Our Shake Down Trip

On July 12, we loaded up the fifth wheel (FW) and headed to Guthrie, Ok to the Cedar Valley RV Park and 3 par golf course.  The RV forums I have been reading suggested a trip a short distance from home to check how things worked, if they worked, and if our marriage could survive setting up and taking down a camper.  As it had been over 100 degrees in Oklahoma, we figured anywhere we went was going to be miserable, so we may as well have a golf course involved in the deal.
We carefully went through the departure check list and drove off.  When I looked back, the trailer was still with us!  So far so good.  We drove the curvy road to Pawhuska and I suggested that we eat something, as it was close to noon and I knew we could park the FW in the truck stop and walk over to the Sonic.  I didn't figure getting to Guthrie at 2:00 pm with no lunch in sight would aide in the setting up camp part of our adventure.

                                               FW and Big Red in Parking lot

                                         Lunch!

After that it was an uneventful trip to Guthrie.  We arrived at 2:00 pm and it was only 105 degrees.  We used our Passport America discount and got 3 nights for $59.  The campground is named Cedar Valley and they have tried their best to live up to their name.  

    Notice the token cedar trees.  Not much shade.

The next morning we got up early, as usual, and enjoyed our Keurig coffee and our new little home.  I have trouble calling it camping, as living in this is nothing like camping.  We have a great stereo radio/dvd/cd player with speakers around the inside of the FW and even outside.  Al could not get the tv to get any channels with the antenna, and the campground did not have cable, so we were without tv.  I miss the Today Show in the morning!  :(

       Trying to get reception.

          Lots of Kindle time.  Good thing we have two.

We decided to play the 3 par course while it was still a little cool.  Started about 9 a.m. and should have started about 7 a.m.!  It got very hot by the time we were finished.

The Guthrie area is being cooked alive with the heat and no rain.  The little course was yellow and crunchy and the greens were in awful shape, but it was two for one day and it cost us all of $5 to play the 18 hole 3 par.  You get what you pay for, as the saying goes.  We had a good time, and that is what counts, and I got the bonus of some exercise.  They did have water and a bathroom on the course, so that was a plus.  The only thing I did not like was this:

Isn't there a law against this?  Good thing it was early a.m. and I didn't have any bloody Mary mix, or I might have broken that rule.  :))
The rest of the day we rested, read, cleaned up and did some shopping.  Important stop, the liquor store as we were having guests for happy hour.  Keith and Peggy Wooten drove over from Stillwater.  We had a nice happy hour and were able to utilize the coffee table/dinner table/bed for the first time.

I caught Peggy in an awkward pose.  I knew she wouldn't like the picture, so you only see Keith.
We went into Guthrie to a great little wine bar, Vintage 89.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vintage-89/136927186350411    It is located in the heart of the old historic downtown.  Then walked across the street to a wonderful restaurant in the basement of one of the old buildings.  Very upscale and New Yorky!   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gages-Steak-House/106070322778144?v=info  I would recommend it highly.
The next morning was a good coffee drinking morning and again reading!  And of course emails,  forums, blogs, etc.   Went into town and walked around historic downtown Guthrie and were sad to see that too many buildings were empty.  We did visit a drugstore museum and the little garden they had next door growing all kinds of herbal/plant remedies.  It was very interesting.

For lunch we stopped at the Victorian Tea Room  http://www.guthriesvictoriantearoom.net/
We split a sampler sandwich plate.  It was really good but the dessert was the best.  Al had a great looking chocolate cake and I had a delicious bread pudding with pecan sauce.   We had decided to tour the Scottish Rites Temple  http://www.guthriescottishrite.org/.  We had seen it on other visits and decided this would be the trip to see it.  There was a tour at 2 pm.  It was only about 104 degrees outside and we figured this would be something to do.   When we got parked, found the door to go in, and went inside, there was a big sign canceling the tours because it was too hot!

As you can see, it is one big, amazing building sitting in little Guthrie, Ok.  Maybe next time--IN THE FALL!

We went back to our little home away from home and did more reading.  Al was determined to finish his book.  We also had to prepare for our next visitors.  Sue and Linus Schmitz came by just in time for cocktails!  Imagine that! 

Again, we went to "our" wine bar and restaurant and it was just as good this night. 

The next morning we had a very lazy morning drinking our coffee, reading about the Conoco/Phillips division and wondering what this will mean to our friends still working and very thankful that we are retired and don't have to worry!   Started stowing things away for our departure and going over our check list.  This was our first "dump the black water tank" experience, and we did very well.  I was a very good watcher. :)
Hooked up and started home.  Had a little battle with Gabby (our GPS) and did a little round about way to get home.  Had some construction we had to sit and wait on and then the truck acted up a bit, but we made it home and the truck has an appointment on Thursday to get him all fixed up, checked out and ready for our next trip.  New Mexico here we come.
All in all, it was a successful trip and we learned a lot and did not yell at each other once!