October 23, 2025 - Repairs, Reunions, and a Few Stink Bugs.
Today was our first full day in Kentucky, and along with figuring out how to fix the tailgate so we could finally get the bike out, we were also expecting visitors—Kirk’s old buddy from high school (Florida) and his wife were planning to stop by later in the day.
Lynn was up early, as usual, around 7:00 AM. The skies were still dark, but she caught a beautiful sunrise while working on the blog. As the sun warmed up the RV windows, she spotted three stink bugs clinging to the glass—those would have to wait for Kirk. He got up around 10:00 AM, took care of the bugs, and after a quick breakfast, we headed into town around noon.
Our first stops were Home Depot and Rural King to hunt down supplies for the tailgate repair. After two and a half hours of browsing, troubleshooting, and weighing options, Kirk picked up what he hoped would do the trick.
By 2:30 PM, we were hungry. Luckily, there was a Panda Express right next to Home Depot. Lynn had been craving decent Kung Pao Chicken after a disappointing Chinese meal a few days ago, and this one hit the spot—definitely an improvement.
We got back to the RV around 4:00 PM, hoping to start repairs while the sun was still out. While unloading the truck, we struck up a conversation with our RV neighbors from Florida, John and Jenna. They had found a friendly grey tabby cat at the campground and were trying to rehome him. The cat had clearly taken a liking to Jenna, but she already had three cats of her own—and they weren’t thrilled about the new addition. As much as she liked him, keeping him wasn’t an option. Lynn was tempted but ultimately passed (much to Kirk’s shock).
The rest of the afternoon was spent tidying up and getting ready for company. While pulling out one of our rarely used chairs, Kirk unfolded it and discovered ten stink bugs tucked into the creases. They really know how to find the strangest hiding spots. With all our chatting and tidying, Kirk never got started on the tailgate fix.
Around 5:00 PM, Cary and Rozanne arrived. They’re from Florida and happened to be on a road trip that lined up perfectly with our time in Kentucky—great timing all around! Kirk has known Cary since high school, and it’s safe to say they probably got into their fair share of mischief back in the day. It had been about 15 years since they’d last seen each other, but the reunion was great—it felt like no time had passed at all. Lynn got to meet Cary for the first time, and we both met Rozanne. They brought along their sweet 8-year-old Shih Tzu, Gigi, who was incredibly well-behaved and adorable. We spent a couple of hours catching up and swapping stories before realizing it was 7:00 PM and we hadn’t eaten dinner yet.
We headed into Elizabethtown and had dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse. It had been a while since we’d had a good steak, and this one didn’t disappoint.
Back at the RV around 8:30 PM, Gigi was happily curled up on the couch. It made us think of Otis—we still miss him. Funny enough, Kirk originally went out to get a cat for Lynn when we ended up with Otis. And now, with a campground cat looking for a home, Lynn had the chance but we’re still not quite ready.
Final stink bug count for the day: 13. Three on the window when the sun came out, and ten hiding in the folds of a camping chair. Kentucky’s got some sneaky bugs, or they hitch hiked with us from Indiana!
Not a lot of photos today—between hardware store runs (not exactly photo-worthy) and spending time chatting with neighbors and old friends, the camera stayed mostly tucked away.
Weather – High 61*, Low 40*. Winds 3-10 mph with gusts up to 20 mph. No rain, no humidity.
Traffic – None.
Food – Longhorn Steakhouse.
Notable – Kirk reuniting with his high school buddy after 15 years!
