Spring Break 2026 · Field Record

Chickasaw

The first stop on the trip. A cultural center in Oklahoma where the kids joined a stomp dance, Ruby read every plaque in the exhibit, and a question about a boy in a diorama changed the way she saw everything.

Location: Sulphur, OK
Site: Cultural Center
Coordinates: 34.51° N, 96.97° W

Ruby and Gus in front of bronze Chickasaw statue

The Entrance

Fig. I · Ruby & Gus · Chickasaw Cultural Center

Fig. II · DiscoveryCCC-26.03

Fig. III · ArrowheadsCase B-26

Fig. IV · Traditional VillageCCC-26.03

Fig. V · Stone ImplementsExhibit Hall

Gus with Junior Ranger hat meeting Park Ranger M. Whitney

Fig. VI · Gus & Ranger Whitney · Junior RangerChickasaw Cultural Center · March 2026

01 · The First Stop

The Stomp Dance

Gus wanted to do the stomp dance. Ruby stepped up and went with him. They joined the circle with the other children and followed the demonstration together.

Ruby is really into learning about history, especially the deeply human aspects and especially when she can access them through living history demonstrations. They explored the traditional village outside. They went through the exhibit together, and Ruby read each plaque out loud.

The Circle

Fig. VII · Stomp Dance Demonstration

Stomp Dance Recordings

Chickasaw Cultural Center · Stomp Dance Demonstration · March 2026

Fig. VIII · Laura, Gus, RubyChickasaw Cultural Center · March 2026

02 · The Exhibit

The Gus Lens

Ruby learned about the pain of tribes being removed from their land and pushed to new lands. The sacrifice, suffering, and death. Ruby wasn't getting it at first — even making jokes.

Then her dad pointed to a diorama figure of a boy and asked how she'd feel if that were Gus. That hit her harder than he expected. She wanted to walk back through and take it all in again.

“

That hit her harder than I expected and she wanted to walk back through and take it in again.

Jarad · March 15, morning journal

Laura, Gus, and Ruby at the Chickasaw Cultural Center

Next · Leg 02

The Lakehouse

↓

Field Notes · Vol. 01

The
Lakehouse

After a day at the Chickasaw Cultural Center, we set up for three nights in an Airbnb on the lake. This is where Ruby and Laura got hooked on fishing, Gus set his boats free in the lake, and we watched The Dinosaurs to get ready for the next adventure.

Location: Granbury, TX
Duration: 3 Nights
Coordinates: 32.45° N, 97.77° W
Temp: 68°F / Clear

Spring Break2026Johnson Family

The Dock

Fig. 01 · The whole crew · Golden Hour

Fig. 02 · The Fishing Rod

Fig. 03 · Red Chairs

Fig. 04 · Life Vest

Fig. 05 · Fire Pit

02 · Home Base

The perfect spot.

Laura found this place in Granbury, right on the lake. A huge sectional that could fit all four of us for movie nights. A dock with fishing rods. Red Adirondack chairs around a fire pit. Kind neighbors. Plenty of room.

It gave us a base to come back to and rest together. Laura caught a drum fishing in the lake. We watched The Dinosaurs on Netflix to get ready for what was coming. The first day, we spent time outside in the beautiful weather.

“

I think 5 days on the road with two kids is hard. Very hard. And we make it look relatively easy, Laura especially, and that shouldn't go without appreciating how unique it is.

Jarad · March 17, from the road

Fig. 06 · Laura & Gus · The CatchGranbury, TX · Golden Hour

Voices from the Lake

Laura

"Watching The Dinosaurs on the big couch. Fishing in the lake with Ruby. The kids being at the right age to share a bed together like they've wanted to."

Her three favorite things from the Lakehouse. All three happened here.

Ruby (age 11)

"Waking up in the morning to dad working, then moving to the couch with me and August to wake up."

Her favorite part of the Airbnb.

Jarad

"The perfect home base to come back to and lounge."

On the Lakehouse.

