So my apologies for not making a post for awhile. It has been very adventurous and busy! Also, I have been creating a lot of video content. I figure it will be easier for you guys to see and understand what I am doing via video. It is will also be easier for me — or so I thought until it comes to sitting down and editing! Hahaha — Nonetheless — video blogs coming soon.
I just had an amazing time in Texas. I love Texas so much — the people, the places — the freedom. The Patriotism!
So I just left Texas on Sunday to start my journey back to Illinois — or as I like to call it, “The Golden Gates of Hell”. I am currently parked just outside of St. Louis in Missouri. I plan on crossing over to Illinois tomorrow. I am headed to Great Lakes Dragaway for our first Post-Covid Lockdown event, Car Chix Battle of the Sexes – Battle for the Belt. The event takes place on May 30th during the Memorial Day Weekend Show! Hope if you are in the area, you can come check it out.
But man was the travel here from Odessa, Texas just crazy! I went through West Texas into Oklahoma and now Missouri. Straight through tornado alley. The storms have literally followed me the entire way. This is only a 17 hour drive that I can usually drive straight through, but between the weather and mechanical issues — I have been taking my time. And what’s the rush — right? Also, keep in mind, I still have to run two businesses and drive. I wish that Haze could drive or at least make me a sandwich while we are on the road every now and then — hahaha.
Two nights ago, I slept at Buffalo Bob’s RV Park in Lawton, Oklahoma, which is just across the border from Texas. As I was driving from Funny Car Chaos at Penwell Knights Raceway towards Illinois, this crazy cloud formation/storm was just behind me. Right when I crossed the border into Oklahoma, it was getting super dark and I knew I needed to pull over. The storm had caught up to me.
Also — side note — all of my trailer brakes have went out and I have also broke both of my trailer chains twice now on this drive (which I temporally fixed with some quick links). I have the parts and tools to do it, but I need to be on solid ground and not pouring buckets of rain to fix. It has rained everyday between events for the last 2 weeks. No worries — driving slow to get to my friends house to park and replace — Anyway…
So, I found Buffalo Bob’s RV Park on RV PARKY APP and headed in for the night. When I called Buffalo Bob’s RV Park, they gave me a site number and told me just to pull into it and they would come by once I was parked — which was somewhat unusual because usually RV Parks want you to come in the office and they give you some papers with what’s offered there, rules, something to sign, etc.
One of the managers — super nice guy — came by and started giving me passcodes to get into the buildings. I was confused at first — but apparently this storm was expected to be crazy! He said earlier that day they had over 5 inches of rain and hail! He was giving me the passcodes incase it got bad so I could go into one of the buildings. Pets and all!
I kind of thought he was overreacting at first until I remembered the last few miles of the highway before pulling into the RV Park. Ever see that movie TWISTER? Yeah — looked just like that. Potential for flying cows, wide open farm like fields and everything! So I asked what I should expect and was told that the weather station just dropped it to a moderate severe thunderstorm. Well what’s that? He said well, the hail will be tennis ball size instead of softball size this time…. Wow! Okay…
I didn’t sleep much that night. We didn’t see hail there and a little bit of rain, but man was the sky just amazing! There are no tall buildings or anything so you can see storms from pretty far away — the sky was lit up all night with lightning. It was one of the most beautiful things I ever seen.
The next morning as I continued my journey to Illinois, my friend from Texas called and informed me that 30 miles away, in West Texas, they had hail the size of onions.
I love reading your adventures on the road J!! Keep on living girl & stay safe out there! Was a lil worried with those storms recently in TX, not gonna lie. I May around here (South) has been NO JOKE for this weather. We’re still cleaning up too. Just get a good weather app to follow as well!!
Thank you! I have been looking at getting a radio weather station to keep in the RV. Would have came in handy a few times this past two weeks.