Complete Travel Log

February 25, 2000 through December 31, 2009

Use your browser's search function to locate key words or phrases
eg. "Travis AFB" "Bay of Fundy" or "(Biloxi"

 

 

 

2000

2/25/00

2/26/00

2/27/00

2/28/00

2/29/00

3/1/00

3/2/00

3/3/00

3/4/00

3/5/00

3/6/00

3/7/00

3/8/00

3/9/00

3/10/00

3/11/00

3/13/00 & 3/14/00

3/18/00

8/29/00

This morning we traveled south on US-101 along the coast for about 25 miles until we picked up California Route-299 heading east. We had not gone too far from the coast (sealevel) whenwe came to a sign "Elevation 2630 feet." Route-299 is a curving, mostly 2 lane road that goes up, down, and around the mountains. All of our travel on 299 was either up hill or down hill; 6% grade or 7% grade; in second gear or in third gear. Ford's V-10 Vortec engine does fine pulling us up the hills, but a diesel with compression braking would be appreciated on the downside. A long downgrade (say ten miles or so) on an 8% grade or better would be tough. I assume that we'll discover such downgrades, and I assume Ford engineers put that capacity into the braking system. Anyway, we are now in Del Loma RV Park and Camp on the Trinity River in Big Bar, CA. [Picture of Trinity River about 20 miles west of campground. We just passed over the section of roadway shown above the river.] We're only 50 miles from the coast (as the condor flies), and we have gone from daytime highs in the 60's to daytime highs in the 90's. I'm glad this campground has 50 amp service because we're running both AC's. For the last month we've been using heat at night. Right now Sharyn is at the laundry room doing wash. We are reconsidering a washer-dryer for the motorhome. While as a practical matter you need full hookups to use it, the last time she did laundry she used three machines and it took $8 worth of quarters.

Miles for day = 96.

 

8/30/00

It was a beautiful sunny morning as I took my coffee and sat on the bench at the edge of the river bank (the river is about 75 feet below the bank), enjoying the sound of the river and watching the sun on the mountain tops on the other side of the river. The bench is next to the white rail fence, but hidden by the motorhome, in the photo. It was peaceful, crisp, and clear. I looked over the slopes across the river to see if I could spot anything moving around. I didn't, but I suspect that it would be very difficult for any animals to climb or remain on those slopes as they are probably more than 60 degrees. Later on Sharyn scoured the slopes with binoculars, but she didn't see anything either. We have seen numerous bear and mountain lion warnings, but have yet to see any. The other day I cut short my blackberry picking because we were in the southern Oregon coastal area where the Oregon Fish & Wildlife "Cougar Density" map showed solid black, indicating the greatest density. It was that, plus the fact the the newspaper had an article about about a woman who had two mountain lions run across the road in front of her car. One made it, but she hit the second one, a 110 pound male that had to be shot by the Highway Patrol when they arrived on the scene. Besides, I had enough blackberries. Anyway, this morning we left not too much before noon and continued for about another 75 miles along Rt-299 to Redding, OR. This part of Rt-299 did not seem to have slopes as bad as what we traveled yesterday, but many more curves. Also, since we were now running along the side of the river it was quite a drop to the river (there are basically no shoulders) and Sharyn didn't like it at all. We had one place with a three mile 8% climb followed by a three mile 8% downgrade. Sharyn was much relieved to get to Redding where we were out of the mountains, picked up I-5, and started down the Sacramento Valley. We are at the Sacramento River Campground about 5 miles south of Redding. We are only about 90 miles from Oroville and should get to Sandy's, Sharyn's sister's, tomorrow.

Miles for day = 84.

 

8/31/00

We left Redding and got to Kelly's house in Oroville early afternoon. Using Microsoft's "USA Streets and Destinations" on CD we were able to pinpoint her house by the street address and drove right to the front.. The only error would be that the map showed her house to be in the middle of the block when, in fact, she is the second house from the corner. There was no place to park at her house so we went to a campground that sounded nice from the description in Woodall's, but in reality wasn't nice at all - almost all permanent residents and no RVers. After we got a site we went driving around with the car and found a nice campground that is brand new and not yet in Woodalls. We moved to the new campground. To backtrack a bit, after leaving Kelly's work we went back to her house as she was about to go home for lunch. Shortly after getting there her 9 year old daughter, Ashley, got home from school. When Kelly went back to work we took Ashley with us in the motorhome, so she was with us when we went to both campgrounds. She didn't like the first one either and told us "it's not a very nice place." She liked the second one , River Reflections RV Park, much better. We paid the weekly rate and will probably be here for a number of weeks. As an aside, before leaving Redding since the RV park apparently allowed the washing of vehicles, I washed the Honda. It had only been washed once since we we left Long Island. Ten miles out of Redding it started to rain - the first rain we've seen in a month.

Miles for day = 108.

 

9/1/00

This is our first of a number of days in Oroville CA. We visited with Kelly and her family and Scott. We went to Shakey's for pizza. If my father was still alive he'd be 98 years old today!

Miles for day = 0.

 

9/2/00

Hung out and continued our visiting. I told Ashley that she and Katlin should be pen pals; then I sent Kalin an email telling her about Ashley and my pen pal idea. Sandy got home from Florida so we got to visit with her also.

Miles for day = 0.

 

9/3/00

This morning we bought The Sacramento Bee. The page one story was entitled "Battle of the Beach" and was about the cotoversy in Orick CA where, on August 28, we spent the night on the beach just off of US-101. It seems that while people have been camping their for free for the last 50 years, the land is part of the Redwood National Park and the National Park Service is about to prohibit the camping saying that all those RVs spoil the view for others. The Orick community depends on those RVs for a good portion of its rather meger business activity and it seems as if civil war is about to break out. Threats have been made against the lives of some of the Park Rangers, pipe bombs have been discoverd within the park grounds, and the Feds recently brought in a SWAT team - officials called it "a special events team." Wow, and we thought is was a quiet, peaceful scene!

Miles for day = 0.

 

9/4/00 & 9/5/00

When we are staying in one place, like we are now, there isn't too much to write about. It's like to can't write a travel log if you're not traveling. Bottom line is not too much is new. Today Sharyn did laundry/visited at Kelly's house while I did a basic website for River Reflections RV Park and Campground, the campground we're staying in. In exchange for the website we are getting a free week - that's a good deal for everyone. Early this evening Kelly and Sandy drove us up to the Oroville dam. By the time we got there the sun was just disappearing behind the hills. Anyway, we walked across the dam and back while Ashley, on roller blades, got pulled across by Zoe.

 

9/11/00

This morning, as we were having our daily "coffee and conversation" Sharyn noticed that there was a spider web on the steering wheel - a sure sign that we've been in one place too long. That's probably okay because we're leaving in the morning anyway and heading south towards Sacramento. Sharyn has some relatives in that area that she hasn't seen in 40 years. From there we'll head east towards Denver via Lake Tahoe. Yesterday, for the second time this week (and the second time in this lifetime) we went panning for gold. In terms of the number of tiny flakes, or "specks" we got, you could say we got quite a bit. However, in real terms I estimate we probably made somewhere between 50 and 75 cents per hour (combined) for our effort. In addition, my back now hurts and it takes a few minutes for me to get to be standing up straight. Maybe I'll use my gold to pay for a chiropractor. Two days ago I washed the rubber roof on the motorhome. Yesterday Sharyn opened the refrigerator door and it fell off. The bottom hinge (pin) screw had come out and that allowed the bottom of the door to move away from the hinge base which otherwise supports the weight. The top hinge held the top of the door frame, but the door (with the weight of everything stored on the inside of the door) pulled out of the top frame. It's been put back together but there really isn't anything to hold the door to the top frame. We'll have to do a better temporary fix to hold it until we get back to the Allegro factory. We have several things that need to be attended to under warranty, and we should get to the factory in Red Bay, Alabama late October or early November.

 

9/12/00

We've moved! Kelly and Sandy came by this morning to share in our "coffee and conversation." They arrived a little after 9:am while I was having my coffee and listening to Morning Edition on Public Radio. They both had some coffee and it soon became apparent that Sharyn, who was still sleeping, was sleeping too soundly to know that we had company. Anyway, we woke her up and then we all sat around talking, drinking two pots of coffee, and I had breakfast. A little before noon I began getting the rig ready to go - dumped the holding tanks, disconnected the water line, put up the awnings, and even brought in the bedroom slideout. At 12:45 we finally pulled out of the campground and went to a gas station just down the road. Gas was $199.9 per gallon so I only bought ten gallons, the most I ever paid for gas in my life, and just enough to get us to the Sacramento area where hopefully gas will be cheaper. When we got to Oroville on August 31 gas at the Beacon station in town was $1.71. Three days and three price increases later it was $1.79. As of this morning the cheapest gas in Oroville was $1.95. Had I filled the tank when we left today we would have taken on about 70 gallons. We didn't know what a bargain that $1.71 would turn out to be! We are now at the FamCamp at Travis AFB between Sacramento and San Francisco. Ten dollars for the first night and, with our FamCamp coupons, our second night is free (with full hookups).

Miles for day = 117.

 

9/13/00 to 9/16/00

One day we visited Sharyn's Aunt Thelma and Uncle Harley. She hadn't seen them since she was a high school student at Mt Diablo High School over 40 years ago. It was an enjoyable visit, lots of reminiscing, the culminated with Uncle Harley announcing that he was taking the four of us to lunch at a local place he's been eating at for half a century. I went with his recommendation of calamari steak with the soup of the day. He and I were the only two that had the soup. We each received a soup bowl and a large stainless steel salad bowl of soup was put on the table with a soup ladle for an "all you want" soup appetizer with unlimited hot bread and butter. Lunch was terrific and at only $6 a head.

Another day we went to Camping World and engaged in $45 worth of impulse buying. We also scheduled a service appointment for next Friday to have the refrigerator door and the rear air conditioner repaired under warranty. We only got that appointment due to a cancellation. Otherwise their next available appointment was not until October 14!

On Saturday, the day before we left, we went to San Francisco and Fisherman's Wharf.. It certainly has changed since we were there with the trailer in 1970. At that time we drove the Travelall along the wharf right at the waters edge. While we weren't the only people there, it certainly wasn't crowded. Today that area is a pedestrian walk crowded with people and off limits to vehicles. (In 1970 I took a picture of Alcatraz Island after setting up the camera tripod on the roof of the Travelall. By the time time camera said I was up to exposure #41 I realized that the film had not threaded onto the spool - we had no pictures of the week preceding San Francisco or of San Francisco itself. This time I at least took a replacement picture of Alcatraz.) We had lunch on the second floor at Fisherman's Grotto overlooking the boats below, with the condos on Nob Hill above and beyond the waterfront. After lunch we wandered around the waterfront and the shops along the main drag. As we were approaching the Oakland Bay Bridge (on the way to downtown SF) the merging highways resulted in 17 lanes of traffic going through the toll booths and then merging into 5 lanes crossing the bridge. A giant bottleneck with each of the 17 lanes having its own traffic light that gives a one second green before reverting back to red; each lane getting the flash of green in rotating sequence. Sharyn thought it was cool - I thought it caused more delay the an uncontrolled merge would have (perhaps they should speed up the rotating green sequence).

 

9/17/00

Check out time at the FamCamp was 10:am, but we didn't get out until 10:30 - all things considered that's not bad.

Being Escapees ourselves, the other night we visited with another couple who told us about an Escapees Park near Fresno that he says is the Crown Jewel of the Escapees park system. We decided to check it out. It is actually just off of Highway 41 about 30 miles south of Yosemite and we got here late afternoon. We were met with a very pleasant fellow on a golf cart who set us up on a really nice site and told us we could register tomorrow (the office closes early on Sundays). After getting everything set up we drove down to the clubhouse to see what was there. We met Frank Lieberman who was relaxing with a magazine while his wife was in the laundry room. They've been full-time since April (the first people we've met who have been full-time for a shorter time than we have) and have two kayaks on the top of their truck. He's going to introduce me to kayaking tomorrow. We've been running across information the might indicate kayaks do better than canoes for what we have in mind, but don't know anything about kayaks - yet!

Miles for day = 190.

 

9/18/00

This morning we went to the clubhouse where Sharyn did the laundry. While she was doing that I used the computer station to put my computer online to download my e-mail and to update this travel log. The clubhouse is very large and very nice. This afternoon one of the club members gave us a complete tour of the 161 acres comprising "Park of the Sierra" Escapee Park. The origin of this park is quite a story. In 1984 a group of members of the Golden Gate Chapter of Escapees decided to create a cooperative RV park in this area. In 1987 the purchased the 161 acre parcel and commenced construction - doing everything themselves - clearing underbrush (leaving trees), leveling sites, trenching utilities, constructing a "municipal" water system, building roads, buildings, etc. (they paid to have the cement slab poured for the clubhouse and to have the main support timbers lifted into place). Suppliers delivering materials were astounded to see what was being accomplished by "all these old people with picks and shovels." They also bought old construction equipment as needed and then sold most of it as that phase of the job was completed. One of the pieces they bought was an old water truck (known as the "Watermelon") that had been used by Gen. Patton's army in Europe during WWII - that water truck is still here. The only other thing that was contracted out was when the stone and oil roads they had constructed throughout the park (over four miles) proved unsatisfactory they had the roads redone with asphalt. This would be an impressive facility if it had been done by Donald Trump - never mind that it was done by the members themselves!

 

9/19/00

Our plan for today was to drive up to Yosemite National Park, but we started the day, as always, with coffee and conversation. The campsite we are in is particularly nice in that there is not another one in front of us so when we sit outside we have a large private area. We also enjoy the quail that scoot all around the place, the squirrels that have tails almost as big as foxtails, and innumerable woodpeckers. There are also warnings about mountain lions, bears, rattlesnakes, scorpions, and tarantulas, but we have yet to see any of them. The notice from the Department of Forestry describes how to make a mountain lion run away from you, but then says if you are attacked anyway "fight back."

Anyway we eventually headed up Route 41 towards Yosemite 30 miles north of the campground. We didn't realize it when we started out but it's another 35 miles from the South Entrance to the Park to Yosemite Village area which was our actual destination. The drive up is quite beautiful. Route 41 is a two lane winding road that works its way up, over, through, and around various peaks and valleys, climbing from 1800' at the campground to over 6,000 in several places. I think it's quite impressive that the Honda CRV, a 4-wheel drive vehicle, takes those curves and hills better than the finest sports car of the 50's or 60's could ever have done (less power of course, but beautiful handling).

We tried to find the spot where we had camped on the river below Half Dome in 1970. It was there that 15 month old Philip III first learned that he could "travel" on his own, and the only place he wanted to travel "to" was the river some 30 feet behind the trailer. The campground is layed out all differently than it was in 1970 and we couldn't be certain exactly where our campsite had been, but it was pretty close to the spot where Sharyn is standing!

We were supposed to join a group of Escapees (SKP's) for dinner at the Old Kettle Restaurant in Oakhurst, about 7 miles down the road, at 5:pm, but because of our late start and need to get back to let the dog out, we didn't make it in time. That was too bad because we had been looking forward to that get together.

It turned out that the day was enhanced considerably when Frank Lieberman came by at 8:am to bring me a bottle of Robaxacet to relieve my back pain, and to see if Sharyn and I wanted to go to Yosemite with them. Sharyn was still sleeping so I declined that part, but the Robaxacet (Rx needed in U.S. but over-the-counter in Canada) was magic. An hour after taking it I told Sharyn that the pain - that I'd been dealing with for about a month - was going away. It was basically pain-free day and I walked in an upright position! Anyone with recurring back pain should look into this medication. The active ingredient is methocarbamol, a muscle relaxant.

 

9/20/00

Today must have been Sharyn's day. Getting ready to do this entry I asked, "what did we do today?" She replied: "I did ironing, washed the floor; cleaned the bathroom; put stuff away; cleaned out the closets; polished; dusted; scrubbed (on my hands and knees); . . .", etc. Actually she rattled it off faster than I could get it down. The fact of the matter is she did do all that stuff, but this does not represent a typical day.

I cut the dog's claws and uploaded the latest entries to this website. It didn't take me nearly as long as it took Sharyn.

I beg to differ, this is even more of a typical day, do not believe that this is all fun and games. (Sharyn)

 

9/21/00

We went to the "potato bake" at the clubhouse for $2/head. We also bought a Trivial Pursuit game from a "pay whatever it's worth to you" table in the back of the clubhouse. I thought it was worth $5 but Sharyn said "no way," that it would only be a dollar at a yard sale. I don't think we paid enough but Sharyn had the money. This is the same version we had originally. When we lost it we bought what we thought was the same version, but it wasn't. The questions were a lot harder so we didn't play it anymore. Now we're back in business.

Before it got dark I hooked up the Honda, put down all the awnings, drained the holdings tanks, disconnected the water line, and put away the barbecue, chairs, etc. to help us get a quick and quiet start early tomorrow morning.

 

9/22/00

Our planning worked! We both got right out of bed at 6:am and while Sharyn made the coffee* (coffee and a preheated cup is always ready for Sharyn when she gets up) I fed and walked the dog and disconnected the electric line. We then had coffee and brief conversation, put away what needed to be put away, (Sharyn never fails to make the bed) brought in the slides, and pulled out of the site at 6:50am. To fully appreciate the accomplishment this represents you have to realize that our usual departure time from a campsite is around 11:am.

We had to be at Camping World in Cordelia CA (200 miles back north by Travis AFB) for a 1:pm appointment to have the rear air conditioner and the refrigerator door repaired under warranty. Taking our time on the road, we got to CW an hour early. I don't think the AC repair is going to work. The factory told the technician to remove the freeze sensor, that that should not have been installed in a unit with a heat pump. My question is then how come the front unit has been working fine with the freeze sensor? he technician wrote on the repair report that if the problem (AC suddenly going into heat mode) reoccurred that both units would have to have the newer circuit boards installs together with the upgraded control unit that contains the front thermostat and operates both units.

While I was a Camping World Sharyn went ahead to Travis to get the back pain medicine that Greg had sent next day air - we were afraid the base post office would be closed by the time we got there and that it might not be open on Saturday (the post office at Wright-Patterson was closed on Saturday). Not only did she get the medicine, but she also signed us up for the last campsite. When I got to the base several hours later there was another motorhome that pulled in just ahead of me - he would have gotten that last spot!

*

At this point in time making the coffee starts with putting four scoops of Starbucks coffee beans into the coffee grinder, dumping the resulting grinds into the bottom of the French press, boiling the water, etc . . .

Miles for day = 205.

 

9/23/00

Today, for the most part, we just hung out and relaxed around the motorhome. At one point Sharyn went to the commissary for some groceries while I brought this travelog up to date. This afternoon I rigged up the telescoping flagpole we bought at the RV show in Gillette. It is unquestionably the coolest flagpole in the campground. It's not mounted to the motorhome, as I would like it to be, but this system may work - with some slight improvement for easy put-up and take-down.

 

9/24/00

This morning, Sunday, I drove all over the base trying to find a "real" newspaper -- Washington Post or NY Times type of paper -- figuring I would at least be able to get a major San Francisco paper. No such paper was to be had. The only thing available was the Sunday edition of the local town paper for $1.25. I didn't buy it. I did, however, discover a bakery near the BX where I bought some fresh donuts and a big blueberry muffin.

We had planned to go back to San Francisco today to visit the Japanese Tea Garden and to ride the trolley car. However, Sharyn didn't think it was worth going back just for that, and I wasn't too excited about it either, so we stayed at the campground until early afternoon when we decided to go to a mall about 7 miles from here just off of I-80. It turned out to be a rather large mall with two levels and a nice selection of stores. It is interesting to see how different a cross section of the local population looks in different parts of the country. Probably 50% of the people in the mall were of Hispanic ancestry.

There being no newspapers at the mall, on the way back to the base Sharyn suggested we try to get a paper at a 7-11 type store just outside the main gate. That proved a good idea as that store did have a selection of papers -- we bought the San Francisco Chronicle.

 

9/25/00

We left Travis by 9:30 this morning -- a half hour before checkout time. We took I-80 east to Sacramento where we picked up US-50 to South Lake Tahoe. Where US-50 begins, at the point where it branches off from I-80, there was a regular highway department sign that read;

US-50
OCEAN CITY MD
3037 MILES

Ocean City, Md is the easterly terminous of US-50 at the Atlantic Ocean. I didn't think there was any official humor in California!

South Lake Tahoe is a small tourist town on the south end of Lake Tahoe and the state line runs right through the center of town. Right at the point where Nevada begins Harrah's has a big casino with a sign much bigger than the one that tells you that you have entered Nevada.

Anyway, as we came out of town we took a right onto Rt-207 that would cut across to US-365 where, pursuant to a change of plans, we were heading for a casino RV park about 40 miles beyond Lake Tahoe. Almost immediately the road became 2 lanes and began to climb. It was quite steep and curvy and we ended up doing a good part of the climb in first gear -- the transmission had never before dropped back to first. We climbed that hill at 2500 rpm and 15 mph! When we got to the crest several miles later ( 7300' elevation) we began our descent on the other side. The warning sign said we were beginning an 8 mile descent with a 9% grade. We tried it in second but within less than 1/4 mile had to brake it way down and drop into first. In first we were able to keep it at about 25 mph with moderately hard intermittent braking to keep from exceeding 4,000 rpm.

We have a book that lists all significant mountain grades in the west and after we had stopped for the day I checked those grades on Rt-207. It turns out that the hill we we had to climb in first gear was also 9%. Based on today I'd say we could readily handle 10 or 11% climbing, but not do too well descending such a slope -- particularly if it was very long. By the way, the idea behind the book of mountain grades is that you check you planned route before traveling it. Not look later to see how steep that grade was. I'll try to do better with that in the future!

We didn't take any pictures while going down the 9% grade, but this is what it looked like as we approached Lake Tahoe from the west -- again descending from over 7,000' (that we first had to climb) while still about ten miles from the lake. You can see that lake at the foot of the mountains in the distance.

We are now at Topaz Lodge and RV Park in Gardnerville, Nevada.

Miles for day = 184

 

9/26/00

We didn't get out until 12:15 today but that's okay. We had lots of coffee and conversation, and besides that we only figured on doing 75 miles today. Along the way (heading south on US-395) we were parallel to a river for a considerable distance. From the looks of the rivers edge and the nature of the slopes on the other side of the river we decided that this was a good candidate for gold panning -- so we pulled off and gave it an hour. Not too much in the form of results, but we liked it anyway. Besides it looked like a river that Gabby Hayes and his burro would have thought worthwhile.

Shortly after our gold panning attempt we passed the turn-off for State Route-108 to Sonora Pass (elevation 9626'). Sharyn said the sign indicated there was a 26% grade on that road. I told her that couldn't be, that a 26% grade would not be climeable. Well she looked in the mountain grade book, and sure enough, the sign was right. A 26% grade means that when you've gone 100' horozontally, you will also have travelled 26' vertically!!

We are now at Mono Vista RV Park at Lee Vining, California, just east of the Tiogo Pass entrance to Yosemite.

Miles for day = 69.

 

9/27/00

Today we went to the abandoned "Ghost Town" of Bodie. It was a booming gold rush town from the 1860's until the early 1880's, and in 1880, boasting a population of 10,000, it was the second largest city in California, second only to San Francisco! Today, only about 5% of the buildings remain, but they are substantially as they were when they were left behind. In 1921 only 30 people remained and many of the buildings were being torn down by local ranchers for their lumber. Some limited gold mining did continue in Bodie, somewhat off and on, until a fire in 1947 brought even that to an end. In 1962 the town became a California State Historic Park and is now being maintained in a state of "arrested decay." We took a number of photographs which, together with the "Introduction to Bodie" from the self guiding tour guide is a separate web page.

We left the RV park, via Honda, about 10:30am and did not get back until 4:pm. We would have been back sooner except that we took a shortcut back to the RV park. It was shorter, 26 miles instead of 31 miles, but the washboard surface limited us to 10-15 mph.

Another "first" that we experienced today was when we put $10 worth of gas in the Honda and it cost us $18. Regular gas, at the discount station, was $2.299/gal.

 

9/28/00
(Lone Pine CA)

We left Lee Vining and drove south on US-395 to Bishop CA where we pulled into the parking lot for a small shopping center to get milk and a newspaper, have lunch, and leave again. We then continued on to Lone Pine CA where we pulled into Boulder Creek RV Park. This place is pretty nice so we think we may stay another day and check out the area.

Miles for day = 126.

 

9/29/00
(Lone Pine CA)

This morning, after coffee and fresh baked muffins in the clubhouse, we went to the Manzanar War Relocation Camp where over 10,000 Japanese, most of them American Citizens, were relocated from their homes along the West Coast. Only three buildings remain on the 550 acre detention area which was enclosed by barbed wire fences and secured by guard towers (the entire facility was 6,000 acres); two stone guard houses and an auditorium. There are also the remains of several of the seven major Japanese rock gardens which, as part of the planned long range preservation and interpretive reconstruction program, will be restored to their original condition. The two largest emotional impacts came from the barrenness of the location and from the cemetery. People are continuous leaving small items at the large monument and and on a number of individual graves. There are also the the weathered remains of floral wreaths where the heart shaped wire frame is of barbed wire.

After the Manzanar we came back to town (lone Pine) where we ate at a place that offered ostrich, buffalo, and venison burgers. I had the ostrich burger (to expand my "repertoire of experience"). I told Sharyn that she missed her opportunity when she had a regular beef burger, but the truth is that with the lettuce, cooked onions, tomato, etc., I can't say that the ostrich tasted any different than beef would have.

