Hello from Southern California where the breezes are cool, the temperature is perfect and the water is blue and wonderful!
We got into our RV park yesterday and it might just be the nicest park yet! Really big, lots of trees, green grass for Peanut to run and somewhat empty, therefore, very quiet. We love it.
We got to visit with my dear friend, Dawn, her husband, Frank, and one of their daughters, Julianna last night and shared a Thai meal together at a fabulous spot near their beautiful home! It has been about 10 years since I have seen Dawn and it did my heart good to hug her again. I'm thrilled they got to meet James and that James finally got to meet them after hearing me chatter on about them for years now. We will be joining them in worship on Sunday at Saddleback Church and the back to their place for a BBQ. Can't wait!
Today we hit the road and took Sarai down to the coast and drove up the Pacific Coast Highway...what amazing scenery! We have to admit one thing though...James and I are both water people. As soon as we saw the ocean, we both sighed and breathed deeply the fresh, clean, wonderful cool air of the sea. As much as we loved the mountains (and we do love the mountains), it was profound how our spirits eased at seeing water once again. That says a lot.
On the recommendation of Dawn, we ate at a great spot in Laguna Beach called "Splashes" which boasts an incredible view of the ocean as well as serves up a mighty fine lunch. Then, on yet another recommendation of Dawn, we headed to "Sprinkles," which is a shop that solely makes and sells...CUPCAKES! I was in heaven. And apparently so were a lot of other people as there was a line out the door. The only draw back, $25.00 for 6 cupcakes. But, they were yummy...well, we haven't eaten them all...yet. My favorite so far is the Red Velvet Cupcake. Delicious.
Tomorrow we are looking forward to spending the day in San Diego with one of James' good friends and college buddy, Doug. Saturday we will be attending a wedding, Sunday church and then Monday a trip to Catalina, so more photos will be coming.
Peanut is well, the RV is doing great (now that it isn't baking in 110 degree weather) and the little car seems to be enjoying the winding roads of California. James and I continued to be amazed at the beauty around us and incredibly thankful to be sharing it together...and with all of you via the Blog and Photo Journal. We do miss family and friends very much and look forward to being reunited with you all in the Fall. So much behind us...so much more ahead. God Bless!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Two days in the desert...
is enough, but oh, how beautiful it has been here! I started off a bit shocked from the intense heat, but once I got past that, I saw how unique and amazing this area is. The trick being, when visiting in the dead of summer, is to get out early and get back early.
Yesterday we visited "The Living Desert" which is the amazing wildlife park. Not only were the animals incredible, but the park itself was very well maintained and clean. I LOVE animals and I usually don't like seeing them in parks like this, but I never got the sense of sadness when viewing any of these amazing creatures in their "man-made" habitats. I enjoyed it very much. We then had lunch and back to the RV Park we went before it got TOO hot. Our daily ritual since being here is spending at least an hour in the pool, so that is what we did.
While cooking dinner last night, I blew a fuse in the RV, but all is good now. I was a bit freaked thinking of having to pack up and get a hotel for the night, but as usual, I over reacted and everything worked out perfectly...even the meal! Yummy!
Today we hit the road around 7:00am and heading to Joshua Tree NP, wanting to get there before the sun rose high and started blazing, and what a great drive it was. The mornings are actually very comfortable and lovely...we put the top down on Sarai for the first time since being here and we loved it!
Joshua Tree NP is one of the most unique and amazing parks we have visited to date. It isn't so much "in your face" beauty, but rather a subtle beauty that you really have to look for and let sink into your senses...all of them. It reminds me a bit of Everglades National Park (our "home" park), in that there isn't huge mountains, giant trees, glaciers, etc., that people come to see, but rather the entire park as a package. Not everyone gets this kind of beauty, though. One of our favorite spots in Everglades is a place called Pa-Hay-Oh-Kee (Sea of Grass) and often (about once a month) we would drive up there, climb the observation deck and just enjoy the incredible vista. It is by far James' favorite spot there. One day, however, we were there all alone just taking it all in, when a gentlemen climbed up, walked to the rail, looked out for a few seconds, turned to us and said, "I don't get what all the fuss is about," then turned and walked away. So, some get it, some don't. What is beautiful to one, might be ordinary to another.
That is how I feel about Joshua Tree NP...it is deeply beautiful to me, but someone else may just see rocks and funny looking trees, and that is fine. I've always been fond of the Joshua Tree, not only for their unique shape, but for the name and the meaning, "The Tree of Life." I simply think it is beautiful, and you all know how I feel about trees. The Juniper Bush/Tree is throughout the park as well, and this is another one of my favorites. I learned today that Juniper berries are used to flavor Gin...hmmm...another reason to like it! Hahahaha! I did an album on the trees and rocks in black and white because I think that is the best way to show the contrasting beauty of the park. I hope you enjoy them.
After Joshua Tree NP, we were, of course, hungry and set out to find a great little place to grab lunch, and we sure did get lucky! Either we are truly the luckiest people when it comes to finding these out of the way places, or there are more great cafes and restaurants in this country than we realize! Driving through Joshua Tree (the town, not the park), I spied a quaint looking cafe called "The Coyote Cafe" on the side of the road and off we went...with one small detour. While making a u-turn to get back to Coyote, we noticed a Thai restaurant, and well...you know...we LOVE THAI, so we thought we would hit that place instead, however, and unfortunately, they were closed. Bummer. BUT, Coyote Cafe was incredible! One of the best Garden Burgers I have ever had! I only wish we could go back in the morning as they have Stuffed French Toast for breakfast, but that will have to wait for another time.
Then, on the recommendation of several friends, we decided to do the Palm Springs Aerial Tram up to the top of some insanely tall mountain. Yes, it was pretty. Yes, after the fact I'm glad I went. Yes, I cried the entire way up there. No, I didn't cry on the way down. Thank God for small miracles. I simply don't like heights. I don't like things that swing in the air. I don't like the feeling that if a cable broke, I would be free-falling to the death. I hate it actually. James is such a love. He was so good and held on tight to me the entire time so that I would feel safe. He LOVES these things. He can't figure out for the life of him why I love roller coasters, but can't handle these things. Easy. I don't do roller coasters that hang from above, but only ones that are sitting on tracks. We were on the top of the mountain for only a short time. I had a hard time getting a "grip" and my vertigo was kicking in. Everywhere we went, I had to hold onto railings white-knuckling it the entire way. James even commented that he had never seen me so nervous before. I was terrified the trip down would be worse, but it wasn't. It was fine. Just fine. Nothing more...nothing less. I don't think I will be going back there again anytime soon.
So, now, we are home getting ready to cook dinner. We had our time at the pool and plan on hitting the sack early to get a good night's sleep before taking off for Anaheim tomorrow morning. A short drive, only 2.5 hours, but we want to take off while it is still cool in the morning hours. We are very excited for this next leg of our trip as we will be visiting friends, attending a wedding, going to worship at a friend's church and simply taking in the beauty of southern California while enjoying temperatures that we WELL below 90 degrees!
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their summer so far. We think of you often and share wonderful memories about each of you on our drives. We thank God for each friendship and relationship He has blessed us with. We love you all! Have a blessed day and evening!
Yesterday we visited "The Living Desert" which is the amazing wildlife park. Not only were the animals incredible, but the park itself was very well maintained and clean. I LOVE animals and I usually don't like seeing them in parks like this, but I never got the sense of sadness when viewing any of these amazing creatures in their "man-made" habitats. I enjoyed it very much. We then had lunch and back to the RV Park we went before it got TOO hot. Our daily ritual since being here is spending at least an hour in the pool, so that is what we did.
While cooking dinner last night, I blew a fuse in the RV, but all is good now. I was a bit freaked thinking of having to pack up and get a hotel for the night, but as usual, I over reacted and everything worked out perfectly...even the meal! Yummy!
Today we hit the road around 7:00am and heading to Joshua Tree NP, wanting to get there before the sun rose high and started blazing, and what a great drive it was. The mornings are actually very comfortable and lovely...we put the top down on Sarai for the first time since being here and we loved it!
Joshua Tree NP is one of the most unique and amazing parks we have visited to date. It isn't so much "in your face" beauty, but rather a subtle beauty that you really have to look for and let sink into your senses...all of them. It reminds me a bit of Everglades National Park (our "home" park), in that there isn't huge mountains, giant trees, glaciers, etc., that people come to see, but rather the entire park as a package. Not everyone gets this kind of beauty, though. One of our favorite spots in Everglades is a place called Pa-Hay-Oh-Kee (Sea of Grass) and often (about once a month) we would drive up there, climb the observation deck and just enjoy the incredible vista. It is by far James' favorite spot there. One day, however, we were there all alone just taking it all in, when a gentlemen climbed up, walked to the rail, looked out for a few seconds, turned to us and said, "I don't get what all the fuss is about," then turned and walked away. So, some get it, some don't. What is beautiful to one, might be ordinary to another.
That is how I feel about Joshua Tree NP...it is deeply beautiful to me, but someone else may just see rocks and funny looking trees, and that is fine. I've always been fond of the Joshua Tree, not only for their unique shape, but for the name and the meaning, "The Tree of Life." I simply think it is beautiful, and you all know how I feel about trees. The Juniper Bush/Tree is throughout the park as well, and this is another one of my favorites. I learned today that Juniper berries are used to flavor Gin...hmmm...another reason to like it! Hahahaha! I did an album on the trees and rocks in black and white because I think that is the best way to show the contrasting beauty of the park. I hope you enjoy them.
After Joshua Tree NP, we were, of course, hungry and set out to find a great little place to grab lunch, and we sure did get lucky! Either we are truly the luckiest people when it comes to finding these out of the way places, or there are more great cafes and restaurants in this country than we realize! Driving through Joshua Tree (the town, not the park), I spied a quaint looking cafe called "The Coyote Cafe" on the side of the road and off we went...with one small detour. While making a u-turn to get back to Coyote, we noticed a Thai restaurant, and well...you know...we LOVE THAI, so we thought we would hit that place instead, however, and unfortunately, they were closed. Bummer. BUT, Coyote Cafe was incredible! One of the best Garden Burgers I have ever had! I only wish we could go back in the morning as they have Stuffed French Toast for breakfast, but that will have to wait for another time.
Then, on the recommendation of several friends, we decided to do the Palm Springs Aerial Tram up to the top of some insanely tall mountain. Yes, it was pretty. Yes, after the fact I'm glad I went. Yes, I cried the entire way up there. No, I didn't cry on the way down. Thank God for small miracles. I simply don't like heights. I don't like things that swing in the air. I don't like the feeling that if a cable broke, I would be free-falling to the death. I hate it actually. James is such a love. He was so good and held on tight to me the entire time so that I would feel safe. He LOVES these things. He can't figure out for the life of him why I love roller coasters, but can't handle these things. Easy. I don't do roller coasters that hang from above, but only ones that are sitting on tracks. We were on the top of the mountain for only a short time. I had a hard time getting a "grip" and my vertigo was kicking in. Everywhere we went, I had to hold onto railings white-knuckling it the entire way. James even commented that he had never seen me so nervous before. I was terrified the trip down would be worse, but it wasn't. It was fine. Just fine. Nothing more...nothing less. I don't think I will be going back there again anytime soon.
So, now, we are home getting ready to cook dinner. We had our time at the pool and plan on hitting the sack early to get a good night's sleep before taking off for Anaheim tomorrow morning. A short drive, only 2.5 hours, but we want to take off while it is still cool in the morning hours. We are very excited for this next leg of our trip as we will be visiting friends, attending a wedding, going to worship at a friend's church and simply taking in the beauty of southern California while enjoying temperatures that we WELL below 90 degrees!
