RV Fun Trips

A Trip to the Southwest and the Plains
November 2007
Wichita — Page 2

Yet Another Casino Trip
Kay's brother Jim had purchased four tickets for a bus trip to an Indian casino north of Topeka, Kansas. So our first full day in Wichita would include a day trip to a casino. This has become somewhat of theme for this trip — visiting casinos.

We were told we had to be at the bus stop at 6am which meant that we would have to get up at "Oh dark thirty" to get to the bus in time for the departure. I wasn't looking forward to getting up and around at such an early time. Fortunately, for me, there were not enough people signed up for the trip, so it was canceled. As a result, we would be leaving from Jim's and Donna's house at a more reasonable time of 9am. Jim would be driving the four of us to the casino in his car.

We've been to this casino the last time we were in Wichita, so it would be a familiar trip. With the four of us traveling in one car, we had the opportunity to catch up with each other's activities. Part of the route we took was on the Kansas Turnpike which has a speed limit of 70 with a minimum of 40. When the turnpike was first opened in the 1950s the maximum speed limit was 80 miles per hour.

Nice architecture that is a familiar sight

Our route took us past open farm fields, water towers and the ever present grain elevator structures. The total distance covered would be about 150 miles each way. At turnpike speeds it would take about two and a half hours which included one stop along the way. When we began the trip skies were mostly cloudy which would become overcast by the time we reached the casino.

I noticed a small change in the casino as we walked from the parking lot to the casino. The last time we were here, the casino name up front was Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. On the side of the building was a Harrah's sign that was the company that really ran the casino. However, on this trip the Harrah's sign had been replaced with one that says, Prairie Band Casino & Resort. I would learn that this meant that the Potawatomi tribe was running the whole thing,

This sign on the left used to say Harrah's

Kay and I would play slot machines with me tiring of it after awhile. As it turned out Kay and I would play with a lot more money — called credits — than we put into the machines. After about three hours of play the two of us were down only $12 between us.

When it was lunch time it was decided that we would go to the casino buffet. This is where we would learn that the price for lunch was 50 percent higher than the last time we had a meal here. Jim said that he was told that this increase in prices took place when the Prairie Band took over the full management from Harrah's. Even at the higher price I felt we got our money's worth.

After lunch, the others went back to the casino while I looked around the place. I spent some time in the lobby reading the local newspaper. In the lobby there is an enormous stone fireplace making for a nice place to read. Next I went to the other side of the lobby where glass doors open to an outdoor place of meditation. The central feature is a small waterfall that produces a relaxing sound making for a calming environment.

A peaceful place of meditation

While the others continued to play the games inside I went outside to take a walk. I used my GPS receiver to keep track of the distance I walked. As it turned out I made three trips around the casino parking areas which totaled just over one and a half miles. After my walk I returned to the casino to find that the others were finishing up and all were ready to return to Wichita.

When we all headed out into the parking lot it was very apparent that a cold-front had arrived. For me the transition took place during the 30 minutes I was in the casino between my walk and when we all headed for the car.

The trip back to Wichita was uneventful as we retraced the route used to get us to the casino. The clouds covered most of the sky with occasional breaks that allowed rays of sunlight shine through. It made for some dramatic scenes with bright streaks of sunshine lighting up small areas below.

Breaks in the overcast made for some nice scenes ahead of us

We arrived at Jim's and Donna's shortly after sunset with the pack of bassets waiting for us with tails wagging. Our day ended with a play session with the dogs and watching television. It had been an easy day for me because Jim did the driving.

Bubba looked up at us as if to say, "Where have you people been?"