After lunch we "did" main street, up one side and down the other, checking out antique shops and other places. Since town is only about five blocks long this didn't take too long. Since we still want to drive up towards Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the US outside of Alaska, and still have to do laundry and general housekeeping, we've decided to stay here for another day.

 

9/30/00
(Lone Pine CA)

After coffee and muffins at the clubhouse we drove up towards Mt Whitney for a distance of 13 miles to where the road ends at 8,300' elevation. ( This picture was taken from a point ten miles from, and some 10,000' below the sumit -- the sumit is almost two miles above the camera). There is a small National Park and campground there from which you can begin the hiking trail to the summit at 14,450' elevation, the highest point in the US, outside of Alaska. In spite of the rather cool temperature (as I recall temperature decreases 4 degrees F for every 1,000' of altitude), we walked around the area for a short period and than began our descent back down the road. Just before getting to the bottom we took a left that led us into an area where hundreds of old movies had been filmed, including High Sierra, Maverick, Rawhide, Charge of the Light Brigade, etc. There is an entire area where Roy Rogers and Gene Autry made dozens of old cowboy movies. All the bars and restaurants in town have the walls covered with autographed photos from all these movie stars.

We then went about 20 miles north to Independence for a 2:pm lecture at the American Legion Hall about the history of Manzanar. At the lecture we learned that the County Museum, about four blocks away, had a Manzanar display so we went there to check it out.

By the time we got back to the motorhome it was later in the day than we had expected and we once again decided to stay another day to relax, do laundry, housecleaning, etc.

 

10/1/00
(Lone Pine CA)

Today we finally got to do the "housekeeping" chores. We started out by not setting the alarm clock last night, so this morning we slept until 8:15 instead of 7:am. Of course that meant we missed coffee and muffins at the clubhouse, so we reverted to our usual "coffee and conversation" to begin the day. While Sharyn did the laundry I cleaned and vacuumed the motorhome. Those are not all day activities so we had a good bit of time to sit around, relax, read, talk, and visit with some of our neighbors.

We have enjoyed our stay here and may well come back at some time in the future. The 10th annual film festival begins this weekend and Sharyn says she'd like to come back for next years festival if we're in the area.

 

10/2/00
(Death Valley NV)

When we left the campground this morning (after coffee and muffins at the clubhouse) we put 20 gallons of gas in the motorhome @ $2.199/gal before heading east on Rt-135 towards Death Valley. We had plenty of gas already and suspect it'll be fifty cents cheaper in Las Vegas, but that only means we paid ten dollars too much for that 20 gallons -- peace of mind and insurance do not always come that cheap.

For several days Sharyn has been interviewing people who have brought their RV's through Death Valley via Rt-135. What they had to say, plus the curves and grades described in our mountain grade book, left Sharyn thinking that there had to be a better way. Well several hours and 85 miles after turning onto Rt-135 we arrived in Stovepipe Wells CA. Sharyn said "that wasn't so bad, we've been on worse roads than that." There was about a ten mile climb at 7-9%, then a 13 mile descent at 6-8%, with the final descent into Stovepipe Wells dropping 5,000 feet. When we got here neither of us could hear.

It was only 12:45 we we got into town (it's hardly a town) but we checked into the only business establishment* there is and got a campsite for one night. (*This establishment consists of a motel, campground, restaurant, general store and gift shop -- there are no other businesses.) We then took the Honda for a 40 mile drive up Death Valley to see "Scotty's Castle." This is an elaborate residential mansion built by Death Valley Scotty in the late 1920's and 1930's. It appears that Scotty never had a dime, but was a great con man who got people to invest in his "gold mine." There never was a gold mine but he spent the invested money in such a flamboyant and public manner (including building his Castle) while saying all the money was coming from this now famous gold mine, that more investors were always anxious to buy into the deal. It's like Mark Twain said; "A gold mine is a hole in the ground with a liar at the top."

Anyway, by 3 o'clock we had both seen enough of Death Valley and were good and ready to leave tomorrow morning. We put a thermometer outside in the shadow of the motorhome and it immediately went to 103 degrees -- yesterday they said it was officially 107.

Here's our view. Death Valley is magnificent to see; it's a very memorable and impressive place, but it's not beautiful in the way that the Grand Canyon or Yosemite Valley are beautiful. It's quite inhospitable. Almost no one lives here. We think that if toxic waste disposal and storage of spent uranium rods from nuclear power plants are the problem that we are told they are, then not only would Death Valley be a good place to dispose of such items, but we can't think of a better, more beneficial, use for this place.

As I finish up this entry Sharyn is outside looking at the stars with the coyotes.

 

10/3/00
(Pahrump NV)

We left Stovepipe Wells heading towards Pahrump NV and the Escapees park located there. We had only gone a few miles when Sharyn said that she would drive. I've been after her for a long time to drive once a week, even if only for ten miles. She drove fifteen miles or so to the edge of Furnace Creek. She did terrific!

It was an otherwise uneventful trip to Pahrump where we checked into the Escapees Co-op Park for two days. After getting all setup we went back into town with the Honda to get some groceries -- we went to Jones' Supermarket. The lobby of the supermarket was lined with slot machines. That's okay, but a big sign says that there is no smoking allowed in the building, except fot those playing the slot machines! I guess that's an indication of who has the political clout in Nevada.

Miles for day = 90.

 

10/4/00
(Pahrump NV)

About the only thing we did today was to take the dog to the vet. I also put a 4" lip on the compartment that holds the electric cord so that it would be easier to coil it into the compartment.

Miles for day = 0.

 

10/5/00
(Las Vegas)

We left Pahrump this morning heading for Nellis AFB at Las Vegas. I Vegas we filled the motorhome with gas at $1.719 per gallon. It took 58.2 gallons but could have taken as much as 5 gallons more. When you run your credit (debit) card through the pump the card is not approved for an unlimited amount of gas. The pump will shut off after $50, $75, or $100 dollars worth, whatever amount the system is set for. This pump was set for $50, so I got 29.087 gallons before it shut off. I then hung up the hose and repeated the entire process, getting another 29.087 gallons. Because I wanted to check the mileage I wanted to top off the tank, but when I tried to do the card a third time the message read; " Use another card or pay inside." Since I wasn't going to take but a few more gallons, and I was blocking an entire row of pumps with cars backed up at all fuel islands, I decided not to bother and we left. In Lone Pine, on 10/2/00, we only bought 20 gallons to insure we'd have enough gas to get to Vegas, figuring we could save maybe 50 cents per gallon in Vegas. Well we saved 48 cents per gallon -- on 58 gallons it's a worthwhile savings.

When we checked in at the FamCamp at the air base we were told they were full and we'd have to stay in the overflow area. That means no hookups, which means no air conditioning (although it's only $4). We did run the generator for almost 2 hours so we could watch the Vice-presidential debates, and during that time we ran the a/c's full blast and cooled of the motorhome for the evening -- by daylight it's plain cold.

Miles for day = 73.

 

10/6/00
(Las Vegas)

Correction from yesterdays entry. It was not cold by daylight, and in fact it was uncomfortably warm all during the night. One must understand, however, that we sleep with the thermostat at 69 degrees, whether that requires heating or air conditioning.

In any event, first thing this morning I checked with the office and we had lucked out. A space was available with full hookups, including 50 amp service. Once we were set up in the new space, with both air conditioners running I felt much better -- like we weren't "camping." Living in this motorhome certainly isn't "camping," unless we don't have air conditioning -- I guess no air conditioning is my definition of "camping." Anyway, after getting set up we continued with our coffee and conversation -- "coffee and conversation" may very well be my favorite time/activity of the day. It is very relaxed and pleasant.

After a while we went to check out the BX, and then to the commissary to buy groceries. Actually we spent several hours doing that stuff so that when we returned to the motorhome we pretty much just hung out for the rest of the day. We were both kind of tired and were in bed shortly after ten.

One thing I like about this base is that it must be home to one or more fighter squadrons as there are super cool fighter aircraft taking off and landing all the time. I believe some are F-15's. The others look like black, dart shaped arrow heads. The takeoffs at night, with the planes heading away from us, look like blow torches in the night sky. The ground rumbles and I get goose bumps -- I could live on the end of the runway. Forty-two years ago I worked on F-86's. The difference is that between a 1948 Studebaker and full blown Ferrari! Maybe you had to have been there.

 

10/7/00
(Las Vegas)

This morning we were both well rested and out of bed at 7:30. We definitely sleep better when it's cooler.

After coffee and conversation I hooked up our water and sewer lines and dumped the holding tanks before showering. The laundry room is in the FamCamp office building only 100' from the motorhome so Sharyn did the laundry. There was even a copy of today's Las Vegas paper that had been left there.

Early this afternoon we drove into Las Vegas by driving south on Las Vegas Blvd right from the main gate of the base. The Las Vegas "Strip" is the downtown portion of Las Vegas Blvd so it was pretty convenient. We drove the "Strip" in a southerly direction, then made a U-turn and came back up on the other side. We stopped at a few gift shop type places and then we went to Caesar's Palace where I put a quarter in a slot machine and lost. Sharyn was more optimistic but did not do any better -- only lost more money ($10). While at Caesar's Palace we also walked around and watched what other people were doing at the roulette wheels and card tables. At the 5 and 25 cent slot machines people looked like they were just having some none-serious fun. At the bigger number slots, and at the tables, they had a "this is serious business" look about them. All the slots will take $100 bills! Before we left Caesar's we each had a Ruben and a diet Coke.

On the way back to the motorhome I mentioned to Sharyn that Nellis AFB must be a pretty good duty station for 20-30 year old guys.

 

10/8/00
(Kingman AZ)

We were on the road by 10:am and on our way towards the Grand Canyon. At the Nevada/Arizona line US-93 crosses the Hoover Dam which holds back the Colorado River resulting in the formation of Lake Mead. (Sharyn's grandfather, an Australian immigrant and an engineer, worked on the Hoover Dam as well as the Panama Canal while those projects were under construction). As we approached the area of the dam the surrounding terrain was extremely rough, tough, and uninviting.

By 2:pm we were in the KOA in Kingman AZ. When I inquired about a phone jack where I could plug in to download my e-mail I was told that the phone jack was part of the KOA computer kiosk and that it would cost me a dollar for five minutes use of that line (plus I have to pay the phone company for my on-line time). When I told the lady that I thought they would get a lot of negative feedback from that kind of extortion (I didn't say extortion) she told me that all KOA were going to have that system. They got my dollar, but they've lost our business. Most RV places will allow you to plug in to their own phone line if they don't have a separate line for those seeking to download e-mail.

We also discovered that the refrigerator was no longer working. Both the refrigerator and freezer were in a state of advanced defrost.

Miles for day = 115.

 

10/9/00
(Flagstaff AZ)

First thing we did this morning was to call Jack's RV Service in Flagstaff AZ. He was the closest factory authorized repair facility for warranty work, plus Flagstaff was only about 30 miles out of our way on the way to the Grand Canyon. Jack said he thought he knew what the problem was and that Norcold had a lot of problems with the new refrigerators. We arrived at Jacks a little after noon. Within two minutes he had removed an inspection plate on the cooling unit and showed us where all the ammonia had leaked out of the system. He called Norcold who will overnight a replacement cooling unit. He also told us how to get to Black Bart's RV Park, Saloon, Restaurant, and Antique Shop.

We drove the mile or so to Black Bart's where we checked in for two days. We then went to Sam's and bought two styrofoam coolers. Bart's sold us two bags of ice for the food in the coolers and told us we could put our freezer stuff in the store freezer. Bart's is a nice place, although we have yet to check out the saloon or restaurant.

Driving from Kingman to Flagstaff it seemed that we were going uphill all the way. We basically were, as Flagstaff is over 7,000 in elevation and considerably cooler then were we've been in recent days - it's downright comfortable. On the way to Flagstaff we could see the changing scenery as we went from pure desert to scattered shrubs , grasses, and eventually real trees. We also saw a creek that actually had water in it (as opposed to a dried up creekbed).

Miles for day = 151.

 

10/10/00
(Flagstaff AZ)

Today was a rather inactive day as basically we're just waiting for the refrigerator repair. Jack called us late this morning to tell us that FedEx had arrived with the new cooling unit and he could install it (a four hour process) first thing tomorrow morning.

It was quite cool this morning with the temperature only in the 40's. Sharyn made a big breakfast with eggs, potatoes, onions, steak, English muffins, etc. With the heat turned on, plus the smell of all that good food cooking, when I came back in from walking the dog I told Sharyn that it sure was "homey" feeling in the motorhome.

Later in the day we took a ride through the "historic" part of the old town of Flagstaff along US-66 where I bought a US-66 T-shirt.

 

10/11/00
(Flagstaff AZ)

This morning we were at Jack's RV Repair before 9:am. The "cooling unit" that he replaced consisted of the entire working mechanism that is removed from the back of the refrigerator as a complete assembly (after the refrigerator has been pulled out of the wall) and replaced with with the new one from the factory. While loosing our refrigerator was a pain in the neck, we were fortunate that Jack was only a day away and only 30 miles off of our planned route. We ended the day watching the 2nd Bush-Gore debate and we were both pleased and relieved that Bush did is well as he did and the Gore came across so poorly -- hopefully the rest of the Country saw it the same way we did.

 

10/12/00
(Grand Canyon AZ)

We woke up this morning when the guy next to us with the big diesel rig started it up at 7:am and just let it run. It was only 30 degrees outside but it was 68 in the motorhome. That's pretty impressive since we had only one heat pump running with the thermostat set on 70. Heat pumps are not supposed to work when the temperature goes below 40.

By the time the temperature had climbed to 35 we left Flagstaff and headed for the Grand Canyon. The weather was terrific; sunny, bright, and cool. We arrived at Grand Canyon National Park early in the afternoon, got a campsite with full hookups. After spending some time looking over the information and brochures we we had picked up when we registered at the campground we took a ride to the little "village" down the road, checked out the store, and returned to the motorhome. The campground is crawling with deer. Tomorrow we'll check out the canyon.

 

10/13/00
(Grand Canyon AZ)

The Grand Canyon is just as awe inspiring today as it was in 1970. While the campground is no longer right at the rim of the canyon, the foot trail that follows the edge of the rim is a better plan. We started at the Visitors Center (where of course we bought a few books) and then we walked along the rim trail in a westerly direction for 1.6 miles to some gift and souvenir shops. After perusing these shops we walked back along the trail to where we had left the car at the visitors center parking lot. We were delayed a few minutes while I waited for Sharyn to climb down out of her tree. Then she took one of me. Obviously we took a number a photographs along the way, but the photos don't begin to do to you what standing there and looking across the canyon does. The scale is beyond comprehension -- note that we are on the south rim of the canyon, the north rim across the canyon is ten miles away -- the Colorado River is more than a mile below the rim. Photo #1 Photo #2 Photo #3

 

10/14/00
(Mesa Verde, CO)

This morning we headed for Mesa Verde (cliff dwellings) in Colorado. Driving easterly along the Grand Canyon we came upon two views that we had to photograph (in spite of the numerous photos taken yesterday). Photo #1 Photo #2.

We had planned to drive only as far as Tuba City AZ, check out the Trading Post there, and spend the afternoon and night at the RV Park there. However, Sharyn is getting concerned about our running late for Thanksgiving at Jordan's, so we decided to drive through to Mesa Verde even though we don't usually drive that far in one day. We did stop at the Trading Post in Tuba City but found that while the stuff they had was really nice, their prices were disproportionately so. We did get Jordan a pair of silver "dreamcatcher" earrings. A Navajo rug that we both like we decided to pass up based on the $11,000 price tag.

We enjoyed the drive to Mesa Verde; particularly from the Painted Desert to Four Corners, it is much prettier country than that which we were seeing between Death Valley and Flagstaff. Somewhat east of this area, but in keeping with the beauty we saw, was Chimney Rock.

It was getting late enough in the day that I had turned on the lights. A few miles later we stopped to let the dog out and I walked around back to verify that the tail lights on the Honda were also on. Well, we had no tail lights or running lights at all -- not on the Honda or the motorhome. Several weeks ago I realized that the panel lights were out, but since we never drive at night I made a note to check the fuse, but never followed through. Now I suspect that all these lights are on the same fuse which I will check tomorrow.

We arrived at A&A Mesa Verde RV Park shortly after dark. Miles for day = 268.

 

10/15/00
(Mesa Verde, CO)

At 11:am, after coffee and coffee and conversation, we set out for Mesa Verde National Park. The entrance is just across the highway from the campground, but the dwellings and other points of interest are 20 miles beyond the entrance. We did the ranger guided tour of the Cliff Palace which is one of the larger sites. Before we started the ranger told us that they have a different saying; "Everything that goes down must come up." Some of the people did not go down, and some that did had trouble coming back up. To give a better idea as to the exit route, the guy circled in this photo is just completing his climb out. Sharyn thought she would have trouble but she always underestimates herself -- she had no trouble at all. We talked about going to the Spruce Tree House, another cliff dwelling, but by the time we got there we had already done the first one, seen an introductory film, done the museum and gift store, and we were pretty tired -- actually I thought a nap was in order (which is what I did when we got back to the motorhome.

 

10/16/00
(Gallup NM)

We were on the road by 10:am and headed for Gallup NM and/or the Zuni Indian Reservation 30 miles south of Gallup. When we stooped for lunch we were joined by a couple of starving mongrel dogs. At first Sharyn said we wouldn't even go out of the motorhome. After we ate, however, she went out and gave them each a can of dogfood.

Since it appears that there are no campgrounds on the reservation, when we got to Gallup we decide to stay at Red Rock State Park.

Miles for day = 154.

 

10/17/00
(Gallup NM)

Today we went to Zuni, the "Town Center" on the Zuni Reservation. After stopping at the Visitor Center/Museum we had lunch at the Route 53 Cafe. From there we checked out a number of the many trading posts for the silver and turquoise necklace that Sharyn's been looking for. While she found it at the first place we went to, we continued looking in other places to look at other necklaces and to compare value. What we found was that there was not a comparable set to be had anywhere, and we could have paid more for lesser necklaces. Also, while she had wanted Zuni, and we looked at lots of Zuni, the beautiful set (necklace, bracelet, earrings) she bought was Navajo.

 

10/18/00
(Albuquerque NM)

After coffee and conversation we took of for Albuquerque NM where we checked into the FamCamp at Kirkland AFB. We picked up some milk and dog food at the commissary before dinner. After dinner we did laundry -- the laundry room is just across the road from our campsite.

Miles for day = 139.

 

10/19/00
(Albuquerque NM)

More laundry and more groceries. Not too much else.

 

10/20/00
(Fort Sumner NM)

This morning , after dumping the holding tanks and filling up with water, we headed for Texas. We did the first hundred + miles eastbound on I-40. At exit 277 we took US-84 which heads in a generally southeasterly direction into Texas. We are headed for Livingston, Texas to visit and check out Escapees headquarters. We've enjoyed a number of escapee parks but have yet to see Livingston. While we are there we will change our mailing address to Livingston and just let our year run out with our mail forwarding service in Oregon.

We are moving much more rapidly then we would like to in order to get to our daughters on Long Island for Thanksgiving. We ended up in Ft. Sumner NM at Valley View RV Park. It's $15 for full hookups with 50 amp service, but the reason we selected to stay here is that the campsites are 45 feet wide. That's quite nice.

Miles for day = 159.

 

10/21/00
(Post TX)

It was drizzling rain this morning as we got an early start. As the morning progressed it developed that we were driving in the rain most of the time -- on several occasions the rain was so hard that we had to slow down due to limited visibility. This is the first rain we have seen in months.

We passed a large Ford dealer just a few miles before the Texas border and made a U-turn and went back to see if we could get him to address some of our electrical problems (no running/tail lights; windshield washer will blow wiper fuse; wire harness rubbing against front left shock). Since it was Saturday (we were unaware) the shop was closed. A number of technicians were there, however, doing work on the used car inventory. They did take enough time to get our tail/running lights operational.

We then continued on our way to our destination that we had decided would be Post Valley View RV Park in Post, Texas. The park read very nicely in Woodall's, but the reality didn't meet our expectations. These RV parks and the descriptions in Woodall's, as well as the other campground directories, frequently don't fit too well with what we find on the ground. Sometimes we find them to be much nicer than what we expected, but probably more often it is as it was today.

Miles for day = 198
Odometer reading = 13,193

 

10/22/00
(Coleman TX)

This was a pretty uneventful day. We are trying to get to visit our granddaughter in Magnolia, Texas, then go on to spend a few days at Escapees headquarters in Livingston, Texas, and then try to catch other grandchildren appearing in school plays in Earlysville, Virginia, and Southold, NY -- all before Thanksgiving. The result of all of this is that we are pushing further and faster than we would like to, but sometimes you just have to do this stuff. Next year we'll go slower, stop earlier, and stay places longer.

We were going to continue on to Brownwood TX but it started to rain as we approached Coleman so we decided to cut it a little shorter than planned. We are at a Corps of Engineers campground that cost $7 with water and 30 amps ($14 if you don't have a Golden Access Pass). We have found that the Corps of Engineers (COE) campgrounds do not have too many amenities, but are almost always some of the nicer campgrounds in easy to enjoy natural surroundings. In these pictures, having frightened this great blue heron from his resting place, Sharyn and Sabrina return to the motorhome where Sharyn takes a nap.

Miles for day = 186
Odometer reading = 13,379

 

10/23/00
(Elgin TX)

It's been raining most of the day and it's still raining tonight. As we came through Austin TX we stopped and bought gas at $1.399 per gallon. That's the cheapest price we've seen on gas since Myrtle Beach SC in April. It's also one dollar a gallon cheaper than the $2.399 we saw in Lee Vinning CA a month ago.

One thing that we took note of as we drive through Texas is the large number of American flags that we see flying -- most of them are accompanied by the Texas state flag as well. We think that's pretty neat.

Miles for day = 202
Odometer reading = 13,582

 

10/24/00
( Livingston TX)

It was still overcast today, but no more rain. We got to Magnolia TX where we visited with Tammey and Mary. There is no question but that Mary has Shane's eyes (Photo #2, Photo #3).After a short but pleasant visit we headed on to Livingston, and Escapees main base of operations. We didn't arrive until after dark -- this may be the first time we've been on the road after dark since we got the Allegro. Since we got in so late we were directed to a dry camping area in a grove of large trees with 3 or four other late arrivals. Hopefully they'll have sites available for all of us tomorrow.

Miles for day = 233
Odometer reading = 13,815

 

10/25/00
(Livingston TX)

We lucked out in that by mid afternoon they had a site (with full hookups) open up and we moved into it. We were #22 on the list and only 24 sites opened up.

During the first part of the day we went to DMV, actually in Texas it's the County Tax Commissioner, to see about getting plates for Jordan's car. There were some minor complications, but hopefully we'll be able to get the plates before we leave here.

We also got a new mailing address through Escapees here in Livingston which we will make our permanent address. We'll just let our Oregon address run out which I think will happen in January.

 

10/26/00
(Livingston TX)

Sharyn describes the day as she did the laundry while I read the newspapers. This afternoon we went to the "social hour" at the activity center where we and other new arrivals introduced ourselves to everyone else.

I can't access the Internet (or e-mail) as the phone line does not seem to recognize a toll free "888" number -- keeps saying "please check the number and try again."

 

10/27/00
(Livingston TX)

I checked with DMV and was told that Jordan's plates were mailed earlier in the day so we've decided not to leave in the morning, but to wait for the afternoon mail.

I washed the car about two hours before it rained.

 

10/28/00
(Livingston TX)

Sharyn helped decorate the activity center for the Halloween party coming up next week.

Jordan's license plates came in the mail -- we'll leave here tomorrow.

 

10/29/00
(Rhinehart LA)

With the end of daylight savings time we didn't get on the road until just after noon. We had planned to go only as far as Louisiana, but,partly because we missed several campgrounds, we drove most of the way through Louisiana to within about 40 miles of the Mississippi line.

While in Livingston we joined Passport America for $39. That supposed to get us 50% off at about 1000 campgrounds. So far so good, tonight we stopped at Old River Campground, a Passport America member, and paid $7.50 for a $15 campsite. This could work out pretty well for full-time, RV'ers.

Miles for day = 207
Odometer reading = 14,022

 

10/30/00
(Tupelo MS)

We started out this morning planning to drive straight through to Red Bay AL (Tiffin's Allegro manufacturing plant) which we estimated to be 350 miles. However, with our usual late start we didn't make it.

When we hit Mississippi at Natchez we picked up the Natchez-Trace Parkway heading north. Several weeks ago we were planning to go straight to Long Island via Charlottesville VA, but a few days ago when we realized that when traveling the Natchez-Trace we would pass within 14 miles of Red Bay we decided it didn't make sense not to stop (since we were going to go to Red Bay in January to have the factory attend to some things we wanted done).

About 50 miles from Tupelo (having traveled about 250 miles, some of which was driven by Sharyn) we looked in the Passport America guide book and decided to stop at Natchez Trace Campground in Tupelo MS. (Another Passport America savings -- we paid $8 instead of $16). It was dark when we arrived at the campground at 5:30pm. Now that Sharyn has driven again her comfort level is vastly improved -- if need be, in an emergency, she could get us to where we had to go .

The Natchez-Trace Parkway is a two lane roadway that basically follows the original Natchez trace, or Indian trail, that goes back to the 1730's and winds its way for almost 450 miles from Natchez MS to just south of Nashville TN. A beautiful drive and, we think, another tribute to the National Park Service!

