We finally made it Ogden. It seems we were just keeping ahead of tornadoes, thunderstorms, hail, and wind for three days across the mid-west. The weather was just beautiful when we arrived here on Sunday.
Joey and Beth left for a convention in San Antonio on Wednesday. It has been raining since.
We did get our refrigerator fixed at Charlie's Service on Friday. And on Thursday we had a nice visit with MaryAnne and Ray. They came over for dinner. We met them at the Alfa Roadrunner Rally in Quartzsite last January. They were having some work done on their Alfa at Charlie's too. While at Charlie's we also visited with Betty and Joe, whom we met at Q. They were headed for Yellowstone. We've met so many nice people on the road.
Not sure how long we will stay here or where we will go when we leave. Oregon? Southern Utah? Decisions...decisions.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Another Travel Day
Today was a long day traveling for us (abt 400 miles). We made it around Kansas City and on to Nebraska on I 80. We finally found an RV park for the night. Nebraska doesn't let you stay in Rest areas and WalMarts overnight. But RV parks are few and far between. We plan on sailing across Nebraska tomorrow. It's supposed to be windy with scattered rain showers. I can't wait to get to Ogden and park for a week or so. We need to go to Charlies Service in Sunset, UT to have our refer repaired. We have a recall on the Norcold heating element.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Where Has The Time Gone?
Warsaw seems so long ago. That's were we were during my last post. I'll try to bring our travels up to date.
ESCAPADE: We attended the Escapees Escapade in Sedalia, MO for a week. It was great to meet our friends there. We attended quite a few workshops, enjoyed the entertainment, shopping for RV supplies, and having dinner with our friends Charlie and Graceann and BJ and Charles. The highlight was singing two songs ("The Keys in the Mailbox" and "The Cowboy Rides Away") in the Ham-a-Rama. Trevor played guitar with us. He did such a good job. About 1200 people clapped as we left the stage. I think Trevor is hooked. We convinced Charlie to sing one of his songs. He sang "A Daisy a Day" and did a great job. I think he's hooked, too.
RAIN RAIN GO AWAY: The only drawback about the Escapade was the rainy weather. We would step out of our rig into ankle deep water. Most of us (abt 700 rigs) were parked in squishy grassy areas. Many had to have their rigs pulled out of the mud when they got ready to leave. A neighbor told us about putting lime behind our wheels as we backed up the 200 feet to the pavement. We did, and out we came slick as a whistle. We were on the road by 8:30 headed for a new adventure.
LOST VALLEY LAKE RESORT: We stayed at this resort which is near Owensville, MO just south west of St Louis. It was so much fun. Trevor seemed to really enjoy it. During a sightseeing trip in the area, we ended up at WalMart to buy some fishing tackle. Trevor and Willard fished nearly every morning. We played music, cooked hamburgers outside, went to the swimming pool and hot tub, rented a paddle boat, played Bingo, had a Catfish Dinner. It was a full three days.
AIRPORT: We took Trevor to the Lambert St. Louise International Airport. It was his first time to fly. I think he was a little nervous. Anyway, we wiped away a tear or two as we sent him on his way to Salt Lake City. We called him on his cell phone when he got seated. Joey called the airlines to check on him during the flight and met him at the gate in SLC to see him off on another flight to Cedar City. That flight was delayed because of a lightening storm. I paced the floor until he arrived in Cedar City about 11:00 pm. I'm getting too old for this! Thank goodnes for cell phones.
JAMES AND CAROLYN'S: The next day we left for James and Carolyn's. They live in Bethel Springs, Tennessee. We decided to take a back road over to I 55. Bad idea. The road was narrow and no shoulder. But we managed quite well until we came upon a Detour to a more narrow, winding, roller coaster road. We were definately in Redneck Country. Soon we approached a railroad crossing with the arms down and the signel going "ding, ding, ding" but no train. Several cars and trucks went around the arms and on their way. I got out of the motorhome to look up and down the tracks. No train in sight. A man came from the other direction in his car and stopped. "Y'all may be here all day. The arms won't go back up. It's been reported, but no one's been out to fix it." Willard assured me he could go around the arms. So, I strapped myself into the seat while my wonderful life flashed before me. And Willard proceeded to weave this 40' motorhome towing a truck around those arms and we were on our way. It was an amazing feat!
