Freeze Warnings in Branson

And why did I retire to Florida!  So I wouldn't have to freeze ever again.  And not only are there freeze warnings in the forecast for here in Branson but I'm living in a tin (well actually a fiberglass) can.  But hey - there are 35 others just as crazy as me and we're all single so no one to cozy up to.

But we're having a good time despite.  

So, first let me back up since my connection seems to be better at this Ozark campground just outside Branson.

Last night, as predicted, the smoke detector started chirping again but I fooled it because I hadn't gone to bed yet since I'd gained an hour.  Ha, ha, it thought it was going to wake me up like all my ones at home do.  You know it's like why does your tooth break or your kid get an ear ache on a weekend?  Why do smoke detector batteries always go bad in the middle of the night - always.  I leave that for you to contemplate.  Oh, and I had to get the manual out to find where the bloody thing was.

Where else but in Alabama are you likely to find:  a Coon Dog Cemetery or a National Bird Dog Museum or towns with names like Arkadelphia or Muscle Shoal or a church called "Fellowship of Encouragement"?  But I do like to wrap my tongue around the town name of Iuka.

OK, back to today.

I was traveling just as fine as could be with about 2 other "cars" and 82 trucks when there appeared a flashing sign "Severe Congestion ahead.  Consider alternate route".  So I pulled off to consider that and Rhoda was game but Gertie had other ideas - like "make a U turn", repeated every mile for about 15 miles until she got the idea that I wasn't going to do that so she got her maps out and found another way to go - right under the largest flock of geese I've ever seen.  They just kept coming and coming right over Rhoda's clean roof.  Thank goodness we got a hard rain later in the afternoon.

I have that book "Off the Beaten Path" but I don't think this alternate route would be found in that book. 

I did find out though that they grow a lot of rice in this very, very flat part of Arkansas.  In fact there was a Riceland factory I passed - that's what gave it away.

I wondered if back in the ole, ole, ole, ole days all of the earth was this flat before she opened up and spewed out all the indigestible rocks and boulders to form our magnificent landscape.

And speaking of magnificent landscape - the northern part of AR is so unlike the central part.  I guess it's referred to as the Ozarks but I'm not sure I'd call them mountains but they're much more than hills.  Beautiful vistas and the trees were still quite colorful.  I'd say this area rivals the Blue Ridge Highway for sure.  And, BTW, for those of you who followed my blog this summer - I DID use tow load while driving through this area:)

Potluck dinner tonight with everyone and plans in the works for a special lunch tomorrow which I'll tell you more about tomorrow and then maybe a show tomorrow night.

Heading to Branson

     Heading to Branson, MO to meet up with about 37 other "solo-trekkers".  We are calling our gathering "Meet in the Middle" because solos are coming from all corners of the US to meet in the middle of the US.
     There'll be lots of chit-chat, eating, sharing, shows, and wanderings.
     The gathering begins Thurs. afternoon and I'll leave on Monday to go to Eureka Springs, AR with a few other "solos" to explore this "Swiss Alps of the Ozarks" - a Victorian town with lots of Painted Ladies, shops, mountains, forests and supposedly one of the most architecturally beautiful churches in N. America, set in the woods.
     On my way home I'm hoping to swing by Florence, AL to see a Frank Lloyd Wright house - the only one in AL

So, I got an earlier than expected start today which was a good thing:

• before I got to Orlando there was an accident so had to detour out of my way to stop at Lorraine's to get some of Buzz's famous pasta fazool, Lorraine's famous banana bread and to help her get rid of some over-done (for them, not me) chocolate chip cookies - dinner tonight!!

YUM!!

• "check engine" light came on while on the detour so after hugging Antonia & getting my goodies, I had to go to the Roadtrek dealer:  Leisure Time RV in Winter Park to see what was going on.  The NICEST young tech gave me a lesson in filling my gas tank, turned off the light and we're hoping that's the issue.  So an hour later I'm on the road again.
• and you know how annoying it is when your smoke detector's battery dies and it starts chirping?  Well, try that in a vehicle driving down a highway & there's nothing you can do about it until you stop.  I got a new battery from Lorraine but was going to wait until I got to Leisure Time to put it in but of course it then didn't chirp anymore - probably in the middle of the night tonight.
• So, that's my 3 strikes for today and that better be the end of it.

I'm at Deer Run RV Park tonight in Troy, AL after passing Malone, FL when I got off I-10 to get on Rt. 231.  Only stopped 3 quick times - gas (cheapest it's been since last presidential election) at Loves which I loved, loved, loved because they had long-handled windshield cleaners so I could actually get all the way to Rhoda's middle, then once for lunch and once for you know what.  Gained an hour - Central Time (the hour I lost at Leisure Time) so was able to get to my planned-to-stop-at place.

BTW - if you need a typewriter repaired, there's a shop in Cottondale, FL that can do that for you.  Can't miss the little town - right in the middle of many cotton fields.

BTW - what do you think they do at a "Bull Testing" place?