06/12 to 06/21 - To Branson Missouri

Trip to Branson, MO

June 12 to June 21

A - Croton Point RV Park

The starting point that began my "2025 Summer Adventure" was in Croton-on-Hudson, NY, with a week long rally with my fellow Hudson Islanders. If you missed the blog, it can be accessed HERE. Jack was going to re-visit Branson, MO after 11 years and Melanie, Dan and I decided to join him. We left at different times, took different routes but would be together in Branson, Missouri, the subject of my next blog post. This blog chronicles my trip to Missouri.

B - Bellefonte/State College KOA, PA

06/12 to 06/15

The 251 mile, five hour trip that included a fuel stop was otherwise uneventful. I've stayed at this campground a number of times as it is a convenient layover on trips to and from the West. My site 85 is familiar and if I go back in my blogs, I may have had this site before.

What was different and noticeable as I entered the Bellefonte area was the greeting I received from the Periodical Brood XIV cicadas.  They have arrived. The high pitched "screaming song" of the males seemed to follow me along the roadway as I drove; they sounded like the locusts (cicadas) I remember as a kid. Their presence marks the completion of their 17-year underground cycle and when the temperatures hit the 64° F mark, they made their 8" upward crawl to the surface and began chorusing. At the campsite, their continuing, low frequency buzzing made it sound like a soft drizzle or rain which quickly went unnoticed. 

A mostly level campsite with 30-amp service and water. Not much put outside as I'm only here for two days both of which were drizzly/rainy. Loved the rain on the roof and the time that allowed me to catch up and post to my blog the events of CPP.

Glad I wasn't around for the storm that caused this tree to crash down on the new F-150 pickup that was across the road from me. 

High water pressure back at CPP caused another check-valve failure for me. This time it was in the water compartment and the connection. Fortunately, after checking with Leah at the KOA office here, she recommended Kick Start RV Repair. I called and let them know I was here only to Sunday and that afternoon, Jameson came by and replaced the $20.00 check valve. Labor charge was very reasonable and now I was able to fill my fresh water tank. Good Karma at work. Thank you.

Here's a 360º view of Site 85:

C - Sunbury/Columbus North KOA, Ohio

06/15 to 06/17

My Father's Day six hour trip with a couple of stops saw a drizzly, dreary drive in morning. Patchy fog, sometimes limiting view to as little as two hundred feet in the morning gave way to mostly cloudy sunshine by the time I arrived in Sunbury, Ohio's KOA, 320 miles from Bellefonte, PA.

The Sunbury/Columbus KOA campground is impressive. I met managers Jeff and Crystal who reside on the site right next to mine. They had a packed Father's Day weekend with 19 rigs leaving the day I arrived. I was immediately put at ease (not that I have ever been ill-at-ease). I loved their tubs of ice cream including butter pecan with cashews. The following photos show the expansive area.

A very out-of-the-way location, this campground was nestled in the rolling hills of the Ohio farmlands. Scenery was picturesque and homes meticulously kept. A very pleasant ride.

Wide open spaces: green and clean with fresh air and sunshine.

Jeff leads the way.

And then we entered "The Backwoods." My favorite...trees and shade.

An immediate and contrasting change from the open feeling of the rest of the campground

Site 530. Concrete pad with full hookups.

The Class C of campground hosts, Jeff and Crystal next door.

A 360º view of my surroundings.

D - Mystic Water Campground, Indiana

06/17 to 06/19

Today's 5½-hour ride of 190 miles was interrupted with two stops: a Walmart Superstore to stock up and a fuel stop.  Though skies threatened, there was not much more than a drizzle here and there. Take-aways from today drive? This is one BIG beautiful country. Crops in the heartland have sprouted and neat rows of green leave picturesque images of what makes this country great; farmers, their land and their crops.

My entrance into the state of Indiana was unimpressive. The "More to Discover in Indiana" sign on the right gave me a "ho-hum" feeling. Leaving the smooth riding pavement of Ohio onto the "work in progress" road construction near the border was a wake-up call as well. 

My southbound route I-71 to westbound I-70 once again reminded me that there are 2.97 million 18-wheelers on the road. Their collective mileage driven is 184 billion miles a year. A very impressive figure and another area for appreciation for what they contribute to the American economy.