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their summer so far. We think of you often and share wonderful memories about each of you on our drives. We thank God for each friendship and relationship He has blessed us with. We love you all! Have a blessed day and evening!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Indio...what was I thinking?
Actually, it is a very pretty area and close to Palm Desert and Palm Springs, but right now at 5:30 in the evening, the temperature inside the RV is reading 95 degrees...outside at the pool (our only saving grace) it was 110 degrees. But, interestingly, the water was cool and when the breeze hits us wet, it is a bit chilly, but then the water quickly evaporates and you are hot again.
Peanut is even hot. Laying his belly on the tile, just looking at me like he saying, "OK...I have had enough, put the AC on already!" I am hopeful as with any desert it will cool off considerably once the sun goes down...that is my hope. We were planning on staying here for 5 days, but we may cut that short and head into LA, where I trust it is a bit cooler than smack dab in the middle of the Mohave Desert, but we will make the determination after a full night and full day here.
The RV park is lovely!! Private, gated, need a code to get in, very well maintained, concrete sites, great pool...if only it were winter! Ha! The RV Host, Carol, said she used to live in Florida and Florida is NOT hot. We laughed. She is right. I know I sound like I'm complaining, but it is more just a fascination with the heat...I'm used to hot AND humid, not being thrown inside an oven left to bake. That is what it feels like. It is hot. No sweating. No humidity. Just blazing heat.
The drive here was really amazing. We detoured from our original GPS directions and headed down to Lake Havasu City and through some really interesting areas that had this beautiful lake and great little towns along it. Very pretty. We were glad we did it, but it added about 45 minutes to the trip.
Will write again to give an update on our status and the weather! Hope everyone is enjoying a very blessed and wonderful Sunday! God Bless!
UPDATE: Off to WalMart we went...bought some heavy duty, black felt, some velco and blacked out all the windows and ceiling vents/fans...MUCH BETTER! No heat is getting in this RV. We will see how well it does tomorrow. It is 8:30pm and the outside temp is still 90 degrees, but with the full moon and the mountains, it is lovely. Off to watch a little TV and rest! Good night all!
Peanut is even hot. Laying his belly on the tile, just looking at me like he saying, "OK...I have had enough, put the AC on already!" I am hopeful as with any desert it will cool off considerably once the sun goes down...that is my hope. We were planning on staying here for 5 days, but we may cut that short and head into LA, where I trust it is a bit cooler than smack dab in the middle of the Mohave Desert, but we will make the determination after a full night and full day here.
The RV park is lovely!! Private, gated, need a code to get in, very well maintained, concrete sites, great pool...if only it were winter! Ha! The RV Host, Carol, said she used to live in Florida and Florida is NOT hot. We laughed. She is right. I know I sound like I'm complaining, but it is more just a fascination with the heat...I'm used to hot AND humid, not being thrown inside an oven left to bake. That is what it feels like. It is hot. No sweating. No humidity. Just blazing heat.
The drive here was really amazing. We detoured from our original GPS directions and headed down to Lake Havasu City and through some really interesting areas that had this beautiful lake and great little towns along it. Very pretty. We were glad we did it, but it added about 45 minutes to the trip.
Will write again to give an update on our status and the weather! Hope everyone is enjoying a very blessed and wonderful Sunday! God Bless!
UPDATE: Off to WalMart we went...bought some heavy duty, black felt, some velco and blacked out all the windows and ceiling vents/fans...MUCH BETTER! No heat is getting in this RV. We will see how well it does tomorrow. It is 8:30pm and the outside temp is still 90 degrees, but with the full moon and the mountains, it is lovely. Off to watch a little TV and rest! Good night all!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Day like any other...
Hi from Williams, Arizona! I see Peanut commandeered the Blog yesterday to tell of his excellent adventures...we hope you all enjoyed it.
We leave tomorrow for Indio, California, which is basically in the desert, however, we choose the location for three reasons: 1. Joshua Tree National Park 2. Palm Springs 3. Palm Desert. We will be there for five days before heading to LA, Baby! Actually, Anaheim, California, but who is splitting hairs?
Today was very much like any other weekend day we would have had home. James worked outside on the RV (small leak in the bedroom), and did basic maintenance all around while I cleaned inside the RV. I guess you could say we had a "Honey-Do" day with both of us with things to do. After that, we headed into town (Flagstaff) to hit the Wal-Mart and Camper's World, then back home where I proceeded to make James' favorite homemade Turkey Chili and he was outside working again, this time on Sarai, who has a tear in the rag-top but I believe James worked it out.
Tonight will be Chili and a movie. We bought three new movies at Blockbuster; "The Reader," "Pride and Prejudice," and "Two for the Money." Should be a nice and relaxing evening. We plan on hitting the road early to California, so a good night's rest is in order.
I have received so many glowing compliments on Peanut's writing skills, that I may just let him write more often. The only problem is, what is he going to write about? Sleeping in the RV all day? If that is actually what he is doing?? Hmmmm...
We leave tomorrow for Indio, California, which is basically in the desert, however, we choose the location for three reasons: 1. Joshua Tree National Park 2. Palm Springs 3. Palm Desert. We will be there for five days before heading to LA, Baby! Actually, Anaheim, California, but who is splitting hairs?
Today was very much like any other weekend day we would have had home. James worked outside on the RV (small leak in the bedroom), and did basic maintenance all around while I cleaned inside the RV. I guess you could say we had a "Honey-Do" day with both of us with things to do. After that, we headed into town (Flagstaff) to hit the Wal-Mart and Camper's World, then back home where I proceeded to make James' favorite homemade Turkey Chili and he was outside working again, this time on Sarai, who has a tear in the rag-top but I believe James worked it out.
Tonight will be Chili and a movie. We bought three new movies at Blockbuster; "The Reader," "Pride and Prejudice," and "Two for the Money." Should be a nice and relaxing evening. We plan on hitting the road early to California, so a good night's rest is in order.
I have received so many glowing compliments on Peanut's writing skills, that I may just let him write more often. The only problem is, what is he going to write about? Sleeping in the RV all day? If that is actually what he is doing?? Hmmmm...
Friday, July 23, 2010
"Peanut's Big Adventure"...as told by Peanut himself.
Hello. Yes, I am Peanut Butter Johnson. Today started out as any other day since I have been living on the road with my Humans…they like to be called “Mom” and “Dad” so for their sake, that is how I will refer to them throughout this post.
As I said, the day started out fairly normal…quiet wonderfully as a matter of fact, since Mom and Dad made my all time favorite breakfast of Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. It was marvelous. I get so very excited around food that I literally shake; they, the Humans, um, I mean, Mom and Dad, always think that I’m cold and try to cover me up, but it is simply the excitement in the anticipation of eating that wonderful food.
So, after breakfast, I hear them talking about their plans for the day, nothing unusual, and I make myself comfortable on the couch ready for sleep. But, I hear Mom say something about “Bringing Peanut along…” and the next thing I know, Dad looks at me and says, “Do you want to go to the Grand Canyon today, Peanut? If you want too, say ‘Please,’” well, anytime someone utters the phrase “Say Please” I know a treat isn’t far behind, so I SAY PLEASE. Big mistake, should have kept my yap shut. Not only did I NOT get a treat, but I got pulled from my comfort zone, tossed into the car and off we go!
I have to be honest and say that I do love being around Mom and Dad, as goofy as they are, but it is nice. We went in that tiny, red, tin-thing they call a car, actually they call it “Sarai” and I really loved having the sun on me. Nice and warm. A little too warm after a while…I got HOT. Apparently, what I did next thrilled Mom to pieces…I drank water from a bowl in the car. She flipped. I have had the ability to do this for the last 9.5 years, but I have chosen NOT to simply because it isn’t dignified, but when you are hot and thirsty, you will forego the formalities and drink! After a bit, Mom put me down on the floor, out of the sun, with cool air blowing on me…I hated it.
We finally made it to their destination and out comes that horrid contraption they call a harness for me to wear…oh, the indignities I have to put up with. Off we go, out of the car and across a parking lot with lots of new smells and bushes for me to explore. Now this is what I call a vacation! So many different “friends” from all over the country have been here and I could have spent hours sniffing around, but no, THEY had other plans. We walk around a bit and then back into the car. OK…so that was fun, lets go home.
NOT. Another stop, this time when we get out, Mom is carrying me and puts me on this ledge overlooking absolutely nothing at all! Is she crazy? I will fall and break every bone in my body! Out with the camera she comes. Now, most of you know that when a camera is around, I’m all over it! I love to pose, love to have my picture taken and love to be the center of attention, but when dangerously close to falling millions of feet to my death, I’d rather not…well, OK…maybe one picture, possibly two. I’m sure she will post them all over the wide-world, so then you can see that she was truly trying to kill me! (Mom note...check out Library 4 under the "Photo Journal" tab).
We drove around a bit more, in and out of the car over and over…geez, you have seen one giant crater, you have seen them all, right? Next, I hear Mom and Dad talking about food…they were speaking my language finally. Down the road a bit they find a nice little pizza joint that has preferred seating for me…meaning, outdoor seating, and the pizza wasn’t half bad. That is until Mom tried to get me to eat pineapple. Who puts pineapple on a perfectly good pizza anyway? “Give me more of that ham,” I wanted to shout at her! Of course, I didn’t get to sit next to Dad…he knows how to eat! I distinctly smelled “Meat Lovers Pizza” and chicken wings! I was drooling all over the place. Instead, I got stuck with ham and that nasty pineapple, which I tasted but couldn’t even eat.
Done…in the car…again. Finally, more than five minutes without a stop…think I will catch a bit of shut-eye until we get home. Well, that didn’t last long. Car stopped again and out we go and I mean to tell you the rain was pouring down. Mom said, "It's raining cats and dogs," to which Dad smirks and replies, "Be careful not to step in a poodle!" Ha ha...very funny, I thought to myself. I couldn’t imagine why they would want to stop in the middle of nowhere, with a storm howling to boot. Dad grabs me and off we go into this strange, large building with things they called “airplanes.” Big woop. Actually, it was kinda neat. Since I was with Dad, he would walk slowly around the planes, looking closely at them…I could tell he really, really liked this, and whatever the Big Man likes, I like. Mom was doing her usual…snapping pictures at every single thing. Give it rest, Mom.
The man and woman that ran the airplane place were really nice, however, they kept calling me “baby”…don’t they know I’m nearly 70 years old! Put me down and I will show you “baby!” They chatted with Mom and Dad until the rain eased up. Apparently, Mom and Dad will be heading back there tomorrow, when it isn’t raining, to look inside some of the planes they didn’t get to see because of the rain. One of the planes, apparently, is a big deal…used to transport some guy named General MacArthur, or something like that. Well, that is all fine and good, but leave me at home this time!
Finally made it home and they left again…peace and quiet time for me. Off to sleep I went and had sweet dreams of flying over the Grand Canyon in one of those old planes Dad showed me. Life is good for a dog after all.
As I said, the day started out fairly normal…quiet wonderfully as a matter of fact, since Mom and Dad made my all time favorite breakfast of Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. It was marvelous. I get so very excited around food that I literally shake; they, the Humans, um, I mean, Mom and Dad, always think that I’m cold and try to cover me up, but it is simply the excitement in the anticipation of eating that wonderful food.
