Travels with Snowbirds Sunday June 7 2013 Little Rock AR to Grand Casino Shawnee OK

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The one about things seen along the road and a great casino

(((Sorry, too tired to do a real good job proofreading, sorry if this is a tough read tonight))

I thought Winston was finally adjusted to CDT. Not so, as he had me up at 5 this morning. I did manage to snooze until 6, but he was a PAIN in the patootie. I love my new RV it is so easy to break camp. I took him for a long walk, showered and was on the road before 8:30. I planned to drive 300+ miles today, my longest day to date.



Cross Little Rock off the bucket list, not that it was ever on a bucket list, but I’ve done it now!! Glad I did, a very cute little town, and I recommend it.



Let’s get the ugly out of the way first. Road Kill count. 15 armadillos. 14 on the right side of the road. 1 on the left side. I can’t imagine he lived in the median, so I figure he made it all the way across before he got axed. 3 raccoons. 0 deer. 1 skunk. 1 something brown that looked like a cat or a prairie dog.



Each county in AR must maintain their own section of its roadway. As I saw the signs, ‘entering XXXXX county, the road surface changed. In some places it was wonderful black paved asphalt with no bumps or holes. In others it was cement, kathunka kathunka kathunka, with many potholes. I have another question to ponder. Why is the surface of ALL bridges, no matter what state, always riddled with bumps and holes? I don’t get it. Bone rattling, RV shuddering holes!!



I passed my first oil well at Mile Marker 234, I think about 80 miles into OK. I didn’t see another one for 80 miles, but it was moving. Of course you know I had to do research on oil wells, and briefly, what my always ready Wikipedia has told me what I saw were production wells. These giraffe looking pumps, pump jack, are installed after the drilling is done and the pressure has been released. A series of valves is installed that can direct the oil flow to the distribution network of pipelines and tanks that supplies the oil to refineries, natural gas compressor stations, or oil export terminals. The pump jack is used to increase the pressure to keep the oil flowing as the well gets older and the oil pressure drops. I think.



I passed lots of signs with interesting names, Arkadelphia, and Texarkana. I just like pronouncing both of them, they have so many syllables.



I passed thru Arkansas’ Wine Country, offering me free wine with tours! I wish these places would say, ‘3 miles off I40’ or 5 minute drive, rather than ‘next exit’. I would like to know if these attractions are 3 miles or 30.



I got buzzed by a crop duster! I saw a yellow plane come out of a field from the right, what I would say at 30 feet off the ground. It scared the heck out of me. It rose a little bit, maybe 10 feet, did a quick turn around and headed back across the roadway at 30 feet. Just as it passed in front of me it started to let its chemicals go! I was trying to drive and watch and not be nervous. It was over in 10 seconds. I didn’t know what to fear, being hit, being sprayed, being hit by another vehicle watching this……Thank you God.



I passed donkeys having sex. That caused my head to turn.



More road signs told me I was leaving The Cherokee Nation and entering the Muskogee/Creek nation, and entering the Seminole nation (I thought the Seminoles were in FL, or did they just get relocated there….more research) More signs, entering Citizen Potawatomi nation, entering fox and sac nation, entering Kickapoo nation. More research is needed here for sure.



Another sign welcomed me to Checotah, home of Carrie Underwood, American Idol winner 2005.



I stopped only once on this 300 mile trip today to stretch my legs and let Winston walk around. Garmina and Siri were having arguments about where the casino I wanted to stop at was, so I got off at the first exit Garmina told me, WRONG!!!! But it was an easy get back on. As I drove up the on ramp, I saw what could only be tornado damage. All the trees to the right of the approach ramp were flattened. Like toothpicks. Amazing sight.



I got off at the Siri recommended exit, and the casino is right there! Grand Casino! I could see some RVs out of the corner of my eye, so I drove around the back of the building, which ended up being the correct way to go, to an area behind the truck parking area which belongs to the also adjacent truck stop. Interesting arrangement. I stopped and asked some people who obviously just pulled in what the deal was, and they told me site 6 was the only empty site, I had better back up and get in it if I wanted it. They announced they were ‘semi drivers’ so I asked them to help me back up and get in my site. I took pictures but will not post them tonight as my only internet is my personal hotspot and I am cheap on using that data up. There are 20 sites at a diagonal to a curbed grassy area with picnic tables and steps down to a small creek. There are electric posts and water spigots, and a dump site near site 1. Temperature 95 degrees. I plugged in, pulled down all the shades, cranked the a/c, took Winston for a long walk and had some fruit. The semi drivers gave me the lay of the land. I had to go to the gift shop and register in site 6 knowing my license plate number. The casino is just across the parking lot, not far at all. What I didn’t realize is the back entrance is to the hotel which will open in August, and all those doors are closed, requiring walking around the front. Not far, just hot. Into the gift shop. Nope, I need to get a players club card. Go do that, back to the gift shop and signed in and got a very fancy sign to put in my windshield. Of course I had to go check out the casino, and all my favorite games were there! Kaboom, Shop til you Drop, and Open the Vault. They all took my money. Back to RV for dinner of left over meatballs, roll, cherry tomatoes, avocado. Lots to drink. I took Winston for another very long walk, but he does not like the heat and dragged me back to the RV. At 6:30 I headed back to the casino, the temperature dropped to 88. I walked, but this time the angle of the sun behind the building created enough shade for me to walk in. I gambled again, won for a time, but lost overall. They ‘win’ a lot, but the payouts are cheap. They gave me $10 for gambling, and I lost that, too. Free soda, free ice cream, alcohol for pay only. This is a smoking allowed casino, and it smelled like stale smoke, but overall a great casino. Lots of slots, and I saw blackjack tables, but wasn’t looking for anything else. I tried poker slots as well, but those payouts were even worse than the video reels.



At 8:30 with my free ice cream in hand I headed out the front door and asked for and got a free ride back across the parking lot to my RV. It was just getting dark. Many in this ‘campground’ were out walking, but it was buggy. My next door neighbors drive a class C similar to my old rig, with a toy hauler behind (a boxy trailer used generally for hauling motorcycles, dirt bikes, or used by flea market vendors for their wares.) I asked what they had in it and they told me all about their 4 wheel drive rough road vehicle that they use for their gold prospecting business. Uh Huh. Home is Tampa, and they have been on the road 3 months now up and down the middle of the country hunting for gold. They need to go back to Tampa for MD appointments, and will leave again in August to head to Maine for some lobster, (no kidding, I didn’t make that up) then head to Niagara Falls before back to Tampa before the snow flies. Great life.



It is now 10:45. The parking lot is VERY well lit, good thing I have room darkening shades. Temperature still 88 degrees. The a/c is humming and I am cool with the temp set to 80 and my small fan oscillating. Winston is asleep on my bed under the vent, and I am going to join him now.



Tomorrow will be another good day, but only 235 total miles. I can’t pass thru Oklahoma City without seeing the Murrah Federal Building memorial, and if I have it figured correctly, about 25 miles on Historic Route 66.



Kat Out

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