Thanksgiving Trip 1999
Tuesday 11-23-99
Page 4


This is our campsite in the El Reno KOA

It took a long time for us to get underway this morning. It was 11:30 before we were back on the highway. Part of the reason for that was our visit to the Cherokee Trading Post. I have passed up the opportunity to go in the trading post on previous trips. After going inside on this trip, I can say that I made a mistake when I came by here in the past. The Cherokee Trading Post is an interesting place to see products made by Native American crafts people. I saw a beautiful set of small, nested, porcupine-quill baskets, the largest of which was about 4 inches across. I was considering buying the 3 basket set until I saw the price, $695.


This was a very nice place to visit

After leaving the trading post, I had to fuel up at the Cherokee Texaco Truck Stop. I would normally drive down the road to get gas at El Reno, but I was given a 3 cent per gallon discount at the Texaco for staying at the KOA. So they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. That made this gas purchase the lowest price I’ve paid on this trip.

The wind today is a 25 to 30 mile per hour cross wind that is buffeting the motorhome as we drive. It is a little harder to drive than in the previous days. We have total cloud cover today with a wind-chill factor of 25 degrees. BURRRR!

I think I’ve found where California is sending its old rough roads. The stretch of I-40 west of Oklahoma City and the Highway 44 bypass around the city are very rough. It made it seem like the short trip around the city took a lot longer than it really did take.

When I turned on to I-35 and headed north to Wichita, I was now driving into a head wind. The wind was strong enough that it made it difficult to keep the motorhome in overdrive. When a big truck would pass us or we reached a slight incline, the transmission would kick out of overdrive.

We were in Kansas before we knew it. The sign that welcomes people to Kansas is a couple of miles north of the border. The drive on the Kansas Turnpike was routine until it came time to get off. I missed the exit I wanted and ended up going to the next exit. This put me out in a part of town I'm not familiar with, so I just turned toward downtown. I new I would eventually recognize a landmark. I was trying to get to Highway 54 when I saw it ahead. Kay said that the GPS receiver confirmed that 54 was just ahead. I turned on to 54 and drove until I got to the I-235 junction. From there I took my usual route to our campsite in Wichita, Kay’s brother’s driveway.


This is our campsite while staying in Wichita

We arrived at our destination around 3:45. It was just like coming to our second home. Jim, Donna and Steven welcomed us and we then called relatives to let them know we arrived okay. I unloaded the bed I made for Steven. It was good to get it out of the motorhome. Jim and I assembled the bed in Steven’s bedroom and Steven made up his new bed.


Steven making his new bed

Donna fixed us a spaghetti dinner before we went over to see Kay’s parents. After our visit it was home to our cabin-on-wheels to get a good night’s sleep.


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