Planning for this trip started several weeks prior to the departure date and planning can take several days to make arrangements for places to stay, pack the trailer for us and the two dogs that travel with us. But planning can also be very interesting and thank goodness for the internet and Google.
We live in East Tennessee near the mountains but have relatives just about all over not to mention friends that are almost like relatives. So for this trip we were going to include spending a few days near New Orleans where I use to live and visit my Mom that is in a nursing home there, my sister-in-law and my eldest son and his girlfriend. Then maybe a day trip over to Baton Rouge to check on my mother-in-law and some of her painting friends. My niece lives there also and is overseeing care of my mother-in-law. I know, TMI but then that’s part of the trip.
Until I can get a screen save or screen shot, here’s the route we took. It starts and ends at our home in TN.
Day 1 - So on July 8, 2022 at about 8:00 a.m., we pulled out on the first day of our trip and spent the night in the parking lot of Shady Oak Baptist Church just North of Collins, MS on US 84. Boon docked that night running the generator to keep us comfy and with the essentials of home living for the night. We stopped around 5:00 p.m. Gave the minister $20 to park there. Miles for the day, 497 miles.
Day 2 - July 9, we pulled out of the church parking lot and continued on US 84 and stopped at a convenience store to refill our propane tanks and while there at breakfast, country style. Sort of a truck stop, convenience store, antique shop all rolled into one establishment. Very good breakfast and economical too. Back into the truck and off we went to my Dad’s only living brother that lived just below Arm, MS. We spent Saturday afternoon with him and his sitter, spent the night running the generator again. Miles for the day was 45.
Day 3 - July 10 we left after saying Good Bye around 8:30 a.m. It was good to see him and timely as he was hospitalized a day later and died before the end of the week.
We headed from my Uncle’s house to his only living sister who is like a second mother to me for a visit before heading on down toward New Orleans. We spent about 5 hours with my Aunt who is 98 years old. We arrived in Westwego during peak traffic hours and pulled into Bayou Segnette State Park where we normally stay when going to see my Mom, Nell, and my Mother-in-law, Dorothy Guell.
My Mom, 99 Mother-in-Law, 100
It is actually a park built in a swamp so you have the opportunity to see abundant wildlife including numerous species of birds, armadillos, alligators, turtles and when raining, hear a variety of frog calls. We had reservations here so it was an easy entrance to the spot we knew was ours for the stay. After unhooking the trailer and connecting it to their facilities it was time for a cup of coffee. We stayed here 3 days visiting Mom and checking on my mother-in-law in Denham Springs, LA. Miles for today was 152.
Bayou Segnette Park N. O. Marina A Yacht at the Marina
Day 8 - July 15 we pulled out of Bayou Segnette State Park in Westwego and headed for Tampa, FL to visit some longtime friends. We stopped off at Campers World in Biloxi, MS for a minor camper repair and then on to a Cracker Barrel Restaurant parking lot near Lake City, FL and boon docked again. Mama didn’t feel like cooking tonight so it was treat time. Miles today, 500.
Scenes along US Hwy 90, Gulf Coast drive in Mississippi.
Day 9 - July 16- We pulled out of Cracker Barrel and headed for our reservation spot near my friend in Tampa. We stayed in Bay Bayou RV Resort for 4 nights. It is a great place to stay and a very friendly staff. Our friends picked us up that evening to go eat at a local restaurant and had a wonderful time and meal. Real friends last forever as Bob and I met in 1968 and have stayed in touch and visited ever since. Our miles today was 178.
Bay Bayou RV Resort Beautiful Sunset at Tampa
Columbian Restaurant Ybor City Linda, Wendy, Me & Bob at OCC
Good food and lots of memorabilia. Orange County Choppers Grille in Tampa
Day 12, July 20 - we leave Bay Bayou RV Resort, our friends and Tampa for a trip down and across the Everglades to the end of the road, Key West, FL. We stayed at the El Mar RV Resort for two nights. Clean, difficult to get into as you had to back into the park from the street, nice concrete pad with the rear of the trailer near the water’s edge. I’ve always wanted to go to Key West to say that I had been to the fartherest point on the East Coast. Also wanted to see Ernest Hemmingway’s house of cats and to eat some Conch Chowder. Well, been there and done that. Conch Chowder was good, house was unique and I’ve been to the end of the road. Miles driven, 383.
Sunset at Key West Wendy on Duval St. End of the Road
Hemmingways House, Garden, and one of the many trees there.
Lighthouse as seen from Hemmingway House, my breakfast buddy and the RV Park at Key West.
