Category Archives: Marilyn

photo of The Hootenany Cafe in Perry, Missouri

On the Tasty Trail

Teardrop Trail Log: June 15, 2016

We decided to take the scenic route after leaving Mark Twain’s birthplace.  As we pulled into the small town of Perry, Missouri around lunch time, we saw the Hootenanny Cafe on corner of Main Street and Palmyra Street. Discovering local places to eat is one of our favorite parts of traveling. One online review described the menu as “a small town take on fast food that reminds one of granny’s cooking.” From lemon meringue to apple, it was hard to miss the amazing pies, being placed on display as they came out of the oven.

photo of A fine lunch at the Hootenany

A fine lunch at the Hootenany

Walking in the door, there was a homey atmosphere, the quintessential American heartland cafe. This was clearly a gathering place for some of the locals. Two ladies at a table across the room could have been the reincarnation of my grandmother Tina and her best friend Beulah from their print dresses to their sensible shoes. Our table was set with with tall, Pepsi plastic glasses, the black metal napkin dispenser as well as the yellow mustard and red catsup plastic squeeze bottles.

Jim had a BLT and I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich. He chose fries and I got the onion rings to share. Yum. To Pie or Not to Pie, that became the question after lunch.

photo of raided egg carriers

Raccoon Caper #2 – The Nocturnal Invasion

Teardrop Trail Log: June 14, 2016

Camp Mark Twain State Park established and a scrumptious chicken dinner under our belts, we cleaned the dishes and put away the food. We’ve camped in numerous national and state parks in the last few years, and have developed a bedtime routine. Galley closed, kitchen boxes stacked and Igloo cooler closed. Time for bed. Marilyn is usually earlier into bed than me, but I was tired as well and we turned in. Soon we were both asleep.

photo of Raccoon crime in Progress

Raccoon crime in Progress

I’m a light sleeper and usually up in the middle of the night, but this night I was awakened by a commotion outside. Crash! Bang! What on earth?! I sleep next to the door in our teardrop, and grabbing my iPhone (always ready for a photo!) I opened the door and leaned out. We had a raccoon in camp, and he was exploring our stuff. Pushing the door open and stepping out, I made some noise and the invader escaped. Even though it was dark, I could see we’d been raided. The cooler was open, and various wrappers were scattered around. Well, the damage was already done so I went back to bed. We could survey the crime scene in the morning.

photo of the evidence

The evidence

Marilyn was the first one up in the morning and cleaned up the mess. The raccoon had opened the Igloo cooler (we even have trouble opening that!) and scored a pound of bacon, a pound of butter, two pounds of lunch meat, several eggs and a yogurt.

photo of opening the egg carrier

Not easy to open

It was able to open the egg containers and that’s not easy. It was also able to get the meat and bacon out of zipper bags without destroying them. Apparently they can work the zipper pulls. Their scientific name is appropriate: Procyon lotor or extremely dexterous front paws.

Later, when Marilyn went to the camp office to buy more ice, she mentioned the raid, and the camp host wasn’t surprised. It seems the local raccoons have developed a taste for beer and are able to open pull-tab cans. Two nights of camping so far, and two incidents. I wonder if they prefer lagers or ales?

photo of Igloo cooler

Tiny raccoon fingerprints

photo of campsite at Mark Twain State Park

The Girl Strikes Again

Teardrop Trail Log: June 14, 2016

image of online map

The Girl

Jim was enjoying his mocha as we left Morberly and headed for Mark Twain State Park in Florida, Missouri. We pulled out the National Geographic Road Atlas and double-checked the route, before we left civilization. We’d learned the hard way about reliable Internet connectivity in rural areas, so I Googled the trip – 49 min (40.8 mi) via US-24 E and MO-154 E. It seemed simple enough, but the “Girl,” our name for the online voice that provides directions, created delays and led us to some very unusual destinations on other trips down the Teardrop Trail. We needed to get there early enough to get a campsite. We headed out along Route 24, turning on Missouri 154, a two lane rural road taking commands from the “Girl.” She lead us to Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site. Confused, we walked up to the door only see that the facility had closed. No campground in sight. We decided to back track. As we proceeded back on MO-154, we saw a rather large stone display that said “Florida.”

photo of Florida, Missouri sign

Florida, Missouri

We were in the right place, sort of. Soon we found a sign that pointed to camping. We searched and eventually found the Badger Campground and the entrance booth was still staffed by the friendly campground host. We had arrived just in time to get the camp site. The “Girl” had struck again.