Miles for day = 303
Odometer reading = 14,325

 

10/31/00
(Red Bay AL)

Since we didn't have that far to go, we arrived at the Allegro Campground in Red Bay just before lunch. When we were here in March this campground was under construction. While it is probably two miles two miles from the plant, it is a major improvement over the holding area along the railroad siding in the parking lot.

Anyway, when we checked in at the campground we were also put on the waiting list to have work performed on the motorhome. We were told that the current wait was approximately 7-10 days.

After getting set up we checked out the Camper's Choice store which is now located next to the office in the campground. They have a desk set up for plugging in your laptop to a phone line so for the first time in almost a week we were able to get e-mail, download from the bank, update this Travelog, etc.

Miles for day = 61
Odometer reading = 14,386

 

11/1/00
(Huntsville AL)

Talking to other people in the campground we discovered several who had been there 13 and 14 days and have yet to have have units worked on. We didn't think we were willing to wait a week and two weeks would preclude us from meeting our timeframes so we decided we'd come back in January (as we had originally planned).

We drove as far as the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville AL where we checked in at the military campground located on post by the Tennessee River. No discounts here -- we paid the full $5 fee for water and 50 amp service. After getting set up we took the Honda and drove to the commissary for some groceries. This is some big facility, from the campground to the commissary was 12 miles.

Miles for day = 108
Odometer reading = 14,494

 

11/2/00
(Knoxville TN)

We started off this morning with the aim of driving to Knoxville and staying at the Escapees Racoon Valley Campground where we stayed for two nights back in February. As we approched Knoxville it was 4:pm so we thought we had beaten the 5 0'clock traffic. Unfortunately we forgot that we had crossed into the Eastern Time Zone and it was really 5:pm -- something that was borne out by the traffic.

Anyway, we arrived at Racoon Valley, checked in, and had barbequed steak and fresh brocolli for dinner.

It's only 7:pm but I'm doing this early so that I can get it uploaded, check my e-mail, etc., then come back to the motorhome, take a shower and read the newspaper.

Miles for day = 235
Odometer reading = 14,729

 

11/3/00
(Salem VA)

From Knoxville to Charlottesville is all direct route via Interstate so we've decided to do it in two days. Accordingly we got to Salem VA tonight, getting in just before dark.

Miles for day = 252
Odometer reading = 14,981

 

11/4/00
(Charlottesville VA)

We arrived at Phil and Kim's shortly after noon. Katlin and Phil IV certainly have grown since the last time we saw them.

Miles for day = 137
Odometer reading = 15,118

 

11/5/00 to 11/11/00
(Charlottesville VA)

We spent the week with Phil, Kim, Katlin, and Philip (parked in their driveway). The closing on their new house is scheduled for November 30, but in the interum they have access to the house for painting, moving in furnature, etc. We helped a little bit, but youth certainly moves faster than we do.

 

11/12/00
(Boonton NJ)

Having left Phil and Kim's early this morning we arrived at Harry and Irene's this afternoon. As always we enjoy them, their company, and their sons. The highlight of the trip was the dump station at the Maryland rest stop where we dumped eight days worth of black water. We now know that we can count on at least a weeks black water holding capacity. At Phil's we had left the gray water valve open and ran a 50' garden hose into the woods.

Miles for day = 360
Odometer reading = 15,478

 

11/13/00
(Boonton NJ)

Spent the day with Irene and Harry (whom I've known for almost 50 years), and their three boys.

Brian, their middle son, is a sign painter and commercial artist, and as a special request he put lettering on the back of the motorhome. Sharyn was afraid it would look "tacky," but Brian assured her that it didn't have to.

 

11/14/00
(Southold NY)

We arrived at Jordan's house mid-afternoon and called her at work to let her know we had arrived. Since Greg only lives a mile away we called and then went over to see him.

It's kind of strange that Sharyn had been wanting split pea soup and had just bought some to make for dinner - Greg had just finished making a big pot of split pea soup with the left over ham bone from the night before, so we all had big bowls of fresh made soup.

Mechanically it was not a good day. It sounds as if we have a bad wheel bearing, but at 15,000 miles that doesn't seem too likely. In the last thousand miles or so the sound has come and gone on a few occasions but it never persisted and was never as loud as it was for the last several miles. Next, as I got out of the motorhome at Jordan's I saw that the basement storage compartments under the slideout were cantered out at the bottom. The two bolts that the rear of the basement unit hangs from were both broken. Finally, we don't get any TV satellite signal. We didn't get any signal at Harry's either, but the dish was not too far above a nearby tree line so I had attributed the lack of signal to the trees.

Since we'll be here through Thanksgiving there will not be daily entries to this travelog during our stay.

Miles for day = 127
Odometer reading = 15,605

 

12/5/00
(Southold NY)

It was three weeks ago yesterday that we arrived here and we plan to leave the day after tomorrow. With respect to the mechanical problems described on 11/14/00 we have done or determined the following:

The wheel bearing noise was checked out by Otis Ford in Quogue NY who was unable to duplicate the noise or find anything wrong with the bearings. The technician told me, however, that they are aware of several instances of such noises having been trace to the full wheel covers working against the wheel rim as the wheel flexes ever so slightly as the wheel rotates. That could be the source of the noise - it sounded too "dry" for a bearing with only 15,000 miles on it. In addition, while I can't be certain that it always was, on at least occassions when the noise appeared it was or had been raining, perhaps providing the necessary degree of "lubbrication" to enable the wheel cover to "work" against the steel rim. The next time the noise appears I'll pop the cover and see if that stops the noise.

As to the broken bolts from which the basement compartments are suspended, the broken end on one was rusted indicating that it was broken for some time. The other bolt was clean at the break and probably broke as a result of carrying the entire load. Also, traveling through New York City and the Cross Bronx Expressway, I suspect, pushes everything to the limit. In any event, North Fork Welding, a local welding shop did a fine repair for a very reasonable $38. I'm sure that Allegro (Tiffin Manufacturing) will reimburse us for the $38.

As for the lack of a satellite signal, we have not been able to address that problem but we have an 8:am appointment at Camping World in Manassas, Virginia, this Friday. They are an authorized warranty repair facility for Winegard.

Lack of a satellite signal has not been a problem since while we have been here (at our daughter's house) I have run a 50 amp service line, telephone, and cable lines from her house to where we park the motorhome. She only has 100 amp service coming into the house through an old and very limited fise box installed in the wall of her bedroom. In order to do the job properly (if not by code?) I put a sub-panel in the crawl space beneath the house from which I took off lines to both her dryer and the motorhome. I kind of messed up with the outside connection as I had intended to have all connections in the same box. When I had to mount a seperate box for the telephone and cable I didn't have enough room on the post to mount it as high off the ground as I would have liked. Coupled with the sewer line we had put in last spring we are now in pretty good shape when we come here.

Miles since 11/14/00 = 65
Odometer reading = 15,670

 

12/10/00
(Manassas VA)

This morning we were up at 6:30am and on the road at 8:05. That's not too terribly quick, but after 25 days in your daughter's back yard there is a degree of "intermingling" of stuff, which needs to be straightened out.

The problem I've always had with traveling to or from Eastern Long Island is that you must go through New York City to get to or from the North American continent -- it's a royal pain in the butt. On top of that our tolls, leaving NY, came to $43 not counting the Baltimore tunnel which was another $3.

The trip was uneventful except that between Baltimore and Washington we ran for perhaps ten miles in fairly serious snowfall. Luckily the temperature must have been on our side and there was no accumulation. If you don't know Sharyn you can't appreciate the significance snow when we're driving.

Right now we're plugged into 30 amp service in Camping World's parking lot waiting for tomorrow morning and our 8:am appointment to have them find out why we aren't receiving any signal from our satellite dish.

Miles for day = 352
Odometer reading = 16,022

 

12/11/00 to 12/29/00
(Earlysville VA)

During this time we were set up in Phil and Kim's backyard, originally with a long extension cord running to the house, but we subsequently installed an underground 50 amp service to the motorhome that we (Phil and I) continued out to Phil's workshed located 200' behind the house. Phil's access to a backhoe made this installation possible.

We got to enjoy Phil's family and see them in their new home (they bought this house only a few weeks before we arrived). We also got to have Christmas with them. Jordan flew down from Long Island for a few days at Christmas, and since Shane also lives in the Charlottesville area, we saw three of our four kids this Christmas. We also helped celebrate Phil IV's first birthday on December 21.

The weather sure was cold! For the first time ever we had our water lines freeze up and it took until mid-afternoon to get the lines thawed out. That day it was 12 degrees by mid-morning. Whenever the temperature went below 25 degrees the heat pumps switched over to auxiliary (LP gas) heat. Since this happened every night I was having to take the motorhome into town every 8-10 days to get the LP gas refilled.

"Miles for day" and "Odometer reading" upon our arrival in Earlysville on December 11 were not timely noted and will never be known.

 

12/30/00
(South of the Border, SC)

With the entire Northeast and much of the East Coast awaiting a major snow storm, we were not sure that we'd be able to leave this morning, but we awoke to a cloudy day with no snow so we took off, headed south. Sharyn's mother isn't doing well so we are headed for Fort Myers, Florida. During the day we experienced some sunshine and some moderately heavy snow fall, but never any accumulation.

After being in one place for almost three weeks it felt great to be back on the road again. I told Sharyn today that if I could have any multi-million dollar house of my choice but would have to give up our motorhome and present lifestyle in exchange, I would decline the offer. She said she'd take the house.

Miles for day = 340
Odometer reading = 16,509

 

12/31/00
(Santee SC)

We didn't get out of the campground until almost 10:30am. We had talked to Aunt Virginia, in Columbia, last night and had arranged to meet her in the Woodhill Shopping Center parking lot in Columbia around 11:am. Since we got a late start we didn't arrive until shortly after noon, but she arrived a few minutes after we called. We had planned to have a brief lunch for the three of us in the motorhome and then be on our way within an hour -- we wanted to get to Florida today.

However, when Aunt Virginia arrived she told us she had lunch all prepared at her house and we left our rig in the parking lot while she drove us to her house. While it clearly set us back in our planned mileage for the day, it was a very enjoyable visit and well worth the delay. We have always said that Aunt Virginia is the epitome of "a fine Southern lady" and we thoroughly her company.

After being driven back to the motorhome we took I-26 in a southeasterly direction back towards I-95 to continue our trek towards Ft Myers. We stopped at Santee State Park right on Lake Marion. We stopped here once before and I thought we thought it was very nice. I found out tonight, however, that Sharyn thinks it's a little "scary" after dark. When she goes out for her cigarette (I know, but she's just about ready to quit) she's back inside in less than two minutes. The campsite is right at the edge of the lake, set back among the pine trees and bare oaks with Spanish Moss waving in the cold winds that are coming from across the dark water. There are only a handful of RVs here so everyone is quite spread out, and it is very dark. I'm glad I don't smoke!

Miles for day = 180
Odometer reading = 16,690

 

 

2001

1/1/01
(Starke FL)

We like to be all setup for the night while it's still daylight, but this time of year that requires us to be off the road by 4 - 4:30pm. When we don't get started until late, like we did yesterday, it makes for a short travel time. Usually that's not a problem because we don't try to cover any large distance, or go too far in any single day. Right now, however, we are just trying to get from Point A to Point B.

All because of which we decided that we would get an early start this morning. Accordingly, I got up at 5:30, made the coffee and then at 6:am called Sharyn. We would have been on the road at 7:30 except that yesterday afternoon after I had filled the water tank I hosed down the car and the tow bar (the car was not hooked up at the time). When we hooked up the car this morning, as the tow bar arms extended the locking pins that hold the arms in the extended position would not snap into place -- it was 24 degrees and they were frozen! I tried a butane barbecue starter that that apparently didn't make enough heat. A teapot of boiling water poured slowly over the lock pins freed the up and the towbar was locked in the extended position at 8:am, at which time we left Santee State Park.

We continued south on I-95 until just south of the Florida border where we exited to pick up US-301 as the best way way to cross to the west coast while still moving in a southerly direction. We stopped at about 3 o'clock at a Florida National Guard facility near Starke that has a small but very nice campground right on a lake. After we were set up Sharyn walked down to check out the water and discover that the lake has a beautiful white sandy beach that runs out into the water.

Later on Sharyn read her book while I read the paper. A very relaxing afternoon for both of us.

One thing of interest that I almost forgot about; while we were still in Georgia we were shopping for the best gasoline price we could find because we were going to need a lot. Unfortunately we had to stop looking because we were very low and we paid $1.359/gallon for 81.6 gallons. We only have a "75 gallon" tank! Then to top it off, at the last exit in Georgia gas was $1.049 -- a full 31 cents less that what we had paid 40 miles earlier (a difference worth about $25).

Miles for day = 305
Odometer reading = 16,995

 

1/2/01
(Starke FL)

We decided to stay here for the day, just relax and enjoy the sunny weather and peaceful surrounding. We also did a thorough house cleaning since that's something we haven't focused on for quite a while. I even washed the motorhome for the first time since I can't even remember when.

Miles for day = 0
Odometer reading = 16,995

 

1/3/01
(Palm Bay FL)

This morning we got back on the road, only we headed back to the East Coast to visit Sharyn's sister, Carol, in Palm Bay (this is a good example of why we never make campground reservations -- our plans are never firm until after the event).

We parked in their driveway and hooked to 30 amp service. Roger (Carol's husband) is a retired electrician and said that next time we come by there''ll be a 50 amp service at the driveway. After several hours of visiting we walked to a local restaurant where Carol and Roger treated us to a fine dinner.

Miles for day = 193
Odometer reading = 17,189

 

1/4/01
(Palm Bay FL)

Sharyn and Carol don't get to see each other too often so we decided to spend the day here. They spent the day wandering around the shopping center. Sharyn also had her hair done and I got a $7 haircut. We stayed up talking until it was pretty late.

Miles for day = 0
Odometer reading = 17,189

 

1/5/01
(West Palm Beach FL)

After stopping by TJ Max so Sharyn could return something she bought yesterday, we were once again heading south to stop by and visit with Linda and Bill in (near) Stuart. I've known Linda since about 1943. I only know this from photographs; my present recollection only goes back to teenage years.

We visited with them for several hours and then moved on to West Palm Beach to visit with Sharyn's cousin(s) Diana and Carl. We were already set up in our campsite when Carl, having gotten home and finding our message on his answering machine, called us back. Being as it was Friday night and they were going to a local yacht club party, Carl said he'd call Diana at work and have her pick us up on her way home from work -- which she did.

After the party we all went back to the motorhome, together with their daughter, Jennifer, and her husband, Steve. We ate ice cream and drank wine until the wee hours of the morning.

Miles for day = 121
Odometer reading = 17,309

 

1/6/01
(Ft. Myers FL)

From West Palm Beach it was a relatively short drive across Florida to Ft. Myers on the West Coast. We started late and arrived at Sharyn's mother's mid-afternoon. We stayed for a few minutes and then went to North Ft. Myers and got a campsite at Swift RV park. With our Passport America membership (which has paid for itself several times over) we paid $10 for a $20 campsite. We then returned to Sharyn's mother's to visit and have dinner.

By the way, today was the first day that we ran the air conditioner instead of the heat. It was a welcome change!

Miles for day = 128
Odometer reading = 17,438

 

1/7/01 to 1/14/01
(Ft. Myers FL)

Basically we've been here for a week. We've stayed longer than originally planned because Sharyn's mother isn't doing too well and when we leave here we won't be back on the East Coast until December 2001.

While there isn't too much to write about, this is the first time we've been in Florida that it isn't either hot, humid, and oppressive or cold and rainy. With daytime highs in the low 70's and nighttime lows in the high 50's or low 60's this is very easy to take -- especially with most of the nation suffering in the bowels of winter!

Our campsite is quite satisfactory, although it's just across the road from a small shopping center, Winn-Dixie, and the North Ft. Myers Post Office.

Driving back and forth to Sharyn's mother's (22 miles each way) we pass an interesting sign. What exactly does this sign mean?

SHOOT OUT AT SWIFT'S RV PARK. Around midnight, it was only a few minutes after I wrote the above, ". . . there isn't too much to write about, . ." that from the back of the RV park we heard 3 or 4 gunshots in rapid fire mode, followed by several seconds of silence and the 3 more rounds of rapid fire. Due to the lateness of the hour, there had been no sounds prior to the shooting, and there was silence again when the shooting stopped. We called 911 and I was talking to the dispatcher when more shooting came from the back. The dispatcher said she also heard the "pops."

A few minutes later three sheriff's cars pulled into the campground and went to the rear. I went out and spoke with 3-4 other people who had gathered in the road. No one really knew anything except the the owner's son pointed to a lighted window visible through the woods and said that the shooting had come from there, and that he had been hearing a lot of yelling prior to the shots. Ten minutes later one of the sheriff's cars came out on the next road over, followed a few minutes later by the other two. I guess we'll have to buy a local paper to find out what it was all about.

After it was all over Sharyn went outside to have a cigarette. It was only a few seconds later that she jumped back into the motorhome and slammed the door behind her. She said a pickup truck had come down the road and she was afraid it may have been the shooter!

Odometer reading = 17,438

 

1/18/01
(Ft. Myers FL)

Greg flew down for a visit and he's staying with us in the motorhome. Today we drove down to Sanibel Island where we checked out the area and in the process took a walk along the beach, checking out sand pipers and abandoned sand castles.

Odometer reading = 17,438

 

1/19/01
(Ft. Myers FL)

After seeing the full page ads for Pelican Lake Motorcoach Resort http://www.pelicanlake.com over the last year or so, we decided to drive down and check the place out. It's located on Route 951, about nine miles south of Naples, FL., or about 50 miles south of Ft. Myers.

At $75 for one night on a lakefront site, or something in excess of $200,000 to purchase such a site, some might consider it a little steep, although it is undeniably quite nice.

Odometer reading = 17,438

 

1/20/01
(Ft. Myers FL)

A great day for America!
After having been a shame, disgrace, and embarrassment to this Country for eight years, Clinton is finally gone!

 

1/22/01
( Venice FL)

We got all set to leave this morning and then went by to say good-bye to Sharyn's mother, brother, and sister (who had flown in from California). It was 2:pm before we got on the road and headed north on I-75. I had planned to get north of Tampa before looking for a place to stop, but we were both completely washed out and at 4:pm we pulled in to Venice Campground in Venice FL.

We had pulled off the Interstate based on a campground sign and Sharyn was still trying to locate the place in the campground guide when we pulled into the entrance a half mile down the road. When the guy said the cost was $30 for the night I declined, but Sharyn, noting that neither one of us wanted to continue on, said we should stay anyway. This now becomes the most expensive campground we've ever stayed in, and while it's nice, it certainly doesn't warrant the highest campground fee we've ever paid!

Miles for day = 88
Odometer reading = 17,525

 

1/23/01
(Tampa FL)

We're staying the night at the FamCamp at MacDill AFB, right on Tampa Bay. While the facilities here are really nice, all of the 250 RV sites with full hookups are taken, and we're in the dry camping overflow area. If it was swimming weather we'd certainly be using the wide, white sandy beach adjacent to the campground mariner, but it was only about 60 degrees today, and very windy.

Instead of swimming we went to the commissary and restocked on groceries. With no 120 volt electric line we listened to the news on PBS radio (rather than TV), did some reading, took a shower, and will go to bed early.

You can make reservations here up to a year in advance and then can stay for as long as 180 days at $13 per day. Sharyn thinks we should consider spending an extended time here next year. Perhaps next winter when/if we go to Key West. There is a Naval Air Station there with RV facilities that has sufficient overflow capacity that they've never had to turn anyone away.

Miles for day = 89
Odometer reading = 17,614

 

1/24/01
(Crystal River FL)

While Sharyn took her shower I went and got a haircut for $6.50. In order to get from the campground at the southern tip of the base (the base is on a peninsula that sticks out into Tampa Bay) to the main part of the base you have to go through the golf course area. It was clear that something was going on as the road we had come in on was blocked off, and airmen were directing traffic at all the intersections. On the way back from the barber shop I had to stop several times to explain that I was on my way back to the FamCamp.

Later, as we were leaving with the motorhome, we were directed out along the road that parallels the flightline. There were thousands of cars parked on the flightline with shuttle buses picking up the people. Later on in the day, as we traveled north on US-41, we heard on the radio that there were over 100 NFL players (and Rush Limbaugh) participating in a golf tournament at MacDill AFB to raise money for charity. The people parking on the flightline were paying $16 each to watch!

Since the Super Bowl takes place in Tampa this weekend I guess the tournament is part of the week long celebration. People looking for hotel/motel accommodations are being sent to Clearwater as there are no rooms left in Tampa. That might be part of the reason we could not get a site with hookups.

Anyway, we were out by 11:30 and heading up US-41 through downtown Tampa. In the first hour we covered 20 miles. We stopped a little after 3:pm at Lake Rousseau RV Park in Crystal River FL. The park is kind of crowded, but nice. It's also a Passport America campground so we paid $10 instead of $20. The park located under very large live oaks (very much like willow oaks) with lots of Spanish moss hanging from the branches. We thought that we would be able to get out satellite signal through an overhead opening, but unfortunately the satellite is not in line with that opening.

Miles for day = 107
Odometer reading = 17,721

 

1/25/01
(Tallahassee FL)

Today we traveled further than we have in recent days and arrived at the north edge of Tallahassee shortly after 4:pm. Sharyn thought that due to the hour, and the fact that it was 30 miles to the next campground (Bainbridge GA), and that campground had only 14 sites, we should stop at Big Oak RV Park, which we did. It's good we did because after we checked in and got a prime spot, there was a steady flow of RVs into the park -- mostly pretty new, big-dollar units.

This is nice campground and would be a good place to stay if you were going to spend several days in the Tallahassee area. A clear pattern that continues to repeat itself is that campgrounds that are owner operated are neater, cleaner, and just nicer places to stay.

While heading north on US-19 this afternoon, several miles south of Chiefland FL, we passeed the spot where in November, 1999, our 1985 Travel Master motorhome threw a piston and destroyed the engine block. This time the passage was uneventful -- and less expensive!

Miles for day = 175
Odometer reading = 17,896

 

1/26/01
(Montgomery AL)

Since we made the bedroom window lightproof we have been sleeping much later in the mornings. If we also close the bedroom door we don't even know if it's daylight. Because of all this we have been getting started even later than we used to, so last night we decided to set the alarm for 7:30 am, which we did. We were on the road just after 9:am (as opposed to "around noon").

We headed for Montgomery AL and the FamCamp at Maxwell AFB, arriving somewhere around 4:pm. After getting setup we went to the commissary for milk, then checked out the BX and returned to the motorhome.

Miles for day = 203
Odometer reading = 18,099

 

1/27/01
(Montgomery AL)

We had planned to visit the "Confederate White House" where Jefferson Davis initially setup the Confederate Capital before it was moved to Richmond, but it turned out it is closed on weekends.

That kind of messed up our plans, so instead Sharyn did laundry and I changed the cartridges in the water filters that we installed last July. Right after we installed the filters Sharyn stopped drinking bottle water, saying that our filtered water tasted even better than the bottled stuff.. In the last several weeks she said the water hasn't been as good as it had been so hopefully the new cartridges will bring it back to the way it was.

This morning we took a walk down the road beyond the FamCamp. We are on the opposite side of the flightline from the main base facilities. On this side are the FamCamp, fishing lakes, picnic areas, and other recreation facilities. Really nice.

This afternoon we sat outside enjoying the sunny breeze, relaxed and did some reading.

Queary: Would the Civil War have turned out differently it the Confederacy had not moved its capital to Richmond? I think it's quite likely! The South could not have beaten the industrial strength of the North, but the North could not have overcome the logistical difficulties of launching and sustaining the necessary thrust so deep into the South. Meaningful Northern victories would have been difficult to achieve, the war would have droned on, and the Northern People would have grown tired and withdrawn their support of the war effort.

What would have happened? I believe the South would have managed a negotiated peace by 1863 or 1864 (effectively winning the war) and we would be be two separate countries today.

Odometer reading = 18,099

 

1/28/01 and 1/29/01
(Montgomery AL)

We had planned to leave for Red Bay yesterday (the 28th), but yesterday morning we decided to stay over until the 30th so we could go to the original Confederate White House today, Monday the 29th.

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and we spent most of it lounging around and reading the Sunday papers.

Today we went into town and visited both the White House and the Alabama State Archives next door. A few years ago we visited the Confederate White House in Richmond, Virginia and, while that is a much larger house, Sharyn says she'd have no trouble living in either.

Odometer reading = 18,099

 

1/30/01
(Red Bay AL)

Following our morning coffee and conversation, we got all set to move out, and then went by the commissary for a supply of groceries (they were closed yesterday). It was almost noon when we pulled out of the base.

It was a non-eventful trip to the Allegro factory (http://www.tiffinmotorhomes.com) in Red Bay, Alabama, where we arrived shortly 5:pm. When we came by here in November there was a two week wait before they could get to our unit -- that's why we didn't wait last November. This time, as we approached Red Bay, we were talking about how long we might have to wait this time and hoped that it would not exceed four days. Upon arrival here they told us if they didn't get to us tomorrow they definitely would the next day.

For now we're all set up in Allegro's campground with 50 amp service and, since we're here for warranty work, there is no charge for the campground stay.

Miles for day = 213
Odometer reading = 18,312

 

1/31/01 to 2/5/01
(Red Bay AL)

They started working on our list (27 items -- most of which I'd have done myself if they were not warranty items) on Thursday, Feb 1, but were not able to complete all the items until Monday, Feb 5.

