Piedmont & Viney Creek Corps of Engineers Parks.


Wednesday the 16^th. We left Red Bay so we had a full week to goof around before we were to be in Viney Creek, Missouri. We did not want to cross the Mississippi at Memphis so after close consultation with maps we found a way to travel. We left beautiful Red Bay and headed for a small town in Missouri in the foothills of the Ozarks. We headed north and crossed the mighty Mississippi River north of Memphis on I-155. So much nicer than the roads and all of the inconsiderate drivers we had found traveling through Memphis from previous trips.

In a canyon, so to speak!

The bluffs at Piedmont CoE Park

Our destination was Piedmont, MO. The trusty GPS was programed for Piedmont. Hmmmm the map looks like we could go two different routes but the GPS is telling us to go on the shortest route. We follow the GPS and it takes us on a two lane, paved, back road, full of hills and dales and curves and ups and downs not the best road when your in a 37 foot RV towing a car. By the grace of God Tom did a magnificient job of handling the RV and we arrived at our Corp of Engineers campsite with everything intact. We tried our cellphones, nada! Oh no, no cell service and that means no internet. Oh well, we headed out in the car and finally find a spot with one bar of reception!!! We called Jeff (our eldest) so that someone in the world would know where we were. We traveled into Piedmont to the McDonald's to try the internet, we kept getting kicked off. After a couple of relaxful days we traveled on.

We left Piedmont for Strafford, MO. That is a little city just east of Springfield, Mo. We found a nice little campground via Woodall's. It's name was perfect....Paradise in the Woods! Well, it was just off I-44 and so it was o.k. We had planned on staying for 4 days time but cut the visit short to 2 days time. Not much to do....but Tom's birthday was May 20^th. And he wanted a steak dinner out. We were close enough to Springfield that we traveled into the city for his steak dinner at the local Outback Steakhouse. Tom was pleased with his gift, but he knew what I had bought him so it was NO big surprise! He received his very own ipad. Nice lady I am. He also got a travel case from Charley.

From Strafford to Viney Creek. Where oh where is Viney Creek? Well you travel back roads to Golden, MO. And go 4 miles north to a great Corp. of Engineers Park. We arrived on Monday the 21^st. And our reservation is suppose to start the 23^rd. They have room so we extended our stay for 2 additional days. My cousin Jo-D and her hubby C.J. Are due to arrive on the 23^rd from Ft Lauderdale. We find the local Walmart to restock the grocery supplies. The closest one is in Berryville, Arkansas, about 20 miles away. Nancy forget to purchase grand-daughters Maggies birthday card so we had to make the trip again, two days in a row!

We're here at Viney Creek thru Memorial Day
Charley the "All American Dog"

Now to the 23^rd. I keep texting Jo-D and find they are going to arrive early in the afternoon. Oh what fun! The only other time we have camped with anyone was our trip down in the Keys. They arrived and we helped them jockey their motorhome into the campsite. As you can see Charley (our dog) is looking for Rosie(their dog) We had a combined spaghetti dinner outside that evening. Our campsites are fabulous.....for booking online and never being here we are right in the trees on the high bluff overlooking the lake. We did all right considering that they we booked in February. Charley and Rosie loved having each other to play with. Mybe tomorrow they can romp around a little bit.

Jo-D and CJ's RV at Viney Creek

May 10 - 13 , 2012

We live in a community in which you can only bring your motorhome into it for 2 nights, so Thursday May 10 was our day to bring it home to load. Of course that doesn't mean we hadn't been getting things ready to load for about two weeks time. Our "staging area" was really full. After all when you plan on being gone for three months or longer you feel like you must take everything along. After two days of loading Saturday morning we were ready to roll! We left home about 8:30 driving north on I 75 until we finally made it to I 10. Florida is a long state....you just drive and drive and drive and your still in the state. We spent Saturday night west of Tallahassee in a dump of a campground. But it served it's purpose. We were just off the interstate so it was convenient. We had driven thru the infamous "Florida love bugs". They make a mess of your car or whatever transporation you use. So the front of the motorhome was a mess. If you don't get the love bugs off they can damage your paint. Ugh! Another couple in the RV park told us what to do. You must get the front of your motorhome wet....then the next step is a "Johnson's baby shampoo" wash...and then use a sheet of "Bounce" fabric softner, rub that on the soapy front and viola.....off come the bugs! Then a final rinse with a hose and your done. It takes a long time to wash the front of our motorhome. But we got 'er done! Since we were right off the road it was an easy on for Sunday's drive. The day was mostly rainy. At one time the raindrops were so big it reminded me of a large wet sloppy snowflake.

