Dean & Linda Stock
Well-known member
Day 3 Grand Junction, CO
We are off on our adventure to Iowa (?) and Missouri. We have done our homework, but schedules have changed, so our itinerary is going to be fluid (in fact, I fear it may look like we have been imbibing a bit!) The main reason that we chose to visit Missouri is to spend time with our best friends at their new 31-acre pride and joy. It is all forested, has lots of wild turkeys, Canadian geese, furry animals whose eyes glow in the dark, a 5-acre fishing lake, and a lovely home. They worked hard all their lives, and they deserve this piece of paradise. Unfortunately, they will be coming back to CA in early to mid-October, because they have reservations for a week in Sedona that they had made prior to purchase. So we may go south to them and come back north to visit the rest of Iowa?a circle route. Right now, it?s one day at a time.
Day 1?We drove from Cypress to Las Vegas, stopping at the M Casino on the southern outskirts of town. I discovered this place when looking for a casino my daughter could enjoy. She?s highly allergic to tobacco smoke, and I was told that the M was all non-smoking. It isn?t, but it has the best ventilation I?ve seen (smelled?) in any casino anywhere. We called ahead to ask about RV parking, and a security guard met us and escorted us to a locked big-rig parking lot. Very nice! The buffet at the M is very large and has a lot of Asian food, as well as American food. Hot food is hot, cold food is cold, lettuce and vegetables are crisp, and sliced fruit is ripe. It is very nice, but not elegant like the Wynn. However, it?s also half the price. It is a very large casino, very modern, and very clean. I have stopped there 3 times, and their slots have paid me each time. I think this is a good omen! We are going to have a lucky trip and no problems on this trip. My husband won at blackjack, and my friends have also had only winning experiences there. I know that players? dollars pay for the employees and the nice facilities, but so far it hasn?t been this player?s money. We ate dinner and rolled into Bally?s about 10:00. They have big-rig parking behind the casino, and we checked in with security once we were registered in the hotel. They do patrols of the area where we parked the coach.
Day 2?We slept late and went to see ?The Lion King? at Mandalay Bay. I got front row tickets for $80 total cost through travelzoo.com?and that was about 40% off. The show was amazing?it really was an extravaganza. Words can?t describe it?but if you have a chance to see it, don?t miss it! We saw ?Jersey Boys? last time, and it was also terrific! Try travelzoo for your area?they have sporting events and all kinds of performances?and they have saved us lots of money?and who doesn?t love to save money?
Day 3?We started off the day early, but on the wrong foot, and it was an omen of things to come. I had a coupon good for a free buffet at 7 Harrah?s properties. They listed the buffets by title, not by hotel, and I thought surely they had all the hotels in Vegas covered. NOT! The Paris Buffet is the only Harrah?s buffet not listed (I learned its name is ?Le Buffet?. They had ?The Buffet? on the coupon, but it?s at a different site in Vegas.) Anyway, we had a delicious, if expensive, breakfast.
The RV needed gas, and Dean knew that Flying J and Pilot had merged, and that only one was still open. So I used my handy iPhone and discovered that the Pilot was the one we needed. AVOID THE NORTH LAS VEGAS PILOT AT ALL COSTS!!! First, we drove into the ?AUTO? entrance, which would have worked, but the only pump with diesel was the very first one?not possible to turn that quick. This place is beyond ?busy??and this was a weekday. People were honking at us because they wanted out of their parking places for the store. Dean finally pulled into the end pump, and it didn?t have diesel. So he decided to circle around back. We ended up in the pocket parking lot for Pilot?s KFC. He had to detach the Jeep in order to get out of the pickle we were in. He was going to make 2 lefts to go down to the ?TRUCK? entrance, when we saw that there was a huge truck totally blocking the 4 way signaled-intersection. Traffic was a nightmare, so we turned right and returned to I-15. 7 miles north there is a great PETRO station. We paid $3.96.9 per gallon. I don?t know how that compares, but there isn?t enough savings to ever make me go back to that Pilot?and, I truly love a bargain.
We sailed along great for a couple of hours?until I-15N came to a dead stop. We just turned off the engine and waited. Eventually, cars started moving slowly. Then we saw an ?Accident Ahead? sign, and everyone had to merge into one lane?not my idea of fun, though people were very courteous. As we passed by what must have been the accident site, they were picking up the cones, and it was totally clear sailing. While no one likes a delay, I always think of the people involved in the accident whose day was so much worse than mine, say a prayer for them and a ?Thank you, God? for us.
I-15 in Utah is dreary, and we pushed further than we would have liked because there was a lack of spots that we wanted to stay the night. There were rest stops, but they are our last choice. We decided to go all the way to Grand Junction because I had in my notes that the Wal-Mart Supercenter there was wonderful. We got into the lot at 10:00, only to be greeted by a ?NO OVERNIGHT RV PARKING? sign. I had a long list of supplies that I wanted, too! We had passed a Cabela?s on our way to the Wal-Mart, and we decided to give it a go. And it worked! So we had a quick microwave dinner at 11:30, and Dean went to bed, and I wrote my log.
We went far safely today, but I hope tomorrow will be an easier day.
Miles traveled: 508
Weather: Vegas 84? when we left?Grand Junction 62? when we arrived.