The way they treat you at this plant makes it very difficult to ever buy anything but another Allegro. These people have truly rewritten the book on customer service. Our warranty covers 12 months or 12,000 miles. We got here after 13 months and 18,000 miles and the excess time and mileage were non-factors (we had called from the West Coast last summer to request a verbal extension on the mileage). Some time back we had a broken hanger that had to be welded and a short circuit in the wiper system. Each of these items we had fixed locally at the time. When we told the factory people about these items they reimbursed us 100% for the $115 we had spent -- and we didn't even have a receipt for the welding repair!

There is absolutely nothing to do in Red Bay during the week, and on the weekends it's even worse. There aren't even any real newspapers.

By the way, this is a 6:30 am view of some of the Allegros in the factory campground waiting for 7:am so they can move back to the service bays.

Odometer reading = 18,325

 

2/6/01
(Shiloh MS)

We pulled out of Red Bay sometime midmorning heading for the National Battlefield Park at Shiloh, Mississippi. We thought there was a campground at the park, but that was not the case. The ranger told us of several nearby campgrounds, including one described as "primitive" that was only two miles down the road.

After getting set up in the campground (there was no one around to check in with) we returned to the battlefield where we spent several hours walking the area of the Hornet's Nest and the Peach Orchard.

Tomorrow we'll return and do the entire battlefield more thoroughly. In the meanwhile, we returned to the primitive campground for the evening.

Miles for day = 69
Odometer reading = 18,393

 

2/7/01
(Shiloh MS)

We had a busy day today. After breakfast we drove the Honda to Savannah, about 12 miles north or here, to visit the Tennessee River Museum. They had a good number of Civil War items on display, plus a small number of items and displays reflecting the history of steam powered riverboats on the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. There were other displays showing the history of Indians in the river area.

From the museum we drove through Savannah and then back to Shiloh. We had heard about "Shiloh's Civil War Relics" (901-689-4114) as a place that buys and sells, among other things, Civil War cannons Our friend Al has been looking for such a non-replica cannon so we decided to check out this place. They are dealers in Civil War relics and have a very impressive place. It costs a dollar to go in, but they give your dollar back if you buy anything.

Over the years we've been to a number of museums and other retail places that deal in Civil War relics and memorabilia. None of the retail establishments even came close to having what "Shiloh's Civil Relics" has -- they have some replicas, but most of what they have is authentic. They have two cannons on display (photo #1 photo #2 photo #3), one of which has been sold for $80,000, as well as an ammunition carrier. They also have metal detectors from $179 to well over $1,000. If you are a serious collector or Civil War buff, this place is for you, but if you just want to get a couple of souvenirs then go some place else.

From "Shiloh's Civil War Relics" we went to the Battlefield Park and picked up where we left off yesterday. Today we walked the line where the Confederates, after repeated unsuccessful attempts to break the Union line at the Hornet's Nest, brought up 62 cannon. At the time it was the largest battlefield artillery assembly ever brought together in North America. Under cover of this artillery the Confederates managed to outflank the Union troops at the Hornet's Nest and captured over 2,200 Union soldiers. This is the view of the Hornet's Nest, the woodline at the far side of the field, as seen by members of Ruggle's Battery. By the time we finished looking at all we wanted to see it was after dark and we returned to the motorhome.

Odometer reading = 18,393

 

2/8/01
(West Memphis AR)

We had planned to leave Shiloh this morning and head south down US-45 working our way to the Gulf Coast and the FamCamp at Keesler AFB in Biloxi MS. However, as stated a number of weeks back, our plans are never firm until after the fact. Last night we decided that instead of heading south, since we were only 100 miles from Memphis, we'd head west and spend several days in Memphis.

We are now at Tom Sawyer RV Park in West Memphis AR. We are right on the Mississippi River, between the levee and the river (50 feet from the river), about three miles south of Memphis. Actually we are on the outside bank of a wide curve in the river such that as we look out the front windshield we are looking up the river right at the lights of Memphis. In the hour between when we got there and when it got dark we had three strings of barges being pushed upstream by tugs.

I find the Mississippi a very exciting, living body of water! If you don't, read "Rising Tide, The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America," by John M. Barry.

Odometer reading = 18,540
Miles for day = 146

 

2/9/01
(West Memphis AR)

Last night and for a good portion of the day the wind and rain beat upon the motorhome like crazy. During the night it shook so much it felt as if I hadn't put the jacks down. By early afternoon it had let up a little and we took the Honda into Memphis where we visited Elvis Presley's Graceland. I suspect that a real diehard Elvis fan would find this place to be Heaven -- so would an entrepanauer!

The barge traffic on the river is quite heavy with several passing by every hour. The length of the string of barges is quite impressive, as is the width. This one must be over 1,000' long! This is how wide it is! This is the tug up close.

Odometer reading = 18,540
Miles for day = 0

 

2/10/01
(West Memphis AR)

This morning, thinking we were leaving, I drained the holding tanks, topped off the water tank, and hooked up the car. It turned out that while I was doing all the, Sharyn was getting all the laundry sorted -- this is the only place we've ever been that has a free Laundromat. Ultimately we hung out, did lots of laundry (including blankets and my jacket), and watched the river.

Odometer reading = 18,540
Miles for day = 0

 

2/11/01
(Rosedale MS)

Today was probably our latest start ever; we pulled out of the campground at 1:pm in the cold rain and sleet. We crossed back into Memphis and then headed south on US-61 in Tennessee and Mississippi, then switching to MS Route-1 along the river. After stopping at Kroger's in Clarksdale for some groceries we decided that since it was a rather dark day, and still raining, we wanted to be sure and be off the road before dark so we headed for Great River Road State Park in Rosedale -- about 35 miles further south.

The sign at the campground said to take a site and the ranger would be around later to collect the fee. Since there were no pull-through sites we had to unhook the car in the pouring down rain in order to back in. We also had to be sure we had a site, in this heavily wooded campground, that would give our satellite dish a clear view so that Sharyn would not miss Nikita.

It's now 9:pm, still raining, and we've yet to see a park ranger.

Odometer reading = 18,667
Miles for day = 126

 

2/12/01
(Vicksburg MS)

Last night it poured down rain all night without letup. With almost no one else in the campground, and the pounding rain on the roof, it was a great night for sleeping. I didn't wake up until 10:15, by which time Sharyn was already up and working on her third cup of coffee (I was reading until 2:am so there was some excuse for sleeping so late).

Anyway we were out by noon and heading south towards Vicksburg in the pouring rain. After several days of steady rain this part of Mississippi looks more like a rice paddy than a cotton field.

We are now at the Isle of Capri Casino RV Park in Vicksburg. This is the only RV park we've ever been in that has a live telephone line at each campsite. Since the motorhome is wired for telephone all we had to do was plug in our phone line and we have telephone service, plus the ability to be on line and update this website (which hasn't been done for about a week). For the next several days we can be reached at 601-636-5700 ext 4518.

By the way, it's still raining, and the ranger did show up last night.

Odometer reading = 18,797
Miles for day = 130

 

2/13/01
(Vicksburg MS)

Early today we checked out the Gray and Blue Naval Museum. Skip it, it's just the back room of a souvenir shop. From there we went to the National Battlefield to revisit the CSS Cairo that was torpedoed up the Yazoo in 1862 and spent over 100 years buried in the mud at the bottom of the river. Actually it was the first ship ever to be sunk by a remote controlled mine (at that time what we call mines were called torpedoes). It was wired to a trigger device held by Federal troops hidden on the river bank who detonated it as the Cairo approached. When the ship was raised in the early 1960's it was a treasure trove of artifacts, all of which, the Cairo and its artifacts, are now on display at the Cairo Museum adjacent to the Vicksburg National Cemetery.

When we were here last year I didn't take any photos of the cannon and the original carriages that were brought up from the bottom of the Yazoo River. This year I took a good number of photos, some of which are here.

From the Cairo we went to the Ameristar Casino where, after Sharyn finished with the slot machines, we had a "Senior Citizen" half price buffet special.

A year and a half ago when we were here, and several months ago in Los Vegas, Sharyn limited her slot machine involvement to the nickel machines. Tonight she played the quarter machines. That trend makes me nervous! (Actually, she started with 3 quarters which she lost; then she borrowed a quarter from me and won 5 dollars. Those 20 quarters lasted for the rest of the evening).

This photo is out of context here, but it's a great statue of U.S. Grant over looking what had been his headquarters during the Siege of Vicksburg.

Odometer reading = 18,797
Mile for day = 0

 

2/14/01
(Vicksburg MS)

We were going to leave here today, but last night we decided to stay another day so that we (I) could check out "Grant's Canal," the remnants of the canal that the Union army dug in an attempt to redirect the Mississippi so that Union ships could bypass Vicksburg and the Confederate artillery that overlooked the river. While the canal project was unsuccessful, about ten years after the end of the war the river cut itself a new channel about a mile north of Grant's canal, so that the Mississippi no longer flows past Vicksburg.

Anyway, we did visit "Grant's Canal," on the Louisiana side of the river, but I'd like to talk to a local historian about the authenticity of that "canal." Somewhere it seems to me I read something about it being a "replica."

Having stayed here an extra day, and then having crossed over the river into Louisiana to see this "canal" site, I had to acknowledge to Sharyn that "I owed her one." So we came back to Vicksburg and went shopping -- now we're even again!

After shopping Sharyn bought me some Baskin Robins ice cream for Valentines Day. Then we came back to the motorhome and had filet mingeon for diner.

Odometer reading = 18,797
Miles for day = 0

 

2/15/01 to 2/19/01
(Biloxi MS)

It gets difficult to remember when I let this many days go by without making any entries, but I'll see how much I can reconstruct.

We left Vicksburg on the morning of the 15th, heading for Keesler AFB here in Biloxi. The FamCamp is adjacent to some off-base housing about four miles from base. When we arrived the camp was full and we were #4 in line for a spot. We spent the night drycamped behind three other RVs in the area just outside the FamCamp. We lucked out in that the next morning (Friday) four sites opened up and we got the 4th site.

Since the FamCamp is only about a mile from Beauvoir, the estate where Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, lived from 1877 until his death in 1890, that was the first place we checked out. Beauvoir contains a large number of historical displays, a re-creation of the cell at Fortress Monroe where Davis was imprisoned after his capture following the end of the war, and the standard gift and book shop.

Since we've been here we've visited several casinos where total losses came to less than $10, ate once at McDonald's, bought groceries at the commissary, and checked out the BX. We also got a "retired military" windshield sticker for the car which will enable us to drive onto any military base without having to stop and show ID and/or get a visitors pass.

Since we've not gotten our mail for several months, we've had it all forwarded here, but because of the three day weekend, since nothing arrived on Saturday, we'll have to stay here at least until Tuesday and hope the mail (both from Oregon and Texas) arrives by then. We canceled our Oregon based mail service as of 1/1/01 and are now using Escapees in Texas.

Today we spent an hour or so on the beach before going to Gulfport where Sharyn had spotted a shopping center the day we went through there. She dropped me off at Barnes & Noble while she went shopping so it worked out well for both of us.

About two years ago we came through this area on US-90 which runs right along the Gulf beach for perhaps a hundred miles. At that time, as we came through Biloxi, Sharyn says that she could live here. She is saying it again. In fact, between Biloxi and Gulfport there is a beautiful antebellum house on US-90 that is for sale for $640,000. Sharyn says she doesn't understand why it's so cheap (gulp) and that she could live in that house very easily. I certainly can't dispute the beauty of the house!

Odometer reading = 19,008
Miles for day (2/15/01) = 211

 

2/20/01
(Biloxi MS)

This afternoon we returned to Barnes & Noble to buy a book explaining the history of Carnival and Mardi Gras. It's the middle of the season and all along the Gulf Coast Carnival and Mardi Gras are what's going on. It was clear that there's more to this stuff than we know about, so we decided to learn more about the history. I also bought two more Civil War books and Time magazine.

When we got back to the FamCamp we had our mail, both from Texas and Oregon. That gives us two months worth of RV magazines for reading.

The host at the camp told me where I can get online to get my e-mail and update this site. Tomorrow morning I'll try to do just that.

Odometer reading = 19,008
Miles for day = 0

 

2/21/01
(Biloxi MS)

We got an early start this morning when we woke up to the whizz of the weedwacker crew trimming up from yesterdays mower crew. In spite of our early start we didn't accomplish too much, but then that's never our goal.

While Sharyn was doing a giant pile of laundry I came back to the motorhome and dealt with all the mail stuff. This time I really organized it properly; started files for bank statements, telephone bills, etc.We now need a larger file box, but that's a cheap price to pay for once again being organized.

We also got a "retired military" sticker for the motorhome windshield.

Odometer reading = 19,008
Miles for day = 0

 

2/22/01
(Summerdale AL)

We left Biloxi this morning figuring we'd go to one of the several military campgrounds in the Pensacola area. We traveled US-90 right along the coast until we got near Mobile AL when we got onto I-10 to get through Mobile. Along I-10 we saw a number of signs telling us that we were approaching Battleship Park where the USS Alabama is on display. I like battleships so Sharyn said we could stop, which we did.

The park was pretty nice. In addition to the USS Alabama they also have a collection of tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery pieces, planes, helicopters, and a submarine. We started out doing a thorough job of the battleship tour, but after an hour or so we realized that we'd have to go a lot faster or we'd never get to the submarine. We hurried as best we could, but how could I pass up the chance to climb into one of the big gun turrets, or going up all those ladders to get to the bridge which must be 20 stories above the water? The answer is I couldn't, so it still took a long time to see the battleship, even when you go fast.

From the battleship we went to the submarine that is moored just behind the battleship. You enter the submarine through what used to be the deck hatch for loading torpedoes into the forward torpedo room. That hatch has been modified so people can enter into the forward torpedo room, then work there way back to the rear torpedo room, from which you again climb out onto the deck. It takes much less time to see the submarine, and it is all one-way traffic as you walk through. From whatever compartment it was, I did climb up into the conning tower to look through the periscope. The submarine, unlike the battleship, is extremely compact, and there is no space that is not being used with 150% efficiency. Everything is covered with gauges, valves, levers, and controls. I'd like to go on a day trip on a sub, but the idea of four to six months makes it clear to me that it takes a truly special kind of person to go to sea as a submariner.

Upon exiting the submarine we went to the aircraft display hangar. After visiting the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio, any visit to a military aircraft display is going to be second rate by comparison, but that can't be helped. One of the planes they had was an old F-86, the same plane that I worked on at Steward AFB in Newburg NY in 1957-58. Today it's difficult to imagine, but in those years the F-86's at Steward AFB were part of BADS, the Boston Air Defense Sector.

Anyway, not leaving the park until after 5:pm meant we were going to be short on daylight very quickly. Earlier in the day we had decided to stay at Rainbow Plantation, an Escapee park in Summerdale AL, which is about 30 miles from Mobile. As it was, it was dark when we backed into our site. The office was closed, so we'll register in the morning.

Odometer reading = 19,114
Miles for day = 106

 

2/23/01 and 2/24/01
(Summerdale AL)

This a nice park. The lots are large, covered with grass, and the entire place is very clean and neat.

There was a "do it yourself" Mardi Gras parade through the park (including this cool truck) and we got lots of beads and moon pies that were thrown to the bystanders. There was also some kind of a medieval comedy skit that was performed in the clubhouse, followed with games, prizes, and food. We played and ate, but didn't win anything!

There is an RV barn as part of the facility where you can change your oil. When I took the motorhome to the barn to change the oil I was gone for about an hour. Sharyn stayed at the site reading her book under the shade of a tree. During that hour she had three different people stop by to inquire what had happened to her RV, was she okay, did she need anything, etc.

By the way, you do not need a a big RV to hit the road -- check this rig!

We also went into Foley, a small town about ten miles from here, where we bought some groceries and even found a New York Times!

Odometer reading = 19,121
Miles for day = 7

 

2/25/01
(Panama City FL)

We left Rainbow Plantation midmorning and picked up US-98 heading east. We made several stops trying to find a Washington Post or New York Times type newspaper. Eventually we found an Atlanta Constitution and settled for that.

Mid-afternoon we pulled off the road and had lunch next to the beach. The afternoon was no more eventful than the morning. It was heavy overcast with intermittent drizzle pretty much all day. We stopped at some kind of Naval facility with a military campground in Panama City FL. The sites were very small and all the RVs were pretty crowded. This is the first military campground we've seen that we'd rate as poor.

It was one year ago today that we closed on the house and drove out of the driveway to begin our full-time RVing.

Odometer reading = 19,262
Miles for day = 141

 

2/26/01
(Perry FL)

Today, for the first time in probably a week we had a beautiful sunny day. We stopped at one place where the road ran along a wide white beach. We took our folding beach chairs and spent about a half hour on the beach before hitting the road again. It wasn't too much further down the road that we stopped at the same beach we stopped at on 3/13/00,only this time we didn't walk the beach, we just had lunch and continued on our way.

We're now at Westgate Motel & Campground on US-27 in Perry FL, another Passport America member campground, so we paid $10 instead of $20. As an added attraction, as we were getting ready to eat we had a visitor stop by our campsite. He wanted something to eat, but we didn't share our buffalo burgers so he went to the neighbors instead.

Odometer reading = 19,441
Miles for day = 179

 

2/27/01
(Tampa FL)

Well we're back at the FamCamp at MacDill AFB in Tampa. Since we've now driven three days straight we had planned to spend a day here on the beach. The only problem is that the FamCamp is full and we're in an overflow area with no electric. Whether we'll spend tomorrow here or not probably depends on how we sleep tonight with no AC. At this point we're only about 125 miles to Sharyn's mother's so I don't know what we'll decide tomorrow.

This afternoon we stopped for lunch in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Chiefland FL. There were 13 other RVs there with us; it was like a convention. Wal-Mart is very friendly to RVers, allowing overnight stays in their parking lots, etc. In return RVers, almost without exception, make a special effort to patronize their stores and pay back for what Wal-Mart does for "us."

Odometer reading = 19,638
Miles for day = 197

 

2/28/01
(Tampa FL)

It may be that my definition of "camping" is going without air conditioning. Last night we "camped" in the overflow area, but today we were assigned to a full hookup site so we're going to stay here until Friday.

This afternoon we spent some time on the beach that boarders the FamCamp. Since I can't just "sit on the beach" I brought a radio with us and I listened to Rush Limbaugh while Sharyn read her book. (I want to say, parenthetically, that the Rush Limbaugh show is always better when he's not there. Michael Medved, Tony Snow, Shawn Hannity, and Walter Williams all are more interesting and do a much better job). Anyway, after somewhat more than an hour we returned to the motorhome and took showers.

Later Sharyn sat outside and read more of her book while I caught up on the news. Then we went to the Marina Bay Cafe on the beach for an "all you can eat spaghetti dinner."

Tomorrow is another day.

Odometer reading = 19,638
Miles for day = 0

 

3/1/01
(Tampa FL)

Today we checked out the BX, bought groceries at the commissary, walked around the campground, did (Sharyn did) the laundry, and made reservations to come here next winter from 1/5/02 through 2/4/02. That pretty much sums up the day; we leave in the morning.

Odometer reading = 19,638
Miles for day = 0

 

3/2/01
(Ft Myers FL)

We were on the road by 10:am, which is pretty good for us, and did a somewhat leisurely drive down I-75 to Ft. Myers. We got checked in and set up at Shady Acres RV Park before driving over to Sharyn's mother's place. In spite of all the short term medical prognosis we've been hearing about Sharyn's mother, she doesn't seem any different than she's been for quite some time and Sharyn thinks she looks even better than she did last time we were here.

We spent the afternoon at Sharyn's mother's house with her and Sharyn's sister, brother Alan, and sister-in-law. It was Alan's birthday so we had birthday cake, presents, etc.

We even found a New York Times in Publix.

Odometer reading = 19,795
Miles for day = 157

 

3/3/01 through 3/9/01
(Ft. Myers FL)

We've been here for just over a week during which time Sharyn got to spend a good amount of time with her mother, sister, and brother.

The water pump in the motorhome had been getting noisier and vibrating excessively. It was a Shurflo pump with a two year warranty and when I called Shurflo and told them of the problem they told me that Camping World would give me a new one in exchange. When I replaced the pump the new one was considerably quieter and, as an unexpected extra, our water pressure increased substantially.

Two interesting things: Single leaves twenty feet long, and these signs by the Ft. Myers airport.

Tomorrow morning we head south towards Key West.

Odometer reading = 19,795
Miles for week = 0

 

3/10/01
(Everglades FL)

Actually we are in Islea Gold RV Park in Naranja FL, maybe 25 miles south of Homestead. While this place is listed in the campground directories, the office is closed Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. How are we supposed to get a campsite when we get here at 3:pm on Saturday (today)? A French speaking lady on a bicycle led us to a vacant site, but then several more people gathered around, speaking French, trying to figure out where we could park for the night. It turned out that some one is coming into the first site. They finally showed us a space under a large tree near a light pole that had electrical outlets on the pole.

All of these people are from Quebec, too young to be retired, very friendly and extremely helpful to us. It's kind of like being in a French village. People walk by, or ride by on a bicycle, with a friendly "Bon jour." On the other side of the campground we could hear an accordion with people singing. It's really quite neat.

After we ate we walked over to where the music was -- there was a dance going on with all the singing in French. There were signs and posters outside the dance place but they were all in French also so we don't know what it was all about. As we walked back towards the motorhome we passed a series of bocce courts where perhaps two dozen people were playing. It looked like bocce, but they were playing with steel balls. The games were ending up, but a lady invited us to come play any night at 7:pm.

Getting here, from Naples, we came across the state on US-41 which basically runs right through the Everglades. A canal runs all along the north side of US-41 adjacent to the highway. It's the dry season here so the water level is down in most of the Everglades. As a result, alligators seeking water have gathered in rather large numbers in this canal. When we stopped at the visitors center they had a fence between the canal and the parking area to keep the alligators out. Of course when you view the alligators from the road there's nothing between you and them.

We saw a good number of areas that were begging to be explored by canoe or kayak, but Sharyn and, truthfully, me too, are somewhat conscious of these alligators

Odometer reading = 19,930
Miles for day = 135

 

3/11/01
(Key West FL)

Here we are a hundred and something miles out at sea, connected to the North American continent by a 24 foot wide strip on concrete called US-1. That's no cause for concern unless, of course, everyone wanted to get back to North America at the same time; like, for instance, if there was a hurricane coming. Since it's not hurricane season there probably won't be a problem.

Actually, we're at Sigsbee RV Park on the Key West Naval Air Station. Since all the sites with hookups are full (they always are) we're dry camping in the overflow area. There could be a hundred rigs here, some of whom have been here for a good part of the winter and aren't even looking to get hookups. We're not sure why anyone would prefer dry camping, but then we've never gone for more than one night without electric. In my mind, electric is the biggie, but that's primarily because of air conditioning. As I've said before, "camping" means going without air conditioning. Anyway, we're only 50 yards from the Gulf (the guy in front of us is on the Gulf), so while it was kind of warm this afternoon, there was quite a breeze, and now that it's dark, the breeze continues and it's quite comfortable. In fact it's very pleasant.

I spoke to another guy here who has a pair of kayaks on the roof of his car. He and his wife have used a canoe, a 2-person kayak, and now have separate 1-person kayaks, and would go no other way. There is a kayak rental place near here and he said that if Sharyn and I want to rent a couple of kayaks he and his wife would go with us. He was describing some really neat mangrove areas that they had kayaked through the other day and said we could all go there. Maybe we'll do that tomorrow.

Originally we had been talking about getting a canoe, but but as we meet and talk to people with kayaks I've begun to think that kayaks might be the way to go.

Before we drove off of North America we stopped at Albertson's supermarket in Homestead FL to pick up some milk and groceries. I took this picture because we thought that the range of services shown on their outside sign was interesting.

Odometer reading = 20,065
Miles for day = 135

 

3/12/01
(Key West FL)

I didn't sleep very well last night as it was too hot. At 5:40 this morning I got up and made the coffee. Later in the morning we drove into "Town" to check it out and get ourselves oriented as to what there is to see and do. We also looked for a sandy beach since, while the water is clean and clear, most of the shoreline is rocky and too rough for walking or sitting. Basically it's all chunks and pieces of coral. Even the sand, where there is sand, is coral sand.

The first thing we discovered is that this is Spring Break week and there are what seem like tens of thousands of milk white college students everywhere. We found several miles of beautiful ocean beach but it was saturated with these students. As the end of the week approaches and they turn from milk white to candy apple red I suspect that they'll be fewer of them on the beach. Unfortunately we won't be here. While we had planned to stay here for as long as a week, the weather has suddenly gotten too hot. Today must have been near ninety degrees, and while USA Today shows a cold front coming through tonight, the radio says that tomorrow will be hotter than today. We'll play it by ear, but even though we're paid through tomorrow night we may leave tomorrow.

We did walk all around the dock area where all the boats are; charter boats, fishing boats, sightseeing boats, private boats, they're all there. We also checked out a few waterfront shops, but had to get back to the car as our meter was running out.

This afternoon we checked out the campground area were they have full hookups and that is very nice. If we had one of those sites we'd stay for a week.

We never did get over to the kayak guy, so that didn't happen

Odometer reading = 20,065
Miles for day = 0

 

3/13/01
(Key West FL)

Today is Phil III's birthday -- happy birthday Phil!

This morning I asked around to see if there were any nice beaches on base. It turned out that there is a very nice beach and marina at Boca Chica Naval Air Station about four miles north of here on US-1. Having received that information we decided to go there for the day. It was so nice that we've decided to extend our stay here so we can go back some more. Sharyn describes it as a little oasis, or private beach club. They also rent kayaks by the hour and we decided that we'd rent two kayaks tomorrow. Based on the amount of sun we received today, however, we may not even be able to go back tomorrow (although we could stay under one of the thatch roofed gazebos).

