I Have a Trip Start Date

 Location: New Rockdale RV Park; Mansfield, Louisiana

My start date is tentatively set for June 11, 2023. "Tentatively" is one of those weasel words I used in my previous life, before retirement. Such as, at a press interview I could say, "that project is tentatively due to be opened on (fill in the date)." But, in this case it is true. Unless something unforeseen pops up, that is my firm carved in stone definite maybe 95% sure start date.

It is firm enough for me to start making reservations. I have confirmed reservations at five campgrounds. The first one is my sentimental pick due to it being the first campground I stayed at after going fulltime back in April of 2014. I went all in on sentimental too by reserving the exact campsite. I'll be there for 3 days and maybe I'll re-check the archaeological site with older eyes and see if it is better the second go around. I tried to get reservations at Roosevelt State Park for my second campground but they were totally full. So, instead, I have reservations at two Corps of Engineers campgrounds. The first is near Meridian and the other is near Aberdeen, Mississippi. They are waypoints #3 and #4 on the RV Parky picture.

This is the screen shot from RV Parky showing the first 5 campgrounds. The program counts my current campground as #1. So, waypoint #5 is campground #4

The fourth campground and waypoint #5 on the picture will be my first ever Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) campground. It is Pickwick Dam Campground located right on the Tennessee River just downstream of Pickwick Dam. I think I have reserved the best campsite in the whole campground. 

This is a screen shot from Google Earth Street View. The campground is on the left, the Tennessee River on the right and Pickwick Dam in far background. If I did it right, my reserved campsite is the one on the left with the back of the RV showing. 

The fivth campground will be Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, Alabama which is between Muscle Shoals and Huntsville. It is located between two TVA dams and is an excellent position to explore both of them. 

I don't have reservations for the sixth campground yet but am hoping it will be Jackson County Park and Marina near Scottsboro, Alabama. Since they don't have online reservations, I have to wait until they open on Monday to make reservations the old fashioned way,,,,,by phone. 

After securing the Jackson County campground I'll be able to make more online reservations since the next few proposed campgrounds are TVA's. By they way, for ya'll campers, the TVA accepts the Senior Pass but grants only 30% discount instead of the normal 50%. They are about twice the price of the average COE campground but I am willing to pay the extra premium to camp along the river and near the dams. 

I've also started checking the long range temperature forecast and it shows daytime highs in the upper 80's to low 90's all the way through Alabama. Hopefully, that forecast will hold up. I know I jinxed North Dakota on my trip up there a year or so ago by bringing 100 degree days with me. It's a good thing they never found out I was the jinx or I would still be up there, just six feet under. 

Ya'll take care of each other. Maybe, I'll Cya down the road.