Why Couldn’t That Break Before We Left the Service Center? (More RV Adventures)
Rolling with the punches is a requirement in RV living.
After our fabulous experience at the Motorhomes of Texas, we headed northwest, making our first stop in Waco. The 160-mile trip was straightforward, and we found a great steakhouse to stop at for lunch along the way. The Farm House Restaurant was right on Highway 84, and parking there wasn’t too tricky in the motorhome. I had a tasty ribeye steak, and Tommy had a fantastic pork loin ribeye. The servings were big, which meant I didn’t need to cook dinner. That’s something I appreciate when we’re only stopping for a night.
The North Crest RV Park is a cute little campground owned by the sweetest lady. Emily took over the campground after her father passed away. He was a truck driver before establishing the campground, so all the sites are level. Emily asked me to call her when we were 30 minutes away so she could be at the gate to greet us. She was out there in the sweltering heat, wielding a weed whacker to ensure the site looked great.
The park is convenient because it’s right off the highway. You do get some road noise, but we’ve heard much worse. When I went for my morning walk, I was surprised to find a World Hunger Relief Farm. I enjoyed my walk a lot more than I expected I would in an area so close to highways. I received a nice thank-you text from Emily when we hit the road that morning. You don’t always get caring and conscientious owners in RV parks. If we’re ever in the area again, it will be our go-to stop.
Our next stop was Fort Richardson State Park in Jacksboro, Texas. The 150-mile drive seemed straightforward on Google Maps, but Garmin had other plans and wouldn’t accept the address. We ended up using my phone instead. GPS is often the bane of RV-traveling couples, and more than once, we’ve found ourselves unintentionally yelling at each other. The tension can be cut with a knife!
Thankfully, we arrived at the campground without any issues, and it was a beautiful place. With Tommy’s Texas State Park pass, we paid only $41.20 for two nights—what a steal for 50-amp service and water, plus a dump station. The sites were huge, and we enjoyed plenty of wildlife and scenic trails. It’s much easier to get in 10,000 steps when you’re walking through a beautiful state park. Tommy even joined me for a stroll.
Since we were staying two nights, I decided to do a load of laundry. I couldn’t get the washer to start, so Tommy had to fiddle with it, unplugging and replugging things. The area housing the washer and dryer is incredibly tight, so Tommy accidentally unplugged the dryer first. Once everything was plugged back in, the washer started, but the dryer refused to work.
Tommy’s a handyman, but this one’s got him stumped. He needs help from someone stronger than me to pull it out, and if it needs a part, we could be in a pickle since we don’t have a tow vehicle. I sure wish this issue had popped up while we were at the service center! Thankfully, we can hang our clothes to dry, and at least it wasn’t the washer that broke.
Our next stop was Wichita Falls Elks Lodge, just 65 miles away. I looked for a church along the way and found one right off the highway, just before the Elks Lodge. We checked it out on Google, and it had a huge parking lot we could fit into. We enjoyed some great worship music and a fiery message about using discernment and staying alert for the false prophets and teachers promised to be numerous in the last days.
We asked for a lunch recommendation since I was starving after forgetting breakfast. The place we were directed to wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and finding it and a place to park was so stressful that Tommy’s hands were shaking when we finally sat down. I’ve never seen him that distressed after driving, and we’ve been through some pretty dicey situations.
I had hoped the drive to the Elks Lodge would be less complicated, but Garmin led us through a neighborhood with tight turns and low-hanging branches. When we finally arrived, we discovered they only offered 30-amp service. I could have sworn they said they had 50 amps. It was 95 degrees and humid, and our 45-foot RV requires 50 amps to power both air conditioners. Thankfully, a man was working outside because the lodge was closed. He told us there was an RV park just up the road.
Once again, I consulted Rabi Google and found the Wichita Falls RV Park less than two miles away.
The lady who answered the phone was sweet but as directionally challenged as I am. After all the GPS issues, Tommy wanted clarification. The receptionist said the campground was on the right, but Google said left. Turns out, Google was right.
