Meeting the first Friday of each month at the Golden Corral at 71st and Mingo in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
The Tulsa International
December 6, 2013 FIRST EVER CANCELLATION IN 14 YEARS GREETINGS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!! After discussing the weather situation with several folks we have decided to cancel out. Sorry we are going to have to cancel our Toys for Tots program this friday. Looks like old man weather won. We'll see you first friday in January, so take care. Oh Yes, if you wish, just drop off your toys at your favorite drop off point. They will still find a home.
We cancelled today's luncheon because of dangerous conditions in the Tulsa area. Read about them HERE and HERE. We'll be back in full force on January 3rd, 2014. We hope you had a blessed merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch
November 19-21 ROUGHIN' IT GMC STYLE Grab the spouse, pickle the eggs, fill up the gas tank, and let's go for a fun week at Okmulgee State Park (Red Oak Campground)! Now you have the idea, so let's see what really happened this week…and it's all TRUE, believe it or not!! Would we fib to you…of course we would… Bright and early Tuesday morning, the gang all headed down to Glenpool to assemble across the street from the Sante Fe Steak House…Black Bart, being the astute fellow that he is, arrived first, around 9:00 AM, the rest of us showed up about 10:30…Lunch at the restaurant was scheduled for 11:00 AM so a "few" of the ladies made a bee line directly into Wal Mart to pick up those pickled eggs, of course! Eight coaches made up the morning entourage…Ron and Sharon Eimen, Bob and Marilyn Musgrove, Gene and Barbara Shepherd plus little Brie, Ken and Doree Broostin, Fred and Peggy Pitezel, Clark Southmayd (Patty would join us Wed AM), Larry and Joanna Potts and Glyn Trimble made up the group…of course, the staff at Sante Fe couldn't find our reservation but we made it anyway… And Clyde Jones came over to join us and wish us bon voyage on our trip after lunch to Okmulgee. Claude and Sally Farris went down to the campground a day earlier and would join us later that afternoon…so, a grand total of nine coaches and eighteen GMCers embarked on a delightful and fun time at one of our very favorite campgrounds, Red Oak Campground in the Okmulgee State Park! After lunch we lined up and caravanned down to Okmulgee, more or less…think we were strung out over a couple of miles or so, but who cares…we were on four lane road most of the way and traffic was light…only one coach got lost but we will not mention his name…but, if you wish, you may ask Black Bart who the guilty party was!! No sooner had we got all settled in at the campground than the Park Ranger came down with a load of cut firewood for our campfires…(The Rangers have done that for us every year we have camped there…really appreciate them). And, after getting all settled in, the guys piled up a few logs and we were on our way to a pleasant evening by the fire! About 5:00 PM the ladies brought the goodies and it soon became Hot Dog and Marshmallow time…and just by coincidence, of course, a few appetizers were added to the mix…and not a few of them had jalapeno peppers mixed in…but, fun time it was and especially trying to outguess which way the fire smoke was going to blow next!! A special treat followed after that…Fred and Peggy's little granddaughter, Leslie, along with brother Ben and mom, came by to celebrate Leslie's birthday…cake and all…and that eased the jalapeno pain a lot!! The evening became one to remember…sitting around the campfire, roasting marshmallows, swapping tall tales, but, most of all, having great fellowship with a special group of GMC friends!! Soon it was time to turn in, didn't have much trouble sleepin', and even enjoyed the pitter patter of a few raindrops plus the clattering of acorns dropping right on top of the coaches…and somewhere in the night, a family of raccoons visited us, trying to scavenger a bit of food for the little ones!! Wed AM rolled around…time to stretch the legs, walk the dogs, and eat that promised "Cowboy Breakfast"…somehow that never happened…first, no one brought the cast iron skillet, no one brought the eggs, nor the black peppered bacon, or the potatoes, nor the onions, peppers or biscuits either…but we enjoyed thinking about what might have been… And that's another one of those re-arranged facts…some might even call it a "fib" or worse…whoa Nellie!! About 11:00 AM we loaded up in three cars plus a motorhome and headed into town for a scrumptious meal with an old friend, Johnnie Russell, at the Sirloin Stockade Restaurant…he was all prepared for us, we had a delightful waitress and the food tasted almost like home cookin'…Second and third trips to the food bar was not uncommon…no names, please…gotta protect some reputations…but pics don't lie!! Wed afternoon was nap time and most took advantage of it…wasn't long til the tables came out and evening suppertime rolled around, accompanied by a huge roaring fire that kept us all nice and cozy…the menu was soup and so forth…and the "so forth" was right out of a gourmet cook book!! More than one guy dipped the ladle into all of the soups, mixed them all up together and feasted up a storm…well done, ladies…you did yourself proud…but you always do…. Uh Oh…here is it, Thurs AM and time to pack up, load up, clean up, put out the fires, and empty the holding tanks…by now, everybody's coach had the distinctive smell of firewood embedded in them…clothes, too…but it was a good flavor that meant good times were had by all… About 10:30 AM we lined up, and followed Glyn from the campground to the College on the far east side of Okmulgee…this was what we had been waiting for…the Culinary Arts School hosting their annual Thanksgiving Feast, prepared and served by the students themselves under the capable supervison of our old friend, Rene Jungo, The Culinary Arts Director. Jim and Betty Haynes, along with Clyde Jones and daughter, Bonnie, joined up with us for the luncheon. After being seated, (our reservation was for 11:30 AM), we all made a mad dash for the buffet line…never saw so many items we didn't know the names for or how to spell them, either…but we did recognize the turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy and the cranberry sauce! Oh yes, we also made a detailed reconnaissance of the dessert table…'nuff said… Sadly, all good things must come to an end…with cheerful goodbyes and fond memories in tow, we discreetly waddled out to our coaches, climbed aboard and headed for home…but anxious to do it all over again next year!! Another wonderful campout, good fellowship with friends we love so much and a smattering of fireside smoke still lingering all around…Twas Bye-bye for now. Til next time… Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch
