April 17, 2013

Riverside Resort RV Park, Laughlin, NV

We had originally planned on staying in our beautiful boondocking site until Sunday or Monday but with the temps forecasted to be in the teens and the possibility of snow, we decided to move on. 

 

 

 

 

It had been so windy our entire stay that we never used the wood we had gathered for a campfire.  Bummer! 

 

 

 

 

I looked at the map and thought Lake Havasu might be an interesting place but when I called the RV Park accepting our Passport America Rate I was informed they would only honor it for one night.  So I continued researching and then remembered seeing an advertisement in the RV Journal magazine for the Riverside Resort in Laughlin, NV.  The RV Park is part of Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino and they were running a weekly special that included a complimentary buffet breakfast for two.  When I called to make a reservation I was informed that there was a motorcycle rally coming in next week.  Every site was reserved but the Resort  would make an adjustment for the one day we would be short for the weekly rate. 

 

 

It didn’t take long to pack up because we were not dumping tanks. 

Monte rolled up our mat.

  

Monte had to go on the roof to reposition the solar panels.  I got the inside packed up. 

 

 

 

 

  

Monte checking the tires.

At noon, when we were ready to depart, Monte waited at the site while I drove the ½ mile to the main road and blocked the entrance because the dirt road was too narrow for a car to pass the rig. 

 

 

 

 

 I called him to let him know it was safe. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Maybe a mile down the main road we encountered snow flurries reinforcing our decision to move on. 

It was cloudy and extremely windy the entire drive down 64. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

I was hoping that once we reached 40West the weather would improve but it didn’t. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It remained cloudy and windy most of the trip. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

When we stopped for gas Monte inquired about the cost of propane. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 It only cost $14.  A real bargain considering that the last time we had filled an empty tank in Camp Verde it had cost over $27.    Diesel was the same as the regular gas at $3.99/gal.  Monte was almost out of diesel but even though I still had a half a tank I filled up-ouch.  (I was sorry I had filled up when we got closer to our destination and I saw the price for regular gas was ONLY $3.39)

 

The rest of the drive was un-noteworthy with the exception of the last twelve miles that had us going down a 6% grade. 

I did not have to tap my brakes or accelerate-I just coasted.  Monte only had to tap his brakes a couple of times. 

When we travel I enter the destination in both my GPS as well as Monte’s RV GPS.  I usually compare routes to see if there is a deviation but I forgot to do it this time.  I was following Monte and he passed up the turn my GPS indicated I should take.  His GPS took us 8 miles out of the way.  We are going to check out why tomorrow.  When that has happened in the past it is usually because of a height clearance issue.

There are a few hotel/casinos along Casino Drive.  I followed Monte into the parking lot at the Riverside Casino and the first thing we noticed was there were no hookups.  WHAT!  We pulled over and Monte flagged down a security car.  We were informed that the RV Park was actually across the street from the casino and that the parking lot we were currently at was for dry camping. 

Once we crossed the street and found the office, we registered and were given our key card that allowed access to the bathrooms, laundry facilities and the pool at the hotel.  Monte hopped in my car and we drove to the upper level and found our site---NO NO NO! Way too small for our size rig.  We returned to the office and were assigned a different site that was twice the size.

While Monte set up the outside I did the inside and then took a walk to the bathroom/laundry building located just across the road.  The washing machines and dryers were clean enough as was the shower and restroom (that I was less concerned with because I prefer using my own shower and restroom). 

I made us a salad and heated up some leftover pizza from the freezer for dinner. 

We started a load of towels and then took a walk around the campground on the upper level noting that most of the RV’s were expensive diesel pushers.  Usually, there is more of an assortment including 5^th wheels, trailers and diesel pushers.  Did being at a casino have anything to do with the amount of expensive RV’s??? I wonder. 

 

We watched a couple of hours of TV and tried going to sleep but were kept awake by a tree branch hitting the aluminum frame of the bedroom slide out topper.  Tap, tap, tap, tap.  Monte said, “That branch is going to be history tomorrow. “

He gave up trying to sleep and went into the living room to watch TV.  I tossed and turned a while and finally fell asleep.