Monthly Archives: April 2013

What’s Up With Gas Stations Casinos?!

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Howdy fellow travelers! As you may have gathered from my recent posts, I’m on a westward journey and making lots of awesome stops along the way. Just as I was entering the wild west of South Dakota, I was presented with a strange and unexplainable phenomenon.

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Casinos in gas stations.

I, for one, certainly can’t judge drunkards or gamblers in the least. However, I must say that I’m surprised by the number of sideline casinos in this great state. And they’re not just in gas stations! They’re in liquor stores, bars, grocery stores, restaurants, and god knows where else!

You might not know much about me since I’m sorta new to The Gnome Abode. But I am a bit of an amateur legal expert. I must admit, I conducted a bit of research on my 3G in the gas station bathroom.

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My source of expertise is KnowYourCasino….sounds reputable, right? According to my sources, it’s legal for random establishments to have up to 10 video gambling machines without a license. The machines take cash, but don’t give it back to you. Instead you get some stinkin’ receipt and have to take it to the Fatty McGoo cashier and make small talk to collect your winnings.

Another fun fact: “South Dakota’s  casinos have very liberal rules about allowing minors into casinos and virtually all of the casinos will allow children to enter with their parents until about 8 p.m. Additionally, South Dakota is the only jursidiction that will allow children to stand next to their parents while they are gambling.”

Welcome, gnome children!

Happy trails!
Rubber the Gnome

Secret Gnome Habitat Discovered in Washington!

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Gnomes found hidden in Evans Creek Preserve

March 25, 2013

By Ari Cetron

Some people have been prowling the hidden nooks and crannies of Evans Creek Preserve and playing a little game of “hide the lawn gnome.”

The activity has at least one member of the Planning Commission wondering how the practice got started.

“Who is the gnome master?” asked Brad Connor.

Who, indeed?

Brad and Brody Connor show off the gnome they found hidden in Evans Creek Preserve. Photo by Ashley Connor

Conner and his 2-year-old son, Brody, were out in the park in late August or early September when they first noticed the little gnome, similar to the kind seen in the ads for Travelocity.

The gnome was tucked away a few feet off the trail. When the pair investigated, they found a small tag had been attached on the bottom congratulating them for finding the gnome and encouraging them to hide it themselves.

Connor said he’s out in the park regularly and is fairly certain he found the gnome for the first time fairly soon after it started.

The pair did so enthusiastically, and Connor said the gnome helped make him want to make more use of the park.

“It encouraged us to walk the whole course,” he said.

Then, in the fall, the gnome went missing.

Whether someone took it, or it was covered in falling leaves, or it was simply using some sort of gnomish invisibility trick, Connor couldn’t tell.

“There’s all these little, unique nooks and crannies and gnome homes,” Connor said.

So, Connor replaced the missing gnome with one he went out and purchased. Then after he placed it, he discovered another gnome, different from the original.

Yes, now there are at least two gnomes in Evans Creek Preserve, and there may be more.

“It’s just fun, and it adds a bit of character to the park,” Connor said. “It brings the community together.

Parks Director Jessi Bon said the city doesn’t know how it got started, either.

“It just kind of happened organically,” Bon said.

She did ask that people hiding the gnome try to keep it within five feet of the trail. Evans Creek Preserve has some ecologically sensitive areas, and its best to keep them free of humans tromping around.

“Just enjoy the park and be respectful.”

Photo credit: Ashley Connor

Sheldon sketches out Mt. Gnomemore

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Howdy, fellow travellers! I read another gnome blog awhile back that boasted of glorious heads carved into rocks. Naturally, I assumed they were gnome sculptures. I walked my weary ceramic feet over a thousand miles to Mount Rushmore just to see this supposed gnomish phenomenon.

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I must say I’m disappointed. Dead white human dudes` heads? Really America, really!? Is that all you’ve got?

The highlight of my trip was meeting a pink monkey. She was a tourist as well and pretty sweet for a little fuzzy creature. There were not any humans watching the dead sculpture heads though, which I found terribly ironic.

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Oh well. As. Travelling gnome, I make the best out of every travel situation. I even had a chance to create an original Sheldon work of art. I sketched out Mt. Gnomemore and I plan to make it a reality.

Mark my words.

Mt Rushmore

Until my next adventure report…
Sheldon the Gnome