Nights in White Gravy

                   We have an announcement to make.

                             No…. not that!

                             We are now officially Card-Carrying Members of the Cracker Barrel Rewards Program!

                   We finally bit the bullet (or Chicken Pot Pie) and signed up last night.

                             The Backstory.

                   Walmart’s are (were?) famous for allowing RV-type vehicles overnight in their parking lots. This started when old Grampa Sam was still in charge. Then a few things happened. Gramps croaked and a few of the Stores went rogue when hosting unworthy, trash dumping guests got to be too much and the local managers or municipal authorities finally put an end to it.

                             At some locations.

                             The problem is that you are never sure if the one that you’ve got in your sights is a ‘Welcoming’ one or a ‘Go Away, You Bother Me’ one.

                             Back in the beginning of our travels we stopped in the Walmart of Marana, Arizona (north of Tucson) and made ourselves comfortable.

                             Until….

                             Until the local Mall Cop showed up and skedaddled us out explaining the now obvious local situation. He recommended a Walmart fifty miles north of where we were. It was already late at night, so this exercise became an even bigger deal.

                   Now we’re wary.

                   Are we gonna get kicked out?

                   Is any Walmart safe anymore?

                   You would think that a call beforehand would settle this issue but when:

1. You can’t always get through.
2. If you do, and you get Bill in Electronics….
3. Even if you do get the Front Desk they don’t always know!

So, we do still use the Walmart’s that we know are ‘safe’ around the USA, and we are always hopeful when we pull in and see another RV there before us, but still…..

That brings us to Cracker Barrel and their parking lots that have dedicated long, spacious spots for RV’s and the like. We know that we’re always welcome and we make a point of going in for a meal and asking to speak to the manager. We thank them for their hospitality for the evening and we always get a delicious (read not diet!) meal, usually with enough left over for another meal.

As a Welcome Gift for signing up we will receive a complimentary order of any of their Barrel Bites (appy’s) that we may choose.

 Within the next month.

Guess where we’re gonna go on the way back home!