RV Summer

Chapter 4

Rick and Alexis had had a blast. They'd spent the entire week at the water park and now they were starting to look like prunes or at least parts of them had enough wrinkles to make them think they were.

"We need to stop at a grocery store first, but what's next?" Rick had the RV all ready. The slides were in, the levelers were up and the engine was running.

"We need to stop at the dump station on our way out." They had space left but might as well do it now instead of worrying about it.

Alexis gave him the next address. "5505 Charlevoix Ave, Petoskey, Michigan." If need be she could look up the address of a grocery store, however they were both hoping for one along the way.

"Seven hours, it says, provided we don't have another one of those delays like last time." It was going to be a day of driving it was looking like.

They hadn't even made it to Interstate 90 before they ran into the first construction zone. Rick grumbled and Alexis just sat there since there really wasn't anything else they could do but wait their turn. She could look something up since they weren't moving. "Take the next exit if you want, Dad."

"Will it get us around this?" He was a little hopeful.

"No, but it will take us to a grocery store." It was the next best thing.

It still took them almost an hour to reach it. "Leave the dog and let's fill everything up."

"Her name is Dixie. It's not that difficult to remember." Alexis left him behind and strode into the grocery store, her irritation with him evident.

Rick stood there, hanging his head. He was being an ass and he really didn't know why. It was his daughter's dog and he really needed to get used to that. With his head still hung low he followed her into the grocery store.

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"No dog food?" They had most everything else for them but nothing for the dog.

Alexis shook her head. "A lot of grocery stores only carry crappy dog food. We would need a pet store to get the good stuff and we have enough for now."

Rick wasn't really sure there was a difference but she had obviously done a lot of research and had planned this out in advance. So he pushed their groceries out to the RV and together they loaded everything inside and got back on the road.

Alexis pulled out her map; they ignored the GPS for now and managed to miss the construction on the Interstate. That lasted all of about 10 miles before they hit another one.

"Is all of this place under construction?" Rick questioned as they slowly crawled their way down the Interstate for 10 miles before it ended. It still left them with a 7 hour trip to make.

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It wasn't dark yet but it soon would be by the time Rick made the turn the GPS told him to. "Petosky RV Resort." They'd made it to Michigan.

Alexis proceeded to list this place's amenities."Free Wi-Fi, pet park, clubhouse, firewood's available, pool, hot tub, pickleball, tennis, fitness center, library, putting green, full hookups, fire ring, picnic table, and game room."

"Pickleball?" Rick had no idea what it was.

"Don't ask me, I've never heard of it. Guess we can find out, though." Alexis was game.

A stop at the office revealed that they could handle their length easily enough, but all of their sites were pull in with no drive throughs.

"Sounds like you get to learn how to back up with the trailer." Alexis smiled wide since he hadn't had to do that for years. Not since they had the first trailer and she was a lot younger.

"It'll be a snap." And Rick snapped his fingers.

There was a lot of grass, all the trees were really young, there were two ponds and each one had a fountain. The sites were concrete and only long enough to just fit them if Rick pulled in all the way.

Alexis pressed the buttons and out came the slides, down came the leveling jacks and she was outside first with Dixie so she could do her thing.

"I think I like the other one better," Rick commented since it had a water park and had been a lot of fun. "What makes this one so special?"

Alexis pointed since they were on the edge of the site. "Lake Michigan and all that it offers." She thought that made this place worth it. "We'll need to use the car this time."

"Works for me." They'd bought the car just for times like this.

They both looked around and all they saw were RVs the same size as theirs. None of them were towing trailers though a few were towing cars or jeeps.

They had a picnic table and fire ring and had bought some firewood. So they needed to extend the canopies, hook up, get everything they wanted out and set up.

The sun was starting to go down by the time they had everything ready. Rick offered Alexis a deal. "I'll cook outside if you'll cook inside. I'll get the lamb if you do everything else."

"Deal!" Alexis loved the way he cooked lamb shanks and they had just what they needed to do just that.

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Rick pulled the car out and Alexis hopped in. "You're sure you want to leave Dixie behind?" Rick knew she had food, water, her bed, and her toys.

