Only 5 more days and we begin another RV trip. \240 This one will be three months and is primarily Texas, Arkansas, and Branson MO.

I am excited, and all is in place to travel - but this time it is overshadowed by the threats of war with Iran, by family needs, and by my uncooperative knee, which has become very painful in the last 2 months. I hope this trip can proceed as planned. \240So much could derail us.

Somehow it feels as if there are potential crisis all around, so “vacationing” feels oddly out of place. \240 And yet - is it any wiser to pause life and wait? \240 We could have the same issues at home. And soon, we may find RVing getting too hard to continue… This may be our last opportunity.

We plan to visit Jim’s sister and their mom on her 95th birthday, see my sister and brother in law while in Branson, and hold my Moms memorial service in Loveland, CO on our way home.

So - here we go. \240 This week involves much last minute planning and moving. Saturday we get the RV moved to the campground and opened up so we can prepare it and unpack. \240Fortunately the weather looks cooperative and we are on-schedule so far. \240 Pray with us for “smooth sailing”, please. \240Jim and I are so out of shape and we need our muscles for all our plans.

To see our previous trips, go to:

Https://www.journohq.com/profile/RvAdventurer

Or email me at ckeberle@gmail.com. \240This app has an issue with links. \240 I can send a list of previous trips and links.

Today was moving day. \240 We begin our journey! \240

It was also the day the USA invaded Iraq and killed the Ayatollah. \240 So we began glued to the TV until the RV storage lot opened.

(The following is boring prep, but read on if you are curious as to what goes into preparations).

We went to the lot and began our hitch-up process. First up was re-installing the two batteries, which are kept charging in the garage when we are not traveling. \240 They are heavy, and challenging for Jim to carry. \240(My knee issues mean I cannot help lift them). \240Since it has been 1.5 years since our last trip, we have to pay attention to our hitching checklist. \240Any mistake can mean costly repairs!

We moved it to the campground - no big deal as it is adjacent to the storage lot.

Then we began finding spaces for all the boxed items. \240 Again, being 1.5 years, I have forgotten exactly what is, or isn’t, already stocked. \240Space is limited and some items will be taken back home. \240So there is a lot of time spent re-organizing. \240We made two trips from home to RV with boxes so far, and today there will be two more - plus the food from our refridgerator/freezer/pantry at home.

Already we have some repair issues to attend to. \240 New batteries for the chirping smoke detector, and the clock. \240 New SIM card for the wireless. Flush out the antifreeze from the water lines. \240New license tags to put on. \240We need a new anode rod for our water, but first must clean some corrosion - we need do that today, to have water. \240(We slept at home last night for that reason). \240Our slide-outs need some lubrication - they were straining to open. \240And, the big one - a liner under a slideout broke, and shattered when we opened the slide. \240We need to get a tech out and pay big bucks for repair. \240 Ugggghhh. \240It starts!

I expect today will be tiring, as yesterday was, getting ready - but we are making good progress.

There will also be some cleaning at our home for AirBnb use, then we bring the pets and live at the RV full time - ready to roll.

Watching potential for snow coming in.

Our first night in the RV. \240 I’m glad the weather has been so perfect to get started!

Today we spent bringing more “stuff”. \240 All the last-minute meds, computers, pet care - and of course, Jasper (our cat, an RV seasoned pro) and Bonny (our dog, first time in an RV or any trip away from home). \240

We also cleaned at our house; ran the dishwasher, two wash loads of bedding, last minute storage items to lock away. \240 We rent out home while we travel, so it has to be ready too.

Finally, a long day ends in the RV. \240 We are exhausted, but we need to relearn some of the RV peculiarities too. \240

We have a list of repairs, also. \240 A headlight is out on the truck. \240A tire is a little low. \240Our anode rod has corroded and we can’t change it. A slider liner has broken and needs replaced…calling a technician in the morning. \240 Gotta be road worthy…

Thank you for your prayers. \240I am feeling much more ready now! \240

Today we finished up at our house - putting away our (just washed) bedding and dishes, emptied trash bins, picked up a few forgotten items like MORE batteries. \240 Ready for a professional cleaning before guests come! \240(I think that is an AirBnb “must”.) \240

We contacted a tech and are hoping to see him tomorrow. \240We still have only cold water, so Jim showered at our house while there.

At the RV, Jim also fixed our printer, which wasn’t connecting to our laptop. And had our propane tanks filled. \240

Then, finally, we took some time to rest! \240 We really feel this move physically more than other trips. \240 Are we that out of shape, or just feeling our age more? \240We’ll see! \240

Bonny seems more settled too, which helps.

