We headed to Loyd Park for the long weekend that included the Martin Luther King holiday, making it our first outing in four weeks. It was quite a hiatus, one which included an unplanned trip to St. Louis, a brief hospitalization, and several days of single-digit temperatures. Upon setting up, we realized the cold snap…
The weekend before Christmas found us at our beloved Loyd Park enjoying warm breezes and mild temperatures ahead of an expected arctic plunge. With dire predictions of sub-zero wind chills, we decided to cut short our camp-out and head home, where a cold Sunday morning in front of a cozy fireplace sounded much better than…
It’s been said, “Home is where your mom is.” And so, this Thanksgiving, we went to visit Jon’s mom in a place we’ve never been. Yet, in a way, it felt like home. Our destination was Symond’s Dutch Hollow Village, described by Google as a “manufactured home community.” Jon’s mom shares a single-wide, two-bedroom, two-bath mobile…
The perfect antidote to our post-election hangover was a weekender in Glen Rose with our Heart of Texas Camping (HOTC) Unit of the Wally Byam Caravan Club International (WBCCI). Cloud 9 found itself amid 20 other Airstreams at Oakdale Park, one of only four original motor courts in Texas. Developed in 1924, Oakdale Park was…
While the term, “October Surprise,” refers to political events orchestrated in the month before an election with the intention of affecting the outcome of the election, it could equally apply to camping at Cedar Hill State Park. The weekend weather, combined with a lovely campsite on a level pad, seemed orchestrated to change our perception…
Our second full day in Great Smoky Mountains National Park was dedicated to climbing Clingmans Dome, the park’s highest peak at 6,643 feet. Named after Thomas Lanier Clingman, a U.S. senator, member of congress, and Confederate brigadier general, it is not only the highest point in Tennessee but also the highest point along the 2,174-mile Appalachian…
We spent much of our first full day in the Smokies visiting Cades Cove, an isolated valley that was home to generations of settlers prior to the formation of the national park. Its well-preserved structures and scenic views make it a popular destination, evidenced by the fact that we joined a long line of slow-moving,…
We arrived at the Smoky Mountain Premier RV Resort in Cosby, Tennessee, just in time to get set up for Pasta Wednesday. Cliff quickly grilled chicken with onions, green beans and carrots, and ravioli with sun-dried tomatoes and mozzarella accompanied by homemade pesto. What a way to end the day! Our campsite was situated just…
Our second full day at “the mothership” began with our 7 a.m. wake-up call, as the tractor arrived to take Cloud 9 to the service bay. On Day 1, a list of warranty items were addressed, all very minor. For example, we needed a smoke alarm re-attached, a few rivets replaced, some knobs and handles…
We arrived at Jackson Center, better late than never. We had hoped to arrive in time to watch the presidential debate, but that was not to be. Instead, we arrived about 10 minutes after the debate started. By the time we settled in and started watching, 45 minutes had elapsed. Fortunately, we recorded the event…