"No, but she'll be fine. You can drop me off at the Inn. And be nice, Dad, she's just a puppy. She doesn't know any better. Maybe if you're nice to her you could teach her a trick. Sit would be good." Alexis knew what was there and knew her dad wouldn't be interested. "You have your GPS, go where you want. I'll be ready in about 6 hours." Alexis got out when Rick stopped outside of the Inn.

He really was curious as to just what she was up to, but he trusted her even if trusting her had gotten them a puppy. It was just that she was glowing and happy. And she was trustworthy. Far more trustworthy than he was at her age. Six hours was really stretching it a lot, though.

"Hi, I'm a little late for my reservation. Construction on the Interstate," she shrugged. "What can I say? I'm Alexis Castle," she said to the lady at the front desk.

"Of course, Ms. Castle, it's not a problem. Dominique will be right with you. Serenity by the Bay. Ultimate Facial, Northern Luxury, Northern Luxury Pedicure, Northern Luxury Manicure, Nourishment and Champagne. It will take 6 hours." The lady was betting that she already knew that.

"Yes, I know. My ride will be back in 6 hours." Alexis was so looking forward to this. She was sure her dad would find something to amuse himself.

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Alexis came out of the spa feeling like a new person. Her fingers and even her toes had a sort of tingle to them. Even parts of her body had a sort of tingle to it. She felt amazing and wondered why she hadn't ever thought of doing this before.

There were spas in New York City that were far more prestigious and more highly rated, not to mention a lot more expensive. It was true her dad had given her her own credit card and made sure he paid off the bill each month if there was one. She just didn't want to use it for some frivolous reason. She didn't think this qualified for that.

She came up short and stopped walking when she saw her dad sitting in the lobby and he had Dixie in his lap. She saw that he'd spotted her and then he put Dixie on the floor, maybe because she was squirming in his lap, wanting to get down.

Alexis couldn't help but grin as Dixie did her best to race across the tile floor and start jumping up against her smooth legs. She bent down to pick her up. "Hi, Dixie, did you miss me?" Getting her face licked was her answer.

Alexis walked over to her dad, sat down next to him, and kept a happy Dixie in her lap. "How long have you been here?" She really hoped he didn't say something close to 6 hours.

Rick looked at his watch. "Almost an hour or maybe 2."

Alexis felt better about it after hearing that since she had feared far worse. "So what did you do?" She was sure it was something silly but wanted to hear it.

"I went fishing out on the lake," Rick informed her.

That wasn't what Alexis was expecting to hear. "Did you catch anything?" Maybe they were having fresh fish for dinner tonight.

Rick really hated to admit it but… "I got sea sick and spent most of the trip throwing up over the side of the boat." He had been on boats before and hadn't had any trouble. This time had been different.

"Oh, Dad." Now she felt bad for him. She had had a really good time and her dad had had a terrible time. She leaned her head up against his shoulder. "Sorry." She stayed that way for a few minutes.

"Are you ready to go home?" Rick asked.

"There's a chophouse and wine bar restaurant on the water not far from here if you feel like eating out." She wasn't sure his stomach would approve, though.

"I don't honestly feel like it and I'm betting they don't accept pets." Dixie was still in her lap and looked happy to be there.

"Maybe tomorrow." They were only staying two nights before moving on.

Alexis could accept that. They needed to get back and feed Dixie anyway and he was right; they wouldn't allow Dixie inside with them.

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The slides were tucked in, the leveling jacks were up and it had taken Rick 3 tries to back up with the trailer attached and get everything pointed in the same direction.

Alexis just had to rub it in. "Took you 3, Dad!" she crowed.

"Just give me the address," Rick groused. Alexis had obviously enjoyed this stop and if it wasn't for the chophouse meal last night he would have considered it a complete bust.

"N2884 28th Avenue, Lyndon Station, Wisconsin." Alexis sat back.

"Is that anywhere near Chicago?" Rick inquired hopefully.

"Not exactly. But you'll love it, you'll see." Alexis was sure her dad was going to love this stop.

Rick looked at his GPS. "It says 8 hours and it looks like we're going north first from here."

