Monday, May 16, 2022
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| Crossing into Another State |
We left the Oklahoma City campsite around 10:30 am filling up with diesel and propane before hitting the highway. The 3.5 hour drive went smoothly. As we proceeded west, the landscape became flatter with occasional short rocky mountains and the soils became redder. We dieseled up again in Childress, TX, before heading to our camp site.
Tonight we are boondocking, i.e., no utility hookups. We made the arrangement to park for free at the Inman Vineyards near Childress through Harvest Hosts, a nationwide network of breweries, distilleries, vineyards and ag enterprises that provide overnight stays for RVers.
The owners were not able to meet us. We arrived at the vineyard and parked at the most level area we could find. We’re near the fenced-in vineyard surrounded by sparse shrubby vegetation including mesquite. The soil is hot hard dusty and red with occasional ravines eroded through it. There is a pretty man-made lake nearby with a covered dock. We’ve also seen a couple of cows roaming around nearby and skeet fragments laying around one area.
The temperature in the afternoon climbed above 90 F so we ran our propane-fueled generator intermittently to use the air-conditioner. We played board games in the RV at the dinette while snacking. Our hostess, Lileesa, drove up unexpectantly. Her attorney son’s case had ended faster than anticipated so she was freed from watching after his children. We chatted with her awhile about the vineyard, cattle and drought in the area. We purchased a couple of bottles of wine from her, Four I’s (Inmans) Sangiovese of 2016 & 2017 vintages.
As evening approached, clouds moved in and the temperatures abated; the wind made it almost comfortable. We walked down to the dock and the croaking frogs and my banjo took turns with nocturnal serenades. As we walked back to the RV, ominous sheet lightning was flashing in the distance from three directions. In the RV, we eyed the radar maps and read about the severe thunderstorm warnings for this area. We tentatively laid in bed with flashes of lightning and strong winds, on alert to close the windows when the rain began.
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| Boondocking |
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| Inman Winery |
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| Our Neighbor |
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| Lake Inman |