I woke in the night last night and saw the most beautiful clouds, with the moon lighting behind them! \240 Funny what you notice when your bed is right under the windows! Tonight is to have a “blood moon”. \240 So if I wake about 3am I hope to see it. \240It also marks Purim, for our Jewish friends. \240Interesting as they are in the midst of war. \240 Prophetic? \240

Our Pastor had a great online sermon today regarding End Times. \240I am so glad to be in a church that pairs the news with any Biblical significance and helps to keep us pointed at the Lord. \240Rare indeed!

I hope my readers aren’t bored yet - we ARE still in Colorado Springs, after all! \240 We may have some cold and snow this week to deal with, but otherwise will be pretty quiet until we get moving! \240

Our first few stops are boring ones, but on the way. \240Not much exciting going East from Colorado. \240 Still, we enjoy little towns! \240

After a cold night, and much wind the night before, today was beautiful.

We made good progress too as the truck headlight and tire pressure were fixed.

Still no hot water, so we showered at the camps’ restroom for the first time. \240It was clean, but I have never encountered a floor so slippery! \240 Given my wobbly knee, I was bracing myself and managed to not fall!

Tomorrow our tech comes out. \240Sure hope everything gets fixed on time so we can leave, and not too expensive.

Lunched in Calhan today, at Roosters. Totally for cowboys! \240 But the food was good and it was just fun to explore outside our usual haunts in the area.

Some sad news today - my cousin passed away. \240I am by far the youngest cousin on that side, so my cousins become precious and few…. I’m glad we spent time with him on our last pass through Nebraska.

Yay! All issues fixed on the RV (and for a good price) so we are ready to roll! \240

So wonderful to have our hot water, especially before expected cold weather. \240

Today is our snow day! \240 But that works well as there is nowhere we need to be yet, and so we are doing some indoor cleanup and minor fixes, and catching up our computer correspondence.

The snow isn’t that deep - maybe 3 inches. \240 But it is wind driven, and coming down horizontally. \240Makes it hard to “empty” the dog. \240 Not sure she had ever been \240in a snow storm before. \240She is so distracted she wouldn’t “go” so Jim and I get to take her out again and again. \240Oh joy! \240

Tonight will get down to about 20 degrees. \240 That is about as low as we have ever done in the RV. \240 For the most part, we are comfortable. \240But the nights can be a little too chilly. \240 So we pull out the extra blankets and a space heater to make it tolerable. \240

We also have to take off our water hoses so they don’t freeze solid. \240 We put them back on in the morning. \240

With Gods good timing, tomorrow should warm up nicely and be pleasant the day we leave. \240

Saying goodbye to the grandkids…

We had a nice visit with Amy and her children (James, Josiah, Lily). \240

Amy also had an early birthday gift for Jim, as his birthday is coming up soon.

We survived our coldest night in the RV yet - 16 degrees! \240 Then the day warmed up nicely. \240 Expecting good weather tomorrow for travel. \240

Arrived at our first stop - La Junta CO. I know that isn’t far, but that’s what you do in a big RV - the 3/3/3 rule. \240Drive up to 3 hours, arrive before 3:00, spend 3 days. \240 That’s because hitching up, driving, and unhitching is tiring. \240I will add, that having stayed in some less-than-touristy places, we always find something fun or meet nice people.

No problems, \240getting here, unless you count being one of the least scenic routes we have yet taken. \240 Poor, dusty farm communities - even those are far and few between. \240 Passed Rocky Ford. \240 A bit early for watermelons!

What a temperature contrast! \240 2 days ago we were freezing in Falcon, now it is 78 degrees!

Our campground is small, perhaps 50 slots, with a lot of old train cars to see.

Bonny did great on our first “moving” day!

Ready to go scope out the town and grab some lunch! \240

Wonderful day today in LaJunta. \240 It was really hot, about 80 degrees. \240 What a contrast to our recent snow! \240

We went to the local McDonalds for breakfast and met an old friend of mine from junior high. \240 He, and about 1/2 dozen others, were in my first church youth group, where I first met Christ. \240 We were very close, but especially Kenny Bandimere (family owns the speedway) and I. \240

He has become quite the talker, or perhaps he just enjoyed having a listener once. \240 He has had a difficult life but we also ran many parallels. \240His faith is very strong and I still admire him. \240 It was just good to have someone that knew, “oh, you too?” - where we began and where we are now. \240 It’s so nice to feel - normal- in a world that is not. \240We really enjoyed catching up! \240Jim had met Kenny about the time Jim and I began dating. \240 They seemed to enjoy one another, too.

By now it was getting late in the day, but we had an errand. \240 Jasper, our cat, had such pale gums we decided we better have a vet check him. \240 There happened to be a clinic next door to our RV park, and being such a small town we figured he had a better chance of a same day appointment than we can get in the city. It can be so hard to make appointments on the road when we move so often! \240 Anyway, all is well except some dental issues that can wait until we get back home.

