The first trip of the camping season always includes a few extra glitches. This year had the added speed bump of having Agatha parked 50 miles away at my son Andy's, instead of fifty feet from my back door as it was at my house in West Liberty. I then had the luxury of running things out and putting them away as I thought of them, stocking staples as I bought them, etc. This year, I made three trips to get the old girl ready. The first was to make up the beds and restock the towels, etc. The second was a cleaning trip and the third to finish up odds and ends.
If I am going somewhere north or west of the Quad Cities, I bring the camper first to my apartment complex and load it there. However, my shake down cruise was to Oakland Mills near Mt. Pleasant, southeast from Kewanee. So it would have taken a lot of extra time and gas to detour to the QC. Yesterday morning, I loaded my car with food, clothes, computer, a couple of games, and a few odds and ends that I had forgotten on earlier trips and left home about 9. Once in Kewanee, I filled the refrigerator and freezer, and put away the rest of the stuff. By shortly after noon, I was on my way for what is supposed to be a two hour drive to Mt. Pleasant, all the way on highway 34.
A few miles out of town, Agatha got a bee in her bonnet, er, windshield. The buzzing bother kept trying to whisper driving advice in my ear, so I pulled off into a parking lot to find the swatter.
I won the skirmish, and headed down the road. The next chore was to gas up the beast. I needed to find a Casey's to use my HyVee discount so I wouldn't have to stop at a bank for a loan. I also hoped to buy firewood. Andy told me where there was one in Galva. I thought I missed it and found another large lot where I could turn around. I hadn't missed it. Turn around again and drive further. Another wasted fifteen minutes. Got gas but no wood.
We bounced long okay--literally--for about an hour until we reached road work. It is almost summer in the Midwest, after all. I believe they placed the cement K-rails for the one-lane stretches, of which there were four, based on the measurement of Agatha's width plus five inches.
We finally crossed the Mississippi, encountered more road work, found wood and ice, and made it to Oakland Mills a little after 3:00. My friend Joanie met me there and the campground hosts for the week are my sister-in-law Harriet and her husband Ken. The forecasted severe storms for Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon didn't materialize but the warm temperatures did. So we spent a great deal of time in the shade and breezes solving the world's problems.
If I am going somewhere north or west of the Quad Cities, I bring the camper first to my apartment complex and load it there. However, my shake down cruise was to Oakland Mills near Mt. Pleasant, southeast from Kewanee. So it would have taken a lot of extra time and gas to detour to the QC. Yesterday morning, I loaded my car with food, clothes, computer, a couple of games, and a few odds and ends that I had forgotten on earlier trips and left home about 9. Once in Kewanee, I filled the refrigerator and freezer, and put away the rest of the stuff. By shortly after noon, I was on my way for what is supposed to be a two hour drive to Mt. Pleasant, all the way on highway 34.
A few miles out of town, Agatha got a bee in her bonnet, er, windshield. The buzzing bother kept trying to whisper driving advice in my ear, so I pulled off into a parking lot to find the swatter.
I won the skirmish, and headed down the road. The next chore was to gas up the beast. I needed to find a Casey's to use my HyVee discount so I wouldn't have to stop at a bank for a loan. I also hoped to buy firewood. Andy told me where there was one in Galva. I thought I missed it and found another large lot where I could turn around. I hadn't missed it. Turn around again and drive further. Another wasted fifteen minutes. Got gas but no wood.
We bounced long okay--literally--for about an hour until we reached road work. It is almost summer in the Midwest, after all. I believe they placed the cement K-rails for the one-lane stretches, of which there were four, based on the measurement of Agatha's width plus five inches.
We finally crossed the Mississippi, encountered more road work, found wood and ice, and made it to Oakland Mills a little after 3:00. My friend Joanie met me there and the campground hosts for the week are my sister-in-law Harriet and her husband Ken. The forecasted severe storms for Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon didn't materialize but the warm temperatures did. So we spent a great deal of time in the shade and breezes solving the world's problems.
Per usual, we did not starve. Wednesday night we enjoyed foil packets of salmon and asparagus, plus pasta salad and Joanie's fruit pizza. Thursday, Ken smoked chicken breasts with sweet potatoes and broccoli, and we managed to polish off the pizza. Tomorrow, back to the Y to work some of that off.
Next week I have reservations for Johnson-Sauk seven miles north of Kewanee. An easy drive, unless there's road work and I have to detour through Peoria. My youngest grandson, Elliot, will be home on leave from the Air Force, along with his new bride Bethany, so I am really looking forward to it.
Next week I have reservations for Johnson-Sauk seven miles north of Kewanee. An easy drive, unless there's road work and I have to detour through Peoria. My youngest grandson, Elliot, will be home on leave from the Air Force, along with his new bride Bethany, so I am really looking forward to it.
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