Last RV Trip - SE USA Spring, 2024

 Sunday - April 21, 2024                                            Bennett Springs State Park, Missouri

We had planned to leave on this trip on Saturday, but delayed it a day so that we could go to Aunt Rosa's funeral.  We left home at 10:00 am and stopped at the car wash in town to rinse the dust and pollen off of the RV.  It was cool this morning and nice for a road trip.  I had a problem with nasal allergies most of the day while we were on the road so Mike did all of the driving.  We took hwy. 412 to hwy. 65 to hwy 73 to hwy 64 to Bennett Springs State Park.  We stopped at Marble, Arkansas for gas then pulled into the parking lot where we ate chicken salad for lunch.  Later we stopped at a Wendy's in Ozark, Missouri for a frosty.  We made it to the park by 3:00 pm and filled the water tank before getting settled in our site number 302.  

Campsite at Bennett Springs State Park

This is a nice park.  The campground is up a steep hill from the hiking trails and stream.  We probably won't walk down and back.  I fixed chicken alfredo for dinner.  It was a cool evening and we used the space heater overnight.  A good start to our trip.

Monday - April 22, 2024

It was really cool this morning.  I cooked eggs, sausage, cheese burritos for breakfast.  After breakfast we walked up to campgrounds 4 and 5 then walked around campgrounds 2 and 3.  There are a lot of campsites at this park.  We ended up walking a total of 2 1/2 miles.  We saw a lot of zebra butterflies while we were walking.  We didn't do much else this day but sit around reading and enjoying nature.  

Tuesday - April 23, 2024                                            Hawn State Park, Missouri

We left camp at around 9:30 am headed to Hawn State Park.  On our way out of Bennett Springs State Park we stopped at the bottom next to the Niangua River and did a short hike.  we hiked across the river then on a trail next to the river for a total of about 2 miles.  There were quite a few people trout fishing.  This was a really enjoyable hike and a good way to start the day.

Niangua River

Second view of the river

Mike

Mary

People trout fishing at the springs

More fishing

We stopped at a grocery store on the way to the next state park to get supplies and made it to the campground around 3:00 pm.  Hawn State Park is another nice state park in Missouri and has nice campgrounds.  We have visited 5 different state parks in Missouri and they were all well maintained parks.  

Campsite at Hawn State Park

We had leftovers for dinner then were ready to just sit around for the evening.  There was limited cell phone service here and I discovered that my Kindle wouldn't work. UGH!  This was a real bummer because I didn't have any books loaded on my phone either so was unable to do any reading.

Wednesday - April 24, 2024 

I woke up at 6:45 am after a good nights rest.  After breakfast we hiked part of the Whispering Pines North Loop Trail to Pickle Creek Trail.  There were lots of wild azalea bushes blooming along the trail.  It must not take much dirt for them to grow because quite a few of them were growing on rocky bluffs.  This was a very pretty but rugged trail.  When we reached Pickle Creek we had to take off our shoes and socks and wade the stream.  The water was freezing!  We made it back to camp after hiking a total of 3 miles.  

Mike at the beginning of Whispering Springs North Loop Trail

Azalea bush on bluff

Azalea blossoms

Pickle Creek - we crossed it at about this spot

Mary next to creek before we crossed - the spot we crossed is
behind her in the picture

Another place on Pickle Creek

We ate lunch and then both took showers.  The shower stalls were pretty dirty, but the water was plentiful and warm, but we had to keep pushing a button to keep the water flowing.  After our showers, I cooked chili for dinner.  This was a very good day. I was able to get my Kindle to open up, but still couldn't download any new books.  I had to reread some books already downloaded.

Thursday - April 25, 2024

This was a cool, and cloudy day.  We mainly stayed at the RV reading and resting.  We walked a mile and a half around the campground and on a short trail next to Pickle Creek.  This was a fairly uneventful day.

Friday - April 26, 2024                        John James Audobon State Park, Kentucky

We left camp about 10:00 am.  We crossed the Mississippi River at Chester them immediately crossed the Ohio River.

