Category Camping!!!!

Wintering Elsewhere

SimplyB 2 Comments

If you’ve experienced winter in the Midwest, you fully understand the appeal of going South during the cold months. We decided a few months ago to make late January and all of February our month to head for the warmth of Texas.

Why Texas? Well, that’s a good question. Our first winter trip to Texas was the Cotton Bowl, New Year’s Eve back in 2000 or so. Dallas was a sheet of ice. The game was frigid and miserable, though our team, KSU, won the game. Several years later KSU played in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. So, you know, that’s further south than Dallas. It’ll be warm and sublime. Nope. Temps in the low 50’s and cold rain the entire time. Even on our side trip to Port Aransas on the Gulf.

But January/February should be much better. Right? Much better than Kansas. Right?

Continue reading “Wintering Elsewhere” →

You’re wrong

SimplyB 14 Comments

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a million times. Words like “mind-numbing terrain”. “It’s so boring”. “There’s nothing to see”. “Longest drive ever”. Any guesses what these words are describing? Well I’ll go ahead and give the answer: Western Kansas. I-70 in particular.

And I have to be very honest, I’ve uttered those words myself over the years. Shame on me.

Continue reading “You’re wrong” →

‘Sup? oh my….SUP

SimplyB 10 Comments

My oldest daughter has an SUP. Stand up paddleboard, in case you need to know. Her mother-in-law also has one. They rave about how fun they are, how easy they are to use, how great the muscular work-out they provide.

So I sure enough wanted to try and see for myself last November in the bay water of Palacios, Texas. Perhaps I should have received warning signals from the opposing phrases “easy to use” and “great work-out”. But, of course, I didn’t. Read on.

Continue reading “‘Sup? oh my….SUP” →

Yaks and Origami

SimplyB 4 Comments

For most of the month of November we’ve been volunteering at a faith-based camp on the Texas gulf. Palacios by the Sea is a lovely little spot in the universe. So low-key and friendly. About 4600 folks call Palacios home. It’s bordered by a lovely bay that connects to the Gulf of Mexico. By the way, for those of you word nerds who need to know how Palacios is pronounced: Puh-lash-us

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There’s a Lighthouse….on a (really steep) hillside

SimplyB 4 Comments

After a long period of time with no volunteering trips with our RV, we finally finally are able to get back out there and go. As I mentioned in my blog post titled “Purpose and Plans”, everything kinda stopped in 2020 for us due to Rotten Rona. In 2019 we began the volunteering plan, in 2020 it screeched to a halt. Only two projects total for us and BAM, done.

Continue reading “There’s a Lighthouse….on a (really steep) hillside” →

The Morels of Campgrounds

SimplyB 13 Comments

Against my better judgment I’m fixing to tell you a camping story. With details I’d prefer not to share. Go ahead and read, but I may need you to sign a waiver first promising you won’t share info. Reality check, Simply B, that can’t happen. They’re going to read it anyway. Well, okay, here goes.

Every single year the hubby and I take at least one camping trip to Colorado. Every year we are joined by at least one of our daughters and her family, often there are three families involved. This year our trip included seven (7!!) families from my branch of the family tree. For a full week in the mountains.

** Spoiler alert** we all love each other. No dysfunctional family drama involved. That’s not the forbidden info.

Continue reading “The Morels of Campgrounds” →

The Eyes Have It

SimplyB 2 Comments

Again, I have been given the opportunity to reminisce about my mother. Several days ago I had cataract surgery. Soon I will have cataract surgery on my other eye. Just a short appointment, quick recovery, and voila, good eyesight. Maybe even no prescription eye glasses needed once my other eye is done. Just that simple.

Mom’s eyes developed cataracts at a pretty young age. I was ten when she had surgery, which would have made her 50 years old. 1965 was the year. This surgery wasn’t simple and my mom wasn’t particularly enthused about the whole process.

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Traveling south; Gene, Blake, and Olive Ann

SimplyB 8 Comments

Did you know there is a national park in south central Oklahoma? Well there is! Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

We decided to take a little four day camping trip to this park, sight unseen, no idea what to expect. Sense of adventure kicked in while googling Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Our trip was delayed one year because our initial reservation was in March of 2020. Need I say more? ‘Rona ruined that plan.

Fast forward to 2021 and life is kind of good-ish again. Things are opening up, so we rebooked some campsites and hit the road with my sister and brother-in-law.

Continue reading “Traveling south; Gene, Blake, and Olive Ann” →

Shakedown Shakes

SimplyB 2 Comments

We camp in a fifth wheel. We winterize our 5th wheel late fall every stinking year. Always with a sad face. Because we love to camp and the winter feels like an eternity when we can’t go camping.

Our part of the world experienced record breaking cold temperatures this past winter. And they lasted for a record breaking fourteen day period. Why does this matter? Well, it can mean winterization fails. AKA, cracks and leaks. Ugh.

