Huge Eggs!
Earlier this year Josh suggested we pick a destination and stay there for a full two weeks, that’s the limit most state parks allow at one visit. Just move in. He left the destination choice to me. Prior to that, we were of the pre-retirement mindset that we need to go see as much as we can in a trip. We would travel a day then stay at a State Park two-to-four days before going again. It’s not hard to set up camp with our trailer, but it is a process. Plus, staying in one park longer allows us to relax and see more of the area.
Last year we stayed at Harrison Bay State Park in Tennessee, and it was quite nice. As I was looking at Tennessee state parks, I saw several that have waterfalls (My favorite feature). I chose Rock Island State Park in middle Tennessee for the waterfalls and its location 45 minutes away from my close friend since 6th grade, Debbie (See warning in my previous post about showing up at your door). More on this shortly.
A few days into relaxing at our new home-away-from-home campsite, the camp host came by in his golf cart and said, “you all cook breakfast?” Uh, yeah. “I’ll be right back” and off he goes. Steve (the host) comes back shortly with a flat of huge double-yolk eggs. A regular camper that breeds chickens comes to the park often just to bring the grandkids. The double yolk eggs don’t hatch, so he brings them to people at the park. That’s what I call Southern Friendly! Cooking breakfast, I used one of those for every two store-bought large eggs.
On the corners of the road leading to Rock Island SP are all the basics- the Post Office, an ice cream stand that makes great shakes, which we tried it several times to be sure, a general store with a diner inside that always had a lot of cars outside so must be good, and a cute farmstand on the other corner. The farmstand was sometimes staffed, but if not, it was pay by honor. It had baskets with cukes, okra, onions, garlic, zucchini, and eggs. Got a dozen eggs and was surprised when I opened them later. There were brown, white, blue, one huge one and one with a feather still on it.
My friend Debbie and husband John from Florida have lived in Tennessee since the 1980’s on a good bit of land. Debbie always tells her friends from school to come see her sometime, so I took her up. Debbie has a great looking garden, the tomatoes were loaded, the corn high, and the other assorted plants looked loaded. They also have cows, but they didn’t come to the fence to see us. So many of her relatives also live around her, most houses were “my cousin lives there, my uncle lives there...” A cousin stopped by while we were there. I think because he saw a strange vehicle in driveway and just wanted to say Hi. He was a hoot and I love the thought that family is so close. John and Debbie took us into town to a great Mexican restaurant for dinner and we had a blast catching up on family and everything else.
I still love the big cities we’ve been to, but this trip reminds us that the small, country roads have so much to see and appreciate also. I hope you will get off the Super Slab and slow down for life. And watch out for horse and buggies sharing the roads.