Travel Day - No Harm. No Foul. No Carnage.

 

Parking at the hotel next door last night (Delta Ridge RV Park – see yesterday’s post) could only be described as organized chaos.  Glad our site was down a ways from this.

Serenity at our site

Maggie wasn’t bothered

We made a nice start around 10:15 this morning, headed east on I-40.  I tell ya what. 

I-40 East is a freakin’ nightmare into Memphis.  The state of the road (if one can really call it that) is deplorable.  After uttering about 30 minutes of #$)_#$& and ^%)!, I put us over into the left lane for a while, following the lead of the “big dogs.”  Visions of cabinets popping open, items jumping out of cabinets, rivets popping loose on the frame, etc. danced through my head.

I had backed off from our usual 65 MPH and was going slower just because of all the rough spots.  Right outside Memphis during one of my mirror scans (sides and rearview), I noticed the sewer hose bag flapping in the truck.  “Hmmm.  That’s different.  Dave had stowed it in a big ice chest we use as storage now.” were my thoughts.

“We’ve got a bag flapping,” I remarked (I thought, rather matter-of-factly).  Dave turned around to look and . . .

Yoinks!  One half of the ice chest top was raised and about to disengage itself from the box.  Hazard lights on.  Passed a sheriff parked on the shoulder and eased the rig over onto the shoulder a bit in front of the sheriff’s vehicle.  Figured if an emergent situation developed, there was an LEO nearby.  With traffic whizzing by us, Dave climbed into the bed of the truck and secured the bag and ice chest with bungee cords.  After doing so, he made it safely back into the truck.

No harm, no foul, no carnage.  We weren’t injured.  Our rig wasn’t damaged.  Our stuff didn’t fly off/out and kill someone.  Freakin’ road popped open our ice chest.

Have I mentioned that I-40 is mostly traveled by 18-wheelers?  More of those than personal vehicles.  Lots and lots of 18-wheelers.  I’m sure in the last two days we have seen thousands if you count the ones in both the oncoming lanes and the ones we passed or who passed us on the eastbound side.

So, after that wee bit of excitement, next up was . . . road construction!  This was on the outskirts of Memphis and through it.

Never was so happy to see the turnoff for I-55 South, cruising on into Mississippi and gliding into the Welcome Center/Rest Area.

Dave headed back to the rig after scoring coffee in the Welcome Center

 

The rest of today’s trip was uneventful and relaxing.  The quality of I-55 South is good and it was a pretty drive.  We stopped once for fuel today and ended our travel at Frog Hollow Campground in Grenada, MS. 

Once again, I can see the interstate through trees and foliage; however, the park is quiet despite the easy off/easy on access this park provides to the highway.

Office floor entrance

Ladies restrooms and showers.  The men’s is blue and not so frilly.

Dave chillin’

Awesome rec room!  Jigsaw puzzles adorn the walls and ceilings, the first ones being mounted in 2008.  Very well-equipped for any craft you might want to explore.  There’s a kitchen area in the rear of this photo.

Pretty cool and just stinkin’ cute! In between the jigsaw puzzles are signatures and messages from guests written on the walls.

Notes about this place:

• Sites are spacious, fairly level and gravel with concrete patio and picnic table.
• WiFi free and works (so far).
• No cable TV, but can pick up a few stations with our batwing antenna.
• Clean and mowed.
• Utilities are good.
• On-site owner/manager Larry is friendly and escorts to site.
• Price is under $30. 
• Restrooms and showers, but no laundry.
• Awesome rec room.
• East access to I-55.
• Propane sold on site.
• Not sure where stores are in area, but don’t need them for an overnight.
• We would definitely return.

Site #36

View towards back of campground from our site

There is a nice breeze and, although one could say it is hot out, it is not a debilitating heat.  That will come in South Carolina, so I’m enjoying a Summer feeling so far.

Today’s leg was only 138 miles.  I really like our short days, as we arrive at our destination with plenty of time to set up, relax, get something to eat and then rest up for the next day.  Tomorrow will be a bit over 200 miles, but we’ll be staying for several days in Marion, MS.

I’m grateful for a  safe journey today!

Thanks for stopping by!