April 15, 2023
Today is travel day again. First thing this morning we returned park property to the office and said our good-byes to Christi, one of the park managers. Michael wasn’t feeling real well so we didn’t get to see him. Sallie and Ron came down and we said our byes to them as well. Then it was time to hook up and head toward Yuma, AZ. We are scheduled to stay at a Harvest Host for the night. The Host is Dirty South BBQ. We arrived and checked in and found a good spot to spend the night. It was relatively level so we did not have to unhitch. We just lowered our jacks and opened our slides. I got the generators all set up. There was another couple there spending the night also.
Harvest Host is a membership program. We pay an annual membership fee. Across the country there are wineries, breweries, restaurants, dairies, farms, churches, museums, and many others that allow RVers to spend the night in their parking lots for free. The idea is that you will patronize the business in some way. Examples are taking a tour, purchasing something from their gift shop, eating a meal or two, etc. There are even a few that offer electricity. There is another level of membership which includes Boondocks Welcome. These are usually folks that have large driveways, etc. for RVs to park. Then another level is the golf package which allows RVers to stay at golf courses. The normal is a one night stay. Sometimes more is possible. Most hosts have their reservations online and the maximum number of RVs allowed and maximum sizes. We have used it 3 times on this trip. Well worth it.
We went into the restaurant and ordered our dinner. I got the brisket plate with BBQ (red) slaw, baked beans, and had a Mountain Dew to drink. Nancy had the brisket plate but with creamy cole slaw and mac and cheese. After we ordered we made our way outside to a large outdoor area with lots of tables and chairs. As it was outdoors, we could take Bree with us. Shortly after we were seated, the other camping couple came out and we invited them over. The four of us sat and talked and enjoyed some wonderful BBQ. As it turns out they are on a couple month trip and are from Libertyville, IL, which is on the north side of Chicago. He is a retired firefighter/paramedic. We sat and talked until the restaurant closed at 7:00PM. Very enjoyable. Fortunately the weather was ideal. Low was only going to be mid 50s so we wouldn’t need a heater or AC. We got up in the morning and I had my coffee and we closed up and headed out.
