Hitting the Road – Expect the Unexpected

When preparing for our three-month cross-country trip, we knew to expect the unexpected. In my previous blog post, I wrote why we had to modify our departure date and route, read about that here Call me Crazy. With our revised plan in place, we set April 19 as our new arrival date for our first destination, Pawhuska, OK. 

I figured we would drive 300-350 miles a day, giving us three nights with no reservations on a new route to Oklahoma. As we headed west, I was feeling a little anxious as we had no firm plan for our first three nights. Looking back now, those first three nights provided unanticipated yet memorable experiences.

Night One: Hopewell, OH   

For the first night, I figured we would end up east of Columbus, OH. Always a planner, I read the reviews for several campgrounds in this area the night before we departed. I called one to see if they had availability. I was concerned we might not get a campsite based on the number of new RVers hitting the road. They told me someone would call me back that evening; no one did. We departed the morning of April 16, not knowing where we would be spending the night.  

A few hours into our drive we received a call from the campground I called the night before. After apologizing for not returning my call, they said they had a spot for me, provided detailed directions as they said Google directions are incorrect, and told me to call when I arrived. With no option to refuse and no idea of what this would cost, I said great and followed the directions provided.   

As instructed, I called when we arrived. From a house located on a hill, I saw someone come out with their dog. They jumped into a truck and met us at the entrance. The gentleman instructed me to follow him. He told me we would drive around the loop within the RV Park. This would bring us back to where the loop begins and I could then back into the site. I have yet to master my backing skills so I was a little nervous, especially with this gentleman navigating me back into the site.  

After successfully navigating the loop and backing into the campsite, my wife and I walked to the back of our camper. We were introduced to the neighbor who was shooting a bb gun at beer cans in the woods. My wife and I exchanged a few looks and waved hello. He then asks how long we are staying. I told him we were just passing through and would be staying one night. Turning to the gentlemen who drove us to our site, I asked what we owed for the site, $18.00 he said. I handed him a $20. He looked at me and said he needed to go back to the house and would return with my change. I told him, please keep the change. He hesitated, but I insisted. We waved goodbye to our neighbor, said thanks to the gentleman, and retired to the RV. It was a memorable first day.

Night Two: Casey, IL

The next day we hit the road expecting to drive to a KOA in Casey, IL, 333 miles away. We would make a reservation when we stopped for lunch if our travels were going well. 

As we approached Casey, IL, my wife and I noticed the Attractions sign below.  

We looked at each other puzzled yet intrigued. Upon arriving at the KOA my wife wanted to know if we were going to unhitch the camper and check out the attractions. That was not our intention, but I immediately answered yes!  

Casey, IL has a motto, Big Things in a Small Town. I now know why. As we walked down Main St, we immediately came across the Word’s Largest Bird Cage, Mailbox, Rocking Chair, Barbershop Sign, Yardstick, Wind Chime, and more! We could not help but laugh as we strolled down Main Street, taking pictures while enjoying this pleasant surprise after a long day on the road. We decided to have an early dinner at Whitling Whimsy Cafe ending the second day of our trip.

Casey, IL was one of those quintessential All American small towns we hoped to discover when we planned our journey. If you are driving Interstate 70 and find yourself passing Casey, IL, it is worth a stop.

Night Three: Springfield, MO

On our third and final day before reaching our first destination, we drove 350 miles to Springfield, MO. Like the previous day, I found a campground which we booked when we stopped for lunch. It was the Springfield/Route 66 KOA Holiday. A campground with Route 66 in its name made it more fascinating to me, and I was a little excited to see what awaited me. After a long drive, we arrived safely, set up, and decided to stay at the campground and rest up. The next day would be a long day as we would be reaching our first destination, Pawhuska, OK.

It was not long after we got settled in before we heard the horn and felt the rumble of a freight train as it passed 500 feet from our campsite. Laughing, I told my wife we knew there would be surprises along the way. Much to our disappointment, the frequency of passing freight trains was numerous and did not stop throughout the night. I told my wife I would write a review stating “the perfect campground for the train enthusiast”. What can you do but laugh, and so we did. At least they had an Adirondack chair where I could sit back and relax.

We were off to a good start! Three very different yet memorable experiences for our first three nights. To us, they were glimpses into small-town America. We could not wait to see what the rest of the trip had awaiting us. 

Do you have any unexpected yet memorable travel experiences? Please share in the comments below for all to enjoy.