Our RV Adventures

Jan and I pulled out of the Amarillo Ranch RV Park right on time at 9am. We were heading for Pauls V alley, OK, about 60 miles south of Oklahoma City. We’re spending a few days here visiting our son-in-law Lowell’s parent’s Sonja and Lendel Morrison.

Right before I disconnected shore power, I started up the genset, and about 45 seconds later, the transfer switch connected the genset to the coach and we had power for the AC’s’. And with the temps forecast to be in the 90’s the whole way, we would certainly need the AC’s. And as it turns out, despite our recent problems with the system, the genset ran the whole 6 hours with no problems, and we stayed nice and cool the entire way. Since the genset never stopped, we didn’t have a problem with the transfer switch not working without shore power.

The 315 mile trip went very smoothly, except for a 10 mile stretch near Norman where they had things down to one lane, a very narrow lane, because they had the barrels way over into our lane. This meant that I was partially driving on the seam between the roadway and the shoulder, and the new pavement kept grabbing the rig and pulling it more onto the shoulder. But finally we were into OKC and heading south on I-35.

We pulled into the Pauls Valley City Lake RV Park about 3pm, and got parked and set up. A really nice park, it’s not well advertised and pretty much underutilized by RV’ers. It’s mostly just the local boaters on the weekend.

But where can you get a view like this at $13 a night for 50 amp FHU. Very nice.

About 4:30 we made the 15 minute trip over Sonja and Lendel’s. Then after catching up, we drove over to Tio’’s Mexican Restaurant for dinner. Turns out that Tio’s is well-known in the area, and the 30 minute wait showed it.

Their chips are made in-house and are probably the best ones I’ve ever eaten. And the rest of the meal followed right behind. Really great Mexican.

Tomorrow Sonja and Lendel are taking us on a tour of OKC, and we’re really looking forward to it.

I now have about 1000 miles on my new Ironman I-601 rig tires, and I like ‘em. They do feel a little different, not bad, or anything. But they do respond differently to road surfaces. They do feel very firm and don’t seem to be affected by bumps as much as my last set.

There was something that nagged me for a while until I figured it out. The subliminally faint sound that the tread pattern makes on the pavement is different from my previous Sumitomo’s. It’s slightly higher in pitch, and has a different beat. But I realized today that it didn’t bother me anymore.

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Thought for the Day:

Does this mean that Six Flags will have to change their name to Five Flags?

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Jan and I headed out about 1pm for some touristy things, but our first stop was the Cummins Diesel place right across the Interstate from us. In one of those ‘Doh’ moments, I figured that they would have the green antifreeze I needed if anyone would.

And they did have it, and the lady brought me out the 2 gallons I wanted, and was starting to ring me up when I noticed this.

I told the lady that, no, I wanted diesel antifreeze, not auto antifreeze. She then smiled and turned the jug around and I saw this.

Apparently since I last bought antifreeze for the rig, about two years ago, things have changed and they now make just one antifreeze for both. So it’s probable that I was looking at the right antifreeze before, but didn’t read the back of the jug. Oh well. Live and learn. I’ll still probably drain my green and replace it with red this winter.

Next, Jan and I headed about 10 miles west of town to visit Cadillac Ranch.

Funded by a local millionaire who owned the property, it was constructed in 1974 as an art project, and then moved further west in 1997. The cars are periodically repainted and visitors are encouraged to add their own artwork.

And as you can see, they do it very well.

Heading back into town, our next stop was the Traveland RV  Museum.

Part of a large RV dealership, it displays many examples from the early days of RV’s.

Here’s the prototype Itasca, serial #1, from 1975.

This is a 1953 Fleetwood, from the first year they built them.

This is a 1923 Kamp Kar, one of only a very few left.

This is an Airstream, used my Wally Byam, founder of Airstream, to travel the world in the 40’s and 50’s.

And this 1948 Flxible was used in the movie “RV” with Robin Williams. A really beautiful coach.

And lastly, a very rare Harley Davidson bicycle, and one of only two lefthand sidecar bikes still in existence.

 I didn’t even cover half of the RV’s here, so check it out when you’re in Amarillo. It’s free.

Our next stop was out by the airport where we visited the Texas Air & Space Museum. I wasn’t really expecting a lot since I knew they were just getting it off the ground. But what I wasn’t expecting to run into an old friend.

This is one of four Grumman Gulfstream II’s that NASA reconfigured to act as a Shuttle Landing Aircraft (STA). And it’s one of two of the four that I worked on at Ellington Field near Johnson Space Center when I was with NASA.

The left seat is configured with Space Shuttle controls and displays, and by approaching the landing strip with the main gear extended and the engines in reverse thrust, it simulates the Shuttle approach glide angle, i.e. the glide angle of a falling brick.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get a shot of the telemetry gear I installed and maintained without standing in one of the seats, which I didn’t think they’d appreciate.

It’s always nice to run into an old friend, especially so unexpectedly. It’ll be interesting to check back in a couple of years and see what’s new.

Our final stop for the day was for dinner at the Big Texan Steak Ranch, home of the 72oz Steak Challenge.

We last ate here in 2010 and definitely wanted to come back, but not to try the challenge. Just for a good steak.

The 72oz Steak Challenge has been around since the 60’s and is still going strong today. If you can eat a 72oz steak, a shrimp cocktail, a baked potato, a salad, and a roll, you get the steak free. Otherwise it costs you $72.00.

Here are the rules

The 72oz Steak Rules

Meal consists of: Shrimp Cocktail, Baked Potato, Salad, with Roll, Butter, and of course the 72 oz. Steak

1. Entire meal must be completed in one hour. If any of the meal is not consumed (swallowed)…YOU LOSE!
2. Before the time starts, you will be allowed to cut into the steak, and take one bite. If the steak tastes good and is cooked to your satisfaction, we will start the time upon your acceptable approval. The time will not stop, and the contest is on, so make SURE before you say “yes.”
3. Once you have started you are not allowed to stand up, leave your table, or have anyone else TOUCH the meal.
4. You will be disqualified if anyone assists you in cutting, preparing or eating of your meal. This is YOUR contest.
5. You don’t have to eat the fat, but we will judge this.
6. Should you become ill, the contest is over… YOU LOSE! (Please use the container provided as necessary.)
7. You are required to pay the full amount up front; if you win we will refund 100%.
8. You must sit at a table that we assign.
9. If you do not win the steak challenge, you are welcome to take the leftovers with you.
10. No consumption or sharing of the leftovers is allowed in the restaurant once the contest is over.
11. If you fail to complete the challenge, you must pay the full $72 dollars.

The table you sit at for the challenge is up on a raised stage and looks like this.

Two guys were about 30 minutes into a challenge when we got there and I was able to hook my Galaxy Tab into their WiFi and watch it from across the room. Unfortunately they need a better camera.

As it turned out, one of the guys won and got his name up on the board and his meal free. The second guy finished, but not before the one hour was up.

I got the 18oz Ribeye,

and Jan got a 20oz New York Strip. She wanted to have enough leftovers to take home for sandwiches. Both steaks were juicy and tender, and because they were grilled over an open flame, the edges were nicely charred.

For dessert we got a slice of their Carrot Cake to go.

Yes, a slice of their Carrot Cake fills up a standard take home container. We’ll probably get 3 servings each out of this.

That was about it for today. Tomorrow we’ve got a 313 mile run to Pauls Valley, OK to spend a few days visiting with our son-in-law Lowell’s parent’s Sonja and Lendel.

Really looking forward to it.

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Thought for the Day:

“So, women… a mistake? Or did he do it to us on purpose?” – Jack (Jack Nicholson) in The Witches of Eastwick

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