Trip to the Midwest Truck Campers & Family Christmas Party

[GoinThisAway]

I started the year with high hopes that we’d get to take a couple nice long trips in the camper. Wrong! But I did get to take a couple short trips. The last was to attend the Midwest Truck Campers and Friends Christmas party on November 30 through December 4 at Branson, MO. The wagonmasters for this event have provided a writeup on their website. So I’m not going to cover the goings on at the campground but will only report on traveling to and from the event and excursions we made while at the event. Lots of photos but they’ve been resized.

The event was to start off with a Wednesday supper so we started our trip as the skies started to lighten that morning. Several hours later we drove over the Mississippi River on I-55 in the northwest corner of Tennessee and entered the Land of Cotton. Wait … since when is Arkansas the Land of Cotton? Amongst the fallow fields the DH saw a cute little farmhouse we can buy and fix up if we win the lottery 🙂















After eight hours of driving we were getting close to our destination but the DH needed one last potty break. Never pass up a clean outhouse! But we made it to Branson with enough time to stop off at an overlook with a view of the town before settling into the campground where, for once, truck campers outnumbered the other types of rigs.












The next day the DH and I explored Branson. We cruised the main strip along Hwy 76 but didn’t see anything we wanted to stop at. After grabbing some lunch, we headed downtown to check out Dick’s 5 and 10 store. It was unbelievable how much stuff was crammed in there, some of it items I hadn’t seen in years! So I got a start on my Christmas shopping.















On the way back to the campground we stopped again at the overlook where I took a few more photos that I could stitch into a panorama.





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To be continued …

[GoinThisAway]

lakeside013104 - Thanks for the feedback, Lakeside!

bigfootgrey - Hey, Bob & Cathy! It was a nice trip, just too short. Bigfoots rock and the 10.4 is their best floorplan 😉

[bigfootgrey]

Hi Phyllis!
Great pictures and report! The Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum looks very interesting. Thanks for taking time out to share your trip. BTW,nice rig!
Bob and Cathy

[lakeside013104]

Very nice post. Thanks for sharing.

Lakeside

[GoinThisAway]

bka0721 wrote:
Hey Phyllis! Always fun to read your responses, too. Sorry to hear that your 2017 Great West trip is on hold. When you do make it out to the parks, do let me know and join me for one of my Park Ranger programs or tours (anyone else is welcome to drop me a PM too). Have a wonderful and safe Christmas and New Years!

b

You read my reply wrong, Bryan. I said this year's trip was postponed and its still 2016. So right now we're on for 2017! I'll be sending you a PM once we get a rough idea of when and where we plan to be out that way. May your Christmas and New Years holidays be wonderful and safe as well!

[bka0721]

Hey Phyllis! Always fun to read your responses, too. Sorry to hear that your 2017 Great West trip is on hold. When you do make it out to the parks, do let me know and join me for one of my Park Ranger programs or tours (anyone else is welcome to drop me a PM too). Have a wonderful and safe Christmas and New Years!

b

[GoinThisAway]

Big Rig - We enjoyed seeing y'all again too! Dad had to run the gauntlet through some cold and snow but is back where the weather is warmer now.

Gulf Coast Gypsies - Yes, I was glad to hear Smoky Bear CG & folks were safe. And I enjoyed having time to just sit back and chat with y'all at this gathering. I'll give you a shout the next time I'm in your area.

whazoo - Yes, every part of the country has something unique and interesting to offer. Just wait until I post my Southern-style version of your "hunting ruins" trip report. I've got a lot of "research" to do for that one yet though 😉

Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli - You're welcome. I'll have to thank the wagonmasters, Tammie & Doug, for showing us Top of the Rock. I'll definitely go back to the museum to see what I missed the first time. And I understand there are plans to expand it!

[Big_Rig1]

Hi Darryl & Kathy,

Thanks for the ride up to the Bass Pro shop, had a good time. Hope to see you again down the road. Take care.

Big Rig (John & Elaine)

[Camper_Jeff___K]

You found some really neat places. Good picture taking too. Thanks for sharing them.

[whazoo]

What a beautiful trip report, great in so many ways. I love seeing the other parts of the country and all it has to offer. You show it off so well, thanks mucho!!

[Gulf_Coast_Gyps]

Love your pictures and your reports as always. It was great seeing you and your whole family again. Doug & Tammie were great and welcoming wagon masters. Thank goodness our little SE Truck Camper gathering campground (Smokey Bear Campground) didn't have any damage from the fires in Gatlinburg. It was also fun seeing other friends from the April 2016 rally (Hi John and Elaine!). Safe travels till we meet again!

Darryl & Kathy

[Big_Rig1]

Phyllis, it was great to see you & Eric & your spouses again. Nice pictures you took, makes me want to look around Branson next summer to see some of the stuff we missed when we left for 24 hours. Hope your dad made it to his destination ok.

Big Rig (John & Elaine)

[GoinThisAway]

hotrodfords - After the warm fall we'd had, the colder weather we had on the trip was a good wake up call that Christmas wasn't far away.

jimh425 - Yes, short but nice ... especially the chance to meet up with other TC enthusiasts.

jmckelvy - I counted up the number of times I used the TC this year and it averaged once every two months. But my feet start to itch as soon as I get the rig cleaned up from the last trip 😉

bka0721 - Our plans for a long trip out west had to be postponed this year due to family commitments but you might spot our Bigfoot in the woods of Yellowstone next year!

exhaustipated - Several SE TC Gather attendees were there and I'd have loved to see y'all again as well. Would definitely have sent you a message if I'd thought it would make a difference.

Ranger Tim - I agree. There's a lot of sameness out on the road but if you watch there's also a lot of interesting sights as well.

jmtandem - You're welcome!

[jmtandem]

Thanks for the trip report and pictures. Very nice!

[Ranger_Tim]

An enjoyable TR. Sometimes trips can be great without having to require exotic scenery. I like the feel of this one -- true americana. Out of the way stops can be the most memorable.