First, let me fill you in on Mammoth's recent adventures.
Due to unprecedented stormy conditions over Eastland County the month of May, on a few occasions we had to leave Mammoth for a safer location.
May 9th, there was a severe-warned storm heading for the area, with hail and high winds. We opted to move further south to avoid any potential damage to our cars, leaving Mammoth in place and praying for the best.
The storm went tornado-warned just south of Cisco, where Tony teaches, and then took aim toward Lake Leon. From a safe distance in DeLeon, TX we watched our radar and observed storm chasers via the Internet, as the storm moved closer. There was a confirmed tornado in this storm, but luckily it went south of the RV Park where Mammoth was and did not cause too much extensive damage, though a few homes were destroyed and one loss of life.
Once the storm was over, we headed back and received some hail, nothing too bad, but the rain kept coming.
A few days later, more storms repeated a similar pattern, with heavy rain and tornadic activity. The lake was already up to full and a little more. With even more rain, the park began to flood. May 26, we awoke to find some RV sites under water, and some park roads covered and impassible. Even though we were on higher ground, the run-off was expected to raise lake levels even more. We opted to move Mammoth before we could not get out of the park due to high water.
Fording the water at the entrance to the park. That grove of trees behind the "Do not Enter" sign should be on land!
We took Mammoth to a "new" RV Park, in Cisco. This park was not open when We first started looking. It was old, overgrown and for sale. Someone recently bought it and has started some improvements to the sewer and electric.
We picked an open site and set up. The Cisco water tower, just off I-20, is visible from the park.
A few days after this we were going to get the truck looked at before we headed out for our next big RV trip to Goshen Indiana, for the 10-year Anniversary of the North American Heartland Owners Rally.
We ended up deciding that instead of investing in more (costly) maintenance on the 11-year-old truck, it was time to look at something newer and more reliable.
We began researching and determined a suitable option was available in LaMesa, Tx about 3 hours away. We also had backup options in Abilene, Rockwall and McKinney, in case.
We headed out on May 30 to "just look", and ended up making a deal on the truck. It's a 2013 GMC 3500, dually, 4x4. Exactly what we need to pull Mammoth and whatever might come next.
We ended up driving the new truck and our suv home, back to Cisco, and the dealership said they would pick up our old truck.
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were spent switching over the fuel tank, towing wiring, and removing the hitch, then getting the old truck cleaned up. She looked better than new once we had her detailed!
The day they came to get her, Tony was at work. He had planned to be home when they came, but they arrived earlier than expected. Goodbye, our sweet first 5ver tow-rig, I hope you find a good home.
The next few days were spent getting new bearings on the Mammoth installed on all 4 wheels, and adjusting the new hitch to the right height. The new truck had a B&W turnover gooseneck ball hitch, so we added the "B&W Companion 5th Wheel Hitch" to it to haul Mammoth.
We head home to Terrell, then on to Goshen, IN!
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