Table Rock Lake, COEs (9/27-10/7/21)

 😧😄😊Monday, Sep 27

Took my time getting ready and departing.  Looks like all the appliances plus are functioning well.  Got away about 10:30 with about 4 1/2 hours driving time. Turned out to be more like 6 hours.  Of course I was just taking my time....I think I just past one truck....otherwise everyone was passing me..... some at high speeds... and I kept thinking about what they were going to do with that 'extra' time they achieved by getting there faster. .....  is it really worth it?...so, to answer my own question:  probably not.  Enjoy the journey.

Of course I did have my own issues.  I stopped for lunch and it was delicious.  Since it was at a truck gas station I decide to go ahead and fill up too.  The first issue is that I must have left me credit card at home, so I tried to used my debit card.  There was a problem at the pump so I went inside and they got someone to look at the pump.  He had me pull to another pump and I had the same problem, so I tried a third pump and although the pump never said it, evidently my debt card was being declined.  So, I tried to call USAA, but was going to be put on hold for 15 minutes.  Decide to just pay cash....which finally got me on my way...... so, it ended up being 1 1/2 hour lunch.  Ran into a traffic jam south of Springfield and that cost another 15 minutes of stop/go traffic.  

Finally got to Cape Fair about 4:30.   Really nice arrival with two guys across the road playing old time country and Gospel on electric guitars.    By the time I got the debt card straightened out I just had a pot pie for supper and took a short bike ride in the dark.  I stopped by later and they were still playing and talked with Christine...wife of Howard who was playing. Turns out that the two guys played together in High School and 40 years later started playing again ..........and they are really good.   Turns out this is really a great campground.  The sites are really nice with many on the water.  Good connectivity and all sites have water too.  They have a beach which looks really nice.  I think I have to rate it a 10 out of 10.  

Can see lake but not on lake

Beach - nice but not sand - small rocks
Really nice marina in the background.  Rode over to it a few times.

😊Tuesday, Sep 28

Weather is great.  Fixed eggs & bacon on a fire....so good.  Took another longer bike ride and really impressed with everything here.  Later in the morning took about a 6 mile bike ride.  The electric makes it possible for me to go places I might not have gone because of the old adage:  What you go down you will have to come back up.  Well, coming up isn't an issue anymore so I just go anywhere.  

This is the camp of a host and it is probably the nicest I have ever seen.  At night it is lit up beautifully too.

Took another long bike ride, this time going into 'town' of Cape Fair.  Very small and old, but someone was building, so people can find value still in the old and small.

And, of course, there is always the sunset..... met another guy who was there enjoying the beauty of God's artistry.  We talked for awhile about how God is visible in his creation.  Nice to see how many people really believe.....

 Something I have notice about Table Rock Lake....while it is quite large, most of it is really not very wide.

😀😀Wednesday, Sep 29

Had some problems sleeping the first night, but I think it was again sleeping horizontal instead of being in a recliner.  So last night I was thinking about David's thought of bringing my recliner.  Since it is much too big I tried my zero gravity chair and although it was a tight fit, I finally decided on trying it.  Well, it went really well.  Since I was rather tired from not sleeping well the first night and taking some long bike rides, I went to bed early... about 6:30 and slept until 3:00 am getting up twice for the potty.  Turns out that it was really easy to get up and get back in 'bed'.  

Fixed some pancakes and bacon over the fire.  Still loving it.

Took a bike ride around the area and told a couple that had a great view, and they responded that they really liked my bike....well, I rode down to them and spent the next hour and a half talking with them....Bill and Maggie.  They like COE campgrounds too and gave me some material and referred me to a book they use.  They were really  neat couple......probably in their 60's.  They had 7 kids made of his, hers, adopted, and foster kids.  They only live 16 miles away.  Both are retired reserves from Army.  Asked me all about the bike.  

Finally got away about noon since it was only 50 minutes to the next campground.  Stopped for gas and my debit card worked.....yippeee.