Today we finished a few maintenance “to dos” on the RV. \240Next we went to a restaurant in downtown La Junta, then went to Bents’ fort - a famous stockade that once saw the likes of Kit Carson.

Unfortunately, being a Tuesday, many restaurants were closed and the Fort was too. \240 Still, we could walk around it. \240 The weather was pleasant so it was good to exercise my knee.

Besides seeing the adobe Fort, we noticed the profound stillness of the area. It was out of town a ways, in the tall grass prairie. \240 Listening carefully, I heard no wind in the grasses. \240 No traffic. \240No airplanes. \240No birds. \240 The only noticeable sound was a grasshopper flying above the grasses. \240 I doubt I have ever been somewhere quieter. \240 Just us, the grass, and the sunshine.

Wow, long day. \240 We started late as there were strong winds on our route that were to dissipate late in the day. \240 Must’ve worked as we had no problem.

About a four hour drive, which is very long when hauling a trailer. \240 It was easy as we are in a very lonely stretch of the country. \240 Passed through Los Animos Co and Lamar - both of which we’d never seen. \240 As to scenery, it was the same the whole way - farms and fields, just beginning to green - and occasionally smoke from someone burning the debris from their fields.

One brief scare - in Springfield, Co a semi driver suddenly crossed the center and was about halfway into our lane, head on. \240 Praise God he self-corrected before we had time to panic. \240Pretty sure he had dozed off. \240

We’ve been in Dalhart TX before. \240 Nothing exciting but a good rest on the way and it gives me time for laundry. \240Already we are less likely to deal with spring snow - now we wish to avoid tornados, flooding, and Muslims! \240(A lot in some Texas towns).

Nothing much today in Dalhart, Texas. \240Went to lunch. \240 Tried to go to a shop but they were closed. \240Did laundry, walked the dog. \240

Glad we move on tomorrow. \240

Another long drive. \240Dalhart to ElkCity, ok. \240 We are racing to get to Texas for Jim’s moms 95th birthday. \240 Plus, these stops haven’t much to do; they are just along the way. The whole area is just farm after farm after farm.

We had one memorable annoyance. \240 We were on a stretch of a small 2 lane highway - one lane each way, narrow, no shoulder. \240 A semi was ahead of us, weaving all over. \240 There was no way to pass, and he was driving about half the speed limit - for 20 miles! \240 We think the driver was sleepy. \240 Often he was halfway into the opposing lane. \240 We really wondered if we were going to witness a wreck. \240 I’m glad he made it.

Elk City seems nice, a city of perhaps 10,000. \240 Not much to do aside from a Route 66 museum. \240 We had hoped to go to a nice fish restaurant, but they were closed to we had Italian instead.

We were supposed to stay two days, but changed it to one day to avoid high winds on our intended drive day. \240 So another drive tomorrow, but 2.5 hours instead of 4 - then we stay three days. \240 Yay.

Forgot to mention - the cost of gas is up due to the war in Iraq. \240 These 4 hour drives, where we get perhaps 10 miles to a gallon, are getting expensive! \240Fortunately, we should be getting to shorter drives soon.

Also the time changes have been waning our energy. \240 Daylight savings was right was we left Colorado, and Texas is another time zone so we are two hours off. \240

Really a pleasant day, and a pleasant two hour drive from Elk City. \240 Our camp ground is the best yet - though that isn’t saying much!

We will hunker down here for a day and a half of very high winds. \240I’m afraid we won’t get much sleep, and those winds can really raise our anxiety after long. \240 You hear all the weird clunks and bangs that are normal to an RV in high wind, but wonder if something has broken!

After the wind, temps are supposed to plummet - but briefly, followed by hotter than normal days. \240 Today is about 80, so it is time to put my winter duds away after our cold snap. \240

There are grass and trees and a nice dog park here. \240

It will be good to rest after all the drive days so far. \240We are going to Waco next, and then the fun begins - our interesting stops that we came for. \240The dull towns should be over! \240Yay! \240

Today is Jim’s 67th birthday. \240 A little bittersweet, as that is how old his dad was when he passed. \240 So he has now outlived his dad.

It is also our high wind day, so we were “in” a lot. \240It was a challenge getting Bonny out without the door injuring someone. \240 Then she wouldn’t “go” as she didn’t like the strong wind.

We went to a really nice “farm to table” restaurant called Fox Hill. \240 They had some gardens and we saw our first Texas bluebells, which should be blooming soon. \240 It was in an old house on a hilltop; really nice ambiance.

We also stopped to get Jim’s phone fixed as it wasn’t charging. \240 We had it cleaned and got the broken glass replaced. \240 Far faster and less expensive than we guessed - yay.

Heard from the kids and had a long conversation with Chris.

We’re in Waco. \240Good drive, but lots of truck traffic as we passed Fort Worth and headed toward Austin.