So, after breakfast, I hear them talking about their plans for the day, nothing unusual, and I make myself comfortable on the couch ready for sleep. But, I hear Mom say something about “Bringing Peanut along…” and the next thing I know, Dad looks at me and says, “Do you want to go to the Grand Canyon today, Peanut? If you want too, say ‘Please,’” well, anytime someone utters the phrase “Say Please” I know a treat isn’t far behind, so I SAY PLEASE. Big mistake, should have kept my yap shut. Not only did I NOT get a treat, but I got pulled from my comfort zone, tossed into the car and off we go!
I have to be honest and say that I do love being around Mom and Dad, as goofy as they are, but it is nice. We went in that tiny, red, tin-thing they call a car, actually they call it “Sarai” and I really loved having the sun on me. Nice and warm. A little too warm after a while…I got HOT. Apparently, what I did next thrilled Mom to pieces…I drank water from a bowl in the car. She flipped. I have had the ability to do this for the last 9.5 years, but I have chosen NOT to simply because it isn’t dignified, but when you are hot and thirsty, you will forego the formalities and drink! After a bit, Mom put me down on the floor, out of the sun, with cool air blowing on me…I hated it.
We finally made it to their destination and out comes that horrid contraption they call a harness for me to wear…oh, the indignities I have to put up with. Off we go, out of the car and across a parking lot with lots of new smells and bushes for me to explore. Now this is what I call a vacation! So many different “friends” from all over the country have been here and I could have spent hours sniffing around, but no, THEY had other plans. We walk around a bit and then back into the car. OK…so that was fun, lets go home.
NOT. Another stop, this time when we get out, Mom is carrying me and puts me on this ledge overlooking absolutely nothing at all! Is she crazy? I will fall and break every bone in my body! Out with the camera she comes. Now, most of you know that when a camera is around, I’m all over it! I love to pose, love to have my picture taken and love to be the center of attention, but when dangerously close to falling millions of feet to my death, I’d rather not…well, OK…maybe one picture, possibly two. I’m sure she will post them all over the wide-world, so then you can see that she was truly trying to kill me! (Mom note...check out Library 4 under the "Photo Journal" tab).
We drove around a bit more, in and out of the car over and over…geez, you have seen one giant crater, you have seen them all, right? Next, I hear Mom and Dad talking about food…they were speaking my language finally. Down the road a bit they find a nice little pizza joint that has preferred seating for me…meaning, outdoor seating, and the pizza wasn’t half bad. That is until Mom tried to get me to eat pineapple. Who puts pineapple on a perfectly good pizza anyway? “Give me more of that ham,” I wanted to shout at her! Of course, I didn’t get to sit next to Dad…he knows how to eat! I distinctly smelled “Meat Lovers Pizza” and chicken wings! I was drooling all over the place. Instead, I got stuck with ham and that nasty pineapple, which I tasted but couldn’t even eat.
Done…in the car…again. Finally, more than five minutes without a stop…think I will catch a bit of shut-eye until we get home. Well, that didn’t last long. Car stopped again and out we go and I mean to tell you the rain was pouring down. Mom said, "It's raining cats and dogs," to which Dad smirks and replies, "Be careful not to step in a poodle!" Ha ha...very funny, I thought to myself. I couldn’t imagine why they would want to stop in the middle of nowhere, with a storm howling to boot. Dad grabs me and off we go into this strange, large building with things they called “airplanes.” Big woop. Actually, it was kinda neat. Since I was with Dad, he would walk slowly around the planes, looking closely at them…I could tell he really, really liked this, and whatever the Big Man likes, I like. Mom was doing her usual…snapping pictures at every single thing. Give it rest, Mom.
The man and woman that ran the airplane place were really nice, however, they kept calling me “baby”…don’t they know I’m nearly 70 years old! Put me down and I will show you “baby!” They chatted with Mom and Dad until the rain eased up. Apparently, Mom and Dad will be heading back there tomorrow, when it isn’t raining, to look inside some of the planes they didn’t get to see because of the rain. One of the planes, apparently, is a big deal…used to transport some guy named General MacArthur, or something like that. Well, that is all fine and good, but leave me at home this time!
Finally made it home and they left again…peace and quiet time for me. Off to sleep I went and had sweet dreams of flying over the Grand Canyon in one of those old planes Dad showed me. Life is good for a dog after all.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
So long Colorado...we love you!
Hello again from the road! It has been 11 days since we landed in Dolores, Colorado and we enjoyed every minute of it. Today we headed out for Williams, Arizona and plan on staying four nights there. It is on old Route 66 and near the “Secret Road to Grand Canyon” aka 64 North. We figure we will spend some time in the Grand Canyon again this year because, well, you can never get enough of it! After our stay there, we will be making tracks towards southern California for a week. We can’t wait to see some great friends in the area.
Our last day with our friend, Diane, was amazing. She took us into Aspen and now I understand why those who either visit there regularly or live there, love it so much. What a fun and beautiful place. We went to an historic church to listen to a music recital put on by the Aspen Music Festival and School and the combination of the beauty of the church and the amazing talent of these young students was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Wow! Four different students played violin and piano and their ages ranged from 14-19…they blew all of us away! From Mozart to Chopin, they rocked the house…or church I should say.
After that, we just walked around Aspen visiting art galleries and little stores. The homes in Aspen are so not what I expected. For the amount of money people who live there make, their homes are tasteful and quaint; not the huge monstrosities we are used to seeing in South Florida, and all of them had perfect flower gardens beautifully maintained. Ahhh…it was wonderful!
We did manage to get some issues fixed on Sarai while we were there, however, the one we specifically took the car in for could not be fixed by anyone (story later), but we did discover that the radiator was about to go, so we replaced it. Thank goodness we took it in and the problem was located before we were out in the middle of somewhere and unable to get to a mechanic.
The fuel smell that floods the entire car when driving in higher elevations was really getting to be a problem, however, three different mechanics (one via phone, one just looking under the hood, and the other actually putting the car up), could not locate the problem. Which, in a way is good because that means nothing major is wrong like a fuel leak or something like that, but it is also bad because that means we can’t “fix” the problem. I was seriously bummed, because the smell really affects me and ruins the beautiful drive in the mountains. HOWEVER…and this is a true story, we did seem to fix the problem.
While sitting in the church listening to the music recital and loving every moment of it, a thought from nowhere (well, actually, from God) popped into my head…it said, “Burp the car.” I nearly laughed out loud! Burp the car??? What does that mean?? Well, then a vision of the many water bottles we have in the car while driving around appeared to me and how they would either expand or constrict while driving up and down the mountains. So it seemed to me that maybe the gas tank was doing this.
Yes, all you mechanics out there thought and said the same thing James did when I told him about my “thought” that tanks are pressurized themselves and if there is a problem there, the seal around the tank would keep the fumes from escaping. But, since James has been married to me for 5.5 years, he knows first hand that sometimes these crazy “thoughts” have some merit to them, so he humored me and said that we would try it the next time the problem presented itself.
Well, yesterday while taking poor Sarai on a road trip we had NO BUSINESS taking her on (a dirt road with serious switchbacks and holes), she started smelling up the place something fierce and James looked at me and said, “Well, should we burp her?” I said, “Go for it…couldn’t hurt to try.” He pulled over, turned off the car, got out and went to the back to remove the gas cap. Instantly the smell of gas intensified about 10 times and James said he could hear the air rushing out. He waited until the sound stopped, replaced the cap, got in the car, started it and off we went…WITH NO SMELLY FUMES!! It worked!!! Believe me, I am as shocked and stunned as everyone else and I simply can’t take the credit for it, as I believe God truly put the thought “Burp the car” into my head. So, Sarai is a bit gassy and needs burping from time to time. Oh well. We don’t care, we are just thrilled we seemed to have a remedy to the problem. I will be even more excited the next time it happens and we are able to fix it the same way. I will keep you posted.
Went to bed last night and woke up this morning to lots and lots of rain. Apparently, while we were in Carbondale, it rained so much in Dolores there was a mud slide on the main road, Highway 145…pretty common for these parts, but it kinda freaked me out. We almost stayed one more night tonight to see if the rain would pass, but decided to push on and get moving. I’m so glad we did. I actually enjoy the driving parts of this adventure; seeing different towns, places and people. I am writing this from the road and we are currently in northeast Arizona and the land is so vast and big!! I love it. We drove through here two years ago and as James just pointed out, it was sunny then, as compared to rainy and overcast now, so the landscape looks totally different. The colors of the mountains instead of being vibrant rust, brown and tan in the sun, seem to have a wonderful muted affect to them. It is really spectacular to have been able to see it both ways.
A shout out to David, my nephew, who turned 23 yesterday…unfortunately, I was unable to call him because we had no cell phone and no internet, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVID!!! We love him so much and are so proud of him! Happy Birthday also to Charlie Rossignol and Keith Allen…two very dear friends from Islamorada also celebrating their birthdays this week! We pray you all have a very blessed and wonderful year!
Wow…that’s a lot for today! Didn’t realize I had written so much. Thank you all, again, for sharing the experience of our travels with us. It really means a lot and feels as if you are all right here…well, kinda. We love you all and miss you very, very, very much. We can’t believe this Saturday will be ONE MONTH! Be safe, keep happy and God bless you all!
Our last day with our friend, Diane, was amazing. She took us into Aspen and now I understand why those who either visit there regularly or live there, love it so much. What a fun and beautiful place. We went to an historic church to listen to a music recital put on by the Aspen Music Festival and School and the combination of the beauty of the church and the amazing talent of these young students was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Wow! Four different students played violin and piano and their ages ranged from 14-19…they blew all of us away! From Mozart to Chopin, they rocked the house…or church I should say.
After that, we just walked around Aspen visiting art galleries and little stores. The homes in Aspen are so not what I expected. For the amount of money people who live there make, their homes are tasteful and quaint; not the huge monstrosities we are used to seeing in South Florida, and all of them had perfect flower gardens beautifully maintained. Ahhh…it was wonderful!
We did manage to get some issues fixed on Sarai while we were there, however, the one we specifically took the car in for could not be fixed by anyone (story later), but we did discover that the radiator was about to go, so we replaced it. Thank goodness we took it in and the problem was located before we were out in the middle of somewhere and unable to get to a mechanic.
The fuel smell that floods the entire car when driving in higher elevations was really getting to be a problem, however, three different mechanics (one via phone, one just looking under the hood, and the other actually putting the car up), could not locate the problem. Which, in a way is good because that means nothing major is wrong like a fuel leak or something like that, but it is also bad because that means we can’t “fix” the problem. I was seriously bummed, because the smell really affects me and ruins the beautiful drive in the mountains. HOWEVER…and this is a true story, we did seem to fix the problem.
While sitting in the church listening to the music recital and loving every moment of it, a thought from nowhere (well, actually, from God) popped into my head…it said, “Burp the car.” I nearly laughed out loud! Burp the car??? What does that mean?? Well, then a vision of the many water bottles we have in the car while driving around appeared to me and how they would either expand or constrict while driving up and down the mountains. So it seemed to me that maybe the gas tank was doing this.
Yes, all you mechanics out there thought and said the same thing James did when I told him about my “thought” that tanks are pressurized themselves and if there is a problem there, the seal around the tank would keep the fumes from escaping. But, since James has been married to me for 5.5 years, he knows first hand that sometimes these crazy “thoughts” have some merit to them, so he humored me and said that we would try it the next time the problem presented itself.
