Since we’re still at the beginning of our adventure, with a long way to go, we decided to skip any more shows (save money), but we did spend some time walking and driving around Branson and Branson Landing. We picked up the “historic” trolley at the Bass Pro Shop and enjoyed a ride through Branson (a treat for Fester who is typically driving and misses the attractions that I call out). We visited some local parks with Sadie and then enjoyed lunch on the Pour House patio in Hollister, since Thursday was a gorgeous day. It was 77 degrees when we sat down for lunch, and in just an hour, the temps fell to 56 – crazy!
The mirror’s all done and works just fine. Since that project was a success, Fester decided to tackle the TV/Stereo system since we had the time (waiting for our packages). Believe it or not, we haven’t watched any TV since we started our trip. I can’t say I’ve really missed it. The wiring was a mess, but after spending the morning working on it, we can now watch TV and listen to music through the stereo (versus our Alexa). While we probably won’t watch much TV (other than the World News), it will be nice to be able to watch movies. Fester took some time to fly his drone around the area, which was also fun for me since I have my own set of goggles and can experience the flight in real time. We’ve learned to sit down while flying – otherwise you get a bit nauseous. Fester is mastering his flying skills before we get out West.
We wrapped up our unfinished business (received our forwarded mail & new credit cards) and finally pulled out of Turkey Creek RV Village around 9am on Friday morning. After stopping to fuel up and hitch the Jeep to Zephyr, we were on the road by 9:30, heading to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the night. To be more specific, we’re staying on the grounds of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.
While on our way to Tulsa, we passed our 1,000-mile milestone, and have been on the road 23 days! Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we ended up spending 13 of those nights at Turkey Creek RV Village. We really enjoyed our stay and the people, but…
This will be our first time staying at a casino. There are no hook-ups (water, electricity and sewer), just a parking lot with a designated RV area. Like a Walmart – it’s a FREE place to stay overnight on our way to Oklahoma City (aka OKC). With all of the casino’s security, we knew we would have a safe place to stay for the night.
After settling in, we took a quick visit to the casino to get the lay of the land. Like most casinos, there were a lot of blinking lights and beeping noises coming from the video slot machines, as well as cigarette and cigar smoke (yuck). Being the Hard Rock Casino, there was definitely a music theme and rock n’ roll vibe throughout. An eclectic mix of music played as we walked around, some from large video screens featuring a concert. Hallways were decorated with nostalgic band posters and other memorabilia, bringing back fond memories. We are not “casino” people, but grudgingly splurged $5 on a slot machine, which we lost in one pull (maybe that’s why we are not casino people). On our second trip to the casino, we had dinner at the Eatery and watched old MTV videos, (think of a very young Kevin Bacon dancing the night away to “Gotta Cut Loose”) what a hoot!
We were in no hurry, so we took our time getting to our next campground. OKC is a straightforward route from Tulsa, pretty much Route 44W the entire way. Along the way, we saw a foreboding sign along the highway “Hitchhikers may be prison escapees” – yikes!
Skunky and Fester - The Next Chapter 