Chicago, IL - 04/14/21

Chicago, is the third most populous city in the United States, following New York City and Los Angeles. With a population of 2,746,388 in the 2020 census, it is also the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the fifth most populous city in North America.

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837.

Famed for its bold architecture, Chicago has a skyline punctuated by skyscrapers such as the iconic John Hancock Center, 1,451-ft. Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) and the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower. The city is also renowned for its museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago with its noted Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works.

After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless, the city rebuilt. The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades, and by 1900, less than 30 years after the great fire, Chicago was the fifth-largest city in the world.

Chicago is an international hub for finance, culture, commerce, industry, education, technology, telecommunications, and transportation.

The economy of Chicago is diverse, with no single industry employing more than 14% of the workforce. It is home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Allstate, Boeing, Caterpillar, Exelon, JLL, Kraft Heinz, McDonald's, Mondelez International, Sears, United Airlines Holdings, US Foods, and Walgreens.

Landmarks in the city include Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Magnificent Mile, the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum Campus, the Willis (Sears) Tower, Grant Park, the Museum of Science and Industry, and Lincoln Park Zoo. Chicago is also home to the Barack Obama Presidential Center being built in Hyde Park on the city's South Side.

Chicago's culture includes the visual arts, literature, film, theatre, comedy (especially improvisational comedy), food, and music, particularly jazz, blues, soul, hip-hop, gospel, and electronic dance music including house music.

Of the area's many colleges and universities, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago are classified as "highest research" doctoral universities.

Chicago has professional sports teams in each of the major professional leagues, including two Major League Baseball teams.

Travel Itinerary:
04/14/21 - Wednesday
Depart From: Quapaw, OK
Depart: 10:10 am
Odometer: 140,080
Arrive: 11:15 pm
Odometer: 140,696
Trip Mileage: 616
Trip Time: 13 hr 5 min

Destination:
Chicago, IL
Google Maps: 600 miles - 8 hr 59 min

Comments:
Nice to be back home!!!
We should have made an overnight stop in southern Illinois. That was just way too many miles to drive in one day.

Downstream Casino, OK - 04/13/21

Downstream Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma. The Quapaw Leadership's decision to build a truly upscale state-of-the-art Casino Resort in 2008 has proven to be the gem of the four states to this date.

Quapaw is a town in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. The population was 906 at the 2010 census.

The word "O-Gah-Pah" was chosen to represent how the Quapaw People say "Quapaw" in the Quapaw language, and can be translated to mean "Downstream People."

In 1891 Kansas farmer Isaac Bingham moved his family south into Ottawa County. The family established a community and opened several businesses. Quapaw Chief John Quapaw donated land for a community school. The Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railroad established a railroad stop and siding at the community location. This established access to markets for hay and agricultural products of the area. A post office was opened in the community grocery store in 1897.

The community leaders platted "New Town Quapaw," on land to the east purchased from native Harry Whitebird. This "new" town was incorporated in 1917 as Quapaw. Discovery of lead and zinc ores in the area resulted in this area being part of the Tri-State mining district, and resulted in a population boom as thousands of miners moved into the larger area. Native Americans were generally excluded from mining, although the county had a significant proportion from several federally recognized tribes. With the population and economic boom, new businesses were developed. The 1920 census listed 1,394 residents. In the 1920s U. S. Route 66 was developed through Quapaw and was paved through Ottawa County by 1933. This event was celebrated with Quapaw Chief Victor Griffin laying a zinc tablet in the center of Main Street.

Quapaw began to lose residents as the local mining operations began to decline. The population declined to 1,054 by 1940 and as mining activity in the area declined, the population dropped to 850 in 1960.

 

Travel Itinerary:
04/13/21 - Tuesday
Depart From: Amarillo, TX
Depart: 10:30 am
Odometer: 139,617
Arrive: 8:00 pm
Odometer: 140,080
Trip Mileage: 463
Trip Time: 9 hr 30 min

Destination:
Downstream Casino Resort
69300 East New Rd
Quapaw, OK
GPS: 36.92100, -94.83570
Google Maps: 459 miles - 6 hr 34 min
Campsite: RV parking site
Cost: Free

Gas Expense:
None

Comments:
Very nice place to spend the night.
RV parking separate from truck parking.
Free shuttlebus service to casino.
Nice area for walk with your dog.
No Toll fees on I-40 from Amarillo, TX to Oklahoma City, OK.

Amarillo, TX - 04/12/21

Amarillo is a city in the Texas Panhandle and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. The estimated population of Amarillo was 199,371 as of 2019.

The city takes its name from the Spanish word for yellow, thus, the city is also known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas."