Well, yesterday while taking poor Sarai on a road trip we had NO BUSINESS taking her on (a dirt road with serious switchbacks and holes), she started smelling up the place something fierce and James looked at me and said, “Well, should we burp her?” I said, “Go for it…couldn’t hurt to try.” He pulled over, turned off the car, got out and went to the back to remove the gas cap. Instantly the smell of gas intensified about 10 times and James said he could hear the air rushing out. He waited until the sound stopped, replaced the cap, got in the car, started it and off we went…WITH NO SMELLY FUMES!! It worked!!! Believe me, I am as shocked and stunned as everyone else and I simply can’t take the credit for it, as I believe God truly put the thought “Burp the car” into my head. So, Sarai is a bit gassy and needs burping from time to time. Oh well. We don’t care, we are just thrilled we seemed to have a remedy to the problem. I will be even more excited the next time it happens and we are able to fix it the same way. I will keep you posted.
Went to bed last night and woke up this morning to lots and lots of rain. Apparently, while we were in Carbondale, it rained so much in Dolores there was a mud slide on the main road, Highway 145…pretty common for these parts, but it kinda freaked me out. We almost stayed one more night tonight to see if the rain would pass, but decided to push on and get moving. I’m so glad we did. I actually enjoy the driving parts of this adventure; seeing different towns, places and people. I am writing this from the road and we are currently in northeast Arizona and the land is so vast and big!! I love it. We drove through here two years ago and as James just pointed out, it was sunny then, as compared to rainy and overcast now, so the landscape looks totally different. The colors of the mountains instead of being vibrant rust, brown and tan in the sun, seem to have a wonderful muted affect to them. It is really spectacular to have been able to see it both ways.
A shout out to David, my nephew, who turned 23 yesterday…unfortunately, I was unable to call him because we had no cell phone and no internet, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVID!!! We love him so much and are so proud of him! Happy Birthday also to Charlie Rossignol and Keith Allen…two very dear friends from Islamorada also celebrating their birthdays this week! We pray you all have a very blessed and wonderful year!
Wow…that’s a lot for today! Didn’t realize I had written so much. Thank you all, again, for sharing the experience of our travels with us. It really means a lot and feels as if you are all right here…well, kinda. We love you all and miss you very, very, very much. We can’t believe this Saturday will be ONE MONTH! Be safe, keep happy and God bless you all!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friend and Beauty
It is amazing the wonderful blessing of friendships. We have been in Carbondale, Colorado since yesterday afternoon staying with our friend, Diane, and I have to say that I'm loving life!! There are few things sweeter than a friendship that can go years without much communication or contact, yet once in the presence of one another after a long absence, it seems as if a moment hasn't passed since the last time you saw one another...that is how it is with Diane.
Her hospitality and generosity are only matched by her beauty inside and out! The woman is amazing and has showered us with love and care since we arrived here! James and I are both thankful to her for all that she has done for us! WE LOVE YOU, DIANE!
You have all read about my love of Colorado, well it is only magnified 100 times being in Carbondale, which is 30 miles northwest of Aspen. The people, the landscape, the food...all amazing and gorgeous! This is my favorite place so far. Tonight while watching the local news (James and I haven't seen the news in over three weeks), the sports came on and I suddenly announced to James, "Another reason we need to move here...TIM TEBOW PLAYS FOR THE BRONCOS!" He just laughed, but I am dead serious!
We have enjoyed being in a real house, not to mention a REAL NICE house, but I do have to admit, I miss the RV a little. It has become our home on wheels and we all grow attached to our homes, however, having said that, I truly enjoyed being a normal size shower and walking more than 5 steps to get from the bedroom, to the kitchen, to the living room! We plan on staying until Wednesday and look forward to Aspen tomorrow and a free classical music concert in town! Life doesn't get too much better than this!
Diane has a wonderful dog, Dibo, who is part German Shepard and part Boxer and he weighs over 100lbs and quite frankly, is afraid of Peanut! They get "along" great though...meaning, the leave one another alone for the most part. We left them alone in the house today twice and upon return, they were no worse for wear! I think Peanut actually likes Dibo, but will never admit it.
It is very relaxing and incredibly peaceful here...I am finding the mountains to be great providers of stability, strength, peace and an overall feeling of happiness. I really love it out here, as does James. We look forward to seeing all of the other areas in this country that we have heard provide the same sense of AWE and amazement. We continue to realize how blessed we are to be on this journey.
Remember the "Photo Journal" Tab and I have added a new page, "Library 3" to the web site with recent photos of Carbondale and Diane! We love and miss you all very much and lift you all up in prayer! God Bless!
Her hospitality and generosity are only matched by her beauty inside and out! The woman is amazing and has showered us with love and care since we arrived here! James and I are both thankful to her for all that she has done for us! WE LOVE YOU, DIANE!
You have all read about my love of Colorado, well it is only magnified 100 times being in Carbondale, which is 30 miles northwest of Aspen. The people, the landscape, the food...all amazing and gorgeous! This is my favorite place so far. Tonight while watching the local news (James and I haven't seen the news in over three weeks), the sports came on and I suddenly announced to James, "Another reason we need to move here...TIM TEBOW PLAYS FOR THE BRONCOS!" He just laughed, but I am dead serious!
We have enjoyed being in a real house, not to mention a REAL NICE house, but I do have to admit, I miss the RV a little. It has become our home on wheels and we all grow attached to our homes, however, having said that, I truly enjoyed being a normal size shower and walking more than 5 steps to get from the bedroom, to the kitchen, to the living room! We plan on staying until Wednesday and look forward to Aspen tomorrow and a free classical music concert in town! Life doesn't get too much better than this!
Diane has a wonderful dog, Dibo, who is part German Shepard and part Boxer and he weighs over 100lbs and quite frankly, is afraid of Peanut! They get "along" great though...meaning, the leave one another alone for the most part. We left them alone in the house today twice and upon return, they were no worse for wear! I think Peanut actually likes Dibo, but will never admit it.
It is very relaxing and incredibly peaceful here...I am finding the mountains to be great providers of stability, strength, peace and an overall feeling of happiness. I really love it out here, as does James. We look forward to seeing all of the other areas in this country that we have heard provide the same sense of AWE and amazement. We continue to realize how blessed we are to be on this journey.
Remember the "Photo Journal" Tab and I have added a new page, "Library 3" to the web site with recent photos of Carbondale and Diane! We love and miss you all very much and lift you all up in prayer! God Bless!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
3 Weeks today!
Well, today marks three weeks since we hit the road. On one hand, that seems like forever ago, yet on the other, I can't believe it has only been three weeks!
We have learned some valuable lessons and have been enriched by "seasoned RVer's" about being on the road; example, plans don't always pan out and things are going to happen with the RV...GUARANTEED!
I was so careful to plan out nearly every day of our trip, but we think we might move into a more relaxed, "go with the flow" mentality. Example, we were suppose to leave this RV park, and Colorado, tomorrow, but we are staying another 5 days. Four of those days will be spent in Carbondale, CO with our very dear friend, Diane! We will leave the RV here (the park has security) because it would be too much to drive it so far up north and then turn around and drive it back south again.
Having our friends from Islamorada here has been a true treat! However, I think I have eating myself SICK...literally. So many wonderful foods, variety of foods (full breakfasts on the grill, clams, lobster, ribs, etc.), has really paid a toll on my stomach. James was a wonderful caretaker last night and watched over me as I was very sick. Feeling much better this morning, but am exhausted.
FOR YOU NON-FACEBOOKERS!!!!! Notice on the top of our Blog you will see a TAB that says, "Photo Journal"...this is where I have posted a lot of our photos from the trip. Please let me know if any of you have any difficulties viewing the page...this is all new to me.
We went to Telluride on Thursday and needless to say, we loved every minute of it. I am running out of creative ways to describe the magnificence of the beauty around here, so suffice to say, it is gorgeous! Friday we drove around with our friends and checked out a museum, furniture store, etc., and then James and I went into Cortez to hit the Walmart...provisions running low.
I will tell ya one thing...it is H-O-T "HOT" here in Colorado during the day and downright chilly and cold at night. I kinda like it, but it is so hard to dress for the day into the evening. The skies are so clear and blue...the sun hot and bright...and the breezes cool and refreshing. I do truly love the weather here. Someone told me though that it can get -20 degrees here in the winter...now, that is cold!
Our last night will be spent celebrating our dear friend's 70th Birthday by grilling ribs and other goodies (believe me, I will be showing much restraint in food intake) so James and I are really looking forward to that. Laundry is also on the list of activities for today...I hope to get out and hike a bit, but am still a little to weak, but we will see how I feel as the day progresses.
OH, our hiking friends that were lost on the trail are doing GREAT! They are about 6 sites down from us and we stop to chat with them regularly. Valuable lesson learned.
I am sure we will have cell phone service once we hit Carbondale tomorrow late afternoon, early evening, so we will be able to call! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, stay safe...we love you all! God Bless!
We have learned some valuable lessons and have been enriched by "seasoned RVer's" about being on the road; example, plans don't always pan out and things are going to happen with the RV...GUARANTEED!
I was so careful to plan out nearly every day of our trip, but we think we might move into a more relaxed, "go with the flow" mentality. Example, we were suppose to leave this RV park, and Colorado, tomorrow, but we are staying another 5 days. Four of those days will be spent in Carbondale, CO with our very dear friend, Diane! We will leave the RV here (the park has security) because it would be too much to drive it so far up north and then turn around and drive it back south again.
Having our friends from Islamorada here has been a true treat! However, I think I have eating myself SICK...literally. So many wonderful foods, variety of foods (full breakfasts on the grill, clams, lobster, ribs, etc.), has really paid a toll on my stomach. James was a wonderful caretaker last night and watched over me as I was very sick. Feeling much better this morning, but am exhausted.
FOR YOU NON-FACEBOOKERS!!!!! Notice on the top of our Blog you will see a TAB that says, "Photo Journal"...this is where I have posted a lot of our photos from the trip. Please let me know if any of you have any difficulties viewing the page...this is all new to me.
We went to Telluride on Thursday and needless to say, we loved every minute of it. I am running out of creative ways to describe the magnificence of the beauty around here, so suffice to say, it is gorgeous! Friday we drove around with our friends and checked out a museum, furniture store, etc., and then James and I went into Cortez to hit the Walmart...provisions running low.
I will tell ya one thing...it is H-O-T "HOT" here in Colorado during the day and downright chilly and cold at night. I kinda like it, but it is so hard to dress for the day into the evening. The skies are so clear and blue...the sun hot and bright...and the breezes cool and refreshing. I do truly love the weather here. Someone told me though that it can get -20 degrees here in the winter...now, that is cold!
Our last night will be spent celebrating our dear friend's 70th Birthday by grilling ribs and other goodies (believe me, I will be showing much restraint in food intake) so James and I are really looking forward to that. Laundry is also on the list of activities for today...I hope to get out and hike a bit, but am still a little to weak, but we will see how I feel as the day progresses.
OH, our hiking friends that were lost on the trail are doing GREAT! They are about 6 sites down from us and we stop to chat with them regularly. Valuable lesson learned.
I am sure we will have cell phone service once we hit Carbondale tomorrow late afternoon, early evening, so we will be able to call! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, stay safe...we love you all! God Bless!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
A very frightening thing...
This afternoon as James and I were ending our 5 mile hike, we came upon a couple and their beautiful dog just beginning their hike, this was around 1:00pm this afternoon. We stopped and chatted a bit and told them about the path we took and they indicated that they had been here before and loved this particular trail. Nice couple from Arizona and a very adorable golden retriever.
