On the Road Again.

Hit the road early, first west on H34 then due south on 81. Crossed the Missouri River at Yankton into Nebraska, it became the 37^th state in 1867. We stopped at the Visitors Centre just over the border. These are really good places to pick up maps, brochures and campsite information. Had lunch just outside Madison (would you believe it!) then back out onto the 81 which almost always heads due south. Crossed the River Platte at Columbus, we are really eating up the miles. Road works in York threw us as the detour signs disappeared and we ended up back where we started!

Crossed into Kansas, the sunflower state, where Amelia Earhart, Dwight Eisenhower & Walter Chrysler came from. Stopped at the visitors centre again for a new map and brochures. Eventually made it to the KOA (Kampgrounds of America) at Salina, just north of Wichita. Booked in for 2 nights as we had clocked up 397 miles and tomorrow is Sunday. The weather had improved as we drove south and the next day was glorious, sunny and really warm, we had to open the windows, that’s a first! Monday morning we were up early again, away by 8.30am. Now we are on H135 but still heading south. Fields of brown millet and golden autumn trees are set off by the bright green of spring wheat, Kansas is known as the bread basket of the country. Outside of McPherson there are cotton fields and nodding donkey pumps for the oil. We pass through Wichita but no linesman! Strong head winds make driving difficult and the fuel consumption is down to 6.2 mpg much to Dave’s annoyance.

Crossed into Oklahoma, frontier country and again stopped at the visitors centre for a new map. Crossed Route 66 in Oklahoma City and the Canadian River twice, northern arm and southern arm. Then up into the Chickasaw Mountains, the road actually had some bends in it as we climbed up and through the mountains and then down the other side into Texas.

Another new map and a huge bag of brochures. Eventually made it to Camping World in Denton just north of Dallas. Had half an hour in the shop before it closed and then spent the night in their car park. Another long day and another 413 miles on the clock. Awoke to a change in the weather, the cold front had caught up with us. We went into the store for the big shop! We bought wheel covers, macerator pump, crockery racks, ladder, cleaning products, walkie talkies, a baby sewing machine, bar-b-q and carry bag, candles, tablecloth weights, step covers, sink drainer etc etc. Hopefully that’s all for a while, our bank account won’t stand it. Went back to the RV and spent the next 2 hours trying everything to make sure it fitted/worked etc. Dave used his new ladders, products and brushes to clean the bugs off the bus. We had supper and then fired up the generator for hot water, unfortunately when we turned it off all the 12v cut out, no lights, no digital readouts, no water pressure, no washing up! We tried to solve the problem without success, when the generator was running everything worked, turn if off and everything stopped. We ran the generator for light and heat as it was getting cold outside and looked in the book for a local Winnebago service centre. After plotting it into the GPS we went to bed.

Next morning we headed across town, paassing the new Harley Davidson dealership, to Lake Dallas and found McClain’s RV Superstore and service centre. After a long wait in the office a guy came out for a demo of the problem, he put us on the service list but was not sure if anybody would be free to see us that day. They let us use one of their overnight sites so that we could hook up the electric and we settled down to wait for help. We fitted the bug covers to the Furness vents; they say mud daubers make their nests in there if you don’t! Dave fitted the T connection to the LPG outlet, filled the water tank with the new hose, and sorted out what he needed to fit the macerator pump. I wrote up the blog and had a walk around their accessory shop which wasn't very big. Finally at 4.30pm the technician drove us around to the workshop to test the system in case he needed to order a new part for delivery overnight. Just as well he did, the fault turned out to be a 12v trip that had tripped out, it was hidden under the internal steps, he just pushed it back on and all was restored to normal. We had looked for the 12v trips the night before but couldn’t find them, we shall know where they are next time. They allowed us to stay on their site for the night so at least we had a free night for our trouble.

Headed off early the next morning, the nights are getting cold again so South Texas here we come. Dave drove across town to the other Camping World and we picked up the things he needed to fit the macerator pump. Then I took over the driving, my first time behind the wheel, it’s easy to drive but the lack of a rear view mirror is a bit disconcerting, however, the side cameras are good and being bigger and higher than most is helpful. Dave’s not used to the GPS so when we got into road works in Waco and the exit off the freeway we needed was closed it got a little heated, but he found a way around on the paper map and we were soon back on route. We were now heading south on H77 to Schulenburg, the campsite was already in the GPS and I completed my first days drive with 295 miles under my belt. It was a nice little site and the town is famous for its painted churches, but without alternative transport they would be difficult to find so we settled for one night and directions to the local supermarket. Another cold night, down to 4dec, so we watched cable TV and had an early night.

We had been recommended to stay in Rockport by a lady we met at the Winnebago factory in Iowa, but she had also told us that the RV parks were often full because people returned year after year booking their pitches each year in advance. So after reading through the campsite book given to us at the Schulenburg site we opted to check out a new campsite, our reasoning being that they were more likely to have pitches available. Dave drove as we would be looking for a campsite that wasn’t in the GPS and we may need to a do a few delicate manoeuvres. So back out onto H77 and south through Victoria then left onto 239 to Tivoli, right onto H35 through marsh land that the GPS said was 3 feet below sea level, past Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and then our first sight of the Gulf of Mexico. There are tidal salt lakes here separated from the Gulf by barrier reef islands and we crossed the Capuano Bay opening on a very long low bridge into Rockport-Fulton. Originally two towns they have merged together along H35. We followed the directions and found the campsite along a good if rather narrow road. Our reasoning turned out to be sound and they had a pitch available so we booked in for a month. The Big D RV Resort is relatively small by local standards, but it has everything we need, hard standings, swimming pool, cable TV, Wi-fi, washing machines, it backs onto Capuano Bay and the people are very friendly.

We were allocated a pitch and the view from the bedroom window is just wonderful.