PONCA CITY, OK – “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” was the theme for the Wheeler Dealers Camping Club’s first camp out of the year to Hulah Lake in northern Oklahoma and Sedan, KS held the last weekend in March. The theme was chosen because Sedan is known as the Yellow Brick Road town with over 10,000 bricks imprinted with the names of people from around the world including famous circus clown Emmett Kelly and former Kansas Senator Bob Dole and his wife, Elizabeth Dole.

Camp out hosts Randi and Clarice Olsen, Bartlesville and Jon and Kathy Tippin, Ponca City arrived on Wednesday and spent Thursday decorating the Hulah Lake building complete with Yellow Brick Road tablecloths, scarecrows, tin men, and Dorothy’s red shoes. Thanks to the Northern Oklahoma Humane Society for many of the decorations from their recent annual fundraiser and Randi Olsen who made the tin men. Other rigs arrived on Thursday and that evening the members enjoyed dinner together at El Jalaisco Bar and Grill in Pawhuska. Fajita’s was the evening’s special enjoyed by several couples with enough left over for lunch Friday. Following dinner members played several rounds of Mexican Train, a club favorite dominoes game.

Friday afternoon members shared stories and pictures from previous personal camp outs. Several have camped or lived in Alaska and strongly recommended visiting the 49th state. The most unusual camping experiences were by the Olsens’ who lived for a few years in Australia and camped across the country from Melbourne to Australia’s west coast traveling over tracks left by others. Many of the members have camped both with the club and others throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Texas. Beth and Mike Podurgiel had recently returned from a Spring Break trip to the Texas Gulf Coast. Adele and David Register enjoy camping in Northern New Mexico while attending a summer program offered by Oklahoma State University. Lowry and Rebecca Blakeburn detailed a three-week trip to the Pacific Northwest including part of the Lewis and Clark Trail. New members Bill and Diane Pearson enjoy camping and fishing at the Canton Lake Walleye Festival every May.

Friday evening the club members had the traditional pot luck dinner with pulled pork provided by the Tippin’s and Olsen’s with side dishes from the other members. Following dinner members played Bingo for prizes with everyone winning something.

Saturday morning members visited over rolls, coffee, juice and hot chocolate provided by the camp out hosts. Late morning the group carpooled to Sedan, KS located just north of the Oklahoma state line in Chautauqua County for lunch of sandwiches and salads at Etta Mae’s Cafe. Taking a stroll down the Yellow Brick Road members visited the Emmett Kelly Museum for a guided tour of the museum provided by Museum Board President Rosie Sweaney. The museum is housed in the 1896 Sedan Opera House.

Born in Sedan, Emmett Kelly was well-known as the circus clown Weary Willie. His mother enrolled him in an art correspondence course which started him on his path to fame creating the carton character Weary Willie. Later he was hired to paint the merry-go-round for a small carnival which eventually led to his career in the circus and eventually to the role of Weary Willie, a good tramp who loves people and lives only to make them laugh. He went on to join the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus for 14 years.

During the tour the group viewed one room complete with pictures and articles about circus clowns with the focus on Kelley. Another room feature various decanters donated to the museum. The third room displays military uniforms, printing equipment and other historical artifacts from the area. The volunteer board operates the museum with plans to raise money for further expansion.

Members then visited some of the shops downtown including the Red Buffalo featuring uniquely decorated guitars, books, jewelry, various jams and jellies, and other gift items. Then the group walked through The Hollow, a park created by volunteers along a little creek on the east side of Sedan’s downtown. It’s also home to the old St. Charles Schoolhouse. Dinner that evening was at Buck’s BBQ on the west side of town followed by a first-run movie at the Gregg Theater. Run entirely by volunteers, this nostalgic theater was built in 1938.

Sunday morning the camp out concluded with the traditional pot luck breakfast and monthly business meeting. The April camp out will be hosted by Lowry and Rebecca Blakeburn at Salt Plains State Park near Jet, OK.

Most camp outs are held in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas or Missouri with two or more couples planning the location and camp out activities which often include visiting area attractions, eating at a local restaurant, games and pot luck meals.

Wheeler Dealers monthly camp outs are held weekends from March to November with only a lunch gathering in February and August and a special Christmas Party in December Current members are from Bartlesville, Nowata, Owasso, Ponca City, Sand Springs, Stillwater, and Tulsa.