We arrived without incident and were assigned a nice site where our Starlink worked perfectly. The park is cute, though the pool and bathrooms were closed for repairs, so I can’t speak to those. There’s a fantastic walking trail right next to the park, which you can access with a code at check-in. It was a pleasant overnight stop, with full-hookups costing $54.00 per night, including taxes.
After almost five years of full-time travel, Tommy is burned out on driving. I try to keep our daily drives under 175 miles now. I had planned a stop in Childress on our way to the Amarillo Elks Lodge, but Tommy decided we should push through the 230-mile trip without a break. I spoke with the bartender, who assured us they had 50-amp hookups and a good spot for us.
We stayed at the Elks for two nights. The bartender was great, and our 50-amp hookup worked perfectly. I arranged for a Walmart delivery for essentials. It was close enough to walk, but I wasn’t about to carry a case of water back. I’d scheduled the delivery between 7:00 and 9:00 am and left instructions that we were in the RV area behind the Elks. I got a text that the driver was on the way as I was fixing breakfast, so I decided to cook our eggs later.
After ten minutes, still no driver. I called the store but got no answer after going through all the prompts. While trying to reach someone, I got a text from Walmart saying the driver had left because no one was there. I was fit to be tied! We needed those items. The text asked if I wanted to reschedule. What was the point if the driver wasn’t going to follow the directions?
I decided to walk to Walmart after breakfast and speak to a human. I almost threw my phone across the RV in frustration. Just as we were finishing breakfast, my phone rang, and it was Walmart. A lady who spoke perfect English assured me they were sending another driver. This time, he would speak English, and she’d direct him to us.
I walked outside to the street so I could see the driver when he arrived. He was supposed to be there in 15 minutes, but after 30 minutes, I was still pacing in front of the building. I called Walmart’s number again and was told the driver was about to load my groceries and would be there soon.
I called my friend Susie in San Jose to chat while I waited. We vented about our frustrating days. Just as I was saying goodbye, I saw a car drive through the lodge’s circular driveway and head down the street. I nearly broke Susie’s eardrum shouting, “Stop! Turn around! Don’t leave!” Thankfully, the driver spotted me and turned around. He assured me that he would have called if he couldn’t find me. Disaster averted!
The Elks Lodge doesn’t serve food, but it has a nice pool, shuffleboard, and a pleasant crowd. After a game of shuffleboard and a drink, we headed back to the RV for dinner. I had some frozen shrimp left and cocktail sauce, so I decided to keep it simple. I was air-frying the shrimp when I noticed the fryer had shut off.
The air fryer had tripped the breaker before, so I checked the junction box. No tripped breakers. Tommy went to help me, but his recliner’s footrest wouldn’t work. After he wrangled his way out of his chair, he flipped a few breakers, even though none looked tripped. Eventually, I finished cooking the shrimp, but now the recliners were out of order.
This was a big deal, folks. When we’re in the RV, those recliners are our hangout spots. The outlets they plug into also power our computers. 😩 Since it was too late to get help from Entegra, we had to resort to extension cords. I couldn’t believe this was happening after spending three days at Motorhomes of Texas, where everything worked.
I’m blaming Satan. We’re on our way to volunteer at a Christian camp, and he’s trying to steal our joy. But we’re not letting him get away with it.
This post has gone on longer than planned. When you’re constantly on the move, there’s so much to talk about, especially when the devil is throwing curveballs at us. To wrap things up, our next stop at Clayton RV Park, just 124 miles away, went flawlessly. I made the reservation online and received a text with site details—$40.00 with our Good Sam membership.
The park wasn’t anything special, just a nice one-night stopover. On the way, we found a great restaurant for lunch, right off the highway, with a huge parking lot perfect for parking the motorhome. The service was excellent, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. If you ever find yourself on Highway 87 between Texas and New Mexico, be sure to stop at the Front Porch Restaurant in Texline. It’s right before the border, and you’ll be glad you did. Tommy’s still got chicken-fried steak leftovers in the fridge, and I devoured my BLT; it was fantastic!
We’re now enjoying a three-night stay at the Pueblo South / Colorado City KOA Holiday. I hope you’ll have the chance to check out these great spots on your travels. Thanks for tagging along. I can’t wait to share what’s coming next!