Montgomery Bell State Park, Tennessee

After we left Memphis, we had some free time before meeting up with our Louisiana friends in Nashville on Sunday 12th May, and Kim flying in on Tuesday 14th May. We had been looking for campgrounds near golf courses, and came across the Montgomery Bell State Park (SP) in Burns, Tennessee. As the crow flies the SP is less than 50 miles West of Nashville, covers over 4000 acres and is home to a campground, an 18 hole championship golf course, an Inn overlooking Lake Acorn, and a restaurant within the Inn! I have circled in red the strategic locations as they apply to us!

View looking down to our RV

We checked into the campground yesterday afternoon, and our site #118 backed right onto a small creek at the rear. While I was cooking dinner last night Murray called me out to see a turtle, about 12" long, swimming in the water. I raced in to get my camera, but it had gone to deep by the time I returned. We awoke to birds singing and woodpeckers pecking, and I walked a bit down the campground to take this photo (on left) for you. Our RV is down on the right. The photo below shows the RV backed onto the creek.

RV backed onto the Creek

We decided to unhook the RV and have a hamburger at the Golf Club for lunch. Murray had a golf game booked for 12 MD, so the plan was to park the RV in the Golf Club parking area, and I would read, bead, write or work on my laptop. When we checked out the parking area yesterday, there was ample parking for our RV. Not so today - the parking area and the overflow area were full! Thankfully Murray manoeuvred us into a place that seems to work ok. If I have to move it while he is playing golf, then so be it. 

Our parking spot is right near the practise area as you can see from this photo on the left that I took from the doorway of the RV.  The photo below shows you Murray on the practice tee. He is a lot closer than what he appears to be in the photo. In the photo below you can see his golf cart ready and waiting in front of the RV, and him practising.

View from our dinner table

After Murray finished golf we drove to the Inn Restaurant overlooking Lake Acorn. What a delightful view. I had the buffet for $8.99 and Murray had a 12" steak and veges for $12.99. Wines were $3.50 a glass. After an enjoyable meal we drove home and were just commenting that we had seen no wildlife apart from dead armadillos, Canada geese and squirrels when we passed this turkey on our way home. It was a delightful drive back to our campsite with the sun filtering through the tall trees. 

Sadly, when we returned to our campsite we found our water hose stolen. Before we left this morning, Murray suggested that he leave our water hose connected to show that we intended to return. I said perhaps that isn't such a good idea in case it gets stolen. Then along comes the campground host in his little golf cart. Murray alerted him to the fact that we were heading out for the day, but that we would return this evening and asked him not to think we had gone and give our site up. He suggested that we leave out water hose connected so that the park ranger would see it and know we hadn't gone far. That is what we did...so much for trusting the locals. The ranger and camp host said in 10 years they had never heard of anything getting stolen. Here it is two hours later and my faith in human nature has just been restored. Neighbours who arrived after we left for golf just got home (8.30pm) and realised we hadn't left our site after all - they thought we had gone, so took our hose. They have just come over to give it back. Thank God for honest people.

Nashville tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing Cindy and Mike there in a few days. Are you nearly packed Kim? Our RV park isn't far from the airport!

This turkey was lucky we had already had dinner

Nearly back at our campsite