Chickasaw Cultural Center & WinStar World Casino - 2011

The September RV trip for the Modern Wagoneers was hosted by our good friends, Tim and Karen Sechrist, who chose Arbuckle RV Resort with a tour of the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma.



The RV park was clean, well organized, offered 50 amp service and a large meeting room, and had several nice shade trees for outdoor gatherings. My only reservation is the gravel roads and RV pads, which provide plenty of dust on a freshly washed coach.



Gary and Vickie Tidball prepared a fine breakfast of eggs, sausage, and pancakes before the group headed over to view the exhibits at the Cultural Center. The Center is conveniently situated directly across the street from the RV Park.



The Chickasaw Tribe built a fine facility, but I found the exhibits difficult to follow because of the many distractions, i.e., crying children, etc. I think a better approach to understanding the Chickasaw culture would have been to combine a viewing of the exhibits with a guided tour. The grounds are very well kept and no money was spared in the development of the Center. For more information, visit www.ChickasawCulturalCenter.com.

Upon completing the tour of the Cultural Center, several members of the group returned to the RV park for an afternoon nap, while others went antique shopping in Davis or Sulphur, or found their way back to I-35 and Treasure Valley Casino. We later reconvened at Roma Italian Restaurant in Sulphur, which is located at 1611 West Broadway. Susan and I found the food to be good and the prices about par for an Italian restaurant (Olive Garden, etc.).



The final evening of the outing ended with card games played in our coach. This group loves to play games and eat, and I'm so glad they're good cooks!



Because we were so close to Thackerville, Bob and Jan Samples suggested an overnight trip to WinStar World Casino and RV Park. Suz and I have been to the casino on several occasions, but it's been at least a couple of years since our last visit. Bob indicated that the casino has grown considerably over the past few years, and the recently built RV park is nothing but first class.



Well, I personally wasn't too impressed with the casino (I didn't win), but the RV park is certainly "first class!"



WinStar is also owned by the Chickasaw Tribe, and you can easily see they spared no expense in the development of the casino and RV park. This is a very large facility with extra long concrete pads and all amenities. Adjacent to the RV park is the WinStar Golf Academy which offers private lessons. Guests may also use the beautiful hotel swimming pool and dine at several restaurants situated throughout the property and casino.



Although the Samples were headed home on Monday morning, Suz and I would have stayed another night. But, we noticed a pool of hydraulic fluid under the coach and decided to take it directly to the dealer for repair. We sure don't want to miss fall travel season. So, after Bob and Jan prepared and served breakfast on the patio, we reluctantly folded up the coaches and headed north.



WinStar RV Park is a difinite future destination, or at least an overnight stay on our way south to visit our Texas friends; in spite of the fact I don't have much luck at their casino.

Update!

We took delivery of our new Landmark San Antonio and couldn't wait to go RVing. Susan's daughter is expecting a baby any day, so we stayed local and set the new coach up at Twin Fountains RV Park near Remington Park. This gave us a chance to try everything out and load all the dishes, linens, and other personal items before we hit the road next week.



You'll notice the big, white, ugly truck in the pictures. While we were waiting on the Landmark to be readied for delivery, I downloaded weight and load specifications for the Chevy 3/4 and 1-ton pickups and compared them to the weight specifications of the Landmark. It turns out that the Chevy 3/4 ton simply doesn't meet the loading requirements of the Landmark, whether we equip it with air bags or not. So, in comes the new 2011 Chevy 3500HD. Like our 3/4 ton, it has the Duramax 6.6HD diesel engine with exhaust brake. This model is the LTZ, which is the higher trim grade over the 3/4 ton LT, and except for the heavier suspension, the trucks are nearly identical. Some say we could have gotten by with the 3/4 ton, but we believe in placing safety first, especially when we transport friends, family, and grandchildren.




















We're looking forward to joining our travel club next week at Sulphur, Oklahoma. Hope the baby comes soon!

The Year of Transition Continues!

Our May 15th post disclosed that we transitioned from a motorhome to a 5th wheel as our chosen form of RVing. And, in fact, the Cedar Creek 5th wheel has worked well with very little maintenance issues. But, in order for this blog to live up to its name, "The Adventure," it must continue to provide exciting information; otherwise, its readers may lose interest. Therefore, we are proud, and excited, to announce that we've traded the Cedar Creek for a 2012 Landmark San Antonio.



According to the manufacturer, Heartland Recreational Vehicles, the Landmark is considered a "high-end residential coach;" which means it's intended for long-term use. The San Antonio model is 40'11" in length with a GVWR of 16,200 lbs. It stands 12'11" high, has four slides to expand its interior living area, and sleeps 3-4 people.






Our Chevy 2500HD is being modified to carry the extra weight with the installation of Firestone Air Bags and an 18K Superslide Hitch. If all goes well, we should take delivery late next week and finish out the year's travels with the new coach.

Metro Friendship Campout - 2011

The Oklahoma Good Sam Club's "Metro Friendship Campout" was held August 4-6 at the Citizen Potawatomi Campground in Shawnee, Oklahoma.





This year's campout was hosted by Oklahoma Good Sam's Assistant State Director and Secretary, Roy & Susan Scholl.



It's well known among our club that after last year's Spring Samboree, Jerry was not a "happy camper." I didn't feel that the Samboree was well planned and managed, nor did I feel that our members were well received. Well, Roy and Susan more than made up for the Samboree's shortcomings. They went above and beyond to make this year's Metro Campout a spectacular event for all present, and they made all chapter members feel welcome and part of the organization. Roy and Susan are genuinely good folks!

We were also honored at our camp out with the presence of the Oklahoma Good Sam's State Director, Bettye and Edward Frantz. We're grateful that they took time out from their busy schedules to spend the entire three days with us.



Bettye and Edward are striving to make the Oklahoma Good Sam's Club better than ever, and Susan and I already see significant improvement. Moreover, these two are always upbeat, personable, and enjoy a good time, which are qualities that should be evident in every good State Director.

Excursions for this event included a trip to "Country Cottage Primitives Lavender Farm" near Shawnee, Oklahoma. Planning for the excursion began with the men waiting behind while the women went as a group, but as usual, the men ended up going as well. The following photos provide a sampling of the farm and its operation . . . .







The afternoon temperatures soared near 108 degrees, but that didn't keep a few brave souls from venturing out to explore "The Santa Fe Depot Museum."



The Depot turned 100 years old in 2004. The tower resembles a Scottish lighthouse, while the inside ceilings are made from stained boxcar siding. According to the Museum curators, the floors were originally cement and cinders supported by railroad ties. The Depot was in operation from about 1904 to 1963.



Below, Susan gets an opportunity to play an antique pump organ that was found abandoned in a nearby farm field.



The following photos depict the rear of the Depot along the tracks, which remain active today.



The "Beard Cabin" (below), which sits adjacent to the Depot, is said to be the first home built in Shawnee after the Land Run of 1891.



The highlight of the rally must have been watching Susan learn to line dance. We've been married almost 14 years and I've never been able to get her to dance with me.

Live entertainment was provided by our fellow metro chapter, The Norman Wheels. In addition to the wonderful food prepared by the chapters on "pot luck" night, our gracious hosts arranged for morning coffee and donuts, and a potato bar and catered BBQ for evening meals. Other activities included sand bag baseball, bean bags, card bingo, door prizes, a 50/50 drawing, and the LCR game.



It's always more fun when someone's grandchild wins the big prize . . . .



The Modern Wagoneers will next visit Sulphur, Oklahoma and the new Chickasaw Cultural Center. But be sure to first read the next chapter for exciting news!