As I mentioned earlier, the hike really was strenuous, but doable. Well, fast forward 9 hours...James and I are back from dinner and are sitting outside, under the stars, enjoying the fire when we hear off into the distance someone yelling what sounded like, "Hey...we are on Calico Trail!" This was very off into the distance and I looked at James and said, "Is that coming from up the mountain?" We listened for a few moments more and heard the man yell four-five more times, however, it was clear that he was yelling, "HELP...we are on Calico Trail!"
James immediately got into the car and drove up to the office while I stayed at the RV. We wanted to report what we were hearing, but he office was closed. James sat outside the car for a few moments and could still hear the man. A truck pulled up next to James and the man inside asked him if he was hearing the same thing, and James said yes. So, the man and James took off up the trail (this trail is across the street from the RV park and the beginning part is a dirt road), and shined the truck's lights up the trail and there they were...the couple and their dog that we saw this morning.
James said it was horrible seeing the woman...she was freezing cold, crying, scared, limping, etc. and yet the look of relief was overwhelming. They had missed the Cut Off Trail which would have taken them the way we went and only been 5 miles...they did the entire trail which is a total of 15 miles, but they didn't have any provisions, such as enough water, something to make a fire, long pants, long sleeve shirt, nothing. The good news is is that they are now safe and back at their RV.
I thank God that James and I were outside and that we heard them. We almost decided NOT to start a fire and the funny thing is, the fire never did start...just smoked, but we sat out there trying...and then we heard them. God is so wonderful in the way He works!
When James and I went out today he made sure we had something for a fire, our long pants, long sleeve shirts and a knife, because he says you never know when something like that could happen and now I will NEVER EVER go hiking, no matter how short the hike is, without all the proper provisions.
Thank you, Lord, for keeping them safe. Thank you for teaching us, those reading this blog and the couple from Arizona the invaluable lesson of being prepared when going out into the wilderness.
As I mentioned earlier, the hike really was strenuous, but doable. Well, fast forward 9 hours...James and I are back from dinner and are sitting outside, under the stars, enjoying the fire when we hear off into the distance someone yelling what sounded like, "Hey...we are on Calico Trail!" This was very off into the distance and I looked at James and said, "Is that coming from up the mountain?" We listened for a few moments more and heard the man yell four-five more times, however, it was clear that he was yelling, "HELP...we are on Calico Trail!"
James immediately got into the car and drove up to the office while I stayed at the RV. We wanted to report what we were hearing, but he office was closed. James sat outside the car for a few moments and could still hear the man. A truck pulled up next to James and the man inside asked him if he was hearing the same thing, and James said yes. So, the man and James took off up the trail (this trail is across the street from the RV park and the beginning part is a dirt road), and shined the truck's lights up the trail and there they were...the couple and their dog that we saw this morning.
James said it was horrible seeing the woman...she was freezing cold, crying, scared, limping, etc. and yet the look of relief was overwhelming. They had missed the Cut Off Trail which would have taken them the way we went and only been 5 miles...they did the entire trail which is a total of 15 miles, but they didn't have any provisions, such as enough water, something to make a fire, long pants, long sleeve shirt, nothing. The good news is is that they are now safe and back at their RV.
I thank God that James and I were outside and that we heard them. We almost decided NOT to start a fire and the funny thing is, the fire never did start...just smoked, but we sat out there trying...and then we heard them. God is so wonderful in the way He works!
When James and I went out today he made sure we had something for a fire, our long pants, long sleeve shirts and a knife, because he says you never know when something like that could happen and now I will NEVER EVER go hiking, no matter how short the hike is, without all the proper provisions.
Thank you, Lord, for keeping them safe. Thank you for teaching us, those reading this blog and the couple from Arizona the invaluable lesson of being prepared when going out into the wilderness.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Colorado continued...
I am still in constant awe of the beauty surrounding us here in Dolores, Colorado. James came up with a WONDERFUL idea today and a great way to share with some of you why we love it here so much. We will be taking a video of the road that leads in and out of the RV Park and posting it on Facebook (you non-Facebookers have to get going) that way we can share the spectacular beauty out here with all of you.
Yesterday we did go to Mesa Verde National Park and did a Tram tour as well as a 2 mile hike. It was very beautiful and the Kiva Indian dwellings were an experience to see. Some dated back as far as 69 AD and others 1200 AD. Unfortunately, the Park was doing road construction on the only road in/out, so there were long lines and delays with that, but we still had a fun time.
Today, however, we really hit the hiking trail! This is the hiking I long for and love! Literally across the street from the RV Park is the trail head to Priest Gulch Trail; that particular trail is 7.5 miles ONE WAY, but there is a 5 mile loop that we decided to tackle and it took us three hours and over 3,000 feet high. We hiked through pine trees, up the side of a mountain, in and around Aspen Trees (my personal favorite) and hundreds of beautiful wild flowers! I took lots of pictures and will be posting later on! Of course, they don't even come close to capturing the magnificence of real thing.
After that long and difficult hike (trails are rated...easy, moderate, strenuous and this was most certainly strenuous/difficult), we were famished and remembered a little place in town (about 24 miles away) that sold hamburgers and OFF WE WENT! It was the best burger I think I have ever had! Could have been the fact that I was starving and my body desperately needed protein, but I think it also was just down right yummy!! We are now back at the RV resting...I don't think we will be doing much more today except maybe sitting by the fire!
We are hoping to stay another week here and driving up to Carbondale and the Rocky Mountain National Park area for a few days (leaving the RV...taking Sarai and The Nut). We aren't sure, as we need to find lodging, but we hope that will pan out for us. After that, we will hit Southern California.
We love and miss you all very much! THANK YOU for all of your comments on the blog and on Facebook...we read every single one of them...and all the emails! It is wonderful staying in touch with you all! God Bless!
Oh, I have to share this part of Scripture with you all, as it fits this area perfectly: "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12...and the Aspen trees literally clap!
Yesterday we did go to Mesa Verde National Park and did a Tram tour as well as a 2 mile hike. It was very beautiful and the Kiva Indian dwellings were an experience to see. Some dated back as far as 69 AD and others 1200 AD. Unfortunately, the Park was doing road construction on the only road in/out, so there were long lines and delays with that, but we still had a fun time.
Today, however, we really hit the hiking trail! This is the hiking I long for and love! Literally across the street from the RV Park is the trail head to Priest Gulch Trail; that particular trail is 7.5 miles ONE WAY, but there is a 5 mile loop that we decided to tackle and it took us three hours and over 3,000 feet high. We hiked through pine trees, up the side of a mountain, in and around Aspen Trees (my personal favorite) and hundreds of beautiful wild flowers! I took lots of pictures and will be posting later on! Of course, they don't even come close to capturing the magnificence of real thing.
After that long and difficult hike (trails are rated...easy, moderate, strenuous and this was most certainly strenuous/difficult), we were famished and remembered a little place in town (about 24 miles away) that sold hamburgers and OFF WE WENT! It was the best burger I think I have ever had! Could have been the fact that I was starving and my body desperately needed protein, but I think it also was just down right yummy!! We are now back at the RV resting...I don't think we will be doing much more today except maybe sitting by the fire!
We are hoping to stay another week here and driving up to Carbondale and the Rocky Mountain National Park area for a few days (leaving the RV...taking Sarai and The Nut). We aren't sure, as we need to find lodging, but we hope that will pan out for us. After that, we will hit Southern California.
We love and miss you all very much! THANK YOU for all of your comments on the blog and on Facebook...we read every single one of them...and all the emails! It is wonderful staying in touch with you all! God Bless!
Oh, I have to share this part of Scripture with you all, as it fits this area perfectly: "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12...and the Aspen trees literally clap!
Monday, July 12, 2010
I think I have found my new home!
We knew Dolores, Colorado was special when we drove through here a couple of years ago, and that is why we decided to come back for at least a week...but I didn't know just how much I would love this place. I think we both feel very much at ease here.
Priest Gulch RV Park is where we are staying and it is by far the best park we have stayed since being on the road. We have a lawn, a fire pit, a picnic table and are right on the Dolores River. We have mountains on both sides towering over us with amazing Blue Spruce Pine Trees reaching for heaven. The sound of the water and the flight of hundreds of humming birds makes it all seem like paradise...and I believe it is!
We are thrilled to have met up with three of our dear friends from Islamorada, Judy and Charlie Rossignol and Michael Sundheim (aka "Sunny") who are also staying at Priest Gulch. I cooked breakfast this morning for us all...sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs over the fire pit in our trusty cast iron skillet. Tonight we will be meeting at Judy and Charlie's for dinner. It is really great seeing them all and catching up! A little taste of home out west!
Today was a very easy day...laundry, resting and a quick drive into Rico so we could use the phones. It is rather nice not having phone or TV...a bit hard to get used to at first, but I am rather enjoying it. Plus, we have the internet so that is just as good. Tomorrow we plan to do Mesa Verde Park and drive into Durango. Again, we might stay here longer than a week...we really love it. The nights are very chilly and the days wonderfully warm. Perfect!
OK...more later. Just wanted to bring everyone up to speed! Have a blessed and wonderful day!!
Priest Gulch RV Park is where we are staying and it is by far the best park we have stayed since being on the road. We have a lawn, a fire pit, a picnic table and are right on the Dolores River. We have mountains on both sides towering over us with amazing Blue Spruce Pine Trees reaching for heaven. The sound of the water and the flight of hundreds of humming birds makes it all seem like paradise...and I believe it is!
We are thrilled to have met up with three of our dear friends from Islamorada, Judy and Charlie Rossignol and Michael Sundheim (aka "Sunny") who are also staying at Priest Gulch. I cooked breakfast this morning for us all...sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs over the fire pit in our trusty cast iron skillet. Tonight we will be meeting at Judy and Charlie's for dinner. It is really great seeing them all and catching up! A little taste of home out west!
Today was a very easy day...laundry, resting and a quick drive into Rico so we could use the phones. It is rather nice not having phone or TV...a bit hard to get used to at first, but I am rather enjoying it. Plus, we have the internet so that is just as good. Tomorrow we plan to do Mesa Verde Park and drive into Durango. Again, we might stay here longer than a week...we really love it. The nights are very chilly and the days wonderfully warm. Perfect!
OK...more later. Just wanted to bring everyone up to speed! Have a blessed and wonderful day!!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Two Days in Santa Fe
Our last night in Santa Fe...bittersweet. We have had such an amazing time here, but we are both looking forward to getting to Dolores, Colorado tomorrow.
Yesterday, we started out the day in downtown Santa Fe browsing the shops and galleries and grabbing a bite to eat (of course). I really love downtown...the architecture, the flowers, the people...it is all amazing, not to mention the weather! After a couple of hours there, we headed back to the RV park and hiked the trail that they have around the park; it is about a mile long and very nice. The smells from the pine trees are almost intoxicating. After that, a trip to the grocery store to buy some much needed staples and then off we went on what we thought would be a 2 hour trip to Jamez Mountains (we thought that because we were told that), however, it turned into a FOUR hour trip, but we would do it again. As a matter of fact, had we known it was that long, we would have done that first so we could hike a bit, instead of waiting to the end of the day and not be able to enjoy it as much. It made for a long day, but beautiful and spectacular all the same. When we finally got home, we cooked steak out on the electric grill (it turned out very good) and just relaxed...oh...well, we did watch SOME of the movie "RV" with Robin Williams because tons of people told us we should. We watched some of it...lets just leave it at that.
