Upcoming Trip Summer 2019

Dear Hubby suggested that we go to Branson, MO this Summer............Well...............It sounded good to me but I'm not really interested in the Branson thing..........so we've decided to visit the Ozark Mountains and surrounding areas and hopefully have time to pop over to Tusla, Oklahoma just to say we've been.

Leaving Florida we're hoping to visit Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri & Oklahoma!  We've never been farther West than Mobile, AL. One summer when the kids were little we stayed in Destin, FL and drove to see the USS Alabama in Mobile.   I'm looking forward to seeing the Mississippi River!  I do hope the flooding goes down by June though.

Dear Hubby stopped by our local Love's Truck stop and bought me an Atlas.  Who buys them anymore?  But trying to plan out our trip on Google Map on my phone & laptop was killing me.  Now I have little stickers on places I think we'll like and a real map to look at.  I must be "old school!"

We hope to stay at State Parks, Corp of Engineer Parks and National Parks.  I prefer these types of parks over resort style campgrounds.  Price being one of the reasons too.  It can add up quick for staying a total of 16 days.

We thought about purchasing a Class A but have since decided that our Jayco Eagle 5th wheel is just fine for right now.  Dear Hubby only has 1 year 10 months until he retires and we'll start looking for a Class A then.  I think that with what we have saved up and an additional 2 years we will be able to find a very comfortable "gently" used Class A.  We have a few things we do/don't want but nothing that the price can't persuade us on.

• No window at head of bed
• Shower/no tub
• Kitchen counter space for coffee pot
• Driver door would be nice
• Gas/not diesel
• Prefer about 33' long
• Pet hair friendly colors would be nice too

I've started a list of things we need for the the 5th wheel for the trip and crossed a few things off that really we really didn't need.  I really, really wanted a pair of Morryde steps but Dear Hubby is afraid that they won't work on our older camper.  The problem with our current foldout steps is that it's a two step but the first step is at an odd height (mid-calf).  I bought a pair of three step fold out stairs but the camper isn't high enough so the steps don't unfold all the way. 

Morryde Steps

Dear Hubby suggested a folding type step to help.  It works perfect and folds away flat when we don't need it.  It's 4" tall and the platform is 16" x 11".  It helps with that awkward first step now.

Folding Step

Another thing that we worry about are our dogs.  We do our best to take them whenever we can during outings but sometimes it doesn't work out and we have to leave them in the camper (sleeping in the A/C!). (Please no negative comments)  We thought about a monitoring system and did a little research and have decided that a baby monitor with live feed to our phone is going to be our best choice.  We use a Verizon Jetpack for internet service already and the camera lets us see both what the dogs are doing while we are away and see the thermometer on the wall to check the temperature.

Win-Win!

MobiCam $29.99

We're trying to decide between these two MobiCams.  The bottom one has a zoom feature and pans 355 degrees.  But the 5th wheel isn't very big so I'm not sure we need the pan feature.  

MobiCam HDX $44.99

I'm off to research parks along our way to stay at and maybe make reservations.  Wish me luck and sound guidance! 

Until next time....................

Bonnie

Mother Nature's Wrath-March 3, 2019 Tornado

March 3, 2019 our Hunt Camp in Lumpkin, Ga was hit by a tornado.  There were 14 RV's set up and only 4-1/2 survived.  Blessed that two of them were ours.  What are the chances?

Both our Puma and our remodeled Resort travel trailers were there, sitting next to each other, a little crooked from when we left them but overall intact and in good condition.  Why would our two survive and ALL the others not?

More than anything we are so thankful that no one was at the Hunt Camp during the storm.  We considered going up on Saturday for Spring Break to work on extending our porch but changed our minds at the last minute.

We first got the call Sunday evening after leaving Church telling us that a tornado leveled our camp.  We were sad to think of all the memories of our campers were gone but besides sentimental there was nothing there for us to be upset at loosing.  Later that evening we started receiving photo that showed the total destruction of the campers.  Nothing was left, no camper, no pre-engineered steel buildings over them, nothing but cleared land and mangled tin.  Then we received a photo of our two campers still standing right in the middle of a war zone.  OURS! Such relief washed over us knowing that even if it was damaged, they were both still standing.  On both sides of us all the the campers were gone.

The 6 hour drive from Florida to Georgia and it was one of the longest rides of my life.  Once getting about a mile from our camp the destruction started.  Mangled tin in the trees, insulation waving off the fences, trees naked from any leaves and some without bark.  The scenery of the destruction got worse the closer we got to our camp.  The photos we received from neighbors could not even start to show the destruction.  It looked like a bomb went off .  Everything was flattened, gone, shredded.

The neighboring farmer's house, barn and farm equipment were destroyed.  It was heartbreaking seeing all the destruction.

It's odd all the emotions that roll over you.  Guilt was one of the hardest because you ask why our was left while everyone else is in the cotton field looking for clothing, guns, shoes and household items.

Camper #1:  Fifth Wheel turned upside down dropped 30' away.  Pushed against pole barn.

Camper #2: Gone, no frame or camper to be found.  No contents were found either.

Camper #3: Gone, no frame or contents found.

Cook house & Bathrooms: Roof gone.

Camper #4, #5, #6:  Frames found mangled, parts of campers found 1/2 mile away.  Mattress found 1 mile away.  Boots, guns, clothing found along the far treeline.

All three of these campers were less than 6 months old, brand new and set on concrete pads under a pre-engineered structure covered.

Camper #8:  Camper still intact, broken window, roof over destroyed and aluminum siding damaged.

Camper #9:  We found that they took their camper home to do some traveling.  Their cover and porch were destroyed.

Camper #10: Our Puma!  Still standing a little off the blocks, cover missing, front porch and cover are intact, slide out cover damaged but standing.

Camper #11: The Resort!  Minor damage from debris (2 gashes in siding), camper front 3' off the ground with camper #12 porch under, moved 12" back & 12" to the left.  Roof-over destroyed.  Porch still intact.

Camper #12: Flipped on it's side, turned 180 degrees and moved 20'.  Roof-over and porch gone,

Unable to retrieve belongings, they had to flip the camper upright.  The frame came upright, the rest of camper came off the frame.

Scavenging for what is left

Look what they found, still America Proud!

Picnic table embedded into the roof

 Camper #13: Flipped on it's side,

Up-righting the camper had a better outcome than #12's.  This one stayed intact.

BBQ Grill embedded into the side of the camper. Cooking tongs still hanging on the handle, unbent.

Camper #14:  Moved off leveling blocks, roof-over gone, refrigerator blown into yard but not those stacking chairs or igoo cooler or furniture.

We're hoping that the clean-up will be done within the next month and then rebuilding the water and electrical system will get started.  It's hard to rebuild without water & electric.  It will probably be next year before the cookhouse/bathhouse will get worked on.

I am thankful that no one was hurt and everything that was destroyed can be replaced.

I'll update on the progress of the clean-up and the rebuild.

Until next time................

Bonnie