November 1, 2013 FALL FOLIAGE CAMPING TIME LET'S GO The rain stopped this morning, the sun came out, Candy time was past, and it was time to eat, plan the parties, eat, plan the next trip, eat, schedule the next bonfire, eat, go admire the beautiful fall colors, eat, and last but not least, warm up the GMC and get ready to go!!! Lots of good times today…Bob and Marilyn brought two of their precocious little grandchildren today and little Brie Shepherd jumped right in and made them most welcome!! And, we might add, the BIG kids in us came right out, on cue and with camera in hand!! We are all still getting used to the newly decorated Golden Corral…new everything it seems, including rearranging the site of some of our favorite goodies…took two trips to find the Clam Chowder today…and the chocolate chip cookies are still tucked away somewhere in never-never land….did find the new spicy chicken wings and later wished we hadn't…ha… In between bites all sorts of good things came about…one important item was brought out…remember the precious little fawn deer that we so lovingly petted last November at Red Oak Campground in Okmulgee? Well, she has been removed to a Wild Life Preserve…we were wondering if she survived the winter…now we know and so do you!!! And we were so looking forward to seeing her again, too!! Discussions were warm and lively today…as per usual…which is better, the 403 or the 455 and which final drive should we use…the chip in the computer on the fuel injections seems to be out of kilter…just what should I bring to the party next month…my air bag has a hidden leak, at least I can't find it…tried to get the new guy to come to lunch today…where is so and so…he's always here…just cannot find that water leak… Does all that sound familiar? It should…cause that's about the same conversations we were having ten years ago…ha…but that's what makes it so much fun…for every question, there's always an answer…may not be the right one but that's what makes owning a GMC the resilient challenge that it does…and please, don't quote us…go see the other guy!! Plans were rapidly being formed today for the upcoming campout in Okmulgee later this month… Nov 19-21 …at the Red Oak Campground… Reservations have been made, the firewood is about ready to be cut, Lunch menus are just about set and looks like everybody is ready to go… The schedule looks like this: (Lot's of free time for sitting around the campfire)… Wed Nov 20: Depart from campground around 11:00 AM for lunch at the Sirloin Stockade for a 11:30 lunch…Manager Johnnie Russell has a place all set us for us in the back dining hall….and this little eating establishment has about the nearest thing to home cookin' you' ll find this side of Grandma's … Thurs Nov 21: Depart from the campground around 10:45 for a 11:30 reservation at Okmulgee State Tech for their annual Thanksgiving feast…Direction of Operations, Rene Jungo, will have those white table cloth tables all set for us…and reservations are a must here…and do bring your appetite here…the students do an outstanding job of creating exemplary food dishes that some of us have never heard of before…ha…but they are good!! That about does it for now…do look forward to having you with us…there is a rumor going around that next month is our annual TOYS FOR TOTS time…scratch that…it ain't no rumor…it's a fact…so, BRING YOUR UNWRAPPED TOYS next month, Friday, Dec 6, to the Golden Corral… We will have the Marines on hand, as always, to take those special little tokens of love to just the right home to the right children…and our own special guy, Chaplain Claude Farris, will be bringing us a special Christmas message…this is our most popular event of the year as well it should be… So, see you in Okmulgee and Happy Thanksgiving to one and all… Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch
October 4, 2013 RECOVERY TIME HALLOWEEN GOODIES Oh my goodness! Here it is almost time for Halloween and we still have not recovered fully from our little trip up the road. Let's see if we have it all together yet! Here are the exciting events of September, not necessarily in order of importance but it'll have to do…. First, on the way on our journey, Black Bart had a flat tire on his tow car…Wow! That's exciting! After we arrived on the first day our leader turned his vehicle over, with him on it…(Relax, it was only a three wheel scooter…He skinned an elbow and bruised his pride, only cause about a dozen people were watching him)…Oh yes, and we did attend a little ole' GMC Rally in Branson, MO with about 140 GMCs on hand plus a handful of guys and gals without a coach… Once the Rally was over, most of us managed to get lost coming out of Branson…seems as tho our GPS gurus don't understand the meaning of hills and valleys…cause there was no way we would have done that on our own…yeah!! Best story coming out of all this was that two of the Lunch Bunch guys (no names, please) met each other over on Hiway 13 toward Springfield…one guy was going north when he met the other guy going south….Hooray for the good guys!! Now that's sightseeing at its best!! Back home safe and sound, it was time today for our First Friday luncheon…A few were missing…the Broostins were still visiting family in Minnesota, the Pitezels were gone to a family wedding, the Farris' were doing a medical checkup…but most of the rest were on hand… Biggest topic of discussion today was "How Long Did It Take For You to Unload Your Coach"…Believe we could have had a detailed seminar on that cause the gamut ran from an hour or so up to a week…and by the time we get our coaches vacuumed and washed it may take another week or so…'fraid there was simply