And right off I-69 is the Mystic Waters Campground. My site #10 is behind the tree line of the highway no  more than 100' away. You can imagine the road noise including the "engine brakes." Will it get better overnight? We shall see. The name “Mystic Waters” for the campground in Pendleton, Indiana, originates from its distinctive layout—it's nestled around three separate bodies of water: Begonia, Sunflower and Magnolia Lakes. These lakes (or ponds) are described on the campground’s website as “three mystic bodies of water,” and that poetic branding inspired the name “Mystic Waters”

White arrow indicates my site 10. 

The entrance drive to my site gave a relaxing impression.

Cabins on the left. Those on the right were right on Lake Begonia

The 8 sites in this row must be new since the campground map doesn't show them. They just have 30 amp service, picnic table and fire ring. No sewer, no water. Showers and rest rooms very close by.

Showers a short distance away.

A panoramic view from my picnic table.

Nothing set up outside due to pending torrential downpours.

A 360º view of Site 10; I-69 is on the other side of those trees. By 9:00 p.m. it became noticeably "quieter." With AC on, my windows and vents shut out the noise. On and off showers continue to be part of my day on the way to Branson, MO.

I received my first warning of "severe weather" with a 3 out of 5 risk of tornado at noon. (Bathrooms right across the road)

By 5:00 p.m. all the action was to take place. I was attentive to all my weather apps for latest updates.

The red "Tornado Warning" box was gone by the time that line of storms reached me (I am the blue dot). At 5:00, as predicted, it was a high wind driven moderate rain event from the south that gave Winnie and me a "rock and roll" experience briefly captured in the video clip below. No damage and no need for Toto and I to seek shelter in the nearby bathhouse.

From menacing and foreboding...

...to delightful and relaxing.

E - St. Louis NE/Granite City KOA, Illinois

06/19 to 06/21

The 274-mile trip from Indiana to Illinois along I-70 had one stop for fuel but, again, a wonderful view and appreciation for this beautiful country. Like Indiana, the major crop seen for both is corn. They both rank among the top 5 corn producing states in the U.S., with Indiana being the top popcorn producer; Illinois is often ranked #1 in soybean production. The evidence for these claims was evident on both sides of the Interstate.

Welcome to Illinois, home to the oldest skyscraper in the world, the Goat Tower, Pumpkin capitol of the world and a state that had 3 state capitals. 

With a great reliance on my GPS and few KOA signs, I navigated correctly to the entrance of the bright yellow KOA Journey sign with a sigh of relief.

Closely spaced drive through site, CO7 is a full hookup site and fortunately under a tree that supplied ample shade during the "Extreme high heat" advisory that was stretching from the Central to the Eastern States this weekend. "Feel Like" temps were to reach the mid-100's.

Thursday, I rendezvoused with Dan and Melanie at this campground. Jack was due Friday. 

The highlight of my two-day stay was being with neighbors, Dan and Mel. Jack who would arrive on Friday would complete the morning coffee get-together Saturday before we left for Branson, MO. 

Dan, Mel and I decided to take advantage of Imo's Pizza delivery to our site. Recommended by the gals in office, we were, after all in St. Louis, so why not try the "St. Louis Style Pizza." No mozzarella, rather their "legendary" Provel cheese: a blend of Swiss, Provolone and Cheddar that is combined into one gooey, creamy, deliciously cheesy experience. Provel® was originally invented in St. Louis, back in 1947. Its origins are debated; however, it's theorized it was a convergence of Old World Italian traditions and New World technology. 

While Chicago is famous for deep-dish, it’s also home to tavern-style pizza — thin, crispy crust cut into squares — beloved by locals, (not so much by these three pizza spoiled New York tourists.) The box labeled "St. Louis Style Pizza" reminded me of pizza Dan, Melanie and I had in Duluth, MI last summer. Imo's Pizza has grown to a chain of 100 stores across Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. After a day of driving, setting up and a time zone change, it hit the spot.

After early....repeat EARLY morning coffee, we each left for the 266 mile, five our trip (including another fuel stop) to Missouri. I am looking forward to our week stay in Branson and hope you'll enjoy the blog that will try to capture the events. Until next week, take care, stay safe and (for this week especially), stay cool.

“The road ahead is unwritten, and every mile is a promise of discovery—new faces, new places, and the quiet magic of the unfamiliar.”