Colorado to Texas-Not Quite The Trip We Had Planned

 September 24-November 24, 2022

Ona Saturday our 299-mile ride found us pulling into Cheyenne Mountain State Park for a two-week stay. Our ride had been great until we hit the Colorado border, from there it was a bumpy ride all the way into Colorado Springs. We had to do some rerouting as our normal route had long delays due to an aviation gathering at the airfield which was causing long delays.

Site 54

As we set up we realized we needed a welder, one of our slide brackets had broken. Later that day we found a welder willing to come out to the park, he would be out later in the week.

It turns out our son was currently sick so we were left to our own devices for the next few days. Before too many days though our friends Marv & Alice were pulling into the site next to us. We first met them when we volunteered at Cave Creek Regional Park in Phoenix AZ back in 2015. We’ve seen them in AZ in years passed but no matter how hard we’ve tried catching up in CO had never happened. They live outside of Denver but have never been to Cheyenne Mountain. We enjoyed a few days with them, sightseeing and catching up.

We decided to take a foliage ride to Bishops Castle, Marv and Alice used to camp in the area with their kids but hadn't been up here in 25 years. As we traveled along we stumbled onto the campground they used to come to.  Great place for tent camping but you'd never get our rig into Ophir Campground. 

Bishop's Castle

We had a great time catching up with Alice and Marv and hope we can do it again before too long. 

We finally saw Tom and Kanik on Sunday, and we enjoyed an afternoon of learning a new game, Merchants of Venus.

On Wednesday Tom came for a car ride with us in a futile attempt to find some fall foliage. We enjoyed our time out with him and his furson Alvin.

Thursday morning I woke to a sore throat, I guess Tom wasn’t over his viral infection. Our plans for a day of game-playing with Tom and Kanik came to an end.

Saturday was our move day and I’m glad we didn’t have far to move so we could take our time getting ready as I was progressively going downhill and feeling worse as the days went by. Our ride was only 50 miles to Lake Pueblo State Park where we had reservations for 5 nights. Our new weld had broke so since we weren't that far away the welder came to us, Dave talked to him about what he wanted to be done, and to date, the new weld has lasted. 

Arkansas Point Site 17 electric only

By Tuesday I had shared my sickness with Dave. So our first visit to Lake Pueblo was a bust, we managed to walk around the campground. We did have to go to the grocery store as we were running low on medicine. Tom did come down for a quick visit to say goodbye, so bummed we didn’t get to see him very much but alas that’s just the way things worked out.

Thursday was our next move day, thankfully Dave was still okay to drive but the 95-mile ride to Trinidad Lake State Park took a lot out of both of us. We had a week planned in one of the few full hookup sites they have. By the time we got set up, we were both done for, over the next week we both fought our viral infection, and we managed a few walks around our loop but that’s about it.

Site 6 FHU

Thursday was move day again and we were supposed to head to Amarillo TX that day but we both knew neither one of us was up for that. So instead we moved to another site, which was a water and electric site. By the time we got set back up, we were exhausted. The next day I did manage to get to Walmart as we were once again in need of a few things.

Site 32 electric only

With strong winds and storms predicted for Sunday on Saturday, we made the push to Amarillo TX, where we ended up at the Amarillo KOA Journey. We managed the 246-mile ride, once again on state highways which we find we’re liking more and more these days. Not at all impressed but it would do for 3 nights while the crazy weather went through and we rested some more.

Tuesday we felt up to moving on so off to Lake Arrowhead State Park near Wichita Falls was our next stop, only 236 miles again on state highways. We had a fabulous site, most are, with water and electric. Just what we needed after the yucky KOA we had just left. While we didn’t get out and about like we hoped we did enjoy walking around the campground and one of the trails, finally starting to feel a bit better but we don’t have much strength.

Site 28 water & electric

Thursday we moved again, 210 miles found us at Cooper Lake State Park-South Sulphur Unit near Sulphur Springs TX. We settled in for 5 nights. A very nice park just wish we were up for walking the trails, but we did get out when it wasn’t raining and walked around our campground area. We did manage to get out for our first meal out in about a month. 

Site 31 water and electric

Tuesday we moved 76 miles down the road to Purtis Creek State Park near Eustace TX where we only stayed 2 nights, we had planned 3 but with more rain on the way, we wanted to travel on a nicer day. 

Site 43 water and electic

A 238-mile ride on Thursday found us pulling into Spring Creek Park in Tomball TX a day early. Since we were early our first night was in site 5 then the next morning moving into Site 4 when the occupants left. The trees have bushed out up top since we started coming here, next time we’ll try for sites 7 or 8 for easier satellite reception. Once we were settled we headed over to Dave’s Uncle Ray’s home.