too much partying going on in Branson…but, most importantly, WHEN do we go again? It was great today to see a couple of old GMC buddies, John and Marjorie Troy of Parsons, KS. John and Marjorie, you have been away much too long…By the way, they have really done a super job or restoring their GMC to mint condition… Looking down the road, we have a Show and Tell next Tuesday at Fuddruckers Antique Auto Show… just off 71st and Garnett … come on over…there will be at least a couple of hundred vehicles of all sizes and shapes…you'll find your daddy's old car there and maybe your granddaddy's too!! Plus a few Hot Rods and as always, a lot of pretty gals!! Later this month there is also a GMC Classic Rally in Canton, TX to which all are invited. And next month is our annual trek to Okmulgee…there we will be encamped at Okmulgee State Park (Red Oak Camground) for a few days, ending up with a scrumptious lunch at the Okmulgee Tech Culinary School…it's always their annual Thanksgiving Feast, prepared by the students themselves… And, remembering last year, we are wondering if that little fawn that strolled out among us at the campground will be still there…gonna take the camera, just in case! One last item…Halloween is just around the corner…watch out for the little tykes and, please, save some of the chocolates for the rest of us…don't give it all away…HA! Your Lunch Bunch Gang
September 20-26, 2013 LUNCH BUNCH "OCCUPIES" BRANSON KOA
Here is a quick rundown of the Tulsa gang that made the trip…Bernie and Renee' Baldwin plus their little doggies, Barnum, Bailey and what's his name, Bill and Bobbie Bramlett, John and Teresa Broostin, Ken and Doree Broostin plus Grizzly, Ron and Sharon Eimen plus Sunny, Claude and Sally Farris, Bob and Marilyn Musgrove, Irv and Shirley Pense, Fred and Peggy Pitezel, Larry and Joanna Potts, Clark and Patty Southmayd and lastly, Glyn Trimble minus Lady Barbara (his faithful feline friend).
Everybody arrived early and all got settled in…Kim Weeks, Rally Director, very graciously parked us all together in one big line-up so it became very easy to keep tabs on Black Bart…After greetings and hugs for old friends all around, we settled in for the afternoon, waiting to make a quick stop at the Rally Ice Cream Social, then off to attend the Oak Ridge Boys 40th Anniversary concert that night…after that, it was nighty-nite and a good rest cause Friday was gonna be a busy day!! A couple of winks here and there, plus a few raindrops and it's Friday already…gathering ourselves together at the watering hole (Conference Center) it was time for a few more hugs of greeting plus a hearty breakfast…let's see, on the menu: Orange Juice, Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Oatmeal, Waffles, Bagels, Donuts, James, Jellies, Peanut Butter, plus a variety of Fruits including everybody's favorite of the day, PRUNES… My goodness, Saturday already with all the breakfast goodies plus Pancakes, Sausage and Bacon…and more Prunes, of course!! Both tech and craft sessions were next on the agenda with a little free time thrown in to visit the many sights and sounds of Branson…and we did!! Left a little moola behinds, too!! About 4:00 pm or so, the Lunch Bunch guys and gals gathered in front of Clark and Patty's motorhome, laid out the tables, and piled on the goodies…and a special vote of thanks to Clark and Patty for furnishing that beautiful OU canopy…we were almost ready for the kick-off…made us feel right at home, plus it drew not a few stares of envy…check out those pics…
Sunday morning, more hugs, another breakfast…a very meaningful worship service…later in the day it was Open House, then came a very special time in the life of the Lunch Bunch. At the Classic Club membership meeting, Ken Broostin and the gang surprised (that's putting it mildly) Glyn with a very special gift, a beautiful Howard Miller Clock with an engraving of appreciation, (engraved with both Glyn and Melrose's name) plus a huge chocolate cake…all commemorating 14 fantastic years for the Tulsa Lunch Bunch…dare say not many men are so fortunate to have friends such as these!!! Monday and Tuesday came and went by like a blurr…tech and craft sessions, culminating in the most elaborate Hill Billy costume affair in history, and with great "pride" we can say that the Tulsa Lunch Bunch table won the affection and prize for the whole tribe of GMCers…needless to say, the dinner following, as good as it was, was downhill all the way!! Oh yes, the Lunch Bunch did manage to make a stroll down through Branson Landing Tuesday afternoon, leaving behind several broken hearts, of course!! Wednesday was the last day of scheduled activities, including a tech session and a general membership meeting, plus a last tour of the vendor sections….and with special goodbye hugs we all managed to get loaded up and on our way by Thursday noon. And a special vote of confidence and thanks to the management of the Branson KOA…You were super! And we hope you will let us come back again and real soon!! And, as Roy Rogers always said…."Happy Trails"…Podner… Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch
September 6, 2013 FOURTEEN DOWN GOIN' ON FIFTEEN Sounds like a teen agers' delight but it's really a Birthday Bash for the Tulsa Lunch Bunch…seems like only a few short days ago a group of us met here at the Golden Corral for a bit of GMC camaraderie…a little bit of food…and a whole lot of "Why", "How", and "Are You Sure"… We didn't have that "One Giant Leap for Mankind" mentality but we did manage to stick together over the years…enough that it has become a very very sweet part of our lives…love, friendship, all those good things tempered only by our realization that our GMC ladies are not really first in our lives…but, as some would probably say…they come awfully close, being measured only by our pocketbooks…ha… A great crowd was on hand today…about 30 plus or minus…including a first time visit by a fairly new owner, James Gabbard, and his lovely daughter, LaDonna Jones…He did mention that he seems to have quite a bit of work to do to bring his new lady up to snuff…despite the broad hint, no body offered him the loan of their credit card…Welcome, Sir…you are now in the same boat as the rest of us…but, that's our secret… A lot of