Kay and I don’t get to attend many rallies because of our independent travel and other obligations, but we were really looking forward to the Arkansas Traveler rally in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  We were anxious to reconnect with other Arkansas Traveler RVers and also to visit Jerry and Ann, who have recently built and moved into a new house in Fayetteville. 

We had planned to leave on Sunday, but delayed our departure by one day because of rain and thunderstorms; otherwise it was an uneventful Sunday.

Monday morning found us ready to go after our usual coffee, email, and breakfast.  After hooking up, our travel to Fayetteville was uneventful, except for severing the electrical connection between the motorhome and the Honda when I pulled down into a gasoline station near Harrison, causing the hitch to drag and apparently the electrical cord was caught between the hitch and the concrete. We drove towards Harrison, and stopped near the intersection of US 62 and US 65 for gasoline, dragging the tow bar on the short but steep access to the gas pump. As I walked back to fill the tank, I noticed the cord hanging down and discovered that it had been severed, and the safety cable had been caught in the pinch as well.  After filling up with gasoline, we pulled over to the side, and I attempted to repair the connection, without success.  Little did I know that this was only the beginning of what was to be a frustrating day.

We arrived at Road Hog RV Park in Fayetteville shortly after noon, picked out our site (we were the first to arrive), and began setting up.  Fortunately, the pad was level since our jacks are currently inoperable due to a hole in the hydraulic line.  The slides were deployed, and the televisions were tuned; so far, so good.  And then, while turning on the Keurig to brew a cup of coffee, we discovered that the receptacle did not work.  We checked them all and only the receptacles near the bedside nightstands worked.  I tried practically everything, without success. Finally after an hour of frustration and out of desperation, I reset the GFI switch on the receptacle on the inverter in one of the storage compartments, and the other receptacles began working—go figure. I then tried powering on the televisions, and they had no power. On a hunch, I again reset the switch on the receptacle on the inverter and everything worked.  By this time, I was red-faced with frustration. It was good that no one made a decent offer on the RV as it would now be theirs.

After getting all the kinks worked out, we watched the other RVers come in, many of whom we haven’t seen in a year or more.  It was exhilarating to renew old acquaintances and see and visit with all the Travelers.  Everyone found a site, and we all got together for heavy hors d’oeuvres, potluck style, and “caught-up” on news and happenings.