There is always something….

In simplest terms, the RV is a big machine. It is a living space inside a complicated machine. Considering this, anything can go wrong at any time, and my machine is no different. When you least expect something to go wrong, it will happen.

Everything was fine when we left, but when we returned we had no electricity. The 90-degree weather had turned the RV into a sauna. The power pole had power, but our landline plug looked a little aged. The outer cover on the cord had shrunk and some coated wires were exposed. I started out replacing that, but we still had no power inside. Following the power cord to the fuse box, we discovered that the power surge protector had taken a hit. Usually they will stop the surge and protect the appliances from damage. After a pause, and the surge is safely past, it restarts power to the RV. Our protector could not restart. It was fried! We are parked in Florida, it is known as the lightning capital of the United States. A nearby strike must have occurred and the electronics could not handle it.  Lucky for us we installed the surge protector, or more costly damage may have troubled us.

Recently we were on a road trip and were motioned to pull over by a passing trucker. He had seen something under the RV that concerned him. After some inspection we found a tire problem that was about to become a big issue. Truckers are on the roads everyday pushing more miles than most of us. They have a record of safety and know their big rigs in detail. They are professionals, and due respect from others. Apparently, several drivers were talking about us on the radio, discussing our problem. No less than three truckers flagged us over and a couple stopped to help. I want to give a special thanks to our trucker friends on the road!

Never let things go too long. I have learned that the hard way! Our generator has been finicky for quite a while. Sometimes it worked other time it would not. Before a long trip, I took the time to change the oil and filter. It was overdue. The next time we needed to run the generator it still would only run for a few minutes, then would die. I thought it sounded like a fuel filter so started to replace it. Of course, while I was under the RV a thunderstorm hit. Wind and rain complicated the effort. Gassy water blew onto my face, burning my eyes. A little of it ran across my face and rolled into my ear. Don’t ever let gas drip into your ear. It is one of the most painful experiences you can have. An instant ear infection-like pain flared up and spiked the entire side of my face. Eventually after flushing my ear several times, it subsided, but my ear ached for days. When the storm calmed, I replaced the gas filter, but it still would only run for a few minutes. It was another issue. The short tailpipe that directed the exhaust out from under the generator had become loose. As it turned out fumes were building up and choking the generator. It could have been dangerous to us in the RV too. A loose tailpipe was the cause of all the headache, literally!

When we bought our RV it was not new, but it was in good condition. It had the original sofa bed, table and bench, and window dressings. On the first real use of the sofa bed, it was quickly discovered to be a bit short for an adult to stretch out and comfortably sleep. To get a longer sofa would mean some modification to the table and seats as well. Our slide out is eleven feet wide, and we cleared it, removing both. The replacement sofa came from Ikea. (https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/friheten-sleeper-sofa-skiftebo-dark-gray-90341151) It is a nice long sofa bed with a matching foot stool. That was our first modification. A four-foot table spans the remainder of the slide out. It’s used mainly as a computer desk for working on the road. Dinner trays help with meals and the footstool can double and a table if needed. Functional, comfortable and multitasking additions help make the small living area more livable.

Some other changes turned the RV into a workable mobile home. We ordered a new mattress that fit the RV. It is a Short Queen, just 7 inches shorter. It allows easier walking around the bed, but it’s still long enough to sleep on. We also changed a couple sink fixtures, the shower head, and installed a ceramic toilet with bidet. ( https://luxebidet.com ) Living in an RV does not have to uncomfortable, and if you maintain it well, it will take you everywhere you dream of traveling.

so much road, so little time…

As we traveled from Michigan to our next camping reservation, we had one overnight to explore the road. We don’t usually boondock because our generator is finicky. Sometimes it works well, other times it won’t stay running. For some time now, we have considered it an issue with being level. I’m not sure why, but it seemed to make a difference. Earlier in the trip, I had changed the fuel filter. That was a bad experience with gas splashing on my face and in my ears. It was quite painful. We’ve since discovered the issue was not the filter at all. I’ll tell you about that another time in a blog about upgrades and repairs. We hoped the generator would work for a while, so we got off the highway and went shopping.

We headed for Scottsboro, in the middle of Alabama, to the Unclaimed Baggage Store. You can learn more about this store at: https://www.unclaimedbaggage.com . Apparently, the airlines auction off the right to buy all the unclaimed baggage left at the terminal. I don’t know all the legal details, but after some time they can get rid of the baggage left behind. This store claims to be the only outlet in the nation that gets the luggage. They check it out, clean and wash everything, then sell it. It’s a super big, clean, thrift store basically; except everything is in good shape. Everything is priced right too. We spent a little more money than expected but got some good deals. We arrived the night before and did the overnight in the store parking lot. Our generator worked, and we were the first customers in the morning.

Our next stop was like a trip back in time. A long time ago, my mother took the family on a vacation. There were many firsts on that trip. It was my first airplane ride. The pilot allowed me to step into the cockpit. It was that long ago and they allowed it in those days. It was my first trip out of state too. We visited St Louis and we went to the top of the gateway arch. I remember the shaky elevator. My brother kept telling me it was going to fall! Good memories filled the trip, but one of them stands out above the rest. My best memory of that trip was a visit to Elephant Rock Park.

