Sunday, May 31, 2009

May 29, 2009

Sedalia to Branson

We got up pretty early and readied the carbus for departure.  Then we headed to the Escapade hospitality area for the ‘getaway breakfast’ and to let the grass dry a little before trying to move on it.  After our free doughnut and glass of juice we headed back to the parking area to hopefully get on our way.  We watched several rigs try to move and start spinning their wheels.  Once that happened the only way out was a tow.  We watched a few of those and kibitzed with others about whether or not various rigs would make it without assistance.  I had been careful to not disturb the area in front of the carbus all week so the ground would stay firm and free of mud.  Things looked pretty good but we had seen others with similar locations get stuck.  finally I figured if I was going to get stuck it was better sooner than later.  Started it up, moved forward at a slow steady pace and was on solid road in a few seconds.  Said goodbye and wished others around us good luck and we were out of there.  Three hours later we were in Branson.

There is a RV park here named “Americas Best Campground” (Guess it’s an ego thing).  It has been voted the top RV park by the nations largest RV group for the last eight years.  It is pricy but I had to check it out.  It is nice.  Clean, neat, comfortable, friendly, helpful staff, quiet, isolated but not too far from town.  It is still a RV park however.  Spaces are large and level but there are still rows of RVs parked next to each other looking at their neighbors back side (read utility connections, including sewer).  Even Organ Pipe Cactus NP campground which is huge and has no hookups has a nicer setting as far as separation visually from your neighbor.  ABC is nice though and the showers are hot (sort of).  We did it.  Don’t need to again.

Friday afternoon we did some driving to take in Branson sights.  We ended up at Branson landing  which is basically a four block long outdoor mall.  Large stores at each end with typical mall stores in between.  Above the stores are three stories of apartments or condos.  Sort of the big city city cosmopolitan thing.  The whole thing is on a strip of lake with a nice walkway along it.  At the center of the four block stretch is a fountain with some dancing water jets going.  Every hour there is a show with water and fire (there are torches also) timed to music.  The advertising for it compares it to Bellagio in Las Vegas.  There are water jets and they spurt to music.  Thus endith the comparison.  Some hokey music started, fire and water flashed and danced sort of in time to it, and one minute and 45 seconds later the show was over. 

 

Driving “The Strip” was interesting.  Motels, show theaters, restaurants, fast food, mini golf, go carts, outlet stores, etc. all thrown together for miles.  It doesn’t stop there.  There are theaters scattered all over the countryside.  There are so many that I don’t know how they all can survive.  There are only so many tourists.



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