We pulled into the Campground the day B4 the first game of the NBA FInals, for which we still did not have confirmed tickets. Sarah had warned us that the requests for Tik requests had increased exponentially from folks who were ALL Chet’s best friends, and were crawling out of the woodwork, seemingly. She was having a lot of angst trying to be Solomon with what tiks she could obtain thru the team. I affirmed what she already knew: We would be grateful if able to attend, but we would also be happy to soak in the atmosphere at the park outside the stadium and/or at one of many bars hosting watch parties.
While in OKC, another date with destiny occurred! On a Zoom call with friend Norman Same, who hails from Melbourne and Brisbane Australia, we learned that he was visiting the States for a meeting in L.A. and another in WashDC. The flite between, which would have to pass right over OKC, aligned with the date of the first game!!! We agreed that Norman NEEDED to stopover; to ignore such a cosmic alignment would be stupid at best, and dangerous at worst. Norman made the necessary flite changes, and I added a ticket request to my sister’s angst.
Anyway, we scooped up Norman at the airport, without assurance the tiks would happen, but eventually they did!! We spent some time catching up during the hours leading up to the game, then spent several hours soaking up the UNBELIEVABLE championship atmosphere in the stadium.
OKC’s NBA nickname is “Loud City” and it has objectively been measured as the loudest stadium in the league under “normal” circumstances.
For the championship: exceeding 110db at times; that’s jet-engine level sonic pressure.
I asked Chet how that affects the players…he said it is quite unbelievable and a real energizer – truly the 6th man! He said it does make routine communication difficult – they can’t hear a player or coach 1 ft away calling a defense or a play.
Spoiler Alert: Sarah managed tickets for us to EACH OF the OKC home games during the finals. I don’t know whose soul needed to be sold in exchange, but WOW was this an experience. Not only that, Chet (and Sarah) graciously arranged “family” credentials for all the celebrations and events that happened once the outcome was secured. More on some of that in a minute…
We (and especially Norman) had a chance to experience some REAL OKLAHOMA LIFE during the playoffs. SEVERE WEATHER! All this time, we thought we were following the Thunder…in fact, the Thunder has been following us…starting from the music festival cancellation in Florida !!! The team’s slogan, “Thunder Up,” takes in a whole new meaning!!!
And, in Oklahoma, when they say “Severe” they are not joking! There were numerous days with Thunderstorms and many with Tornados spinning up within “Warning” distance of the stadium, the RV Campground, and for Norman’s benefit, the Airport.
Norman’s flite out left at a ridiculous hour of the morning the day after the game. They were loaded on the plane, ready for departure when the Captain came on the PA system: “We need everyone to leave the plane as quickly as possible…” They were “encouraged” after that to proceed directly to the “Tornado Lounge” until the weather passed!!!! This caused Norman to miss his connection in Dallas, eventually proceeding to the wrong airport in DC while his luggage travelled to the original destination. Norman said he made it to his meeting, though, with 5 minutes to spare. And, his underwear eventually caught up with him!! So all’s well that ends well.
We experienced something similar at the RV Campground on one of the other days in town. A Siren – not in the distance…IN THE CAMPGROUND, and LOUD LOUD Announcements in English and Spanish to SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. We found a Block and Brick Bathroom, where we spent 45 minutes with a bunch of other campers. We later learned there had been a tornado less than 2 miles away, and Semi Trucks had been overturned on the highway we traveled every day from the Campground to downtown. There was no damage at the campground, tho.
And we had a lesson in what it means to be a REAL Okie. The real Okies were standing outside the bathroom, watching the sky and the weather apps on their phone. This while Liz and I are cowering in the corner of the Bathroom. If you are an Okie, you have been automatically deputized as a “spotter” and you only hunker down when you see cows and trees flying through the air!!!
For the “Away” games during the series, I offered to dogsit for Sarah so she could travel to Indianapolis (the team had arranged charter flites and hotels). Now, there are 4 or 5 LARGE dogs in the pack. Including some with super-high, near puppy energy. We survived and overcame.
Normally, my nieces refer to me as “Uncle Jackass,” but for a brief moment, I became “Uncle Dog-Whisperer, Leader of the pack!” Actually, it went rather well. There were moments of sheer pandemonium and even terror. The latter when the Doberman is chasing the Husky, and the both of them LEAP (caps required due to magnitude) from the floor, over the sectional couch entirely (where I was sitting) to land in a fur-ball of dog-energy on the ”L” of that couch. That’s 10ft easily – 160lbs of Dog(s) passing in front of my eyes and over my head.
While we were there, we engaged nieces Claire and Alex in a friendly game of Pickleball. Of course, that meant acquiring the necessary equipment first. And having a teaching moment.