Tiffins, all in a row, waiting for service

Small part of Tiffin's repair bays

 Shortly before we were to leave the interstate an Allegro Bus passed us. Nancy was at the wheel and did not want that motorhome getting to Red Bay before she did so it was like the two Tiffin motorhomes were drag racing. Nancy won the race and made it into Red Bay, Alabama just before the Allegro Bus. Since the campgrounds is on a first come first served basis....we got a campsite. The Allegro Bus got one also. In fact they parked right next to us.

The Parkway runs from Nashville, Tennessee to Natches, Mississippi

We started our wait for repairs. Last time we were here for a few repairs we waited a week then headed for Estero in our towed vehicle. This morning, however, about 10:30, two guys showed up with our list of items to be fixed. They worked right down the list …..hey, now there are four guys here working.....in a little less than an hour all was taken care of! Wait, Nancy got an email from next door neighbor Doug telling us of a big spot of oil on our driveway. Oh, no....well I guess we should see if they can look at it. Yup.....a little later we are called. Bring the RV in to service bay #39! They put it up on a hoist and a lot of fluid came out of the pan on the jack. Well there is a problem there....what, another jack problem? Well lets go for lunch and come back. When we returned...up came the service bay door and out comes our motorhome. All done and guess what....when North Trail replaced that jack last fall, they did not tighten a fitting. So we have been leaking ATF all over....but now its fixed! Yup it took another 3 quarts of ATF and tightening the nut and all is well. What a great stop this has turned out to be.

Tiny Presley family home,  Our garage is bigger!!

We will stay an extra day so that we can take a day trip tomorrow....then its outta here and on to points west. We drove the Natches Trace Parkway from north of Red Bay, Alabama to Tupelo, Mississippi, Visited Elvis Presleys birthplace, had lunch in town and back to the RV. Tupelo is really trying to cash in on Elvis!!

Aaah.....2012

April 2012. After being in storage for 6 months, we finally took the motorhome out for a trip. We were going down to the Keys. We left early Thursday morning to Highway 31 storage where the motorhome was stored. We had the car packed with all we would need for a long week-end so when we arrived at the motorhome all we had to do was back it out, hook the car up and go. We took the scenic route heading out Fl. Route 80 to U.S. 29 south. Then unto I75 East to Krome road and finally to U.S. 1 southbound on the "Overseas Highway". What a great view of the keys from out vantage point so high in the air. Our reservations were at the "Jolly Roger" RV Park on Marathon Key. My cousin Jo-D and her hubby C.J. Were already there in their new RV.






 Thursday evening we called another cousin Crissy and hubby Alex to met us for dinner at the original Bass Pro Shop. We had a lovely dinner on the second floor lounge. Great views, fun time and good food.

Sunset @ Bass Pro Shop, Marathon, FL

 Had lots of laughs catching up with family. Friday was a beautiful Florida Keys kind of day. Chrissy and Alex drove down again, from Key Largo, and we headed south toward Key West for the afternoon.

Nancy, Alex & Chrissy

CJ, Jo-D & Tom

 On the way we stopped at a neat little restaurant to eat lunch. Then we found the key with all the key deer and took a side trip to look for deer.

Key Deer w/his Guard Bird

 Then it was on to Key West. We wanted to be at Mallory Square at sunset so we could partake in the carnival festivities that are held there every evening. We sat around enjoying ourselves before heading north at the end of the day back to the motorhomes