On the way to the beach we passed what appears to be some low cost housing. Some is a little lower; some is a little less low.

Since we've decided to extend our stay here, we've put out name on the waiting list for a site with full hookups. Officially the wait is two weeks, but we understand from other campers that the last couple to move had been on the list for eleven days, and that the wait is getting shorter every day as the season is winding down. Another advantage of being on the waiting list is that you wait here. Before we went on the list we had been put here. When we get our hookups we'll be here.

Odometer reading = 20,069
Miles for day = 4

 

3/14/01
(Key West FL)

We didn't do too much today, sunburn being a limiting factor to any "in the sun" (meaning outside) activity.

This is a local, and possibly lethal, coconut palm tree behind our motorhome. We are all familiar with the song:

"Don't sit under the apple tree . . .
with anyone else but me . . with anyone else but me . . . "

A local version might go:

"Don't sit under the coconut tree . . .
especially with me . . . especially with me . . . "

(This is what happens on a slow day).

Odometer reading = 20,069
Miles for day = 0

 

3/15/01
(Key West FL)

We started off the day with our regular coffee and conversation while enjoying a rather cool and pleasant breeze under the awning.

Since we didn't go to the beach yesterday we decided to go back to Boca Chica today to check out the kayaks and use the Laundromat at the mariner while Sharyn got more sun on the beach and I read the paper under one of the thatch roofed gazebos. We rented two kayaks and we both (Sharyn and me) paddled the perimeter of the little bay area and explored some mangroves where we got to see some of the water birds of the Florida Keys. It's interesting that much of what we were calling the little "bay area" is less than two feet deep with a concrete-hard coral sand bottom. As you paddle along you can see that the white bottom comes to an end where the water turns to a turquoise blue. At that point the coral bottom ends at what amounts to the edge of an underwater cliff and there is a vertical drop to a depth where you cannot see the bottom from above. I can't tell how deep it gets, but it gets way over your head in one step. It would not be a good place to be coming into by boat in the dark.

This beach is on the Atlantic Ocean side of the keys (as divided by US-41). I tried to get Sharyn to go with me, via kayaks, under the highway bridge to the Gulf side, but she wasn't interested and said she was going back to the beach, which she did. I crossed under the bridge to the Gulf side and paddled several hundred yards north alongside US-41 before doubling back and returning to Boca Chica.

Later on in the afternoon, as we were waiting for the laundry to finish drying perhaps as many as a dozen Navy jets came in over the water to land at the Naval Air Station. When we were there the other day the wind was from the opposite direction and they were taking off out over the water. I find it amazing that a hundred-forty years ago in the Civil War, Union and Confederate soldiers went into battle armed with a muzzle loading rifle, and today a man (or woman) going into battle with one of these aircraft could be carrying more firepower than was expended in the Civil War and all the wars that preceded the Civil War, combined!!

Odometer reading = 20,069
Miles for day = 0

 

3/16/01
(Lake Worth FL)

We gave up waiting for a spot with hookups. We checked last night and were told it would be Monday at the earliest that we'd get such a site so we decided to leave Key West. While Sharyn was getting stuff ready to leave I went over to the other side of the island, at the end of Whitehead Street in downtown Key West, to take a picture of the car at the most southerly point of the continental United States.

After stopping at the office to upload this travelog, we were heading north on US-1 by 10:am. We checked two Florida State campgrounds that we passed but both were filled. One had no vacancies until May. That clearly wouldn't work for us so we continued on to Lake Worth and John Prince Park Campground, a Palm Beach County Park.

Approaching Miami on US-1, and the I-95 through Miami was the worse driving situation we've encountered in 20,000 miles. Too many people driving at excessively high speeds for the crowded conditions, excessive, unsafe lane changes, etc. Plus that section of US-1 has traffic lanes that are no more than ten feet wide; too narrow for wide bodied motorhomes and trucks. In addition it was impossible to leave a safe distance between us and the vehicle in front of us since every time there was enough room for someone to squeeze in, someone did.

The worse piece of roadway for driving is probably the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in New York City, but I have to say that while the New York City drivers are more pushy and aggressive that those in Miami, there is something less reckless about their driving.

We were on the road for 7 1/2 hours today. That's much too long.

Odometer reading = 20,290
Miles for day = 222

 

3/17/01
(Lake Worth FL)

Today we visited a couple who were friends of my parents since 1944 or 45 and whom I have known since I was a little kid. He is 92 and she is 94, yet they continue to do pretty much all the things they've always done. This spring they are driving to New York to see their grandson graduate. I learned from them that a friend of mine from forty years ago was now retired and living nearby. I called him on the phone and when I told him where we were he came right over. I hadn't seen "Junior" in well over 25 years. Sharyn enjoyed hearing some of the stories of events that I had forgotten about.

Today was a great day of conversation and memories.

Odometer reading = 20,290
Miles for day = 0

 

3/18/01
(Lake Worth FL)

We had planned to leave today but the weather report called for 20% chance of showers and Sharyn said she didn't want to drive in the rain, so we stayed here.

It was a very relaxed day spent reading the Sunday paper, plus lots of Coffee and conversation. There is a 12 foot alligator that hangs out near the boat ramp just down the road from our campsite so we walked down there to get a look at him, but he wasn't around. He's not going to live here much longer because the park has a policy of relocating alligators that are much larger than that. They recently relocated a 14 footer. I think that's a good policy because in my mind alligators reach a size that makes them incompatible with campers. My daughter, Jordan, doesn't like the policy. She says the alligator was here first and if there's an incompatibility problem he stays and someone else can leave.

Later in the afternoon we walked along Allegro Road, the campground road that goes along the lake and the campground perimeter. We were scouting for campsites on the water that we would like to make advance reservation for if we return here next winter. Most of the waterfront sites are quite nice. Actually this entire campground is nice. The site we're on now is at the junction of five roads so when we sit outside there's all kinds of goings on. While there are a good number of old (retired) people here, there are lots of families also, with kids all over the place. I frequently read about how many older campers prefer campground that don't allow kids. It seems to me that watching the kids doing all their stuff brings many more smiles than watching older people do their stuff.

Anyway, we enjoy our campsite and all the activity that goes on around us.

Odometer reading = 20,290
Miles for day = 0

 

3/19/01
(Palm Bay FL)

We didn't leave Lake Worth yesterday because there was a "possibility" of showers. So today as it was pouring rain with occasional claps of thunder as we were getting ready to leave. By the time we had the car hooked up and were ready to pull out of the campground I was soaking wet and had to change my clothes, underwear and all.

The trip was, as anticipated, uneventful, but Sharyn's dot was black on black anyway.

We arrived at Sharyn's sister's by early afternoon and spent most of the remainder of the day talking. I also spent some time on Carol's computer (no 800 charges) trying to see what I could find out about different types of kayaks. After I upload this I'll probably do some more research on which type would be best for our purpose.

Odometer reading = 20,410
Miles for day = 120

 

3/20/01 to 3/26/01
(Palm Bay FL)

We spent over a week at Sharyn's sister and brother-in-law's house, during which time their other sister, Sandy came to join in the get-together. It was the first time they have had any real time together since they were kids and the three of them thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Roger and I enjoyed seeing them have their fun.

We also checked out a number of kayaks at a place called Extreme Sports at Indian Harbour Beach, FL (http://www.extremesportsfl.com). It is a father/son operation and we went there to look at a Perception "America." They showed us that kayak but then, after talking with us for quite some time, told us we'd be much happier with other, smaller and less expensive, models. We narrowed it down to two different kayaks and they arranged to have us try both of them that Saturday in a nearby river. Sharyn was sure she wanted the Old Town "Loon 111" and I was leaning towards that one also. Both George and Scott (father and son) preferred the Wilderness Systems "Pungo" and thought we'd like it better also after we tried it. They were right; after trying both boats we both preferred the Pungo. We decided to buy two of them, but while we preferred yellow, they only had them in red or blue.

Later that day when we called some other dealers to make sure we weren't paying too much (we weren't), we found a dealer about thirty miles away who had two yellow ones. When we told George that we'd take the red ones from him even though we'd prefer the other dealers yellow ones, he called the other dealer and then told us that if we'd wait until Monday morning he'd get us the yellow ones. In our estimation Extreme Sports gave us super treatment both with regard to advice and service; plus they directed us away from the more expensive kayaks that we initially sought to purchase when they thought that those boats would not suit us as well. We now travel with two yellow bananas on top of the Honda.

We haven't gotten the chance to use them yet because as a result of the paddling we did trying out these boats Sharyn pulled something in her shoulder and it's been hurting her quite a bit. Also, there is the question of alligators! The general consensus seems to be that alligators are nothing to be unduly concerned about, except at this time of year! It seems that right now they are breeding, and the females are nesting. The females really don't like it when you approach their nest, and the fact that you didn't know it was there leaves them rather unimpressed. In a few days we'll be traveling along US-98 on the Gulf Coast with lots of salt water bays and estuaries and by that time Sharyn's shoulder should be better. I'll put up some on-the-water pictures at that time.

Odometer reading = 20,410
Miles for week = 0

 

3/27/01
(LaBelle FL)

For a number of reasons beyond our control we didn't leave Carol and Roger's until 3:30 pm. We got to LaBelle Woods Campground just after dark. In this picture it was clear that we're not going to arrive before sundown. After getting all set up we drove (with the Honda) Sandy to their mother's home in Leheigh. After a short visit Sharyn and I returned to the motorhome for a good nights sleep.

Odometer reading = 20,557
Miles for day = 147

 

3/28/01
(LaBelle FL)

Sharyn went to visit her mother and sister while I stayed at the campground and did the laundry (dark stuff only) and cleaned up the motorhome. After that I read the paper, watched some TV, and just hung out until Sharyn returned.

Odometer reading = 20,557
Miles for day = 0

 

3/29/01
(Umatilla FL)

Late this morning we headed north to Umatilla FL to visit Ron and Peg, friends from our sailing days from the 70's. For a good part of the trip there was pouring rain, thunder and lightening, and buffeting wind. Not our first choice for driving weather but sometimes you have to take it the way it comes. Actually, part way here we said that if we hadn't called Peg last night and told here we'd be here today we'd have stopped at one of the many RV parks along US-27. It turns out that a little further north in Ocala the storm system spawned several tornados that did rather extensive damage to some residential areas.

Peg made dinner for all of us, including their son (Ron Jr) and daughter (Sharon) and their respective families (all of whom live in the immediate area). I took note of the fact that when we were all sailing the waters between Long Island and Nantucket we were younger than our kids are today. I guess you'd describe that time period as having been a "lifetime" ago. Those were good times then and these are good times now; you can't ask for better than that!

Odometer reading = 20,732
Miles for day = 175

 

3/30/01 and 4/1/01
(Perry FL)

This was a nice visit with Ron and Peg and their kids, grandkids, etc. It was a good weekend for Sharon also as she sold her prime colt, two year old Legs (I messed up by not having a picture to post here). Ron Jar and I got some shooting in, and later on Ron, Matt (Ron Jr's son), and I shot some skeet. I think we all had a good time.

As we left this morning Peg and her horse Julie were on their way to a horse and carriage parade that was being sponsored as a prelude to a polo match.

Mid-afternoon had us back at Westgate Motel and Campground in Perry FL.

Odometer reading = 20,906
Miles for day = 174

 

4/2/01
(Panama City FL)

We were on the road by 9:am this morning, which is quite early for us, but allowed us to arrive at Tyndall AFB FamCamp in Panama City by 1:pm. At $13 per day Tyndall is fairly expensive for a FamCamp, but that is with 50 amps, full hookups and a whole pile of cable channels (even though we use our satellite anyway). Also, Tyndall is on the Gulf and has almost five miles of white sandy beach with very few people using it. We went to the beach today but it was quite windy on the beach and we didn't stay long.

From the beach we went to the base mariner looking for a more protected location to put our kayaks in. The mariner, which includes a sandy beach with picnic facilities, is located on the north side of the base on the Intercoastal Waterway, and at the mouth of a lagoon that comes up behind the FamCamp. Tomorrow we'll put our kayaks in either at the mariner beach or behind the FamCamp. First we have to go to Wal-Mart in Panama City to get some life jackets.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 157

 

4/3/01
(Panama City FL)

After sleeping a little late, we had our coffee and conversation and eventually went to Wal-Marts where we bought two life jackets. We then went to try out our kayaks. We went in the area described yesterday, but since it was quite windy again we went on the upwind side of the land spit so that wind would be blowing us towards the beach rather than away from it. We probably messed around for about an hour paddling around in the small bayou, just off the Intercoastal Waterway, where the Air Force keeps it's crash/fireboats.

Sharyn got to do enough paddling around to develop some level of comfort with the idea of totally in control of her own boat as opposed to being the wife in a canoe with her husband. She tells me there's a big difference between the two.

A close-up of Sharyn returning to the beach. This is what Sharyn was afraid of!

We finished up the daylight hours when we went to a "potluck" dinner at the campground community center.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/4/01
(Panama City FL)

Today was overcast with occasional light showers so, after coffee and conversation, we decided to drive around and check out Panama City. We also checked out several antique stores, a large kayak/canoe store, and we were going to eat here except that they weren't open yet. Instead we ate at Po' Folks, but we won't eat at one again.

Our campsite is set back in the woods, and because of this Sharyn may have to stop smoking after dark. Every time she goes out to smoke in the dark a local raccoon ambles out of the woods to talk with her. Every time he does this she runs back into the motorhome. I'd like to get this raccoon to travel with us!

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/5/01
(Panama City FL)

Today was beautiful, sunny, and 75 degrees. After finishing a pot of coffee, checking e-mail, and updating this website, we went kayaking again. When we returned to the FamCamp we did laundry and, as Sharyn just told me, we didn't play Bingo. It sounds as if she really wanted to.

We also called the kayak store that we visited yesterday and the owner is going to give us a two hour private kayaking lesson on Tuesday. Sharyn says if we're going to do this she wants to know what she's doing. That's probably a good idea for both of us.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/6/01
(Panama City FL)

We checked out the auto hobby shop on base, mostly to see where it was so that I can change the oil and filter in the Honda while we're still here. From there we went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things of no consequence.

Back at the motorhome I took out the book on Photoshop and even did a little with the CD Tutorial that came with Photoshop. By the way, the picture of Sharyn on 4/3/01 with the alligator is really a product of Photoshop. That alligator (as regular readers will recall) was actually photographed in the Everglades on 3/10/01 and was depicted here on that day.

After dinner we walked around the campground and ended up at the clubhouse where I beat Sharyn in a game of pool. We then worked out on the exercises machines for a few minutes before challenging another couple who were playing shuffleboard (a 30 foot board like you find in a bar). They accepted our challenge and beat us 21 to 12.

When we got back to the motorhome Sharyn sat outside reading. After a while a cat came by to visit her, and a little later she heard it behind her chair, only to find out that it wasn't the cat, but that her raccoon from several nights ago was back. Now she's reading inside.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/7/01
(Panama City FL)

This morning I didn't know what was taking Sharyn so long to get dressed. It turned out she was cleaning her closet

Anyway, by mid-afternoon we went back to the beach area where we've been kayaking. Being Saturday there were a lot more people than earlier in the week so we used a grassy spot rather than the sand. This is part of what is called "Bonita Bay Outdoor Recreation Complex," and we've been enjoying it all week. We did some more kayaking and then spent an hour or so reading on the beach.

After returning to the motorhome we showered and discussed a mutual problem. Tomorrow is our 34th wedding anniversary and neither of us has been able to get away alone to buy a card, so we decided we'd go together and we could each buy a card for the other. On our way to K-Mart I told Sharyn about a couple that used to go to the card store on their anniversary, each select a card for the other, and then after reading their cards they'd put them back on the rack and leave. We didn't exactly do that, but since we both ended up selecting the same card we decided that there was no need to buy two so we bought one for the both of us, from each of us. Since we had already read it we considered putting it back on the shelf, but decided to buy it anyway. We then bought ourselves a bathroom scale as a mutual anniversary present.

From K-Mart we went to Blockbusters to get a video on kayaking, but they didn't have one so we got The Patriot instead. From there we went to McDonald's for dinner.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/8/01
(Panama City FL)

Around midday we went down to the seafood festival along the waterfront looking for the kayak guy. We didn't see him anywhere, but I had an alligator shish-kA-bob. It was really very good, but with the seasoning on it I still don't know what alligator tastes like. Sharyn refused to even taste it, so her experience remains somewhat limited.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/9/01
(Panama City FL)

I went kayaking by myself today. Sharyn wasn't sure if she wanted to go or not. I told her she didn't have to go just because I was going to go, so she opted to stay home and do some ironing. I still went to the Bonita Bay beach only this time I went all the way up the waterway that runs along the back of the FamCamp, and then back out and into the Intercoastal Waterway.

One thing I was unaware of when we were trying to decide canoe or kayak is that you really can't go kayaking without getting wet. If nothing else, you have to step into the water to get off the beach (in a canoe you can leave one end on the beach and then get in and move to the other end -- that will cause the beached end to float off), and then you get the drips from the paddles.

I went into my toolbox today and found that the box and almost everything in it was wet with condensation. The box is in one of the basement compartments and somehow or other water had gotten into that compartment. There was almost a quarter inch of water standing in the bottom of the compartment. I drilled several drain holes in the bottom and all the water drained out. That's okay as a temporary fix and may even be an acceptable solution. I'll have to keep an eye on it after we travel in the rain and see how it's working.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/10/01
(Panama City FL)

Today we had our previously scheduled kayak lessons from Pat, the owner of The Canoe Shop in Panama City, and that requires that I tell a story. It's a nice story.

Pat had told us to meet him at the store at 9:am, although the store doesn't open until 10:am. We were there a few minutes before 9:00, but Pat didn't show up until 10:00. I think that he was embarrassed, and he was certainly apologetic. He said he'd make it up to us. Anyway, he had completely forgotten about the lesson, and as a result his wife, who watches the store while he teaches, was still at home. He had to call her, and then we had to wait a bit until she could get there. The result was that our two hour lesson was about two hours late getting started.

The store is less than 100 yards from the bay where the lesson took place. Pat is an excellent instructor with a good feel for tailoring the lesson to best fit the individual student. At the conclusion of the lesson, and when we had no more questions to be answered, Pat refused to take the $50 that was to have been the cost of this private two hour session. That was his way to make up for being late, and he would not relent from that position in spite of the fact that we argued that was too great of an adjustment.

Since we couldn't pay him, we bought a spray skirt for $50 (the thing that fits around your waist and covers the open cockpit area to help keep the kayaker dry).

Clearly you can't go wrong if you're in Northern Florida and have a need or interest in a canoe, kayak, or any related equipment, or canoe or kayak lessons, to call The Canoe Shop at 850-763-2311, or visit their website at http://www.paddlenorthflorida.com. Pat and/or his brother have another store in Tallahassee so they pretty much cover the Florida Panhandle.

This is Sharyn and Pat (who started kayaking when he was four years old when it was his father's store) discussing some of the finer points covered today.

Not to change the subject, but since this is our last day here, this is a photo of the northerly portion of the Bonita Bay Outdoor Recreation Complex as seen from the bridge where US-98 crosses the Intercoastal Waterway. It was from the far side of this point that we did our kayaking this week, traveling up the waterway, visible between the trees, that goes off the left side of the picture.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/11/01
(Panama City FL)

We didn't leave here today as planned because there are nice laundry facilities here (with an ironing board), plus Sharyn feels very comfortable here.

After Sharyn had finished the laundry and done the ironing we shot some pool and played a game of shuffleboard (again, that's a shuffleboard table like you find in a bar). So no one should misunderstand, I frequently offer to do the laundry but Sharyn says "I don't like the way you do it." That's because a few times some of the stuff was still a tiny bit damp when I brought it back without going another 75 cents in the dryer.

Odometer reading = 21,063
Miles for day = 0

 

4/12/01
(Pensacola FL)

We were on the road at 10:30 heading for the Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area just west of Pensacola. We arrived mid-afternoon.

The campground is right on the bay that separates Florida and Alabama where they touch the Gulf of Mexico. This was a seaplane base during, and possibly before, WWII and the the large concrete "parking area" is still here. The ramps that the seaplanes used to get from the water on to the concrete parking area are still here (used by campers as boat ramps) and are in as good a condition as they were 60 or more years ago. I told Sharyn that those ramps are proof that it pays to do it right the first time! How many municipal boat ramps begin to deteriorate and crumble within 10 years.?

While the campground is okay, it was the description of the bay and the beach that brought us to Blue Angel rather than the FamCamp at Pensacola Naval Air Station. While the bay and the beach are not unlike the way they are described in the FamCamp directory, they are unlike the way we envisioned them.

Odometer reading = 21,190
Miles for day = 128

 

4/13/01
(Pensacola FL)

This morning, after coffee and conversation (we have coffee and conversation every morning) we went for a walk around the campground, along the edge of the concrete seaplane parking area, and then along the narrow sandy beach area.

We're not crazy about this facility and since I had to go buy some screws and fasteners to rehang the clothes pole in the closet, we decided that we'd also checkout the FamCamp at the Pensacola NAS about ten miles from here. We did, and we liked that FamCamp much better than the Blue Angel campground. They have no sites available today, but the lady said that six people were scheduled to leave tomorrow, and that while some of them may extend, it's not likely that all of them will. We plan to move over there in the morning.

We also visited the Navy Shopping Mall which Sharyn liked. It's a pretty nice facility to have available.

Odometer reading = 21,190
Miles for day = 0

 

4/14/01
(Pensacola FL)

This morning we moved over to Oak Grove FamCamp at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. We got here a little before noon and there were four available sites; we got one of them. After we got setup we walked around the campground and down to the beach. Most of the afternoon we spent sitting outside and reading.

This is much nicer here. We're glad we changed campgrounds.

Odometer reading = 21,206
Miles for day = 16

 

4/15/01
(Pensacola FL)

It's Easter Sunday and when we got up there was a "Happy Easter" telephone message from our eight year old granddaughter, Katlin, who clearly started her day earlier than we started ours.

The young couple on the next campsite had told us of a bayou on the north side of the base where they had gone kayaking yesterday, so we decided to go there today. There is a family picnic area there with a boat ramp, beach, etc. We only kayaked for about a half hour as the wind had created some chop on the service, plus the power boats and jet skis made it somewhat rough. The combination was enough to make Sharyn not feel at ease so we came back in. There was a water hose on the dock so we hosed down the kayaks both inside and out. This was the first time the insides were washed out because after prior uses we'd hose them down after we got back to the campsite when they were on the roof of the car.

Sharyn made a small leg of lamb for Easter dinner, complete with broccoli, roasted red potatoes, and gravy. It was very good!

Odometer reading = 21,206
Miles for day = 0

 

4/16/01
(Biloxi MS)

We left this morning and headed for Keesler AFB in Biloxi Mississippi. The trip was uneventful and we arrived at Keesler FamCamp mid-afternoon. We got the last available campsite which was under the trees where we couldn't use our satellite. Initially we were disappointed as we were looking forward to watching Fox News to see what was going on in the world, not having had TV for the last two days. It turned out that there was cable at the site with 60+ channels. All that with full hookups with 50 amps isn't bad for $12.

Odometer reading = 21,341
Miles for day = 135

 

4/17/01
(Baton Rouge LA)

What a beautiful day; sunny and brisk with a forecast high of 70 degrees. We'd have liked to stay and spend at least a good part of the day on the beach, but we have to get to San Antonio to pick up our daughter, Jordan, who is going to spend a week traveling with us. We thought we'd go on to LaFayette, but a 12 mile construction project on I-10 took us an hour to negotiate so we stopped at Cajun Country Campground in Port Allen, Louisiana, a tiny place just west of Baton Rouge.

On the way here we saw a number of great places for kayaking but decided that as perfect as they were they were even better suited as alligator habitat.

For dinner tonight Sharyn prepared a pair of stuffed Cornish game hens.

Odometer reading = 21,506
Miles for day = 165

 

4/18/01
(Wallisville TX)

We wanted to make it to Texas today and we did. Wallisville is just off of I-10 at exit 810, about 78 miles west of the Louisiana-Texas line.

My back began hurting today, perhaps as a result of driving for three days without a layover. We've both been very tired and totally without any energy whatsoever for a number of days.. We've decided that this may be the result of the diet we've been on for several weeks. It's no particular diet, but we've haven't eaten any "good stuff" (ice cream, cookies, etc). Weight loss is fine, but if we can't stay awake we need another approach. Accordingly, after getting set up here at Turtle Bayou RV Park, we went to the store and bought ice cream, cookies, and a frozen pizza for dinner. We'll see if all that stuff works.

Initially, we had to go to town to get some cash. Turtle Bayou RV Park does not take checks, debit, or credit cards. Since it's a Passport America member we only had to pay $12 instead of $24, but we didn't have $12 between us. Anyway, now we do.

The bayou is only about 50 feet from the motorhome, and it's a great place for kayaking (they do canoe rentals here). We didn't go today because neither if us are up to it physically. The owner says there is only one alligator who is seen from time to time but has never been a problem. That may get to be a problem if we otherwise feel like going tomorrow (we are considering staying here tomorrow to relax and recoup).

Incidentally, after taking the picture of the bayou, I turned 90 degrees to the right and took this picture of our campsite.

