FINALLY SOME NICE PARKS

Our first two nights out did not turn out as planned, but things have been looking up since then. 

 

We left Sioux Falls at 9:00 am and pulled into Clinton State Park, just outside of Lawrence Kansas at around 4:30 pm.  Clinton State Park is a lovely park, just 3 or 4 miles off of the Turnpike through Kansas. 

 

 

We had a very uneventful drive, which is what you want when you are hauling a trailer over long distances.  And arrived at a roomy, clean and well equipped site. 

 

 

The site was large and natural and had a combination Fire Pit/Bar-B-Q.  Plus two picnic tables. 

It rained overnight and was still raining a little as we pulled out of this very pretty park this morning. 

 

 

But the sun soon came out and we journeyed on to our favourite park, Clear Bay Lake Thunderbird State Park in Norman, Oklahoma.

 

This is our most favourite campground, we have ever stayed in, in all our camping travels.  A toss up might be "Boyd's Campground" in the Florida Keys.  But this one still wins out for us. 

 

 

Every campsite has the mandatory fire pit, which all campers love, but you don't get in Florida. 

 

 

Every site also has a free standing Bar-B-Q built into it's own  concrete pad. 

 

 

Plus every site has a complete concrete picnic table on it's own concrete pad. 

 

 

 

And to top it all off, every site also comes with a pole to hang your Coleman lantern at two different levels. 

 

 

All of this comes on a completely level concrete pad for your trailer or motor home. 

 

 

Plus you get to enjoy the scenic views of the lake, the wilderness, deer and wild turkeys first thing in the morning. 

 

 

We love this park so much, we are going to stay over an extra night before moving on Saturday. 




NEXT STOP MCKINNEY FALLS IN AUSTIN TEXAS



 

 

 

 

 

WE'RE OFF, BUT NOT VERY FAR

Because we have planned our first nights stop just 75 miles over the border in Grand Forks. we got off to a late start today.  We heard of this relatively new RV Park just across the Red River in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, that we want to check out.  But, this is a town that is so close to home that we have always been reluctant to stop because we have just gotten started, or on the way home we are so close to home we are always anxious to get home and unpack. 

 

Apparently after their devastating flood of 1997 an area of flooded homes along the Red River flood plain, were deemed not viable to rebuild as they would always be subject to flooding.  The town expropriated them and tore them down, leaving all the mature trees and plantings, the infrastructure of streets and lighting, etc.  etc. and turned the area into an RV park.  We have certainly always wanted to check this out.  

After all these years of talking about it we are taking the time to do this and stay over night and see the rebuild of the devastated Downtown of Grand Forks that we saw being so decimated on TV as it was happening. So this was our opportunity to do this.  We finally found it, low on gas and glad to be off the road for the day. 

Well, as Robert Burns said, (and I paraphrase) "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."  We arrived at that park and it turned out that it "Closed for the Season", the day before we arrived.  ggrrr.  

It was a very nice looking park, and I would certainly recommend it it everyone.  And the lady park ranger we dealt with went out of her way to call a privately run campground and told them to hold a spot and gave us directions. 

 

So Dan added gas and off we went to a crappy  private ownership campground that charged us $33.00 for the night. 

 

 Next stop Sioux Falls.  According to the map there is a State Park symbol with the tent symbol right in Sioux Falls, we'll head for that one.   

 

 

There's the Falls, where's the campground?  Well it turned out that this State Park has no campground.  Just great scenery. 

 

 

We asked around and someone gave us directions to a KOA, "Back the way we came." So, off we went to the KOA, only to find that it too, was "Closed for the season." 

 

We expect this kind of thing when we don't travel south until November or December, but here we are in 70 degree weatheer and we are running into "Closed for the Season".  As we sat in the parking lot debating what to do, a fellow pulled in and gave us directions to a nearby "Yogi Bear, Jellystone Park, just 3 or 4 miles up the road."  So, here we go again. 

  

 

This one turned out to be, not only open, but very nice as well.   With lovely campsites and beautiful views.  Much better than that dump we stayed in last night. 

 

 

Well, we are settled in and relaxing, and lets face it how many of us have been to Sioux Falls and never even seen the falls?  Well now we can say "We have", but I wouldn't recommend hauling a trailer down those winding roads, to get there. 

 

 

Tomorrow we are off to Clinton State Park near Lawrence Kansas.  If we ever do find that elusive State Park that is open, we will stay an extra day.




 

WELL, AT LEAST WE ARE ON OUR WAY

 

 

 

 

WINED AND DINED BY OUR FAMILY

This past week we have eaten very, very well, as we are saying our farewells for the Winter.      

 

                                      

It's always nice to get together with family. 

 

 

We went to Tracy Elizabeth and Gary's on Monday for a beautiful turkey dinner with all the trimmings. 

 

 

Their house is really coming along. 

 

  

Then on Thursday, Murray and Wendy invited us out for Chinese Food. 

 

 

They are in the process of selling their house, so their agent was having a showing.  Thanks for the photos Murray. 

 

 

 

We are all ready to go and just dragging our feet and killing time until we had our Flu Shots this morning.  Then I'm cooking my turkey.  Cleaning out my fridge and leaving Monday morning. 

 

 

 

LOOKING FOR SOME NEW THINGS TO SEE AND PLACES TO STAY

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to McAllen, Texas, USA.  We have been back and forth over this route many times with our trailer, but seeing as how this will be our last trip hauling the trailer, I would love to search out some new places to stay.  Something different to see.  
 

