We had a late start south this winter. We spent the holidays at home and then took care of some medical appointments. A weather window opened up right after our appointments so we packed very quickly (forgot so many things). Finally got ourselves in order and left on January 6th.
Our drive was uneventful. We stopped at some of the same stops that we have used in the past. Double J Campground and RV park in Chatham, IL and Delta Ridge in Forrest City, Arkansas. Next stop Texas. Once we are away from serious freeze zones (where driving in snow and ice would be unusual) we like to take a break, dewinterize the trailer, and relax a little. We decided to try a new park this year: Tyler State Park near Tyler, Texas.
I have to hand it to Texas. They have some very beautiful state parks. Tyler SP has a lake with a beach house and boat rentals, trails for biking and hiking and nice campgrounds. We were able to get a full hook up site along the lake. We stayed for five days and enjoyed daily hikes and just relaxing within the park. It was a great place to start off our winter journey.
The city of Tyler calls itself the “Rose Capital of America” and has the largest rose garden in the USA. Unfortunately, January is not the time to visit rose gardens, even in north Texas. Perhaps someday we’ll be through Tyler again when roses are blooming.
