Wed 6/29 and Thursday 6/30
Leaving day from the bad lands...a little sad, but that was enough. The only thing I would have loved to do was to take a day's long hiking trip through the rocks, and that wasn't going to happen. Someday, maybe.
I'd planned a long drive (six hours) that turned into an absurdly long drive. We had a long wait in a stupid traffic backup, all because of road striping! What the heck? And then we chose a Love's truck stop for a fillup which ended up taking at least 25 minutes.
But then we arrived at our overnight stop, Prairie Oasis RV Park. Lovely place!!! The only drawback was the highway noise--it was just a half-mile off the interstate and you could hear the big trucks all day and night. But I still loved the place.
Prairie Oasis review: Would have loved to spend a couple of days, or longer, if I was a working from the road.
Immaculately clean; big old trees. Lots of grass to walk dogs around on, plus ground squirrels, rabbits, deer in the pond. 50-amp hookups, water and sewer of course. Very level gravel sites--fresh gravel, too. Lots of empty space and mowed grass where kids could play; a pond; horseshoe pits supplied with horseshoes, a volleyball net, sandpit, kid swings and grownup swings, too, so you can take your ease while the little ones play in the sand. The lady in the office was very nice.
It was not very full in June on a weekday--only about 8 sites occupied out of about 25 available. Each site has a newly painted wooden picnic bench--nice.
A little expensive at 50 ???, but worth it.
Only downside is the noise from Interstate 80 traffic. But on the other hand, the noise means it's conveniently located to the interstate for a one-night stop.
Internet and OTA TV channels (didn't try).
Later I wrote:
Sundown at 9pm!!! I'm sitting outside on my little picnic bench typing on the computer, and it's 8:59 and I can see the last rays of the setting sun lighting up the tractor-trailer trucks on the highway. It's amazing how much later the sun sets up here, and we're not even in South Dakota anymore. We are about mid-way through the state of Nebraska.
Just saw a couple of ducks fly over. The Platte River is a shallow, many-channeled lifeline out ehre. Here at Prairie Oasis we are 20 or so miles away from where the Platte heads north and away--I suspect it flows into the Missouri up there. But the pond by the park is very alrge and might possibly be part of the same water system.
If I were a full-timer RV with a job I could work on the road, I'd definitely spend a week here. It's so pleasant and homey--a home away from home on the prairie. Flat but not dull; dry but not dusty. And I'd come back in the spring or fall for duck migration season on the Platte.
Our last stop was at a little COE park in Oklahoma -- Coon Creek Cove Site 33
Review
Summary: Very nice...despite its inconveniences.
The sites are gravel, and they're very large and very unlevel. We had to use blocks to get level and our front wheels were off the ground. But they're lovely sites, with big trees scattered around for shade and to block our satellite signal. And to support birds, of course. The grass is neatly mowed and there's absolutely no trash anywhere around.
The power was only 30-amp and it kept blowing a circuit breaker when we tried to use both air conditioners at once. We've used them on 30-amp hookups before without any problem, but here we had to give up and just run one.
There was some construction going on at the lake edge, moving around big boulders. It stopped at 5pm, but started up again at 7am. It was a little noisy.
The lake is big and lovely--a little low at this time of year, but well worth bringing the boat to. There is a little boat ramp in the campground. And there is a small (9-hole?) disc golf course. Lovely.
Other than the review above, I have very few memories of Cook Creek Cove. I'd stay there again if I were passing through, but I'd try really hard to get a level site. I might even consider bringing the boat if we get into that again. I'm not so sure about the kayak, though.
I think I was just too tired to notice much of anything. And there weren't any birds that I made note of. But I'm sure there were some there, because of the big trees.
Sunday 7/3
After our long trip, we returned to the arrival of our kids. In a few hours, anyway. Only enough time to unload, clean out the tank, vacuum a few of the cobwebs in the guest room, and go pick up pizza.
It was a good trip, very good. There were a lot of people in the parks--a state park and a national park on the week before a holiday weekend--what was I thinking? But, as usual, when we got away from the well-trodden roads, we could find all the solitude we needed. I walked for an hour in Palo Duro and saw only one family playing in the creek with their dog and a single guy on a bicycle. Sometimes it seems like people go the the parks, and camp there, but still don't go outside. It's like they step off the well-trodden path, go...and end up on just another well-trodden path.
NOTES
1. If possible and necessary, planning gas stops before the trip is good. But always assume 225 miles on a tank. (I tried to keep it under 200 and we ended up stopping more than we needed)
2. But remember that the generator will shut off when the gas tank drops below 1/4.
3. No more YesWay unless or until they get their problems worked out with our gas card. And no more Casey's! Their pump wouldn't take our card and the attendant inside made Ed go inside to pay and go inside again to get his receipt.
4. On return trips, lean toward private RV parks with pull-through sites and sewer hookups. We're tired then and it's so very easy.
5. Although Texas State Highways are very good, don't assume that of other states. Especially Kansas or Nebraska--when there, try to stick to U.S. highways.
Spirits and Sourdough
