Travels with Snowbirds Friday July 5 2013 Middleton TN to Downtown Riverside RV Park North Little Rock AR

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The one about nothing but driving.

Ginny will laugh when she reads this. She will be happy to note today I used the last of the QTips she gave me a few years ago when I asked to borrow a few, at a campout in Intercourse, PA. How long ago was that? Way before I moved to NC…..she must have given me 100 QTips, when all I really wanted was 3 or 4. Thanks again, Ginny! Lots of clean ears thanks to you!



I was happy to be up early and out of Cherokee Landing. As okay a place as it was, not having any neighbors and not having anyone to talk to for 2 days; it was time for me to be on the road. I took a few minutes to enjoy my coffee in the cool morning air. Sitting in my chair under the beech trees, just chillaxing before breaking camp, those of you who know me well will laugh at this. I had my phone (in it’s new Lifeproof shockproof/waterproof case tucked in the left side of my bra – it’s usual place. I generally carry it there as I figure at some point as I get older, I am going to fall and need to call someone. I don’t worry about this as much in my NC house, it’s one story, but it still is a concern. I figure I will fall on my shoulder or hip, never on my boobs, which would hurt too much, so keeping my phone in my bra is a good idea. Well, a beechnut fell off the tree and landed on my phone. It scared the shit out of me. It made quite a noise, then bounced to the ground. I guess I am lucky I have this new high priced gadget, right? Better than bird poopies.



On with the day. I had to bob and weave under the power lines and around some sharp turns to get to the holding tank dump site, and with that accomplished I was on the road by 8:30, having forgotten to eat breakfast. Yes, I was anxious.



I generally look at Garmina, then look at Siri as well, and make sure they agree on directions to the next destination. They did. I then turn Siri’s GPS off to conserve cellular data, as using the GPS really chews it up. Next thing I know, I see a sign, ‘Welcome to MS’. Huh? WTF? Why have I gone south to MS when I want to head north to AR? I pull over to the side when I can, regroup with both GPS. Somewhere along the way, Garmina switched her ‘best’ directions away from what Siri said. Not that I went out of my way anymore than 3 or 4 miles, just seemed dumb to me to go back to MS before continuing on. I was on a back country road for about 30 miles, and I really like that, I like to see how people live in other places, what the landscape is like, etc. Interesting things I passed: The National Bird Dog Museum and the Hopewell Mennonite Baptist Church. Both sound like oxymorons to me. I have this funny mental picture of both a bird dog and a Mennonite Baptist. The dead turtles along the road have now changed to a combination of turtles and armadillos, 2 of each on today’s drive.



I eventually met up with 385 just east of Memphis, a road I am familiar with from the days son Tim and family lived in Germantown, TN. I waved to their old house and their friends as I passed by their exit, and nodded my head to the first Sonic I ever ate in. Fond memories of times in Germantown and Bartlett, but I am so happy they moved to Wilmington.



Driving thru Memphis on I240/I55, my body urged me to turn south and head for the casinos in Tunica, a fun place, but I continued on and passed downtown where the fireworks and murder were last night,d at Mud Island Park, and passed the place where MLK was murdered. Then I crossed the Mississippi and was in Arkansas for the first time in my life. There was a truck stop and that was it for the first 10 miles. The area looked like swamp, river delta, river overflow area, I don’t know what to exactly call it. Swamp. I missed the turn for the Welcome Center; I wanted an AR map. I stopped at the first Flying J I saw just for a bio break then breakfast. I didn’t buy gas as I still have half a tank, but it sure was cheap, $3.089 before loyalty discount. Should have done it. Once away from this swamp area, the road became one long straight flat line for the next 150 miles. I was fine with that, I listened to my book (Odd Thomas) and was content. I had noticed on the campground for tonight’s web site that they urged tourists off I40 for about 25 miles to avoid construction. I figured it was a holiday weekend, there would be no construction, and I was correct; it even looks like the construction is now complete. Happy I didn’t make that choice!!!! I had picked out a town with a Wal-Mart to do a drive thru and shopping and gas stop, and stocked up on milk, fruit and ice cream, and gas.



