We had planned on getting home this weekend, but the storm coming out of California is going to slow us down and the cold weather in Norton this weekend will also delay our arrival.

Monday, March 13

When we got through the traffic and construction in Dallas today, Carol admitted that if she had to be the driver today that we would still be sitting in a parking lot somewhere.

East of Dallas is a C.O.E park on a lake. Sitting in the Ham, looking out the windshield, I saw the biggest dog that I had ever seen, walking through our site. His leash looked broken, so I went out to check on him. As this English Mastiff approached me, he was even more massive than from a distance. A pickup stopped at our site and the owner got out. He brings Hobbs  to the park every day to “free-range.” During our visit, I found out that Hobbs weighs 231 pounds and gives big, slobbery hugs and kisses. 

Tuesday, March 14

The last 2 C.O.E. parks we’ve stayed at have been disappointingly run down, unlike the others that we’ve been to. Rocky Point C.O.E. park, south of Texarkana, exceeded all of our expectations. We drove through towering pines and oaks to a peninsula overlooking a beautiful lake. The best site ever!! The park even gave us a fantastic sunset.

Wednesday, March 15

No hiking trails, but this large campground gave us plenty of places to walk. A warm, sunny afternoon allowed us to enjoy watching birds and boats on the lake from our patio.

Thursday, March 16

We liked a park that we stayed at in Little Rock, AR in December, but the cool, rainy weather kept us inside the whole time. We decided to return. A nice walk around the park got us back to the Ham just before the big storm, moving across the country hit us. For the next seven hours, the noise on our roof was too loud to hear the TV.

The cold front came through last night, along with high winds. Between the RV shaking and a roof vent rattling all night, we didn’t get much sleep. The park was so flooded that we had to drive to a parking lot so the dogs could get out and do their morning chores.

Friday, March 17

The drive to the next campground took us on country roads through Arkansas farmland. For at least 50 miles, all of the fields were flooded. It looked like it would be a long time before the farmers would be able to get into the fields. When we got to Stuttgart, Google Maps had some fun with us and routed us through an enormous grain processing plant. 

Surrounded by unloading railroad cars and trucks, we quickly figured out that Google was having a good laugh. And so were the truck drivers and plant workers. Back on track, we crossed the Mississippi River and made it to Dub Patton C.O.E Recreation Area. Another cold, windy day kept us inside doing electronic activities.

Doing some research about Stuttgart this evening, I found out that it is the rice capital of the world. Since rice is grown in wet or flooded fields, I quit feeling bad for the area farmers.

Saturday, March 18

We’re staying at a Harvest Host orchard tonight, just north of Memphis. We got there in the late afternoon, in time to get settled and buy a $15.00 jar of homemade peach jam from the owner. The cold temperature and wind only allowed for a short walk in the field before going back to the Ham and savoring expensive peach jam on a warm crescent roll.

RV’s are not built for cold weather use. Any temperature below 32 degrees is a concern for freezing water lines. Tonight the low is going to be 20 degrees – a big concern!  Our electric space heater was not keeping us warm enough this evening, so I turned on the RV’s gas furnace. At bedtime, we unplug the space heater and only use the furnace. Covered with extra blankets, we went to bed, hoping for the best.

Sunday, March 19

Even with extra blankets and the furnace turned a up few clicks, we all were a little chilly through the night. I woke up a few times and turned on the faucets for a few seconds. We made it through the night without any frozen pipes!

The last thing I do before departure is to walk around the Ham and inspect for any problems. When I got to the passenger side, to return the side-view mirror to its extended position, I discovered that the front window was wide open – all night long! I have a friend that’s always bragging about leaving his window open on cold nights. Well, beat that, Mike! Tonight, we’re hoping to be a little warmer and a little smarter.

With the freezing temperatures, we figured that today’s campground, south of Nashville, was going to be empty. Wrong! Spring break started Friday in Kentucky and the place was packed with young families. It was like a giant block party – kids, bikes, dogs, music, campfires, barbecues, e-scooters, and lots of screaming. We can’t wait to leave in the morning. Too bad, we’ll be leaving a good site by a creek.

Monday, March 20

19 degrees this morning! We haven’t felt 19 degrees in five years. It’s still stupid cold! Kids were outside playing at 7:30, some in shorts. After all, it’s spring break. Our pipes didn’t freeze again, so we’re thankful for that. During our really quick walk this morning, we got to see the biggest woodpecker ever.

Late afternoon, we selected a premium site at the Cracker Barrel parking lot in Shepherdsville, KY. Lois and Carol enjoyed their catfish and I enjoyed chicken tenders. I mention this because we also forget what we liked at different restaurants.

Tuesday, March 21

Today is the last overnight of our trip. We’ll be staying on a homeowner’s property between Cincinnati and Columbus. After a stop at Sam’s, I Google mapped our next destination and then I mapped our home address. It would be a long day, but with Carol’s help, we could be home by 5:00. Carol gave me a big smile about my suggestion, and we headed home.

Even though the weather was cold, windy, and wetter than in the past, we still had a great trip and some memorable adventures. Will we do it again next year? You’re darn right we will!