Odometer reading = 21,732
Miles for day = 226

 

4/19/01
(Wallisville TX)

Last night was not a good night. I don't know whether or not I was running a fever, but I was cold, lightheaded, and feeling pretty bad. By this morning I had come back 85%, but it was tonight before I felt well again. The significance of this is that we've spent two days on this great bayou and didn't even take the kayaks off the car. What a waste!

On the way here from Baton Rouge we traveled I-10, about 50 miles of which was pretty rough and caused the clothes pole in the closet to self destruct when the center bracket pulled out of the wall and the pole took on a pronounced "U" shape. Today we found a Lowes where we bought a piece of 1" pipe. Now we've got a clothes pole that can support 300 pounds and should give us no further trouble.

Odometer reading = 21,732
Miles for day = 0

 

4/20/01
(San Antonio TX)

Well here we are at the FamCamp at Lackland AFB waiting for our daughter who won't get here until Tuesday -- if she doesn't miss her flight!

We left Turtle Bayou RV Park before 10:am and we were here at 5:pm. It was an easy drive along I-10 although during the last 100 miles Sharyn kept suggesting that we stop and spend the night wherever we were at that moment. It was kind of windy and she said I might lose control of the rig. While the wind was sometimes moving the motorhome a little, it was a very long way from becoming a safety factor. The last time we filled the gas tank was on March 27 in Okeechobee, Florida, because I was waiting to get out of Florida where gas would be cheaper. After we got out of Florida I was still waiting for gas to get cheaper and was buying 20 gallons at a time. Just east of San Antonio I finally filled up at $1.439, with one exception, the cheapest gas we have seen in months.

Anyway, when we got to Lackland the FamCamp office was closed and all the sites were occupied. We parked in the overflow area (we're the only ones here) which is just as nice as the regular sites except that there are no hookups. I spoke to a guy with hookups and he said we'd get a site tomorrow. There is a two week maximum stay, but you can remain after two weeks on a day-to-day basis as long as no one else wants a site. As soon as someone else comes in, the guy who has been here the longest (over two weeks) has six hours to leave. I guess the manager will give that guy 6 hours notice in the morning and we'll have a site by tomorrow afternoon..

In the meanwhile we checked out the BX and the commissary (notice how we always seem to do that). They are both somewhat larger and nicer than the norm and I suspect that's because Lackland is a larger facility and probably somewhat of a showplace for the Air Force since all it's basic training is done here. I came here December 27, 1956; that's 45 years ago. Today I don't see any of the two-story WWII wooden barracks that I stayed in. It's considerably nicer!

As I'm doing this, Sharyn is in the laundry doing the wash in the coinless (free) washers and dryers. The phone line for getting online is there also, so I'll be joining her in about two minutes. That same building, which is only 100 feet away, also houses the FamCamp office and rest rooms and showers.

Odometer reading = 21,986
Miles for day = 256

 

4/21/01
(San Antonio TX)

This morning we got our new campsite with full hookups and paid up through next Wednesday.

We didn't do anything all day. Sharyn read her book and I watched some TV. Late this afternoon we went to the commissary to get milk and hot dogs. Then we returned to the FamCamp and waited for the hot dogs to finish on the barbecue.

Odometer reading = 21,986
Miles for day = 0

 

4/22/01
(San Antonio TX)

Today we went into downtown San Antonio to see the Alamo. It's not very big for what went on there in March-April 1836, but then again there weren't that many men in there. It's like a lot of other places we go, we decide we need to know a great deal more about it while we are there but, of course, by then it's too late to learn until after we've left. Accordingly we bought a book, A Time To Stand; the Epic of the Alamo, by Walter Lord, which is supposed to be an excellent rendition of what transpired at the Alamo.. Of course by the time I finish the book we'll be a thousand miles away (I'm still reading Undaunted Courage, the story of the Lewis and Clark exploration of Louisiana). What I have learned since we got back to the FamCamp is that most of the Alamo that existed in 1836 no longer exists today, and most of what exists today was constructed since the 1920's. That is very significant because I now know that of the pictures I took today, none of them include any of the remaining original Alamo.

While this is not part of the original Alamo, it certainly is beautiful. Also, this is a very impressive tree. Finally, this is Sharyn emerging from a twentieth century add-on. Next time I'll be be more careful what I photograph.

Odometer reading = 21,986
Miles for day = 0

 

4/23/01
(San Antonio TX)

Today can pretty well be summed up with I ran a fever and Sharyn went to the commissary for milk.

Odometer reading = 21,986
Miles for day = 0

 

4/24/01
(San Antonio TX)

This morning I paid the telephone bills via the telephone in the laundry room. While I was doing that I also did some laundry.

The big event of the day was when we picked up our daughter, Jordan, at the airport. She is going to live and travel with us for the next week.

Odometer reading = 21,986
Miles for day = 0

 

4/25/01
(San Antonio TX)

This was a very enjoyable day. Jordan had spoken with a lady at the FamCamp who told her not to miss the "Riverwalk" in downtown San Antonio. We didn't exactly know what that was, but since Jordan also wanted to find a sports store to get her nephew, Scott, a rapid Spurs fan, some kind of something representing the Spurs, we decided to go downtown again. On the map of the downtown area we saw that the Riverwalk was only a few blocks from the Alamo, so we knew exactly how to get there.

Well even I have to say that the Riverwalk was very nice. A portion of the San Antonio river that runs through Town has been diverted through a loop encompassing a number of downtown city blocks, with walkways along both sides of the river, etc. In turn, the walkway is lined with little shops, eateries, and other nice places to visit or browse.

We ate lunch at one of these waterside restaurants which Sharyn, in particular, enjoyed very much. She thanked Jordan for joining us, saying that we hadn't done anything so nice since we left "home" until she joined us. While we were eating an obviously male pigeon with a high testosterone level was messing with a female next to Sharyn's chair. She swatted him away telling him (much to Jordan's chagrin) "you don't do that in public."

Anyway, when we got back to the car "I had a ticket" for an overtime meter. The ticket was written only ten minutes before we got there, and since I had been saying that we had to get back before the meter ran out, while others continued to poke along (and stop at Starbucks for coffee), it seems that it should be "she" got a ticket ( with "she" being either or both of them).

Earlier in the day a security police car, driven by a female staff sargent drove through the FamCamp and, seeing the kayaks, asked if we had found enough water to use them. I took this opportunity to introduce Jordan to this sargent security officer and to tell her that I was telling Jordan that she should join the Air Force. Jordan and I both proceeded to question her for the the next 20 minutes about an Air Force career. I strongly think that Jordan should do this and the several female airmen that I have talked to about it make me even more sure of it.

In any event, Sharyn and Jordan (and me) had a very enjoyable day!

Odometer reading = 21,986
Miles for day = 0

 

4/26/01
(Austin TX)

This morning Jordan and I went looking for the Air Force recruiting office that some people told us was on base (other people told us there was no recruiter on base). If there was one we couldn't find it, but we did see a number of brand new recruits, still in civies, being "drilled."

Jordan than spoke to the guy in the next campsite. He's a retired Navy pilot with 25 years in, who is now, as a civilian contractor, overseeing Jr NROTC programs at high schools in half a dozen states from Texas to Colorado. They spoke for about a half hour about the pros and cons of Jordan joining the military.

After that we left San Antonio and took off for Austin which is #1 on Jordan's "must see" list of Texas cities. Based on its proximity (3 minutes) from downtown Austin, we decided to stay at Pecan Grove RV Park, just south of the river. After dinner we decided to take a ride through downtown so we could familiarize ourselves with it without the workday traffic. From there we went westerly along the south bank of the river to Zilker Park, a riverside park just down the road from the RV park. They rent canoes and kayaks and also have a public dock for launching of private, non-motorized, craft. We'll have to kayak the river while we're here, both for our own enjoyment, and so that Jordan can add kayaking to her repertoire of experience.

Asked what she thinks about this RV lifestyle she replied; "This is so much not me," although she conceded that it was nice to be able to go anywhere you felt like.

Odometer reading = 22,079
Miles for day = 90

 

4/27/01
(Austin TX)

Today was a very enjoyable day! There were basically three things that Jordan wanted to do while in Austin; check out the area around 6th Street, go to the 3-story Barnes & Noble (Jordan is a B&N freak), and go to the Oasis Restaurant overlooking Lake Travis. She had a map of Austin with these three locations circled. Today we started out by going to Barnes & Noble, even though it turned out to have only two floors. We spent a number of hours there both browsing the shelves and reading magazines. I use B&N much like a library. Sharyn and Jordan also enjoyed several $4 coffee drinks. By the time Jordan and I left the store Sharyn was waiting for us outside.

From there we drove to the circle on the map which marked the Oasis Restaurant and found it to be right there in the circle. As we drove into the parking lot Sharyn remarked that it wasn't exactly what she thought it was going to be. I said that I had the same reaction and that I was relieved. The thing about this restaurant is that it has 32 multi-level decks that overlook the lake for an admittedly impressive outdoor eating environment. This was the view from our original table.

Open sandwich lunches for three (although the were very good) cost us $50 rather than the $100 that I had feared. After eating we spent a half hour or so looking through the gift and antique shops.

A bit of serendipity that came with Jordan is that since she's been with us Sharyn has really been up a number of notches.

Odometer reading = 22,079
Miles for day = 0

 

4/28/01
(Hempstead TX)

We checked out of the RV park and drove to an employee parking lot behind the State Capital Building. Being it was Saturday the lot was empty so we parked the motorhome there and took the car to the grand opening of the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. There was a big festival going on in front of and across the street from the museum celebrating the opening. Sharyn and Jordan mingled with the festival crowd for most of the morning.

Yesterday President Bush was in Austin for a Presidential pre-opening tour of the museum so many of the streets in the downtown area were closed by the Secret Service. That's why we avoided this area yesterday and went to Barnes & Noble and the Oasis instead. They are north of the downtown area.

Anyway, from the museum we went to "6th Street," which Jordan had been told was had lots of cute shops and "boutiquey" things. Jordan found it to be more scary than interesting. After driving the length of 6th Street we went back to the parking lot where we hooked the car the motorhome and took off towards Houston.

We stopped at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Campground in Hempstead, Texas.

Odometer reading = 22,203
Miles for day = 124

 

4/29/01
(Hempstead TX)

This morning we didn't get up until after ten. Most amazing is the fact that Jordan was the first one up. After coffee and conversation (tea for Jordan) we went to Magnolia to see our granddaughter Mary Burnett. When we returned to the campground we sat around outside and had wine and cheese and more conversation.

We also walked back to the fishing lake behind our campsite where we took a few family pictures. After dinner we went to the game room and shot some pool. After that Sharyn and Jordan went to play tennis and I read the newspaper.

Odometer reading = 22,203
Miles for day = 0

 

4/30/01
(Houston TX)

Jordan flies back to New York from Houston tomorrow, so this morning we headed for Houston. As we got close to Houston it began to rain and Jordan picked an RV Park from Woodall's Campground Directory. As we headed to USA RV Park we realized that we should have selected a place sooner as we had overshot what would have been the best route. Anyway, we got there with no difficulty, thanks to Jordan navigating us through to the opposite side of Town.

This USA RV Park is not what we'd call one of the better places we've stayed at, but I have to exonerate Jordan from liability since this was not her first choice. I kind of vetoed her first choice based on its price. This place was only $17 and is listed as having a good number of seasonal rentals. We know from past experience that campgrounds with "seasonal rentals" translates into "lost cost housing." There have been a few exceptions but this isn't one of them.

Full hookups with 50 amps for $16.50 at the edge of a big city is a good price -- even if it's not where you'd want to live!

Odometer reading = 22,264
Miles for day = 61

 

5/1/01
(Houston TX)

Today we took Jordan to Hobby Airport in Houston so that she could return home to New York. It was a great week the three of us had together.

Odometer reading = 22,264
Miles for day = 0

 

5/2/01
(Livingston TX)

Today we moved on to Escapee's Rainbow's End RV park in Livingston, Texas, which is about 70 miles northeast of Houston. We started out this morning about 30 miles southwest of Houston, anticipating considerable traffic as we worked our way into, and through, the center of town. We were pleasantly surprised when we had no delay or heavy traffic at all.

It was nice to be back at Rainbow's End. We were here last October but were under pressure to leave to get to Long Island for our Grandson's school play. This time we are under no pressure to leave so it should be a relaxed stay until such time as we decide to move on.

Sharyn hasn't been feeling well today and I'm concerned that she may be getting whatever I had two weeks ago.

An interesting observation: we did not receive any phone calls during the week Jordan was with us; yesterday she flew back home; today we had a number of phone calls. Could there be any kind of correlation here?

Odometer reading = 22,370
Miles for day = 106

 

5/3/01
(Livingston TX)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHARYN!

While today is Sharyn's birthday we actually celebrated it two days ago while Jordan was with us. Jordan and I gave her what could be described as a "low key surprise birthday party" -- the three of us, complete with birthday cake, presents and flowers. When living together in a motorhome it is nearly impossible to pull off any kind of surprise anything.

We went into Livingston and bought a good supply of "healthy" groceries -- mostly fruit and vegetables. When we arrived at Rainbow's End we picked up our mail for the first time in three months. One of the items was the lab report from the work that Dr. Falco in Southold NY had ordered. According to the report my LDL reading is almost at the point where my likelihood of a heart attack is twice what it should be so I'm going to have to seriously address the situation -- starting with no red meat or ice cream.

Odometer reading = 22,370
Miles for day = 0

 

5/4/01
(Livingston TX)

Today was cleaning day. While I scrubbed the rubber roof of the motorhome and washed the exterior Sharyn did some very serious cleaning of the interior including all cabinet doors, walls, places behind the couch, forward of the dashboard, behind the head of the bed, etc. We spent 4 - 5 hours doing all this stuff, after which we sat outside, drank ice tea (V8 for me), relaxed, caught our breath, and talked. Sort of like coffee and conversation.

Odometer reading = 22,370
Miles for day = 0

 

5/5/01
(Livingston TX)

We didn't do much today. This is relaxed and easy place to stay so we are enjoying it.

For dinner Sharyn prepared two plates of steamed fresh vegetables which were both healthy and delicious -- I had previously come to the mistaken conclusion that these two attributes were mutually exclusive.

After dinner we went to town and bought some more fruit and vegetables. Good food costs more than junk food. For example, this tomato (non-organic) costs $1.25.

Odometer reading = 22,370
Miles for day = 0

 

5/6/01
(Livingston TX)

Today I changed the oil and filter in the motorhome. Other than that we sat around, talked, and read some of the several months worth of RV magazines that had accumulated with our mail.

For dinner we had fresh steamed vegetables with sliced roast turkey breast. It was delicious and, while I didn't take a picture, it looked as good as it tasted. By the way, several hours after we have dinner we have a bowl of cut up fresh fruit.

Odometer reading = 22,370
Miles for day = 0

 

5/7/01 to 5/9/01
(Livingston TX)

During these three days we didn't engage in a great deal of activity worth writing about. Sharyn did some wash and ironing; we went to the Health Care Center and had complete blood workups ("comprehensive metabolic profiles with lipid panels") done for only $15 each. One evening we went to the social hour.

Odometer reading = 22,370
Miles for day(s) = 0

 

5/10/01
(Marshall TX)

This morning we got up at 7:am so that Sharyn could go line dancing at the clubhouse at 8:am. She came back at 9:am and said that it was non-stop dancing for the entire hour and that she needed a shower. She had a good time and was invited to participate in an upcoming show later this week. Unfortunately, we left later in the day so she had to decline.

We left Livingston and headed north on US-59 towards Branson MO. We'll take several days to get there.

At 3:30 we stopped for the evening at Country Pines RV Park in Marshall TX. This will be the first time I've been able to get on line and update this site in almost a week.

Odometer reading = 22,530
Mils for day = 160

 

5/11/01
(Mena AR)

We had an uneventful drive to Mountain Shadow RV Park in Mena, Arkansas. As the name implies, we are in a low spot surrounded by higher ground which means no cell phone, no radio, and since we're under the trees, no satellite TV reception either. Actually, without any of that electronic intrusion, it has been a quiet and enjoyable evening with just each other for entertainment. I found it quite nice. After another healthy, but delicious, dinner we read some of the many RV magazines that we picked up when we got our three months worth of mail at Rainbow's End in Livingston.

Definitely worth mentioning, but probably not appreciated by many, this afternoon as we were climbing a rather steep grade in the "slower traffic use right lane" lane we overtook, pulled out, and passed a diesel pusher motorhome groaning his way up the incline!

Odometer reading = 22,680
Miles for day = 150

 

5/12/01
(Fort Smith AR)

It was only a short drive to Fort Smith where we are visiting with Bill and Cheryl who we met at the Great North American RV Rally in Gillette Wyoming last July (we were "next door neighbors"). Our directions were to park in the parking lot of the Lighthouse Church that we'd see as soon as we came into Witcherville (just south of Ft Smith) and they'd come and get us. When we called from our cell phone we got a recording from Southwest Bell (we have AT&T) that we couldn't call their phone number from our phone, to "please try another number." That's an interesting message!

Anyway, the man who lives next door to the church let me use his phone and Bill drove up five minutes later.

Bill and Cheryl live on a farm and as soon as we turned into their driveway I said to Sharyn, "this makes me miss the farm." It's been almost four years since we sold Lost Valley Tree Farm and Nursery, but sitting on their porch watching the horses, or looking out across the fields, brings back nostalgic memories. Maybe instead of a "cabin on a lake" we need a "farm in the country."

One difference between a farm in Arkansas and a farm in Virginia is that in Virginia you don't need a storm shelter, or as they say here in Arkansas, a "fraidy ho.'" Since they get all the tornadoes out of Oklahoma Bill and Cheryl put in this "fraidy ho'" that Cheryl is showing Sharyn.

Anyway, after we had all had several glasses of wine, Cheryl made a giant platter of fried crappies (that Bill had caught), hush puppies, cole slaw, and old fashioned (not frozen) French fries for dinner. For the first time in well over a week, I ate until I was full. For dessert we had angel cake covered with fresh strawberries from the neighbors garden , and whipped cream. It was all a welcomed break from the diet that Sharyn and I have been on for a good number of days.

Before, during, and after dinner we engaged in what was pretty much nonstop conversation. At about 10:30 Sharyn and I decided that we should "go home" so as not to be keeping them up too late. Bill and Cheryl have a gravel parking site next to the barn with a 30amp outlet where they keep their motorhome. When we got her they had moved their motorhome so that we could use that space. When we "went home," we walked 40 feet to the barn and our motorhome.

All in all, a very enjoyable day.

Odometer reading = 22,749
Miles for day = 69

 

5/13/01
(Fort Smith AR)

This morning the four of us sat around for quite a while having coffee and conversation while watching the horses playing in the pasture. After awhile Bill drove us all into Fort Smith to check out some things around town. We first went to the site of the original Army Fort for which the City is named. At that time Fort Smith marked the western boundary between the Arkansas Territory and Indian Country to the west (later to become Oklahoma Territory and then the State of Oklahoma).

The site also contains a replication of the courtroom of Hanging Judge Parker and the gallows from which the condemned were hanged. In spite of his reputation he only hanged 79 men (and women). This is a view of the underneath of the platform that dropped down from under the condemned men. The gallows could, and occasionally did, hang as many as six at a time.

Sharyn and Cheryl sitting in the park look out at Oklahoma on the opposite shore of the Arkansas River. Since we do not have Oklahoma filled in on our map Sharyn wanted to go there so she can put Oklahoma on the map, so Bill drove us across the river and Sharyn got out and stood on Oklahoma ground. I'm glad that she got to Oklahoma, but the motorhome didn't so she still can't fill in the map -- at least not yet.

After returning from Oklahoma we had lunch at a local restaurant and checked out a Core of Engineers campground on the river.

We also stopped at a railroad yard where I got a close-up photograph of the train whistle I want for the motorhome.

Odometer reading = 22,749
Miles for day = 0

 

5/14/01
(Branson MO)

We were up at 6:20 this morning so we could see Cheryl before she left for work. As it worked out she had a number of things to deal with today so she didn't go in after all. Anyway, we had breakfast with Bill and Cheryl, talked a bit, said good-bye, and still were on the road before 9:am. Getting up early has some advantages that we may have to consider.

The drive from Fort Smith to Branson is very pretty and did not conform to what we would have thought Arkansas looked like (of course that's only northwest Arkansas). Also, it was the first time in a long time that we probably spent as much time in 2nd and 3rd gear as we did in 4th; lots of steep grades, both up and down. Along the way we stopped once for gas and once for a cup of coffee.

We are now at Treasure Lake RV Resort in Branson. Bill and Cheryl are members/owners here and we are looking forward to them joining us here later in the week.

Odometer reading = 22,942
Miles for day = 193

 

5/15/01
(Branson MO)

Today we drove around Branson and some of the surrounding area. You could spend two months in this town going to a different show and restaurant every night.

We also checked out the Escapees Turkey Creek RV Park which has a boat ramp for access to Turkey Creek and Lake Taneycomo. It was quite nice, but admittedly, the water access for our kayaks is a big factor.

Odometer reading = 22,942
Miles for day = 0

 

5/16/01
(Branson MO)

We left Treasure Lake RV Park as we had been there as prospective members with a two night complimentary stay. We moved over to Escapees Turkey Creek RV Park which we had checked out yesterday and found to be quite satisfactory. Unfortunately, there were no 50 amps sites available. While we prefer 50 amps, 30 amps will work and is usually not a problem unless we want to run both roof top units (heating or cooling) at the same time. Since it has been in the 90's, and we're in full sun, 50 amps would be much better. We are the second unit on a list to move when a 50 amp site opens up.

By the way, with respect to campgrounds, our priority choices, when we have have such choices, as are follows: (1) Escapee parks, (2) military campgrounds, (3) Passport America places -- we get 1/2 price, (4) other RV parks.

This afternoon we went into the "Old Town" section of Branson and walked around through all the shops. After not much more than an hour Sharyn said that, "it is too hot even to do this." Those who know Sharyn know that means it was really hot. The lady in one of the shops said that the heat should break tomorrow -- that's fine by us!

Odometer reading = 22,950
Miles for day = 8

 

5/17/01
(Branson MO)

First thing we did this this morning was move to a 50 amp site. While I was getting re-setup, Sharyn did the laundry. Because Escapee parks are not profit oriented the washers and dryers always cost less to use.

Bill has a four day dental convention to attend in Springfield (40 miles north of Branson) which starts tomorrow. He is going to stay in his motorhome at Treasure Lake while attending. He called us when he was a half hour from Branson and we arranged to meet for dinner. We had dinner at B.T. Bones Steak House and from there Bill drove us around Branson showing Sharyn where all the shopping/discount/factory malls were. We then went to McFarlands to have some of their famous fruit cobbler for dessert.

At McFarlands there is a "trick" table in the dinning room that, during the course of your meal, will very slowly, imperceptibly, raise higher and higher. We sat next to that table but unfortunately it was close to closing time and no one sat there while we were there. Apparently it is a source of entertainment as the unsuspecting people at the table begin to realize that something strange is going on.

Odometer reading = 22,950
Miles for day = 0

 

5/18/01
(Branson MO)

The rain that started lasted last night continued for most of today.

We went to a Wal-Mart Supercenter in West Branson to replenish our supply of fresh vegetables. One of the people working in the produce department commented that we "eat healthy." That's what we're trying to do, but we've been eating out too much.

This evening we met Bill at the I-Max theater where we saw a film on Alaska. What an incredible place! Also, while I am not a big fan special effects in movies or video, I have to say that viewing "Alaska" in the I-Max theater was quite an experience. This is primarily because the super large screen occupies your entire field of view. When the screen is depicting the view of a race car driver, or the pilot of an airplane flying over Alaskan landscape, the view is not just on a rectangular screen surrounded by the fixed interior of the movie theater which provides you with fixed reference outside of the movie screen. Rather, the interior of the movie theater is outside of your peripheral vision so there is no "fixed" reference. As the airplane banks to the right and begins to dive your stomach comes up into your chest. I suspect a roller coaster ride would make me throw up.

Anyway, after the show the three of us went out to dinner. The plan had been for Cheryl to join us yesterday but, unfortunately, she has been unable to find someone to feed the horses so she's unable to get away from the farm.

Odometer reading = 22,950
Miles for day = 0

 

5/19/01
(Branson MO)

This afternoon I got to try out a sea kayak, a 17' Dagger Atlantis. Our neighbors, Ed and Jolene, have two sea kayaks that they pack with camping gear and go wilderness camping for a week or better. Recently they did this in British Columbia.

Anyway, there kayaks are closer to what we thought we wanted when we bought our Wilderness Systems Pungos. I went a couple of miles up Lake Tangycomo with Jolene using Ed's Atlantis, and I really liked it a lot. (This photo is Jolene and I heading down Turtle Creek from the campground towards the lake). Jolene said she'd take Sharyn tomorrow if Sharyn wanted to go, and I hope she will. They are a totally different animal from the Pungos and I'd like for Sharyn to experience it (again, "increase her repertoire of experience").

Bill came by after his seminar and joined us for dinner in the motorhome. After dinner we went to see the Shoji Tabuchi show. He is a Japanese fiddler who began studying classical violin in Japan when he was seven years old. Years later when Roy Acuff was on tour in Japan, Shoji went to see him "out of curiosity." As he describes it, he became hooked on American country music. An incredible violinist, he plays everything from country to swing to classical to Cajun; from Glenn Miller's In The Mood to Orange Blossom Special; and everything in between. A remarkable performance.

Odometer reading = 22,950
Miles for day = 0

 

5/20/01
(Branson MO)

Except for a few short breaks it rained most of the day. In spite of the rain the temperatures were mild so that sitting outside under the awning with the rain coming down was kind of nice.

