November 12th 2016 from Rolling Hills Casino Corning CA

Nov 2^nd: I departed the Shuswap and, as usual, made it as far as the Omak Walmart

Shuswap woodpecker tree
 

 to replenish fresh produce taken away at the border – critically, the limes that go with the R & C to make R&Cs with Ls. 

Shuswap view from deck

Day 1 went quite smoothly except for two issues with the coach. For about an hour, as long as it took to get to Vernon, my engine brake wasn’t working, for reasons beyond my ability to analyze, but possibly because of very wet weather. On a big coach like mine, the engine brake is a great thing to have since it virtually eliminates the need for regular service brakes on long downhill grades. Naturally, after I pulled in to a Rest Stop near Vernon and made a booking to see a mechanic in Kelowna, the system righted itself so no repair was necessary. Also, I discovered that my retractable steps were self-extending while in motion, something that should not happen and could be quite dangerous. This also fixed itself after a few hundred miles, so I can only attribute the problem to wet weather.

 

Just down the highway a couple of miles south of the Omak Walmart I pulled into a fuel station called “Tribal Trails” owned and operated by the local Indian band. Prices were not a whole lot better here than anywhere else – $2.75/gal for diesel fuel (Washington State has the highest prices of all states on my itinerary) but easy access for long rigs (I measure about 65’ with coach and “toad” – aka the Jeep) is often a deciding factor on where to go. Just beyond the fuel stop is the entrance to !2 Tribes Casino. Here, one is greeted by a big free-overnight-parking area suitable for me with very few trucks and reasonably palatable Chinese food at “Yu”s.

 

Me at Boardman

Nov 3^rd: Next stop - Boardman Marina and RV Park, where I spent 4 nights, is  located in Oregon on the Columbia River and is one of my favourite campgrounds, usually on the trip north but this time heading south as I intended to go down I–5 to Junction City in Oregon.

 

Nov 7^th made it to Junction City, where I camped and plugged in behind the warehouse at Countryside RV Interiors. Here, I acquired an “easy bed” couch in exchange for the two Euro recliners that I had in the coach but never used. At 72”x 48” this can accommodate two medium-small guests in close comfort and is good for occasional daytime relaxing by me.

 

Mt Shasta through windshield



Nov 8^th Canyonville, OR - 7 Feathers Casino (on I-5)

security at 7 Feathers



Made a wrong turn just after the freeway exit - with the benefit that this took me to the commercial RV Park, connected to, but separate from, the actual casino. Once redirected, I found the North lot at the casino offering free parking on RV-size marked pavement with plenty of room, far enough from the highway that noise was not an issue. Shuttles ran frequently to the casino though it was only a 10 minute walk away.

The buffet was very good and would have been excellent if they had offered roast beef. In addition, I joined a small protest group grumbling about the lack of fried chicken that had mysteriously disappeared from the buffet line shortly before I got to that section. Several large Indians with heaping plates of chicken were laughing from a nearby table, so I guess the problem was solved. The server told us it would be another 12 minutes to produce more - mashed potatoes and gravy just aren't the same without meat, “we” said. In fact, I abandoned the protest when I found some really good Italian meatballs and made do with them.

Nov 9^th Corning California - Rolling Hills Casino on the south side of Siskiyou Summit (the only place likely to find snow on this route)

Me at Rolling Hills RV Park



To this point, temperatures have been summery warm and roads dry since the first wet day leaving home

At Rolling Hills, I was given a complimentary $10 with my Player’s Card, plus another $10 for being a Canadian? The rationale for this last, according to the young lady who dealt with these things, was that expense ruled out their posting junk mail advertising events at the casino, so they would send information by e-mail, which is free! I told her that was nonsense but happily went off to a slot machine to try and spend my $20. One-armed bandits and I do not relate very well. My “player’s card” was refused by several machines and I had to call an attendant to help. She used some secret casino code to get me accepted but then, once I had been recognized, the tumblers wouldn’t roll anyway. I don’t gamble much at the casinos I visit, so this was the last straw that sent me “home” to watch TV in the CC (Country Coach).

 

Rolling Hills Buffets rate 5 stars with prime rib, chicken etc – normally costing $16.80 but Tuesday and Thursday, dinners are 1/2 price for seniors, so one can eat for $8.40 – no shortage of chicken!

 

The only downside to this place was that trucks in the main parking lot ran their motors or reefers all night. After one night staying awake and listening to this, I moved to the adjacent RV Park since they were offering a promotion for “staying and playing” at the golf course next door ($58, incl. cart).

 

Corning home to the “Pit Stop”, a well-known outlet for every type of olive one can imagine. I bought a jar of blue cheese stuffed olives and another with herb and garlic stuffed olives to go with my epicurean salads.

Temperatures here have been unseasonably warm for November with daytime highs in the 80’s.

 

From Corning, I am considering moving to another Casino. Less than a couple of hours distant is the Cache Creek Casino Resort where, I have been told, they have a good golf course at reasonable rates. Generally south and a little west, it won’t really be out of my way on the journey to Arizona – plus, what else do I have to do with my time except hunt down free casino camping and cheap buffets. Incidentally, for those of you following the “free casino” route, there is a very good website that I have joined, I am now a “top ten” contributor to casinocamper.com, a place where “parking lot people” like me can write commentary on places they visit.