Nice campground! \240 Trees and grasses, very peaceful, just outside the city of Waco. By far our best campground so far.

Hey! \240 We finally hit a tourist attraction! \240 It is called the heritage, kind of a natural craftsmen and frontier skills community. \240It is a religious order out of New York. \240Not Amish, but similar dress and skills.

We bought some foods for our travels, some kitchen tools….

They had a nice restaurant and demonstrations there too. \240

Tonight Jim teaches college - he even has an admin watching - so he wants to be prepared. Guess I will take it easy, or walk Bonny. \240 There are many nice trails and areas to explore.

I also need to pack. \240Tomorrow we drive to Austin (1 hour). \240We will get a hotel for one night, which gives us two days with Jim’s mom. \240 Not much, I know - but she is pretty non communicative most days, and can’t go anywhere.

Bonny will come with us while Jasper stays with the RV. \240He does fine alone for short periods. \240

In Austin to see Jim’s mom, sister, and her family.

Traffic in Austin is nuts. \240 So glad to get to our hotel! \240 Kay visited us there for a while, then Jeff and Justin joined us for dinner at Whiskey Cakes, a farm to table. \240 Great food! \240Wonderful to see the Ronk family. \240

We ran out of steam after dinner. \240 We’d been up early to come here, and they joined us later in the day. So tired, trying to battle the traffic and figure out where everything is. \240

Bonny is having a hard time with the hubbub here. \240 Jasper is at our RV in Waco. \240

Back to the Rv after a hotel in Round Rock.

Saw Jim’s mom, and “celebrated” her birthday. \240 There were 9 of us, plus Mom. \240(Us, Kay, Jeff, Brandon, Justine, Danielle, and their two children) She was pretty unresponsive. A couple times, she would be aware for a few minutes- so at least she knew Jim was there and it was her birthday. \240 But much reminded me of the movie “A weekend with Bernie”. \240 Yikes. \240 (In case you don’t know, that one involves a man who died and they were trying to pretend he was alive, so they took him places, dressed him up, and pretended to party with him). \240

We also went to a nice coffee place with Jim’s sister, Kay (Bonny came too) and to Kay’s house. \240 Bonnie liked her yard and left her “presents”. \240She also told off Brandon’s dogs who were overly interested in her.

The drive home was long due to traffic congestion, but we arrived safe and Jasper was happy to see us.

\240

Today we started quietly. We went to have waffles \240at the Heritage. \240 Really good! In a 1700s home with a water wheel! \240

A neighboring RV was having a car wash done. \240 It has been a long time since we had done so, so we hired the same folks to wash and wax our beast. \240Expensive, but we need to keep up the finish and it was overdue. \240 They did a beautiful job but it took all afternoon.

In the evening, we went to see Baylor University, where Kay had gone to college. \240 Beautiful campus!

Then we went to see the Brazos River Crossing. \240 It honors a part of the Chisholm Trail. \240 Nice sculptures and a beautiful bridge.

Today we had lunch at Brazos Landing. \240The food was good, it was right on the river, and outdoors. \240 I had fun feeding their many turtles and ducks!

This evening, we rode a boat on a tour of the Brazos River. \240 Historically, not that interesting a tour - but still fun. \240 It was 93 degrees today. \240 Toasty when we first began, but pleasant on the ride home.

A nice day today. \240 We met Kay, Jeff, Justin, Danielle and their two kids, Teddy and Dolly. We went to the zoo - walked slow and talked.

We had dinner at a BBQ place, then Kay and Jeff came to see our RV campground. \240

Today we (us, Kay and Jeff) went to the Magnolia, a tourist shopping area by Chip and JoAnne Gaines. \240 Very big deal for Waco, but honestly I was not impressed. \240 Most of the shops were a repeat of the same limited items.

We ate at the Magnolia Table, also part of their empire. \240Good food, but less impressive than I expected.

Then Kay and Jeff came over to the RV for a while. \240 We sat out by the lake house. \240 Pleasant conversation.

We finished the day with a run to Dairy Queen. \240

Today I woke very dizzy and nauseous. \240I was afraid it was carbon monoxide. \240But standing in the fresh air outside didn’t help. \240 Then I realized - or Jim did - that it was likely dehydration. \240 Yep, that clicked. \240 We have been busy, often outdoors in the heat, for several days. \240We’d been so busy I hadn’t been drinking much, and when I remembered to drink, I had little because the Texas tap water tastes terrible, even filtered. \240

Anyway I survived but drank like a canal today.

Jim went with Kay and Jeff, back to the Heritage to shop. \240I stayed home since I still felt icky.

After that, they came to get me. \240 We went to lunch and then to the Dr. Pepper museum. \240

We said our goodbyes about dinner time, to rest before our move tomorrow.

