After driving home from Lake Bob Sandlin, unhooking successfully, then running the RV all around town getting weighed, inspected, and a set of new tags attached, I decided I was ready for my first “maiden solo voyage.” Best to do a quick turn around the very next weekend before I forgot everything my brother Don had taught me. It took me about four times longer to prepare than it should have, but being the serious “left brainer” that I am, I just about wore out my checklist!
The biggest effort was restocking….everything! The nice woman at the tax office suggested I go down to Love’s Truck Stop and get the RV weighed, because the existing Arkansas title showed 13,000 lbs, and in Texas, you pay registration by weight on a motorhome. So I removed everything that wasn’t nailed down! Emptied the fridge. Emptied the cabinets. Emptied all the tanks. I even took the foam mattress topper and all the pillows off the bed. In doing so, she weighed in at a very “skinny” 9,740 lbs (I asked the Love’s attendant to allow me time to hop out before the weigh-in!) so it was worth the effort, as coming in under 10K shaved a little off the registration….the less paid to the State of Texas, the better!
Since I only planned to stay one night, I decided to keep it local at Cedar Hill State Park, just 10 miles from home. This is a massive, well maintained State Park just off I-20, 10 miles south of Dallas alongside Joe Pool Lake. The park contains 355 sites, so even when it is crowded, there is still plenty of room to roam. Where most parks will allow you to go circle the park and pick a site, this park is so large that they assign you a site upon check-in. Problem is, the sites are never as they describe, so you can always plan on switching sites. It is obvious that after only a few visits, I am more familiar with the loops than the staff behind the desk, because I can tell by looking at the map which sites to avoid. The shore tends to slope considerably, so the lakeside sites tend to be shorter and unlevel, while the more private, wooded, longer level sites are always closer to the main road. In the case of this park, the water views are best left to the tent campers.
Site #233, Cedar Hill State Park
I ended up in site #233, a very private, shady site. Cedar Hill being the only “hill” nearby, it has a whole farm of cell towers in the area, so the signal strength on my Verizon air card didn’t even hint that I should unpack the Yagi antenna. The remaining hookups were so easy that I kept thinking I was forgetting something, but then I wasn’t towing this time, so it would be easy to get spoiled. I poured myself a glass of wine, put on some Norah Jones, and delved into my weekend project — lining all the shelves with Rubbermaid “skid-proof” shelf lining.
Sunday Breakfast Splurge
My family came out to join me on Sunday, bringing steaks, brats, and baked potatoes for an impromptu cookout. It was their first look at the “new” motorhome. Nothing like hosting six people to help draft a shopping list of “necessary items” real quick!
The weather was absolutely perfect, with the forecast predicting more of the same. With the strong Verizon signal, I decided to stay an extra day and try my first “trial run” at working remotely. The fall time change had me up extra early Monday morning, waking up to the birds chirping in the trees all around me. I went for an hour hike along the “Tallulah Trail,” then signed on to work by 9:00am. It’s been a really long time since I started a Monday morning in that good of a mood!
Monday Morning Mobile Office
Unhooking for the trip back home was just as easy as hooking up had been. I even stopped on the way home at Target to buy a few items for my new “playhouse.” It was such a kick to bring the items back to the parking lot and put them away without having to drive “home” first!
Hannah in the Hammock
Looks like a good time was had by all! What a pretty park to have so close to home.
How’d you like the mobile office solution (Table-Mate and folding ottoman)? You’re so lucky to have both seats that swivel– bet it really opens up the space!
Hi, Lynne,
The desk option needs work. I ended up moving to the dinette for most of the day. The problem is having a place to put my arms. That’s why I sat on the driver’s side, because the armrest is on the right, and I could rest my “mouse elbow.” It is workable, but needs a few refinements. I am open to suggestions!
I am thinking from a manufacturing perspective, that those seats are bound to be the same – only one has an arm bolted on one side and the other, the other. I wonder if you could combine calling Wini to see if this is the case, followed by ordering and extra arm and a visit to an upholstery shop would give you one of the chairs with 2 arms after the shop added the extra arm?
I found a step-by-step instruction on the Yahoo Modifications group of how to order these and install them. I think I just need to figure out if they will still allow the seats to swivel, given that the swivel mechanism is “after market.” But definitely on the “modification wish list!”