Bingo!

 We continued our trek back to Arizona from Florida. Got the hell out of Natchez, Mississippi and hightailed it to Louisiana as fast as we could. Fellow RVers had told us about a top-notch RV park at this casino near the town of Kinder, LA.  We've stayed at casino RV parks but this one called "Coushatta" was far and away up there with the best. Only 19 bucks a night for full hook-ups, cable, wifi, the works.

Like Fatima and Lourdes, Coushatta draws the faithful (and hopeful) from all over the region. They come by car, RV, bus, on foot, dragging one foot. They can stay in cabins on a lake, stay in an RV, sleep in their car or sleep out on the ground. The casino doesn't care. What it's after with these low-price offerings is to fleece you out of every last dime you have playing one of the ridiculous slot machines inside. So our advice: spend the night in your RV. It's cheap, clean, off the highway (quiet). Stay out of the casino and move on the next day.

 The other great RV offering that we've told you about is at Elks lodges along the way. Even here at this lodge just outside Beaumont, Texas you'll find a little gambling. The kind our parents and grandparents are drawn to. For some reason, Elks lodges continue to tout the fun (and excitement) of bingo. It might make the lodge a little money but I personally believe potential younger members are turned off by it. Our challenge to Elks leadership (the national annual meeting takes place in July in Phoenix) is to come up with new ideas to attract younger members, i.e., those in their forties and fifties.

 Another issue that the Elks and many other private organizations must deal with has to do with smoking. Since the Elks is a private club it can bypass local non-smoking ordinances and allow smoking in the bar and food service areas.  The people we met at the Beaumont Elks lodge could not have been friendlier or more accommodating but every person in the lounge was puffing on a damn cigarette. It was as smoke-filled as a casino. And the fact that you can smoke in these places where you can't smoke in the public bar down the street is what attracts a lot of people to become members. They don't seem to care much for community involvement. It's merely all about the cigarette.  

And while we're at it, can someone please tell smokers that pitching their butts is litter. Ugly littering. They seem to think it's their God-given right to snuff the cigarette out on the ground or just pitch the cigarette. Every state has laws against littering such as Texas with its big, bold "Don't mess with Texas" campaign. The fines for littering are up to $2000. The remnants of your smoking addiction will be around for we non-smokers for years to come. That is, if Daisy doesn't chow down on a few like she did in Beaumont.  Do we throw our wine bottles and boxes on the ground? No! Of course not. So smokers, please, dispose of your butts properly.

So there.