Got the Campbell Point COE campground and it is really nice too.  I got a spot on the lake which is really nice.....very level......and again I have water hookup.  Fixed a sandwich, watched a movie, and took a ride around the campground.  While it is nice, overall it is not quite as nice as Cape Fair, and there are a lot fewer people. Many of the sites and roads back from the lake front area are not in real good condition.  There is also a beach....but again it doesn't have sand but small pebbles instead.

'Pebble' beach

Picnic area on lake

😀Thursday, Sep 30

Slept wonderfully last night.  Got up 3 times but it was so easy even being groggy and went right back to sleep.  Slept 9 hours and feeling great, really great this morning.  This picture doesn't look like much but it is a really comfortable...even have a 'table' on each side.  Feet are on the couch.  Sounds ridiculous but it works... thanks for the thought, David.

Took more bike rides.  The weather has cooperated....temps are just warm and no rain although it was in the forecast for last two days.  

Started whittling again and it is really nice.  Did it for about 2 hours and my hands started cramping up so had to stop.  It has been years since the last time I did it.  Always had the concern of the little pieces of wood everywhere but don't have to worry about that outside.  Been carrying my whittling case with me for years always meaning to get back into again and finally did it.  

Still hardly anyone around.......strange but there are several people who are camping in the sections of the campground that I don't think are very good, whereas, there are many really nice places by the lake.  Just goes to show how different people are.....no one is wrong....just preferences.

Packed up some stuff because of forecast rain and going to Indian Point campground on Friday.  

😃😞Friday, Oct 1

Slept really good again.  Although the setup seems ridiculous it is really comfortable.  No rain and really not much is forecast for today.  

Took another bike ride this morning just more for exercise than anything else, but ended up riding for only about a mile because Shawn, the grounds keeper, stopped to ask me about my bike.  We talked for about an hour as I got his life's story.  Really nice guy who has worked a couple of the COE campgrounds...... Evidently they contract with the COE through a bidding process for 3 years at a time.  

I had a hard time deciding whether to rate Campbell as and 8 or 9.... finally decided that a 9 would best describe it as long as you stay away from the older sites.

Arrived at Indian Point COE...haven't looked around yet but it is an older campground and so many trees can't see the lake.  The road getting here was really fun.  I think at least 90% of a 12 mile stretch had those curves signs strung out with little to no space between changing from curving right to curving left.....and that's not to mention going up and down at the same time.....and they were fairly sharp curves.  Kind of felt like I was on a roller coaster.  The speed limit on the road was 55 but I didn't even come close....some of the curves had a speed of 25 on them.  Those who tend to get car sickness would have really had a difficult time.  

After lunch decided to take a bike ride and it started raining after a while so headed back to the camper....and it started raining harder....and now I was in full electric.  Got to the camper... not too wet... the awning was out so still covered the trike.  It didn't end and got a lot worse... and is suppose to continue through tomorrow.  Hope I will get a chance to get out and do some exploring. 

😞Saturday, Oct 2

Not much to say.....rain has continued through most of the night and it is still getting some this morning.  Slept really good though it though.  Got up and fixed some rolls in the oven....good by Keto.....  Although didn't have supper last night....just wasn't hungry so just watched movies until went to 'bed'.

Rainy day but periods without which allowed me to take some bike rides.  This didn't lead to much, but did talk with a family, Scott & Liz with 3 young girls.  Going to Silver Dollar City.  I noticed they had a Joy 99 sticker and turns out that they are from Mascoutah, and he works at Scott AFB as an investigator. 

😊Sunday, Oct 3

Got up early and took a bike ride.  Found some new roads down to the marina and a couple of rather large dogs came at me, but turned out to be friendly.  The own came from the marina and we talked for a while.  He runs the scuba diving outfit there.  On the way back to the camper went by Scott/Liz tent and he was up.  Since it is kind of chilly, I ask him if they would like some hot chocolate. They did so went back and fixed some for them.  They were all up when I got there and we had a nice conversation again.  They came down to see me before heading back to Silver Dollar and we exchanged contact info.  

