Homeward Bound

The last two weeks of this year’s RV adventures flew by, filled by friends, fellowship, good dog fun and lots and lots of RVs and HDTs (heavy duty trucks).  

After a flying trip east and south to escape an early-winter storm bearing down on Wyoming and Nebraska, we arrived in Hutchinson, KS, on Wednesday, October 9.  We were greeted by a number of our friends who, like us, arrived early for the 2019 National HDT Rally.  We have a lot in common, but the thing that brings us together in Hutch is that we pull our fifth wheel RVs with big trucks…like you see pulling 18-wheelers down the highway.  We had a couple of days to visit, then on Saturday and Sunday more rigs rolled in and the rally began.

Gail and Steve Dixon did a great job coordinating all the activities and events.

Seminars, happy hours, arts and crafts projects and tours of each others’ homes let us spend time with new friends and old.  

The Bagley Pack had dog fun with Phil Carpenter’s girls, Dred and Daisy.

Daisy and Rue invented a new game:  I threw the ball; Rue raced after it, with Daisy following as fast as her short legs could go.  Rue brought the ball half-way back and dropped it in front of Daisy, who returned it to Phil, who gave it to me.  Then the whole thing started over again. 

Cody wasn’t sure how it all worked, but he did his best to snatch the ball from either Rue or Daisy, 

and celebrated by rolling around with it in his mouth.

Jack and Danielle Mayer’s border collie, Keyah, who Rue and Kota met last year, was also an active participant in fairground walks and Ball.  

She, Rue and Cody flew back and forth to see who could get to the ball first, but shared nicely no matter who came up with it.  

This year’s HDT Dog group photo wasn’t as well attended as last year’s, but several dogs and their owners braved the chilly morning.

And a good time was had by all.

After the rally and the post-rally recovery, we were preparing to leave for Texas on Monday morning.  Sunset brought beautiful skies and flags snapping in the wind.

However….we woke to the sound of howling winds, with every piece of trash that had accumulated over several weeks plastered against the chain-link fences.  The RV was rocking, and we decided the smarter thing to do was to wait another day.  On Tuesday, several of us pulled out, bound for different destinations, but glad to have calmer winds.  John and I traveled south to the Comanche County Fairgrounds in Lawton, OK, 

where we were joined for the evening by our good friends Bill and Cec Burton and their four-legged companions, Raven and Gypsy.  

We have camped with the Burtons several times before, and always have a great time.  When we're together, Bill and John spend a lot of time together working on various electrical (Bill's specialty) and mechanical issues that come up with our trucks and fivers.  (Cec and I keep up with the dogs and generally try to stay out of their way.)

We enjoyed a quiet evening around Bill and Cec's fire pit and the next morning headed south into Texas.  After crossing the Red River, 

we rendezvoused again with the Burtons for lunch at Hard 8 Barbecue in Stephenville.  

As we passed by the big pits and selected our cuts of meat, we remembered why we like to stop here.  The barbecue is tender and succulent, the beer is cold and the beans are free!  Stuffed and satisfied, we said our goodbyes and traveled on, us to Hamilton and the farm, and they bound for Fredericksburg.  It has been a great trip!