Petit Jean State Park

September 10, 2015 we took a weekend trip to Petit Jean State Park. I picked up Brayden from pre-school and left for Petit Jean without Donna (she had to work Friday). We got to the park and found our campsite #91 in campground section C. Not the best section of Petit Jean for 30' of trailer and 20' of pickup truck. Trees were tight around the camping pad such that the camper slide could not extend with the trailer at the back of the pad. We had to pull to the front of the pad to open the slide, then the awning could only be opened about 4'. Area C & D are best suited for small campers, pop-ups and tents, Campground section A is very open great sites with a view of Lake Bailey. Campground B is across the road in a more wooded area, but open enough to fit most any size camper with slides.

We couldn't get a fire started soon enough for Brayden 
to cook hot dogs and s'mores on schmarsh-schmello sticks. 

Campfire hot dogs with black bean salsa and chips with Poppie. 

It just doesn't get much better than this!

Brayden and I spent Friday morning exploring the area along Red Bluff Drive. We found nice overlooks off the road. We walked down to the Rock House Cave past the Turtle Rocks formations. Walked back the trail from the cave to the north side overlook of Cedar Falls.

A long day done we headed back to Russellville. Brayden woke up near Dardanelle, looked in the rear view mirror and said "Poppie! We forgot the trailer". I didn't have the heart to tell him that Nana and Poppie were coming back later Friday evening for a little quiet time. 

I picked up Donna after she got off work and we returned to Petit Jean just in time to catch the sunset from highway 154 entering the park as it set over Mt. Magazine.

Drove around Red Bluff Drive.

 

Dinner with Donna Saturday night,

  Campfire blazing. Burgers on the grill,

Lessons Learned:

• Need to make sure that campsite pad is wide enough for slide out and awing.
• Stay in AA or AAA campsites and at Petit Jean stay in campground area A or B,

Lake Dardannelle State Park

We decided to stay close to home for our first camping trip and drive to Lake Dardanelle State Park. I called the park and was lucky to get a great camping site for Friday, August 28th through Sunday. Site #12 was located on the lake side of the back loop about 50' from the water. 

Our first night we had lots of visitors. Jessica, Juan, Hannah and Brayden met us at the park. It was good having some help the first time I parked and set up the trailer at a campsite. Donna's friend Eva came to visit and brought wind chimes for house warming gift (mostly because Donna told her she didn't want to start junking up the trailer right off). The champagne and orange juice for mimosas was a hit and we really do like our wind chimes.

Brayden and Hannah came back Saturday and spend the night. Hannah is a big help washing dishes. Brayden built a tent so he could go camping in the camper!

 

Saturday night Donna caught these great sunset photo across the lake. 

Brayden is always happy when fishing and even happier when he catches a big fish.

Lessons Learned:

• Don't scrimp on sewer hose. 10' is not enough when you have to position the camper away from the campsite sewer dump station,
• Gray water tank fills up much faster than black water tank
• Back valve is black water and front valve is gray (remember back is black),

The Adventure Begins

On August 15, 2015 we took a trip to Camping World  in North Little Rock where Donna and I found our first travel trailer.  It is a Heartland Pioneer RL250 (Rear Living - 25').

August 21, 2015 I picked up our new travel trailer from Camping World in North Little Rock. I was a little apprehensive about pulling off the Camping World parking and directly into the Friday afternoon I-40 traffic, but I made it home to Russellville without incident.

rdh