However, I was able to take my youngest two on a daycation - a one-day excursion to a place where they'd never been, and which I hoped they would enjoy. Our destination: Meers, Oklahoma - population 6 or so (it was up to 12 when I was a kid, but it's dwindled).
Why the heck would I go to such a tiny place? It has only one building - a combo store/restaurant. In more populated (when there were 12 folks) times there was also a post office in the building. It does still have a seismograph, but I don't think that has worked for awhile.
We went there for the famous "Meersburger," a generous (about 7"in diameter) grass-fed Longhorn beef burger served in a metal pan that looks like an old-timey gold pan (not a coincidence, since Meers began it's life as a gold-mining town in the early years of the 20th century, before Oklahoma was a state). I believe the Food Network included the Meersburger in one of their shows on the best burgers in America.
For me, though, Meers brings back memories of my childhood. Every now and then we'd go to Meers, located in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma and have a burger which was always a special treat - especially at times when the meat came from American Buffalo instead of Longhorn. I wanted my kids to experience the awesomeness (I hoped) that I remembered from so long ago.
It's about a 3-hour drive, including potty breaks, from Stillwater and I regaled my kids with stories from the family journeys I had as a kid. My grandparents lived in Lawton, which is a short drive south of the Wichitas.
When we got to Meers, there was already a line of hungry people waiting outside. It took about an hour to get to the door, and another half-hour wait once we were inside.
It was worth the wait, though. Jessica and I each got a Meersburger, Cowboy style (lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, cheese, and mustard) and Tyler ordered a Seismic burger - 16 ounces of meat with all the fixin's plus jalapeño slices. It was a delicious meal and we were too full for dessert (apparently their home-made ice cream is quite a delight, too).
If you choose to go there, be sure to take cash. They don't take credit cards, and local checks might be accepted (I didn't ask how local was "local"). They have modernized since I was a kid and they do have an ATM inside if you forget your cash.
Despite the wait to be seated, we never felt rushed during our meal (you know how some restaurants can be - trying to get their customers finished so they can seat more?). And after we finished eating, we had more fun in the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge, which I'll write about soon.
