Wichita Mountains

..a bit behind on my blipping...this was Monday, we took a trip up to the Wichita mountains on the edge of Oklahoma (just a quick hop over the border from here)

We hiked a few nice trails, had a picnic near a cool dam, found some prairie dogs and buffalo...it's one of our favourite places to go near here and it's amazing how much it changes with the seasons. As you can see, right now, it's rather desert-like, and is a good example of how dry it is here at this time of year.

On one of our walks we met a extremely interesting young man of 17, who talked to me at length about the reserve, and the history of the area. He was 1/4 Native American and told me all about his people, the apaches, who were prisoners here and became known as the Ft. Sill Apaches (he seemed very proud of his heritage). He told me he spends all his free time out on the preserve hiking off the trail and he knows every hill as far as we could see.
Sweet girl was complaining to him that going off the trail earlier had proved treacherous as her legs had been scratched to pieces by prickly plants :0) but he told her that the best places were the ones she would find off the path.

He left and went on his way, but when we returned to the car, he had left us a note scribbled on a scrap of paper...."Follow the roads less travelled and you will see beauty like never before"...I wished I had thought to blip him....and asked his name...
Quite annoyed with myself for not thinking of it. I decided I would make up a name for him, and I thought Proud Apache was quite fitting. (He held his head high when he talked about being part of the Apache people). And on the drive home I composed a poem in honor of this interesting young man who taught me so much about the history of the Wichita mountain area.

I'm not much of a poet but I hope you enjoy my efforts, I tried to include most of what I learned from our impromptu guide...

Proud apache
Wandering at will
Across the plain
on every hill

Proud apache
The land knows your name
She remembers your people
She recalls when they came

Proud apache
Did their tears fall like rain
Those prisoners of war
Did the land feel their pain

Proud apache
Remember them well
Bring them to life
In the stories you tell

Proud apache
The hills call you once more
At one with the land
She is yours to explore

Proud apache
Leave the trail behind
Follow your own path
Great beauty you'll find