McGee Creek State Park

8 June 2019  Home to McGee Creek State Park

We took US-75 north until to OK-3 east, then the McGee Creek Lake Road into the park. The Saturday morning drive up through Sherman sucks only slightly less in an RV than it does in a car. In a car you're having to constantly change lanes, trying to keep moving and avoid being hit, but in an RV you just slog along in the right lane and try not fall off the narrow overpasses with only a sidewalk curb between you and disaster.
1. Planned distance: 119 miles
2. Map time estimate: 2:03
3. Adjusted estimate: didn't calculate
4. Actual distance: 121 miles 
5. Actual time:  ~2:15 (minus stoppage = 2:00 driving time)
6. One bathroom break
7. Average mph trip: 58

First of our summertime trips; first trip out of state; and first trip in hot weather. Here starts Mammoth, all cleaned up and ready to travel:

We pulled out at 10:44 with the odometer at 37514.4. It was very sunny, but since it was a Saturday, lots of traffic. No slowdowns, though. We took a very quick pit stop at the Choctaw Welcome Center just across the border. Tried to stop at the Texas center but we missed the left turn under the highway to get over there. It was very poorly marked.

I didn't even realize that this was our first trip outside of Texas until Ed remarked on it. Amazing, huh? We've been east, southwest, southeast, and west, but this is the first one straight to the north. (and just a little bit east)

It was 2:30 when I next noted the time. But--that wasn't the arrival time. We couldn't find our site at first and drove all around the campground circle. Then we unhooked at the boat dock and drove on in. Ed did his usual superb job parking in spite of my help. Then he did the electric and water hookups and I got the dogs a drink...and only then did I note down the time.


We will see if this trips turns out to be our first total disaster. For one, the sites are really close together. For another, the reservations page had said, size of RV plus tow vehicle 31 to 50 feet. I didn't realize that meant some of the sites were only 31' long. We are 32' and just barely squeezed in.

We have a lake view, which is great, but it's a westward view.  With the sun going down in an almost clear sky, it became unbearably hot out there. Not so hot by the thermometer, but miserable by the sun and humidity. Anytime after 4pm we have to retreat inside. But until then....

Even though it's crowded, each site on the lake has a little paved patio with a picnic table. Nice!  I couldn't wait to sit outside in the morning, watching the sun rise over the lake and hearing the bird song. And the concrete slabs are nicely level.

Our neighbors to the right have a small party boat moored  right where I want to stare over the water. But it's easily overlooked.

At first the circuit breaker kept flipping but after an hour or so that stopped. It helped when a neighbor suggested we switch the water heater to LP.  The air conditioner--just one of them because it's only a 30amp hookup--ran constantly and only just managed to keep it cool inside. After an hour inside, Izzy was still panting.  Later we discovered that our outside freezer had completely thawed out...apparently some of the outlets are shut off when running on 30amp and it was plugged into one of them. We later discovered that the same thing applied to a few of the indoor outlets including the one I use to charge my computer and the one in the bathroom. I didn't realize how much we relied on that air freshener in the bathroom before.  Also the Direct TV DVR is not working. That could send us straight home.

Shortly later...yeah! After four reboots and a fifteen minute break, the DVR started working!  The trip was saved--except for the heat. I couldn't get enough signal strength to look at the weather on my phone...which was odd because talked to my brother on the same phone. I gave up and sat inside in the air conditioned comfort and waited for the sun to sink down...just...a...little...lower. Then I'd go outside to take pictures.

We have tons of Eastern Kingbirds here. But I saw one chasing a smaller bird--not nice! I've heard Carolina wrens but not seen one. There's a very annoying mockingbird that likes the one tall pine tree between us and the water. I've also seen scissortails, grackles, and purple martins. And Canada Geese down by the swimming area. But best of all, an orchard oriole came by and serenaded us!  Walking around, I'm almost sure I saw peewees (and heard them, of course) but didn't like to write it down. Bird watching with dogs can be difficult sometimes.