YELLOW BRICK ROAD ADVENTURES: GOING ON DOWN THE ROAD

WE LEFT DONNA, TEXAS ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, FOR AFTON, OKLAHOMA TO WORK AT GRAND COUNTRY LAKESIDE RV PARK. THIS WILL BE OUR SECOND WORKAMPING JOB. KATHI SILKORSKI CALLED US LAST FALL WHEN WE WERE STILL IN RAPID OFFERING US JOBS. I TURNED HER DOWN THEN, THOUGHT THE WINTER WAS TOO COLD FOR US. SHE CALLED AFTER CHRISTMAS, WANTING US TO COME FOR THE SPRING OR SUMMER. SHE SAYS, " COME WHEN YOU CAN, STAY AS LONG AS YOU CAN." IT WILL BE ALL OUTDOOR WORK. WE DECIDED TO TAKE HER UP ON IT, SINCE IT IS ON THE WAY TO DES MOINES. WE HAD PLANNED ON LEAVING FRIDAY, BUT THE WIND WAS BLOWING 40 MPH, SO WE DECIDED TO STAY ANOTHER DAY. WHEN WE WENT DOWN TO PAY FOR THE EXTRA DAY, DOTTIE, THE MANAGER OFFERED US JOBS FOR NEXT WINTER. WE WILL MISS THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE HERE IN MAGNOLIA PARK, AND HOPE WE DO GET TO COME DOWN HERE AGAIN. WHEN WE WOKE UP IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN, WE FINALLY LEFT AT 10:30, PLANNING TO DRIVE AS LONG AS WE COULD THAT DAY.
AFTER DRIVING A FEW HOURS, WE CAME TO THIS CHECKPOINT, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING.

THE MAN ASKED US IF WE WERE HEADED HOME, DARRELL SAYS," THIS IS HOME!"

AMERICA'S FRONTLINE!!!! WOW!! I GUESS IT'S WORKING!!!

WE DECIDED TO STOP FOR THE EVENING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, WE HAD MADE RESERVATIONS FOR MCKINNEY FALLS STATE PARK FOR THE NIGHT BEFORE, THAT WE HAD TO CANCEL DUE TO THE HIGH WINDS ON FRIDAY. DECIDED TO STOP AND SEE IF THEY HAD A SPOT FOR US.

THEY WERE FULL, BUT OFFERED US A SPOT IN THE "OVERFLOW PARKING LOT" FOR THE NIGHT FOR $8.00. NO HOOK-UPS. WE WEREN'T THRILLED WITH NO HOOK-UPS, BUT IT WAS QUIET AND BEAUTIFUL AND WE HAD THE WHOLE PARKING LOT TO OURSELVES!!

WE GOT AN EARLY START IN THE MORNING AND DROVE TO THACKERVILLE, OKLAHOMA. I HATED LEAVING TEXAS, I LOVE TEXAS, AND HOPE AND PRAY I GET TO COME BACK SOMEDAY! WE HAD PLANNED ON STAYING IN A PASSPORT AMERICA PARK THAT I HAD FOUND AND HAD CALLED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY TO GET RESERVATIONS. WHEN WE ARRIVED THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE OFFICE, BUT ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT LIVE THERE, CATHY, STOPPED AND TALKED TO US. SHE TOLD US ABOUT THE CASINO AND STATE OF THE ART, BRAND NEW RV PARK DOWN THE ROAD. WE CHECKED INTO WINSTAR RV PARK, WHICH IS LESS THAN 200 YEARS FROM THE THIRD LARGEST CASINO IN THE WORLD.

WE WENT IN AND REGISTERED, AND IF WE WOULD GET A CASINO CLUB CARD, WE COULD STAY FREE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE GOT A CASINO CLUB CARD! WE TOOK THE SHUTTLE BUS OVER TO THE CASINO FOR DINNER.

OWNED BY THE CHICKASAW INDIAN TRIBE, THEY ARE ADDING ON TO MAKE THIS THE LARGEST CASINO IN THE WORLD.

THIS WAS A WONDERFUL RV PARK, PAVED ROADS, BEAUTIFUL SHOWER ROOMS, STATE OF THE ART EVERYTHING!! THE NICEST RV PARK WE HAVE STAYED IN SO FAR.

IN THE MORNING WHEN DARRELL WAS BUTTONING UP EVERYTHING, HE NOTICED A TEAR IN THE ROOF OF GUSTOW. HE WAS UP ON A LADDER PUTTING SEALER ON IT WHEN A NICE MAN CAME OVER OFFERING US SOME ACTUAL ROOF REPAIR TAPE, ESPECIALLY FOR RVS. WE WERE GRATEFUL, AS HEAVY RAIN WAS PREDICTED. THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS!! WE ARRIVED IN GRAND COUNTRY LAKESIDE RV PARK ABOUT 5:00 AND MET KATHI AND IRV SYKORSKI, OUR EMPLOYERS.

THE RV PARK SITS ON GRAND LAKE 'O THE CHEROKEES IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SMALL LAKE, TURNS OUT TO BE 46,500 ACRES AND 1,300 MILES OF SHORELINE. THIS IS THE VIEW OUT OUR BACK WINDOW.

WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SPOT HERE, SO QUIET, PEACEFUL, AND WITH ONLY ONE OTHER RV PERSON HERE, WE ARE ENJOYING PRIVACY AND FREEDOM.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE ANYWHERE TO FIND A PLACE FOR MAGGIE AND MARLEE TO PLAY BALL, THEY CAN PLAY BALL RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR. WE TAKE THEM FOR A WALK EVERYDAY ON THIS NATURE TRAIL THAT IS RIGHT BY THE RV PARK. THEY LOVE IT!!