Amarillo is a gateway to the vast, trail-lined Palo Duro Canyon State Park. The Cadillac Ranch is an installation of graffiti-decorated cars, partly buried in a field. With art deco and Spanish Revival buildings, the U.S. Route 66–Sixth Street Historic District is a hub for dining and antiques. The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum is dedicated to the famous horse breed.

Travel Itinerary:
04/12/21 - Monday
Depart From: Sky City Casino RV Park
Depart: 10:20 am
Odometer: 139,258
Arrive: 6:00 pm
Odometer: 139,617
Trip Mileage: 359
Trip Time: 7 hr 40 min

Destination:
Texas Travel Information Center
I-40, Exit 76
GPS: 35.19166, -101.72590
Amarillo, TX
Google Maps: 348 miles - 5 hr 9 min
Campsite: RV parking site
Cost: Free

Gas Expense: None
Flying J at Exit 76

Comments:
Very nice place to spend the night.
RV parking separate from truck parking.
24-hr restrooms.
Nice area for walk with your dog.

Sky City Casino, NM - 04/11/21

A favorite among Route 66 travelers, Sky City RV Park offers gorgeous views of Mt. Taylor all within walking distance to the Sky City Casino, nearby Sky City Travel Center, hotel seasonal pool and more.

Travel Itinerary:
04/11/21 - Sunday
Depart From: Cordes Lake, AZ
Depart: 10:00 am
Odometer: 138,913
Arrive: 6:00 pm
Odometer: 139,258
Trip Mileage: 345
Trip Time: 8 hr 00 min

Destination:
Sky City Casino RV Park
7 Sky City Rd Drive
I-40, Exit 102
GPS: 35.07948, -107.55738
Acomo Pueblo, NM
Google Maps: 344 miles - 5 hr 30 min
Campsite:
Cost: Free

Gas Expense:
Flying J
Jamestown, NM
Price/Gal: $2.819
Gallons: 22.464
Amount: $63.33
Odometer: 139,195

Comments:
Very nice place to spend one or more nights.
Register at Casino gift shop, with casino card, for free camping.
There are 2 campounds here with free shuttlebus service to the casino.
 

Cordes Lake, AZ - 04/10/21

Cordes Lakes is a census-designated place in Yavapai County, Arizona. A census-designated place is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. The population was 2,058 at the 2000 census.

Lying in the foothills of Prescott valley, at an elevation of 3,700 feet, Cordes Lakes has common terrain of a middle latitude desert, including but not limited to tall long stretching hills, mesas, several species of cacti, and large rock formations.

There is one shallow man-made lake that often dries up in the summer or all year, especially during times of drought.

The Cordes Lakes' back roads lead straight to the Agua Fria National Monument.

The Agua Fria National Monument lies to the east and south of Cordes Lake and Arcosanti is to the north. Agua Fria National Monument is approximately 40 miles north of downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Created by Presidential proclamation on January 11, 2000, the 72,344-acre monument is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Over 450 distinct Native American structures have been recorded in the monument, some of large pueblos containing more than 100 rooms each.

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Travel Itinerary:
04/10/21 - Saturday
Depart From: Imperial Dam LTVA - Yuma, AZ
Depart: 2:15 pm
Odometer: 138,659
Arrive: 7:50 pm
Odometer: 138,913
Trip Mileage: 254
Trip Time: 5 hr 35 min

Destination:
Pilot Travel Center #1175
I-17, Exit 262
Cordes Lake, AZ
Google Maps: 247 miles - 3 hr 41 min
Campsite: Back of parking lot, adjacent to resturant
Cost: Free

Gas Expense:
Pilot Truck Stop
I-17, Exit 262
Cordes Lake, AZ
Price/Gal: $2.829
Gallons: 23.732
Amount: $67.34
Odometer: 138,913

Comments:
Checked with a Pilot employee for permission to park here overnight. He directed me to park in the very back of the truck parking lot adjacent to the restaurant.

This is a small parking lot and fills up with trucks at night. There was a large, Class A motorhome tucked in between two trucks. We were the only two RVs to spend the night here. This is just an OK spot for a overnight stay.

Restaurant and a small private campground are located in back of the Pilot truck stop. The campground was full when we arrived.

Farewell Bonfire - 04/09/21

Another winter season is coming to a close. The BLM Imperial Dam LTVA will close on April 15. Daytime temperatures in the mid 90s are becoming very uncomfortable. Fortunately, once the sun sets, the temperature drops into the 60s making for very pleasant evenings.

We will depart for Chicago tomorrow, April 10. As is our tradition, we close this winter season with a farewell bonfire!

Until the next winter season, we wish all of our snowbird friends good health, happiness and a safe summer filled with wondrous adventure.

Weather - Yuma, AZ - Mar 2021

Daily Weather Observations for March 2021
Yuma, Arizona

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