activities have been going on and a few more to come…A couple of weeks ago five coaches…Pense, Southmayd, Broostin, Baldwin and Eimen…camped out at the Corps campground at Copan, OK…had a good time if you could count the "raindrops" that kept falling all around…last report that most had found at least one new leak… Later a number of The Lunch Bunch guys and gals spent an afternoon at the local Antique Auto Show at Fuddruckers…little bit warm but the best part was the hamburgers, of course…And also seeing our own Greg Bush touring around is his open 1916 Model T touring sedan…no windows, period…just a top…a beautiful restoration…looked like those old auto ads of long ago… Coming up later this month quite a number of us are going to the GMC International Rally at Branson, MO…two or three are going on ahead while the rest plan to caravan into the KOA Kampground in GMC fashion…all lined up like we had someplace to go…and since we plan to drive down the main drag in Branson, we should turn a few heads…providing of course, that we can maneuver through all those RED lights that seem to pop up everywhere in Branson. And traffic…naaaa…. Quite a few coaches were on hand today…so, right on cue, after lunch we all did a bit of coach hoppin'…looking for that latest doo-dad we don't have on our coach but we just gotta have it…Oops…we found one…oh my…there's another…that makes two new items for the credit card…time to get movin' before we find some more…ha… Again, welcome James and LaDonna…it was a delight to have you with us and we look forward to having you back real soon… See you in Branson Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch
August 2, 2013 IS THIS REALLY AUGUST CALENDAR SAYS YES TEMP SAYS NO Are we really in Oklahoma? Tulsa? According to the calendar today is the second day of August, 2013 but the temperature says we ain't here!! Honest Injun'… A year ago today it was only 114 degrees…two years ago today it was only 113 degrees…today when Glyn arrived a little before 11:00 AM , the temp gauge on the motorhome read 88 degrees outside temp…NEVER MIND, LORD, we will take it…don't bother to change…. Reality soon set it and we can prove it…Fred, Bernie and Ken arrived almost at the same time…and since it was still a bit early for lunchtime, the guys came on over to Glyn's coach, but Peggy, Renee' and Doree made a beeline over to Hobby Lobby, which is just across the parking lot from the Golden Corral…and it's a good thing Hobby Lobby doesn't have a restaurant or we would never see them again…not today, anyway!! Soon Jim and Betty joined us…and bearing goodies from their garden… tomatoes, squash, etc…thanks much…nothing like good homegrown veggies to whet the appetite and fill the tummy… Bob and Marilyn were off in Alaska, visiting daughter and grandchildren… but promised to be back soon. Do wish they would offer to take us along sometime…Clark and Patty just got back from an extended vacation in Europe and Russia…Clark really liked Amsterdam, Holland…think he is ready to go back again… Anyway, back here at the old homestead…we bunched up and went on into the Golden Corral only to be surprised by a complete make-over of our meeting room…new tables, chairs, wall décor plus a big flat screen TV…and there sat Clyde Jones all by his lonesome, waiting for us…Said he thought for a moment he had the wrong day…sitting there all by himself for a bit!! Didn't see our Lunch Bunch banner hanging on the wall, however…guess it's somewhere in that "Remodel/storage Bin" that all contractors seem to have! Soon the room was filled with Lunch Bunch guys and gals…great crowd today, too…we did have one special guest today…Deputy Sheriff Wayne Pauley, longtime friend of the Lunch Bunch and an avid RVer himself…Deputy Pauley was gracious enough to bring us an update on county affairs and other pertinent items of interest to us…Thank you Sir, and come back anytime!! Conversation soon drifted toward the upcoming GMC International Rally in Branson, MO next month…most are planning to attend…but in the meantime, we have a little impromptu campout starting Monday, Aug 12 at the Corp Campground in Copan, OK…that's about 9 miles north of Bartlesville…it's a come and go affair…lazy daze sort of thing…end of summer, eat a lot, chill out….relax, too!! Join us!! You are welcome!! Til next month
July 5, 2013 HALF AND HALF THE OLD FASHIONED WAY Remember those good ole' days on the farm? Those days when you got up before dawn and went out to do the chores…milk the cows, clean out the stalls, fill the horse trough…ugh…well, that's what we thought today when things were all added up…. Let's see if we can explain to you city dudes…you see, about half of the guys and gals were here today and the other half were gone…that makes it "Half and Half"…that brought back memories of stirrin' the cream and makin' butter down in the cellar…and the Half and Half…well, the thought…it just came naturally!! Okay, you can now groan a bit… Let's take a head count…Claude and Sally Farris were here today, Bob and Marilyn Musgrove were on their way to Niagara Falls…Fred and Peggy Pitezel were here today…Clyde Jones was blue-grassin' over in MO…Clark Southmayd was here today…wife Patty was in New Orleans…Bernie and Renee' Baldwin were here today…Monte and Helen were home (she was recuperating from an injury due to a fall)… Ken and Doree Broostin were here today but son John and family were vacationing in Florida…Jim and Betty Haynes were on hand but Ron and Sharon Eimen were sitting dockside on Grand Lake…and so it went…now, that Half and Half Slogan wasn't so bad after all, was it? We did have a grand total of 17 on hand, (18 if we count the stranger who came in and wanted to sell us a seat out of his van he was no longer using) which was a good number considering it was a 4th of Jul weekend… We had two nice surprises today…first, Bill Brunson came in and announced he had purchased another GMC…this one at an auction…so he is back with us in the Lunch Bunch fold…(He sold his other coach about 3 months ago)…. Then, a real special treat…two of our long time ago GMCers, Gary and Dorothy Van Fossen, arrived and enjoyed a meal with us. A number of years ago they sold their GMC to Claude and Sally Farris and had not been back with us since…it