Cindy found our tongue battery missing this morning. The sheriff has been summoned.
Dammit.
Mark_
28 October 2013
21 October 2013
Missouri, and beyond.
We have seen old friends, camped in a beautiful state park, eaten catfish, looked around Mark Twain's boyhood home town, and ridden a little train whose cars were like commercial tumble dryers (up a leg of St. Louis's Gateway Arch; pix soon)--and now it's time to visit south Missouri.
I will have a look at the small farm where my maternal grandparents lived, and where I got my taste for the outdoors. My memory of the nighttime insect sounds is vivid and pleasant; we have enjoyed hearing sounds that we have not heard during the 29 years we have been living in the Northwest.
The place will be in serious disrepair, and I have no expectation of entering the house. Apparently all worth having was stolen long ago, anyway.
Even so, I intend to walk around outside.
After that, a natural spring or two in south Missouri, then on to Albuquerque.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, Babler SP, St. Louis, MO.
• Pictures: <https://picasaweb.google.com/socrates4718>
13 October 2013
Camping @ Knob Noster SP
The Longs and we have driven our trailers to Knob Noster (Latin: Our Hill[s]) State Park for a couple of nights among the trees. Nice park.
Sunday we took a nice walk through a forest of oak, hickory, and cottonwood. Some of these were pretty large. And the effect overall was quite beautiful. Things are beginning to look as if they might like to turn to fall colors, although not much progress has been made at present.
After our return, and just as our very late lunch (or slightly early dinner) was ready, were visited by old friends who had been our neighbors when we lived in Independence. We had camped together--they had had the first pop-up we had seen--and next weekend we will camp together again, near Hannibal, MO. While there we will look around Mark Twain country, and as we depart at the end of the weekend we may drive through St. Louis (MO Botanical Garden, Climatron, etc.).
We finished the day sitting around a campfire as the evening cooled. The majority of the other campers have departed, so except for the barred owl we hear, the place is pretty quiet.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, Knob Noster
SP, MO.
• Pictures: <https://picasaweb.google.com/socrates4718>
Sunday we took a nice walk through a forest of oak, hickory, and cottonwood. Some of these were pretty large. And the effect overall was quite beautiful. Things are beginning to look as if they might like to turn to fall colors, although not much progress has been made at present.
After our return, and just as our very late lunch (or slightly early dinner) was ready, were visited by old friends who had been our neighbors when we lived in Independence. We had camped together--they had had the first pop-up we had seen--and next weekend we will camp together again, near Hannibal, MO. While there we will look around Mark Twain country, and as we depart at the end of the weekend we may drive through St. Louis (MO Botanical Garden, Climatron, etc.).
We finished the day sitting around a campfire as the evening cooled. The majority of the other campers have departed, so except for the barred owl we hear, the place is pretty quiet.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, Knob Noster
SP, MO.
• Pictures: <https://picasaweb.google.com/socrates4718>
11 October 2013
Sights and Activities in Kansas City
Today we visited a quaint little retail complex where the foods were arrayed on and beside some interesting antiques, then we drove into Kansas City to walk around one of the U.S.'s first themed shopping districts, the Country Club Plaza. This area is near the biggest of the city's art museums, the University of Missouri, the Union Station, and other cultural features.
It contains a Starbucks, a Sur la Table, and an Eddie Bauer.
After reconnecting with old friends, we drove a couple of miles through town for some authentic barbecue from Arthur Bryant's. After that very late lunch we returned to pick up those friends and attend a Spanish Baroque music concert <http://bachariasoloists.com>. This was delightful.
Just as a major thunderstorm was arriving, we drove back to _Arcadia_ @ the Longs--arriving barely in time to close windows before the rain hit.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, the Longs', Lone Jack, MO.
It contains a Starbucks, a Sur la Table, and an Eddie Bauer.
After reconnecting with old friends, we drove a couple of miles through town for some authentic barbecue from Arthur Bryant's. After that very late lunch we returned to pick up those friends and attend a Spanish Baroque music concert <http://bachariasoloists.com>. This was delightful.
Just as a major thunderstorm was arriving, we drove back to _Arcadia_ @ the Longs--arriving barely in time to close windows before the rain hit.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, the Longs', Lone Jack, MO.
09 October 2013
Camping at Dick and Evalyn's
I had an excellent little shop install my rivets today: Abe Thompson RV of Grain Valley, MO. He knew exactly what was needed (although he was quite skeptical about the use of acorn nuts on the "other" end of pop-rivets). The cost was quite reasonable, he let help, and he was pleasant. One further, excellent, result is that I understand things better.
The trouble with my effort was that holes were not aligned so that I could push rivets into place. Because the coach and its furniture are flexible, when I parked in his lot loading was different, and holes lined up better.
All good now.
That stop along I-70 occurred as we drove to our next overnight stop: in the yard @ Dick & Evalyn's. Tomorrow evening Evalyn will host a party for Cindy and her former colleagues from the Blue Springs, Missouri, school district.
