By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

I have been hearing rumors for weeks of a Machop nest at River City Park in Sand Springs and finally got to confirm Sunday morning.

The flagship of the Sand Springs Parks Department, River City is the "Gathering Place" of Sand Springs and can frequently be found packed with families and sports teams any day of the week.

The park features a nine-basket disc golf course with alternate tees for eighteen holes. There's a (mildly overgrown) horseshoe pit, a skate park, a splash pad, boat ramp access to the Arkansas River, numerous great fishing holes, and a large stretch of scenic paved walking/biking trails.

The park's Inez Kirk Soccer Complex is home to the Sand Springs Soccer Club recreational league and the West Side Alliance competitive soccer league. The Jerry Adair Baseball Park is the home of the Sand Springs Little League and boasts some of the nicest facilities in the region. The Will Ramsey Softball Park, Case Community Center, Sand Springs Round Up Club rodeo arena, and Sand Springs BMX Association are also found in the massive park.

The soccer complex, ballparks, community center, and park entrance are all Pokéstops and the playground is a gym. However, due to the sheer size of the park, it's not a good place to go without a solid stock of pokéballs. The stops are spread out with zero overlap and unlikely to be lured on a normal day.

The Pokémon selection is solid, however. It's not as dense of a hunting ground as downtown Tulsa by any means, but it beats your average neighborhood park by a long shot. The best spot for diversity is the Case parking lot. As soon I pulled in, I was confronted by Diglet, Nidorina, Pidgey, and Ekans. After circling around the building I added a Tauros and Eevee. From there I went to the baseball park and found Exeggcute, Zubat, and multiple Krabby. Magikarp and other water type are throughout the area. For the Machop nest, you have to travel all the way into the park to the BMX track. Some will spawn as far out as the disc golf course, but the deepest concentration is within the BMX fence. No worries though; the track has free admission for spectators! Head over to www.sandspringsbmx.com for their schedule and enjoy some racing while you hunt!

A great opportunity to do some hunting will be on Labor Day when the park is swarmed with participants and spectators of the Great Raft Race. River City is the launching point for the race and there will likely be hundreds of spectators playing and I would be surprised if there's not at least one or two lures running.

Did I mention the outstanding concessions stand that's open all week long raising money for the soccer leagues? It's located right next to the splash pad and serves an above average array of food and drink including the famous Harper's Hut gourmet Shaved Ice!

So whether you're just working towards the elusive Machoke or Machamp, or you want a fun area to enjoy some fresh air with friends or family, River City is a five star destination for any Pokémon trainer!

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

If you're a Pokémon Go! addict like me, you're always looking for the best new places to gather supplies, battle for gyms, and catch the elusive monsters needed to complete your Pokédex.

Follow along with my Pokémon Go! series to discover the communities around you and save yourself the trouble of visiting useless hunting grounds.

Today I visited Davis Park in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Located on the corner of Taft and Maple Street, this fifteen acre neighborhood park boasts four Pokéstops and one gym. The quaint, semi-wooded, walking trail is a winding and enjoyable venture with lots of cute friendly squirrels and ample seating.

I counted no less than a dozen benches and picnic tables throughout the park, as well as two pavilions, an old-school playground, a beautiful creek, and a full basketball court. There is also a baseball field, but it's not cut short enough and would be rough to play on. The playground features classic equipment that we all know and love; not the newfangled contraptions that look like they belong on the set of 50 Shades of Grey.

While this would be an excellent park for a family outing or afternoon walk, it is NOT a good hunting ground for Pokémon trainers. Throughout my pleasant walk along the half-mile paved trail, I encountered only a single Pidgey and nothing else. You do have to walk the entire trail to reach all the Pokestops, and there is no overlap.

So leave the phone in the car for this one and just enjoy the outdoors!