Today, we were up and at 'em early because we planned on taking the High Road to Taos and beyond. I got a little creative with my photography and had a blast taking pictures the entire time! Those of you NOT on Facebook really need to get on Facebook so you can see the photos!! I will work on posting them elsewhere, but for now, that is the only place I have posted them. There isn't too much I can say about today's trip because words just can't come close to describing the landscape. Carson National Forest is God's playground, I must say. I won't even try to use adjectives, but will let the photos speak for themselves. We really had an amazing time and our favorite parts were Red River and Eagle's Nest...breathtaking views and stomach turning curves! Lets just say we almost crashed Sarai (the Miata) today as James tried to pull off on one of the pull outs at a very high speed, onto gravel, with pot holes...sliding was involved and all I could say was "Bubby, Bubby, Bubby, Bubby..." We laughed once we got the car stopped and realized we were OK...I think our Guardian Angel went for a drink after that one!
We ended the evening at our favorite place, Cabo de Oro, for dinner. This time James has the 12 Hour Pot Roast and I had the Lasagna...yummmmmy. No dessert, as we have ice cream sandwiches in the freezer. Opps...did I say that? :o)
Another 6 hour drive awaits us tomorrow up to Dolores, so we need to get a good nights sleep and try to be on the road by 9:00am. We MAY change our plans slightly and stay there a bit longer than an week. We have discovered that staying longer at fewer places, rather than stayer shorter lengths of time and more places, is not really what we had in mind; too much stress, driving, setting up, breaking down, etc. So, we have to reevaluate our calendar and decide which places we can skip so we can spend longer amounts of time at the places we really want relax in to hike, do more site seeing, etc.
By the way, we are having a BLAST. God is so gracious and good to us. We realize this is such an incredible blessing and thank Him each day for His provisions. Abram is holding up very well, apart from a few very minor hiccups, and Sarai is a trooper and a BALL to drive around the mountains with the top down!! She is having one small problem we need to have looked at in Colorado, but hopefully it will be an easy fix. Peanut is also doing very well. He isn't much up for going out and about with us though as I hoped he would be. He is an old dog of habit and likes very much to hang out "at home" and greet us with happy kisses and leaps when we come back from our adventures.
Today is Bahama's Independence Day, so in honor of my husband and his family, "HAPPY 10th OF JULY!" God bless you all!! With Love - J-Cubed and Peanut!
Yesterday, we started out the day in downtown Santa Fe browsing the shops and galleries and grabbing a bite to eat (of course). I really love downtown...the architecture, the flowers, the people...it is all amazing, not to mention the weather! After a couple of hours there, we headed back to the RV park and hiked the trail that they have around the park; it is about a mile long and very nice. The smells from the pine trees are almost intoxicating. After that, a trip to the grocery store to buy some much needed staples and then off we went on what we thought would be a 2 hour trip to Jamez Mountains (we thought that because we were told that), however, it turned into a FOUR hour trip, but we would do it again. As a matter of fact, had we known it was that long, we would have done that first so we could hike a bit, instead of waiting to the end of the day and not be able to enjoy it as much. It made for a long day, but beautiful and spectacular all the same. When we finally got home, we cooked steak out on the electric grill (it turned out very good) and just relaxed...oh...well, we did watch SOME of the movie "RV" with Robin Williams because tons of people told us we should. We watched some of it...lets just leave it at that.
Today, we were up and at 'em early because we planned on taking the High Road to Taos and beyond. I got a little creative with my photography and had a blast taking pictures the entire time! Those of you NOT on Facebook really need to get on Facebook so you can see the photos!! I will work on posting them elsewhere, but for now, that is the only place I have posted them. There isn't too much I can say about today's trip because words just can't come close to describing the landscape. Carson National Forest is God's playground, I must say. I won't even try to use adjectives, but will let the photos speak for themselves. We really had an amazing time and our favorite parts were Red River and Eagle's Nest...breathtaking views and stomach turning curves! Lets just say we almost crashed Sarai (the Miata) today as James tried to pull off on one of the pull outs at a very high speed, onto gravel, with pot holes...sliding was involved and all I could say was "Bubby, Bubby, Bubby, Bubby..." We laughed once we got the car stopped and realized we were OK...I think our Guardian Angel went for a drink after that one!
We ended the evening at our favorite place, Cabo de Oro, for dinner. This time James has the 12 Hour Pot Roast and I had the Lasagna...yummmmmy. No dessert, as we have ice cream sandwiches in the freezer. Opps...did I say that? :o)
Another 6 hour drive awaits us tomorrow up to Dolores, so we need to get a good nights sleep and try to be on the road by 9:00am. We MAY change our plans slightly and stay there a bit longer than an week. We have discovered that staying longer at fewer places, rather than stayer shorter lengths of time and more places, is not really what we had in mind; too much stress, driving, setting up, breaking down, etc. So, we have to reevaluate our calendar and decide which places we can skip so we can spend longer amounts of time at the places we really want relax in to hike, do more site seeing, etc.
By the way, we are having a BLAST. God is so gracious and good to us. We realize this is such an incredible blessing and thank Him each day for His provisions. Abram is holding up very well, apart from a few very minor hiccups, and Sarai is a trooper and a BALL to drive around the mountains with the top down!! She is having one small problem we need to have looked at in Colorado, but hopefully it will be an easy fix. Peanut is also doing very well. He isn't much up for going out and about with us though as I hoped he would be. He is an old dog of habit and likes very much to hang out "at home" and greet us with happy kisses and leaps when we come back from our adventures.
Today is Bahama's Independence Day, so in honor of my husband and his family, "HAPPY 10th OF JULY!" God bless you all!! With Love - J-Cubed and Peanut!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
We are foodies!
Wow! What a difference a day makes! Carlsbad Cavern National Park is incredible, but we very glad to be out of Carlsbad. We had a great time walking the 1.5 mile "Big Room" trail and I was able to get some neat photos; still trying to post these where everyone can see them...even those who are not on Facebook. Keep checkin' in...I will figure something out. The drive up to Santa Fe was 5 hours, but the landscape made it very worthwhile.
A few quotes I need to repeat on the Blog. The first one came from a young man, about 10 years old, as we were walking around Carlsbad Cavern; he was with his family (mom, dad and two sisters) and he looked up to his dad and said, "You know Gandolf is very fit." James LOVED it. I didn't really hear them talking about anything before that comment, so I'm thinking the young man must have been daydreaming about "Lord of the Rings" and just decided to make that observation. Very cute.
The next one came from Mr. James himself. While walking through the Caverns it was completely silent...not a sound to be heard. Wonderful. We loved it and would often just stop to "listen" to nothing. At one point James said, "It is so quiet, the only thing I hear is my brain functioning." I'm glad his brain functions all the time...I have to jump start mine most of the time.
The last quote came from our dear friend, Capt. Dave, and is actually a quote he shared with us. ""The difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude." After 12 days on the road, we couldn't agree more.
Onto the FOOD! Well, OK, first I have to share where we are. We are in a lovely RV Park 7 miles south of Santa Fe called "Rancheros de Santa Fe." Very quaint and it has everything. The temperature/weather is probably my favorite thing about Santa Fe...well, that is a lie...sorry...it is the food, but I will get to that in a moment. The weather is amazing; nice hot sun with a wonderful, cool breeze. Right now, at 8:50pm, it is probably 65 degrees. Ahhh....perfect. Once we got everything set up and I got cleaned up, we were about to head out in search of food. A nice man by the name of John came by walking his dog, Cooper. We got to talking and he recommended "Cappa de Oro" and said it was just around the corner and very good. So, since we were tired and didn't feel like driving all over looking for a place, we took his advise.
O MY GOSH...friends, let me tell you, I will never eat pork the same way again. Yep, I had a pork tenderloin and James had the chicken. Sounds pretty boring, but both dishes were anything but! The appetizer was a cold, curry chicken spring roll which blew both of us away. Then came the entrees. I can't even begin to describe how explosive the flavors were. Suffice to say, we are going back tomorrow night to have another go at it. Oh, yeah, we finished it off with a triple layer chocolate cake which still sends shivers down my spine when I think about it!
Tomorrow we plan on going into Santa Fe to see the US's oldest Church and the Miracle Staircase. There is so much to do here, we may have to come back to this area for a longer stay. I can't wait to share what we see...and EAT...tomorrow with you all! Love you and God Bless!
A few quotes I need to repeat on the Blog. The first one came from a young man, about 10 years old, as we were walking around Carlsbad Cavern; he was with his family (mom, dad and two sisters) and he looked up to his dad and said, "You know Gandolf is very fit." James LOVED it. I didn't really hear them talking about anything before that comment, so I'm thinking the young man must have been daydreaming about "Lord of the Rings" and just decided to make that observation. Very cute.
The next one came from Mr. James himself. While walking through the Caverns it was completely silent...not a sound to be heard. Wonderful. We loved it and would often just stop to "listen" to nothing. At one point James said, "It is so quiet, the only thing I hear is my brain functioning." I'm glad his brain functions all the time...I have to jump start mine most of the time.
The last quote came from our dear friend, Capt. Dave, and is actually a quote he shared with us. ""The difference between an adventure and an ordeal is attitude." After 12 days on the road, we couldn't agree more.
Onto the FOOD! Well, OK, first I have to share where we are. We are in a lovely RV Park 7 miles south of Santa Fe called "Rancheros de Santa Fe." Very quaint and it has everything. The temperature/weather is probably my favorite thing about Santa Fe...well, that is a lie...sorry...it is the food, but I will get to that in a moment. The weather is amazing; nice hot sun with a wonderful, cool breeze. Right now, at 8:50pm, it is probably 65 degrees. Ahhh....perfect. Once we got everything set up and I got cleaned up, we were about to head out in search of food. A nice man by the name of John came by walking his dog, Cooper. We got to talking and he recommended "Cappa de Oro" and said it was just around the corner and very good. So, since we were tired and didn't feel like driving all over looking for a place, we took his advise.
O MY GOSH...friends, let me tell you, I will never eat pork the same way again. Yep, I had a pork tenderloin and James had the chicken. Sounds pretty boring, but both dishes were anything but! The appetizer was a cold, curry chicken spring roll which blew both of us away. Then came the entrees. I can't even begin to describe how explosive the flavors were. Suffice to say, we are going back tomorrow night to have another go at it. Oh, yeah, we finished it off with a triple layer chocolate cake which still sends shivers down my spine when I think about it!
Tomorrow we plan on going into Santa Fe to see the US's oldest Church and the Miracle Staircase. There is so much to do here, we may have to come back to this area for a longer stay. I can't wait to share what we see...and EAT...tomorrow with you all! Love you and God Bless!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
No pain...no gain.
Whew. It is 11:40pm on the East Coast and 9:40pm here in Carlsbad, NM. We drove 8.5 hours today...the most in one day so far. But, the drive was amazing. The state of Texas has some really beautiful scenery along 290 and I-10. But, still 8.5 hours on the road is 8.5 hours no matter how pretty it is.
We finally made it to Carlsbad Caverns National Park and to the RV Park I found online, which is literally at the entrance of the park; this fact and one other I will mention later are the ONLY two redeeming qualities about this...shall I say...dive of an RV Park.
We had to try FOUR different spots before we found one that worked. Talk about frustrating, but the other thing that is good about this RV park that I alluded too before is that, believe it or not, the gravel/grass plot we are on is dead level!! No need for stabilizing jacks or anything, which we have had to use at every other park since being on the road.
