Road Trip: Day Five…”So Near, Yet So Far”

Battery powered "air conditioner"

When I hooked up my camper Sunday night at the Kan-Do Kampground in Montgomery City, Missouri, the temp was in the 90’s and I was hot and tired. However, no matter what I tried, the air conditioning in TOW-Wanda would not come on. Therefore, the only things I had to cool me off were two fans and the exhaust fan in the bathroom. That drew the heat out somewhat, but still, I didn’t get to sleep till around midnight. I woke up at 2:30 yesterday morning and try as I might, further sleep eluded me. I laid there till the sky started to lighten around 5:00 then I got up and started putting stuff away, got dressed, closed the windows, and unhooked the camper from the water and electric. I pulled out at 6:15 and headed east in the cool of the day…73 degrees. It was rather windy on the plains so my top speed was 55 most of the day. Gas/pit stops were brief and I finally pulled into a rest area around 12:30 to stretch out for a 30 minute power nap. Only problem was…it was 92 degrees by then and the camper was stifling. All of a sudden, I had a brilliant idea. Gail, one of the Girl Campers had a little fan she let me borrow the second night at Beaver Creek State Park when I didn’t have electricity. The fan had a small drawer that you put ice in and the air cooled as it blew over it. I went to my freezer in my camper, took out two frozen bottles of water and a frozen cooler insert and sat them in front of my battery powered fan. It worked like a charm and offered me about 30 minutes of cool air which was delightful. Once I started losing the chill, I popped everything back in the freezer, put the fan away, and got back on the road. I drove till 4:30pm and just didn’t have it in me to go another five hours from Hays, Kansas to the Denver suburbs. I pulled into a name-brand hotel, negotiated my best deal, parked the camper, and was safely ensconced in my room by 5:00…a bubble bath drawn. The temperature was a staggering 100 degrees and I refused to take the chance of finding a campsite and not having AC. The campsites aren’t great out here anyway. I brought some food in from the kitchen in the camper and wrote this early so I could roost with the chickens. Today is another day. I’ll get there rested instead of having to sleep all day. Today is Daughter #1’s birthday!!! The truck and camper did fine yesterday, but I had forgotten how much work this big camper is to pull. I’m looking forward to having the little vintage camper refurbished and I can take it instead of this big one. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow! Thank you, Lord…for the travel mercies thus far. ❤️

“in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭NIV‬

14 thoughts on “Road Trip: Day Five…”So Near, Yet So Far”

  1. That is one of my favorite Bible verses, Ginny. Sounds like your timing is perfect, as you arrive on your daughter’s birthday. I love the scenery between Hays, Kansas, and Denver, watching the plains turn into foothills then mountains. Have a safe final leg of your trip today.

  2. My pastor says “we’ll get through it” and we seem to somehow do just that! Don’t you think about how we all functioned without a/c? I can remember my grandmother’s wood cookstove. She cooked, canned, and heated wash water in the heat of the summer. I guess if you don’t have a choice…….! It will be great for you to arrive somewhat rested or at least less stressed. Enjoy!

  3. You’re just having too much bad luck! ? Maybe it’s time for some sort of changes for traveling…..like taking Mr Fix-it along!!?

  4. Awesome! I was reading who started conditioning air, and an article said the Egyptians would wet mats and hang them in doorways so that the air coming through would cool through evaporation:)
    There are many ways to travel, hotels can be a great break!

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