How close was I to get this shot?
This close.
Category Archives: Outdoors
Ray Harral Nature Park ~Broken Arrow, OK
First I have to say that I have been horrible about being consistent on here!
I have been trying post once a week and I keeping missing that mark.
My goal in this blog is to share about the parks and places we visit. I have people ask me about different parks and after so many years of visiting any park that looks like fun, I just do not always remember if we have visited one or if I have been wanting to visit!
So this blog is supposed to be my memory for me.
With that being said, I am always astonished when I find something close to home that I have not been using!
The Ray Harral Nature Park in Broken Arrow is practically in my backyard and yet I did not even know about it until last year!
It is a very kid friendly place to walk that still feels like you are surrounded by nature.
The entrance is a little bit hidden by a school but if you know it is there you should not have too much trouble finding it.
Watching a turtle.
If you take the main path in a big loop around the park it is less then a mile.
There are other loops also though so you can add those in and get a little bit of a longer walk.
If you live in Broken Arrow and want an easy walk to take your kids on I highly recommend it!
Located off 121st east of Elm, behind the school.
How I Hike in the Heat.
It gets HOT in Oklahoma in the summer!
I feel like if I wait for it to cool down I will not get to hike until November so we keep hiking and walking even in the heat.
Here are a couple things my family does to keep somewhat cool on those hot days.
1. We go out early morning(8am or earlier) or evening (usually 6:30pm or later).
2. We bring an insane amount of water! As much as we can carry. We bring more Gatorade then anything when it is really hot.
3. We try to wear mostly wicking clothing. This is slightly new to this year and I have seen a huge difference in comfort.
Look for labels that say “quick dry” or “wicking”.
4. We try to hike places that are nice an open but shaded. I have found lake trails to be the best for that in my area.
5. Lastly, we do not push it! If someone is getting even a little bit light headed we turn around!
We do get acclimated though and this is not an issue as we get farther into summer.
If you are just starting though I would definitely encourage you to do a nice easy hike and be prepared to turn around.
Getting sick or injured right away can really turn you off to hiking!
What do you do to stay cool in the summer?
Staying in the AC in not an acceptable answer…