Locked in at the Lock A Campground

For our morning stroll we hiked out past the primitive campsites where Cali could go free range. We came back out and did a spin around our loop stopping to talk to the guy from San Diego in the vintage Lazy Dayz. They’re working their way up to Maine so maybe see them down the road. The other class C between him and me had California plates also. Three of us in a row. I packed up quickly and got as early of a start as we have since starting this journey. Had a decent conversation with the Ohio oldies while dumping my tanks. Not sure why people are so chatty at the dump station but I’ve met some interesting folks there. Guess because we’re a captive audience waiting for the guy ahead (this time being me) to finish the task and get out the way.

Drove through some amazingly beautiful backcountry neighborhoods. Big fancy houses on rolling green meadows, many with their own little pond out front. About 45 minutes on rural lanes then back on highway 40 heading towards Nashville. About 90 minutes in, I pulled off at a rest stop only to find all of parking taken up mostly by big rigs but also a few other RVs. No room at the inn. I got right back on and exited a few ramps down and ended up hanging out in the Tennessee Dept. of Transportation parking lot. I parked at the far end of a big empty open lot where there was some grass and unleashed the hound. Made a sandwich and got online to upload pictures into the post for yesterday. Some big semis were rumbling around the lot as I did some research for a camp for tonight. I found a spot just north of Nashville, River RV and set the GPS. What I hadn’t realized was that the trucks driving around me were guys taking their driver’s tests. I guess that’s what all of those orange cones I dodged coming in were for. Anyway, no one seemed concerned about us being there, just one more obstacle to test them on. We got back on the interstate and kept rolling taking one more break at a rest stop before getting off back onto country roads about 15 miles before Nashville.

About 25 minutes of winding narrow lanes brought us to the River RV. About three of the sites were nice with grass and a little space between them. These were the ones displayed on the webpage. The rest were parking lot style, an inch apart from one another in front of a nice restaurant. They were all full, but I don’t thinks I’d have stayed there anyway. Back on the internet and there’s a Corp of Engineers Park 11 miles away on the Cumberland River. I called ahead and the woman said there were open spots and to come on over. Really nice little campground. About 50 spots right on the river. The campsites are large and all had concrete pads surrounded by grass with plenty of trees. I asked for a site with as few trees as possible due to the impending storm. I got set up and will probably stay over tomorrow also to sit out the rainstorm. The concrete pads are cool because there won’t be any of the mud I’d have gotten into if there had been rain at the majority of the parks I’ve visited.

Walked Cali over on the big lawn along the riverfront. We did some lounging and made some phone calls. Just when I was thinking I had it made with the big empty site to my left, a big family of Tennessee locals pulled in with a forty foot RV followed by a big dually pick up truck full of firewood. Big fellers in coveralls sipping beers. Around sunset, I took Cali for a hike up the hill behind the park to a little look out but couldn’t see much through the trees. Quiet and peaceful in the forest at this time of day.

I made us some dinner and was stoked when Cali ate a healthy portion. We sat out at the picnic table watching scores of kids zipping by on bikes, scooters and other wheeled contraptions. Hung out inside a while then took the pooch for a ten o’clock before bed spin through the park. The neighbors were active until about 11:00 then everything quieted down nicely. Thunder’s supposed to begin at 4:00 a.m. We’ll see what comes