Traveling RVers - Day 1

 This morning we loaded up the truck and we (along with Shaggy) headed over to the camper to hook up to the 5th wheel.  We were a bit apprehensive as our auto leveling system has been fickle this year, but despite frigid temperatures and a blinking orange light, we were able to raise up the "leveling legs". In no time we were pulling ahead, checking lights, chiseling out the frozen chocks from the earth, and hitting the road.

We are blessed to have very little wind and wide open roads! We are taking a less traveled road to avoid Chicago and heading instead through Iowa and into Missouri.  Shaggy, as always, has been a good traveler. This will be his first long distance trip without his life partner, Daphne. 

We arrived in Bowling Green, Missouri at a campground there called Cozy C RV-- I am afraid the temperatures here are colder than they are at home!! MN temp tonight was 24... temp here in MO was 22! We are feeling adventurous as we set up our camper for our first experience at winter camping!!  Everything in the camper is frozen SOLID.  We have 2 electric heaters and we also tried to utilize the fireplace for additional heat, however it wasn't working (maybe battery is dead on the remote?) so we caved and turned on our furnace.  There are long-term campers here in this campground - we were told most of those here are working on the pipeline.  Here is our camper all set up in Missouri...

Then we went into town to Dos Primos Restaurant for dinner which was delicious and filling.  Then back to our camper-- which was warmer, but not too cozy.  We have not hooked up our water since we will be leaving in the morning for Doyle, TN, so we have to use the campground's bathrooms.  Thankfully we both have our winter coats!  Now we are all ready for bed and reading...Paul is playing Sudoku and Shaggy is settling in (he has taken to sleeping with us since Daphne died).  

Anyway, so begins our adventure...