was a real delight to see and visit with them…come back real soon, you heah!! Then came a very unique surprise!! To help celebrate the 40th birthday of the GMC motorhome, Glyn put together in book form the history of the Tulsa Lunch Bunch since it's very inception in 1999 and up to and including the present time. This history book, including lots of pictures, is formatted to start at the very beginning and reads chronologically from start up to date. Our gracious webmaster, Billy Massey, has placed this history book for all to see on our website under the Archives…you may peruse it there, or if you like to live dangerously, you may down load it and print it for your pleasure. WARNING…be sure and go to the store and buy an extra load of ink cartridges…ha…and, please, don't ask how we know!! Until next month, enjoy the outdoors and stay cool! Your Lunch Bunch Gang Note: The website for the History Book: June 7, 3013 TV CHANNEL 2 NEWS "MERGES" WITH TULSA LUNCH BUNCH
Ron had invited them to do a piece on our gathering last month at the "Blue Whale" outdoor tourist attraction in Catoosa in preparation for our trip down Old 66 for the GMC Classic Rally in OK City but that didn't come about … so … It seemed appropriate to film a bit about our classic 1973-1978 GMC motorhomes just in time for Father's Day … so here we are, all primed and ready to go… Eleven of our GMC ladies showed up today, along with owners, kids, grandkids and guests…all totaled up to about 31 more or less…more, if you count the pets … ha … First to arrive were Jim and Betty Haynes, then Larry and Joanna Potts, Ken (Tweety Bird) and Doree Broostin, John and Teresa Broostin, Glyn Trimble and guest, Jerry Rhodes, Bob and Marilyn Musgrove, Fred and Peggy Pitezel, and then Ron (Black Bart) and Sharon Eimen. Arriving next were Monte and Helen Jestes, followed by Gene and Barbara Shepherd with kids in tow, and last but not least, Chuck Meyers….all lined up in a row, like ducks on a pond…magnificent sight, of course… Others on hand for this fun time were Luis Molina and youngsters, Raul Rosario, plus Art and Sherry Moore … Absent were several regulars who out of state in their GMC's (what else)…Bernie and Renee were visiting grandkids in Ohio, Clark and Patty Southmayd were in St Louis, Irv Pense was in North Carolina … and so it goes … after all, this is summertime and vacations are a must …. About the time we got all line up in that proverbial row, Channel 2 producer, Erin Christy and cameraman/reporter, Jason "Shack" Shackleford, arrived…after introductions all around, Erin and Shack began their tour, camera in tow, filming and asking all sorts of questions, much the same as those folks do when we are at the RV shows … We did manage to turn the tables on them so to speak … we took Erin and Shack for a ride and then we put Erin in the driver's seat and let her drive…She did very well and glided Glyn's coach right back into it's parking space in the middle of the pack…good job, Erin, well done!! Once inside the Golden Corral and in our private room, and after some more filming, we surprised Erin by inducting her into "membership" in the Tulsa Lunch Bunch…you know the drill, and she followed it to the letter…and then Marilyn presented and pinned her with that well known blue and white Tulsa Lunch Bunch badge… It was a fun day indeed…the food was great also…and time for another surprise…Nadine, our faithful Girl Friday, brought in a group of fellow wait staff members, placed the white crown of authority (paper coffee filter) on her head and sang "Happy Birthday" to one of our favorite people, Peggy Pitezel… Oh my…time to break up already…and we were having so much fun…but GMC time is calling and it's time to take off again…in your GMC, of course…Glyn is heading over to SE Missouri for a family reunion, Chuck is leaving Sunday for a FMCA ham-radio Chapter Rally in Denver and John and Teresa and taking all the kids in their GMC to Florida for a summertime vacation…don't think the kids know it yet but the TV is staying at home for this trip, so don't give this secret away…ha… Again, a very special "Thanks" to TV Channel 2 producer, Erin Christy, and her associate cameraman/reporter "Shack" Shackleford, we were delighted to have you join us today…and come back anytime, with or without the camera…we might even take you for a longer trip in the motorhome next time…of course, if you brought your own GMC, that would really be special!!! All for now, our love for you all Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch P.S. And just because we like to keep you is suspense, the clip and story about today's Lunch Bunch party tentatively is scheduled to be shown Friday, June 14 at 6:30 PM on Channel 2's program, "The List"…the web site posting will be available after the showing. Editor's Note: After a postponement the film interview was shown on Tuesday evening, June 18, 6:30 PM. May 3, 2013 RALLY HANGOVER PLUS OPEN HOUSE GMC HOPPIN' Rally 'round the troops, gang, it's time to eat again!! And that we did today, too…the first arrivals came just before 11:00 AM today and the final coach drove off into GMC land just after 2:15 PM… And somewhere in between we managed to sneak in a few bites off the buffet line at the Golden Corral…but mostly we just talked, talked, and more of the same about the recent fantastic GMC Classic Rally in OK City…What a joy to be with old friends once again and swap those ever-lovin' stories, even a few of those made-up GMC "Black Bart" style ones…ha.. Good to see some old friends at lunch today, too…Jim Haynes and his daughter just returned from a real honest to goodness African Safari trip…didn't bring back any wild game trophies, however…Jim said he did get up and personal a few times, tho!! Irv and Shirley Pense just got back from a hunting session on their West Texas prairie land…Jane Gibson (minus hubby Jeff) snuck in to check up on Glyn…she heard he was up to no good…ha…(She looked at all the Rally Pics and jumped to the wrong conclusions, of course)… Larry and Joanna Potts just got back from Michigan where they had their coach brought up to snuff by Cinnabar…Larry took it up there last fall and picked it up last week… Beautiful, beautiful… the bar definitely has now been raised…so, it's back to