Kay reports that Jim’s mom is doing better. \240 They took her off some pain meds that were causing her extreme drowsiness. \240

I’m sorry to sound like I whine all the time. \240 This trip has been much physically harder, with less pleasant stops, and a much faster pace. \240We are tired. \240I have been waking very dizzy.

Today was to be a 2 1/2 hour drive to Tyler. \240We woke early to prepare the RV and left at nine. \240Traffic wasn’t bad considering we were skirting Dallas, but there were a lot of trucks again.

We arrived about 12:30. \240 Wanted to check in, unhitch, and rest. \240HAH. \240We finally did that about 5:00pm.

Our campground was called Texas Rose. \240When we pulled it, it was a tight fit getting in the park. \240 The office looked old and run down. \240RVs were just sandwiched in, and many looked as if they live there, and were poor. \240After all our dusty stops I was looking for a nice park and a laundry. \240The owner shows up after 15 minutes and tried to shoehorn us in a small spot. We asked where the horses were, as we’d been told there were horse shows. \240Only THEN did we find out we were in the wrong park. \240 We wanted the Texas Rose HORSE park, not the Texas Rose RV park.

I was kind of glad, and we drove about 12 miles to the new park. \240It was also hard to get in the narrow gate, and we couldn’t find the office. \240Finally found someone, and after about 15 minutes we were off to our site. \240Turning to get there was difficult and once we drove up we saw it was not a lot, not level, no sewer connection - just kind of on a little hill by a barn. \240A small RV could do that, but not our rig!

We had to turn again, back to the office. \240Several times we had to run over a curb. \240Again, no problem in an ordinary vehicle but with the weight of our beast that is not good on tires, suspension, and food in our pantry and refridgerator!

They said they had more of an RV park, not the VIP spot near the stable, on a nearby hill. \240We drove up there. \240Didn’t like it but began to unhitch. \240A man comes up and said “these are the rental lots. \240(No signage) you pick a spot over there! \240So we hitched up again and moved a ways. \240At first glance it looked like grass and trees to one side, and just a rock lot. \240 We have seen places like that. \240Not ideal but doable.

So we pick a spot and begin to unhitch. \240We noticed - no laundry. \240No tables. \240Big, sharp rocks to drive and walk on. \240The grass was mostly weeds and stickers. \240 The site was uneven…. \240When we leveled the RV, our jacks were at the maximum height (not good - ground was that uneven.). Being so extended can damage the jacks, and high winds are expected tomorrow which makes it rock a lot more…

Nearby trailers also looked sketchy.

Finally, though we had fully unhitched and attached to water and electric - we both decided that no, this would really spoil this leg of our trip. \240A day or two - maybe…but not a week.

So - we packed up the RV AGAIN. \240Hitched up AGAIN. \240 Drove 20 miles. \240Back to another office. \240Unhitched AGAIN. \240 Set up AGAIN.

Praise God - this one finally panned out and we love it. \240 But we are way beyond exhausted and had a lot of phone calls and messages to follow through on.

We made it. \240 Our 2nd worst day RVing. \240(Atlanta GA was first place loser).

We had a nice, relaxing day. Finally! \240

We started on the Azalea tour, something Tyler Texas is known for. \240 This is the peak season, though locals say this year is less vibrant due to a late freeze. \240 We thought it was beautiful, and enjoyed the very historic southern homes, too.

We then had lunch out - at a fancy steak place because we have to sample Texas beef - and really enjoyed it. \240 It was pretty empty there, and our waitress was a chatty Tyler native - so we learned a lot. \240 Tyler is growing a lot, and the homes are inexpensive. \240

Back to the RV for a nap and catching up on home chores. \240 \240Perfect.

Another good day. \240 Today was much cooler. \240 Overcast, with a little drizzle.

We went to a horse show. \240It was at the horse park where we expected to park our RV. \240 At least the show was good! \240 Mostly a “feather horse” beauty show - you know, the big draft horses with the long mains and tails and fetlocks. Also a jumping competition.

We took Bonny and were surprised that, though she was interested in the horses they did not scare her. \240 Perhaps in her past as a breeder she was on a farm? \240 Goodness knows she is afraid of everything else!

Lunch today was an Italian restaurant. \240 It was all from scratch and very good.

This afternoon was all laundry. \240 Suddenly it seemed the dust of these parks had caught up to us and all was dirty! Washers at RV parks are very fickle. \240 Some work well, and others hardly at all. \240 Some have sharp interiors or stains that come from previous customers. \240 So it is easy to ruin clothes, camping. \240 For that reason I bring mostly older clothing that is already getting iffy. \240Some of these have about had enough now. \240 So I hope I can get home with enough reasonable clothes to get by. \240Branson will require nicer clothes, as will my Mom’s memorial service. \240If not, I may have to go clothes shopping!

