Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain

Monday, May 1, 2017

The Trip Back To Iowa


Friday April 14- Today we start our long journey back to Iowa. We are sad to leave those we have met here in Jupiter, but ready to see our family in Iowa. Our problem is once we leave to head for home we are really ready to be there...quick. We don't do big long travel days and don't care for those 1 night stays so we have to be patient. We hit the road around 9 a.m. and the traffic was a bit heavy. Probably because of the Easter weekend. We drove a little over 200 miles to land in Bushnell Florida. The park is called Blueberry Hill and we have stayed here before. Our site number was B-6. It is located right off the interstate so easy on and off. We stayed here 2 nights. Jeff got the oil changed in the truck and the dirt off the vehicles. We enjoyed the swimming pool a little on Saturday. It is really warm here.









































Sunday April 16- Happy Easter!...We are traveling today. We were on the road by 8:45. We didn't have far to go today. Going to Madison Florida, a Jelly Stone R.V. park. We have visited here before too. We arrived around noon. They checked right in and we knew where the site was because we stayed in it last year. When we got to it there was still someone in it. Lucky for us we had a place to pull over and wait. The park was super busy because this park has lots of things to do for kids. A water park, lazy river, lake with blow up equipment in it, putt putt golf and trails for ATV's. With it being a holiday weekend made it even more popular. Again we were surprised by all the traffic on the road.











To get to our site, B-2 we had to drive down Sunshine Trail hang a right on Happy Avenue, what more could you want? We stayed 2 nights here too. While here we went to a Waffle House which both of us had been craving. Then we filled up the truck. For fun we played putt putt, Jeff won this time. We also went for a walk around the park and spotted a few critters.





















Tuesday April 18- Moving today. Our next stop is Montgomery Alabama. Today was a long travel day for us. We went over 300 miles. We try not to do that too often. The good news is we know this place too. It is easy on and off, right by the interstate. That is why we use it. Not our favorite place but it's easy.
We stayed at Wood's R.V. park, site 202. We didn't do a thing here but fill up the truck. Staying only one night.

Wednesday April 19- On the road again....another long one today. Our destination is Nashville, Tennessee. We are going to Twin Rivers R.V Park. On the road by 8 a.m. It was a long day. After setting up we went next door to Camping World to fill our propane. On Tuesday and Wednesday they have a deal were you get 25% off. Then we went to the mall and walked around stopping for supper at Cheuy's. It's a mexican restaurant. Ate there before and loved it. This time it wasn't that good.






















We are staying here 2 nights. So for our whole day here we took the shuttle downtown. It's so convenient. They pick you up at the campground and drop you off downtown. Then they pick up on the hour so you can decide how long you want to stay. It only costs $10.00 a person round trip. We had a great day too, the weather was perfect. We caught our shuttle and after arriving we walked to Antique Archaeology. Jeff looked it up and it was only 1 1/2 miles away so off we went. We had to walk in some sketchy areas, but on the way back we took a different way which was better. We were glad we went. It was in this big brick marathon building. It was smaller that we thought. There was also more little shops in this building.









When we got back to the downtown area we had lunch and then made our way to Rippy's to listen to some music. We stayed and listened for a while. I walked down the road some. When Jeff was ready we moved to another honky tonk. Everywhere we went had great music. There sure is a lot of talent around here. We visited 3 or 4 different establishments. We caught our shuttle home around 4 o'clock. We had walked plenty today and we had great weather too.
























When we got home neither of us felt like cooking so we jumped in the truck and went to the Cracker Barrel, we had the best supper. We haven't been to one of these in a while and we both loved our dinner and it was reasonable too.


Friday April 21- It's a travel day for us. We have weather coming so we started packing up early. We had an issue with the water pump so we didn't get on the road until a little after 9. When we first took off the traffic was kind of heavy but it cleared up fairly quick. About an hour before we arrived at our next destination the rain started. It didn't stop when we got there either. We are staying at Rend Lake which is by Benton Illinois. The campground is Gun Creek. We have used this park before and we like it. Since we pulled in on a Friday Jeff made reservations because it can be really busy here. We were on site #37. The pad is paved but with all the rain they have gotten the rest of our site is muddy. The rain didn't help when we set up. It was a bit of a mess. To make it more interesting on of the big foots didn't want to work so we had to come up with a different plan.




















The day we arrived it just rained on and off the whole day. The next day pretty much did the same. We made a trip in to Benton and got us some pizza at the Pizza Hut, there's is really good. We also filled up the truck to travel the next day. The day we left the sun made an appearance. The temperatures were super chilly.


Sunday April 23- Today we are heading to Mark Twain Lake, Ray Behrens campground. When we started our camping this was the park we visited a lot. It was about 225 miles today. We had to drive through St. Louis so that slowed us down some. When we got to the park we figured the place would be empty, not the case. It's fishing season here so there are lots of fishermen. We found a site with full hook up so we were happy. We backed in and the big foot one the back drivers side still wouldn't work. Jeff went to go up to pay and there wasn't anybody there yet. Found out you have to self serve pay. The next problem there wasn't any envelopes to do that either. Eventually that worked out. The next day Jeff  built us a sweet campfire to have our coffee by. Then he went and tried a little fishing, he had some luck so we had enough fish for a meal. When Jeff got back from fishing I went to Hannibal. They have a quilt store there that I love! 























Jeff went fishing one more time before calling it a day. Tomorrow we move to Keokuk Iowa our home town.


Tuesday April 25- On the road by 8:30, we arrived about 10. As we were setting up we got some sprinkles. Man is it cold out there. We ran in to some friends here at the park, we visited with them. We went to town to pick up some supplies. In the afternoon I went back in to town to visit a friend in the nursing home, Thelma and I played some Bingo, she was on a roll. For supper Jeff fixed the fish he had caught...really good. Then Jeff's brother and his wife came over to visit. It was good to catch up with Fritz and Shawn.


While we were in Keokuk we got lots of things done. We got our taxes done and visited with lots of people. On Wednesday we went for supper and got our favorite tacos at the Southside boat club. They were so good and the company was equally good. Mike and Sue joined us. We had a hard time getting out of there because we kept running into people we knew.


Thursday April 27- Today I used the laundry facilities at Hickory Haven Campground. Then I had to run into town and hit the bakery. Stan's Bakery is celebrating 50 years this year. They have the best creme horns...for sure. In the afternoon I met some friends from school and we had coffee. Then we stopped at the fire station to see what was happening there. Stopped by to see Jeff's other brother Rick and his wife Sara. Then another stop at a classmate of Jeff's. To end tonight Jeff had a friend Greg stop by and visit.


Friday April 28- Today up early because I had a doctor appointment in Burlington which is abour 45 minutes away. After that we looked in a few shops before meeting our friends that we met at Jonathan Dickinson last year. Barb and Ron were great company for lunch. We went to Napoli Pizza. It was good. We got home and had more company, Matt and Teri came by to visit. They also did our taxes, I worked there so we are good friends. Before calling it a day we went over to Fritz and Shawn's to visit. There daughter, son in law and son were there to. So good to see Taylor, Taylor and Hudson. It was a busy few days here. We got to see family and friends and catch up on everything that has been going on. Tomorrow we finally get to see our kids and grandkids....can't wait.























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