The Lake of the Ozarks

Our view from the upper deck at the lake of the Ozarks. This looks to the dam that is 3 miles distant.


The story of how we became Lake Ozark residents.

As some of you know, we have only recently re joined the RV community. In the 1970's and up thru 1982, we would never be caught dead without our trusty RV.

We started with a "Fold Down" in 1973. My sons now tell me that, thats a "Pop Up" now dad. Well they do both. But we had one for several years. Hauled the thing all over the country on vacations and weekends. It was a good time.

Then we had the fated Travel Trailer. It only lasted for less than one season, as we were broad sided with a big Chrysler in New York. It caught fire while still attached to the car. I disconnected it and drove away, as it burned. Our vacation, belongings and spirits were ruined.

We rented a Pop Up the following year. Not being too sure, what the RV future for us was. But then again we purchased another Pop Up. We had that for three more years and sold it to a relative.

Then came the Mobile Traveler Class C. We used it for about 4 years. That is when we began to camp at the Lake of the Ozarks. We had a boat that we pulled with the class C. It was an 18 foot runabout.

Camping at the Lake became an almost weekly event, even though it was 5 hours each way from Iowa. We would leave as early as possible on Friday, or even Thursday if we could sneak away. So we begn to leave the boat at the lake. Didn't need to pull it back and forth.

We had a VW Rabbit car that had a tow bar. This became the toad vehicle, to go to the lake. It made it a lot easier to go get groceries ,and grab the restaurant meal away from the water. We did use the boat to go out at night before the VW, and still did, but not as much.

Then it happened! We stayed too late on Sunday afternoon, and needed to get back quick. We left the Coach and drove the Rabbit home. Well that became the norm. The coach was parked at the campground storage lot, and we just commuted.

It wasn't long before we bought a condominium. Two bedrooms and a big living room-kitchen. About 900 square feet. Seemed huge as compared to the motorhome. And that is how we came to be property owners at the Lake of the Ozarks. We eventually sold the class C from lack of use.

We traded condos and then a small cottage and so forth. Only recently have our grown kids, and the grandkids, become interested in RV'ing again. So we now have a Travel Trailer as we felt we could use the RV for winter trips, as well as the weekend get away with the family. When we were not at the Lake.

After spending two months in the RV this winter, it seemed almost extravagant, to be in such a nice place, as our home on Lake Ozark. If we hadn't made all those payments for year after year, we would never be able to just outright purchase such a place. Inflation has paid for more than half of the purchase price over the years. It has been a good decision.

With brick and mortar comes the upkeep. We have to go see what has happened now. You never get too far away from the maintenance. So that is why we go in the first week in March to a lake home when it is too cold for lake activities. It comes with the territory. Nothing is without its responsibilities.

We are lucky this year to have not experienced any problems. Other years have been less fortunate. But then that will be a story for another time.

So we head back to the KC area yet today, as it is too cold to sit out on the deck (22*) , and even the fishermen are off the lake.