Dora, our fifth wheel, was waiting for parts in the repair shop for over two months. While on our trip home from California, we hit some huge potholes in Texas, which probably caused the damage. A broken leaf spring and damage to one of the slideouts were the results, and we were temporarily grounded.
Good things come to those who wait, and our patience was rewarded when we received a call last week that the repairs were finished and Dora was ready to hit the road again. Helen and I decided to release some pent-up frustration and take a short trip to our favorite campground in Cherokee, NC. Helen called Happy Holiday Campground to see if our favorite campsite was available. It wasn’t, so we reserved the one next to it, a spot on the creek and almost as good.
The weather forecast wasn’t ideal, but we figured we could handle anything for three days, so we loaded up a few food items, Helen’s puzzle, my camera, Mortimer, our English Bulldog, and drove east. We managed to stay ahead of the rain all the way to the campground…then the sky opened up. I had to put my truck into four-wheel drive to back into the campsite—a first.
We decided to visit Cherokee Casino for Happy Hour in the late afternoon with no letup in the rain. The Casino is operated by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation to benefit tribal members. The Casino is enormous and is as nice as any casino we have visited in Las Vegas or elsewhere. Casino gambling is not for everyone, but we consider it fun entertainment and budget about the same amount of money as we would for a nice dinner.
After Happy Hour, we returned to the campground to watch our Tennessee Baseball Vols play LSU in the College World Series and enjoy a hot dog for dinner. The hot dogs were a suitable substitute for an expensive dinner, but baseball could have been better. Oh well, we’ll get them tomorrow.
The following morning, Helen’s sister told us that Knoxville received over two inches of rain with more on the way. That news received little sympathy as we stared out our trailer door at a deluge. We added more time to our morning coffee break and canceled our plans to go hiking. Mortimer seemed pleased with that decision.
The heavy rain allowed us time to relax, read books, puzzle, and do some cleaning after Dora spent two months in the shop. We stretched this routine until Happy Hour at the casino late that afternoon, then drove through the rain back home for Helen’s Ham Tetrazzini dinner and more baseball. Dinner was terrific, but our Vols lost again, ending their World Series run. Nevertheless, they enjoyed a great season; we’re proud of them.
By day three, our reading, puzzling, and music listening had us pretty laid-back but a bit restless nonetheless. The rain showers had diminished to a light but very steady drizzle. I had to get out and stretch my legs with a walk around the campground. No one else was out at the time except for the ducks that populate Happy Holiday. A short distance from our trailer was a large pile of wood chips that remained from a fallen tree. I walked around it and spotted a Mama Duck sitting on her nest. She had burrowed herself into the pile to avoid the worst rain. Mama sat quietly and hardly gave me a second glance.
Further down the campground path, a lone Rhododendron stood proudly as the last one on the property. The blooming season is over, but the spring bloom was good if there were more like this one.
Soaked by now, I splashed my way back to the trailer where Mortimer was eager to show me his new trick—standing atop his crate instead of sleeping in it. I guess he was a little restless himself.
We had rain on our camping trip…but I can’t remember when I was more relaxed.
We’re Easin’ Along.
You took the time and what a gift to the see the duck. How lucky you are..some of us are barely getting by .
Hi, Kathryn,
We’re blessed! Thanks for stopping by!
Joe, the sourdough bread , as described in your last post, was superb. Thanks much for sharing . The “patient” has been gobbling it down along with the great other items Helen brought by. The Cook /Nurse has enjoyed some too. Keep up the good deeds and good work. Much appreciated . JC
Thanks for the nice comments. There’s more sourdough where that came from, and I’m happy to share. Wishing the patient a speedy recovery. Have a great week! Joe
Even in the rain, you folks seemed to have a good time. 5th Wheels seem to be the way to go. I have thought about getting a Class B when I retire so I can see some of the USA, but a 5th Wheel gives a lot more room and one can disengage the truck and take it on excursions. Thank you for posting.
Patrick,
We thought long and hard about a class B or C, but after renting a Class C from Cruise America, we decided we had rather have our own vehicle for exploring. Thanks for stopping by. Please come back! Joe
Sounds like a great few days.
They were great…wet, but great!
Sounds super relaxing!
Hi, Nancy,
I was so loose, you could have poured me in a jar. We had fun, and Mortimer had a three-day nap! Thanks for checking in. Have a great week! Joe
Hi Joe, we had the same intense rain here, and it was tough to find a break even to get out for a walk! So glad you have Dora back in the family and that you had a good time camping for the first time in two months. You didn’t mention winning at the casino, so maybe no one hit the jackpot this time around? 😂 I love the photos of Mortimer. He’s so darned cute!
Hello, Laurel,
Actually we did ok in the casino. Helen left a little bit ahead, and I was within a whisker of breaking even. We shrug it off as a reasonable price for entertainment. When y’all get settled in, I would love to meet up with you and Eric there sometime. They have a great Bluegrass Festival in our favorite campground in September. Thanks for stopping by. Please stay in touch. Mortimer sends Magnolia his best. Joe
Joe, Alan and I were camping at Fishermen’s Memorial State Park in Rhode Island last week, and decided to go out for pizza one night. One of the games against LSU was on in the bar, and I wondered if you were watching. So sorry for your loss. The Vols had a great run this year. Mortimer is a class act, that’s for sure. There aren’t many dogs who would decide that a rooftop deck was a necessity!
Good morning, Mary,
Yes, we were watching. The result of our games with LSU were painful, but we love our team and they had a good year. We hope to make it to Rhode Island next summer, so i am going to look up Fisherman’s Memorial as a possibility. Thanks for that! Mortimer was feeling a tad claustrophobic with all of the rain, so he tried out a few new tricks for us. He’s a real cut-up! Have a wonderful week! Joe
That sounds like an absolutely wonderful trip Joe and Helen.
Mortimer could not possibly be any more adorable!
Good morning, Donna,
Our trip was wet, but very relaxing. Anytime we can get away to our mountains is a blessing. Mortimer enjoyed splashing around in the mud puddles so, he had a good time as well! Thank for reaching out. Stay in touch! joe
Your RV is a wonderful restful place–that’s quite the slideout. Mortimer looks awfully happy. Bet you were happy to get into the mountains, rain or shine, Joe!
Good morning!
We love our fifth wheel and we are as comfortable there as we are in any home we ever owned. Mortimer likes it a lot, also. Hopefully, we’ll get a to spend a lot of time in it this fall. Thanks for checking in. Loved your flower post on Sunday. Take care. Joe