Crossing the Mississippi River

We stopped at a Wal-Mart to get supplies then ate lunch in the RV in the parking lot.  While I was driving some trim by the passenger door came loose.  I had to pull over by the side of the highway and just cut it off.  We saved it to put back on after we got home.  We got to John James Audobon State Park in Henderson, Kentucky by 4:00 pm.  This is a nice park, but is in the middle of the town just off of a major highlway.  

Saturday - April 27, 2024

We ate breakfast, packed a lunch and drinks, and left to go hiking about 10:00 am.  We walked up to the museum then took the Lake WildernessTrail then the Paw Paw Trail back to the museum.  This was a 2 1/2 mile trail that was a little steep in places but not too bad.  There were a lot of interesting plants by the trails, but we didn't see any birds.

Park Welcome Center

Mike in front of a very large grape vine

Lake overlook

Old building on the trail

Mary at the beginning of the Paw Paw Trail

Mary and Mike enjoying the hike

Last part of the trail

When we got back to the museum we at lunch at a picnic table.  We then went into the museum and stayed about an hour.  We might have stayed longer, but we were a little tired from the hike.  

Audobon Museum

We got back to camp and both took showers.  The bath house here was very clean and the shower was good.  I fixed tacos for dinner, then we sat around until bedtime.  This was a really nice day.

Sunday - April 28, 2024                                    Harrison Bay State Park, Tennessee

We got up and left camp about 10:00 am.  We drove through Nashville and traffic was pretty bad with one big slow down because of a wreck.  We stopped at Hardee's and got a burger for lunch.  Big mistake.  We both had stomach issues from this hamburger.  We stopped at a Wal-Mart for supplies then got to our campsite by 4:30 pm.  

Site #43 in campground A

Sunset

This was a nice site next to the lake.  We had leftovers for dinner then called it a day.

Monday - April 29, 2024

When I got up I cooked sausage, fried eggs, and toast for breakfast.  The weather was nice and we took a walk to campground C where we'll stay with the kids in July.  We walked on past this area to a day use area to some hiking trails.  We went on a loop trail on a small island that was a nice 1/2 mile hike before heading back to our campsite.

View of lake from day use area

Area C campsites 4, 5 and 6 - where we will
camp in July

On our way back I had some stomach issues and had to stop at the rest rooms in area C campground.  The bathhouses here are really nice.  There are not bath rooms in the day use area which is not good.  I had stomach issues the rest of the day probably from the Hardee's hamburger.  After resting we had leftovers for dinner and just sat around reading the rest of the evening.

Tuesday - April 30, 2024                                Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia

It rained hard overnight and was still raining when we got up.  So far there are no leaks, yea!  We drove state highways from Tennessee into North Carolina and Georgia.  We drove a long section next to the Ocoee River.  This was a beautiful region through the mountains.  We got to Tallulah Gorge State Park by 2:30 pm.   We had to wait to register until Wednesday because you have to go to the visitor's center.  We didn't want to unhook or walk 1 1/2 miles to do this.  We already had reservations so it wasn't a problem.  This is a very nice park with lots of campsites and shade.  We both took showers, Mary in the RV and Mike in the bathhouse.  Mike said the bathhouse was kind of dirty.  

Wednesday - May 1, 2024

After breakfast we walked 3/4 mile to the North Rim Interpretive Center.  I was not a bad walk, just had a lot of up and down.  After registering and getting tags and information we walked by Tallulah Gorge.  It was a very pretty hike with good views of the gorge and lots of flowers.  We stopped on the way back and ate cheese and crackers for lunch.  We got back to camp about 2:30 pm after walking 2 1/2 miles.

View from the trail

Mountain Laurel

Bridge - we hiked over this on Thursday

Mary on the trail

Mike with gorge in background

Tallulah Gorge

Mike on the trail

Another shot of the gorge

Mary with gorge in background

Falls in Tallulah Gorge

Mike grilled Beyond Burgers and I fried potatoes for dinner.  They were very good. We sat around reading for a while then headed to bed.  This was a very good day.

Thursday - May 2, 2024

It was a fairly warm day today.  We hiked the south rim trail to overlook number 10.  It was a pretty hike with good views of the gorge and didn't have as much up and down as the hike by the north rim.  One thing we didn't like was the walk over the bridge to get to the south rim.  There was a side walk, but the traffic on the highway was going very fast.  We crossed the bridge each time as quickly as we could.