It will be big fun.
Weather has been beautiful: pleasantly warm, brilliantly sunny days; clear, cool nights.
We have been renewing our acquaintance with Midwestern plants, birds, and insects. Pix @ my Picasa. (That is the largest praying mantis I have ever seen. Wow.)
Camping with Dick & Evalyn this weekend.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, @ the Longs', Lone Jack, MO.
• Pictures: <https://picasaweb.google.com/socrates4718>
The trouble with my effort was that holes were not aligned so that I could push rivets into place. Because the coach and its furniture are flexible, when I parked in his lot loading was different, and holes lined up better.
All good now.
That stop along I-70 occurred as we drove to our next overnight stop: in the yard @ Dick & Evalyn's. Tomorrow evening Evalyn will host a party for Cindy and her former colleagues from the Blue Springs, Missouri, school district.
It will be big fun.
Weather has been beautiful: pleasantly warm, brilliantly sunny days; clear, cool nights.
We have been renewing our acquaintance with Midwestern plants, birds, and insects. Pix @ my Picasa. (That is the largest praying mantis I have ever seen. Wow.)
Camping with Dick & Evalyn this weekend.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, @ the Longs', Lone Jack, MO.
• Pictures: <https://picasaweb.google.com/socrates4718>
08 October 2013
Leisurely Day in Camp
This was a leisurely day in camp; we had taken a late-night walk to the marina last night, so we slept in this morning until quote late.
I spent the day working on the issue of some broken rivets @ _Arcadia_'s galley. ("It's not a bug; it's a _feature_!"). In the end, I failed; Casita will pay for a shop to install replacements.
I had not realized it, but one had been out for months--perhaps since our first trip. The other three probably broke because of that one's lack of support at a crucial location--and because we had to drive over the most uneven stretch of interstate highway I believe I have ever encountered.
The rivets are apparently considered sacrificial: They break so that nothing more expensive breaks. This seems to have worked.
During the evening we chatted with the full-timer owners of the Casita in the slip next door. They carry more stuff than we do--an amazing amount.
Tomorrow, to the shop (we hope) and then to Richard & Evalyn's.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, Lake Jacomo Campground, Fleming Park, Jackson County, MO.
• Pictures: <https://picasaweb.google.com/socrates4718>
• Web-Log: <http://socrates4718.blogspot.com>
I spent the day working on the issue of some broken rivets @ _Arcadia_'s galley. ("It's not a bug; it's a _feature_!"). In the end, I failed; Casita will pay for a shop to install replacements.
I had not realized it, but one had been out for months--perhaps since our first trip. The other three probably broke because of that one's lack of support at a crucial location--and because we had to drive over the most uneven stretch of interstate highway I believe I have ever encountered.
The rivets are apparently considered sacrificial: They break so that nothing more expensive breaks. This seems to have worked.
During the evening we chatted with the full-timer owners of the Casita in the slip next door. They carry more stuff than we do--an amazing amount.
Tomorrow, to the shop (we hope) and then to Richard & Evalyn's.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, Lake Jacomo Campground, Fleming Park, Jackson County, MO.
• Pictures: <https://picasaweb.google.com/socrates4718>
• Web-Log: <http://socrates4718.blogspot.com>
07 October 2013
Visiting with Friends
We visited Dick & Evalyn at their place last evening. It was great seeing them again--and also to have excellent cookies and cake--a triple treat:
Desserts! (We haven't been having desserts much for the previous year or so.)
Dick and Evalyn! (Warm hospitality; excellent slides of their summer travels; laughs; good times.)
_Evalyn's_ desserts! (Any desserts might have been acceptable, but _these_ cookies and _this_ cake were worth a three-day drive!)
Two more nights here @ Lake Jacomo (where, I have fairly recently remembered, I was on a sailboat for the only time during that part of my life), then we will relocate to Dick & Evalyn's for three nights. For the weekend we have arranged to camp with them @ Knob Noster State Park. We are eager!
For the time being, no plans are in place for additional visits with Cindy's father.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, Lake Jacomo Campground, Fleming Park, Jackson County, MO.
Desserts! (We haven't been having desserts much for the previous year or so.)
Dick and Evalyn! (Warm hospitality; excellent slides of their summer travels; laughs; good times.)
_Evalyn's_ desserts! (Any desserts might have been acceptable, but _these_ cookies and _this_ cake were worth a three-day drive!)
Two more nights here @ Lake Jacomo (where, I have fairly recently remembered, I was on a sailboat for the only time during that part of my life), then we will relocate to Dick & Evalyn's for three nights. For the weekend we have arranged to camp with them @ Knob Noster State Park. We are eager!
For the time being, no plans are in place for additional visits with Cindy's father.
Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_, Lake Jacomo Campground, Fleming Park, Jackson County, MO.
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