Tulsa Time

06/03/2017

Today is all about racking up the miles. The goal is the state of Oklahoma. At the beginning, we don't yet know which city we will be heading to. The decision will be made after getting advice from a nice older lady at the information center on Highway 40. We're going to Tulsa and from there, we'll take Route 66 to Oklahoma City.

It's remarkable how old the staff at all the information centers we've visited are. Either they can't afford to retire or they're working as volunteers. In any case, they are all very nice and take the time to assist us. They all place great importance on us signing the guestbook.

Both us and our car have been causing various reactions along the way. At the first rest stop, a man really wanted to know what it's like in such a vehicle. After we went into the diner, he purposely drove by with his car again and clearly couldn't believe it. Inside the diner, a man and his family laughed out loud at the fact that we put on our jackets when going into enclosed spaces. It's just as cold as the refrigerated section at Kaufland. While everyone is devouring their hamburgers in t-shirts and shorts, we sit there shivering.

Finally, at the campground, we can see the dimensions clearly. We have the smallest camping spot there is and could fit three campers of our price range next to us. There are also Americans with small and medium-sized trailers. But what's astonishing is how many extremely large RVs there are. They're as big as a city bus and have a family car attached to the back. The whole setup then has the dimensions of an articulated bus and would fill our spot appropriately.

Some of them are ridiculously equipped. In one, there were two huge living room armchairs with leather upholstery. Outside, there are TVs with a diagonal screen size of 135 cm. The RV is lit up blue from underneath and looks like a disco because the colors change. Is it supposed to be just like being at home, or is that their home? In any case, it has nothing to do with camping.

The people from these vehicles and their dogs don't take a single unnecessary step. Sometimes just 10 meters, do their business, go home. Many of them get chauffeured around on golf carts and look like they are growing out of the vehicles.

Oh yeah. We ended up at a campground in Tulsa that belongs to the Cherokee casino empire. The casino is located in the grandstands of a horse racing track. We ate there on the advice of the campground manager. The price was as small as the portion was large. We couldn't come close to finishing it, and the drinks were free. That's probably the lure for the players. But I don't think they need it. They gamble anyway. There probably is a law in Oklahoma that people need to have something in their stomachs when they're broke.

There will be live music and draft beer soon. We'll go check it out.

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