Today we went Kayaking on the lake at Tyler state park. \240 The weather was perfect - in the high 70s with a pleasant breeze. \240 Felt great to exercise.

Later we went to a really good Mexican restaurant. \240 We will miss the good food in Texas. \240

So, yesterday I didn’t write, \240 We basically spent our last day in Tyler just cruising the town. \240 We found a really nice restaurant on the far South end.

We left Tyler this am, earlier than planned because heavy rains are expected the next few days.

Beautiful drive. \240This part of Texas is very heavily treed. \240 Small highways and little towns. \240 Nice to get away from the trucks on the interstate, but small towns have other hazards - tight streets, low branches, a dog running off the side of the road…. \240Apparently this is wild hog country, as I saw one of those.

Texarkana seems a nice town! \240 And, we have a lovely RV park!

Gas is kicking our butt. \240$5.25 gallon now. \240 $100 limit, so Jim had to go to two stations to fill up! \240 Hope that doesn’t get much worse! \240 We get about 10 miles a gallon, pulling.

Still in Texarkana. \240 Not thrilling, but the rest is nice. \240We had a big rain today, and it was as if someone turned on a faucet all at once. \240 No warning, no drizzle turning to rain, turning to heavy rain. \240 Just a full-on drench out of nowhere!

We ate out and it was funny that a boy came in, perhaps 12-14 years of age, and he looked the spit’n image of my grandson, Josiah (7 years), magically grown up. \240 Kind of a preview!

I had a po boy sandwich, as we are within such a short distance of Louisiana. \240 Gotta enjoy authentic Cajun. \240Jim had shrimp and gumbo. \240

Tomorrow we move to Hot Springs Arkansas and the fun should begin, finally!

Goodbye, Texas. \240 Tonight we sleep in Arkansas for our first time. \240 We are in Hot Springs at Catherine’s Landing, part of Lake Catherine national park. \240 Our RV is backed up to a tributary of the Lake, but it looks like a river where we are.

We were so pleased to have good roads and good weather getting here as there was a 50% chance of rain.

Tomorrow we expect to be rained in all day.

There is a lot to do in this area. \240 We are here 11 days, and the campground is near perfect. \240 There is even a pool I hope to use, if the water is not too cold. The pool was just filled. We can rent boats and kayaks, play frisbee golf, walk trails in the woods…

In town there are hot springs, a large horse racing venue (an interest since Churchill downs - and no, we don’t bet).

The birds here are beautiful. \240 Blue jays, bluebirds, cardinals, martins. \240 Haven’t seen other wildlife but I bet it is here!

We ate today at a

Well - mixed day… went to the bathhouses that Hot Springs is famous for. \240It was raining steadily all day - a good, soaking rain - and we were looking for something indoors to do. \240Problem is, so were all the other tourists! \240

We had a hard time finding a parking spot for our big truck on their narrow streets. \240One lot required an app to pay and we just couldn’t make it work. \240 So we drove again, and finally found one. \240

It was a bit of a walk, and I walk slow due to my knee issues so we were soaked to the skin by the time we got there. \240Then there was a wait to get in - standing outside in the rain. \240Once in, there was a long wait to use the baths. \240

Basically it wound up taking about 5 hours, most of which was parking, walking, waiting. \240I had a nice (though short) massage, and I was scheduled for some soaking, a site bath, and the steam cabinet - but I kept running into minor equipment issues at each station that were giving me the short end of the stick and making it seem equally stressful and relaxing. Jim had better luck than I in the men’s side. \240

Wound up with a partial refund for all the semi-broken elements. \240 (This was one of the nicer places to bathe, not normally one to run into such issues).

In Colorado Springs, you learn not to go the tourist traps when they get too busy. \240 Guess it is the same here. \240 Duh. \240

Yesterday we rode the duck boat in Hot Springs. \240 The narration was nice; apparently President Clinton had a lot of ties here. \240We saw his high school, his mother-in-laws house on Lake Hamilton. \240Fancy houses owned by coke fortunes, oil heiresses, maybelline…

Today we opted for a quiet day at the campground, so we went joy-riding in a golf cart to see more of our campground - the boat docks, the zip lines, the disc golf course, and another dog park. \240We finished the day with a campfire.

Bonny had her best day ever. \240She loved the golf cart, made some doggy friends at the dog park(we had never seen her really run and play with another dog! \240It may have been her first opportunity, being caged most of her life!), and got in the water at the boat dock. \240Then she enjoyed the fire too.

Jim and I are talking a lot about our plans for the future. \240 Throwing around ideas, mostly. \240

Nice day today. \240 Beautiful weather. \240

We went to Garvan Woodland Gardens, kind of a mix of a botanical garden and mountain trails. \240Less formal but lovely.

