58 Looks Great

We set out for Cedar Hill State Park for Jon’s birthday weekend, which started out wet and muddy following days of drenching rains. Our campsite was in the Lakeview area, so named because at the time of the park’s development it likely had views of the lake. Not today, however. In fact, we were hard-pressed…

A Kick-Start to the Weekend

After watching a segment about St. Elmo Steak House on CBS This Morning Saturday, we decided to purchase a gift box that included the restaurant’s spicy cocktail sauce, steak sauce and seasoning, and creamy horseradish. The box arrived from Indianapolis just in time to kick-start our weekend. And one taste of the shrimp cocktail sauce…

At Long Last, Loyd

The call from Loyd Park came as a welcome surprise: We had a site for the weekend. Because it was the first weekend of Spring Break, we were unable to reserve a site at Cedar Hill State Park, so we were happy to return to Loyd Park for the first time since November. Our site…

Opposites Attract

The two main days of the weekend couldn’t have been more different, weather-wise, but both extremes had their allures. Saturday was mild, with clear skies and gentle breezes over Joe Pool Lake. Sunday was rainy and dreary, with plunging temperatures and increasing winds throughout the day. Saturday found us cooking out, taking long walks along…

Lakeside Living

One of the many things we love about our Airstream is that it becomes whatever we need it to be, depending on the location. Last weekend, it was our beach cottage. This weekend, it was our lake house. It has also served as our mountain cabin, our urban oasis, our country home. Throughout the pandemic,…

Lesson Learned

We arrived at our camp site around 6 p.m. on Friday and immediately began the routine of setting up. The site was short and not very level, but we were confident that we could make it work. After maneuvering into place, we attempted to de-couple the hitch from the ball. The added stress on the…

Home on the Range

We’ve been camping at Loyd Park for more than five years, but we only started to get acquainted with it this weekend. A postponement from earlier in the summer forced us outside our comfort zone, so we found ourselves at the opposite end of the park for the first time. While we were out walking,…

Return to Routine

After a long, hot summer with two months of at-home weekends, and after trekking to Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Great Sand Dunes national parks, we finally resumed our weekend routine at Loyd Park. It has been five years since we designated Loyd Park as our weekend destination of choice, so our absence…

A Memorable Memorial Day

While far too many stir-crazy Americans threw caution to the wind this weekend and ventured out of their COVID-19 isolation chambers to hit beaches, boardwalks, and bistros throughout the land, we spent our time at the Sanger KOA reflecting on the meaning of Memorial Day. The official observance of Decoration Day began in 1868, when…

Splendid Isolation

For most of the 19th century, Great Britain engaged in a diplomatic practice that came to be called “splendid isolation.” The nearly century-long policy was characterized by a refusal to enter into permanent alliances or commitments with other European nations, effectively leaving Britain without any friends. The policy ended with the 1904 Entente Cordiale and…