Facilitators Andrew and Mitra made an expedition to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, just outside of Lawton, to get in touch with the Land and its Beasts.

During their eight-mile trek through the refuge, they passed through verdant forests, arid plains, and canyons.

A major feature of the Refuge was the Prarie Dog Town where the robust rodents were fed their newly found favorite snack: health-nut granola bars.

The buffaloes at the Refuge constitute the nation’s first protected bison herd.

This particular buffalo, better known as Buffalo Bill, is the biggest and baddest bison on the block. Buffalo Bill is intimidated by nothing — not even StoryCorps Extended Cab Trucks.

View this video to see Mitra meeting her first buffalo.

Videos by vMix Member:storycorpswest

On the way back to Lawton, the StoryCorps team came upon the famous Oklahoman Joad family railway car, featured in the climactic scene of The Grapes of Wrath.

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Andrew was happy to be seated next Mary McClure. Mary is a former newspaper journalist and was the first participant to do a StoryCorps interview in Lawton. As the night went on, she explained that the art of getting rid of an armadillo in one’s backyard is best done with a sledgehammer.

One of the highlights of the gala was listening to the auctioneer’s call. Items up for bids included a grandfather clock and a weekend of pheasant hunting. The auctioneer talked real fast.

No, faster than what you’re imagining…

…Faster than that, too….

…Yep, like that.

To cap the evenining off, Andrew and Mitra, captains of StoryCorps’ traveling jitterbug squad, execute a difficult maneuver on the dance floor.

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Before Ryan left, he said he already knows he’ll never forget his time on the road. He wants to thank the people of the Garden City, Amarillo, Kansas City and Little Rock for their hospitality, and his former facilitator partner, Mitra Bonshahi, for teaching him how not to dilly-dally.

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