Wednesday, May 20 I like to calculates the statistics! I wish I hadn’t figured this one: We arrived home from our last camping trip on November 7, 2019; that was 221 days or 31 weeks + 3 days ago. Folks, that is 7 months and 7 days without camping! That has to be some kind of a record for us in recent history, and it pretty much speaks for how we have been feeling the last few weeks! Quarantine is starting to open up, and we were anxious to move our quarantine quarters from home . . . to the Airstream. By the time we started searching the private nearby campgrounds for Memorial Day, nothing was available. Going a little farther afield Tom scored at the KOA in Hot Springs, Arkansas! We wrestled with the mental burden of whether it was socially responsible to make the trip, and we came up with an on-the-road quarantine plan. It involves meticulous planning to cook all our own meals, only using our on-board bathroom facilities, and avoiding socializing with other campers. We plan to do some driving tours, but have even included a porta pot in the back seat of the truck to use when away from the camper. I have been sewing new masks and have them stuffed in every nook and cranny of the Airstream and the Truck! We pulled out of the driveway Wednesday, May 20, at 8:30 a.m. New on this trip is a “Silvermine . . . And His” decal on our back window. Inside there have been a few changes from last year – new rugs and new quilts. The Silvermine has never been so ready to go! Including a time change, it was a 6 hour trip to Saint Louis. The sky was grey, the temperature in the low 60’s, and the traffic was light. Our destination was the KOA, and we arrived at 2:30 to find it mostly empty and in a bad state of upkeep. The 87-year-old owner was handling it all by himself, and he seemed a bit disolusioned and lonely. We took an hour to set up, walk the dogs and set out in chairs a bit. We took a driving tour of downtown Saint Louis, and saw cars parked on some of the streets, but very few people walking the streets. We parked by the Gateway Arch National Park and saw less than 10 people walking the paths around the arch. Needless to say, it was easy to maintain social distance. In a light sprinkling of rain we walked under the Arch and then headed back to the truck. By 5:00 we were back at the KOA and enjoying our first cook-out – brats and potato salad.It wasn’t an ideal first night out camping – but we weren’t complaining! And we were definitely excited to continue the journey the next day! Thursday, May 21 With over 400 miles to drive today, I turned on a new app (Track Me) to record our drive. I’m hoping to track it and post a picture on my blog to show our route. Today was still cloud-covered, but not quite as grey, and the temperature began to feel like May. We crossed through a section of I-55 that must have suffered from high winds; we’re thinking a straight-line wind episode that lasted about 10 miles. Trees were down, road signs toppled, and lots of shingle and roof damage. That was the extent of the excitement for the trip; we arrived at 4:00. This KOA was quite a cut above the one last night; manicured, nicely maintained, fully staffed and about 60% full. The sites in our loop were built on a steep hill and terraced – narrow but very long. The surface was a very nice gravel and we had full hook-ups. Behind us was a very fragrant high honeysuckle hedge! A nice place to land for the next 5 days. After we were done setting up I jumped in the new chair that Tom bought me as a surprise – the one I have been wanting for over two years – and commenced swinging. It is NOT a rocker – it swings! And reclines. And is totally comfortable. With a glass of wine in hand, I showed it off !
1 Comment
Mike
5/23/2020 07:14:50 pm
Enjoy ... we overnighted at the same St Louis area KOA on our way home; the couple running it were nice. You’re on target with it needing an overhaul. Stay safe.
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |