This past week I made one more trip to Meghan’s house in southern Missouri. They have sold their house and are leaving the area so I went down there to help load a truck and pack stuff.

Leaving my trailer there ended up being a good thing; while loading and packing over several days up we had a place to cook & sleep, and once the beds were taken down & loaded up nobody had to sleep on the floor.

We got everything loaded up over 3-4 days, gave the truck a pat on the butt, and off it went…west into the sunset. I hauled my two dogs and four of her Aussies home with me, and she brought more up with her (she has 13 Aussies total). As you can see, they are a bit lovable:

Along with the Aussies, she towed a trailer to haul outdoor dog kennels for the two Caucasian Shepherd Dogs they have and one of those rode in a crate in the bed of my truck; the other was in the back of her SUV. These are NOT small dogs as you can see in the linked article.

Needless to say, 17 dogs, two horses and three cats is quite a lot of livestock but it won’t be for long since they have an offer in on a house and that should close quickly.

Since we got everything done it means I finally got my trailer back home and can do some upkeep things on it after we get some things organized. I need to do some sanding and spray-painting on the frame, stabilizers and rear bumper to keep the rust at bay.

I do need to get it in for some shop work at the dealer as well. I discovered the spare tire mechanism to raise & lower it is not operating correctly and may need a replacement, plus there is a small roof leak that I fixed temporarily but needs a more permanent solution. Plus, the damn screws in the cabinet hinges will not stay tight. Hopefully it’s all done under warranty and a $100 deductible. This being travel season may throw the service schedule farther out, but that is okay…I can still get out for a trip or two in the meantime.

We also loaded a bunch of stuff in it to haul to my house. We worked our asses off the last six days so I sat on mine today and got some things caught up. This weekend we will be unloading everything and I can get to work getting things put back in place until the shop can get it in.

I am so ready for a camping trip – it’s been way too long. The closest Missouri State Parks I have gone to have been undergoing renovations since last year so those small campgrounds in those parks are probably more difficult to get into through until next year since sites are closed and this is tourist travel season. It will be worth the wait for campers since new utilities are being run/added, campsites leveled and repaved, and landscaping improvements will be made to avoid floodwaters.

Close places are nice, but they are not the only option. My first trip in 2023 with my then-new trailer was three hours or so away and I did like it there. But, being there twice already, I guess I will be looking at some other places to go. There are plenty of parks/campgrounds close-by that I have not been to either at all or it has been decades. Some are historical areas and I do love me some history.

I plan to be doing some camping soon one way or another!

Until next time…

Shawn