Day 1 - Columbus, OH to Hillsboro, OH

This was the day to stop talking about the trip and get on with it.  We'll de-winterize the trailer and adjust to travel mode over the next few days.

The Route
The 98 mile route was short and interesting. We took Roberts Rd. to I-270, headed south and east to I-71, then took I-71 southwest to exit 65 (just south of Jeffersonville) and US-35 southeast to Washington Court House where we picked up US-62 which took us to Hillsboro.  That was pretty simple.  We were in downtown Hillsboro, a few miles from the campground, when learned OH-124 was closed.  We had to detour on US-50E and take CR-91S to N Shore Dr. and the campground entrance.

About the Day
It was overcast most of the day.  The temperature made it into the low 70s.  There were rain sprinkles as we finished loading and getting connected. 

The trailer came out of its hibernation very well.  The stove and refrigerator started up with no problems.  We got on the road at noon.

OK, let's get going.

The sun teased us by peeking out a few times as we travelled. There was a brief shower as we pulled into the campground.  The evening was calm and cool.  Overall ... it was an OK day weatherwise.

Along the Way
The drive after leaving the interstate was quite pleasant.  Corn and bean fields seemed to stretch forever.  Many farms were well tended and picturesque.

Scenes along US-62

The Campground

We're in full-service site #8 at Rocky Fork State Park.  This camping area is on a hilltop overlooking Rocky Fork Lake (we can't see the lake from here).  There are many open sites and it's quite peaceful, but this is mid-week.  Traffic will increase as the weekend approaches.

Site #8

The big tasks for today are to get set-up, to de-winterize the trailer and to make sure everything is working OK.

The de-winterizing part (flushing anti-freeze out of the water lines) is a pain.  Shut-off valves are in an awkward location ... under the bed.  We get to them by crawling under the mattress and reaching through a 5" diameter hole.  There are three valves.  If you miss one, you get to crawl under the mattress again.

The nylon drain plug in the hot water heater is removed during winterizing.  It leaked when it was re-installed.  A new drain plug eventually solved the problem.  We're thankful for having a spare.

It was kind of a long day.  We grilled hot dogs at 7pm and had a relaxing dinner.

Tomorrow
Explore the park and the area.