Lily and I were home alone. We planed to have a virtual Thanksgiving family get together in late afternoon through a video call. We would not roast turkey this year, discontinued a family tradition, but a 1 pound cornish hen instead.
We went to Lake Ray Robert State Park hiking to celebrate Thanksgiving. We arrived at the park around 10:30am, and went to less popular, but more beautiful, non-paved Equestrian trail.
Nobody was on the trail while we were there.
We immersed in nature.
Fallen leaves, dormant trees
Still lake, flying birds
Whispering grasses, loving couple
The tranquility was broken from time to time.
Trees' rustling
Birds' chirping
Train's whistling
Feet stepping
We hiked over 7 miles (12 km to be exact), and thoroughly enjoyed this marvelous day and this portion of the park for 3 and half hours!
Thankful!
Fallen leaves
dormant trees
Still lake
Tiny birds flying in the tress - hard to see
whispering grasses in light breeze
selfie of loving couple
Lily on top of a stump
Despite late autumn there were still flowers here or there
The empty nesters made their plan to have a sequel to the empty nester's first camping trip real on the last week of October. We went to Lake Murray State Park for a foliage viewing/kayaking trip.
There were a few big changes from last trip : 1) we stayed in cabins instead of tents, 2) we had 2 kayaks and 1 small boat this time, 3) two more families joined the trip - got to know friends' friends.
We stayed in a one bedroom cabin, the rest of the group shared a multi-bedroom large cabin, a couple of minute walk away. The spacing between cabins there is large, so the cabin is secluded, and private.
The main activities we had this time include - watching Sunrise, hiking and kayaking.
Watching Sunrise
We watched Sunrise on Saturday October 31 at east front of the lake front resort reception hall. It was a cool morning. The hue from the dawn sunlight made the cloud in the sky, water in the lake pinkish. Many water fowls were out and about. A couple geese were near us by the shore. As the sky getting brighter, and turned golden, a huge group of birds burst into the sky from behind the island across the water from us, in the east. They dispersed and regrouped, circling around, and disappeared from the sky - likely settled somewhere on the lake...and the Sun rose.
We saw beautiful Sunrise frequently, but with a prelude of birds parading in the sky … rare!
a couple of geese by the shore
unknown water fowls taking over the eastern sky
parade of birds
Sun rose
Hiking
It was a perfect day for hiking in the woods and by the lake shore. We hiked on Buckhorn trail, which is mostly in the woods, but hugs lake for a short portion.
The autumn was there - bright foliage of red, yellow and brown. Tiny birds scurried in the trees, fishermen in the lake angling.
Enjoying the foliage, and the conversations, the 2-hour 4.5 mile hike did not feel long.
maple
eastern phoebe
fall leaves
eastern blue bird
fishing from a canoe
the group
sea gulls?
Canada geese
lake Murray
foliage
hiking trail - Buckhorn trail
Kayaking
After our first empty nesters' camping trip, two families bought boats - one bought the same brand kayak as ours but blue color, the other family bought boat which has motor and paddles.
Kayaking on Lake Murray was a highly anticipated activity. We went to the north boat ramp area to kayak, the preselected paddling area is at a large cove at this western branch of Lake Murray as shown in the paddling trail map below.
To avoid darkness and evening temperature drop, we started kayaking in early afternoon, ~ 2pm. It was pretty windy that day. We had to avoid open water as much as possible and paddle along the shore line. We went to a cove in hope of see wildlife - but we saw few - wildlife comes out to open in early morning and late afternoon. We did startle a group of American coots in the side branch of the cove, and saw vultures overhead.
The cove, turned out to be full of lotus - we saw the withered lotus leaves all over the place. We could only imagine how beautiful it would be if we come here in summer. Viewing lotus and lily flowers has to wait until next time.
paddling trail
the motorized white boat
Lotus remnants and a sunbath turtle
Lotus field near the end of the cove
take a break near shore line
the blue inflatable kayak crossing open water - the water was calmer on the return trip
We paddled in unison
Additional Explorations - November 1st
We planned to run 10K on the last day at Lake Murray. But we forgot about daylight saving time ending on this day, and got up late. So instead of running, we hiked on a shorter trail - healthy heart trail.