Illustration of the lakehouse at golden hour

Laura's Favorites

Watching The Dinosaurs on the big couch

Fishing in the lake with Ruby

The kids being at the right age to share a bed together

Next · Leg 03

Dinosaur World

↓

Johnson Family Expedition Co.
Spring Break Collection — March 2026

Ages 4+

Glen Rose, TX

✦✦✦

Welcome toDinosaur
World

Est. 65,000,000 Years Ago · Reopened March 15, 2026

Active Ingredients:
T-Rex Extract 99%
Adrenaline MAX
Explorer Readiness 100%
Boredom 00%

DW-2026-0315-JFE

⚠ Warning: Contains extreme excitement.
May cause roaring.
Packaging made from
100% recycled meteorite.

Contents: 1 Unit

The
Explorer

Explorer Vest✓
Pith Hat✓
Walkie-Talkie✓
Tiger Water Bottle✓
Blue Crocs✓
Excitement LevelMAX
AssemblyNot Required

Gus
Approved

Ruby and Gus at the Dinosaur World entrance

Now Open

Ruby & Gus · Main Entrance · Glen Rose, TX

▶ Now Playing

On the Path

Gus in front of the Spinosaurus, arms raised

Species Encounter No. 1

The Most Excited He's Ever Been

This was the highlight for Gus. He was the most excited he'd ever been in his life when we pulled up to this place, and he stayed that way through about half the dinosaurs we saw.

Excitement: Off the Charts

Field Survey Results

Gus's
Top 3

"What was your favorite dinosaur?"

T-Rex

The undisputed champion

Spinosaurus

"Oh, yeah"

Brontosaurus

"The long neck one"

Species Encounter No. 2

The Long
Neck One

One of Ruby's favorite things was seeing the model of the Brontosaurus. She and Gus stood on the viewing deck looking out at it together, and it was one of those moments you just take in.

Ruby and Gus at the Brontosaurus viewing deck

Mom Energy

Laura · Brontosaurus Bench · Specimen Lounge Area

Field Recordings

In the Wild

Ruby and Gus on the path with Brontosaurus

Field Observation

On the
Trail

Ruby and Gus on the path through Dinosaur World, with a Brontosaurus towering behind them.

Dino day is his day, but he's had such a great time this entire trip. It's so fun to spend time with him.

Jarad · Morning Journal, March 15

Next Leg

The
Safari

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center · Glen Rose, TX

↓

LIVE

32.2232° N, 97.7672° W

ELEV 1,247 FT

MARCH 16, 2026 — 09:30 CST

SELF-DRIVE SAFARI

THE SAFARI

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center — Glen Rose, TX

1,800 ACRES50+ SPECIESCONSERVATION ACTIVE

Herd of antelope grazing in the Texas hill country, backlit by afternoon sun

Field Cam 01 — Entering Territory

Entering Territory

1,800 acres of Texas hill country. Self-drive, windows down, animals crossing the road in front of us.

50+SPECIES ON SITE

1,800ACRES

1973EST.

Johnson family at the Fossil Rim overlook — Jarad, Ruby, Laura, and Gus holding his new stuffed rhinoceros

Expedition Crew — 4 Subjects

The Crew

JaradNavigator / Driver

LauraField Commander

RubyLookout / Big Sister Detail

GusJunior Naturalist

Laura watching spotted deer through the car window at Fossil Rim

Field Cam 02Spotted Deer — Chital

Laura, watching through the passenger window.

Wide panorama of rolling Texas hill country at Fossil Rim — open grassland, scattered oaks, water tower in distance

1,800 acres of open range. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose, Texas.

SECTOR 4 of 7

ELEVATION 1,247 FT

TEMP 68°F

WIND 8 MPH SW

White rhinoceros behind a fence at Fossil Rim, eating hay

Classification Disputed

Species ID

The Hippo Question

OFFICIAL: Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
GUS'S ID: HIPPO (DISPUTED)

Field Conversation Log

JARAD: "What did you like most about the trip?"

GUS: "I saw a hippo."

JARAD: "The hippo — oh, the hippo at the safari."

GUS: "What's a hippo?"

JARAD: "Huh? You said hippo."

