnight
Cowboy Reinactor Mike Martens will read some of his own poetry and also the poetry of Cowboy poet Rick Church (who will be in attendance with his wife Lana). We’re also trying to rustle up some folks with geetars to lead some singing. At the very least we will sing “Red River Valley” acapella (without no accompaniment).
“That’s all, Folks!”
Park Map
Events are from 9am-8pm on Saturday at the Deer Run Campground - Please sign up