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| Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle (2042667) | |
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| (2042667) | |
Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026 No crowds. There are about 29,000 residents in an area of 5,700 square miles, with 13,000 living in Guymon, the largest community. Lots of empty space.A mostly flat landscape that affords unbroken views to distant horizons. In many parts, except on the infrequent occasions a car in passing you hear nothing but the wind. At night, the darkness is nearly absolute. A spirit of independence in which you live your own life, rather than having the government micromanage everything and everyone like in New York. People are self-reliant. Racial harmony. The population is about two-thirds white and one-third Mexican, Guymon is the only Hispanic majority city in Oklahoma, yet everyone gets along with as far as I can tell no racial tension. Absolutely nothing equivalent to New York’s world-ends-at-the-Hudson mindset. Shopping, entertainment and some services may be limited, but no one thinks twice about the 120 mile drive to Amarillo. I’m sure there’s more. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by cortelyounext on Mon Jul 6 10:52:17 2026, in response to Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026. I lived in Enid, Oklahoma™ for 3 years, spent some time in LaVerne just to the east of the Panhandle, and drove thru the entire Panhandle on my way to California. You ever hear of Big Bend National Park in Texas? Now that place shares a lot of what you wrote about the Panhandle but with far more magnificence in terms of geography and vistas. I liked Oklahoma a lot and the Sooners have been my favorite college football team since I was a young lad in spite of the fact I was born and raised in New Jersey.cortelyounext (he/them) ™ Vance AFB Weather Hold Operations: "The Clearing Line's at Gage". The clearing line was always at Gage. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Easy on Mon Jul 6 11:00:31 2026, in response to Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026. Captivated from a distance. You would never willingly live there nor anywhere like it. Like most people really. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Avid reader on Mon Jul 6 11:28:29 2026, in response to Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026. I lived at Ft.Sill Army Base close to Lawton Ok. for six months back in '65.Fortunately, I was reassigned to the jungles of Viet Nam! The best part was I began my college education at Lawton State Agricultural and Minneral College as a night student. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by cortelyounext on Mon Jul 6 11:46:11 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by cortelyounext on Mon Jul 6 10:52:17 2026. By the way, my old stomping grounds of Vance AFB was named after this guy, at least I think it was: |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 12:22:46 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Easy on Mon Jul 6 11:00:31 2026. Admittedly, living in the Panhandle can be difficult because there aren’t too many jobs other than working on farms or ranches, which isn’t for everyone. There is a lot of natural gas production but from what I’ve read that industry does not require a large workforce. Right outside Guymon there is a large slaughterhouse but I’m sure that’s dreadful work. If you work from home it might be a decent place but that trend seems to be fizzling out.However, I’m not viewing it as a place to live, but visit. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Mon Jul 6 12:40:48 2026, in response to Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026. "he population is about two-thirds white and one-third Mexican,"I was going to ask about this at the first stence. lol I cannot find the most wanted list, which I can tell you the racial makeup without seeing it, but the The inmates of the overcrowded jail look harmonious: https://apps.adacounty.id.gov/sheriff/reports/default.aspx Just like they say in Europe, everything is becoming the same. You're not going to find a place without the same problems. With the exception of New York, who wants to be more like Dearbornistan. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Spider-Pig on Mon Jul 6 13:06:28 2026, in response to Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026. Okie dokie. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by cortelyounext on Mon Jul 6 13:12:29 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Spider-Pig on Mon Jul 6 13:06:28 2026. That's pretty good. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle? |
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Posted by Olog-hai on Mon Jul 6 14:02:56 2026, in response to Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026. Racial harmony. The population is about two-thirds white and one-third MexicanOh, so they're counting illegals there. But you won't ever say that. So when are you moving there? I doubt they'd want you, because as you said they prefer the self-reliant type. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by AlM on Mon Jul 6 15:50:35 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 12:22:46 2026. You want to visit somewhere empty, you don't have to go as far as OK. Take a drive to northern Coos county, NH. Or go farther to Radisson, Quebec or (far more scenic and almost as empty) to Kegashka, Quebec. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Spider-Pig on Mon Jul 6 16:23:37 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by AlM on Mon Jul 6 15:50:35 2026. Northern Maine is just absolutely vacant and largely inaccessible: it’s heavily wooded and there are few roads. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by AlM on Mon Jul 6 16:30:30 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Spider-Pig on Mon Jul 6 16:23:37 2026. Yeah, I once drove a backwoods private logging road, open to the public, from Baxter State Park to Greenville ME. Boring as all hell and a bumpy ride too.My suggestions have the advantage of being paved, and the road to Kegashka (north shore of the St. Lawrence River) has the benefit of being really scenic too. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by cortelyounext on Mon Jul 6 16:39:09 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Spider-Pig on Mon Jul 6 16:23:37 2026. Northern Maine? |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 19:10:32 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by AlM on Mon Jul 6 15:50:35 2026. It’s not just that the Panhandle is empty, it’s that many parts are flat and treeless, offering an unlimited 360 view to the horizon. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Easy on Mon Jul 6 20:57:47 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 19:10:32 2026. Many states in the western US are like that. It's why Montana's nickname is "the big sky state". But to me it's better when there are mountains instead of just flat, which Montana also has. That's the state that captivates me. I used to think that I could retire there but the reality is that it isn't for me. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by cortelyounext on Mon Jul 6 21:20:30 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Easy on Mon Jul 6 20:57:47 2026. I used to fly fish Montana every summer, primarily the Madison, Gallatin, and Bighorn Rivers, and though I gave thought to relocating out there, those thoughts were fleeting like the ephemeral mayfly imitations I was throwing at the water. I enjoyed every moment but, in the end, I share(d) your "reality". |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 23:03:10 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Easy on Mon Jul 6 20:57:47 2026. Montana seems like an interesting state but I’m sure the winters are brutal. Same for the Dakotas. Then there’s Nebraska, where I’ve seen the endless-sky landscape. I was impressed with that state. |
