Spring is in the Air

Old  Cave Entrance

Ahhh!! Kentucky in the spring!  Gentle rolling hills filled with bright greens and flowering trees.  We stayed at a small RV park on the outskirts of Cave City near Mammoth Caves National Park.  This time of year the area was quiet but based on the number of attractions geared towards kids, I suspect the area is busy in the summer.  Jack and I both were here with our parents when we were young so it was fun remembering the area.  We did one of the cave tours one day and just enjoyed the area the next few days taking a few drives just to see what was around.   The weather took a turn for the nasty and we decided to stay put for a few extra days.  It was a quiet and relaxing week.  It has been long time since I saw a proper spring and I enjoyed it very much.   But alas it was time for us to get moving, home was waiting.

Green River crossing 

We did two nights hitched up at Tom Sawyer RV park near Memphis. Only park I have ever seen that offers free washers and dryers.  So I spent a few hours washing clothes and not doing much of anything else except watching the mighty Mississippi.  She was a high and swift this time around,  flood warnings were being issued for later in the week.  (See my earlier post for more about the Memphis area).
   

The next day we stopped just over the eastern Oklahoma border near Checotah.   There is nice KOA even if it is right off I40 exit ramp.  It has a nice nature trail and borders Lake Eufaula.  We have stayed in this area before it makes a good stopping point for us.  We usually just do an overnighter here but decided to stay for two.  I have always been curious about the area so the one day we checked out the town and nearby state park which is on Lake Eufaula.  Lake Eufaula is larger than you might think from only seeing it from I40.  The weather was lousy but the state park is nice and quite large. There are two campgrounds one with full hookups (side by side) and the other with water and electric.  The one with just water and electric is the better of the two with sites being more spaced out and no side by side hookups.  We just might stay at the park next time if we have extra time.

One of the mornings we got a very earlier wake call from our ADT house alarm service!  We told them we were out of town and to send the police to check it out.  Our neighbor met the officers with our house key, they checked over the house and all was well.  Whew! Guess it was false alarm but not sure why it was triggered.

The Big Texan

We left on Tuesday morning with our goal being to make it to Amarillo for the night.  Again, it makes for good stopping point for us.  The Amarillo area is very flat and each time we come here I swear it is even drier and windier than the last time.   We usually stay on the east side at the KOA.  The park is okay but not the prettiest part of town.   We did not unhitch so we called up the BigTexan  (anyone who has ever driven this stretch of I40 knows what I'm talking about).  They offer a free Cadillac limo service, we rode in pure tackiness.  I did not attempt the 72 ounce steak this time but there was one brave soul attempting it while we were dining   The steaks are good and the atmosphere is totally a cliché but a hootin and hollerin good time.

We left Amarillo Wednesday excited and sad at the same time to be on our last leg of the adventure this time around.  The landscape turned familiar. It was good to see it again after being gone for so long.  Wait Wait Wait for it - AhhhaaaChoo! Yup, the allergies are back too!   We stopped in Santa Rosa for lunch at Joseph’s (our tradition when we are on this stretch of I40).  Oh man it was so yummy to eat real New Mexican chile again!    Why is it that last 100 miles is always the longest?  We pulled up our driveway and yup the homestead was still safe and sound and with all our belongings intact!  Adios amigos till next time!