We are off on our adventure to Iowa (?) and Missouri. We have done our homework, but schedules have changed, so our itinerary is going to be fluid (in fact, I fear it may look like we have been imbibing a bit!) The main reason that we chose to visit Missouri is to spend time with our best friends at their new 31-acre pride and joy. It is all forested, has lots of wild turkeys, Canadian geese, furry animals whose eyes glow in the dark, a 5-acre fishing lake, and a lovely home. They worked hard all their lives, and they deserve this piece of paradise. Unfortunately, they will be coming back to CA in early to mid-October, because they have reservations for a week in Sedona that they had made prior to purchase. So we may go south to them and come back north to visit the rest of Iowa?a circle route. Right now, it?s one day at a time.
Day 1?We drove from Cypress to Las Vegas, stopping at the M Casino on the southern outskirts of town. I discovered this place when looking for a casino my daughter could enjoy. She?s highly allergic to tobacco smoke, and I was told that the M was all non-smoking. It isn?t, but it has the best ventilation I?ve seen (smelled?) in any casino anywhere. We called ahead to ask about RV parking, and a security guard met us and escorted us to a locked big-rig parking lot. Very nice! The buffet at the M is very large and has a lot of Asian food, as well as American food. Hot food is hot, cold food is cold, lettuce and vegetables are crisp, and sliced fruit is ripe. It is very nice, but not elegant like the Wynn. However, it?s also half the price. It is a very large casino, very modern, and very clean. I have stopped there 3 times, and their slots have paid me each time. I think this is a good omen! We are going to have a lucky trip and no problems on this trip. My husband won at blackjack, and my friends have also had only winning experiences there. I know that players? dollars pay for the employees and the nice facilities, but so far it hasn?t been this player?s money. We ate dinner and rolled into Bally?s about 10:00. They have big-rig parking behind the casino, and we checked in with security once we were registered in the hotel. They do patrols of the area where we parked the coach.
Day 2?We slept late and went to see ?The Lion King? at Mandalay Bay. I got front row tickets for $80 total cost through travelzoo.com?and that was about 40% off. The show was amazing?it really was an extravaganza. Words can?t describe it?but if you have a chance to see it, don?t miss it! We saw ?Jersey Boys? last time, and it was also terrific! Try travelzoo for your area?they have sporting events and all kinds of performances?and they have saved us lots of money?and who doesn?t love to save money?
Day 3?We started off the day early, but on the wrong foot, and it was an omen of things to come. I had a coupon good for a free buffet at 7 Harrah?s properties. They listed the buffets by title, not by hotel, and I thought surely they had all the hotels in Vegas covered. NOT! The Paris Buffet is the only Harrah?s buffet not listed (I learned its name is ?Le Buffet?. They had ?The Buffet? on the coupon, but it?s at a different site in Vegas.) Anyway, we had a delicious, if expensive, breakfast.
The RV needed gas, and Dean knew that Flying J and Pilot had merged, and that only one was still open. So I used my handy iPhone and discovered that the Pilot was the one we needed. AVOID THE NORTH LAS VEGAS PILOT AT ALL COSTS!!! First, we drove into the ?AUTO? entrance, which would have worked, but the only pump with diesel was the very first one?not possible to turn that quick. This place is beyond ?busy??and this was a weekday. People were honking at us because they wanted out of their parking places for the store. Dean finally pulled into the end pump, and it didn?t have diesel. So he decided to circle around back. We ended up in the pocket parking lot for Pilot?s KFC. He had to detach the Jeep in order to get out of the pickle we were in. He was going to make 2 lefts to go down to the ?TRUCK? entrance, when we saw that there was a huge truck totally blocking the 4 way signaled-intersection. Traffic was a nightmare, so we turned right and returned to I-15. 7 miles north there is a great PETRO station. We paid $3.96.9 per gallon. I don?t know how that compares, but there isn?t enough savings to ever make me go back to that Pilot?and, I truly love a bargain.
We sailed along great for a couple of hours?until I-15N came to a dead stop. We just turned off the engine and waited. Eventually, cars started moving slowly. Then we saw an ?Accident Ahead? sign, and everyone had to merge into one lane?not my idea of fun, though people were very courteous. As we passed by what must have been the accident site, they were picking up the cones, and it was totally clear sailing. While no one likes a delay, I always think of the people involved in the accident whose day was so much worse than mine, say a prayer for them and a ?Thank you, God? for us.
I-15 in Utah is dreary, and we pushed further than we would have liked because there was a lack of spots that we wanted to stay the night. There were rest stops, but they are our last choice. We decided to go all the way to Grand Junction because I had in my notes that the Wal-Mart Supercenter there was wonderful. We got into the lot at 10:00, only to be greeted by a ?NO OVERNIGHT RV PARKING? sign. I had a long list of supplies that I wanted, too! We had passed a Cabela?s on our way to the Wal-Mart, and we decided to give it a go. And it worked! So we had a quick microwave dinner at 11:30, and Dean went to bed, and I wrote my log.
We went far safely today, but I hope tomorrow will be an easier day.
Miles traveled: 508
Weather: Vegas 84? when we left?Grand Junction 62? when we arrived.