Park entrance sign

View of falls in the gorge

Enjoying the hike

Interpretive Center on the north side of the gorge

View into the gorge

Resting on a bench in a bluff overhang area

Mike sitting on the bench

Mary on the same bench

Another view into the gorge

Mike at an overlook area

A final view into the gorge

Mary at an overlook area

When we got back to camp we had lunch then cleaned the RV to get ready to leave on Friday.  After cleaning we relaxed in the RV the rest of the day.

Friday - May 3, 2024                                Calhoun Falls State Park, South Carolina

We left camp around 10:30 am after dumping.  This wasn't a very long drive between the state parks.  We stopped at a Wal-Mart for supplies and ate lunch while we were stopped.  On the way to Calhoun Falls State Park there was a lot of privitt blooming by the highway.  It stinks really bad.  Luckily there wasn't any blooming in the park.  We checked in at the office then went to campground 3 site 1.  The campsites here are very nice, but the bathrooms and showers were nasty.  I wouldn't use them for anything.We set up camp and cooked Red Barons meat pizza for dinner.  We didn't sit outside much because the cicadas were LOUD!  They were so loud that they gave me a headache.  Weather was pretty hot.

Saturday - May 4, 2024

It was raining when we got up.  Mary took a shower in the RV after breakfast.  Mike didn't feel well - had diarrhea and gut problems all day.  He spent most of the day in bed sleeping.  In the late afternoon he got to feeling better so took a shower in the RV.  It rained most of the day so neither of us did much.  We had leftover pizza for dinner.  We still haven't had cell service or wifi so Mary hasn't had any new books to read. UGH!

Sunday - May 5, 2024

The weather was nicer today and Mike felt a lot better.  It was warm and muggy and the cicadas were loud again.  We took a hike on a nature trail in the campground.  It was labeled as being 1 3/4 miles long, but turned out to be 2 1/4 miles.  It had a lot of up and down, but it was a good hike.  We saw several American toads from large ones to very small.

Campsite at Calhoun Falls State Park

I fixed Rice Roni garlic noodles with chicken and peas for dinner.  It was okay, but not as good as the chicken alferdo that we sometimes have.

Monday - May 6, 2024                                        DeSoto State Park, Alabama

We left the park around 10:00 am EST after dumping.  We had to wait in line for about 30 minutes to be able to dump.   We stopped at a Wendy's for lunch.  We took a slight longer route to DeSoto to avoid driving in Atlanta.  We stopped a couple of hours later for a bathroom break and got a Wendy's Frosty for dessert.  We got to DeSoto State Park around 3:00pm CDT after about a 6 hour drive.  Google took us on a back way into the park and for a while we thought that we were lost.  We didn't have any cell service so couldn't check the directions.  We kept driving and eventually came to the park entrance. This is a nice park with full hookups and a pull through site. 

Campsite at Desoto State Park

They had nice clean bathrooms and showers and a nice laundry facility.  There was wifi at the laundry and bathhouse so I was able to download some books to read.  Yea!

Tuesday - May 7, 2024

The weather was nice today so we went for a hike after breakfast.  We hiked 3 miles on Laurel Falls and Lost Falls trails.  We saw Lost Falls, but didn't take the side trail to see Laurel Falls.  This was a good hike, but the weather became very humid.

Mike on Laurel Falls Trail

Mary on the trail

Lost Falls

Mike eating a snack by the falls

Mary by the falls

Mike on the final bridge before getting
back to the campground

After lunch we both took showers in the bathhouse.  The bathhouse here was nice and clean with a strong, warm shower.  I cooked lasagna, broccoli, and garlic bread for dinner.  

Wednesday - May 8, 2024

It rained a lot overnight.  It was very humid again.  We walked 1.2 miles by the Needle Eye Rocks and the Nature Center and back to camp.  It was too humid and hot to walk any more.

Trail

Last day at De Soto State Park

Needle Eye Rocks and zip lines

Pitcher plants next to the Nature Center

After lunch we washed the dishes and cleaned the RV to be ready to leave on Thursday.

