We left Livingston, Texas, yesterday with plans for an interesting, relaxing route north on our way to the Mothership in Ohio. Thanks to the heat and repairs and health crap, we’re going to have to work for it.
Last night, we found a spot on the water at a Corps of Engineers campground in Texarkana. Beautiful, right? We did sit outside for a couple of hours while we waited for the a.c. to cool the trailer down from the 95 degrees it rose to while on the road. But then humidity, bugs, and heat exhaustion (from having worked outside to back the trailer into the spot and unhitch) all drove us in. That’s okay; the water looked contaminated with that bad-for-you algae, so no swimming for us or poor Banjo.
Sure made for a few pretty pictures, though.
I did yoga near the water this morning and saw a great egret with the sunrise shining under it so it looked pink as it soared high above me.
Today we’re driving to a city campground on the Arkansas River in Little Rock. The campground is basically a parking lot, which is okay because we’d planned to bike around downtown (how exciting for me!), but that ain’t happening with this heat and humidity.
And we need to stay there because the danged grey tank is leaking again, so we need full hook-ups. (That same repair they fixed after the Alaska trip needs fixing again; hence this route to Ohio.) We’ll certainly tour the civil rights monuments, but you can’t go in the Little Rock Nine’s historic high school because school is in session!
After Little Rock, the weather in Indiana will be better, but I’ve been fitted with a medical monitor that requires cell service, and the park ranger there says it’s iffy. (The monitor is no big deal, just obnoxious.)
I am bound and determined to enjoy this trip north! We’ve been making fun of this part of the south during the drives, like this crafting retreat, I kid you not. Tracy wanted me to send it to my friend Heather as my suggestion for the dream vacation we plan on taking together. You remember Heather, the interior designer who lives in that gorgeous house featured in a magazine, right? The idea of her bunking with other crafty ladies in this converted ranch house where we glue sequins on denim for a full weekend had us laughing for half an hour.
We’re going to make sure such moments—like sunrise yoga under a pink great egret—happen on this travel leg. We gave up our summer to Newfoundland, so we’re making the most of what’s left.
Sequins on denim might be hilarious but how great a crafting retreat is *is no joke* 😁 I did a quilting one and oh man, all the space, no distractions, no obligations, someone feeds you yummy food and snacks and instead of having to prepare the food you get to hang out with like-minded people until you are called. Bliss!
I’m glad you’re heading for cooler climes!
Your are so right. I was afraid I was getting carried away with joking about this place, and I used the sequin-denim example to try to drive the joke home. I forget how busy a person gets with house and work and family, when all you really want to do is sit down with your own project in peace for a while, uninterrupted. How could I forget a feeling I felt for years? Heck, I rented that tiny house in the woods once just so I could knit. Thanks for calling me out on this.
I bet traveling north sounds extra appealing given all that heat and humidity! Sorry we’re going to miss you this time around (we settled on Dubuque btw).
Rainy and cool here today. I daresay there’s a hint of fall in the air!
100 degrees in Little Rock! I’m looking forward to reading about Dubuque. Iowa is surprisingly special.
And we’ve come up for a fun idea for our annual Christmas card photo that could only take place there!
I’m guessing this is a secret to be revealed in the card only?
Not to fear; the photo usually ends up on my blog after cards have been sent out!
You really must have to be a jack of all trades to live on the road. Something breaks in our house I call a repairman… you two have to figure out how to fix it or muddle through. Sorry about the heat, I couldn’t take summer southern temperatures anymore so as interesting as Little Rock sounds? I’ll wait until winter.
😉
YouTube, baby, YouTube. 😜
Goodness, I say it is time for things to go right for you! I declare it. 🙂 And yuck to heat with humidity! Well, at least you got some great pictures. 🤪 Thanks for posting; I enjoy reading your blog very much.
We really do plan better than this, normally! This has been a weird summer. Thanks for the encouragement and for reading.