 

photo of interior of River Reader Books

On to Lexington

Teardrop Trail Log: June 14, 2016

photo of stuffed bear in Pat's Army Store

Pat’s Army Store Inmate

I was introduced to historic Lexington, Missouri when I was in the neighborhood for a presentation in June on my cookbook – Canning, Pickling and Freezing, with Irma Harding. The meeting of the Missouri Cattlewomen was held at the historic Elms Resort and Spa in Excelsior Springs. I researched the Resort built in 1898, and discovered it was “haunted.” I had previous experience with haunted hotels when I worked in Santa Fe so I felt right at home. Actually, the hotel had several interesting guests including Al Capone and Harry S. Truman. It was an amazing experience. My talk, “Eat, Drink, and Pickle!” was at VanTill’s Family Farm & Vineyard. I fell in love with the area and the people.

Photo of River Reader Façade

River Reader

As we left Kansas City, I was looking at the atlas and Lexington was only about 50 miles away. We were so close, I suggested we take a side trip so Jim could meet my friends and see Lexington where there is lot’s of history from the Civil War. After parking the Lady and the Ambassador, we stopped in at Pat’s Army Store, located in an old Baptist Church. Next, we stopped by the Old Trails Region to see Marsha Corbin, my host. I met Marsha at last year’s Red Power Round Up where she’d heard my presentation. She was just down the street for a meeting, so we proceeded to say hello. Next stop was one of the most amazing independent bookstores, River Reader owned by Pat and Gary Worth. I had a great book signing at River Reader. Pat offered a couple of bottles of cold water on the warm day and It was nice to connect everyone with Jim.

We left River Reader and Jim was taken by the scenic beauty of the town. The Greek Revival Lafayette County Courthouse built in 1847 and other historic buildings led the town to bill itself as the “Athens on the Missouri” and became subjects for his photography.

photo of Lake Jacomo, Missouri sign

Cool Tears

Teardrop Trail Log: June 14, 2016

I discovered Cool Tears magazine on Facebook. Wow, a magazine devoted to all things teardrop and the people who love them! I went to their website and downloaded back issues to consume with great delight. The magazine was a great way to learn more about the amazing community that had grown up around these wonderful trailers. Teardrops have been around for over 80 years and are experiencing a renaissance. Sarah Tucker took over the publication in 2015. I reached out to her on Facebook and enjoyed sharing her adventures.

Cool Tears Magazine cover

Cool Tears cover

I’ve been writing for a wide range of magazines so in April, I contacted Sarah to see if she was interested in looking at any of my clips with the thought to writing for the magazine and mentioned teardroptrail.com. I was delighted when she replied that if we were going to be near Kansas City she would like to do a story on us. As we made plans for the June excursion to Red Power Round Up,  we arranged a meeting. Sarah suggested we camp at Lake Jacomo County Park near her home. It was an amazing spot we would have never found without her. After stopping at Costco for the replacement battery, we pulled into the beautifully wooded paradise and set up camp. As I walked back from the office, a voice came out of a rather large RV. “After seeing your trailer, you are taller than I had imagined.” Teardrop humor.

After dropping her two daughters off for their own summer adventure, she arrived at the park and came to our campsite. It was great meeting her at last. We chatted as she took photos. When the issue came out, we were on the cover! Check out page 12!

I highly recommend subscribing to Cool Tears if you want the skinny on the teardrop world.

photo of Preparing dinner

A Masked Marauder – Raccoon!

Teardrop Trail Log: June 13, 2016

Travel completed, we arrived at Lake Jacomo County Park near Kansas City and our cares dissipated. The place looks more like a city park than a camp ground with a well-manicured lawn and plantings, and a stylish restroom and bathhouse. Best of all, Marilyn had thoughtfully stashed a beer or two into the ice chest. I would have cold beer even though the solar fridge system had failed. We each began our setup and dinner tasks.