the drawing board and dig a little deeper into the kitty jar for the rest us…ha…So, congratulations to the both of you…thanks for letting us all take a peek… We did have a bit of fun today, however…several shared their special memories of the Rally…some good, some even better…and a couple of items shared by Bob Musgrove and Glyn Trimble…ain't gonna print 'em…you are going to have to ask them…better yet, have Black Bart tell you…He always tells it like it is…yeah!! By the way, Black Bart and Glyn took their coaches to the local Auto Show last Tuesday at Fuddrucker's…good response and lots of 'tire kickers' as well as several good prospective owners… Next on the agenda is a possible showing at the Bass Pro Shop next week for their Annual Orphan Car Show and also a possible campout soon at the local race track…will let you know…both sound like a bit of fun…GMC style, of course… Time to go now…thanks for dropping in on us…see you…real soon…
April 18-20, 2013 NOSTALGIA WEEK GMC-WEATHER-OTHERWISE GET YOUR KICKS on ROUTE 66 The theme for the classics rally this week was "Get your kicks on Route 66"…We think we got a bit more than we bargained for…read on… This indeed became a week to remember in the annals of the Tulsa Lunch Bunch…unlike any before and we hope never again… To make it "official" we planned a trip down old Highway 66 to get in the spirit of things…so, bright and early Monday morning a bunch of us gathered around 9:00 AM at the world renowned "Blue Whale" in Catoosa as our starting point…
Those rendezvousing were Fred and Peggy Pitezel, Ron and Sharon Eimen, Clark and Patty Southmayd, Bernie and Renée Baldwin, Ken and Doree Broostin, Clyde Jones and Glyn Trimble. So, after a bit of picture taking, we were off to the "races" so to speak, GMC style…Glyn stayed behind, to join them on Wednesday, and Bob and Marilyn Musgrove joined in the entourage on the west side of Tulsa…. Needless to say, we looked at them as much as they looked at our caravan as we stretched out from one end of each town to the other as we drove through!!! Route 66, you will never be the same again!!! Reservations had been made for lunch at the (soda) Pops Restaurant in Arcadia…a unique treasure in its self…with a myriad of flavors of soda being served …all alongside that giant bottle of soda pop which can be seen for miles…we did arrive a tad late but, surprise, surprise, they still took our money…just ask Bob Musgrove!! Arriving at our campsite, the Twin Fountains RV Park in NE OK City, we began to set up shop, putting up posters, hanging this and that, checking with the caterers, plus remembering what we forgot to bring…oh my!! With heavy heart we bore down, as we kept glued to the tv with the Boston marathon tragedy unfolding before us…suddenly our problems became very, very minor…as did everybody's everywhere! Tuesday was more of the same, and it now became that old child's game …"Ready or not, here we come" …and by late Wednesday almost everyone registered had arrived …no more surprises now, right? Wrong again!! Wednesday night brought us a real ole' fashioned "gully washer" …none of us had ever been in our coaches with a rain like this one …the next day most did admit to a "little teensy" leak here and there!! All that rain made one ponder about our early pioneer ancestors enduring such rains in their canvas topped covered wagons, their tar covered little shantie houses, their sod roofs …would we be so brave!! Thursday morning breakfast was a teaser, with dinner Thursday evening a real crowd pleaser!! Homemade chili with all the trimmins' …dare say that seconds were the order of the evening …yea!! Forgot to mention that Wed eve we were treated to an oldie' "I Love Lucy" film …seems as though we learned how to laugh all over again …we really needed that, too …great time!! Friday was a special day …the guys attended a marvelous tech session headed up by Bob Musgrove and the gals went on a safari across OK City (actually they toured the Chihuly Glass Exhibit at the OK City Museum of Art and then had lunch at the museum but "safari" sounds more daring and adventurous, don't you think?).… All that culminated in a fantastic BBQ dinner Fri eve …more than one could eat …and a bunch of us tried to do that too!! And for those sitting at Black Bart's table …he entertained us with tales of what not to do, especially during prohibition days of yore!! Folks, if you do nothing else, you have got to stop and go look at the pics of the wait staff taken at the rally meal times …the girls were dressed '50's style, hair-do's and all. The guys …well, their aprons still didn't hide that "slight" paunch in front …but they looked great anyway!! Saturday rolled around all too quickly, another special breakfast and a surprise luncheon ….left overs from Thursday and Friday …temptation, get thee behind me!!! Saturday night brought a real big favorite …pans and pans of fried chicken with gobs and gobs of mashed potatoes and gravy …with a "little" bit of pie and ice cream …made a fellow not want to go home … especially when those cute servers kept bringing around 'seconds" on the ice cream. Sunday morning and almost time to say "Goodbye" and head for home …our own Chaplain, Col Claude Farris, brought us a most inspiring message that seemed to fit right in with our innermost thoughts as well as the unfolding saga on the national scene …thank you Claude!! One by one we began to pack up and head home …the Lunch Bunch crew stayed behind to assist in the clean up, pack up, and return borrowed goodies. We would be remiss if we did not thank the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) for the loan of those fantastic highway 66 signs which hung so magnificently from the rafters of our rally room!! Truly this was a special time for all of us and our theme "Get your kicks on Route 66" was both a brilliant and sobering reminder of our great Oklahoma history that we all treasure and hold deep in our hearts! Everybody is safely back home now …all tuckered and worn out …but full of precious memories and, we might add, not very hungry right now!! Bye, Bye! Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch P.S. Be sure and take a gander at the pics: Warning-do not show them to the grandkids …they simply wouldn't understand.
