Cutting The Season Short

Last Saturday we headed out to find the place where we used to camp at least 30 years ago.  We had always called it "Hinkeyville" because the guy who owned it was Bob Hinkey.  We set off for Fredricktown and headed north to Mine La Motte.  We weren't sure we would even remember where it was, but we did.  There were two elderly gentlemen sitting on a golf cart at a road called Hinkey Lake Road so we stopped to inquire.  Yes, it was the place, but a tornado several years ago destroyed most of it.  We had lots of fun camping at this place many years ago, but what we remember most was picking all the ticks off the dog all the way back home.  I usually referred to the place as "Tickville."

Our next stop was a marker on the side of the road designating the spot where the first lead mine in the Mississippi Valley was opened "around 1700."  This was right near the aforementioned Hinkeyville.

On our way back to Annapolis we stopped at the Tiemann (Milstream Gardens) Shut-Ins on the St. Francis River.  It's a very popular place for kayakers and in the spring, has the only "white water" kayaking in Missouri.

While walking down the path to get to the water, we came across this unusual tree trunk.

Scenes from around the park:

Roxy trying to get into our trailer.  She just wanted to drive Butch crazy one last time.

After another slow, boring week at this RV park, we decided over the weekend that when we returned on Tuesday we would turn in our notice and pull the trailer back to St. Louis.  We arrived back there mid-day on Tuesday, spoke to the owners who understood completely, we packed up in an hour, and had the RV back into storage, somewhat emptied, and pulled back into the driveway by 4:00pm.  It was a very long day but now we're both happy again and looking forward to our next campground job.

This is the view Butch and I had yesterday while following Mark pulling the trailer all the way back. 

Yesterday we updated our resume on the Workamper program and received four offers within four hours.  Unfortunately they were for Massachusetts, North Carolina, Austin, and the Yukon!  I think we'll just stay home for the summer and do what we like best:

Giving this little guy a whole lot of love!

I'm Gettin' My Two Cents Worth

The title of this blog says Diane and Mark's Travels but they seem to be overlooking someone! The title should include me, Butch, since I go everywhere they go. They don't even have my name on the sign out front. I have been to Texas, Florida, Alabama and many other places but I get barely a mention. They were outside today so I took over the blog. If there's a mistake or two it's because qwerty keyboards aren't designed with paws in mind.

We decided to work close to home this summer because they want to near the BABY. You know, the little guy who thinks my beard is a handle. This isn't too bad because we get to go home once a week. I prefer home because I can run front doot to back door for exercise plus my yard is fenced. In the trailer I can only run about twenty feet before running into a couch or the bed.

There is a little white dog here that justs drives me crazy. I live on a leash when outside but she is a free range dog and thinks that running at me full speed is great fun. I will get a piece of that flesh before the summer is over. We have a creek here with a path that we walk along every day. This has become my favorite place to poop. There are so many odors here that there probably isn't enough time to locate and spray a little of me on all of them. They think that I can only do my business after endlessly seaching for that one special spot but I'm just making sure they get all the exercise that we need. Besides it's fun listening him tell me to go just because it cold or raining!

Today I got up and have a swollen right eye. I now have their undivided attention while they try to figure out what's wrong. Probably a trip to the vet when I get home.Yuck! I am including a couple of pics of my favorite people but I need to sign off for now, I hear them coming.

My morning walker and food provider.

My favorite cause us guys gotta stick togrether!

(plus he gives me people food)

Look at that eye. I think that white dog caused it!

Butch

Easter At The Park

Since the baseball season is now underway, we decided that we couldn't survive on the 15 channels of TV that the park provides.  Not only did we not get Fox Sports Midwest, we also didn't get The Golf Channel.  We started making calls to DirecTV last week to find out about getting an additional receiver so we could have the same channels in the RV that we have at home.  For a mere $8 a month, we bought the receiver and the installer showed up last Friday to install.  This required some preparation by Mark beforehand.

This required once again taking out the fireplace and running coax in from a new hole Mark had to drill into the underside of the trailer.  We opted for the non-HD DVR so we could occasionally record shows.  The Direct guy was here for a couple of hours, but got it all working perfectly.  Just in time to watch The Masters on The Golf Channel on Friday.

Over the Easter weekend we had a large group of campers spending the weekend.  There were about 30 kids in the park.  Sunday morning Patty (owner of the park) had an Easter Egg hunt for them.  She spent about an hour hiding a bunch of eggs and toys but it only took about 15 minutes for all the kids to find the eggs. 

Before we left to go home on Sunday afternoon, Craig (husband of owner) moved the new sign to our campsite.  I guess now we're official.

After a bit of confusion last week, we believe we have settled into a work schedule that will accommodate everyone.  After all the campers leave on Sunday, we clean the showers and restrooms and then head home for a couple of days where we cram in as much of the family and friends that we can.  We then drive back to the RV park on Tuesday evenings so that we can run the park on Wednesdays and Thursdays while the owners do their own thing.  Today was our first go at "running" the park.  Mark weed-eated, assembled new picnic tables, and helped Glen (maintenance guy) put struts on Patty's truck.  I cleaned the rental trailers and answered the occasional phone call.  I will assist Patty with incoming RVers on Fridays and Mark will fill propane tanks as needed. 

Saturdays are our days to explore.  Last Saturday we headed to Farmington to find WalMart and Lowes.  Afterwards we headed to Fredricktown to find some lunch.  There were several restaurants on the square, but none of them had any customers so we just kept driving until we found a very crowded Mexican restaurant.

We had to wait for a table, but it was worth the wait.  The steak fajitas were wonderful!

Getting Settled In Our New Routine

We survived our first week of working at the park.  This is so different than working at a winter park full of retirees.  The park was jam packed with families - some campers had 4-5 adults and 4-5 kids each.  Everyone was so friendly.  Of course, the fabulous weather had everyone outside and even in the pool.  We didn't think the water was warm, but after enough alcohol most of the adults were in the pool - many as late at 11:00pm.

Saturday night was the season's first hayride and marshmallow roast.  Mark and I took the four-wheeler down to the "lower 40" to watch the fire pit and hand out marshmallows when everyone got off the wagon. 

It was a perfect evening for a marshmallow roast.  Not a cloud in the sky, and 80 degrees.  We sat out there until about 10:00pm while three loads of hayriders came to visit.  One couple we met from St. Louis sat out there with us for the last hour. 

Mark is excited about all the new toys to use - the four wheeler, and the new  tractor.

Butch has settled into his new home.  He hasn't got used to the "Big Butches" across the road - lots of black cows.  They stare at him and he barks back.

He's also adjusted to Roxie, the owner's Jack Russell Terrier.  Roxie loves to come into our house and eat Butch's food as fast as she can and Butch doesn't even care.  Guess some of those lessons worked.

Sunday morning after the park emptied out, we cleaned the campsites, showers, and bathrooms and headed back to St. Louis for a couple of days.  We have no set work schedule so for now we decided our days off would be Sunday afternoon through Wednesday morning.  We'll adjust as the park fills up in the summer.