Day 14, July 22 - We pulled out of Key West early in the morning and headed for our next destination, St. Augustine, FL, the oldest city in what is now the United States. Founded by the Spanish, it has some beautiful old homes and lots of charm. We parked our rig at Sun Outdoors, a RV park. Seems it is a national chain. I had never heard of it before we stayed there. We took the tram to see the city.
You will learn quickly that one family, Flagler. They owned about half of the city and even have a University carrying their name. The city is rather intriguing because of its history and charm. Mileage from Key West to St. Augustine was 447.
Day 16, July 24 - We pulled out of St. Augustine this morning heading a short distance for Savannah, GA. We parked at the Red Gate Campground and RV Resort. Lots of things to do but some will cost. Mileage today was 177 miles.
As in most cities and places there’s a lot to see and places to go. We enjoyed Savannah mostly late in the afternoon and early evening when it was cooler. The carriage ride was very interesting with a horse that knew where he was going and also knew the traffic signals. The young lady handling the reins spent most of her time looking back at the passengers. Very knowledgeable about the city, she was, but can’t take away anything from the horse either.
Day 18, July 26 - We left Savannah behind today to travel Northward to another charming Southern city, Charleston, SC. While in Charleston we parked at James Island County Park and Campground. A very nice place, very large with lots to do. Day use areas for locals and a quiet campground for travelers. Very friendly staff. Campground is about a mile off the main highway. Unfortunately I lost my pics of Charleston through a computer update glitch and have only one picture to show for the stay there. We traveled around the city, did quite a bit of walking and enjoyed the sites and sounds.
Short mileage for this trip, just 112 miiles.
In all of my travels I have had very few mishaps other than the occasional flat tire. However, this time we were not so fortunate.
Day 20, July 28 - Hooked up and pulled out of camping site around 8:00 a.m. heading for home and the end of this trip. Just before we got to the main highway a lady flagged us down saying we had smoke coming from the right rear tires. So I pulled over and sure enough, we had smoke coming from the tires. Also there was a black tire skid mark behind us. A closer examination found us with a broken leaf spring on the right rear axle of the trailer and the tires were rubbing together causing them to heat up and smoke. Just what you wanted to find on your last day of travel.
So we pulled up until we could get the trailer partway out of the lane of traffic and sat for 40 minutes until the businesses opened. First call was to Camping World of Charleston as we had CW’s extended warranty plan. They couldn’t even talk about scheduling us until Friday morning. This was Wednesday morning. Great. Thanks for your assistance. Then I find out they didn’t have the parts anyway.
So next I called several other facilities that had mobile services and only one returned my call about an hour later. DJs Mobile RV Service told me he couldn’t get to me until Thursday afternoon and would call me when he started on his way. By that time a Park employee saw us and came by to see what the problem was. I told her and she placed some traffic cones to redirect the traffic and went to see her supervisor. Supervisor showed up and I asked if there was a place close by that we could park until the repair service came. We were directed to a vehicle parking space about a quarter of a mile back. So we made a U-turn and headed back, making a skid mark all the way.
It caused them some concern as we were parked in a place that was suppose to have some filming done on Friday and a kids decathlon Saturday. I told here I hoped to be out of there by Friday.
Thursday about 12:30 p.m. DJs called and said he was on his way. He arrived 2 hours later and with his helper immediately started taking care of business. They got under the trailer, did some measuring and made several phone calls to suppliers and luckily one of them had the spring. They pulled my spring off, took it with them and came back two hours later with a new spring. At 5:00 p.m. we pulled out of the campground heading toward home with $663 dollars attached to our credit card. He emailed us the copies of the receipts the next day. Great work and greatly appreciated. We stopped for the night in Newberry, SC, at a Walmart, mileage was 153.
Our view while at James Island waiting for the spring repair.
Day 21, July 29 - Left our Walmart overnight parking and continued onward, a mite slower because of the tires, to the house. No mishaps, easy driving and love I-40 across the mountains of NC and TN. Mileage today, 216.
A few days later the trailer went to the shop for some hydraulic repairs and when it’s out it will get 4 new tires. Then it will be time to plan the next trip to some place some where. Love those round wheels.
Total trip mileage was 3,663 for the truck and 2859 for the trailer. Not bad for three weeks and a lot to see. This trip was a bit unique as the main three real southern cities are New Orleans, Savannah and Charleston and we were in all three on this trip. Planned that way and it worked out. I will say that the generator came in really handy on this trip for the time we spent parked awaiting the spring repair was in the sun with no hook-ups. We would have been looking for a cabin or motel as the temps were 100 degrees in the sun.
Where to next? No one knows as we head in one direction and often change to another. But they are all interesting and educational. To you and yours, happy travels and do it safely.