April 6, 2013 APRIL SHOWERS MEANS PARTY TIME
First question of the Day…do we follow our schedule for our semi-annual motorhome showing at the local Open Antique Show next Tues at the Fuddruckers/Target parking lots…decisions, decisions … and the foregone conclusion…only if the sun is shining and brightly at that!! Just goes to show you how brave we are!!! Next on the agenda…the GMC Classic Rally at the Twin Fountains RV Park in OK City later this month…arrangements have been made, reservations turned in…goodies scheduled…and, the most important item in the whole Rally…mealtimes have been set…ha…
Plans are being made to meet up on the morning of the 15th at the world famous "Blue Whale" in Catoosa, take a few pics, then journey down the Old 66 Highway (as much as possible) to OK City, cruising along at "gawk" speed, stopping at a few of the more famous sites and a special luncheon at the world renown "Soda Pop" castle… No time frame has been set so it is entirely possible that lunch may be a tad bit late…but, who cares…fun time at it's best… Til next time
March 1, 2013 COLD WEATHER PLUS APPETITE GMC LUNCH TIME OF COURSE Jackets, Hoodies, Gloves, Sweaters but no raincoats… Your brave GMC buddies managed to sneak out for a bit of camaraderie, questions, answers and, of course, a wee bit of snacking at the food bar… What else? And the temp was actually a wee bit above freezin' but it sure didn't feel that way… But first, a warm welcome to three special guests today…Gary Baxter, who owns an Ultra Van and his co-hort, Ron Walton, who just happen s to own a classic Corvair . Also joining us for the very first time today was Jim Williams who is actively pursuing the purchase of a GMC… bet we can help him there for sure!!! Gary invited us to show our GMC ladies in an upcoming Antique Orphan Car Show…let's see … that would be on Saturday, May 11 … maybe with a little bit of arm twisting, we might be there…yeah…just try to keep us from going…sounds like a bit of fun… especially since it will be next to the local Bass Pro Shop and their beautiful lakeside landscape… and the food ain't bad there, either!!! So, mark your calendar and get set… GO… The first of the gang arrived shortly before 11:00 AM and the last two left around 3:00 PM…and that doesn't count the gals who decided to go across the parking lot to Hobby Lobby…don't have a clue as to when they came back… and, to be perfectly honest, don't think we had better ask, either!!! Great crowd today, all total around 30 hardy souls…lots of plans being talked about…lots of GMC maintenance stuff going on…a few used parts changed hands…you know the drill…what happens next? Just happens that, weather permitting, a few of us just "might" go up to Lake Spavinaw later this month for a few days of "doing nothing" and getting all tired out from doing it…come join us…we might even let you catch a few fish for us…and, of course, you have to fry 'em too! Our camping spot will be just below the Spavinaw Dam, ideal for catching those ever elusive catfish and crappie…heard that Ken Broostin has already picked out his camping spot…and if Jim Williams buys that "new" GMC he can give us a few pointers of how to bait the hook…(Must confess that Jim lives on 14 acres which includes two huge ponds, fully stocked with all kinds of good eatin' fish)… Rumor has it that the Lunch Bunch gals have prepared a nice long list of goodies for us next month at the GMC Classics rally in Oklahoma City…heard that chili and BBQ were both on the menu…maybe a little chicken, too!! Don't know about you, but I'm gonna travel down that Route 66 and get in line early!! By now you have probably figured out that we had a great time today…our favorite waitress, Nadine, was a bit under the weather and wasn't able to be with us…wasn't quite the same…and it took two to do her job at that…guess we are just plain spoiled…but we like it, too!! Til next time Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch compadres
Febrary 1, 2013 FUN TIME IN AUSTIN BLACK BART TYPE ADVENTURE Mercy sakes alive! Here it is, the first day of February and we have already had a whole year's worth of fun and excitement! And it's not even super bowl time yet!!! A fair number trekked into today, despite the desertion of some of the old faithful for the ocean breezes…feel rather badly they didn't take the rest of us with 'em…. Earlier in mid-January eight families of the Lunch Bunch made the southward trek to Austin for the GMC Classic winter rally at the La Hacienda RV Park in Austin, TX. In fact, four of the gang, the Penses, Baldwins, Pitezels and Broostins haven't made it back yet…seems as tho they packed up and went south to Corpus Christi and Padre Island after the rally was over… The Eimen family, along with the Southmayd, Potts and Trimble coaches, came on back after the shindigs were over…more on that later… But we must first commend and congratulate Larry and Joanna Potts…it's a first for them…being new owners, and their coach not quite ready to travel, they went anyway, rented an onsite cabin, and joined in on all the festivities!! One of the nicest things that happened at the rally: the Lunch Bunch invited ONE of the staff members of the host campground to join us for dinner…she had been so nice in assisting all of the Classic members as well as the Lunch Bunch gang in getting registered and settled in…turn about was only fair! She very graciously accepted and while at dinner we learned a very exciting bit of news…the lady and her husband OWNED the campground… we didn't know that and the lady (LYDIA) shared that in all the years they had owned the resort not one rally group had ever invited her to dine with them. Well, you know where that put us, don't you…way up on Cloud Nine!! And the next morning she came over at breakfast time to share how much she enjoyed being us…Little wonder that