Fri, 9/21/12:

Red Bluff NF Campground, Davisville, MO:  Left this morning around 9:30.  Stopped in Sullivan at the Flying J to dump our tanks and get some breakfast.  Pulled into Apache Village to get the solar panel checked at around 1:00.  They couldn’t fix it while we waited, so we dropped it at our storage facility and then went home. 

Rural Missouri

Thu, 9/20/12:

Red Bluff NF Campground; Davisville, MO:  Another beautiful morning.  And much warmer.  While Mike was taking his shower, I went for a walk and Mike said I just missed a couple of deer that walked across the road near our site.  We very rarely see wildlife in here.  Drove over to historic Dillard Mill and the guy on duty took us on a tour.  It’s amazing because the mill still is operable—with just water power.  They used to grind wheat into flour here back in the day and was run by one woman.  The task would take a couple of hours or a couple of days, and the people would get their name in and then they’d go out on the grounds and wait.  Some would spend a couple of days here picnicking, camping and partying.  There were musicians, food and drink.  After that we drove back to Davisville and had lunch at the Davisville General Store.  This neat store is definitely a meeting place for the locals.  A couple of them came in while we were there and just sat around talking about whatever.  Sometimes they come in on horseback and tie up their horses on the hitching post out back.  Returned to our site and topped off our water tank one last time.  We leave tomorrow morning to go back home. 

Dillard Mill



Up the path to Dillard Mill



Farm in rural Missouri

Wed, 9/19/12:

Red Bluff NF Campground; Davisville, MO:  This morning dawned sunny and beautiful.  Really chilly.  After showering and dressing I had to clean up a mess under the kitchen sink.  Apparently, during the hot days while in storage, a can of rug cleaner ruptured and leaked all over.  This turned into a thick, nasty, greasy mess.  It took a while, but we got it all cleaned up and then I made a big breakfast which we devoured.  After that we sat outside for a while reading our books and relaxing.  Then headed down to the Davisville General Store which now has a new owner.  Her name is Kerry Sue and she has done a great job cleaning the place up and turning it around.  She even serves breakfast and lunch daily.  After talking with her for a while, we drove back to Red Bluff and filled up our jugs with water and checked out the lower campground.  Came back and filled up our water tank.  Had a few visitors—three guys on Harleys and a couple of other people stopping to check out the beautiful view.  Burgers for dinner and another fire.

Barn next to the general store--circa 1940s

Established in 1899

It's also the post office!

Tue, 9/18/12:

STL to Red Bluff NF Campground; Davisville, MO:  Left the storage area this morning around 9:30 after loading the food and hooking up.  A pretty drive after leaving I270 on Rt. 44 through rural Missouri.  Stopped at a Flying J in Sullivan, MO, filled up the water tank and had a late breakfast.  Then Mike took over driving.  Left the Flying J at around noon and pulled into Red Bluff and were set up by 1:30.  This is a really pretty place.  We’re up on a high bluff overlooking Huzzah Creek.  This area is the beginning of the Missouri Ozarks and we’re in high rolling hills dotted with beautiful springs and pristine streams.  There are three sites up here, and we’re the only ones around.  The view is spectacular of the ridge across from us and we get glimpses of the Huzzah as it winds through the narrow valley below.  A beautiful early fall day with a clear blue sky and temps in the upper 60s.  The only blemish on this beautiful day is the fact that the solar panel has a short in it and is not working, so the batteries are very low.  We have no hook-ups here, so Mike fired up the generator and it’s been running steadily for a couple of hours now.  I hate using the generator as it ruins the ambience.  Instead of listening to the birds, insects and the wind, it’s the constant drone.  But it’s either that or we go home.  We’re having a fire tonight.  In fact, Mike is out there now setting it up.  I came in and put my Polartech tights on along with my Polartech shirt and jacket.  It’s supposed to go down into the 30s tonight.  Yikes!

Reading my book