To the Smoky Mountains

We were awakened by the sound of thunder and rain starting to hit the roof. We rushed to get the outside carpet all rolled up as it had been drying on a post. We got all of the other outside items stowed away just in time for the big downpour. It was nice to be in the warm dry trailer but kind of sad watching the tent campers pack up in the rain and getting soaked.

After the storm passed we decided we would hit the road vs. attending church as today is a 4 hour drive day. We got all showered and got the trailer and Yukon ready. The tire shop had not inflated the front tires to the right pressure so our little air compressor got a workout trying to get them up to close to the right pressure. I spent a bit of time on the roof and rolling in the awning sweeping off all the tree debris.

Our nice neighbors packed up about the same time we did. We chatted for a couple of minutes before they headed out. We were thinking that there would be a long line at the dump station (yes, we think about this stuff) but were happy to find we could drive right up. We chatted a bit with the camp hosts who are a nice couple with a 6 year old black lab. After doing our discharging we hit the road for our long drive.

Unfortunately it appears the shuddering is still apparent but now at different speeds in the Yukon. We will have to make another visit to the dealership next time we are close to one. Rain started about an hour into the drive. We listened to worship music and then a great sermon from Substance Church that we visited in Minneapolis. We stopped at a rest stop for lunch and then headed back on the road. About another hour into the trip we hit THE WORST RAIN I have ever driven the trailer in. I honestly could barely see the tail lights of the car in front of us and the water on the road was like a stream. There were also wind gusts involved which pushed the trailer around a bit. Needless to say I was very happy we had swapped out our tires so they had the tread to stay on the road. We had to take it slow and easy and while it was nerve-racking we made it through without any issues.

Video of the rain

The campground we chose is on a very curvy and narrow road so the end of our drive was also a little interesting but we checked into a nice campground with alot of space between sites and a very secluded feeling even though they have full hookups, WIFI, cable TV and a pool. Looking out our windows we can see the surrounding hills with low clouds. It is a very nice spot with nice managers. We did not realize we crossed into a new time zone today so we arrived past when they normally would close. They called Stacey's cell to confirm everything was OK and to check on our arrival time. They stayed open an extra half hour to help us check in. Very nice!

We got setup right as the rain started again here and it has been off and on all evening. The kids watched the old Batman moving with Michael Keaton. I was able to sneak in a quick nap. We updated the clock in the trailer and found that it was past the kids bedtime already so they are getting ready while Brighton is helping Stacey with the dishes.

Hopefully the rains will die down tomorrow but even if not we are happy to be in a nice site with full hookups in a beautiful area.