I have finally seen rice growing; at least I think it was rice. Something was bright green and growing in very wet fields with irrigation canals. When I got to North Little Rock, I had the Downtown Riverside RV Park surrounded; I just couldn’t find the entrance. I figured it out and was greeted by Sheila in the office. This is a CG that is owned/run by the city of North Little Rock. While it is a paved and gravel parking lot with a few trees, it is right on the AR River, overlooking downtown Little Rock with really nice management and really nice neighbors. Yes, the sites are narrow, but I got my awning out and hooked up to electric, water, and sewer quickly. I took Winston for a walk on the river and saw some birds I have never seen before, need to check them out again with camera. I see a bath house, a laundry, and a large covered pavilion on the river. The local Coast Guard Flotilla is stationed here. The temperature is 93, and my A/C is cranking away. Winston paced around and finally landed on my bed underneath a vent. This is a Passport America campground. When I made the reservation, Sheila told me no discount on holiday weekends, but when I got here she honored it! 2 nights for $23. Not bad, right? My average camping fee is $13/night. Really not bad, actually I am pretty pleased with that!



There is a gate about 20 yards from my campsite with steps up to the pedestrian bridge (which looks like the old road bridge) across the AR River and I can see the Clinton Library on the other side. Yes, I will walk there tomorrow.



I hit the freezer for dinner. I had some sauce with a few meatballs in it, and some frozen sausage. I nuked/cooked the sausage, added it to the sauce, and served it with cheese over my fresh hoagie rolls. Yummy. Followed by Ben & Jerry’s chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream. Double yummy.



Winston threw up. He ate 2 ice cubes and threw up. GROWL. It cleaned up easily, thank goodness. He was begging to go out after dinner, so I did the circuit here in the campground and it took me over an hour, just because I stopped and talked to so many people. My next door neighbor is an AR native. He works for the government, specifically for the Presidential Libraries. He was working on his satellite, which just wasn’t picking up anything. His wife works for the government, he was not forthcoming where she works, but she can work from anywhere. They go from library to library and he does his thing, and moves on. He is going to Reagan/CA next week. They have a HUGE 5^th wheel. He told me the library opens at 9 tomorrow. He said I missed the Clintons by 1 day. What? All 4 (Bill, Hillary, Chelsea, Husband) will be at the library on Monday for a special event in conjunction with the visiting Oscar de la Renta exhibit. My timing was awful, right?



Continuing on around the double circle a little further some people called me over, they asked about Winston.; he sure is a conversation starter. I sat with them for a long time. 2 couples from AL who have been traveling for 6 weeks. AR to Las Vegas stopping in MN, ID and UT along the way. They told me to check out the OK City bombing site and gave me the name of a great campground in Albuquerque. I told them about my special place in Tupelo, but they were headed home, no need for another campground. Campers are nice people. I turned the conversation to the construction on I40. They are putting cement slab, about 6 inches thick, 2 feet wide, 4 feet long at the edge of the new shoulder on the inside lane. I had no idea what this is all about. I was told that it is being built all along the length of the road in AR as a deterrent to falling asleep and going into the oncoming lane. Boy, let me tell you, if you hit it you suer will wake up!!



The temperature hit 94 at 5:00. Ugh. The a/c was chugging along just fine. It cooled down again nicely once the sun went down, only 88 now, but the important thing is it is much cooler inside Moya, at least the a/c is cycling on and off now, rather than constantly on.



Night night.



Kat out

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Comments

[Susan Samuels]

I love reading about your adventures..... you are a hoot to read.....

[NanaKat]

Thanks for the nice words
Always good to hear from my readers. I now have over 100 for each day I write. This humbles me. Should I add Susan L and Linda to the email list so they get a notice???