Moon Ventures: Stuck in Oklahoma

Well you've heard the song by CCR "Stuck in Lodi", well we're stuck in Oklahoma. We asked too much of Newell for them to do and they were not able to get the HDTV Satellite installed. They work Mon. thru Thurs, so we are here over the week-end (where there is nothing to do). Hopefully Monday they will finish up and we can get on the road back to Tucson.

Of course, Thurs. right before 5pm when we were backing out the RV to dump our sewer for the long weekend in the "barn", the sky just dumped. One of the guys here at Newell sacrificed himselve to the weather and got our coach emptied and back inside. The sky put on a very close lightning and thunder show and it rained all night, but since we were inside, we didn't hear much, just some thunder.

Friday, since it rained most of the day, we pretty much stayed inside and watched TV, played games and read. Since we have to conserve on our waste water so we don't fill our tank, since we haven't washed clothes all week, we went to a laundermat and did a load of wash and brought it back to the RV to dry.

After being totally bored on Friday, we decided to get out and about today. So we took off on Route 66, which runs right past where we are parked. We started out in Oklahoma, went through Kansas, into Missouri and then back to Oklahoma.

Our first stop was at the Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum in Baxter Springs, KS where we spent a good hour going through a very impressive museum. Here's Jim in the back of the classroom.

After still getting in trouble in the classroom, he was put in jail.

After I sprung Jim from jail, we left Baxter Springs and followed Route 66 on into Galena KS, which passed this historical Marsh Rainbow Bridge (1923).

On the internet Jim found a winery in Galena listed, Vogel Winery, with wine tasting by appointment. Jim called and they had us come over as we got into town. It turned out to be their home.

They had crackers and cheeses out and generously poured their wines. Surprisingly they were fairly good. They had 2 reds and 2 whites.

Steve Vogel gave us a tour of their small operation.

We purchased 2 Riesling and 2 Cabs.

This the view they have from their back yard, their vineyard is just out in the back 40.

On our way out of town we had to stop at this place where they filmed a part of the movie "Cars". Never saw the movie, so can't verify that, but that's what they tell you when you go in to visit the mini-store.

Then we headed east to Carthage, MO to see the Precious Moments Chapel that we read about on the internet. It is where they make all those Precious Moments Figurines, other than that, I really don't know the purpose of the place.