One of Those Days

This was one of those days. We got up just like any other day, the coffee was good, and things seemed to be rocking along just fine. We got hitched up and pulled away from our campsite about 9:15. That was good because the worst of the Knoxville morning rush hour traffic was over. We zipped through town with no problem and were headed west on I-40 expecting an easy 200 mile drive.

About the time we got to Crossville we noticed the wind. We had heard the weather on the local news this morning. They said something about wind and we were also expecting to see some rain sometime during the day. The wind got our attention. I noticed our trailer steps were down. That is very unusual. As far as I can remember it has only happened once and that was on a very bad, bumpy road. Luck was with us and the next rest area was just about 2 miles ahead. We pull in and I grab a snack from the pantry and put the step up and we are off again in about 10 minutes. It wasn’t 5 minutes and I noticed the steps were down again. What’s going on here? Gene suggested it was the wind. This time we are only a short distance from a Pilot truck stop so we whip in there. Gene secures the steps with bungies and we are off again.

By the time we get off the plateau, the wind has intensified. I take some consolation in the fact that there are truckers and other RVers still on the road. Surely, this can’t be as bad as it feels. A couple hours of this has taken its toll and my nerves are a little frayed. Stopping at the next rest area for lunch helped.

Back on the road with the wind, we head on into Nashville. Now the sky is darkening and rain is imminent. About the time we crossed the Davidson County line, the rain came down with a vengeance. Traffic in Nashville is pretty bad, well not bad like New York or Chicago, but bad by my standards. We have been away from Nashville for almost a year and have just spent the past month in a community of 5,000. We’ve gotten out of the habit of traffic. I am leaning forward in my seat, wringing my hands trying to see 5 lanes (or is it 6) of bumper to bumper traffic through a deluge in high winds. This trip has lost its appeal.

At least all the other drivers were having difficulty seeing as well, so had slowed to a more reasonable speed for the driving conditions. We escaped the I-40 traffic to Briley Parkway on which, miraculously, the construction is now completed after perhaps 20 years. By the time we passed Opryland Hotel, the rain had ceased and blue skies graced us from above.

We hopped on I-24 and come up a couple exits to Joelton and our campground. Gene went in to get us registered and discovered that they had failed to puts us down as arriving today even though he spoke with them 3 different times on the phone. They have space available, so it is not a problem. We have never stayed at this campground so were unfamiliar with the layout. Gene thought he would walk around and select a campsite before pulling the trailer in. He finds a site he likes and in we go. Yes, there is a huge puddle, not just in our site, but all sites have been treated equally. Everything looks great so we unhitch. At least we discovered we did not have enough clearance for the slide before we knocked the electrical post over with it. Hitch up again, back up about 1 foot, and unhitch. This has also lost its appeal.

I put the slides out and to my horror find that envelopes from the cabinet over the desk have flown out during travel and are now jammed up under the slide. Bring the slides back in, clear the jam, and put the slides out again. Wonder how often I can raise and lower the landing gear and push the slides in and out before the house batteries are dead?

The best I can do by this time is just sit down. But I need a glass of tea or lemonade, or something. When I opened the cabinet I didn’t even have to reach for my glass. It came flying out of there and hit me in the head.

This day has lost its fun factor. Tomorrow will be better.