Ed and Jolene, our neighbors with the sea kayaks, came over for some wine and cheese and visited for an hour or so. Ed hurt his back about three weeks ago and they've been staying here waiting for him to recover. The hundred feet he had to walk to get to our motorhome was the furthest he's been able to walk since they got here. I had thought that lack of exercise could have been part of the reason I have had my intermittent back problems, but since Ed and Jolene routinely hike 8, 10, or 12 miles it would seem that exercise may not be the answer.

This evening we went with Bill to see the Ozark Mountain Jubilee. I have sometimes listened to the show on Public Radio and was anxious to see it first hand. I enjoyed it a lot -- it reminds me of the sound of country music when I was a kid. Bill's seminar finishes up tomorrow and he'll be heading back to Fort Smith.

As the evening wore on and we were getting ready for bed the TV was reporting tornadoes throughout western Oklahoma, northern Arkansas (particularly the Fort Smith area), and southern Missouri. Pretty much where we are. As of one point there had been twenty-seven tornadoes reported. A man came to the motorhome to advise us that the basement door to the clubhouse had been unlocked and would remain so to provide a refuge in case of a tornado here. So far, so good!

Odometer reading = 22,950
Miles for day = 0

 

5/21/01
(Branson MO)

The plan for today was that we were going to head for Springfield MO, visit the Bass Pro Shop Headquarters facility and then, depending on the time, either head east or spend the night in Springfield. First we wanted to go into town to get a Shoji Tabuchi CD and visit the St. Louis Bread Factory to get some pumpernickle-raisin bread. Some how or other we didn't leave for town until almost one o'clock and then we didn't get back until 5:pm. Needless to say, we didn't get off to Springfield today. It's just a reaffirmation of, "our plans are never firm until after the event."

Also, after all the tornado activity last night we decided we should probably have a weather radio that would turn on and sound a warning whenever that kind of weather activity was expected in our area. We bought it at Wal-Mart because there we have 90 days to return it if we don't like it. We want that option because it may turn out that programing our location into the radio every time we relocate may be such that the system isn't practical for our application. We'll see how it goes and if we do return it I'll mention it here.

Anyway, as I'm doing this update Sharyn is doing some laundry. Tomorrow we'll try again for Springfield and the Bass Pro Shop.

Odometer reading = 22,950
Miles for day = 0

 

5/22/01
(Springfield MO)

Well we made it out of Branson and into Springfield, and the Bass Pro Shop's Outdoor World (http://www.outdoor-world.com). After parking in their RV parking lot, as we went inside we asked the security guy if we could stay in the parking lot overnight. He said we could stay as many nights as we liked..

It was just after noon when we arrived here and if we could not have stayed we would have had to be back on the road by mid-afternoon. Since we could spend the night time didn't matter and we didn't even come back outside until six o'clock. Even at that it wasn't too long until Sharyn went back to check out their outlet store.

While you can certainly buy things at the Bass Pro Shop, it also must rank as a rather nice attraction just to visit. We went through the Fish & Wildlife Museum (at $5 per person it's one of only two things that you have to pay for -- the other is the indoor shooting range) which has hundreds of animals on display, mostly in dioramas showing them in their natural habitat. Most of these specimens came from three separate museum collections while others came from private collectors.

While I was particularly impress with the size of the Alaskan Brown Bear, other exhibits were really nice. Sharyn liked, among other things, the Great White Shark taken off of Montauk Point, Long Island. Weighing xxxxx pounds and measuring xxxxx feet, it is the largest fish ever caught with a rod and reel.

Actually, the wildlife museum is a very small part of the overall Outdoor World. There are tens of thousands of items to be looked at, examined, tried out (or tried on) that relate to fishing, hunting, boating, camping, or almost any other kind of outdoor activity. It is clearly worth a visit by anyone. Kids will also love it.

Odometer reading = 22,994
Miles for day = 44

 

5/23/01
(Van Buren MO)

First thing this morning Sharyn went back to both the outlet store and Pro Bass. While it had rained all night, this morning was sunny and nice and 52 degrees. We both prefer the cooler weather to the hot temperatures.

When we pulled out of the parking lot we headed east which will be our primary direction until we arrive at Charlottesville, Virginia. After several non-eventful hours of driving (plus a half hour for lunch) we stopped at Deer Run Campground (http:/www.deerruncampground.com). The campground is on the Current River, part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. They do canoe rentals here as well as portage to put in or take out points along the river. We hope to have them drop us off upstream tomorrow.

Odometer reading = 23,141
Miles for day = 147

 

5/24/01
(Van Buren MO)

The first thing we noticed this morning was that a shoe thief had stolen one of Sharyn's sandals that had been left outside on our door mat. When we discovered the thief's identity, it turned out that he had already destroyed (chewed up) the evidence.

After our coffee and conversation we drove to a put-in point on the river (see yesterdays entry). about five miles above the campground, where we put the kayaks in the river and paddled back down to the campground. It's a beautiful river with water that is crystal clear. It's all Class I with a few spots that might be Class II. Just before entering one of these spots we stopped for a few minutes. On one hand I wanted to take Sharyn's picture as she went through this section, but on the other hand I wanted to be right behind her as she did. I stayed with her I forewent the picture. While I did get some nice photos, we were once again up against the reality that there are some visual experiences just just cannot be captured with a photo. One final photo shows the take-out point at the campground.

By the way, after we returned to the campground, the campground people drove us back to pick up our car. When I inquired as to what I owed for this service I was told the cost was one shoe.

Odometer reading = 23,141
Miles for day = 0

 

5/25/01
(Van Buren MO)

Today was another day on the river. This time we dropped our car off at Big Spring, the 15 mile mark on the Current River. The campground people then transported us and our kayaks back up to Waymeyer at mile 27. For the next several hours we paddled downstream, past the campground, and on through some very pretty country. After a few hours we stopped on the side of the river and ate the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that Sharyn had prepared for lunch.

Look at that attire; does she not look like an ad for LL Bean?

After lunch we continued on down the river towards Big Spring, but not without any excitement. As we approached the bridge for US-60 there were a number of large rocks and tree trunks in the river. Also at that point the river had narrowed significantly so that the current was quite swift. Sharyn came much closer to a large rock than she had intended and the current pushed her up on the rock. Luckily she was able to hold on and the kayak did not flip over. It sure scared me.

A few miles further on Sharyn had another incident when the river became divided by a giant uprooted tree in the middle of the current. She attempted to go to the left of the tree but the current swept her into the left side of the root mass. A large horizontal root several feet above the water allowed the kayak to pass under but caught Sharyn and her paddle. At that point I went past her and the tree on the right side. By the time I got out of the current and could turn around to see what was happening she was 100 feet past the tree. She really lucked out in getting herself disentangled without getting pulled out of the kayak or capsizing.

From there on the river was smooth. We got Big Spring a short time later. It was just in time as after two days of paddling we had gone just about as far as we could. We will not be on the river tomorrow.

Odometer reading = 23,141
Miles for day = 0

 

5/26/01
(Eddyville KY)

This morning we were up early, thanked some of the campground people for what we thought was a very pleasant stay, and were on the road by 9:30am. We were east bound on US-60 for most of the day, and the days travel reconfirms our view that one should not travel the Interstate if you want to see America.

Woodall's campground directory showed several campgrounds in Eddyville, Kentucky, so we decided that would be a good place to stop for the day. The first campground we tried was full for Memorial Day weekend, but the man called another campground two miles away who said they had a spot. We then went to Lake Barkley RV Resort and they were waiting for us.

For dinner tonight we had a stir fry that Sharyn made from scratch with fresh vegetables and cut up chicken flavored with honey mustard dressing. Stir fry is one of our favorites, but in the past we have bought the frozen packages. After tonight I would vote that we not use those anymore.

Odometer reading = 23,340
Miles for day = 199

 

5/27/01
(Fort Campbell KY)

We left this morning headed for Nashville but before we had gone very far we came to a sign that said it was 25 miles to Fort Campbell. Simultaneously we both said, "maybe they have a FamCamp," and they did. Since we had been concerned about the availability of a campsite on this Memorial Day weekend we figured that a military base would be the answer.

We checked out the BX and Commissary where I got a haircut for $5.35 and Sharyn bought a small table lamp for the motorhome

Odometer reading = 23,393
Miles for day = 53

 

5/28/01
(Fort Campbell KY)

It turned out that we are only about 40 miles from Fort Donelson; the site of the 1862 Civil War Union victory that brought an obscure General, Ulysses S. Grant, to public acclaim. It goes without saying that we had to visit the site.

Actually, within a period of just over a week Grant captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River and then, 12 miles to the east, Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. Upon the surrender of Fort Donelson Grant acquired approximately 13,000 prisoners (the largest number of prisoners ever taken in a single battle until WW II).

My View: I think that had Grant not had this exciting victory (this was the Union's first major victory of the war) he may well have remained obscure. Had that been the case he would never have been given command of the Union army. In that case the war would probably have continued on as a war of attrition, which is pretty much what it had become by 1864 when Lincoln appointed Grant as commander of the Union army, until ended with a negotiated settlement in which the North would have basically bailed out, leaving the South with all of it's social and economic structures in place.

Incidentally this is the view the confederate artillerymen looking down the Cumberland River as they waited for the Union's ironclad gunboats come come into view from around the bend in the river. The gunboats were badly clobbered and had to retreat back down the river with substantial damage and numerous injuries.

Odometer reading = 23,393
Miles for day = 0

 

5/29/01
(Nashville TN)

To be at Camping World in Nashville for an 8 o'clock appointment we were out of bed at 6:am and left our campsite at 6:40. We think that's pretty good! We figured 50 miles to Nashville and that we'd be there on time. We did not figure on losing US-41A somewhere in the middle of Clarksville, so we ended up being late. Oh well. They didn't care, so I guess we don't either.

The roof mounted heat pump in the bedroom, when it's in cooling mode will occasionally switch over to heat mode and just keep pumping heat until it's shut off. After a minute or so you can turn it back on and it will work fine for a number of weeks until it repeats the process. This is a factory warranty repair that has been worked on a number of times. This time the factory, Dometic, is overnighting two upgraded circuit boards (one for each heat pump) and a new type thermostat that controls both units, all of which they say will fix the problem once and for all.

We are staying in Two Rivers RV Park which is right next door to Camping World. It's costing us $31.45 to stay here for just one night which I believe makes it the most expensive campsite we've ever had. It's nice, but we've had just as nice for $20. None of the campgrounds in Nashville have a price listed in Woodall's Campground Directory and I think that's because the prices are so high. We called several and it appears that they run from approximately $25 to $35. On average we probably pay a little over $15.

Another thing we took notice of is that the Grand Old Oprey shows are only on weekends. We were spoiled in Branson where there are dozens of shows all over town every night, and where campgrounds are much more reasonable in what they charge. We'll definitely revisit Branson; with respect to Nashville we're not sure.

The other day Sharyn didn't think she could walk the perimeter of the remains of Fort Donelson's 15 acres. Tonight we went to to the Oprey Mill Mall and walked what seemed like 5,000 acres. I had to find a place to sit down, but Sharyn never slowed down.

Odometer reading = 23,455
Miles for day = 62

 

5/30/01
(Nashville TN)

We spent the entire day in the parking lot at Camping World. Our parts never came in, and by mid-afternoon it was determined that they had been missent somewhere else. They immediately sent another set to Nashville with assurances that they were on the way while even as the phone call was going on. It's now time to go to bed and we're still in the Camping World parking lot where we're spending the night.

We did go out to dinner tonight. We went to the Cracker Barrel right down the road. I had chicken dumplings with baked apple dumpling covered with pecan glaze and ice cream for dessert. I couldn't finish dessert as I'm no longer used to eating.

Odometer reading = 23,455
Miles for day = 1/4

 

5/31/01
(Knoxville TN)

Camping World did not get the parts for our air conditioning units until 11:am, and then they didn't have anyone available to do the work until two o'clock. The bottom line is that we didn't get out of there until a quarter to five (that's the latest we ever left anywhere). We very much wanted to get to Knoxville so that we could get to Phil's in Charlottesville by tomorrow evening. We also didn't want to drive after dark.

Well, we got to the Escapees Raccoon Valley RV Park at 8:pm, just as the last of the light faded. It was dark as we entered the park. It also was 9:pm local (EDT). We were very tired and glad to be off the road. In spite of the hour Sharyn still made a fine dinner. As I write this it's now 12:15 am tomorrow and Sharyn has gone to bed.

Odometer reading = 23,646
Miles for day = 191

 

6/1/01
(Charlottesville VA)

It was raining most of the night and was still raining when we got up this morning. We didn't get on the road until 11:am and it was raining when we left. It pretty much rained all day, but it never came down very hard.

We only stopped twice during the day; once to get some skim milk (when we also had some fat free cream cheese and blueberry jam on fat free saltines), and again to buy gas. Actually we stopped a third time because Sharyn needed a cup of coffee.

We finally arrived at Phil & Kim's a little after seven. Both Katlin and Philip IV have grown a great deal since we saw them last, even though it was only six months ago.

Odometer reading = 24.,035
Miles for day = 389

 

6/2/01
(Charlottesville VA)

Today Phil and I went to check out the Rivanna River to see about locations to put in and take out. Sharyn and Katlin went shopping, while Kim took Philip IV shopping in Richmond.

The river looked good and by late afternoon when we had all returned to the house we talked about floating the river tomorrow.

Odometer reading = 24,035
Miles for day = 0

 

6/3/01
(Charlottesville VA)

The six of us went down the Rivanna River for a distance of about 10 miles. Sharyn and I were in our kayaks while Phil, Kim, Katlin, and Phil IV went in their canoe. Great picture opportunities presented themselves but I had forgotten to take the camera. For the first several miles Phil fly fished more than he paddled and he caught (and released) several small mouth bass.

In and along the river we saw several gar fish, osprey, river otter, several snakes, many ducks and geese, and a deer fording the river ahead of us. There was also a butterfly that accompanied Sharyn the entire trip, from time to time sitting on her shoulder, finger, hair, or deck of her kayak.

We were about five hours on the river and I think we were all happy to see our take out point finally appear from around a bend.

Odometer reading = 24,035
Miles for day = 0

 

6/4/01
(Charlottesville VA)

Kim had to go to work and Katlin had school while Sharyn, Phil, and I spent a good bit of the day just sitting around talking. Later in the day Sharyn went to the grocery store and shortly after she left our third son, Shane, stopped by. He stayed for awhile and then he had to go back to work.

Phil had taken off today and tomorrow. After Shane left we went to Southern States to pick up eight bales of straw to finish spreading over the area that Phil had just seeded with lawn seed. After Kim got home from work we sat around enjoying the conversation and the weather while the kids played "kayak."

Odometer reading = 24,035
Miles for day = 0

 

6/5/01
(Charlottesville VA)

The main event today was Phil's and my trip down the Shenandoah River over in the Valley. We took the kayaks and it was a great trip. There was more water than had been on the Rivanna and it was moving faster. Also there were more rocks and other "good spots." Nothing more than Class II, but a really fun trip. I couldn't get any pictures of the "good spots" because I didn't want to get the camera wet. It's the only thing that was kept dry. We saw a family of minks right at the edge of the water.

Driving back to Charlottesville we took note that there was something about a river that makes one want to take a nap! Where we put in. Where we stopped for lunch. Kayaker Phil.

While we were doing the river Sharyn went to Katlin's school and joined her for lunch in the cafeteria. Sharyn gets an A+ for being a super grandma!


Odometer reading = 24,035
Miles for day = 0

 

6/6/01
(Boonton NJ)

We got up at 6:am to say good-bye to everyone before they went off to work/school/baby-sitter, which we did. We were then on the road by 8:15. After what seemed like many hours, three or four stops, several cups of coffee, and a number of tolls, we arrived at Harry and Irene's.

We enjoyed them as we always do, having wine and cheese, talking with Irene's animals, etc. Irene is the original Mrs. Livingston talking to her animals. She does volunteer work at a wildlife facility. When injured animals are brought to the facility they are treated and then released back into the wild, usually at Harry and Irene's place. This is one of her favorites.

After dinner we spent some "quality" time (his terminology) with their son Neil so that he would not have to prune the Christmas trees.

Odometer reading = 24,394
Miles for day = 359

 

6/7/01
(Southold NY)

This morning we spent several hours with Irene and Harry before getting on the road to Long Island. We left a little before noon and headed east via I-80 and the George Washington Bridge.. Tolls certainly seem to have been recently and substantially increased. The total tolls we paid from the tunnel in Baltimore to the Throgs Neck Bridge to Long Island , including $24 for the George Washington Bridge, exceeded $60. I have a real problem with these kind of numbers. When I commented to the toll collector at the GW Bridge his reply was, "What can I say, they're a bunch of crooks." Coupled with 87 octane gas on Long Island selling for $1.90/gal (we paid $1.43 in Virginia) it may be that unless an RVer has kids to visit in the northeastern US he should consider traveling elsewhere.

We pulled into Jordan's yard mid-afternoon and got all hooked up. Later on Sharyn went to Scott and Patrick's baseball game while I waited for Jordan to get home. After she got home we went to Greg's house where everyone had gone after the game.

Odometer reading = 24,521
Miles for day = 127

 

6/8/01 to 6/12/01
(Southold NY)

Sharyn left here last Sunday to visit her mother in Florida. She'll return this Sunday, but we'll be remaining in Southold through the end of the month. Since that will not give rise to very much to write about, this may be the last entry until such time as we are either back on the road, or until there is something else worth posting.

Odometer reading = 24,521
Miles for day(s) = 0

 

6/18/01
(Southold NY)

This afternoon I picked Sharyn up at the airport as she returned from her mother's in Florida. After having been away for eight days her return is an event of major proportion, probably only fully appreciated by other full time RVers.

Odometer reading = 24,521
Miles for day = 0

 

6/30/01
(Southold NY)

At 6:am this morning Sharyn boarded a plane to return to her mother's in Florida. The prognosis there is not good.

Odometer reading = 24,521

Miles for day = 0

 

7/1/01 to 7/12/01
(Southold NY)

Sharyn remains with her mother in Florida where her mother continues to hold on tenuously.

Jordan and I went to visit the Shannon's in New Jersey for two days. They have been friends for almost 50 years. We just returned to Long Island last night. While we were there Jordan went shopping with Irene who, after "oh so many years" of waiting, is about to become a grandmother. It's amazing how much baby stuff such a grandmother-to-be needs to buy in preparation for such an event.

While they were shopping, Harry and I kayaked down the Rockaway River (a Class I river) a distance of about four miles, taking out in his son, Danny's, back yard. It was a perfect day for such an excursion which made it even better for Harry who had never kayaked before.

Odometer reading = 24,521
Miles for day (motorhome) = 0

 

7/19/01
(Southold NY)

Sharyn returned home today. It's great to have her back and it's clear to me that I was not meant to live without her.

Her mother remains basically unchanged.

Odometer reading = 24,521
Miles for day = 0

 

7/26/01
(West Point NY)

After spending 49 nights in Southold we're finally on the road again!

This morning was not exactly a good beginning for the day. Jordan had no water in her house this morning so she used our bathroom to get ready for work. The plumber at first thought that the well point was no good which would have meant a new well. Later, when he got to the house, he found a much cheaper problem and got the water back on.

In the meanwhile, the sky had opened up with a deluge of rain made made getting set to leave a rather wet ordeal. The rain also caused standing water all around the motorhome that made things even messier, plus softened the ground so that we made ruts in the grass as we pulled out.

Due to road repairs going on on Long Island and in the Bronx, the first 100 miles took us three and a half hours, most of it bumper to bumper. As we crossed over the Hudson River at the Tappan Zee Bridge and headed north towards West Point the entire landscape evolved from congestion and construction into mountains, greenery, and pretty scenery.

We arrived at the FamCamp at West Point and called it a day.

Odometer reading = 24,674
Miles for day = 153

 

7/27/01
(West Point NY)

We have no cellular service here so this morning I walked to the office to call Jordan and make sure she had water -- she did.

We then finished off the coffee pot and drove to West Point Military Academy. The FamCamp is on Federal property, but about three miles down the road from the Academy. We started with the Visitors Center and then walked to the West Point Museum. They have some really neat items on display there. From Napoleon's sword that Charles DeGaulle presented to General Eisenhower at the end of the Second World War, to captured Iraq equipment from Desert Storm, to Sitting Bull's tomahawk. As I'm typing this I can see that this attempted description is not working. There are displays from all the wars the US has ever been involved in and all of these displays have numerous items. There are also many displays that have to do with West Point itself, and other displays that have to do with other major events in history.

In any event, some of the weapons displays on the lower level were not open today because of a shortage of manpower. They will be open tomorrow and we intend to return to see them.

We also checked out the PX and the Commissary. At the Commissary we bought about $175 worth of groceries for $120.37.

Odometer reading = 24,674
Miles for day = 0

 

7/28/01
(West Point NY)

Today we returned to the West Point Museum where we checked out the large and small weapons displays.

Small weapons basically went from knives and spears to hundreds of different hand held firearms. Some of them, including these blunderbuss', were probably equally dangerous at both ends. The lower one has a 1.2" bore.

Another interesting small weapons display item was this single shot .45 cal handgun. The Federal government bought several million of them during WWII at a cost of $1.71 each, plus 38 cents for packaging. They were distributed throughout parts of occupied Europe and Japanese controlled areas of the Pacific. Each gun had 10 rounds stored in the grip and the idea was that with 10 rounds you should be able to kill an enemy soldier and thereby acquire his weapon.

There was not a great deal on display in the large weapons area, but we did look at the full size replica of "The Fat Man," the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki in August 1945. I did not know that "The Fat Man" was different from bomb dropped on Hiroshima three days earlier. I had thought that both bombs were the same -- they were not.

From the museum we drove through "town," (Highlands) and then down along the Hudson River and some of the West Point parkland. On the way back to the FamCamp we checked out the cemetery and the gravesites of General Winfield Scott and George Armstrong Custer (not one of my favorites). There was also a large monument that said "Fort Sumter 1861." That turned out to be the gravesite of General Robert Anderson. In 1861 when the Confederate artillery opened fire on Fort Sumter they were under the command of Pierre G.T. Beauregard. It was then Captain Robert Anderson who was in command of Fort Sumter. The irony was that Beauregard, as a cadet at West Point, had studied artillery tactics in the class taught by Anderson.

Did anyone notice the beautiful Weeping American Beach behind Winfield Scott's grave?

Odometer reading = 24,674
Miles for day = 0

 

7/29/01
(Rhinebeck NY)

This morning we had a rather routine departure from the West Point FamCamp, although by the time we gassed up at the on-base gas station and actually got onto Route-9W heading north it was just past noon. At Newburg NY we crossed over to the east side of the Hudson River where the highway (Route-9) is less hilly. On Route 9-W we were always either climbing a hill in 2nd gear or going down a hill in second gear trying to keep the motorhome from running away.

Anyway, as we got to Rhinebeck it was 1:45 PM and there was a sign advertising an air show at the Old Rhinebeck Airdrome at 2 o'clock on Saturdays and Sundays (today is Sunday). We followed the signs and went to the show, arriving just at 2 o'clock. What is kind of neat is that 25 years ago, when I had a Piper Cherokee 140, I flew Phil and Shane, two of my sons, and their cousin, Ricky, up here to see this very show.

The show is basically WWI aircraft. Some of them are originals that have been restored, while others are replicas. There is also a "theme" that provides a kid oriented background to the events that occur. This theme is how the bad guy, the German Black Baron, is trying to abduct "Trudy Trueheart" on her wedding day, and how the good guys finally prevail. Some of this involves a German tank, aircraft bombing runs, and dog fights in the sky.

While the show starts with a guy parachuting onto the field, the main attraction is, of course, the vintage planes. Since I took many photos, but I can't remember which plane is which, just look as as many or a few, as you like (I do remember that there is a Sopwith Camel, a Folkker, and some others I forgot). Each letter links to a different photo: A B C D E.

The final flight event of the show is when the Black Baron comes in and lands his tri-plane which had been involved in a dog fight with two other planes. For most of the show the wind had been rather light and right down the runway. During the last 10-15 minutes the wind had been picking up a bit and was gusting across the runway. Just as the Black Baron touched down, but before he came to a stop, a side wind gust caught him and he nosed over and ended up upside down. The way the announcer handled it made you think it was part of the show. However, the way some of the guys ran to the overturned plane, the Baron's lack of his usual wise guy behavior after they got him out, and the fact that this didn't look like the kind of thing you could do on a routine basis and still have an airplane left, made us think this was not part of the show. It turned out it was not, and while the damage to the plane was not major, it was more than minor.

This is the plane where it came to rest. This is the plane as they are in the process of getting it back to rightside up. As the show ended and people were leaving, the announce asked if anyone had videoed or photographed the event they'd really like to get a copy of the tape or photo. My picture of the touchdown is about 10 seconds before the plane rolled over. This photo shows some of the damage; note the bent struts and the broken prop. That's the Baron on the left.

The situation in the parking lot was such that we figured we'd let everyone else get out and then we'd leave last. By then, however, it was 5 o'clock so we asked if we could just spend the night in the lot. We were told we could, so while it cost us $20 to see the show, there is an RV park in Rhinebeck that gets $30 per night. Works out pretty well; we saved $10 and got to see the show for free!

