[gearhead]

Wife and I left Liberty Sept 8. She went to Houston for a colonoscopy, I went fishing and racing. Since it was just me I took the Bigfoot cabover. Stuffed to the gills with fishing equipment and cool weather clothes. First stop was Village Creek State Park in Arkansas, about 45 minutes west of Memphis. Took 3 times to get a decent site. I think the 2 kids at the counter were more interested in making goo-goo eyes at each other than my campsite. Nice place, heavily wooded. Up before the sun and drove to Elkmont campground in Smoky Mtn Nat Park. Good site right on Little River. Next day, into town for a fishing license and some free advice from Little River Outfitters. Hiked a mile or two upriver and fished. I need to practice with the flyrod more. Back into town a day later and bought felt sole boots to use instead of the studded ones I had, much improvement. Two or three other fishers up the river near me with no fish caught. Decided to fish at the campground. I had a rainbow on for awhile and had another rise. Ran into a RV neighbor fishing with a custom split bamboo rod ($$$) and an antique Hardy reel. He hadn't caught anything either. I didn't feel too bad. Anyway...no fish caught and I decided to head up to Pennsylvania to see if I could not catch fish in the blue ribbon Little Juniata River and Spruce Creek. Overnight stop at Big meadows campground in Shenandoah Nat Park. Wet and foggy, but otherwise nice. Next afternoon I got to the campground on the river. Affiliated with a local Methodist church; I won't tell them I'm a 7 generation Baptist, LOL. The campground had just been flooded, no power, manager at the local hospital visiting her husband. One of the workers cleaning up said they should close it. Scratch that plan. The river will take awhile to get down and clear. Spent the night at nearby Blue Knob State Park. Highest point in Pennsylvania. So that about did it for the fishing part of the trip.
On to Grand Lake St. Marys State Park in Celina Ohio, just north of the ultimate destination of Eldora Speedway. Sat around there and toured the local corn and soybean fields. Nice campground. Sites are shaded but no screening between them. One thing that impressed me was the fact of how clean everything in the area was. Thought the races would be rained out but they went off well. Some bad wrecks, one really bad involving Spencer Bayston, a kid I follow who was 2017 USAC National Midget Champion. Nice guy and nice family from Illinois. He climbed out OK.
So, 4,000 miles, no fish, good racing, good travels. Well, except The Pennsylvania Turnpike in pouring rain was white knuckles, and expensive....$23 in tolls.....