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"Now this is a bridge!" Rick was loving the crossing not long after they got started.

That had Alexis pulling out her binder. "Mackinac Bridge. Opened in 1957, the 26,372-foot-long bridge is the world's 22nd-longest main span and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere." She looked out of the window. "It kind of reminds me of New York City. Just without all the buildings."

They lost the Interstate immediately after crossing the bridge and ended up on a state road that was only a two lanes wide. There really wasn't anywhere for Rick to pull over and let the faster cars go past so they ended up creating a nice long train of cars behind them. Save for the cars that gunned it and passed them when there was an opening.

They chose to stop in a town called Menominee for lunch. Entering it and hitting stop lights freed up a lot of the cars that were trapped behind them.

Schloegel's Bay View Restaurant

They took up several parking spaces and Rick lined them up so they could get back out.

"Ooo, peanut butter and bacon burger." Rick found something he liked. "Wonder if it comes with cheese? The ultimate cheese burger."

"I thought you were sick from your boat trip?" Alexis was thinking that this thing would make him just as sick.

"I feel fine. Did you find anything?" If not they needed to move on.

"Fresh strawberry and chicken salad." Alexis had found something that sounded healthy. Far healthier than what her dad was going to eat.

After letting Dixie run around near the lake in the grass and do her thing, they were back on the road.

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Rick read the sign as they pulled in. "Ho-Chunk Gaming RV Park."

Alexis listed what they provided. "Full hookups, heated outdoor swimming pool, store with gift shop, playground for children, canoe rental, paddle boat rental, game room, hot showers, laundry room, dump station, recycling station, propane, pets are welcome.

"Oh and Wisconsin Dells attractions and Casino." Alexis waited for it for all of about a nanosecond.

"CASINO!" Suddenly this place was looking up for Rick. Alexis had known that would get her dad.

They had pull throughs and as usual for them of late, they took up the entire pull through being so long. Unlike last time, this place was surrounded by trees. Yes they could see their neighbors but you had to look through trees to see them.

This site even came with a dump waste connection so they didn't have to stop at the dump station on their way out.

They found a picnic table and a fire ring and had bought some fire wood at the rental site.

After pressing buttons, pulling out a carpet and chairs, they were all set. Dixie found a spot and did her business before bounding back to her best buddy.

"What's first, Dad, or is that a stupid question?" Alexis asked since Dixie was happy and just needed to be fed. All Rick did was smile at her and pull out the car keys. "Stupid question."

It was going to be dark relatively soon but that really didn't matter since they were going to be indoors shortly.

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Ho-Chunk Gaming, Wisconsin Dells. Eagle Summit Casino. It was an 18+ casino so Alexis couldn't legally play. All she could do was watch.

"Win a new Ford F150 4x4, Dad." The truck itself was sitting on a pedestal somehow with machines all around it.

While the sound of machines spinning and spitting out winnings sounded good, Rick had other ideas and sat down at a blackjack table with Alexis right behind him. She couldn't play, but that didn't stop her from counting cards and squeezing one shoulder or the other to tell her dad what to do.

"YES!" Rick had taken a risk and bet the maximum allowed at this table and had won.

"I'm hungry," Alexis said to the back of his head.

Rick groaned. Yes, he had lost on occasion but he was up and he was winning. But he was winning because of his too-smart-for-herself daughter. If she stopped squeezing his shoulder he was on his own. He sighed and scooped up his chips. "Let's see if they have a buffet then." They could come back and go back to winning later.

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Standrock Buffet.

They read the large card just outside. "Today's Wednesday so it looks like it's Taco Day for $13. Italian is tomorrow. Saturday's Prime Rib Day. How long are we staying again?" It was $33 but it might be worth it.

"We leave Saturday morning." Alexis had planned on staying in a place for a little longer but this wasn't the place.

"Two more days of Blackjack." Rick was willing to accept that. He was up $1,855. He'd already won enough to fill the gas tanks. Maybe he could win enough to fill it a couple of more times.

They also had Copper Oak Steakhouse and Lounge. Steaks cooked over hickory, steamed lobster, homemade soups, and craft beers.