It was a good choice by chance. We saw many small birds in the trees along the trail, which hugs the cabin lot - blue birds, eastern phoebe, woodpeckers.
At the end of this trail, it continues, so we decided to walk beyond the trailhead. We found by chance the pedestrian's board walk we saw in the the park's website - board walk cross a cove southwest to park office - a beautiful corner of lake Murray. We also found out that the trails to the south are actually all connected.
Lake Murray is a good place for camping/cabining, kayaking, hiking and hopefully running as well.
We will come back sometime in the future!
blue bird
woodpecker
a tone cabin
a beautiful cove
board walk over a cove
Note
1. We also tried to get to the canal on the peninsula across the lake from the resort, there is a road to it, but we were thwarted by the rough road of the last half mile.
2. Our activities were all on the western branch of lake Murray - the red lined areas. We did see huge flock of birds rising from the back of the peninsula - so the eastern branch of the lake must be more wild - that is where we should camping and kayaking next time
Lake Murray, named after former Oklahoma governor William Murray, is formed from damming Anadarche and Fourche Creeks, its area is 23 square kilometers. It has many coves and is a great place for kayaking.
Lake Murray and State Park
Sunset over Tucker Tower
After checking in at our cabin at Lake Murray state Park, we went for a late afternoon (4:30pm) kayaking near Tucker Tower. The ideal launching spot there is not the lake Murray marina boat ramp, but the marina beach. The beach is sandy and very close to the parking lot, really convenient to launch a kayak.
We paddled to the right from the beach and toward the Tucker tower. We were again the only human being on the lake, like it was that morning at Veteran's lake - no other boats or kayaks in the water. The lake was calm, quiet. The only other living thing on the lake we noticed was a group Canadian geese, whom formed a line swimming by the lake shore.
Canadian Geese by the lake shore
As we turned around the Tucker Tower, two geese flew over, and landed in the water in front our Kayak Emma. We followed them silently and enjoyed the companionship - one couple in the water, the other on the kayak 💓. Their light brown feathers, black necks and white cheek patch stood out in the water, so did our bright yellow Emma and the red life vests. They took off when they reached the end of the branch of the cove, and we were getting too close to them for their comforts. We turned around and saw them again at the turn into the second branch of the cove.
It turned out that there were more life here than us, geese at this portion of the lake, there were many other lives! Several pairs of turkey vultures - big black body and red head, were on the trees by the shore and away. They formed another tapestry of this beautiful afternoon. We heard bird chirpings, but could barely saw any birds clearly. Following a mechanical rattling sound, I saw a small bird, with a crown and blue body, a white belt at the neck - kingfisher I declared to Lily, and as I was about to snap a shot, it took off, and flew away. Zoom-in of the photos I took of it, it is confirmed that the bird is belted kingfisher.
Turkey Vultures
Black Vultures
Belted Kingfisher (near the right side of the front tree - click on the photo to enlarge)
We observed quite a few white birds flying in the sky, landing in water, and after while flying again. We paddled close to one such bird, and followed it:). It swam around and then toward Tucker tower until we were too close.
It is a sea gull
Sun was setting, it was getting chilly on the water, and getting dark as well. We started paddling back to marina beach until we heard a large group of Canada geese's calls at the west end of the cove.
There were two groups of geese at the west end of the cove, near water grasses. As our bright yellow Emma getting closer silently, the geese were alerted. We saw them straighten their necks looking around, checking each other, nevertheless remained calm - no more calls, no flapping wings either. One group swam to the right hand side, the other left, slowly, and close to the shore. It was their roost time. We did not get too close to them, and left them alone.
As we turned around, the Sun was setting, the Tucker Tower was in golden sunshine, and nearby, a heron just landed on a golden light enshrined tree. When we got closer, it flew away with a scream, it was a blue heron!
Sunset on Tucker Tower
A heron perched on a splendid tree
It was was a blue heron!
The Tucker Tower was in a darker shade of gold, and then the light was gone, the Sun set. Paddling past the tip of shore at Tucker Tower, the east horizon was in front of us, a big, pinkish full moon was rising in front of eyes! The second full moon of this October! (Note - the real full moon was the next day October 31)
What a beautiful afternoon and evening! It was magical.
