2021 - 2022 Trip To The Southwest, Day 151

 Sunday , March 20, Toad Suck COE Campground, Conway, AR - 100.5 Miles, 6,221.4 Miles for the Trip

Not as cold as yesterday morning, although since I was moving, I didn't do my before breakfast walk. I only had 100 miles to drive today, so I hung around the trailer until almost 11:00. I took US 64 for most of the trip rather than I40, which runs parallel to it. 

I set up in site D8, a water & electric site with a picnic table, fire ring & grill for $8.00 per night with the Senior 1/2 price card in what used to be the first come section; now the entire campground is reservable. A fairly level site (1/2" on one side and 1 1/2" on the tongue. 

Site D8, Toad Suck COE Campground

After setting up I headed to Best Buy for a portable USB drive. I decided to try a SSD for my Time Machine Backup & bought a 2 TB version from Western Digital. I also decided to do alternate drives for backup, so I also picked up a 2TB standard disk drive. The solid state drive isn't all that much faster - 1.5 hours to back up around a terabyte of data vs 4 hours predicted for the magnetic disk drive.

After that it was off to the Coin Laundromat. It appears there are 3 of them in Conway, and my notes from last time I was here said it was clean with lots of machines. The lots of machines holds true for the one I stopped at, but clean didn't. Lots of trash on the floor. Since it was a Sunday, there was no attendant - that may have been the problem. In any case, my laundry is done. 

On the way back to the campground I stopped at Krogers to get a Private Selection Thin Crust Grilled Mushroom & Truffle Oil Pizza. I had one the last time I was here and it was the best frozen pizza I've ever had. Unfortunately, non of the Krogers in Conway carry them. They also didn't have the Kroger brand Private Select Sumatra coffee. I didn't see any of the Kroger Private Select brand of anything in the store. I wonder if they have done away with them. I picked up the rest of the stuff on my shopping list, including a rising crust chicken pizza which was OK, but not as good as the one I was looking for.

By the time I got back to the campground it was time to put the laundry away & eat.

Dinner was a Kroger Self Rising White Chicken Pizza.

Until Tomorrow - 

2021 - 2022 Trip To The Southwest, Day 150

 Saturday , March 19, Aux Arc Park, COE, Ozark, AR, Day 2

It was 38°F when I went for my walk at 8:30AM. I exaggerated the length of the park yesterday - it is only .66 miles , not a mile to the bathroom near the entrance to the park. Still, the morning walk from end to end & back to the trailer was 1.36 miles. 

After breakfast I read forums & journals on the laptop for a bit, then headed to Walmart to pick up some batteries for my TireMinder - 2 of them were showing low battery indications. They take a CR1632, which, unfortunately, Walmart didn't have. The Ozark Walmart is not a Super Walmart, and has limited stock. They did have a 4TB USB drive, and since my Time Machine back up drive seems to have bitten the dust, I needed a replacement. They had one, but when I got back to the trailer to format it, it wouldn't. Back to Walmart, and, since it was the only one in stock, no replacement. At least I got my money back.

Back at the trailer I sat outside and read for most of the afternoon and had a nice chat with my neighbor. It is up to 65°F at 2:30. 

Dinner was an evol Butternut Squash & Sage Ravioli Bowl.

Until Tomorrow - 

2021 - 2022 Trip To The Southwest, Day 149

 Friday , March 18, Aux Arc Park, COE, Ozark, AR - 291.3 Miles, 6,120.9 Miles for the Trip

Site B3

After dinner last night I sat outside enjoying the 71°F cloudy evening. Then we got rain, light to heavy, thunder & lightning, even some hail, but no damaging wind. For a short time large hail that sounded like rocks bouncing off the trailer, but no apparent damage.

I got an early start (for me) and pulled out of the park at 9:00. Most of the trip was on US 70 & US 69, both mostly 4 lane roads with 70MPH speed limits, slowing down when they went through towns, and 60MPH on the 2 lane sections. There were passing sections on much of the 2 lane parts of US 70. I had a guy in front of me that suffered from narrow lane itis (I'm fairly sure I invented the term). He would slow down well below the speed limit in all the two lane sections, then speed up above it when ever a passing lane appeared. The last hour or so was on I 40. Very heavy traffic going west, but not too bad on my side of the road. Cold. It was 46°F when I packed up the trailer and it never got any warmer the entire trip. Mist and light drizzle most of the drive.

I'm in B3, a back in site on the River/Lake (it is the Arkansas river but this section is called Ozark Lake above the dam & Lake Dardanelle below it). The campground is above the dam. Water & electric on pavement with a gravel tent pad, picnic table, fire ring & a small table for a grill. $9.00 per night with the Senior 1/2 price Pass. The 30 amp receptacle is falling apart, but works. 

I walked to the bathroom building at this end of the string of campsites (there is another one about a mile towards the entrance). Individual rooms, but designated men & women, each with a sink, toilet & shower. They are heated.

As I mentioned, it is still only 46°F outside. With the heavy clouds, it feels even colder. Not a good afternoon to sit outside. My weather app says it will be 69°F tomorrow & sunny, but I'm suspicious - it said it was going to hit 59°F here today. 

Dinner was a Turkey pot pie.

Until Tomorrow - 

2021 - 2022 Trip To The Southwest, Day 148

 Thursday, March 17, Lake Murray State Park, Buzzards Roost Campground, Ardmore, OK, Day 3

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Another quiet morning with a 56°F temperature at 7:00AM. After my morning walk I read forums & journals on the laptop, then moved outside to read on the Kindle. A couple of trailers left, almost immediately followed by a couple new ones moving in. The campground is almost full.

Very windy with scattered clouds all afternoon. Every time I got up from my chair it blew over. Around 2:45 I headed for the showers. Individual rooms, with a fairly large shower & drying area. A soap dish in the shower, no bench or table in the drying area. 2 hooks in the drying area. There is a shower curtain and the showerhead is perpendicular to the curtain. High volume, standard pressure with a non adjustable push button - 45 second run of lukewarm water. No lip between the shower & the drying area, but enough slope and drainage that the drying area (at least the half towards the door) stays dry. Overall, a B. All it really needs is a bench so you don't need to put your shaving bag on the floor, and another 10°F of water temperature.

I went to the restaurant for an early dinner. I ordered the catfish and it was excellent. Overall, I recommend the place. I believe from their descriptions on line they are a chain. This one is called Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchen. Fast service, a couple of apple fritters as a free appetizer, and a large filled to go sweet tea that I didn't ask for was delivered with my check. They even got the bill correct this time. 

Until Tomorrow - 

2021 - 2022 Trip To The Southwest, Day 147

 Wednesday, March 16, Lake Murray State Park, Buzzards Roost Campground, Ardmore, OK, Day 2

A quiet night and morning, in fact, the entire day. I made a walk around the campground before breakfast including going down to the lake at the marina & boat launch. More tent sites on the point.

After breakfast I sat outside and read. Current book is Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon. Definitely a throwback to the 60's. Other than a few breaks to take short walks just to get out of the chair, I spent the afternoon with the chair parked in the shade. 81°F at 5:30.

Dinner was the last of my turkey Bubba burgers (at least until I find more) and a salad.

Until Tomorrow -