STATUS: UNRESOLVED

New Companion Acquired

Goo Goo & Loggy

Live RhinoGoo GooToy RhinoLoggySpeciesRhinoceros (one real, one stuffed)OriginGift Shop, Fossil RimStatusTag still attached

"Do you like your stuffed rhinoceros or the one we saw more?"

"I love both of them."

— Gus, age 4

Ruby and Gus at the overlook — Gus clutching his new stuffed rhinoceros, tag still on

Cheetahs walking behind chain-link fence at Fossil Rim

⚠ Predator EnclosureCheetah — Acinonyx jubatus

Species Data

TOP SPEED70 MPH

RANGEAFRICA, IRAN

STATUSVULNERABLE

POPULATION~6,500

Ruby at the Fossil Rim overlook, hair blowing, rolling hill country landscape behind her

The Lookout

Ruby at the observation deck.

Johnson family car selfie during the Fossil Rim self-drive safari

The Drive

Self-drive safari. All four of us in the car, windows down.

Field Documentation

Photo Booth

Location: Fossil Rim Visitor Center
Date: March 16, 2026
Subjects: 4 (Johnson family)
Frames: 3 + cheetah overlay
Mood: Unserious

Field Notes — March 17, 2026

"His eyes light up at so many points on this trip, but within moments he goes from in awe of a rhino to playing with his toy and ignoring the one right in front of him."

— Jarad Johnson, morning journal

The Tracks

Dinosaur Valley State Park

32.2497° N, 97.8136° W — Glen Rose, TX

Paleontological Field Journal · No. 05

THE TRACKS

Dinosaur Valley State Park

Date: 16 March 2026
Location: Glen Rose, Texas
Classification: Cretaceous Track Site
Formation: Glen Rose
Field Team: Johnson Family
Status: Complete

Open Journal →

Fig. I — Track Site, Paluxy River

Numbered markers in the riverbed identify individual prints

Specimen Data

Type: Dinosaur footprint trackway
Age: ~113 million years
Period: Early Cretaceous
Formation: Glen Rose Formation
Substrate: Limestone
River: Paluxy

The depressions visible through the shallow water are individual footprints pressed into the limestone bed. The tracks include both theropod and sauropod prints.

Field Note — 17 March 2026

The best decision today was to hit Dinosaur Valley instead of coming back to the AirBNB after we went to Fossil Rim. Everyone was tired, but pushing through got us experiences I'm really glad we have.

— J. Johnson, morning journal

Fig. III — Main Trail

Ruby and Gus on the trail at Dinosaur Valley

Trail Documentation

Ruby Johnson, 11Subj. A
Gus Johnson, 4Subj. B

Gus holding the park brochure. Both in hiking layers for the overcast afternoon.

Fig. IV — G. Johnson at Track Site

Fig. V — Field Recording

Next Field Entry

THE PLAYGROUND

Gathering Place — Tulsa, Oklahoma

→

Leg 06 · Spring Break 2026

TheGatheringPlace

Date

March 18, 2026

Location

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Status

Last Stop

Arrival

By the Water

Ruby at Gathering Place. The park sat along the Arkansas River in Tulsa. Final stop of the trip.

Subject: Ruby Johnson

Expedition

The Explorers

Ruby and Gus on the hill above the park. Five days on the road and still going strong.

Subjects: Ruby & Gus Johnson

All of Us

The Whole Crew

Jarad, Laura, Ruby, Gus, and ~~Pepper~~ Dottie. Everyone together at the park.

Kids on rope bridge at the Gathering Place

Structure

The Climb

Rope bridges and cargo nets. The playground structures were massive.

“

Playing with Gus on the playground.

Ruby · on one of her favorite parts of the entire trip

Ruby was a phenomenal big sister from the time we left to the time we got home. Gus loves her so much.

Giant sculptural slide at the Gathering Place

Attraction

The Slides

The big slides. When asked about his favorite part, Gus said, “The slides, the big slides.”

Observation

The Swing

Ruby and Gus on the hammock swing. We were seeing how high they could go and never found what that point was.