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Alexis was already in her seat with Dixie in her lap who, after doing her business, was satisfied to just sleep right where she was.

Rick was outside putting the last of everything away after Alexis had pressed all the buttons.

Rick came inside, leaned across to Alexis, and kissed her forehead. "Thanks, pumpkin." The previous stop had obviously been all for Alexis. This stop had been all for him.

"You're welcome, Dad." She was glad he was happy. "How much did you finally win?" Technically she had won it but she wasn't doing the betting so if he had bet quarters he wouldn't have won that much.

"$4,887!" Rick wiggled his ass a little since he was really happy. It was enough to buy diesel and fill their tanks more than once. He was happy with that.

"Where to next? Downtown Chicago maybe?" Rick smiled at her since he knew he was teasing. They would never fit in downtown Chicago.

Alexis did her best not to disturb Dixie while she reached for her binder for their next stop. "1326 Fire Mountain Road, Hinckley, Minnesota." She put her binder down and began stroking Dixie who was sleeping soundly in her lap. She was starting to love Dixie more than she could say. The puppy'd only had one accident and that was because they had left her alone too long.

"GPS says 5 hours. Our shortest trip yet." Rick had agreed not to question her choices of stops and since the last one had been great he was willing to keep his promise. For now.

Interstate 90 before switching to Interstate 94 had so far proven to be a nice simple drive. They had even stopped for gas, got some snacks, and something to drink.

Rick pressed HOT and put his cup of coffee into his now heated cup holder. Alexis had a standard cup holder for her Gatorade bottle though Dixie wanted the snack she was eating and was trying to figure out how to get off the floor and back into her lap so she could help herself to what her best buddy was eating since it smelled really interesting.

"Here's yours." Alexis fed her something.

"Alexis!" Rick scolded. Feeding the dog people food was something he didn't think she should be doing because once you started you couldn't stop and it might give the dog diarrhea.

She was way out in front of him. "It's a doggie treat. Duck jerky technically meant for puppies." Alexis was trying to be careful.

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Their first issue was that they were getting closer to Minneapolis. It was thankfully Saturday so they weren't hitting rush hour traffic, but it still slowed them down. Then 2 hours later about an hour away from their destination the Interstate was being worked on so they hit yet another construction zone.

"I swear half of this country under construction," Rick muttered in irritated disbelief. "At least we're almost there." An hour was close enough to be called almost.

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Eventually Rick made a turn and saw the sign, Grand Casino Hinckley RV Resort. "You didn't!" Would his daughter do this for him?

Alexis picked up her binder and flipped pages. "Heated pool, sports courts, picnic table, fire pit and of course, free shuttle service to the casino 24/7. They have a doggie kennel and day camp. They don't have any pull-thrus. Sorry, Dad." Given how much trouble he'd had last time, she was a little sorry about that.

Rick wasn't listening. His brain had stopped at the word Casino.

They still had several hours before it was dark and they hadn't stopped for lunch. "Cook or go find something?" Rick asked after they stopped and got set up.

"It says they have two buffets, one steakhouse, and various bars and grills," Alexis replied then went outside with Dixie so she could do her thing.

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They picked a buffet and rode the shuttle van to the casino that was basically on the other side of a large parking lot so it wasn't really all that far.

"Prime Rib Saturdays, Dad." Alexis pointed at the board that was out front. "And it's only $18.99 this time. Smokehouse is tomorrow. St. Louis Style Ribs, BBQ Chicken, Brisket, and BBQ Meatballs. We're eating here tomorrow." She wasn't taking no for an answer.

Rick was good with that since he was happy. He was looking forward to having Alexis behind him and counting cards. Then they hit something they hadn't anticipated. Alexis was stopped by someone and asked to show her age. At 16 years old she was denied access. Rick had tried to explain that she wasn't going to be doing any betting. He was doing that, she was only watching. They still refused her entrance.

"Looks like you're on your own." Alexis patted his arm and headed for the shuttle to get back to Dixie. She could hook her up, take her for a walk, and try to find the doggie kennel and doggie day care area.