Pleasant Creek


We had snow on the weekend but it quickly disappeared and it has been gorgeous ever since. Spring is definitely in the air and it is making us anxious to get the 5th wheel here and move in. Sunday afternoon we went out to Pleasant Creek state park near Palo IA. I've been checking rates and it looks like the state parks are particularly less until April 30th. So off we went to check out the park. We've been here many times and even tent camped here last summer but now we look with a much more critical eye. We check things like obstructions to the slides, slope and the ease of getting in and out, also whether they are reservable or non-reservable sites. We found several that we like, one pullout (photo below) that the patio side would look out over the lake, and several pull thrus we like. There we 3 RVs already in the park and it looks like the electric is up and running but I doubt that the water is turned on. This park will only have 30 amp electrical at most of the sites we like and no water at the site. Both are doable and it looks like in April it will only be $11 a day. Cool.
I also garnered from the check in board that the state has camping coupons. Went online and found them. You can buy groups of 7 coupons for $91 , which comes out to be $13 a night. This is comparable to the county parks so it gives us lots of options. I think most of the time we will stay a week at each park coming back to our favorites often. Only one of the parks we want to stay in has full hook-ups (Lake McBride State Park) and it is a little more out of the way so may only stay there a week or so.
John finally got online and ordered a few of the items we still need and we found the external water filter we wanted at Wal-Mart. The preparation for this has been overwhelming at times. As we get closer to going I have sensed some disapproval from some friends, who I believe thought that this was all talk. It definitely is a different way of doing things and sometimes I'm surprised we have gone this way - but surprised in a good way. Tonight is the next step as we talk with our financial advisor again and see when we can make the jump to retirement.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Time for me to learn to drive this rig.

Image
Trail at Squaw Creek park Yesterday we moved back to Morgan Creek park (about a 15 mile drive) and I drove the rig! We have always said that I needed to start doing this but I never seem to do it. The first year I think John just felt he needed to get proficient at all the driving & parking things before he had me do it and then we just got lazy. It was just easier for him to do it. Recently friends of our that we met in Tucson, John and Terri had a very harrowing experience that reminded us why we both need to be able to drive this rig. John they think had a seizure while driving, luckily not towing but still it is amazing that they survived it. What this meant is that now Terri had to do the driving back to their former home town Sacramento and like me she had not done much driving. She did great and they are now coming off the road and starting a new phase of life. All of John's test look good so far and we wish him the best and hope that it was just a one time isolated...
Read more

Three plus years of full timing....what have we learned

Image
Zion National Park,  Utah, December 2010 Harris Hawk at Sonoran Desert Museum, Tuscon Feb. 2011 When we left Cedar Rapids it began our 4th year of living and traveling in our RV. The last three years have flown by and we are still not ready to go back to a sticks and bricks life. We have traveled a lot of the western US but even with time out there all three years there are so many places we have yet to discover. This year will be our first going south and east, all new places for me and many new ones for John. I think one of the things that I learn every time we find somewhere new is how beautiful this country is. If you slow down and take the time you will find amazing things everywhere. I think the thing I appreciate the most about this lifestyle is that freedom to take it slow. BLM land near Quartzite, AZ in January 2011 Putah Creek, Winters CA in Jan.2013 Crater Lake, Oregon, fall 2012 Diamond Lake, Oregon, fall 2012 When we first took off we w...
Read more

The Urban Life

Image
The view from our balcony I have been thinking about this post for awhile. When we are not traveling I find it hard to sit down and write but I have wanted to tell you about our new digs and what living downtown has been like for us. Another balcony view We moved into a one bedroom apartment on the west side of the river in the downtown Cedar Rapids area. This is a brand new building that actually they are still working on. The first floor is businesses, floors 2 and 3 are apartments and floors 4, 5, & 6 are condos. We love the building. Every apartment and condo has a balcony that looks out over the river and the McGrath Amphitheatre. Our little apartment in this building is 767 sq. which, after living in our 5th Wheel for 7 years, seems huge. We feel these apartments were well thought out. The kitchen is wonderful. It has a large island (all  solid countertops - quartz I think) with a large sink and plenty of seating room . We started by buying 3 barstools but f...
Read more