April 26, 2010 Day 6
Today we get up and use the free breakfast coupons that Ameristar has given us on check-in. Children aren’t allowed in the casinos unless they are going to the restaurant so they radio ahead to the next security guard ahead to let them know PTCC is on her way. If an adult even gambles while they have children with them they can be fined. After breakfast we go back and get ready to leave then we are on our way. LCC took pictures of the Mississippi River bridge as we crossed it. The state lines change to Louisiana as we cross in the middle. It seems most of the rest stops except the welcome centers are closed on I-40 so if you come this way take note. The wildflowers were very pretty but the road is much like I-10 just different trees on the sides.
Finally we make it to Texas and the welcome station where we stop for a quick break. CC gets some info on Amarillo where we plan to stop for the night. Then we continue on our way. We have decided to avoid Dallas as much as possible so we are going around it by the Northwest passage. Except for the towns directly north of Dallas we did ok. Texas drivers are all about getting there. We had several cut right in front of us as well as swerve between lanes. I thought it was funny when I loaded my pics and saw on the welcome sign Drive Friendly-The Texas Way. There wasn’t much to see on this portion except bluebonnets, oil rigs and pumps and lots of freight trains. There was a cute rest stop area that had the picnic pavilions that looked like oil rigs but we were going to fast for LCC to get a pic in time. A nice touch was Texas has several places to rest on the sides of the secondary roads. I guess since it is such a big state it helps the truckers to be able to stop easily and rest. We decided today we would push it to get to Amarillo which is about 15 hours with stops from Vicksburg. So about 3 pm LCC starts calling RV parks in Amarillo to find out if they have room and the rates. We decide to go for the cheap one at $19.99 night because we only need the hookups not the amenities. PTCC took a shower when we stopped at a rest area for dinner so she was set for the night. LCC plugged in a movie for her and she was happy. Later she crawled in bed and promptly fell asleep. She still hasn’t gotten used to Central Time-she won’t change her clock and stays on Eastern Time. We finally reach Amarillo around 10:15 pm and look for the RV park. Boy is it dark off the interstate-and cold! The temperature was probably in the low 60’s. I thought spring was here. We find the RV park drive in and locate a place to park. The manager told me to pay in the morning so we will. After hooking up CC takes his shower and we go to bed. Tomorrow we will see the Cadillac Ranch.