After we finally got all set up and confident that the fuse wouldn't blow, the water pipe wouldn't burst and that we were pretty safe, we jumped in Sarai (the Miata) put the top down and along with Peanut, we drove through Carlsbad Caverns NP...and it is stunning! I can't wait to go back tomorrow morning and spend more time there! What beauty and we didn't even see the caverns. We just drove up to the top to check things out and that alone was breath taking. We did read that the hike through the caverns is 1.5 miles, strenuous, chilly, narrow, low...etc., but it sounds PERFECT to us! Can't wait! So, no pain...no gain. I just hope I don't sprain an ankle or fall on my bum!
After our hike we are high tailing it out of here and heading to Santa Fe where we will spend three glorious nights at Rancheros de Santa Fe. Ah. Just sounds nice, doesn't it? I read on the internet that they do a movie every night by the pool, so we are psyched about. We have opted NOT to do the Satellite Dish thingy...too distracting, honestly. We need to either watch a good movie, read a book or write...not sit in front of the TV set, which we are both prone to do when one is around. I get the daily news from the computer and when College Football starts, we will just find a local sports bar and pop in to watch our favorite teams!
Well, I'm exhausted and need to rest up for tomorrow! Thank you to all of our loyal followers! We love getting your comments and feedback...makes us feel like we are all together in this! Love and Blessings to you all!
We finally made it to Carlsbad Caverns National Park and to the RV Park I found online, which is literally at the entrance of the park; this fact and one other I will mention later are the ONLY two redeeming qualities about this...shall I say...dive of an RV Park.
We had to try FOUR different spots before we found one that worked. Talk about frustrating, but the other thing that is good about this RV park that I alluded too before is that, believe it or not, the gravel/grass plot we are on is dead level!! No need for stabilizing jacks or anything, which we have had to use at every other park since being on the road.
After we finally got all set up and confident that the fuse wouldn't blow, the water pipe wouldn't burst and that we were pretty safe, we jumped in Sarai (the Miata) put the top down and along with Peanut, we drove through Carlsbad Caverns NP...and it is stunning! I can't wait to go back tomorrow morning and spend more time there! What beauty and we didn't even see the caverns. We just drove up to the top to check things out and that alone was breath taking. We did read that the hike through the caverns is 1.5 miles, strenuous, chilly, narrow, low...etc., but it sounds PERFECT to us! Can't wait! So, no pain...no gain. I just hope I don't sprain an ankle or fall on my bum!
After our hike we are high tailing it out of here and heading to Santa Fe where we will spend three glorious nights at Rancheros de Santa Fe. Ah. Just sounds nice, doesn't it? I read on the internet that they do a movie every night by the pool, so we are psyched about. We have opted NOT to do the Satellite Dish thingy...too distracting, honestly. We need to either watch a good movie, read a book or write...not sit in front of the TV set, which we are both prone to do when one is around. I get the daily news from the computer and when College Football starts, we will just find a local sports bar and pop in to watch our favorite teams!
Well, I'm exhausted and need to rest up for tomorrow! Thank you to all of our loyal followers! We love getting your comments and feedback...makes us feel like we are all together in this! Love and Blessings to you all!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Austin Day Two
YUMMY! That is my word for Austin! Today we ate at Chuy's on the recommendation of Marilyn, my sweet friend back home, and Sara, my NEW friend who did a great job cutting my hair, and they were right. The food, Tex-Mex, was so delicious! And the Margarita wasn't bad either! Shout out to our Bartender/Waiter, Mike, who gave us some excellent tips on Glacier National Park; he was there for four months! Thanks, Mike!
I thought Florida had hot weather, but Texas ranks right up there! Darn it was so hot today! We did drive to Barton Springs and were amazed at the "pool" there...it isn't a chlorine pool, but an actual spring. Beautiful and it looked refreshing, unfortunately, we didn't have our suits. So, we did the next best thing and headed back to our RV Park and went swimming there...we had the pool to ourselves, so it was even better.
I am very happy with my haircut! It seemed Sara at Aziz did channel Skip and it turned out beautifully! Yeah! I feel so much better! James, um, I mean Grizzly Adams, has decided to keep the hair growing! Yeah! He looks really good!
Tomorrow we head out west. We really hope to hit Carlsbad Caverns, but aren't sure if we will have enough time. We are due in Santa Fe on Thursday, but we will see. Regardless, the next two days will be marathon driving days. God Bless!!
I thought Florida had hot weather, but Texas ranks right up there! Darn it was so hot today! We did drive to Barton Springs and were amazed at the "pool" there...it isn't a chlorine pool, but an actual spring. Beautiful and it looked refreshing, unfortunately, we didn't have our suits. So, we did the next best thing and headed back to our RV Park and went swimming there...we had the pool to ourselves, so it was even better.
I am very happy with my haircut! It seemed Sara at Aziz did channel Skip and it turned out beautifully! Yeah! I feel so much better! James, um, I mean Grizzly Adams, has decided to keep the hair growing! Yeah! He looks really good!
Tomorrow we head out west. We really hope to hit Carlsbad Caverns, but aren't sure if we will have enough time. We are due in Santa Fe on Thursday, but we will see. Regardless, the next two days will be marathon driving days. God Bless!!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Austin!
Wow! What a beautiful city! We walked 6th Street looking for a place to eat...passed a couple of Tex-Mex, Mexican and various Pubs until we came across a great looking Thai and Vietnamese restaurant and knew we HAD to eat there and are we glad we did. Amazing food. Out of this world delicious. We laughed because we decided we should change the name of our Blog from "Wrecks on the Way" to "Finding the Country's Best Thai Food" as this was the second Thai restaurant we have eaten in 8 days. What can I say, we love Thai!! I actually had a Vietnamese dish which was spectacular...as a matter of fact, the leftovers are calling my name!
Funny thing happened in New Orleans that I forgot to mention yesterday; I don't know how many of you have heard me say that no matter where we go, we always run into someone James knows, and well, New Orleans was no exception. Walking down N. Peters Road, we come across this family and sure enough, James knows them! I need to start writing all of these fun run-ins down because they do happen A LOT. He knows everyone it seems.
The RV park in Austin is super nice. The first REAL RV park we have stayed in on our trip, meaning, not a State Park and not a gas station. I got the laundry all done and we are comfortably set up and even have a few TV channels. Can't figure out for the life of me how the cable works. Sigh. Little things like this make me crazy, but I will figure it out one way or another. I'm pretty tech-no savvy and James is particularly good at TV/Stereo stuff, so it rubs me the wrong way we can't get it. We won't be defeated! The RV park is about 10 miles from downtown Austin and is very well maintained.
From here on out, all the parks we stay in should be like this one. Learned the hard way not to stay too often in the State/National Parks, even though they offer much more beauty and nature, but lack in a lot of comforts like sewer and level RV slots.
Looking forward to seeing more of Austin tomorrow and a very SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MARILYN ALLEN for the fabulous list of Must See's in Austin! Can't pick the ones we want to do! Love you all and God Bless!!!
Funny thing happened in New Orleans that I forgot to mention yesterday; I don't know how many of you have heard me say that no matter where we go, we always run into someone James knows, and well, New Orleans was no exception. Walking down N. Peters Road, we come across this family and sure enough, James knows them! I need to start writing all of these fun run-ins down because they do happen A LOT. He knows everyone it seems.
The RV park in Austin is super nice. The first REAL RV park we have stayed in on our trip, meaning, not a State Park and not a gas station. I got the laundry all done and we are comfortably set up and even have a few TV channels. Can't figure out for the life of me how the cable works. Sigh. Little things like this make me crazy, but I will figure it out one way or another. I'm pretty tech-no savvy and James is particularly good at TV/Stereo stuff, so it rubs me the wrong way we can't get it. We won't be defeated! The RV park is about 10 miles from downtown Austin and is very well maintained.
From here on out, all the parks we stay in should be like this one. Learned the hard way not to stay too often in the State/National Parks, even though they offer much more beauty and nature, but lack in a lot of comforts like sewer and level RV slots.
Looking forward to seeing more of Austin tomorrow and a very SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MARILYN ALLEN for the fabulous list of Must See's in Austin! Can't pick the ones we want to do! Love you all and God Bless!!!
Texas bound!
Good Monday Morning! I trust everyone had a blessed and safe 4th of July! We are currently on I-10 heading west and will spend two nights in Austin, Texas. We have about a 5 hour drive ahead of us today.
Honestly, we couldn't stay in the New Orleans area any longer. The park was beautiful, but the RV sites were not the greatest and after one bad night of sleep due to the horrible slant of the RV, James and I decided to head out TWO days early.
We did enjoy a lovely brunch and a bit of jazz music in New Orleans. We also walked around a lot and dodged rain drops here and there. Parts of it were amazing and beautiful, other parts, not so much.
So, we decided to hit the road around 2:00pm and drive until we...or I should say, James, got tired of driving, which was about 36 miles from the Texas border. So, I grabbed my Droid Phone (I truly love this thing) and Goggled RV parks near Lake Charles, LA and called one called Jean Lafeat RV Park. When I asked how much it was for a one night, the sweet lady on the other end replied, "$100.00." "$100.00 for one night," I asked? And she said, "Yes." Well, there is no way we are paying $100.00 for one night! I thanked her and went on my business of calling other parks. She called back...she was a bit confused before and quoted us the WEEKLY rate. The nightly rate was only $25.00. SOLD! However, we drove right by it the first time because it just didn't seem right that an RV park would be in the parking lot of a gas station, but it was.
Actually, it was one of the nicest spots we have stayed in since our trip began, simply because they has a sewer system! I didn't realize how important this component was until we didn't have it for over a week. Simply put, we don't have to worry about our tanks "filling" up because with the gray/sewer, you just hook up the hose and everything goes directly into their sewer, which is underground. Sweet! So, we hooked up, set up and I cooked dinner. Brats and beans...which were mighty tasty!
Afterward, we watched a bit of "To Catch a Thief" and then lights out. Slept incredibly well and woke up to hit the road again! The first thing I plan on doing when we get to Austin is LOADS OF LAUNDRY...sigh...and then calling a local Beauty Salon to get my hair cut! I look like I'm sporting a Mullet and that simply is not acceptable. I will also try to get Grizzly Adams, um, I mean James, in for a shave. He is looking like quite the Wild Man...I kinda like it, but it is driving him crazy!
We have received tons of info on spots to see in Austin! I'm very excited and can't wait to relax there a bit. Just a few more days until we reach Dolores, Colorado where we will spend 8 days! I don't know what it will be like staying put in one place for so long. I think I will love it.
Wishing everyone a blessed and wonderful day! We love you all!
Honestly, we couldn't stay in the New Orleans area any longer. The park was beautiful, but the RV sites were not the greatest and after one bad night of sleep due to the horrible slant of the RV, James and I decided to head out TWO days early.
We did enjoy a lovely brunch and a bit of jazz music in New Orleans. We also walked around a lot and dodged rain drops here and there. Parts of it were amazing and beautiful, other parts, not so much.
So, we decided to hit the road around 2:00pm and drive until we...or I should say, James, got tired of driving, which was about 36 miles from the Texas border. So, I grabbed my Droid Phone (I truly love this thing) and Goggled RV parks near Lake Charles, LA and called one called Jean Lafeat RV Park. When I asked how much it was for a one night, the sweet lady on the other end replied, "$100.00." "$100.00 for one night," I asked? And she said, "Yes." Well, there is no way we are paying $100.00 for one night! I thanked her and went on my business of calling other parks. She called back...she was a bit confused before and quoted us the WEEKLY rate. The nightly rate was only $25.00. SOLD! However, we drove right by it the first time because it just didn't seem right that an RV park would be in the parking lot of a gas station, but it was.
