It must have been back in 2021 that my wife Carol started talking about getting a truck camper. She thought that she could help drive with the camper being on a truck. We talked about it and decided that the truck would sway a lot because of the weight, and it could be hard to drive on a windy day. There isn’t a lot of room in a truck camper, so we looked at small motor homes and travel trailers, something to suit the three of us.
In 2022, we ended up buying a used 2021 Toyota Tundra TRD with 21,000 miles on it. This is a really nice truck. I really like it, and Buddy, our dog loves road trips in it. The truck drives well, it’s comfortable, has a lot of power and looks cool. Carol did a great job when she picked this one out. We continued to talk about our options, and in 2023, we bought a new Jayco travel trailer. The trailer was new but was a 2022 model. The layout is great, and it has a lot of windows. There are no slide-outs, but it has all the room the three of us need. We picked it up on a cold and rainy January day, did a walk through, but the weather was so bad that we just wanted to leave. We were really happy with our purchase and couldn’t wait to try it out. I took Carol out and let her drive the truck with the trailer, and she had no problems other than a lack of confidence, and she didn’t like all the traffic on the interstate. The truck and trailer drive great.

March 2023
Our first trip was to the Florida keys. Key Largo, a spot on the water, who could ask for more. A long trip but very relaxing after we made it through Nashville and Atlanta. Avoid Atlanta if possible, nothing but traffic. We stayed at Key Largo Kampground & Marina where we had a site on a canal. We really enjoyed our time there.

Looking up the canal towards the marina

Looking across the canal

Jelly fish off our dock

When we left the keys, we headed to the pan handle because I wanted to avoid Atlanta on the return trip and we ended up spending a night at an RV park on the Suwannee river in Old Town, before we ended up at Emerald Beach RV park at Navarre.
The Suwannee River Hideaway is located in a wetland close to the Suwannee river and was beautiful, if you could imagine it’s past. A time where people walked the trails around the ponds and wetlands and went to the store to buy their supplies. Images of times gone by manifested in the morning mist. We walked the old rickety bridge over the swamp to the river to watch an alligator swim at the broken old dock where the boy had just been playing. Buddy didn’t care for the bridge, but Carol and I helped him out.

We planned on staying at Emerald Beach RV park in Navarre for one night before heading home. The park is right on the coast of Santa Rosa Sound. Having a barrier island made the beach very relaxing without the influence of the open ocean. We ended up staying a week before heading home on I65.

Lunch, with a cool drink

The barrier island at night

August, 2023
Later that year we spent a month at Timberline Campground in Benzonia Michigan, in close proximity to a number of small towns. Summer events, music festivals, and outdoor activities make this a great summer getaway.

Frankfort MI from Betsie lake

Entrance to the harbor

October 2023
We ended the year with a trip to Galveston, Texas. This is a very interesting area considering its location and history.  A place that Carol has wanted to see for a long time. We had an amusing ride down with crazy drivers and Baton Rouge traffic, which is a good place to avoid. GPS navigated us to Port Boliva, Texas, where we took a ferry to Galveston. This is the entrance to Galveston Bay. The ferry is a free service provided by the Texas Department of Transportation.
We spent time in the historic district as well as a self-guided tour of the tree sculptures and visiting a few cemeteries reflecting the islands past. We also saw some of the houses shown on the show Restoring Galveston. There is more to see, and I am sure we will return.

Historic district in Galveston

Carvings from fallen trees

Sunset on Galveston bay

November 2023
Not wanting to go home any of the logical ways, I decided to go over to I65 and head north. I thought we might spend the night in Mobile but decided that New Orleans and the French Quarter would be more fun. I remember being there for Mardi Gras in the 70s. Wild Times!
We found the French Quarter RV Resort and it lives up to its name. Located in more of an industrial area, the resort offers all the security and beauty you could want. Just outside the French Quarter, it was a short walk to all the history the area had to offer. We spent the first part of the day touring the cemetery next to the park. The caretaker was kind enough to let us in. Carol was interested in the above ground graves that the area is known for. After spending an hour or so in the cemetery we walked to the French Quarter

Cemetery next to our RV park

The French Quarter

And spent hours walking and truly enjoyed the area. The music from the restaurants was extremely loud but it didn’t seem to bother Buddy as we walked by and he was accepted in every shop. This is another place I would like to return to.
The trip home was easy going through Alabama and up I65. I think it was a lot safer than our other options.
Truly a great way to end the year!