Thursday - May 9, 2024

We did not have a restful night.  At 1:30 am there was a tornado warning.  I was able to look at the radar on my phone and could tell that the cell was going south of us so we stayed in the RV.  At 5:30 am there was a strong hailstorm and at 8:00 am there was another tornado warning.  I wasn't able to pull up the radar on my phone so we walked to the bathhouse to stay safe.  We hung out at the bathhouse for about an hour.  After getting back to the RV we had breakfast then broke camp.  It was still raining when we left the park around 11:00 am.  As we entered Fort Payne coming down the mountain, a fire truck with its lights and siren on was on the road to the right of the highway.  Mike put on the brakes and almost came to a stop when the fire truck pulled out. Then the brakes on the RV quit working and we rolled into the side of the fire truck.  The police came and took everyone's statements.  While we were waiting, Mike called Griggs Covington, our insurance agent and got everything started for filing a claim.  A wrecker came and pulled the RV away.  The driver of the wrecker made arrangements for us to rent a car in town and found an RV place to try and fix the RV.  The RV was not drivable, but at least no one was injured.  

Damage to RV

The fire truck damage

Intersection where the wreck occurred 

RV at the RV shop

One of the policemen took us to the car rental place (City Wide Auto Rental) where we rented a Chevrolet Equinox SUV.  After picking the car up we went to Dollar General and bought a small ice chest then went to the wrecker company to get most of our stuff out of the RV.  There was some stuff that we didn't get because we didn't know that the RV would be totaled.  After leaving the wrecker company we stopped at Zaxby's for lunch and made a lot of phone calls.  We called Scott and Eric to let them know what had happened then called the RV place to find out the timeline for what would happen with the RV.  Finally I made a reservation at Drury Plaza in Franklin, TN where we spent the night after driving 2 1/2 hours.  We barely made it there for the last 30 minutes of the dinner and drinks time.  The end of a very long day.

Friday - May 10, 2024

We drove 10 hours to make it home.  We took I24 to I40 to I155 to Highway 67 in Arkansas down to Conway then I40 and I49 to home.  

Wednesday - May 15, 2024

We drove back to the Drury Plaza in Franklin, TN so that we could return the rental car on Thursday.  This was a long day, but we had no problems.  While we were on the road the insurance adjuster called and told us that the RV was being totaled.  In a way we were relieved because we were almost ready to get out of the RV business anyway, and didn't want to have to deal with our RV being fixed 2 days away from home.  However, we were sad because it meant the end of a phase in our lives.  We always really enjoyed traveling across the country with our trailer then RV.  

Thursday - May 15, 2024

We went to Bankston RV in Ardmore, TN and got some more stuff out of the RV.  I had left the quilt that Grandma made me when Mike and I got married and we had left our cast iron skillet.  Also, we were finally able to put the slide out so that Mike could get his clothes out of the drawer.  There was still a lot of stuff that we had to leave because we didn't have room to take it.  We were flying to Scott's on Friday out of Chattanooga, TN.  We had originally had airplane tickets to fly to Scott's out of XNA on Friday, but were able to change our tickets to Chattanooga airport when we knew we had to return our rental car.  We planned to hire an Uber to take us from Fort Payne to our hotel in Chattanooga after returning the rental car but discovered there is no Uber or Taxi service in Fort Payne.  This was really surprising because Fort Payne is a fairly large town.  We didn't know what to do so Mike talked to the workers at the car rental company.  They arranged for one of their workers to drive us for $80.  What a relief!  The traffic in Chattanooga was horrible and it took over 2 hours to get to our hotel.  After getting checked in to the Wingate hotel, we walked about 1/2 mile to a Chuy's for dinner and drinks.  It was a good dinner and we enjoyed the walk.

Friday - May 16, 2024 through Friday - May 23, 2024

We had to get up at 5:30 am to get to the airport.  I was able to get an Uber to take us to the airport.  We got to DCA at 9:30 am and took the Metro to Franconia Station where Scott picked us up.  We spent the week at Scott's mainly just hanging out and visiting.  

We flew home on Friday,  May 23.  Our flight was delayed by a few hours and we didn't get home until 12:30 am.  We were very tired, but glad to make it home.  We found out later that the insurance was paying us $81,450 for our RV.  We were surprised and very happy about this.  We'll be using this money for a lot of trips.