La Salle or de Soto?

      It was a pretty short turn around time at home (20 days), but we got everything done:

>Medical, dental, ophthalmologist, vet, banking appointments
>Lawn & garden ready for winter
>Raking 3 acres of leaves contracted out
>Tractor, tiller, Barb's car oil changed......stored, and batteries removed to a trickle charger
>Clothes, sporting gear, and DVDs swapped out
>More salmon delivered
>Mail forwarding paid
>House cleaned and winterized

>A million other little things
>Stocked RV freezers with OTR meals of Chicken Cornbread Casserole, Cudighi Wild Rice Casserole, German Chorizo Sausage Bean Soup, and Chicken ala King

       It is sometimes debated who discovered the southern route through our country from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, who was the first to explore the Mississippi River;  La Salle, de Soto, or even Marquette?  During our annual winter treks south we don't do much exploring, but simply getting to Missouri and then points south.  Our exploring is via GPS and on the 'devil interstate'.  No debate, just batteries.  The simplicity of our travels owes it's origins to the original explorers, even a  bit of Magellan.
      We did our usual overnight boondock at the Walmart in Pontiac, IL.  The gas and taxes in Illinois are OBSCENE.  We paid 50 cents per gallon less filling up across the Mississippi River in Herculaneum, MO at $2.65 for diesel.  Arriving in SE Missouri Barb planned on spending 3 weeks with her sisters and niece.  I set up camp in nearby Poplar Bluff, MO. I stayed at Camelot RV Park for the very reasonable monthly rate of $380.  Veteran owned, they have nice, level sites with full hook ups with cable (72 channels), laundry, showers, and propane.  Propane was a flat $25 per 30 pound tank.  A bit on the high side.  I always prefer prices based on per gallon usage.

Camelot RV Camp Poplar Bluff, MO

www.camelotrvcampground.com   A very nice park.  I didn't have much luck with their WiFi so I stuck with ours.  One unpleasant surprise was the discovery of a small hole on the passenger side of the RV right next to the heater input/output vent.  I ran both the heat and hot water systems to make sure everything was ok.  Mysteriously, it looks very much like a bullet hole, about 1", but there is no pass through either inside the RV or out the other side.  Brush and branches usually don't just penetrate at 90 degrees without much more damage.  For now.....duct tape.

      I don't usually visit much with Barb's family during these visits and besides we needed the time to ourselves.  Me and 5 women coexisting for 3 weeks?  Not happening peacefully.  Part of that retired life nobody tells you is coming.  But, my wife needs this break and I certainly understand.  

      I didn't exactly sit around:  rockhounding, coyote hunting, shooting, geocaching was my plan. Unfortunately there are no ranges to shoot around this part of SE Mizzou without driving 70+ miles and I couldn't find anyone willing to let me hunt varmints.   I picked up 13 geocaches while here including only the 2nd one of these I have ever found, a fake black rock with hidden chamber.  Found it in a church parking lot of all places.  I don't like the 'nanos' or 'micros' much as those folks seem to like hiding them as if they were the US nuclear launch codes.  

Geocaching fake rock

      I like to rock hound when I can.  It is pretty easy here as you just walk the country gravel roads.  All the gravel supplied comes from nearby Crowley Ridge, a long spur of alluvial agate beds that runs the eastern edge of Missouri.  Everything looks like Chert or Jasper on first glance, but you have to look for the banding hidden under the crust, sometimes very subtle.  They'll polish up nicely. 

Agates

Yeah, I got this

Isn't it supposed to be warmer down south?

      Meals during this stop were prepared according to the Bachelor Week Code of Standards, as in whatever the hell I wanted.  Hot dogs, seafood, BBQ, Cajun, and casseroles to name just a few.  

Chicago Dogs

Fried Razor Clams w/Cold Tomato Cuke Onion Salad

Calamari w/Baked Tater and Steamed Broccoli 

Alaskan Rockfish, Wild Rice, Sliced Tomatoes

Shrimp n Grits

Chorizo Chicken Corn Chowder

     Halfway thru week 2 the traditional fall temps left town and a huge cold front pushed south.  Temps dropped into the 30s for highs and night time lows ranged from 14 to 26.  Throw in some rain/snow and propane became my best friend.  Temps did finally rise about 3 days prior to departure.  I did put some Oxtails and Boudin in the freezer. 

     I took a day and made a trip upstate to visit with some good friends from our USAF days.  Nick and Martha Garuccio live in the hills of Missouri on 40 acres in a log home they built.  Beautiful place and great memories filled our day. 

Good friends and fellow USAF retirees, Nick and Martha Garuccio

    Barb is back in camp now.  In the end she had a good visit with family while the furbabies and I solved the world's problems (including some of my own) and watched a buttload of movies one Milk bone (or Whisker Lickings) at a time.  From here tomorrow we head west to NW Oklahoma for some overdue deer hunting.  Barb wants venison this year, not pig.  As long as I can hit the broad side of a barn...….

NOTE:  I do eat a lot of fish, pork, and chicken.  We both do.  We do stock some tasty beef and reindeer treats in the freezer for special occasions preferably around a campfire.  We use paper plates for the most part in our travels.  Easier to keep up with, store, and dispose of saving water.  We only use ceramic dishes when meals require knife work, such as steak, roast, etc.  

"Families are like fudge, mostly sweet with a few nuts"  

Harry Morgan

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