I haven’t been well for over a week. Nikki and Misael are in the same boat. Apparently it’s whatever new, non-Covid illness is going around.

We appear to be on the mend but, as for myself, I’m wiped out.

The extent of my physical activities is doing the bare minimum. The remainder of my time is spent coughing, nose blowing, sleeping and desperately wondering what it’s like to feel well.

Today, I’d like to go back in time with a Throwback Thursday post and share about a simple adventure I had last autumn.

Leaving The Homeland…

I left The Homeland (northwest Illinois) in late October 2023. It was getting too cold for my liking and my goal was to hightail it to warmer weather.

As I pull out of the campground driveway, I say “Good bye, til spring!” to my favorite KOA – the Lena KOA Holiday.

I Wasn’t Due In Florida City Until December 1…

I had the entire month of November to mosey from northwest Illinois to southeast Florida.

I typically vary my route but, this year, my route would be the one that gets me to above freezing temps the quickest.

Camping At A Tennessee State Park…

Bledsoe Creek State Park in Gallatin, Tennessee always happens to be in the right place at the right time – which is probably why I stop there often.

Last minute reservations can be a challenge but Bledsoe Creek happened to have a spot available for 2 nights!

Still In Freezing Temperatures…

The daytime temps in Gallatin were on the nippy side and nightly temps were downright cold.

A bitter cold front was blanketing the United States and I was following it’s path.

There was no way to avoid freezing temps unless I wanted to drive for hours on end.

It was best to hunker down and allow the cold-front to pass.

Settling In At Campsite 55…

After getting settled in, I proceed to enjoy what nature has to offer.

Campsite 55 overlooks Old Hickory Lake – near the Cumberland River.

On one side of my campsite, a white bird gracefully wades along the shoreline of Old Hickory Lake.

On the other side, a squirrel scurries around my campsite… eventually taking possession of my picnic table.

The squirrel is soon joined by a couple of friends.

His friends obviously smuggled a jug of goofy juice onto the scene as the scurrying soon took on a whole new level of crazy!

A Gloomy Second Day…

The second day of my stay was chilly and gloomy. I spent most of the day in the warmth of the van watching nature through the windows.

It was a nice, cozy, relaxing day.

The Morning Of Departure…

I awoke to the sun rising over Old Hickory Lake.

Moments like this need to be appreciated when they present themselves.

Before packing up and heading on down the road, I take time to enjoy the sunrise, the sounds of nature and the smell of a crisp autumn morning.

Ahh, serenity!

Parting Thoughts…

I only had a couple days at Bledsoe Creek State Park but there was a whole lot of chillin’ out and enjoying nature packed in to those crisp autumn days.

It was as if time stood still so I could enjoy it more.

Turns out it was exactly what I needed!

---