Reunited With Chuck

We left Paducah under overcast skies and cool temps; still in the 20's.  Toad was pretty well crusted with ice as we headed south hoping for some of those legendary balmy southern breezes and sunshine.  We stopped for gas and food in Jackson, TN where a helpful local shared the weather prediction of freezing rain.  Sadly, he was right.  The rain started shortly afterward and continued for the next 2 hours as we worked out way through TN, a corner of Mississippi and landed in Red Bay, AL.  I looked longingly at the roadside motel as we passed it and headed into the Tiffin Motorhomes Service area. 

By now it was late afternoon and the Tiffin people were getting ready to close up shop and head home before the ice got worse, but they were willing to bring Chuck up from the Outback to a site and plug him in for us.  Tiffin has a huge campground here.  Probably over 150 sites with full hookups (water, sewer and electric).  It's short on amenities - no trees or picnic tables but the price is right and it's surrounded by the service bays so it's mighty convenient.  Picture this; we are surrounded by big RVs all made by Tiffin, all looking very similar to Chuck.  We are sitting in the car waiting for Chuck when Robin, like a proud mom, cries out, "Look, it's Chuck!".  Yes indeed, surrounded by all the twins, Robin had recognized her baby coming down the aisle.  No warm, dry motel tonight!  But it was fun to be back in in the rig.  We unloaded the car, hooked up the water, got the very patient cat out of his carrier and started to settle in.  The plan (gotta have a plan, right?) was to get up early today, take a factory tour, go through all the completed repairs with the service guys and then leave by noon to keep heading south.

Ice encrusted Toad upon arrival in AL

Morning broke cold and very wet.  The rain had continued all night and it was still raining.  Temps were in the low 30s.  Warm enough that they didn't have to turn the water off in the campground (luckily) but dreary.  The thought of mucking around in puddles unhooking the hookups, hooking up the car and then driving for another day was drearier than the weather.  After an early morning conference we agreed - we are staying put today.  We'll lounge around in the rig, finish putting stuff away, have a leisurely conversation with the service guys, test Chuck's furnaces and generally enjoy the rainy day.

Not exactly biking weather in AL

The weather prediction for tomorrow isn't a lot better, but after a day of R&R we'll be more inclined to face the wet and cold. 

Hope you're warm and dry wherever you are.