The park name is actually Johnson’s shut-ins State Park. You can find details on line at: https://mostateparks.com/park/johnsons-shut-ins-state-park . I remember this park well. There is an elephant rock park nearby, but I’m not sure we visited that when I was young. The shut-in is a river gorge. A slow-moving river runs between steep ledges and wooded banks. Large elephant rocks, gray boulders, cover the river’s bottom. Millions of years of running water have carved them smooth. Now, the water trails its way between and over the smooth boulders creating pools and streams to swim, as well as natural slides. Before and after the rocky zone you can find calm secluded swimming pools with pebble bottoms along the river. The park has a wooded and shady walkway to the swimming area, but it is a ten-minute walk, and a stairway will take you down to the river. Make sure you have swimming shoes or some other good footwear. Trekking over the scene can be hazardous. Flip-flops and loose sandals will do more harm than good, making the trip harder to walk.

The campground for the park is about a mile from the swimming area, but there is a paved bike trail wide enough for golf carts. The campground has a special area for camping with horses, as well as tents, and primitive areas. Trails and paths cross the wooded areas, so hiking in the park is wonderful. Fire-rings and picnic tables are at every concrete padded site. The pads were level too. That was good because we had to drive the RV to the swimming area and back. It made the move much easier. There is no wifi except in the camp store. Our experience in the campground was great. It was clean, quiet, and comfortable. The evening bugs were not terrible, and the stargazing was spectacular! You truly are in the middle of nowhere. If you want to get away from everything, it is the place to go. I recommend it.

Relax at Lake Malone

Lake Malone State Park is about 100 miles from Nashville, in Southern Kentucky.

One of our family’s favorite things to do is to camp. Like most outdoor enthusiasts, we’ve run our course in selecting our digs.  We started with small tents, and then quickly evolved to dome-tents with fans and air conditioning. I still believe that qualifies as camping. On the first trip out to nature with my wife, it rained almost every day. It was July in Florida. She kindly explained we needed to make some changes. Small trailers led to larger ones, and then we had a pop-up. Eventually, we worked up to a motorized RV. It wasn’t exactly what we wanted, but it was available and affordable. We bought a used Class A motor home. That’s another story. We sold it after a year and got a Class C that fits our family perfectly.

When we started camping, both of us worked full time, and the kids were in school. We didn’t use the trailers much, and they mostly stayed in the back yard. But now things have changed. Even with the pandemic of 2020, the family has spent weeks in the RV. Granted, most of it was on family property, but we were still out of town and living closer to nature. Our family counts that as camping.

Aug 10, 2020, Lake Malone State Park, Southern Kentucky, was just a mid-week getaway. Julie, my wife, had a few days off, and we were contemplating a two week trip out of state. We were getting the blues about needing to cancel that and wanted a camping fix. It had been about three weeks since we were on the road last. We reserved a two-night stay at a lake park that was about an hour from home.  That was far enough away to call it a real trip. Two nights wasn’t much of a camp, but at twenty-two dollars a night, we could add a day if needed.

Lake Malone lies between steep hills in Dunmore, Kentucky. A small dam and spillway added some depth to the lake, filling it to what it is today. I believe the lake is all runoff. It’s a dark water lake with a greenish brown color, but there may be a spring in there someplace. On the west edge of the lake, the state park offers the area its closest thing a camping getaway. The lake is fully developed with vacation homes in some areas, and in other areas, family plots littered with old boats and trailer homes line the shore. It’s not all pretty, but the park is where it needs to be to offer a secluded feel and a clean shoreline.

Writing at the the picnic table, I had a relaxing view .

When we pulled up to our site, we had no trouble backing our 32 foot Conquest to its spot. It was almost level and needed only one two-by-six under one wheel to satisfy us. The water and 30amp hook-ups were within reach, and we had a couple of 20amp plugs too. It took about seven minutes to completely set-up, and all the while, a doe, and two fawns watched from fifteen feet away. The site backs up to a shady cliff that overlooks the lake. We can see the water between the thick leaves of the woods, but we don’t have a good view of the opposite shore or horizon. It’s all good, though. The distance to the lake cuts the noise of the occasional boat that cruises past. We were happy to see Verizon had excellent service, but unfortunately, there was no wifi in the park.

The camping end of the park has about 30 semi-shady sites with beautiful rocky pads. They are electric and water, with no full hook-up. The park also has a sizeable primitive area, but its all sun. A wide picnic hammock for day-trippers is across the field away from the campers. It has the usual pavilion and playground or two. Trails ranging in length from a quarter mile and up wander around the property. Each site has a fire-pit and picnic table. There is nothing special, but it is a nice park.

The camping end is separate from the beach and the Dockside of the park. It is farther than we’d like to walk, bringing bikes or a car to drive to the other side may be a good idea. Health nuts and young people might make the trip on foot or find a trail, but we passed on that option.

The beach has a roped-off swimmers area that is well marked and only gets to six or seven feet of greenish water. It has brown sand and a  small space for sunbathers and lawn chairs. The water had a lot of big stones in it, so watch your step. There are restrooms and changing rooms with showers handy too. Swimmers have a good view of the rest of the lake, and the boat traffic, as the docks are a football field to the right on a little inlet. There are several recently rebuilt docks and a boathouse with general needs and some food. But when we were there mid-week, it was closed. The ramps have a lot of good boat-trailer parking, too.

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Lake Malone is a great getaway for locals and an adequate place to overnight for the traveler. It’s a little off the beaten path, about 50 miles off I-65, and about 90 miles north of Nashville, TN. But it could be perfect for some people.  If you need a home base to explore the area, visit the Music City or just hide from the pandemic, this is a super-nice place to relax.  

If you are a traveler, or would love to start traveling, you can contact my wife who is a certified travel agent with a nationwide firm. You can see her facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/spicetravelconnection