they have such a popular and crowded campground and RV resort… And now the newest Black Bart saga, only this time it happened to your fearless leader (only he ain't fearless no more)… this is a real life story with Black Bart's guardian angles hovering all about… On the way back, traveling north on 1-35 and just south of Waco…cruising along in the right hand lane of the expressway about 60 mph with normal Sunday morning traffic…when… Whooooosshh, a light brown coupe passes him on the RIGHT shoulder at a speed that made your not so fearless leader seem like he was standing still…. A sudden veer put the speeding driver back on the road, then jerking to the left, he jumped over to the left lane, passed another vehicle, then he veered back again to the right, then onto the shoulder and up a side road to an overpass, then left across the overpass and down the opposite side and off to the races again!! By the way, there was another black and white, sitting just ahead, sirens and red lights shining, up on the ramp, at an angle that he could oversee…apparently giving the first policeman the lowdown on the fleeing escapee… Within the next mile or so, nearly a dozen other black and white vehicles, all with lights and sirens going, approached from the other direction… The outcome?? Don't have the foggiest idea…nervous, nah…frightened, nah…curious, yeah…is he tellin' the truth…no way, Hosea…but sure hope the good guys won… Do want to share one little tidbit… a true Black Bart saga… he does appreciate having a bathroom on board the motorhome…your formerly fearless leader (not now, though) made four pit stops within the next hour while traveling on down the road… And he will never forget that awful sound of a vehicle passing him on the right hand side at that extremely high rate of speed…thank you, Black Bart…your guardian angels were indeed looking over his shoulder!!! Back to the present…today we covered a wide range of topics and we can guarantee that there were at three different opinions on each item projected forth by this august group!! Another first for us today… Little Brie Shepherd hold court on the sale of Girl Scout Cookies…and nobody told her "No", either…of course, she buttered us up beforehand by giving each and everyone a Valentine Day card that she had made…more fun… Love you, Brie… Do want to add that it was just barely over 20 degrees at 10:00 AM but, being real troopers, we came on anyway..and a well known character named "Fred" called during lunch to say they were out on a chartered boat in the Gulf of Mexico, with the temp… oh, never mind, ain't gonna believe him anyhoo. It was a fun time today…we will see you next month, same time, same station, same everything… The Tulsa Lunch Bunch
January 4, 2013 HAPPY NEW YEAR LUNCH BUNCH ANOTHER YEAR OF GOOD EATIN' Woops! Can't believe we just said that! What we really meant it is going to be another good year for GMC travelin', finding new places to go, new ways to fix old problems, new friends, old friends, and, of course, great camaraderie! And to think we even gave a second thought to the grub…ha…no way, Jose! Great weather today…temp was just barely above 20 degrees but the sunshine was gorgeous and the wind was almost nil! The guys and gals must have been a wee bit hungry as quite a few came strollin' in just as the Corral opened their doors! Longtime friend, Don Bobino and his wife, Leanna, were the first to arrive. Good to see them again…Right behind them, driving their "new" GMC was ole' Black Bart (Ron Eimen) himself, with Sharon tagging along…Glyn Trimble arrived next, lugging all his GMC paraphernalia, followed by Clyde Jones. After that the flood gates opened…let's see if we can remember everybody…Monte and Helen Jestes, Bob and Marilyn Musgrove, Larry and Joanna Potts, plus Claude and Sally Farris made it in, all with hands full of goodies…Art and Sherry Moore, too… Gene and Barbara Shepherd, with daughter Brie came bouncing in, followed by Bernie and Renee Baldwin, Jim and Betty Haynes, Ken and Doree Broostin, Irv and Shirley Pense, plus Fred and Peggy Pitezel…mustn't forget our gal Friday, Nadine Shaver, who so faithfully puts up with us each month…we probably left some out, since table hopping and lively conversation kept things going round and round in the proverbial circle…only way to go, especially if you own a GMC. Topics of conversation today included the Classic Rally in Austin later this month…quite a few are going…a few early, a few late and a few right on time. Did see Marilyn marking their calendar very carefully…several are making plans to go on southward after the Austin Rally…Corpus Christi and points beyond. A few more picked up their GMC calendars…Don very diligently took his around for everybody whose coach was shown to autograph the pic…Shirley went through and wrote the identity of each on hers…Glyn just took his home to hang on the wall (the bathroom wall, of course)… A special sight to see was little Brie (all of 10 years old) putting away that huge ball of purple cotton candy she got on the dessert line of the Corral. Brought back special memories of our own childhood at the county fairs…maybe we should try some, too! A special thanks to Claude for giving the invocation today…appreciate you, Claude. Now that we are well into our 14th year of Lunch Bunch togetherness, perhaps it is time to stop, reflect, reminisce, and say "Thank You, Lord" for the bountiful blessings you have given us within our GMC community, both locally and nationally… Til next time…take care…and wave when you see us… Your Tulsa Lunch Bunch P.S. And last but certainly not least, a warm and most grateful "Thank You" to Clark and Patty Southmayd who hosted a very special Christmas Party for all the gang last month. It was an evening we will long remember…love you!
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