Actually, it was one of the nicest spots we have stayed in since our trip began, simply because they has a sewer system! I didn't realize how important this component was until we didn't have it for over a week. Simply put, we don't have to worry about our tanks "filling" up because with the gray/sewer, you just hook up the hose and everything goes directly into their sewer, which is underground. Sweet! So, we hooked up, set up and I cooked dinner. Brats and beans...which were mighty tasty!
Afterward, we watched a bit of "To Catch a Thief" and then lights out. Slept incredibly well and woke up to hit the road again! The first thing I plan on doing when we get to Austin is LOADS OF LAUNDRY...sigh...and then calling a local Beauty Salon to get my hair cut! I look like I'm sporting a Mullet and that simply is not acceptable. I will also try to get Grizzly Adams, um, I mean James, in for a shave. He is looking like quite the Wild Man...I kinda like it, but it is driving him crazy!
We have received tons of info on spots to see in Austin! I'm very excited and can't wait to relax there a bit. Just a few more days until we reach Dolores, Colorado where we will spend 8 days! I don't know what it will be like staying put in one place for so long. I think I will love it.
Wishing everyone a blessed and wonderful day! We love you all!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
A bit sad...
We are in Saint Bernard State Park, about 18 miles southeast from New Orleans. Apparently, after Hurricane Katrina, this area was about 10 feet under water. There are still buildings that are either boarded up, falling down or have "NO BULLDOZE" signs posted on them. We drove past a Winn Dixie, K-Mart and Sears that were all closed down and falling apart. When we went to a local restaurant, the waitress (a sweet 23 year old Louisiana native) said that after the hurricane, most of the homes were destroyed and people moved away...leaving the big super chains to close down. It is very surreal and extremely sad.
BUT, there is new growth! We have seen many new homes already built and some being built. The local school looks at though it is getting a much needed face lift, and among the piles of stranded boats, cars and other miscellaneous items, you can see organization taking place.
I wasn't prepared for seeing this so many years after Katrina, and in light of the oil spill, I had my mind set on being shocked and saddened by that, not by all of this. It really drives home how fragile our surroundings, environment and lives really are. The people here, the ones that toughed it out, seem very appreciative to have visitors/tourists visit their little area and are very resilient. I'm sure they will bounce back and this place...a charming village that runs along the Mississippi River, will once again be full of life!
Tomorrow we head into New Orleans for brunch and to walk around...I can't wait. Honestly, we aren't sure if we will make it down to the Gulf or not. We have cut our trip here short by one day to make time to visit Austin, Texas. I guess we will wait and see what tomorrow brings.
Wishing everyone a very blessed, safe and HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! God Bless America! We love you all!
BUT, there is new growth! We have seen many new homes already built and some being built. The local school looks at though it is getting a much needed face lift, and among the piles of stranded boats, cars and other miscellaneous items, you can see organization taking place.
I wasn't prepared for seeing this so many years after Katrina, and in light of the oil spill, I had my mind set on being shocked and saddened by that, not by all of this. It really drives home how fragile our surroundings, environment and lives really are. The people here, the ones that toughed it out, seem very appreciative to have visitors/tourists visit their little area and are very resilient. I'm sure they will bounce back and this place...a charming village that runs along the Mississippi River, will once again be full of life!
Tomorrow we head into New Orleans for brunch and to walk around...I can't wait. Honestly, we aren't sure if we will make it down to the Gulf or not. We have cut our trip here short by one day to make time to visit Austin, Texas. I guess we will wait and see what tomorrow brings.
Wishing everyone a very blessed, safe and HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! God Bless America! We love you all!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Amazing Day!
Wow! I didn't realize Florida had so many wonderful and beautiful places! The rain finally stopped around 10:00 this morning so we hiked a bit in the Park, which was really amazing! The sink holes and waterfall were beautiful.
Then my brilliant husband got the idea to drive to Florida Caverns State Park about 25 miles up the road and I am so glad we did!!! I promise to load photos soon, but they don't even come close to how spectacular these under ground caves are! Truly awe-inspiring. What a great adventure!
Our next stop was at the Piggly Wiggly...yes, you heard me right, the Piggly Wiggly to pick up some food for dinner and snacks. Well, I tell ya...I don't think I have ever been in a grocery store that didn't sell fresh herbs, specifically Cilantro and when we asked if they had any, they didn't even know what it was! James dropped me off at the RV and then ran back into town to the Farmer's Market to get some there, but again, no one had any, let alone even know what it was. So, I guess my Guacamole will have to wait until New Orleans! At least we made some pork chops, corn on the cob and baked potatoes on the fire pit...can you say Yummishous?
I'm writing tonight because we will be leaving early to head to the Big Easy! Oh, and I will be posting photos of Peanut having A GREAT TIME running around the park! He is truly loving the life right now! As are we!! Love you all!
Then my brilliant husband got the idea to drive to Florida Caverns State Park about 25 miles up the road and I am so glad we did!!! I promise to load photos soon, but they don't even come close to how spectacular these under ground caves are! Truly awe-inspiring. What a great adventure!
Our next stop was at the Piggly Wiggly...yes, you heard me right, the Piggly Wiggly to pick up some food for dinner and snacks. Well, I tell ya...I don't think I have ever been in a grocery store that didn't sell fresh herbs, specifically Cilantro and when we asked if they had any, they didn't even know what it was! James dropped me off at the RV and then ran back into town to the Farmer's Market to get some there, but again, no one had any, let alone even know what it was. So, I guess my Guacamole will have to wait until New Orleans! At least we made some pork chops, corn on the cob and baked potatoes on the fire pit...can you say Yummishous?
I'm writing tonight because we will be leaving early to head to the Big Easy! Oh, and I will be posting photos of Peanut having A GREAT TIME running around the park! He is truly loving the life right now! As are we!! Love you all!
Rain, rain. And a change of plans.
Hello from the road! We are in Chipley, Florida in Falling Waters State Park. It is a beautiful park full of pine trees and up about 350 feet above sea level; for us Floridians, that is nearly a mountain!! Unfortunately, it has been raining since our arrival yesterday afternoon. Regardless of rain, we do plan on hiking to Florida's tallest waterfall today.
James and I are still pleasantly surprised at how well we both sleep in the RV. It is amazingly comfortable and each morning we feel better and better. Could be the bed...could be the fact that we are finally on the road and the stress is slowly leaving our bodies. Either way, we are very thankful!
We did make a minor change in our plans. We were going to spend three nights in New Orleans and then make a beeline across the state of Texas to get to Santa Fe, NM, however, we are now staying just two nights in the Big Easy and then driving to Austin, Texas for two nights. Neither of us have been there and we have heard amazing things about Austin, so off we go! That's what's great about not having such a set schedule. If any of our readers know the Austin area, please give us some ideas!!
After that, we will beeline through Pecos, Texas and probably grab a hotel for the night; we are both ready for a bath. Yes, we are showering, but a nice bath would be great! After that, onto Santa Fe and, hopefully, cooler temps and clearer skies.
We have made a promise to one another to start EATING HEALTHY! Being on the road is such a temptation to eat out (Pizza Hut last night), and that just won't cut it. So, off to the store today to get fruits, veggies and other healthy snacks for the day so that when dinner time comes, we aren't so hungry we just find the closest restaurant to eat in! The only challenge is having a somewhat small fridge and freezer, so we are a bit limited in the food we can take, but I am determined to find a way! GOODBYE fast food, and Hello healthy eating! Prayers would be appreciated.
My Mom and StepDad take off today for Puerto Rico, their annual vacation, and we wish them safe travels and a good time. Puerto Rico is a very beautiful place and we know they will have a great time! Have a blessed day, everyone! We love you all.
James and I are still pleasantly surprised at how well we both sleep in the RV. It is amazingly comfortable and each morning we feel better and better. Could be the bed...could be the fact that we are finally on the road and the stress is slowly leaving our bodies. Either way, we are very thankful!
We did make a minor change in our plans. We were going to spend three nights in New Orleans and then make a beeline across the state of Texas to get to Santa Fe, NM, however, we are now staying just two nights in the Big Easy and then driving to Austin, Texas for two nights. Neither of us have been there and we have heard amazing things about Austin, so off we go! That's what's great about not having such a set schedule. If any of our readers know the Austin area, please give us some ideas!!
After that, we will beeline through Pecos, Texas and probably grab a hotel for the night; we are both ready for a bath. Yes, we are showering, but a nice bath would be great! After that, onto Santa Fe and, hopefully, cooler temps and clearer skies.
We have made a promise to one another to start EATING HEALTHY! Being on the road is such a temptation to eat out (Pizza Hut last night), and that just won't cut it. So, off to the store today to get fruits, veggies and other healthy snacks for the day so that when dinner time comes, we aren't so hungry we just find the closest restaurant to eat in! The only challenge is having a somewhat small fridge and freezer, so we are a bit limited in the food we can take, but I am determined to find a way! GOODBYE fast food, and Hello healthy eating! Prayers would be appreciated.
My Mom and StepDad take off today for Puerto Rico, their annual vacation, and we wish them safe travels and a good time. Puerto Rico is a very beautiful place and we know they will have a great time! Have a blessed day, everyone! We love you all.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Leaving Lake Griffin
Today we load up Abram and Sarai and head to Falling Waters State Park in the panhandle of Florida. We had a GREAT time yesterday; we hiked about a half mile, canoed two miles and then drove to Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park to visit the Wildlife Trail. It was beautiful, however, a bit sad. I really don't like seeing animals caged. The saddest part was the Hippo...it was all alone in a very small pool area. Then there was the Florida Panther, Black Bear (which we didn't see) and Bobcat, all of which were in confined areas. The park itself is very pretty, but I don't think we will be going back anytime soon.
Skies were threatening by the time we got home, but we both wanted to cook steak over the fire pit, so we made haste to get the fire going and we were able to cook us up some mighty tasty steaks before the rain hit. Literally, as we were cleaning up, the rain fell...and it fell all night long. It was lovely sleeping weather!
Up very early this morning, but feeling fit from a good night's sleep. We did watch "Breakfast at Tiffany's" last night for our nightly movie. We don't have TV yet (getting Satellite on Saturday), so we pick movies each night to watch. Tuesday night, however, we did watch something totally different...we watch Looney Toons Cartoons! I just love Bugs Bunny! We watched over an hour of classic Daffy Duck, Bugs and all of the other wonderful characters. It was so much fun.
Lots to do this morning to get ready for our next road trip, so signing off for now! Praying everyone has a very blessed and wonderful day!
Skies were threatening by the time we got home, but we both wanted to cook steak over the fire pit, so we made haste to get the fire going and we were able to cook us up some mighty tasty steaks before the rain hit. Literally, as we were cleaning up, the rain fell...and it fell all night long. It was lovely sleeping weather!
Up very early this morning, but feeling fit from a good night's sleep. We did watch "Breakfast at Tiffany's" last night for our nightly movie. We don't have TV yet (getting Satellite on Saturday), so we pick movies each night to watch. Tuesday night, however, we did watch something totally different...we watch Looney Toons Cartoons! I just love Bugs Bunny! We watched over an hour of classic Daffy Duck, Bugs and all of the other wonderful characters. It was so much fun.
Lots to do this morning to get ready for our next road trip, so signing off for now! Praying everyone has a very blessed and wonderful day!
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