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| (2042750) | |
Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by AlM on Tue Jul 7 10:00:33 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 23:03:10 2026. The Yellowstone Valley in the southern part of the state isn't that bad. It's at a relatively low altitude. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by AlM on Tue Jul 7 11:34:24 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 19:10:32 2026. You do realize, don't you, that on a perfectly round earth the horizon isn't that far away?Using the Pythagorean theorem, and estimating the earth at 8000 miles in radius, if your eyes are h feet above the ground, the distance to the horizon, in feet, is 9200 x sqrt(h). Or 4.26 miles away if your eyes are at a height of 6 feet. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle? |
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Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 13:32:04 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle?, posted by Olog-hai on Mon Jul 6 14:02:56 2026. He doesn't speak the language, and when he goes into the mercado they'll think he's ICE. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Easy on Tue Jul 7 15:39:49 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 23:03:10 2026. My first time in Montana was in Bozeman and it snowed about an inch in the second week of June. I hadn't even packed a jacket. But that was unusual and in terms of cold it's nowhere near as cold as the Dakotas or Minnesota. It's more like Syracuse or Boston, but it snows more like Syracuse. Still it's cold enough, but unlike most of Wyoming, the Dakotas, or even Nebraska, you get to live in one of the most beautiful places in the country. |
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| (2042793) | |
Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 16:10:23 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Easy on Tue Jul 7 15:39:49 2026. I was in Minnesota during the winter. It's not that bad. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by AlM on Tue Jul 7 17:36:42 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 16:10:23 2026. You were lucky. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Easy on Tue Jul 7 18:45:15 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 16:10:23 2026. Maybe you got lucky. What month and how long were you there? Statistically it's one of the coldest states in the lower 48.Weather can be weird like that. My first trip to Syracuse was in a December and it was nearly 70F for several days. Then the temp dropped by 50 degrees over a couple of days and it snowed 2-10 inches every day for a week. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 19:53:33 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Easy on Tue Jul 7 18:45:15 2026. I was there during what was the 3rd biggest blizzard in history. (I was actually on an Amtrak near the cities during this, took all night for a 20 hour trip).I found it to be magical in the winter. It had some type of beauty. It started snowing around Halloween until the spring. Nearly everyday. This is before BLM and it got too Somali. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 19:53:46 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 19:53:33 2026. 2 hour trip. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Easy on Tue Jul 7 20:28:44 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 19:53:33 2026. Ah..ok. It sounds like your tolerance for cold far exceeds mine! 😂 |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Easy on Tue Jul 7 20:30:20 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Easy on Tue Jul 7 20:28:44 2026. I was first there 30 years ago and it was very Somali then. Maybe they just weren't running things yet. And I guess maybe it's more, but it's been like that for decades. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Tue Jul 7 21:22:18 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Easy on Tue Jul 7 20:30:20 2026. They had their enclave, and I'd see them at the (now closed) Macy's. But I didn't see any anarchy at the time.I never liked winter or the cold or snow. Maybe it's because I already lived in the South for a while before I was up there that time, but they did things differently due to the climate. It was interesting. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Catfish 44 on Wed Jul 8 00:59:06 2026, in response to Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026. Are there any flights from JFK or LaGuardia for you take out there? Or is NY so insignificant? |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle? |
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Posted by Olog-hai on Wed Jul 8 01:47:15 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Catfish 44 on Wed Jul 8 00:59:06 2026. Nope. Certainly no nonstops. You can fly to Amarillo with a connection in DFW from JFK, but you're still 120 miles away from Guymon. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle? |
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Posted by Peter Rosa on Wed Jul 8 09:12:49 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle?, posted by Olog-hai on Wed Jul 8 01:47:15 2026. The closest commercial airport is in Liberal, Kansas, about 40 miles from Guymon, but the only flights from there are to Denver. If your destination is toward the east it makes more sense to go through Amarillo. Given the obvious lack of traffic in such a sparsely populated region the extra driving distance is not a major obstacle. |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Avid reader on Wed Jul 8 10:25:31 2026, in response to Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Peter Rosa on Mon Jul 6 01:28:03 2026. Depending on your age group and marital status, you may want to consider schools and hospitals first.Emergency Services response time a must! |
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Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle |
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Posted by Peter Rosa on Wed Jul 8 14:03:03 2026, in response to Re: Why I’m captivated by the Oklahoma Panhandle, posted by Avid reader on Wed Jul 8 10:25:31 2026. There’s a funny story I read not long ago about the small hospital in Guymon. Like many rural and small town hospitals it faces financial struggles, and in hopes of saving money closed its maternity ward. Women have to go to Liberal or Amarillo to give birth.Babies being unpredictable after all, some preggo women can’t make it that far and end up having babies right in the emergency department at the Guymon hospital. They and the babies then have to be sent to Liberal or Amarillo. Because I would imagine that a high percentage are on Medicaid, with its notoriously low reimbursements, the hospital ends of losing $$$. |
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