Kansas for the Summer

     Well, we departed LazyDays in Tampa on Saturday, April 28th and headed back to our friends at Bella Terra in Foley for a couple of days. While there, we got to say proper "good bye's" to our new friends and took some much needed time to get the motorhome ready for travel once again.
     We left Foley on Monday, April 30 and started our 3 day marathon drive back to Wichita. We traveled mostly on interstate and overnighted in Rest Areas. The first day we trekked through 4 states (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas) spending the night in Orange, TX!! The next day we went straight up through Texas to a rest stop just outside of Thackerville, OK. Day 3 saw us pulling in to my son's place (formerly our old homestead) and parking for a couple of days. We visited with friends and family and also got several errands out of the way that we had been needing to do (things like Doctors, Dentists, and Vet visits).
     Then on Monday, May 7th, I drove the motorhome up to Manhattan's Tuttle Creek State Park and camped in River Pond campground. Here I met with the Park manager and began a quick orientation on my new duties. We took a 25 mile drive around the reservoir to see our new summer home. (25 road miles to cover 14 miles as the crow flies from Manhattan to Randolph, KS). Our new home is in the South Randolph campground. We are Camp Hosts responsible for both North and South Randolph CG's and Fancy Creek CG that lies 1.5 miles east of us (across the Randolph bridge).

     That's the bridge in the photo above. We sit on a hill surrounded by prairie grass and Cottonwood trees (along with many Cedar and Pine trees). The campgrounds are at the far north end of Tuttle Creek Reservoir whereas the Park Office and two other campgrounds are located south of the Reservoir's Dam in Manhattan.

     Our site is brand new to the Park, having just been built over the winter. We have a fairly level gravel pad with all of the needed hook-ups. Since it is new, the grass has not had time to get established so it can be a little muddy when it rains. The Park has given us a large bag of grass seed which we have liberally sowed. We water daily and are anxiously watching for small blades of fescue to rise up out of the Kansas Prairie!
     So far it is still early in the season. Up until last night in fact, we have been the only occupant of South Randolph. I'm sure that will change for Memorial Day weekend but I have been told that it stays pretty quiet during the week out here.

     Misty is getting used to the large areas to roam and explore. When nobody is around we let her off the leash and let her go. During the day, she sits on the back of the couch and watches things out the window. We can always tell when someone comes into the park, as she sits up and intently watches them as they drive by.

     Part of my duties includes mowing all of the grass in the parks (N. and S. Randolph and Fancy Creek). To do this, I have my choice of a large tractor and bush hog (for the wide expanses) and a zero turn radius riding mower. I also have access to some college students in the AmeriCorps program who help out throughout all of Tuttle Creek's Parks. Last week, four of them came up and we all mowed and trimmed. Working all day we were able to do all of Fancy Creek and most of S. Randolph. Gives you an idea of how much mowing I will be doing this summer!! We also make sure that the bathrooms are clean and well stocked and that the shower house located in S. Randolph is kept in good working order. We make daily runs through the campgrounds to make sure that campers have paid their fees and to answer any questions that they might have. New this year is an online reservation system for reserving campsites. Administration of this program is still in the learning phase, so we are trying to find the best way to make sure that sites are properly marked as "Reserved" or "Available". The rest of the time, we enjoy the wide open spaces and beautiful night skies filled with more stars than you think possible. If you're up this way, or plan on coming, let us know... We'd be glad to see you!