Lots of walking. \240 I made it but boy were we tired! \240

We are still in hot springs. \240 Today we decided to rent a pontoon boat and see Lake Catherine. \240

Our campground rents the boats. \240 The weather was perfect - perhaps 70, with a light breeze and sunny skies. \240It was so relaxing and the pontoon boat was comfortable. \240 We were enjoying the many types of homes that dotted the bank, some with impossibly long staircases to the boat docks. \240We got to the dam and turned around.

We were parhaps 3/4 of the way back, and were exploring some “fingers” off the lake. \240On a big one, Jim opened the engine full throttle. \240 Felt so good.

Then, bang! \240Boom, rumble rumble, bang! I thought we had hit a submerged log but finally saw a small sandbar that we had hit. We were all fine, no one fell.

But, the engine wasn’t moving us. \240 It now sounded fine, but we had no thrust. \240Stranded. \240So we called the campground, who came with another boat to tow us back.

Turns out we had broken the propeller. \240We get to buy a new one. \240Not wonderful, but the kind of mistake you learn from.

Later we went to a great Italian restaurant. \240

Let me start with yesterday. \240Mostly a quiet day at the campground. \240 Went to the pool but it was too cold to swim so I mostly sunned and waded.

We had the best crepes for lunch! \240 Second only to those we had in Durango.

Our “excitement” was that I was clipping Bonny’s nails, and She was kicking a lot so I accidentally “quicked” her badly. \240 She was bleeding all over the RV. \240 Took perhaps 1/2 hour to finally get it to stop. \240She is still avoiding me…

At night, a new RV pulled in - an exact twin to ours!

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Today will be fun. \240 We are going to a big horse race here! \240No, we are not gamblers but we have never seen a race and we took an interest after our tour of Churchill Downs on a previous trip. \240The “classy” thoroughbreds are so beautiful!

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We really enjoyed the races. \240We won our $5 bet two times - and won about $11! \240Big whoop! \240 The fun was the energy of the crowd, the building excitement as they rounded that final corner… The pageantry as they repeated the traditions that accompanied each race. \240 \240

One race had three horses in a photo finish. \240 Very exciting!

We had an amazing brunch there, and had seats in the indoors with air conditioning - thank God! \240

Here we are in Little Rock, the largest town of our stops, and our park is in the heart of downtown! \240We are under two bridges and along a river. \240Not bad, but a far cry from the serenity of our last stop!

Driving here took only an hour, but those last 20 minutes were harrowing. \240 Lots of huge trucks, a twisty road with a lot of construction and lane closures, and hard to decipher exits. \240Really hard to know which lane to be in, so we overshot our final exit and had to find a u-turn to come back. \240 Very hard with a large, tall rig like ours! \240If you re-route you can easily find yourself on a street that has too low bridges, too low tree limbs, or tight corners that cannot be navigated. \240 That’s why our gear in GPS is practically our Bible when we drive - it knows our size and dimensions and keeps us from certain roads. There can be errors, but we haven’t had it steer us wrong yet…

We are here because Jim was here as a child with his dad. \240He wanted to re-visit it. \240But crime is high and surprisingly, there are limited options of tourist things to see. Mostly historical, such as the Little Rock nine high school. \240(Civil rights).

I’m just happy that the RV park feels safe and pleasant.

We ate downtown and had a really friendly waiter who gave us some great travel tips.

Later, we walked the Clinton bridge which crosses the Arkansas River (it is also found in Royal Gorge in CO!). \240On one end was our campground, and at the other was the Clinton presidential library - perhaps we will tour it one day, but we had Bonny along so could not go inside.

Today we went to Little Rock Central High School, which was front and center of the civil rights clashes. \240Remember, the “Little Rock Nine”, the black students who were first to integrate schools instead of the separate but unequally funded black schools? \240

The actual school is still in use, and across the street is a museum. \240 I was afraid it would be too politically correct, but it was very well presented. \240 Those kids were really brave! \240 They really changed the world! \240

Today we continued “touristing” Little Rock. \240 Below is the Old Mill, which was in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. \240 Beautiful, so I’m glad we went there - but it is also famous! \240It was in the opening of “Gone with the Wind”.

Here we are, finally, after a long but mostly pleasant drive. \240It was good to leave the city and big trucks. \240We traded it for twisty, narrow roads with some seriously steep grades in the Ozarks. \240 After all - we were on 1400 foot mountains! Their mountains are pretty, unbelievably green! \240It was also fun seeing unusual signs along the way. \240I liked the one for “Toad Suck Park”.

Branson looks fun! \240 Our campground is near the heart of the entertainment district and the roads seem better suited to our big truck than Little Rock.

I was hoping for a pool - we haven’t really had one yet on this trip - but it doesn’t open until May. \240 (When we leave!).

It is

We survived the storm of the night before. (17th) \240 Enough lightning to scare the pets, and keep us awake, but no harm done.