The Final game (Game 7) ratcheted up the excitement and the noise level to an even higher (which I wouldn’t have thot possible!) level. The pandemonium that ensued when the final seconds ticked away is something I will never forget. We probably COULD have gone down on the floor, with the credentials we had, but we just stood in the stands, watched the trophy passed around, the players and families congratulating each other…soaking it all in. Eventually, we made it down to where the collected group of Chet’s friends were hanging out. From there, we were herded thru the bowels of the stadium to where family pics were taken. Then we made our way to the Restaurant where the team was hosting an after-party for the players and families.
We’ve met some of the families before…all of them soaking in everything that had just gone on. Remember that the Thunder players are SOOO young…they were a little like deer in headlights for all of it. One famously had his first “non-Shirley Temple” drink (his own words) at this party. The Players were there for awhile, but eventually they went on to THEIR after-after parties; Niece Alexandra offered to be the designated driver for Chet. We finally made it back to the RV about 3:30AM. It’s been a LONG time since I have partied until 3:30AM!
We left OKC b4 the Championship Parade, due to a scheduled service appointment in Moscow, Ia. We COULD have been one of the allowed family on the bus… Sarah described the parade as indescribable. Hopefully we can participate next year!!
On the way to Moscow, we (of course!) stopped to visit the Florers in West Des Moines. By sheer and totally fantastic coincidence, we arrive on ICE CREAM DAY. Steve had the old one-cylinder engine out and was getting ready to make a couple gallons of bliss for his collected kids and grands. And for us!
Our Moscow, Ia. stop was to repair another leveling jack. ONE was leaking in May, and we stopped then to have that fixed. Of course, the very next time we used the jacks, another started leaking. Why I didn’t have ALL the jacks rebuilt when we were there for the one was pretty silly…You would THINK I would be smarter than this, by now. Since ALL the jacks were 40+ years old…the ones that weren’t leaking were about to…
While we were in Moscow, we had another visitation with an epic Storm. This time, it looked like Armageddon, but never really amounted to much! After Iowa, we had some time booked at our favorite County Park near St. Paul. A little melancholy…it was booked in December for the purpose of visiting Dad…
One thing that no Blog Entry would be complete without is a breakdown. Sometimes, mental, sometimes emotional, but usually mechanical. This time, Liz FINALLY threw me under the bus!!!
The adventure started when we had nearly reached St. Paul. All of a sudden, the rear camera became VERY foggy. This needed IMMEDIATE investigation, so I pulled over in the first spot I could.
Said investigation found the back of the bus and the car behind TOTALLY covered with a film of oil, and a puddle of oil was quickly developing underneath. As the shoulder was very wide and safe, I crawled underneath to see what the problem might be.
I IMMEDIATELY found the culprit…a hydraulic line had burst. Good Trouble’s power steering and radiator cooling fan are both powered hydraulically, and there is (was) about 5 gallons of oil in that system. Most of that oil had departed the vehicle by then.
As we were on the side of the road, contemplating the problem, calling our roadside assistance service and generally lamenting our existance, a State Trooper knocked on the door. He assured us we were in a safe spot, and he provided the name of a couple towing services who MIGHT be able to repair the hose, not tow us. Towing is an absolute LAST RESORT…too much possibility for further damage, so I wanted to find a mechanic. Of course, it was late Saturday afternoon…
I called the first service, and they recommended a Construction Machinery repair company with 24×7 service available. That became plan “B” as I had decided I was going to attempt the repair myself. The hose was accessible – both ends – and there was a local NAPA store that was open for a few more hours. IF they had the fittings, they could make me a hose AND sell me replacement oil.
It was a VERY messy job, getting the hose off…the remaining oil in the hose and reservoir ended up all over me, mostly, and the road. But, I got the hose off AND the NAPA had the right fittings, so I effected the repair within an hour or so and we were on our way!!!
It took me an hour to get the oil out of my hair in the campground shower, using Dawn as shampoo. It took me 3 hours then next morning at a local, manual car wash, to clean the oil off the ENTIRE car and then manually wash the back of the bus with de-greaser. On my list for the next time at a mechanic or over a pit, is to replace all remaining hydraulic hoses. Not looking forward to doing the power steering ones – they are 40ft long and very difficult to access the entire length of the bus.
So, we finally made it to the Twin Cities. There we hung out, saw some friends and family, did some laundry, had shocks and tires replaced on the car, etc. A week and a half of productive downtime. We’ll be leaving shortly for Chicago, and the Cardiologist. More on all that next time.
Good thing you don’t have much hair! I admit, you have more than I. Go Thunder!!
Wes