The weather was warm but not too bad, and I enjoyed setting up camp. Marilyn was already working on dinner — a chicken recipe that we both like. With the new stabilizers, I was done in no time, and sat down to enjoy a cold one while checking the day’s events. The prospect of a a leisurely dinner in the twilight beckoned.

As we sat down to dinner about 30 minutes later, we heard a crash by the camp picnic table. Investigating, Marilyn discovered the pasta pot had been knocked to the ground. This was new. There was no wind to speak of, and we weren’t near any other campsites. What was going on?

photo of the North American Raccoon

North American Raccoon (theivous cuteus)

I then noticed some movement near the tree. iPhone at the ready, I snapped a picture, the flash went off, and we had the evidence. There was a raccoon relaxing by the tree and apparently pondering it’s next move. Attracted by the pasta cooking water, it was unconcerned and seemed to say: “I’ll just wait here for dinner.” As we finished our dinner rituals, I spotted it outside of camp again — eyes aglow from my flashlight. Hmmm. Very persistent and comfortable around humans. Did we have a new challenge for our trip?

Can you see the intruder?

Patience and persistence personified

map of the Route to Kansas City

Kansas City Bound

Teardrop Trail Log: June 13, 2016

The clerk touted the free Wi-Fi during check-in at Camp Motel 6. As we sorted through our soggy gear, anxious to catch up on email and other online delights after a challenging day on the road, we soon realized that the results were grim at best. Jim, who had lots of experience in many things tech, described it as a data dribble. Later I would read that we had encountered the perfect storm of hotel Wi-Fi problems – lack of workable access and very poor capacity. The “perfect” end to the “perfect” day – #WiFiFail. The outside world would have to wait. It was time to turn off the lights and drift off to sleep, listening to the sounds of the rain outside.

photo of the Classic IHOP breakfast

Classic IHOP breakfast

In the morning, we headed to IHOP, located conveniently across the parking lot. Normally, we would seek out the most amazing local eatery for a culinary adventure, but today we needed to go promptly. As we entered, a flood of memories returned – many road trips as a child with stops at IHOP. The chain started in 1958 and continues to offer predictability in each of its 1,650 restaurants around the world. Chow time! Bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast. Comfort food on the road.

We loaded the Ambassador and headed north. Paris, Texas, up through Oklahoma and on to Missouri. We had been in Missouri last summer for Red Power Round Up in Sedalia. Rather than exploring off the beaten path, this time we elected to hit Interstate 49 for Kansas City. We would be meeting Sarah Tucker, the editor of Cool Tears magazine. She had suggested a county campground near her home. Yes, we were on the Teardrop Trail again….

Photo of Marilyn and Jim standing on the new rug

Redecorating

Marilyn, August 1:

Before leaving in June, we visited the Central Texas Gathering of the Southwest Teardrops & Vintage Trailers in Krause Springs. As we met new friends and toured their unique trailers, Jim and I started thinking about how we could spruce up the inside of the Ambassador. We’d been more functionally oriented so we started discussing decor on the way home from the gathering that evening.

photo of The new pillows

The new pillows

First item on the list was a new mattress. Our mattress topper just wasn’t helping create sweet dreams. After asking around, an Internet search for futon mattresses ensued. Based on the searches, we created a list of stores showing inventory. This was followed by what turned out to be several disappointing, unsuccessful visits to the brick and mortar universe. Next stop – Ikea for a futon mattress. While at Ikea, we also discovered a really cool rug and runner to add color to our campsite.

Next, we toured our house to see if we could find anything to fancy-up and add a bit more comfort to the Ambassador’s interior. I had two European square pillows with hand-made designer fabric covers that were in an upstairs closet. They fit perfectly in the Ambassador! Jim was happy because the new pillows added a new dimension to lounging inside. Plans call for adding more decor as we make discoveries on the Teardrop Trail.

photo of Road Atlas with Stickies

Planning Our Latest Adventure on the Teardrop Trail

Marilyn, July 25:

We got a jump start on this year’s trip as we pulled out of the Missouri State Fairgrounds in June of 2015. Someone mentioned that camping spaces would be very limited for the 2016 Red Power Round Up, so upon our return to Roy Creek Ranch, I got online and booked reservations for one of the coveted campsites.

