New Rig!!

I can't believe that we have done this and I am so happy and excited.  For over a year we have talked about downsizing our camper and once we bought the house and got moved in it just seemed like the right thing to do.  Besides, we had a rainy day with not much to do so we went "looking".

When we bought our 38' Avalanche we were moving from our home to the camper with no second home and no storage unit.  We had to get everything we owned into that rig so we needed a lot of space!  Now that we have our home here in Yuma, we don't have to carry everything with us.  We can just take a little of it.  So, we have downsized by 8 feet and purchased a Cougar half-ton fifth wheel.

We really did just go out looking because it was dreary and cool out.  Our second stop found us at RV World here in Yuma.  I know they rotate the sales staff so we drew Jeff.  Jeff showed us a few campers and one was a 27' Cougar that we liked very much but it just seemed a few feet too small.  Then Jeff got a phone call and passed us over to Josh.  I liked Josh much better, maybe because he showed us  the 30' Cougar.  We still could not decide on which one we liked and we left with a "we will call you".

Two days later we called and Josh was out but Jeff was there so he came out to look at our Avalanche to see if they would take it in trade.  His assessment took all of about 2 minutes and he was on his way again.  I guess he just wanted to make certain that we really did have it.  So the next morning we were back at RV World and Jeff was there with no sign of the illusive Josh.  Again we looked at the 27 footer and the 30 footer.  The thing that we liked better about the 30 foot Cougar was that there was a loveseat that Jake could use!

I know, a sofa for the dog?  Yes!  We have bought a boat for a dog so why not a camper for a dog.  Jake is a big boy and he has to be somewhere!  We have learned that when we aren't looking, he will find a nice place to sleep so we might as well plan on it.

So we sat down to do the negotiating.  Part of me loves that and then there is the part of me that feels very ill equipped for it.  Anyway, we finally arrived at an agreement and we signed on the dotted line!  They would pay us money when the deal was done!  We didn't have to come up with one cent.  Well, that is not true as we had to pay the registration fee.  We agreed to take possession in a week.

Now the work began for Kirby as he had to remove some of his upgrades like solar panels and expensive batteries.  So we really did need that week.

On Wednesday we made the trade and our new Cougar now sits in our yard! 

On the Road to Minnesota

Yea, we are moving west!  I never, ever dreamed I would one day be in Minnesota.  Now, granted, we are not touring, just passing through but it is more than just stopping at the airport.  I can really, really say I have been here.  We are in a very small park in Welcome, Minnesota and it is so nice.  Very quiet and simple.  I like it.

The country here is lovely with big farms all over the place.  Like Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, there is corn growing everywhere.  But in Minnesota the corn is a bit shorter, just like the growing season.  You've got to hand it to the people who live here and endure those long winters.  I could never do it!

We crossed the Mississippi River again, going west this time, and found no pretty bridge, just construction.  The day was misty and dreary but cleared up later.

And we fueled up.  This is a daily occurrence when we are traveling.  About $100 a pop. Not a fun part of our travels!

Arrival at Buck Hall Recreation Area

Getting all set up for our stay

I just told Kirby, I need to write my blog because we moved and I am so happy!  We are all happy!  We are back to Buck Hall Recreation Area where we have spent so many happy hours in the past years.  It just feels right and feels natural.  The lawns are green and the trees are that amazing spring green.  The water is in the Intra-Coastal Waterway just like it is supposed to be and our favorite camp host is here like he is supposed to be!  I can hardly wait for morning as so often there are wonderful sunrises over the water. 

This was taken last year when we were here at Buck Hall

 We left our great spot at the SRC (Scientific Research Corporation) parking lot.  What an experience that was.  We got wonderful visits with friends and had good family time. During the week there were cars zooming around all over the place and constant trains moving around.  The weekend was very quiet.  Last night the trains seemed noisier than usual and I don’t think any of us slept that well.  Well, tonight it will be awesome quiet!

We arrived here just before check in time and found our Camp Host, Pat, right there to greet us.  Pat was the host last year when we were here and I have kept up with him on his blog for the past year.  His writing is so fun and interesting.  Please check it out!  Click HERE.