Thus, our annual spring shakedown camping trip was taken with trepidation. Actually, for more reasons than winterization fails.

Continue reading “Shakedown Shakes” →

Purpose and Plans.

SimplyB 4 Comments

We’re retired. It’s been two years now. Since we love to travel and have a fifth wheel, we looked into ways we could incorporate both of those into our life plan. Doors opened for us to volunteer at faith based camps while living part-time in our fifth wheel and in the fall of 2019 we had our first stint in eastern Oklahoma. After the first month we loved it so much that we quickly signed up for another month.

And it seemed we’d found our purpose.

Continue reading “Purpose and Plans.” →

Rising numbers. Rrrrrrip.

SimplyB 5 Comments

My collection of numbers has become pretty large. Too many birthdays has added a ton of numbers to my age. And I seem to have an uncanny ability to add numbers to my weight. Though it’s tempting to blame COVID19 and the whole stay-at-home scene on the weight dealio, that would be a lie.

All these numbers have resulted in gravitational effects and odd changes to my already unfortunate configuration of body parts.

Continue reading “Rising numbers. Rrrrrrip.” →

Smiles, language barrier, and poop. Oh my.

SimplyB 2 Comments

A couple of days ago we found ourselves strolling through a local mall with the littlest grandboy. Malls have become pretty desolate, but there were quite a few mall-walkers utilizing the space on that day. As we were standing next to the little children’s carousel, a mall-walker woman looked our way and I smiled and greeted her. She started to walk on by then turned to speak to me. “Thank you for smiling. I’ve smiled at everyone in this place today and you’re the first one to return my smile.” I told her I understood what she was talking about and thanked her for her smile, too. She patted my shoulder and said “God bless you,” as she walked away.

Continue reading “Smiles, language barrier, and poop. Oh my.” →

Would you like some whine with that cane?

SimplyB 1 Comment

Unless you are blind, you are fully aware that my husband and I do not have athletic looking bodies.    No one looks at us and concludes that we must work out many hours each day.

We don’t look like we would be hikers.  We look like walking to the fridge is our exercise of choice.  (oddly enough, as I typed those words, the hubby strolled by from the fridge with a nice bowl of ice cream in his hand) Continue reading “Would you like some whine with that cane?” →

Texas, the final chapter. For now.

SimplyB 3 Comments

tyler state park hiking trail.jpg

Tyler State Park.  Our final campground in Texas.  This picture was taken on a hiking trail near our campsite.

There’s no end to Texas.  I’m certain of that.  It is vast and so diverse topographically.

Our stay in Texas was initially going to be 6-8 weeks.  Due to various circumstances we were only there a bit shy of 4 weeks.  But even if we’d spent all 8 weeks touring Texas we could never have seen it all.   We shall return.  I want to see more. Continue reading “Texas, the final chapter. For now.” →

Where’s your sense of adventure? Stay tuned.

SimplyB 3 Comments

For the last several springs and summers we’ve taken frequent camping trips to local lakes.  And the Mr. worked remotely from our RV. While he worked, I did, uh, very little. Mainly spent time outdoors in exquisitely beautiful surroundings, hanging out with the Creator. Continue reading “Where’s your sense of adventure? Stay tuned.” →

Recreational Vehicle? Depends on your definition of "recreation".

SimplyB 1 Comment

As I’ve mentioned countless times, we are campers.  Outdoorsy folks.  With limits, of course.  You will never see us riding a mountain bike up a 20% grade through thick forest and jumping the bikes over large boulders.  Or rappelling up a vertical slab of rock above a river of whitewater below.   We like to walk around on easy paths and occasionally flex our muscles in order to hoist up our smart phones and take a picture of some beautiful scene.  Yeah, that’s our style of “outdoorsy”.  Continue reading “Recreational Vehicle? Depends on your definition of "recreation".” →

A Flush to Remember.

SimplyB 3 Comments

Tuttle Creek Reservoir, circa 1964. Brand new beautiful lake.  Summertime.  Most of our family loved to fish.  The few who didn’t (MOM!!) at least loved to be outdoors.  My sister had a super nice red ski boat that she had recently purchased.

So it just seemed natural that the whole bunch of our family should take a fishing trip to beautiful Tuttle Creek lake near Manhattan.  We could fish, we could ski, we could just have a grand time.

Continue reading “A Flush to Remember.” →

Fences and Fear

SimplyB 5 Comments
Let me just preface this post with this unfortunate fact: I failed swimming lessons when I was a grade school child.  Dropped out before the session was even close to being complete.   The configuration of my body parts didn’t lend itself to really being much of a swimmer. 😜   But I was able to float (on my back) and potentially avoid drowning. In my mind that was close enough to success. Mission accomplished.  Sort of.  The failure stayed with me and put a dent in my level of confidence around water.

Continue reading “Fences and Fear” →