Month: May 2024

So, what’s it like traveling with Roxy (adventure cat). I was a little worried that I would have a basket case of a cat traveling all over the country, but she has turned out to be a great traveling companion so far.

On travel days she up like a trooper and is absolutely no help packing up the RV, although she tries. Once on the road she settles in either on the bed or on her bed above the cab. When we stop, she right up in the cab looking out the window checking out the new views.

Strayhorn Landing

This was just a quick overnight stop on southeastern shore of Tenkiller Lake which was absolutely gorgeous. The lake is located near the town of Paradise Hill and I had a nice drive into the camp ground. When we arrived and were setting up, I found out why people recommend the Power Watchguard. It is recommended that you plug it in then turn the power, before you plug in the RV. When I plugged the watchguard in and it went bright red, according to the code it indicated loss of the neutral. Talked to the park staff and changed of camp site and everything was ok.

Many of the camp spots were empty, but in talking to my neighbor, who camps here several times a year, he expects that to change, since Memorial Day weekend is approaching. He plans on staying at the park until next week and told me that if I had time, see if I could do boat trip on the lake, too bad it was an overnight stop or I would have. We sat and talked until sunset when I walked down to the lake for so photos.

I stopped by the dam and locks and saw a whole bunch of speed boats getting ready to enter the lake from the locks.

Driving out of the park I noticed a strange looking statue off on a side road before I hit I-40 and wandered over to see it. Apparently on May 26, 2002, a barge struck the I-40 bridge at Webbers Falls, and a 600-foot span fell into the river. Fourteen people lost their lives and are memorialized with this monument.

Buffalo National River

After a great drive we arrived at Buffalo River Campground located on the Buffalo River. This park is located a short walk from the river and is calm, quiet and clean. The drive down was steep, over 10%, which was a little scary with a six-ton camper. I bottomed out at the end of the entrance road, which was a little scary, but we pulled through.

Spent two days, without cell or internet service. I literally did nothing, I got up and thought about what I was going to do for the day. After breakfast, walked down to the river and tried some fishing, got some small bass, watched boats float by and just did nothing. I was totally unplugged and felt in a completely different place. I think everyone needs to get unplugged.
This trip is about decompressing after 40 years of work.

North Toledo Bend State Park

After a very long drive, 410 miles, I arrived at the campground at 8 pm. It was a 9 hour drive am I am not going to do that again.

After a quick setup I started the air conditioner to cool the camper down. Had a great call with my brother, Lynne and my sister talking about the trip so far, then my niece Nicole called and had another great call.

I saw fresh hog tracks throughout my campsite when I went out for my morning coffee and when the ranger came by, I asked what he thought they were. He told me that they were probable wild hog which are throughout the area. So, on my morning walk I was cautious.

When I got back to the RV, I was drenched with sweat. So, after the walk and a quick shower, I decided to do a little work and write my blog. The weather is calling for thundershowers tonight so I am hunkered down for the night.

Hamburgers for dinner and then a night of watching movies.

Some things change some don’t. Topeka is one of those places that have not. Spent Friday tooling around town. Instead of a 1983 Cutlass Calais, two doors with tee tops, I am in a 2021 Sprinter PV. The handling is so much different.

I am camping at Lake Shawnee, just a couple of miles from the first and only home I ever owned, and the sunset last night after the storms was great.

Today was a day of education, time with some old and a visit to my old house.

First education, Brown v. Board of Education National Park. Amazing place with some real history and to be there on the 70th year anniversary of the court decision (which I did not know). Our guide was excellent in explaining the NAACP 4 cases before that failed and this one that exceeded.

So, Kansas, which was a free state, had only segregation in elementary schools in cities with populations of 15,000, which Topeka was one of. They centered the case around Monroe Elementary School, which had a PhD as the principal, the science teacher also had a PhD and most of the teachers had Master’s. The school out performed all of the other elementary schools (all white) and the facilities were better than most of the other elementary school (all white). So, one would think why did they pick this one.

Shout out to the park ranger, Lawson Nwakudo, who explained to us, that the NAACP wanted to focus on Topeka, was because there was that level of equality. If they could prove there’s something inherently wrong with a place like Kansas, that would mean that there’s something inherently wrong with everywhere else.

The case happened because the Board of Education refused to enroll local black resident Oliver Brown’s daughter at the school closest to their home, instead bussing her to a segregated black school farther away. The case went all the way to the supreme court. The ruling was 9-0 which led to Chief Justice Warren, stating, “We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of “separate but equal” has no place.”

Next stopped by the old house and was really disappointed in the way it looked, the tree I planted so long ago was down, the grass looked bad and the placed really need a paint job.

Finally dinner with some old friends that I have not seen in forty years and we chatted until just before dark.

Well, here is my first post. Started out on Saturday a couple hours late and its off. The first couple of days it was raining and yesterday it rained all day long, sometime heavy. Makes driving really hard. So far over 900 miles on Betty (my RV’s name) and I getting around 15 mpg which is great, but its diesel and the price per gallon is higher than gas. However, one out of PA, the priced dropped to about $3.85 per gallon.

Roxy, adventure cat, has been great. When we are driving, she’s back in the, resting and when I stop for fuel or minor shopping, she hops up into the cab to look out at the world. She sleeps all day and is up most of the night. She has explored everywhere and now when I have the camper door open with the screen door closed, she sits and looks at the birds and squirrels.

I am going to have to get use to the shower, really small and as a big guy it tough to turn around. One modification I am glad I did was the toilet. I went with a Dometic 320 Series Standard Height with Elongated Ceramic Bowl, which is so much better that the one that the RV came with. When I get time I will post a video of all the mods to the camper.

Even with all the planning there is always something missed. I am keeping a shopping list of things I need, like a measuring cup or aluminum.
Here are some pictures that I just took at the park I am at, camped by the lake.

Off to Topeka tomorrow.