Watch church service and finally got away about 12:30.  Overall, Indian Point is a pretty good campground which I would have to give it a rating of 8 out of 10, generally because it didn't really have any sites on the lake, and the facilities were kind of old. The sites are pretty level, paved, and look like they had been upgraded.

Decided to circle Branson instead of going through it so I could stay on 4 lanes.  Got to Old 86 Campground.   

When I got to Old 86, I had lunch and took a ride around the campground.  It is pretty nice.  The guy at the gate said it was rated as 3rd best in the nation...... I think I would have to disagree with that.  He did remember Shawn from Campbell Point.

Got a nice spot on the lake, but you can see the lake from any site.  

 Had someone stop me about my bike again.  Old people really like it.   Fixed a steak dinner over the fire...really good.    Took another bike ride.

😖😀😋Monday, Oct 4

Woke up early....temps in the 60's so decided to use the repaired furnace to take the chill off.....guess what...it didn't work.  That's life.....  Fixed some eggs & bacon over the fire and then did about a 5 mile bike ride...explored some backwoods areas.  The electric makes it possible to take some trails/back roads.  In the campground saw a camper with an American flag and and AF Flag so I stopped to say hi.  Talked to John who was in the AF for 29 years for about 45 minutes.  He pretty much told me his life story....very interesting.  

Got back and fixed some pigs-in-a-blanket with crescent rolls and wow, they were really good.  Did some more whittling and even took a nap.  Haven't done that for awhile.  The weather is great and it has just been a very relaxing day.   

😄😄Tuesday, Oct 5

Got up early again and fixed some French Toast over the fire.  The weather is just so very calm and temps are joust cool enough.  Took another long bike ride a couple of times around the campground,  Packed up and moved on to Mills Creek Campground.  It is only about 30 min away.

I would rate Old 86 campground a 10 out of 10.  Really a nice place with views of the lake from most of the sites.  

Got to Mills Creek without any problems.  It initially seems to be a great campground too.  Had someone on my site when I got there.  First time that has happened.  They were going to stay another night, but ended up moving to another site.  Had lunch.... the rest of the dogs-in-a-blanket and they are still good.  Took a quick bike ride around the campground and there are some really great sites here.  They are all paved and look well maintained.  

Beautiful sunset

Decided to just have a campfire last night..... weather is great and suppose to rain tomorrow.  

😓😄😄Wednesday, Oct 6

Life is still great....thank you Lord.

Suppose to rain today so took an early bike ride.  This really is a great campground.  Fixed breakfast in the camper.... still good.  Then took another ride.

This is a panoramic picture of the peninsula where every site is wonderful.  Many are pull-throughs with great views.  There is also one of those small pebble beaches that seem to be prevalent on this lake with COE campgrounds. Like all the COE campgrounds I visited on this trip...they have water hookup.  Overall, this campground is definitely a 10 plus.  

The rain continues to fall, but there was a break where I was able to take another bike ride.  The campground, like most, is not all that big and often the road out is not really safe to ride, so I usually end up going along the same campground roads.  There is one thing though, I found that if I reverse the route or go different ways around, you do get a different view of  the same thing.  At lease on this trip my odometer went to 199 miles is how far I have gone since adding the electric.  

Last night and spending it in the camper.....which is fine because that is what all the entertainment is for.  God has still blessed me this entire trip and I thank him for all the joy he has given me....especially for my salvation through his Son....all my pleasures can not even come close to the joy of that blessing.

😢😊Thursday, Oct 7

Slept really good for the last night.  Got up and had some cereal before getting everything ready for the trip home.  It seems like I have everything organized so that it is really easy.  The drive was wonderful.....stopped for gas in the beginning and then at a rest stop.  Got home with no problems.  It was a great trip!