And we are in the same site as last year – number 4 – our favorite of course.  Our door opens to a small lawn area and then the woods.  And the trail begins right behind the trees.  I think it is perfect.  We also have a view of the water.  I took Jake over to the water tonight on his walk and watched a cruising sailboat glide along.  I tried to get Jake excited about it but he really had no interest.  Kirby and I always get excited when we see sailboats….it brings back such good memories.

We took a walk along the Palmetto Trail after we got all set up.  Not too long but long enough for us to enjoy the fresh blooming trees and the gorgeous ferns sprouting up everywhere.  And long enough for Jake to encounter a large wild turkey and chase it up into the trees.  Scared the heck out of me and then I was so excited when I realized what it was.  But not as excited as Jake was - he felt really good about himself after that.  Sorry, Turkey, but that is what dogs do.

The Palmetto Trail is just a little bit down this trail which begins right next to our site.   Love this place!

We plan to be here for another two weeks so you will hear more about Buck Hall, I can promise you that!

We had a very nice sunrise while we were staying in the SRC parking lot.  Paper mill on the right and cranes at the loading docks in the background with the mist rising from the warm earth.

West Texas to Louisiana

After two days in the Walmart parking lot in Big Spring, Texas and the west Texas wind we headed east on Interstate 20 and watched the scenery turn green.  We spent the night in a little suburb of Fort Worth at Oak Creek RV Park.  What a nice RV park and a treat for us.  We had plenty of everything – water, electric, sewer and I got to do laundry.  We haven’t been on the road but 9 days but I feel we have been gone from Yuma for weeks.  Our life has changed so dramatically and, I have to quote Kirby here, “We are back where you can wear the air.”  It is somewhat humid but coming from Arizona, it feels VERY humid.  And it is green.  The trees are just beginning to leaf out and look like fine lace.  We are very happy.

Here we are in Weatherford, TX at Oak Creek RV Park. 

Oak Creek RV Park in Weatherford was big and beautiful.  The oak trees were just beginning to bud out and I can imagine how lovely it will be when they are in full leaf.  There are many pull-through sites and everything is cement.  Cement streets, cement pads and small cement patios at each site.  Plus of course the big oak trees.  (If you decide to visit, please call first and get instructions on entering the park.)  I was pleased to see a nice clean laundry facility and was tired but since I knew we were heading to a federal campground for a few days, that I should do a couple of loads.

This is NOT a picture of the traffic in Dallas/Fort Worth!  It is much further west of there and we were getting excited about all of the green trees and the grass.

Our route took us through the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.  Hopefully that will be the largest city for some time.  Poor Kirby…..it is not easy watching all the traffic, traffic signs and listening to me and the GPS at the same time.  But once we were through it, all he really had to look out for were the pot holes in the road.  Actually I-20 in Texas was pretty good but once we hit Louisiana it fell apart – almost literally!  Part of the reason we took this route instead of I-10 south of here is that we KNEW that road was terrible.  We were hoping I-20 would be better.  We are not far into Louisiana so maybe it will improve.

This is Beaver Dam Campground where we have a big camping space and total quiet!

It was a long day but we finally made it to Beaver Dam Campground in Kisatchie National Forest.  We turned off the freeway at a small town called Minden and headed north on a small winding road into the backcountry.  After only one time of having to negotiate a U-turn we finally found this hidden gem!  It is very small with excellent campsites and wonderful views.  We are in site #20 with a very large yard, a level asphalt pad, a picnic table, fire ring and a wonderful view of the water.  We have no neighbors and Jake is in heaven.  Last night Kirby grilled steaks and we had dinner outdoors with a bottle of red wine.  I don’t think it gets any better! 

Our view from our site at Beaver Dam Campground.  It is cloudy so it doesn't do it justice but we think it is beauiful!

The forecast here is for rain so we decided to run our errands in town today and then hunker down with our books the next few days.  Hopefully it won’t rain too much.  Minden is a nice southern town with beautiful old homes.  I wish I had taken my camera….shame on me.  We checked out Save A Lot and Brookshire for some groceries, picked up some DEF for the truck and then fueled up so we will be ready to go when the time comes.  This is one of the things I love most about our lifestyle – visiting new communities and talking to the locals.  The young woman at the store couldn’t believe we had never heard of Brookshire stores and didn’t have a scan card.  And have you ever heard of Bubba Cola?  We never had!