We finally reached I 55 only to meet a thunder storm. By the time we got to Tennessee the rain was over and we had dodged the lightening. Our next trial was to get to James and Carolyn's house in the backwoods of Tennessee. They met us on the highway and lead us to their home. More narrow, winding roads, then gravel, then through a gate between trees and onto a dirt road and across an earthen dam. What an experience.
They have a comfortable log cabin on a hill nestled in the woods overlooking a large lake. Their large manacured lawn added to the beauty. The sunsets were breathtaking. We sat in the porch swing each evening and watched the family of geese come for their supper in the freshly mowed grass, hummingbirds defended their feeders, and rabbits romped in the field and took dust baths in the driveway. And we held our breath while a young mockingbird flopped to safety after it fell from its nest. We went to a big flea market, yard sales and an auction. We ate catfish, BBQ, Chinese Food, and Carolyn's wonderful meals at home. Carolyn and I went for long walks, visited some of their friends and relatives and attended Church. Willard, James, and Jerry fished from a small boat in the lake. The first trip out in the boat found them paddeling back because of a gas leak causing them to run out of gas. During the second trip, they had another gas leak, but was able to fix it and putt putted back. They fished from the bank and in the creek after that. Yes, they caught a mess of fish. But, no one wanted to clean them, so back they went. The boys ended up taking us out for a Catfish Dinner. On Saturday about 25 friends and relatives came over for a picnic. Willard and I entertained. It was so much fun getting to know these wonderfully friendly people of the Tennessee Hills. I couldn't believe the week was over. It was time to move on.
http://www.visitmusiccity.com/
NASHVILLE: We left Bethel Springs and headed toward Nashville on Monday. On Tuesday we spent the day touring the area. We visited the Country Music Hall of Fame, hopped on a Trolly for a tour of the community, visited several stores as we walked down Broadway, had lunch at a corner cafe. We even met our RV neighbors at the ice cream shop. In May a tornado had come down in the RV park we stayed in. They were logging the downed trees. No one was hurt, but one camper trailer rolled over with two people in it. I'm sure it gave them quite a scare.
TODAY: We left the RV park early this morning and head for St. Louis. We stopped for diesel and discovered the area was under a storm alert. We drove out of the rain, but had to deal with the wind most of the day. We stopped of at a Casino to get off the road for awhile and came out $40 to the good. We got back on the road after eating sandwiches bracing ourselves for the Loop around St. Louis. Because of Willard's determination and my map reading we made it safely. Our frazzled nerves told us it was time to get off the road. Now we are at a Rest Area on I 70 for the night. We had Hot Pockets and watermelon for supper, turned on the air conditioner and relaxed to our favorite TV programs. I just wonder what tomorrow will bring.
ESCAPADE: We attended the Escapees Escapade in Sedalia, MO for a week. It was great to meet our friends there. We attended quite a few workshops, enjoyed the entertainment, shopping for RV supplies, and having dinner with our friends Charlie and Graceann and BJ and Charles. The highlight was singing two songs ("The Keys in the Mailbox" and "The Cowboy Rides Away") in the Ham-a-Rama. Trevor played guitar with us. He did such a good job. About 1200 people clapped as we left the stage. I think Trevor is hooked. We convinced Charlie to sing one of his songs. He sang "A Daisy a Day" and did a great job. I think he's hooked, too.
RAIN RAIN GO AWAY: The only drawback about the Escapade was the rainy weather. We would step out of our rig into ankle deep water. Most of us (abt 700 rigs) were parked in squishy grassy areas. Many had to have their rigs pulled out of the mud when they got ready to leave. A neighbor told us about putting lime behind our wheels as we backed up the 200 feet to the pavement. We did, and out we came slick as a whistle. We were on the road by 8:30 headed for a new adventure.
LOST VALLEY LAKE RESORT: We stayed at this resort which is near Owensville, MO just south west of St Louis. It was so much fun. Trevor seemed to really enjoy it. During a sightseeing trip in the area, we ended up at WalMart to buy some fishing tackle. Trevor and Willard fished nearly every morning. We played music, cooked hamburgers outside, went to the swimming pool and hot tub, rented a paddle boat, played Bingo, had a Catfish Dinner. It was a full three days.