Yesterday was a catch up day. \240 I started by doing laundry. \240As we haven’t a lot of clothes along due to limited storage, we need do laundry every couple weeks or so. \240We use the laundry rooms at the campground. \240 We have connections for a small washer/dryer in our RV but I hear those don’t work that well anyway. Nice to now have some clean choices.

Then we went for lunch and time in Branson Landing, doing some shopping. \240 Lots of walking. \240Many stores that we have in Colorado Springs. \240Still, fun.

Today we went for a donut run (Kristy crème), then watched our church online. \240 Everything here is closed on a Sunday morning, which I think is awesome. \240 Lots of churches and an obvious Christian culture here. \240 Love it!

I notice homes here are about 250k for something comparable. \240Not bad! \240 I bet they have some really nice neighborhoods, but the tourism would be an issue. \240Apparently we are here just before tourist season, so lines and traffic have been very reasonable. \240

After church, we went to some craft malls right near our campground. \240I spent too much, but they had some really nice and reasonably priced crafts. \240 Birthdays coming up, you know? \240 Some were pretty “Ozark hillbilly” but it was fun to see that too. Just not my “thing”. \240

Lunch was at “The flaming marguerita” and that isn’t rhetoric. \240Really pretty presentation. \240 Great guacamole! \240

Tonight we may do a huge Ferris wheel here at sunset. Apparently it was once in the Canary Islands. \240 Then it was in Navy Pier Chicago, where we saw it from our hotel window when we visited. \240Now here. \240

Tomorrow there is a place with garden trails and caves, and you see by driving golf carts through the grounds! \240 Fun, and my knee appreciates the ride! \240

Just WOW. \240 We went to see The Top of the Rock, an Ozark heritage experience. \240 This is owned and created by the owner of the Bass Pro Shops in the US.

If you married a Disney ride, an arboretum, and golf carts this is what you get. \240 It takes about an hour to drive your golf cart through all the paths laid out. \240 Each turn is more scenic than the last. \240 You go through caves, by waterfalls, and by sculptures - all surrounded by the verdant green woodlands of the area. \240 Stopping to take photos, we got acquainted with other nice guests. We had a ball!

After the ride we went through their museum - and, of course, gift shop. \240 The museum was by far the best coverage of Indian culture and tribes I have ever seen. \240Beautifully done. \240 It also covered, more lightly, the civil war, Presidents, and various heros of the Wild West.

We went home then, to let Bonny out and rest a bit. \240 Tonight we return to their restaurant for some fine dining.

This can also be experienced at night as the golf cart course is all lit up. \240It would be beautiful in the Fall, or at Christmas!

Sign me up to be a hill billy! \240

Today we drove to Eureka Springs, about an hour from Branson. \240 We didn’t want to camp there with the RV due to narrow, twisty roads, so we day-tripped instead.

The drive was wonderful. \240 I could’ve lived any where along there, but especially liked Branson West. \240Close enough to Branson, but more a bedroom community.

Eureka Springs was nice, but disappointing only that it reminded me of so many Colorado mountain towns - scenery, quaint old buildings, and tourist shops. \240 That area was hard to drive with our truck too - so narrow. \240 We had a nice lunch, went in a few shops, and called it good.

We DID enjoy the Christ of the Ozarks - which Jim remembered seeing with his dad long ago - and the stage for the Passion Play there. \240 It begins near the time we leave this area. \240I’d have loved to see the play, but just not feasible. \240

Today was quieter, a catch up day on some errands, mostly.

Jim needed to get a prescription filled, we needed to order our mail be delivered to this campground, since we are here longer. \240And, Bonny needed her toenails trimmed. \240I had tried a few nights ago and “quicked” her by accident- and had a hard time stopping the bleeding. \240Petco made it look easy.

This morning we went to a coffee shop near our campground. \240Apparently they use it to train special needs adults for jobs.

After errands, we also did a wine tasting very near our camp, and went to a cheese shop nearby. \240 They had a chocolate cheddar that tasted like fudge! \240They also had some grape juice. \240 Yum!

We talked to Sierra, which we really enjoyed.

Then we took Bonny to the dog park, where we met some nice folks from Montana and others from Ohio. \240Conversation flows easily when we travel - “where are you from?” \240“Where are you going?” And “what are favorite places you have been?”. \240 We nomads are a clan on the road, and people help one another with repairs, directions, and recommendations. \240 I wish that were as easy at home.

Tonight Jim

Yesterday, Jim was not feeling well and needed a food fast to get his diverticulitis tamed.

But we had tickets that evening for Dolly Partens Stampede. \240That was fun. \240Non stop action and horse tricks. \240A little too touristy but a good time.

Today we went to a British pub restaurant and tonight, another show. \240This one is the BeeGees concert. \240It will be fun to celebrate the disco era. \240