369 miles, almost entirely on US 65 (about 20 miles on I-20 into Vicksburg). Cumulative tow miles: 3200. Truck miles: 281. Cumulative truck miles: 4539. The extra truck miles were the refueling trip in Omaha.
This hop included a refueling stop in Pine Bluff AR. It was a very long day – about 6.5 hours of driving, the first half of it on a very twisty, hilly US 65. The second half was flat, but the skies opened up and I had to drive through some heavy showers.
If ever there was a hop when the refrigerator needed to stay on, this was it. But, naturally, it didn’t. This refrigerator/inverter problem is obviously more complex than I thought. My current theory: the 12V power from the truck is not sufficient to power the inverter by itself, so it must draw from the battery too. If the battery is not fully charged then the inverter will cut out. So… I need to make sure the battery is fully charged before the next hop.
My overnight stop in Omaha was at the Ozark View RV Park, billed as “The Quiet Retreat”. I guess it was as I slept soundly. It also had, as advertised, a nice view of the Ozarks. The park is built on a hill so some of the sites would be a bit of a challenge for some rigs, but the staff was very friendly and gave me a tour – and choice – of available sites. I chose a very large pull-through. 50A service and a decent selection of OTA channels. Not a bad park.
I considered making a quick trip to Branson, but that would have required two trips to refuel (one to get there and one, on the return, to top off) and Branson is not a place for a casual observer. If you don’t have plans for a show there is little reason to go. It would be like going to a casino to watch the people having fun.