Site 4

We enjoyed our time with Uncle Ray and Aunt Beth, teaching them Dave’s game and crazy UNO, going to some great restaurants, enjoying the local farmers market, and walking around Old Town Spring.  

With more rain in the future forecast, we opted to head on into our winter home, we were still recovering from our viral infection and ready to be done traveling. Of course, our 238-mile ride wasn’t uneventful, in East Barnard TX we found a place to pull over. Our tire pressure monitor indicated we had a tire losing air so we found a place where we could pull off and change it, 15 minutes later we were back on the road.

Without further problems, we pulled into Gulf Waters Beachfront RV Resort in Port Aransas TX where we’ll be until at least mid-February.     

Site 623

 

         

To date, Dave has only gotten a few days of fishing in, and the weather has turned cold and rainy. We are slowly getting back in our groove, walking a couple of miles a day when the weather permits and both of us are feeling better every day. Our friends Vic and Phyllis have arrived at a nearby park and we're already getting our card games going again.     

Today is Thanksgiving and we are looking forward to it, and not have to sell Christmas trees today. The turkey is in the oven, the sides are all made and our friend Pat, Dave’s fishing buddy, is coming over to join us. We’re grateful for our family and friends near and far, the lifestyle we love and so much more. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday.

                                                    HAPPY THANKSGIVING      

  Until next time...                             

US 36 IL to KS What a Nice Ride

 September 15-23, 202

Thursday morning jacks up and we’re heading west to CO. This year we are following US 36 across MO and KS. Our first day was an uneventful 200 miles to Ray Behrens COE on Mark Twain Lake near Monroe City MO. We were here in 2018 with our friends Curt and Glenda, at that time we had a wooded site with quite the grade. This time we had a full hookup site with an open shot for our satellite service and Verizon was great, we could see a cell tower from our site. Ray Behrens is a beautiful campground with sites to fit everyone’s needs. Definitely, a place we’d come back to again.

Site 1A full hookups

The next day we headed into Hannibal MO to the Mark Twain Cave. While it’s a dry cave and has only a few very tiny formations the storytelling was interesting. The cave has many signatures from the 1800s to mid-1900s, one notable signature that they just recently found was Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain. All along the tour, the guide was telling the story of when Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher were lost for 3 days in the cave. We enjoyed the tour and were glad to add another cave tour to our long list of visited caves.

Afterward, we had hoped to go to the Mark Twain Brewery that we enjoyed back in 2018, alas the building has been sold and they have yet to open up somewhere else.

Saturday we headed down the road to Wallace State Park in Cameron MO, 170 miles and we arrives safely. Our site was a 30amp water-only site, which is fine for a night or two. Looking at the forecasted 100* weather coming we decided to make some changes to our plans. Instead of 2 nights we only stayed overnight. Wallace SP is a nice small park, family-friendly and busy on Saturday.

Site 70 water and electric (30amp)

Sunday we got up and on the road as we had 250 miles to travel. Our original plan had been to visit Rock Creek Station State Historical Park to see some friends nearby. Ends up they weren’t going to be in the area by then, since it was a 30amp site we wouldn’t be able to run both ACs to combat the high temps. Instead, we headed to Glen Elder State Park in Glen Elder Kansas on Waconda Lake. Another uneventful drive day, I’m enjoying not being on the interstate and taking red roads. We booked a 50amp with water site for 4 nights and 4 bars of Verizon signal. It’s in the middle of nowhere so bring what you need. They offer extended stays here, we saw lots of RVs that appeared to be more seasonal guests, but the majority of them had no utilities.

Nearby is Cawkers City, home of the largest ball of twine. Of course, we had to go check it out and of course, there’s always a geocache to be found near these types of places. Across the street from the twine was an old gas station that had been fixed up as lodging.

About 30 miles away is the Geographic Center of the Continuous United States, of course, we had to make the drive to see it.

We enjoyed morning walks around the campground, unfortunately, they were under a fire ban so no campfires. Definitely, a place we’d stay at again if in the area.

A short 110-mile ride found us arriving at Prairie Dog State Park in Norton KS for a two-night stay.

Site 2 water and electric (50 amp)

When I made our reservation I realized we would be near some of our Gulf Waters family, Francy, and Dale. Another 35 miles down US 36 was their town of Oberlin KS, where we enjoyed lunch and the grand tour of the town.

Francy's Bargain Box, a very nice thrift store

This is as far west on US 36 as we will go this year. What a pleasure it has been riding on this “red” road. We picked up US 36 in Springfield IL where it is part of I72 until the MO/IL border. I can see us driving this way to CO again.

In the morning we head into Colorado Springs where we have visits planned with our son and friends from AZ.

Until next time....