AIRPORT: We took Trevor to the Lambert St. Louise International Airport. It was his first time to fly. I think he was a little nervous. Anyway, we wiped away a tear or two as we sent him on his way to Salt Lake City. We called him on his cell phone when he got seated. Joey called the airlines to check on him during the flight and met him at the gate in SLC to see him off on another flight to Cedar City. That flight was delayed because of a lightening storm. I paced the floor until he arrived in Cedar City about 11:00 pm. I'm getting too old for this! Thank goodnes for cell phones.
JAMES AND CAROLYN'S: The next day we left for James and Carolyn's. They live in Bethel Springs, Tennessee. We decided to take a back road over to I 55. Bad idea. The road was narrow and no shoulder. But we managed quite well until we came upon a Detour to a more narrow, winding, roller coaster road. We were definately in Redneck Country. Soon we approached a railroad crossing with the arms down and the signel going "ding, ding, ding" but no train. Several cars and trucks went around the arms and on their way. I got out of the motorhome to look up and down the tracks. No train in sight. A man came from the other direction in his car and stopped. "Y'all may be here all day. The arms won't go back up. It's been reported, but no one's been out to fix it." Willard assured me he could go around the arms. So, I strapped myself into the seat while my wonderful life flashed before me. And Willard proceeded to weave this 40' motorhome towing a truck around those arms and we were on our way. It was an amazing feat!
We finally reached I 55 only to meet a thunder storm. By the time we got to Tennessee the rain was over and we had dodged the lightening. Our next trial was to get to James and Carolyn's house in the backwoods of Tennessee. They met us on the highway and lead us to their home. More narrow, winding roads, then gravel, then through a gate between trees and onto a dirt road and across an earthen dam. What an experience.
They have a comfortable log cabin on a hill nestled in the woods overlooking a large lake. Their large manacured lawn added to the beauty. The sunsets were breathtaking. We sat in the porch swing each evening and watched the family of geese come for their supper in the freshly mowed grass, hummingbirds defended their feeders, and rabbits romped in the field and took dust baths in the driveway. And we held our breath while a young mockingbird flopped to safety after it fell from its nest. We went to a big flea market, yard sales and an auction. We ate catfish, BBQ, Chinese Food, and Carolyn's wonderful meals at home. Carolyn and I went for long walks, visited some of their friends and relatives and attended Church. Willard, James, and Jerry fished from a small boat in the lake. The first trip out in the boat found them paddeling back because of a gas leak causing them to run out of gas. During the second trip, they had another gas leak, but was able to fix it and putt putted back. They fished from the bank and in the creek after that. Yes, they caught a mess of fish. But, no one wanted to clean them, so back they went. The boys ended up taking us out for a Catfish Dinner. On Saturday about 25 friends and relatives came over for a picnic. Willard and I entertained. It was so much fun getting to know these wonderfully friendly people of the Tennessee Hills. I couldn't believe the week was over. It was time to move on.
http://www.visitmusiccity.com/NASHVILLE: We left Bethel Springs and headed toward Nashville on Monday. On Tuesday we spent the day touring the area. We visited the Country Music Hall of Fame, hopped on a Trolly for a tour of the community, visited several stores as we walked down Broadway, had lunch at a corner cafe. We even met our RV neighbors at the ice cream shop. In May a tornado had come down in the RV park we stayed in. They were logging the downed trees. No one was hurt, but one camper trailer rolled over with two people in it. I'm sure it gave them quite a scare.
TODAY: We left the RV park early this morning and head for St. Louis. We stopped for diesel and discovered the area was under a storm alert. We drove out of the rain, but had to deal with the wind most of the day. We stopped of at a Casino to get off the road for awhile and came out $40 to the good. We got back on the road after eating sandwiches bracing ourselves for the Loop around St. Louis. Because of Willard's determination and my map reading we made it safely. Our frazzled nerves told us it was time to get off the road. Now we are at a Rest Area on I 70 for the night. We had Hot Pockets and watermelon for supper, turned on the air conditioner and relaxed to our favorite TV programs. I just wonder what tomorrow will bring.
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