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…
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…
We set out for our first planned visit to a national park in 2016 with a quick trip to Jackson Center, Ohio, home of the Airstream factory. Referred to, affectionately, as “the mothership,” it is THE destination for many Airstream owners who want to get warranty and other work done on their rigs by the…
When Jon worked on the real estate sections at The Dallas Morning News, he often had to deal with “romance” copy — content written by realtors to evoke emotion and speak to the dreams and aspirations of their target market. You’ve probably read “romance” copy in some form or fashion. Here’s the romance copy for…
We arrived for our weekender at Loyd Park on the hottest day of the year. With the mercury climbing to 107°, we wondered aloud “what the hell were we thinking?” Yet by Sunday morning, the temperature had dipped to 77°. The weather was actually pleasant! When we left for the weekend, we received dire forecasts of…
We returned to Cedar Hill State Park, after nearly a yearlong absence, to enjoy a lakeside site on the Coyote Crossing camping loop. The mid-June temps soared into the upper 90s, prompting heat advisories and indoor activities. The sites in this loop are relatively shallow, so most occupants were tent campers. We noticed several tents…
The third day of our Aluminum Under the Rainbow rally began with authentic French Quarter-style beignets, prepared by our hosts from Louisiana. Our water heater repairman, from Florida, gave a very helpful and informative tutorial on awning maintenance. Yes, we have to lubricate all the various parts every 30 days with spray silicone. We have…
Day 2 of our Aluminum Under the Rainbow rally greeted us with a mechanical failure: our water heater wouldn’t work. An investigation indicated an obstruction in the flue, about which we had no clue. We joined the group for breakfast and began pestering people asking for advice. As it turns out, one member of our group…
Garinns on the Go 