Road Closed!

For our next adventure , Papas decided we were going to stay close to home for a quick weekend getaway. They chose McCormicks Creek State Park for it beautiful hiking trails and it's close proximity to Indy. The catch this time was we would have to travel and set up at night. Now this concerned me because both of them are getting old and don't see very well at night! This was also going to be a test in getting out of the house on schedule . We had 3 hours before the park closes and we little time for distractions. Well knowing my Daddies, this is going to be interesting. When they arrive home, we spring into action to finish packing and load everything for our weekend trip. We hit the road only about 40 minutes late ,so not too bad. A quick drive out I-70 and it looks like this is going to be an easy night. We get off the interstate and head south to the gates for the State Park. McCormick's Creek State Park is the oldest state park in the U.S. state of Indiana, dedicated on July 4, 1916, as part of the state's centennial celebration. It is located 14 miles west of Bloomington in Owen County.  We drive and drive for what seems like forever down the dark curvy roads and I think it must be getting close to our deadline. We pull through the main gates at 10:50.....whew....made it.

We slowly navigate the curvy roads through the dark park. So dark you can't even see your paw In front of your face. Now there are no street lights to speak of and the signs are wood with the words burnt into them. Not ideal to be seen in the dark. Papa came up to fork in the road and had to get out to read the sign. Little good that did since the way to the campground was blocked off by a large barricade. Papa jumped back in the truck, frustrated and unsure what to do. We had checked in at the front gate so surely they hadn't forgot about us. My brothers and I could feel the tension rising , here we go again. Papa jumped back out of the truck and much to Daddies dismay, he moved the barricade 😱. Back into the truck and off we go down the closed road. It's a lovely road with a large bridge crossing a river and large gorge. I can't imagine why they didn't want us to go this way. A little while later, we came upon another roadblock that Papa went through ,as we made our way onto another road and up to the campground attendant. They hadn't closed without us😁 

As normal, Spike announced our arrival to our fellow campers with his normal squeals and cries. Papa quickly quiets him and reminds us that it is quiet time and what that means. I can't figure how in the world we are going to park in the dark while everyone else is sleeping,cause as we all know our Daddies yell a lot during the set up process. Well for the first time they actually listened to each other and Daddy gave instructions in a calm, hushed voice. Boy! Humans get a lot more done when they actually take the time to listen to each other and presto we were set up for the weekend. A light snack and off to bed 😴It's been a busy day.

The next morning Daddy got up and ran into town to pick up a few things for breakfast. When he returned, he informed Papa that he about killed us last night. It seems the roadblock was not down because it was so late, NO, it seems the roadblock was down because the bridge over a large ravine was deemed unsafe 😱. They also noticed for the first time that they had squeezed the RV in between two trees. I know those trees weren't that close last night cause there is no way Papa could have navigated them in the dark! Maybe we should travel more at night😂 Once Daddy teased Papa about our excapades, we settled down for a yummy breakfast of 🥓 and 🍳. About the time we cleaned everything up, the skies opened up and the rain started pouring down. Nap time!!!!  All of a sudden we heard a large noise followed by a rush of rain water. The awning had released on one side and water poured everywhere. It seems this is what the awning is designed to do but we were not prepared for the surprising rush of water. After all this excitement, Papa stayed alert and kept an eye on the weather and awning. It rained and rained and rained for what seemed like hours. Finally the skies cleared up and we were free to explore the park.

McCormicks Creek State Park is a great example of the beauty of south central Indiana. Lots of huge trees grace the rolling hills, which my brothers and I smelled and explored completely . Bubbling brooks and splashing waterfalls all add to the ambiance of this Hoosier treasure.

After exploring the park we headed back to the campground for dinner. Our friends,  Ann and Robert,  we're going to drive down for dinner, but the rain dampened their plans so we would have to dine alone. The menu for the evening was already planned so I guess more for me!😁 Papa started a roaring fire while Daddy prepped a couple of savory steaks to throw in our iron skillet. There is nothing better than the smell of meat sizzling on an open fire! After eating we decided to retire for the night. Now Spike has a very small bladder and has to go outside quite often, and Daddy asked Papa to take us all outside. He always yells"turn on some light" when we go out at night even though we have a porch light . The difference this time was he decided to take matter into his own hands. He walked over to the door and turned on the scare light. This light is a bright strip that runs the full length of our RV. Now I kid you not, every bug in central Indiana flew directly at the light and swarmed right at Daddy. He screamed and ran and locked himself in the bathroom. What he forgot is that the bathrooom door doesn't do all the way to the floor or ceiling and would offer him no protection. I swear Papa was rolling on the ground laughing as Daddy panicked and ran. He will never make that mistake again. 

The next morning Papa, Kingsley and I got up early to prepare for the day.  Because we were so close to home, we made plans to entertain friends,  Kim and Loren. They came over for lunch and Kim brought all kinds of delicious food. It was nice having company to spend the afternoon with. I love my Daddies but it's exciting to get to listen to new stories. After a few hours, they headed home and we started packing up to head home the next morning. All and all , I would say this trip was a success. We drove and parked at night and found a great State Park close to home. Next up Michigan!  Bark at ya later!🐾