Greetings from Oklahoma City!

[vraiblonde]

Ugh. The thing that went wrong today is that our levelers won't come down, which means we can't slide out. The guy came to take a look and no joy. So he's doing some research and will be back tomorrow, hopefully with a solution to our problem.

But our RV resort is really nice. Big ass space, and they have an onsite bar/grill that we retreated to when we got the bad news from the guy. They have a bacon cheeseburger salad that is freaking amazing and should be a thing everywhere. It's a keto dream.

I hope tomorrow brings us good news and a quick fix.

 

[TPD]

our levelers won't come down, which means we can't slide out.

that’s what she said!

i own a combine - sounds about the same as owning an RV or a boat...neither of which I will own till I retire and sell the combine first...

 

[vraiblonde]

I'm not madly in love with OKC. It's a BIG city with a chit ton of traffic, and they're doing a bunch of construction just to make it even more exciting. Waze doesn't even know how to get from point A to point B because exits aren't there anymore.

I like a smaller town with a cozier feel. This place has (ick) urban areas. And a MLK Blvd that is typical of them all over the US, which never doesn't piss me off. There are about a zillion "neighborhoods" like Dallas has, so we'll go on walkabout once our leveler problem is solved.

Anyway, big cities make me itchy and I'm sure we'll be fine for two weeks, then be glad to put this place in our rearview. Last time we were here we just visited Bricktown, didn't really get around a lot other than that.

But guess what!! The Tiger King zoo is about an hour south of OKC. I passed a sign for it on 35 on my way here and didn't realize what it was until the light came on several miles later. I doubt we'll go because I'm scared of those crazy people, but if Tiger King was still there I'd make the trip. He is in prison about a half hour, so maybe I'll go visit him.

 

[Ken King]

I was stationed at Tinker for several years back in the 80s. Best part of OKC was seeing it in the rear view mirror as I departed. I bet it has exploded since I was there. And I don't mean the Murrah building.

 

[vraiblonde]

Yay! The levelers are fixed!

More specifically, the guy did some magic so it would work long enough for Monello to level us and slide out. The motorhome needs a new relay switch (I think that's what he said). So he's going to take care of that in the two weeks we're here.

Not gonna lie, I'm a bit nervous going out in OKC. What if some militant terrorist group decides to carve out their own little slice of heaven while we're here? Although when I went to the C-store earlier I interacted with a number of black people and they weren't hostile, nor did they give me any stink eye. Lady helped me find a car wash, guy held the door for me, two teenagers voluntarily moved aside so I could get my fountain drink while they were still deciding, another lady said she liked my nails (turquoise with glitter ). I didn't have to kneel or wash any feet.

It was just normal, although OKC did have rioting and looting last weekend. It was put down rather quickly because the Republican Mayor here isn't interested in their bullshit. Protest your ass off but if you start busting stuff up the cops will NOT stand down.

Anyway, I'll be glad to get out of here. I hate cities.

 

[vraiblonde]

Today we headed out to Lake Hefner and had lunch at a lakefront restaurant.

 

[Louise]

Today we headed out to Lake Hefner and had lunch at a lakefront restaurant.

View attachment 148850

What a great time for you and Monello to be traveling the USA. You get to see it visually and politically. Safe travels.

 

[b23hqb]

I grew up in Lawton, OK, about 90 miles SW of OKC, so I have a good attitude about the state. Have you visited the Murrah Building Memorial site? Very moving, a very nice museum, and those 168 vacant chairs in the footprint of the building gets your emotions going. I would recommend it as a site of national importance.

 

[vraiblonde]

I grew up in Lawton, OK, about 90 miles SW of OKC, so I have a good attitude about the state. Have you visited the Murrah Building Memorial site? Very moving, a very nice museum, and those 168 vacant chairs in the footprint of the building gets your emotions going. I would recommend it as a site of national importance.

I've seen the Murrah memorial twice. Last time we were able to bogart a security officer who was there when it happened and was very generous with his time in describing it. An impromptu docent.

My son went to boot camp at Ft. Sill.

Today I think we're going to the Cowboy Museum. Hopefully it's a real museum and not just (blech) art.

 

[Monello]

Our current RV map situation. This is from 13 years on the road. Just the last 6 years are with Vrai. Together, we have been in a bunch of states. If all goes well, we will be adding Arkansas soon.

 

[vraiblonde]

Note that Arizona is crooked. That's the one I put on.

So now I won't be sticking on any new states because I failed at it. Monello will have to do that.

 

[Monello]

Vrai and I have been in 41 states together.

We are just missing:

Alaska
Colorado
Hawaii
Michigan
Minnesota
North Dakota
Oregon
Washington
Wisconsin

Not too shabby for 6 years worth of rolling around the USA.

