Although we told each other we were going to take our time and enjoy the cross-country trip after leaving Tucson (we tried), we found ourselves simply putting in the miles. The three nights we spent in Amarillo, Texas waiting out the high, gusty winds and freezing cold left us anxious to speed ahead and begin exploring the Virginia communities we’ve been researching for a potential new home.
Halfway across Oklahoma we pulled in to a Love’s RV Stop, one of their many small parks scattered along the country’s network of interstates. The online reservation system was really easy. We chose our site number from what was available, completed the required information with our payment and received a gate code and list of rules.
It was a little pricey, but we used our Good Sam discount and that brought the cost down to $65 for the night. All the spaces had full hookups, it was clean, we felt safe and it was really handy with the store right next door. I didn’t check them out, but there were a couple bathrooms with showers.
Would we stay at one again? Definitely, for the convenience.
Dardanelle State Park was a far prettier spot for our next one-night stand. We had a lakeside spot, so were pretty excited to relax with our view. After checking in, we drove the extremely narrow road to our awkwardly situated site. Reg tested his back-up skills, and his patience with me, as I tried to direct him into a space that was quite possibly designed for tent campers back in the 1950s.
Eventually, we got some help from a fellow camper who directed Reg from the front while I stood guard in back to prevent any rear end catastrophe…like falling into the ditch, taking out the water spigot or rolling into the lake.
I suspect other campers were making bets as to whether we’d become impossibly stuck.
The Harvest Hosts program offers a unique system of “free” boondocking sites in a variety of public places and some private homes. Most allow just one night, but extra nights can be arranged for some properties. We’ve enjoyed stays at several wineries, a brewery and a distillery. It’s is customary to show your appreciation by purchasing something your host sells.
Leaving Arkansas we set our sights on St. Luke Lutheran Church east of Memphis, Tennessee, a Harvest Hosts provider offering their large parking lot for up to five lucky boondockers. Two other campers joined us that night. We all had plenty of nice, level space sheltered from traffic noise. We made a donation to the church on our way out.
Sunday we will be in Virginia. We have a list of communities we want to spend time in. Our years in Ashland, Oregon set a high bar for us, so we have much to consider before settling down someplace new. We’ve joked about needing a spreadsheet as our list has grown.
Our trailer will go into storage, allowing us more flexibility to move around. There are few campgrounds available with easy access to the areas we plan to explore. Now the real fun begins.
carryoncouple 
Leave a comment