Over the years of doing this camping thing, we have come to find that most states have beautiful State Parks.  From our vast and varied experiences, we definitely prefer to stay in them if we can. 

We find that private campgrounds as depicted above usually have small cramped lots and even if they have a pool are quite often lacking in facilities that you do not become aware of until after you have paid and settled in.  You can usually count on them being in or next to a town or busy highway.  You have to give them an "A" for convenience. 

 

 

On the other hand, we can always count on State Parks to live up to certain basic standards and have never been disappointed. They always have roomy sites, a picnic table, a fire pit and beautiful clean washroom and shower facilities.   I have never known a State to put one of their parks in an ugly area.  They always choose some of the most beautiful areas of their states to build their State Parks. 
 

The views are always worthwhile.  But, because they are seeking out beauty, they are not necessarily close at hand to all the freeways and the route we are travelling on.  A little off the beaten path, you might say, but that's what I'm after on this one last camping trip.  A little meandering, wanderlust and wonder lust is good for the soul. 




I'VE GOT SOME POSSIBILITIES PLANNED ON A LIST, SO WE WILL SEE WHAT WE GET TO. 




 

 

 

 

 

RE-READYING THE TRAILER FOR TRAVELLING

This weekend we spent a couple of days getting the trailer ready for our trip south. 
 

 

When we came home with it in the spring, it was still quite cold here so we left anti freeze in the holding tank and stripped all personal items,  including dishes, pots and pans, towels, linen etc., all out of it, as we thought we would be selling it, to strangers. 

As it turns out we will be living in it for a week or so, on our way back down to Texas, and I will leave the basics, of dishes, linens, etc. for our family that is purchasing the trailer. 
 

 

 

So, we spent the weekend, putting all the items we removed, back into the trailer.  Re-made the bed, closed the water drain, flushed and refilled the water tank, etc.  I think all we have left to do is fill the fridge, cupboards and Bar. 


WE ARE ALMOST  READY TO ROLL. 


 

PACKING AND PLANNING INTERUPTUS

Here we were in the middle of our packing and planning and we noticed a dark spot on our living room area carpet.  Dan pulled back the carpet and it and the floor beneath, were soaking wet. 

 

It turns out that the building had a pipe burst on the 10th floor, and that is where the water was coming from.  Running down through the walls where the heat pipes go. 

 

They sent the "Clean-Up" company up to our condo, with a huge machine, to suck up the water out of our carpet.  Then we had to have fans blowing on it until it dried.  Then they will be coming back next week to shampoo our carpet and double check our parquet floors for any damage. 

Oh well, no damage so far to the walls or ceilings, and like they say, it's always something.  At least it happened while we were here to deal with it.  If it had happened when we were down in Texas our kids would have had to deal with it. 

 

 

 

NOW IT'S BACK TO PACKING AND PLANNING

 

 

 

 

MAKING AND WORKING ON OUR TODO LIST

We have a lot to accomplish before we head down to Texas in about three weeks. 

I need to order all our medications for the next six months.

 

Cook and freeze all the sausages that I like to take with me.  The sausages they have in Texas are far to spicy for me, and we like to have sausages for breakfast about once a week. 

 

I have to back up my laptop and then remove all the photos and documents from this summer, to disc, to free up enough space on it for my photos and newspaper stuff this winter. 

 

  

I also have to update my GPS or buy a new one.  That decision has yet to be made. 

 

I need to buy enough tea bags for six months.  I drink a whole pot of tea every morning and they don't have my favourite tea down there. 

Put the newspaper and cable vision and phone here, on hold, then contact Time Warner etc. down south to have everything hooked up for us, when we arrive. 

And now we have just heard that our flu shots will not be ready until Oct. 22nd.  So much for our early departure.  I guess we won't be leaving until the October 23rd.   

 

 

 

SO THAT'S THE TODO LIST, I BETTER GET AT IT

CHANGE IS VERY STIMULATING

I always hate to see certain seasons end.  Like when we are living on the boat and September rolls around because I know the season is winding down.  Especially if the weather sours, like it did this year.  The nicest few days we had this September, were the week of our pull-out. 

 

 

Oh, well, then we settle into the Condo, and I'm in a little slump for a few days.  But eventually I start to look forward to heading south, a lot of work and turmoil, but very exciting.  That's when you get into the planning and packing, what do I have to see to before we go, have the vehicle checked, what to take, plan our route, where will we stop, etc., etc.. 

 

When I'm down in Texas and March rolls around I start to count the days until I have to head home.  In Texas March starts to heat up and by April it's far too hot for me.  But in March and April it is usually not warm enough at home yet. 

 

 

What I need to find it someplace half way in between, say around Oklahoma.  No, No, scratch that, that's not a good Idea.  Oklahoma has too many tornadoes.  And I certainly don't need one more home to maintain and look after.  I get confused enough with the three I've got. 

 

So, as I started to say, change is very stimulating.  It gets your blood going, bustling around getting things done and I always enjoy the trip down to Texas, (except for staying in motels) and I don't even have to face that this year as we are trailering our way back again. 

 

 

 So that should be nice.  Just take our time and enjoy the journey.  And going this early we shouldn't have to worry about the weather either. 

 

 

 

 

 

I'M REALLY STARTING TO LOOK FORWARD TO IT.