 

[b23hqb]

I've seen the Murrah memorial twice. Last time we were able to bogart a security officer who was there when it happened and was very generous with his time in describing it. An impromptu docent.

My son went to boot camp at Ft. Sill.

Today I think we're going to the Cowboy Museum. Hopefully it's a real museum and not just (blech) art.

yup. I was an army brat there for six years - 7_12 grade, 1966-1972. Joined the Navy from there. It was a good place to grow up back then. Don't know if thjey still hjold basic there or not. The Artillary Capitol of the world, it used to be called.

 

[vraiblonde]

yup. I was an army brat there for six years - 7_12 grade, 1966-1972. Joined the Navy from there. It was a good place to grow up back then. Don't know if thjey still hjold basic there or not. The Artillary Capitol of the world, it used to be called.

Honestly, we're just marking time until we can get out of here. It's too big and not terribly compelling. Saturday we're going to Norman for the farmer's market, and they have a historic downtown. We usually like those.

 

[Monello]

Yesterday we had dinner with a gal and her husband that I worked with way back starting in 1998, when I first got to Pax River. I haven't seen her in over 15 years. It was nice catching up.

Today it poured down rain. Of course both Vrai and myself, we washed both our cars yesterday. I even waxed my ride. I probably lost about 5 pounds of water weight, sweating in the hot sun. Right now the outside temp is down to 64. Amazing how quickly it cools down after it rains.

If all goes well, we should find someplace decent to visit tomorrow. We have a few ideas of different locations to check out.

 

[vraiblonde]

Fried chicken and ribs just go together. They're like Laurel and Hardy. Han and Chewie. Scooby Do and Shaggy. Cheech and Chong.

In beautiful downtown Nicoma Park there is a throwback fried chicken and rib place called Swadley's. Good stuff. We had it for dinner last night and I'm eating leftovers for breakfast this morning.

Only a few more days left and we're on to Fort Smith.

I think I'm getting jaded because we've been to so many places and seen so many things. Now it takes a lot to wow me.

 

[vraiblonde]

Well, we tried. Today we went on walkabout to the various districts in OKC that their tourism website assured me were worth visiting.

Yeah, fail.

I mean, if you've never been anywhere or seen anything, sure. But there is nothing unique here that we haven't already seen a thousand of. Last time we were here we did the only interesting thing they have, which is the water taxi in Bricktown and mini history lesson. OKC doesn't really take advantage of its resources the way other cities and even small towns do. Like that canal and water taxi - that thing should be lined with shops and restaurants and places for people to drop income, like the River Walk in San Antonio, but it's not.

The Stockyard district was interesting for a few minutes but it's not even remotely close to the Stockyards in Ft. Worth. And it has so much potential, too, so I'm going to blame the city government for the failure to capitalize on it.

Also their haphazard road construction makes getting around tedious and annoying.

If we rolled back through I'd stay here again for the RV park, which is pretty sweet, but the city itself is meh. It's too bad because doesn't Oklahoma City sound westerny and American? I thought so, but in reality it's pretty anonymous and there's not a lot of civic pride.

BUT! Wednesday, barring any complications, we're off to Ft. Smith which seems to have more possibilities.

One of our problems since COVID is that the tourism/visitors centers are all closed, which is stupid. You can gather with 1000s of your nearest and dearest to bust the place up, but picking up a few brochures and talking to someone about what there is to see in the town is risking your life.

 

[Monello]

For our last night in OKC, we went to the bar in the campground. While anyone can go there, it's 100% people in the campground. A common icebreaker is asking people where they are from & where they are heading.

There was a guy by himself at the end of the bar. I figure him to in his mid 70s. He's rolling down the road by himself. His final destination is Oregon. He's a bit over chatty, which is fine. Then he gets to the sad part. He's alone because his wife of 25 years died from cancer. He shared how they were all set to hit the road when she became ill. His regret was when she was first diagnosed they attempted a cure. He said in hindsight they should have just taken off and went places instead of doing treatments and watching her fall deeper into the disease.

There were several couples engaged in conversation with this guy. Towards the end of the evening he said how glad he was that he ventured to the bar. He's tired of being by himself and feeling lonely all the time. He's not really looking forward to what's ahead being by himself.

I don't know about Vrai, but I feel very fortunate that she took a chance, deciding to hit the road when we did. There are no guarantees in life. Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. My hope is that anyone reading this that has a dream, will create a plan to make their dream a reality.

 

[vraiblonde]

I figure him to in his mid 70s.

He said he was 63

Serious, if I get the cancer or something I won't spend one single penny on treatment. We'll travel until I can't anymore, then you can pitch me into the Grand Canyon to feed the wolves.

 

[Scat]

There are no guarantees in life. Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. My hope is that anyone reading this that has a dream, will create a plan to make their dream a reality.

A very moving and touching statement. With a little luck, July 4 is day 365 of my countdown.