I love planning trips and I’ve never been one to wing it. It is inspiring, like putting together a multi-dimensional puzzle. Making dreams reality. I started by making list of places we might want to visit on the route from Roy Creek Ranch to Red Power Round Up in Union Grove Wisconsin and the adventure home. I used Google Maps to get the distances between points of interest, inviting restaurants and camping possibilities. Then we have an idea of how long it will take to get to the next stop and the possible route. This list helps to answer the question, “Are we there yet?” Yes, adults still ask this time-honored question.

The next step was to create a list of optional activities in the states we’d be driving through. I’d put out an inquiry on Facebook to get recommendations from friends for must-see attractions. An extensive Internet search followed, investigating possibilities along the route. I compiled a list of activities and points of interest. The list included Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Taliesin, House on the Rock, Pullman National Monument and more.

photo of Road atlas detail

Road atlas detail

In the past, we used Jim’s well-loved 2004 Road Master Atlas to plan our trips on the Teardrop Trail, but this year, he got us a New National Geographic Road Atlas, Adventure Edition. We sat down with the with the new atlas and sticky notes to mark the points of interest along our route.

I revisited many of the check lists I found online to make sure that we had everything for this trip. On the trip to West Texas, someone had forgotten a pair of flip flops. Some of our other treks have taken us off the retail track, making replacing forgotten items a challenge if not impossible.

As the departure date approached, details came into focus and reservations were made for the first two legs of our trip, but this would be a different kind of excursion down the Teardrop Trail – one without a complete itinerary. Another travel blogger ascribed luck as an important aspect of the trip. After our stop in Kansas City, we would be planning as we traveled. Each stop at a visitors’ center or tourism office could bring a wealth of new maps, magazines and opportunities. It would now be plan-as-you-go with a dash of serendipity thrown in.

photo of Travel brochures

Travel brochures

Photo of tree swing over the swimmin' hole

A Trip to Krause Springs

photo of Marilyn

Marilyn

Jim, July 22:

Marilyn was eager to connect with teardrop trailer enthusiasts and looked for groups we might join. The Southwest Teardrop & Vintage Trailers had a scheduled meetup in May and we decided to go. The three-day event was more than our time allowed, so we drove up for the day on Saturday. That way, we could make some new friends and check out Krause Springs at the same time.

Krause Springs

Located in the Texas Hill Country off Highway 71 on the way to Llano, the privately-owned, 115 acre park has been in operation since 1955. It’s on the National Registry of Historic Sites and has been owned by the Krause family for over 50 years. We happen to be on the right side of Austin, so it’s very close to our home, Roy Creek Ranch, northwest of Dripping Springs. We were there in less than an hour. It’s a beautiful park with camping, hiking trails, a butterfly garden and or course, the springs! One of the best swimmin’ holes in Texas, the springs ultimately empties into Lake Travis. With both natural and man-made pools, it’s easy to cool off on a hot summer day.

A tour of Teardrops

Marilyn had already contacted the group, and they were expecting us. They quickly found us a spot in the impressive line of teardrop trailers, and we spent the next couple of hours visiting with our new friends. Most of the trailers are custom crafted, and The Ambassador fit right in. There were a wide range of sizes an looks, and it was clear that everyone took teardrop camping very seriously. Our solar-powered beer cooler was a hit, and I was glad we had a special feature to show off.

Hiking the Springs

The initial flurry of introductions and tours completed, we had bite of lunch and decided to look around the park. We spent the next couple of hours exploring.

An Evening Potluck

Hikes, swims, naps and other afternoon activities completed, it was time for cocktails and a potluck. Marilyn had prepared some potato salad, and the overachievers in the group insured no-one left hungry. It was amazing to see what was produced in the tiny teardrop galleys: chips and dips, casseroles, slow-cooked pulled pork and a variety of desserts and more. An amazing day — lots of unique trailers and new friends!

photo of Krause Springs Pool

Krause Springs Pool