Long Weekend At The Shut Ins April 6-9, 2023

I had two objectives this weekend by going to Johnson Shut Ins State Park. By the end of the weekend, I didn't accomplish either one! 😄 This park is one of the best in Missouri. It is beautiful, lots of things to do around the park. It is beautifully maintained and the individual sites are spread out enough to give you a real sense of privacy. It also has no cell service. First I was hoping that the new WeBoost would pull in enough cell service to make working here more often a possibility. However the best that we could manage was changing no service to SOS, so no way to be able to work here without adding satellite internet to the RV. Starlink would be the obvious choice, but the current Starlink service plans are not really affordable for us as just part time RVers. The Second was to hike several lesser known, somewhat forgotten trails in the area. I didn't do that either. Instead we sat around, relaxed and ate way to much! 

This weekend was also going to be a shake down of the pre-season service work I had done to the RV to prepare for our month long, work trip, in May. 

The park was booked up, which was a surprise, but they had turned the water on at the sites (usually not till April 15th) and the weather was fantastic. Both of which you don't really know when you book your site, but every year now, more and more people are out in the parks with their RV's or just car camping. We saw a good representation of all kinds of campers. The sites with full hookups (water, electric, sewer) were all ready taken when I booked a couple months ago, so I got a site with electric only. This means when you arrive you have to fill up your onboard water tank if you want running water in the camper. 

We arrived on Thursday around 1 pm. and after settling in we spent the day hanging around the RV and walking around the campground. It was not full at all and there were only one or two other RV or campers in the park. I made hamburgers on the grill and we watched a couple of movies. 

Friday we started the normal tradition of me getting up early and cooking a big breakfast. This morning it was biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs. This theme continues, which is why I came home four pounds heavier! 

After breakfast, because I had no Wi-Fi and it was still a work day, we headed into Pilot Knob, one of three small towns clustered together about 20 miles from the park. We settled in to the McDonalds (the only fast food restaurant in town) and has it turned out a local gathering place for the town (the Mayor, the former Mayor and others were all having breakfast and coffee inside). I used their wifi for 4 or 5 hours finishing up my weeks work. We then went down the road a couple of miles to the Arcadia Academy, Abby Kitchen. It is a restaurant and ice cream parlor that is inside an old girls high school and convent. The Abby Kitchen has great food, including specializing in fried chicken and homemade pies. 

We grabbed some homemade ice cream and headed back to the RV.

internet photo

After dropping off the ice cream, we went over to the Shut In's. The weather was chilly in the mornings around mid thirties, but beautifully clear. The water volume had slowed overnight, when we arrived, the red flag was out, signifying over 75 cfs of water flow. This morning the flag had been changed to yellow. 

The Shut In's are natural rock formations in this section of the Black River that funnel the water into tight channels through the rocks. 

The exposed granite boulders are very large. 

There access all along the main Shut In area via a nice, but steep, set of stairs that take you along the hill side. 

In the summer, this area will be filled with people in the water and playing amongst the rocks 

But not today, as Vicky found out the water is still only in the high 40's to low 50's. Not quite swimming weather yet! 

The Spring flowers are all starting to spread on the ground and up the hills around the path. 

A quarter of a mile each way, was tough work, so we headed back to the RV to rest and relax in the sun. Vicky doing her best nonchalant pose. 😆

The afternoon was beautiful 

Tonight was Pork Loin, stuffing and green beans

Followed by getting the fire started and enjoying the evening, while watching all the RV's file into the park and filling up all the spaces. 

lounging around the fire, dessert was the ice cream we got today and some fresh strawberries. 

Vicky was snug by the fire.

The fire keep us warm as the evening turned chilly. We watched as the all the kids skated and rode around the campground loops, into the evening. 

The sunset was beautiful 

Dawn on Saturday, It is going to be another wonderful day. 

Pancakes, Eggs and Bacon, coming right up.

We went over to the visitors center. It has never been open any other time I have been in the Park, but it is open this weekend. 

Turning around and looking out from the visitor's center view. 

After the visitors center we went down to Caledonia. It is a really small town that is solely a tourist strip of shops. It is mostly clothing and antique type shops but has a fantastic and HUGE shop of candy, ice cream and coffee. It might give Willy Wonka a run for his money. 

Old Village Mercantile- Internet photo

They have all kinds of vintage signs. This one is perfect 

Back to the RV for more lounging in the sun and a movie or two. I had put out some left over biscuit from breakfast and a super fat squirrel was taking advantage of the free meal. 

Saturday night was steak. A couple of filet's on the fire

1st world problems for sure 

I think I had to roll out of the RV, after dinner, to make the fire tonight, but it was beautiful evening again 

The night was full of stars

Sunday was yet another beautiful morning

Took the opportunity, as I usually do, to get up early and just sit quietly before anyone stirs in the campground or the RV

Sunday morning, Easter, time to get ready and head home, but not before coffee and some cinnamon rolls. A really relaxing few days.