Odometer reading = 24,739
Miles for day = 65

 

7/30/01
(New Boston NH)

Last night, in the parking lot, we did not have any hookups, and, since we did not run the generator, we had no TV. As a result we went to bed unusually early, did our normal reading, and I was up at 5:30 AM -- Sharyn was up just past 6:AM. We ran the generator long enough to make coffee, get set to leave, and we were on the road by 7:30 which is about four hours earlier than our normal departure time.

Anyway, with the early start, by 3 o'clock we had passed through the northwest corner of Massachusetts and arrived at New Boston NH. Our destination was the FamCamp at the New Boston Air Force installation where we are now set up and getting ready for bed. The FamCamp office was closed so we just picked a site. We'll register tomorrow.

Odometer reading = 24,946
Miles for day = 207

 

7/31/01
(New Boston NH)

We took the car and went to visit my sister, Bess, in Portsmouth NH where we spent the day. We had an extensive and enjoyable visit. While we were there Sharyn used her washer and dryer to get all our laundry up to date as we talked the afternoon away.

Later on Bess took us out for dinner for Sharyn's birthday where Sharyn, who loves lobster, had a broiled lobster/seafood combo dinner which she enjoyed immensely. From the restaurant we went to the Cafe' Broice, a very nice sidewalk cafe'/coffee shop in the middle of what is a lovely downtown Portsmouth. From there we went back to Bess' apartment where we continued talking until after 11 o' clock. It was past midnight when we got back to the FamCamp in New Boston.

Upon our return we discovered that we had been invaded by either a mouse or a chipmunk as a three pound can of salted peanuts that had been on the couch had a hole gnawed through the plastic cover. There were also telltale droppings in the area.

Odometer reading = 24,946
Miles for day = 0

 

8/1/01
(New Boston NH)

Today was sort of a hang around and get it all together day. I cleaned and vacuumed inside, washed the floor, and then washed the exterior of the unit. Everything looks and feels clean.

Odometer reading = 24,946
Miles day = 0

 

8/2/01
(Gardiner ME)

It was our intention to travel to Augusta ME via US-1 which stays rather close to the coast, is picturesque, and makes for an enjoyable drive, even if you can't make very good time. However, we had arranged to stop and visit my cousin Myra who works in Augusta. After several hours of travel it was apparent that we would not get there during work hours so we cut over to I-95 and were in Augusta by 3:pm. Myra met us in a shopping center parking lot where Sharyn made lunch for all of us.

It turned out that Myra was playing in a community band tonight so we followed her home and setup the motorhome in her driveway. We then rode with her to Boothbay where this band has been playing for over 50 years -- two of the original members are still playing! It was quite a performance with the band playing everything from Rock Around the Clock to Stars and Stripes Forever. One of the unique features to this weekly performance is that any kid that would like to try it is given the opportunity to "lead" the band. One band member who was particularly engrossed in the music and thoroughly enjoyed the evening, both playing and listening to the music, was this lady in pink.

Myra, jokingly, says that this whole band thing is quite Norman Rockwell. I think it is the epitome of Norman Rockwell, and that's nice!

Incidentally, Myra is one of my more interesting and accomplished relatives. When she was in high school she wanted to be an engineer but was told by her guidance councilor that "girls cannot become engineers." She originally graduated with a Bachelor's degree in nursing; at forty something she got her law degree; she retired as a full colonel from the Air Force reserve with a combined 30 years of active and reserve time; and she's now the Executive Director of the Maine State Board of Nursing. Along the way she also got her Master's degree in Nursing, a private pilot's license, gave live in "social training" to dogs who were to be trained a seeing eye dogs, and during her years in Europe was active as a ski patrol and rescue person -- all that and she's younger than I am!

Odometer reading = 25,127
Miles for day = 181

 

8/3/01
(Buckport ME)

Myra left for work at 7:30 this morning and we left shortly after she did. Since we are not in any hurry we cut back to the coast and picked up again on our northeasterly trek along US-1. At about 11 o'clock we pulled into Moose Point State Park. We had been looking for a place to pull off the road for lunch, but we also wanted an ocean view to go with lunch.

Every hotel, motel, cabin rental, etc. that we passed had a "no vacancy" sign hanging out, so we were a little concerned about about not finding a campsite. We figured if we stopped early enough we should find a spot, so a little after noon we pulled into this place (Shady Oaks). We figured if we didn't like what we saw we'd continue on to a FamCamp in Winter Harbor, about 60 miles further down the road. This is a nice place; very clean and meticulously maintained by the husband/wife owners, who are also very outgoing and friendly.

Odometer reading = 25,217
Miles for day = 90

 

8/4/01
(Birch Harbor ME)

From Buckport it was an easy and relaxed drive along US-1. At this point it has become a two lane road winding up and down and around the hills of Coastal Maine, in an area relatively unpopulated except when passing through small towns. It did not take too long for us to get to the Naval facility at Winter Harbor where we were told that there were no campsites available. The girl directed us to Ocean Wood Campground several miles away which we found with no difficulty.

Turning off the paved public road at the sign for the campground, we followed a winding dirt road that led way back into the woods until we came to a post with a sign on it that said "Stop here for instructions." Attached to the post was a box containing a map with printed instructions. Basically, you were to select a site to your liking. Someone will come by and see you later. As the instructions say, the camp is operated, ". . . for campers with a deep respect for nature." The best rule may be that no noise or sounds that may disturb another camper may leave your campsite. That means the sound of your radio may not be heard outside of your RV. If it is you will be asked to leave.

Ocean Wood is not listed in any campground directory and the owner told us he does not want any such listing. He has 63 campsites, 16 of which are tent sites accessible only by footpath, and he turns away a thousand people a year. Word of mouth, and people that come back time and time again, are his mainstay.

While we do not have an oceanside site (none were vacant) this is the view from the footpath along the ocean that leads into some of the tent sites. As we stood on this rocky coast, I said to Sharyn that Florida will be gone for a million years, but the coast of Maine will still be here.

Sharyn likes it a lot and says that if we could get the campsite across the road from us we'd stay here for a month.

Odometer reading = 25,271
Miles for day = 54

 

8/5/01
(Machias ME)

It was our plan to go straight through Machias and go directly to the FamCamp at the Naval Station at Cutler. After checking in and getting all set up we would then return by car to Machias. The problem was that when we got to Cutler we learned that the FamCamp was no longer at the facility, and had been closed out several years ago.

Myra had told us to be sure that when we were in Machias we stopped at Joyce's Lobster House and had both the fish chowder and the blueberry pie. Since there are no campgrounds in the Machias area we decided we'd eat at Joyce's, and while there we'd inquire if there was any place around town where we could park for the night. While having our fish chowder and blueberry pie we asked if we could stay in their parking lot. The waitress said she'd check, and a few minutes later the owner came out and said that would be okay. He even said he'd talk to his wife, but he thought we could stay for two nights if we wanted to.

Leaving the motorhome in Joyce's parking lot we drove to the little fishing village of Cutler, which is actually several miles beyond the Naval Station. We had lunch in Cutler about five years ago and thought it was a serene and beautiful place. The place where we had eaten is now a private residence, but Cutler is still a picture postcard village. Just look at the pictures: from the dock -- lobster boats on a Sunday afternoon -- another lobster boat at rest. I don't know that I have ever seen a place more beautiful than the coast of Maine. I first thought that when I sailed from Long Island up to Corea, a coastal village just east of Acadia National Park, in the mid-70's, and I've never changed my mind.

Anyway, after driving around most of the afternoon, looking at the scenery and the photographs in the window of the real estate office, we returned to the motorhome. Since we had what amounted to a free campsite, we decided to spend the money we saved on dinner at Joyce's. We both had shrimp and scallop Vermicelli, plus I had another blueberry pie desert. It may well be that everything at Joyce's is worth having. It was all delicious.!

Odometer reading = 25,433
Miles for day = 72

 

8/6/01
(Pocologan NB)

We crossed into Canada from Calais ME around noontime. At Canadian customs, after routine questioning at the customs booth, we were directed to the side where a young agent went through the motorhome with his flashlight, looking into all the cabinets, drawers, refrigerator, under-the-bed storage, etc. It was about a ten minute process; not the 2-3 hour process we have heard stories about. He said that he was searching mostly for alcohol and tobacco products. It appeared to us that it was our Oregon registration that got us selected, but he said it wasn't. He said that "locals" get selected all the time, and that several weeks ago he was selected himself even though he was in uniform at the time. He said that he felt a little professional courtesy would have been appropriate.

Anyway, after getting through customs, we proceeded north on Canadian Route 1. We didn't go too far until we stopped at Ocean View Campground at Pocologan. It was about $23 Canadian, but was only $16US. This was sort of ocean view when we got here, but now the fog has rolled in and we can't see very much at all.

The first thing I did after getting all set up was change the oil and filter. Up until this point I've been using Castrol sometimes, and Mobil-1 sometimes. This time I used Mobil-1 and from now on that's all I'm going to use. Even at just under $5 per quart the additional cost will be less than $100 per year. I think that's $100 well spent.

We filled up with gas just before the border, taking on 71 gallons @ $1.399. Gas here seems to run about 69 cents (Canadian) per liter. In round numbers, in my head, that's in the neighborhood of $2/gal (US). That's pretty high, but it's less than we paid in California last summer.

Odometer reading = 25,439
Miles for day = 96

 

8/7/01
(St. John NB)

When we got up this morning the fog was very thick. We could hear vehicles going by on the highway but wondered how they could see where they were going. By ten o'clock the fog had lifted, but the sky was dark and we could hear thunder in the distance. I hurried to finish the outside things that needed to be done before the rain arrived. As we pulled out onto the highway the sky opened up and the thunder and lightening let loose. Sharyn remarked, "this is hairy and scary and I don't like it."

We were heading for what we believed would be a very nice campground in St. John. As we got to St. John we were looking for either the road number or a sign pointing to the campground, but we saw neither. When we came to an exit with a generic "camping" sign, we got off the highway and followed the "camping" signs through what seemed like downtown St. John. We ended up at Rockwood Park Campground, owned and operated by the St. John Horticultural Society. While the campground is like a giant parking lot, it's clean, neat, and has full hookups. Also, it's located within Rockwood Park which makes up almost a third of the City, and is adjacent to historic, downtown St. John. While it has rained pretty much all day, the lady next door, who is heading south, gave us a great deal of literature and maps from the Maritime Providence's (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island [also Newfoundland, but that's rather out in the Atlantic] ) where they have traveled for the last month. We looked over this stuff as the afternoon rained on.

This is a comfortable campground.

Odometer reading = 25,472
Miles for day = 33

 

8/8/01
(St. John NB)

We woke up this morning to a beautiful sunny day. While a giant part of the US was experiencing temperatures in the 90's and 100's, we topped out today somewhere in the sunny 70's.

After coffee and conversation we drove in to St. John where we first stopped at an ATM machine to get some Canadian cash. We withdrew $100 Canadian, and according to the bank person, something in the neighborhood of $60 US will be deducted from my account. We then checked out the City Market/Farmer's Market building where we bought some fresh fruit, but passed on the fresh octopus. This market opened in 1876 and since then has operated continuously in the same building.

We then went to Brunswick Square which is an inside, multilevel shopping mall. While Sharyn was finishing up in there I walked across the street to a photo supply store where I checked out an Olympus digital camera. While the new digital cameras sure are impressive, for web work my old Sony FD-81 can't be beat.

After a few minutes of driving around St. John (it's really quite small) we returned to the campground and Sharyn did laundry.

Odometer reading = 25,472
Miles for day = 0

 

8/9/01
(St. Martins NB)

This morning, after completing my on-line activities (update website, get e-mail, send e-mail, bank activities) we left St. John and headed in a northeasterly direction, picking up Route 111 and the "Fundy Coastal Drive" as we went.

At St. Martins we stopped at Cave View Family Restaurant where the signs were advertising their "World Famous Seafood Chowder." The chowder was really good. Also, the beach in front of the restaurant abuts up against red stone cliffs that contain giant caves eroded out of the cliff by the sea. At low tide we walked into one of the caves. At high tide the cave fills with water. After checking out the cave Sharyn became engrossed in all the various rocks. For awhile I thought she was going to get caught up against the cliff with the incoming tide as she would not stop with the rocks. She finally came away with only three.

The Bay of Fundy is basically the body of water between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Open to the sea at the southern end, the length of the Bay is such that the resonant frequency of the raise and ebb of the tide exactly coincides with the length of the bay. That may not be very well described, but it's as if you had a large, but shallow, pan of water, and lifted up one end with your finger. As soon as the water gets to the far end of the pan you lower your end. Then as soon as the water runs back to your end, you lift up again. If you keep that rhythm going, you'll have the water sloshing back and forth pretty violently even though you may only be lifting a half inch. Because the frequency of the incoming and outgoing tide (the lifting of the pan with the finger) matches the time it takes for the tide to slosh up to the head of the bay and back out again, you have the same result as in the shallow pan. The raise and fall of the tide in the Bay of Fundy ranges from 12 feet to over 40 feet at the head! In St. Martins the raise and fall is in the range of 25-30 feet. No other place in the world has such extreme tides.

After leaving the restaurant we continued on only to come to where the road dead ended at a park. I had not noticed that the Fundy Trail signs we were following was not the same as the Fundy Coastal Drive signs we had been following earlier. By the time we backtracked to St. Martins we decided to stop at Century Farm Family Campground which we had passed earlier. Again Sharyn was out on the beach picking up rocks.

Other pictures from today: fishing boats at dock at low tide; Sharyn approaching entrance to cave; covered bridge that takes Fundy Trail over the Irish River; at low tide you can walk from the point to the island.

Odometer reading = 25,519
Miles for day = 47

 

8/10/01
(Alma NB)

We left St. Martin this morning heading for Fundy National Park and one of the campgrounds within the Park. We took Route 111 to Sussex, and then Route 114 to Fundy. Both of these roads are part of the Fundy Coastal Drive, and both are narrow, twisting roads with steep grades. A number of the grades could be in the 12 -15% range. Several of them we had to climb in first gear. While the grades are steep, they are not very long -- most of them last for less than half a mile -- unlike some of the grades in the American West that went for ten miles or better (but not in the 12-15% range). As we left St.Martins we came to a sign that said it was 51 miles to Sussex, and since Sussex was only half way to Fundy I was set back by the distance to be traveled, which I had estimated to be 50-60 miles total. When we got to Sussex 30 miles later I remembered that the mileage signs were in kilometers, not miles. I don't know why I have that problem with mileage signs, but not the speed limit signs. Who knows?

Anyway, the drive was easy and enjoyable. Even the grades didn't detract from the pleasantness of the trip. Other than the extremely slow climbs in first gear, the rest of the drive was in the 30 -50 mph range. It's probably the slow and easy pace that makes it relaxed.

Route 114 goes straight through Fundy National Park and if you're just driving through you don't have to stop at the toll gate. We stopped anyway to ask about the location of the campgrounds. It turned out that since we were going to stop and use some of the park's facilities we had to pay a Park User Fee ($5.50 Canadian for both of us). The toll guy, however, radioed the campground to see if they had a site left that could accommodate our unit. The girl said there was one left and that she would save it for us, which she did. Twenty minutes later when we arrived at the campground they had a "no vacancy" sign at the gate, but we went in and she did have our spot for us. There are no hookups at the site, but we take what we can get.

After getting set up we drove into Alma and checked it out. Alma's only about three blocks long. I've been trying to get a haircut, but none of these small towns have barbers. Upon asking around we found out that there is a lady at the eastern edge of town who cuts hair. We walked to her house but she wasn't home. Yesterday we asked around in St. Martin and found out there was a lady at the end of Park Street, near the gravel pit, that cut hair. We drove down there but were not sure what house it was. I'll try the lady in Alma again tomorrow.

Odometer reading = 25,586
Miles for day = 67

 

8/11/01
(Alma NB)

First thing this morning, after coffee and conversation, we changed sites to get one with full hookups (water, sewer, electric). After getting moved, we drove about eight miles back into the park where we went kayaking at Bennett Lake. At one point while I was messing with the camera Sharyn shot past me, but not before I got her picture.

After kayaking we drove from the lake back to Alma where we bought two lobsters that we had for dinner. This is a picture of Alma from the edge of the campground. Like most of the villages we have seen in New Brunswick, it is quite small, but clean and neat. Zooming back and swinging the camera more to the right you begin to see some of the exposed bottom at relatively low tide. Finally, swinging further to the right you can see that the water's edge is about a half mile from the town docks. The average raise and fall of the tide in Alma is 39 feet As the tide comes in the water raises at almost one and a half inches per minute. On some sections of the flats shown in the previous photo the water's edge moves toward land at 7 - 9 feet per minute!

This is me and Sharyn sitting on the bench at the overlook where the previous photos were taken from. A hundred yards to the right of this position is a set of 119 stairs leading down to the highway that then goes into town. After eating the lobster we walked down the stairs and into town to, "walk off the lobster." When we got to town Sharyn said I could buy her an ice cream as she had "walked enough." We ate our ice cream as we walked back up to the campground.

Odometer reading = 25,586
Miles for day = 0

 

8/12/01
(Alma NB)

The first thing that happened today is that we woke up freezing. Last night, rather than use heating or air conditioning, Sharyn said, "let's just open all the windows." We did, and this morning it was 62 degrees inside. We did not have 62 degrees worth of blankets on the bed!

Anyway, after coffee and conversation, we drove five miles back towards Sussex, figuring that at the top of the big hill we'd have cellular phone service and could call Jordan and Sharyn's mother. It didn't work; there was no service anywhere. We then came back down the hill, continued past the campground, and drove about 30 miles in the opposite direction to view the Hopewell Rocks.

These might be considered the marine version of Monument Valley out west. At low tide you can walk along the dry seabed and view these giant sized sculptures of nature. Over eons of time the tides have eroded away much of the softer material leaving random shaped stone pedestals, and carving out caves and natural arches from the stone bluffs. We then stayed around and waited for the tide to come in so we could return to the site with our kayaks. This is Sharyn passing under the arch that I was standing under in one of the previous photos. We like this picture also. Some of the experiences that I write about in this travelog cannot adequately be described, and kayaking among these ancient giants is certainly one of them.

We had not been back at the campground too long when Sharyn heard an animal up in the engine area of the motorhome. It turned out that a red squirrel had gotten up into the insulation of the engine box that extends up into the motorhome between the two front seats. When we removed the box, the squirrel was gone, but the insulation is kind of messed up.

The machines in the laundry room here take 50 cents Canadian -- that's only 33 cents US, so we did some laundry before going to bed.

Odometer reading = 25,586
Miles for day = 0

 

8/13/01
(Springhill NS)

This morning, as we left Alma and Fundy National Park, we stopped at the fish store,on the dock, in Alma. That's where Sharyn had bought the lobsters the other day. As she was looking at two salmon steaks in the case the man told her that if she could wait a half hour there would be new fresh steaks available. When she said she couldn't wait because we were on our way out, her asked if she could wait ten minutes. She said she could, and while she watched he scaled, cleaned and sliced a fresh salmon from which she got the steaks. She also got some halibut which we had for dinner. The salmon is for tomorrow.

As we threaded our way through the City of Moncton I caught a vertical clearance sign that read "3.5 meters." I saw the railroad bridge and I know we need about 11' 6". In my head it was too close to call and I took a quick turn into a large parking lot. Two women walking through the parking lot gave me directions to get around the bridge. They also said that trucks hit the bridge all the time. On the calculator it turns out the 3.5 meters is about 11' 4". We would not have made it!

Passing through the town of Sackville NB we passed a barber shop. We parked around the corner and I got a haircut for $6.50 ($4.29US) while Sharyn went to the Salvation Army Thrift Shop.

We did not travel too far into Nova Scotia until we stopped at a new, 10-site, family owned campground in Springhill. The campground is in their yard. Also, here for the first time in quite a while we have both cellular phone service and a satellite TV signal! The difficulty with the satellite is that this far north the satellite is extremely low on the horizon and frequently obstructed.

Odometer reading = 25,704
Miles for day = 117

 

8/14/01
(Stewiacke NS)

We decided that we'd do as we do in the US and basically follow the "2 lane roads," rather than the Interstate type highways. We had only gone about about 30 miles when we came to the village of Parrsboro. It was a picturesque community and we thought that we'd just park and walk around, which is what we did. We walked the entire village (about three blocks long), looked in some shops, and had coffee at John's Coffee House. After checking out the village bakery, that had it's aroma drifting across the sidewalk, we returned to the motorhome and continued on our way.

Later we stopped at a country store in Great Village where we got some milk, Sharyn bought a lottery ticket, and I bought a large cup of serve yourself, soft ice cream.

I'm surprised at the number of Baptist Churches that seem to be all throughout the Canadian Maritime Providence's. There are more Baptist Churches than any other denomination. My mother, who was a good South Carolina Baptist, would be pleased.

Anyway, we eventually came to Wild Nature Campground in Stewiacke where we decided to stop for the evening. It was $17 Canadian, but "cash only," and it didn't look as if we had it. We finally did make it with a $5 bill (Canadian), two $1 bills US (worth $3), and a pile of Canadian coins. I told the owner we were lucky it wasn't $17.50.

By the way, in the US they want to get rid of $1 bills and use $1 coins instead. I was not crazy about the idea, but having used Canadian $1 and $2 coins for a little over a week I've changed my mind. I now favor the replacement of $1 bills with $1 and $2 coins (I don't think that $2 coins are part of the US Government's idea, but they should be).

Odometer reading = 25,816
Miles for day = 112

 

8/15/01
(Lunenburg NS)

When we started out this morning, after our coffee and conversation, we backtracked about three miles to pick up Route 102. The "100 series" highways (numbers like 100, 102 ,104, etc.) are sort of the Canadian equivalent to the US Interstate highways, and we decided that we'd had enough of the rough roads cutting through the middle of Nova Scotia. Besides we wanted a short driving-time day.

By 1:30 we had arrived at the visitor's center in Lunenburg. It is right next to the historic waterfront section of town, and there are a number of RV sites as part of the visitor's center. It rained part of the way here, and it's still kind of foggy. Lunenburg is set on a peninsula and the Visitor's center is high on a hill at the far end of town. From the motorhome we can see the fog-obscured harbors on both sides of town. (Same view without the fog).

After getting all set up, we drove out about seven miles to find Leon, a friend from once a lifetime ago. He wasn't home, but we made telephone contact later on and got together with him and his daughter Sarah for dinner at the Magnolia Grill which is one block off of the waterfront, and within walking distance of the RV park. Since we arrived first we waited outside until they got there. During dinner we decided that it was at least 20 years since we had seen each other. It was a very enjoyable dinner. As I always tell Sharyn, dinner is a social event; the fact that you eat is only incidental to the occasion.

Right now we are okay to remain in this park for two nights, but there is the Annual Fishermen's Picnic and Reunion scheduled for this weekend and there are a number of weekend reservations for this park. We'll find out tomorrow if we can retain this site (or any site) through the weekend.

Odometer reading = 25,920
Miles for day = 104

 

8/16/01
(Lunenburg NS)

We were still in bed at 8:30 this morning when we heard a light knocking at the door. It was Leon. He came in and I told him coffee would be ready in 10 minutes. The three of us enjoyed coffee and conversation with the croissants that Leon had brought with him. It wasn't too long after Leon left that he called and asked if we wanted to join him and the dog to go check out his favorite beach. We said we would be there within the hour.

When we got to the house Leon showed us the his property and gardens. It was all very nice, but while we were doing this the dog got a burr in his foot so he didn't accompany us to the beach and guided tour of the Lunenburg area. We probably spent over an hour driving around the various points of shoreline and secluded coves. It's all very picturesque and beautiful. There were a number of places that we could really be interested in if they were not so far away from where we "live" (whatever that means). Certainly the prices are right, and the current exchange rate makes it all that much better.

Later on, Sharyn and I returned to town and bought some groceries. After that we returned to Leon's for fish dinner with Leon and Sarah. While we were there this afternoon I also got to upload over a week's worth of travelog and photos to stringbean.com for the enjoyment of the thousands of you who follow this story on a daily basis!

Odometer reading = 25,920
Miles for day = 0

 

8/17/01
(Ludenburg NS)

This morning's coffee and conversation went on for so long that we had to make a second pot of coffee. The coffee went particularly well, since yesterday we bought a locally baked blueberry pie made from wild blueberries. We were talking about how comfortable Ludenburg and the surrounding area is. How well it fits. The conversation even went to the pros and cons of buying something here.

About that time Leon called about going sailing and we said we'd be there in 30 minutes. Leon is now sailing a 22' Stonehorse, a classic design fiberglass sloop that we've admired for three decades. I was sorry to learn that they are no longer being manufactured. Anyway, we sailed the LaHave River for several hours, thoroughly enjoying it. After returning to Leon's house we had cheese and crackers before Sharyn and I returned to town.

In town we went to a real estate office that has color brochures on all it's listings. Leon had told Sharyn to pick up the brochures on properties she liked and that tomorrow we'd ride around and look at them.

Tonight we again had dinner with Leon and Sarah at their house. Leon called and said he had intended to take two steaks out of the freezer for their dinner, but had mistakenly thawed out some beef stew. He said it was too much for the two of them so we should come over and help them eat it. The stew was good and we enjoyed the dinner and the company.

Odometer reading = 25,920
Miles for day = 0

 

8/18/01
(Ludenburg NS)

Basically, the bulk of the day today was spend with Leon driving us around some of the coves, peninsulas, and small islands along the coast. We've concluded that this could be the prettiest area we've seen since we started full-timing a year and a half ago. That's even allowing for the "enthusiasm of the moment." To the extent that we've talked about maybe someday having a "home base" if we ever found the perfect place (that elusive "cabin on the river"), this might well be it if it were not so far out on the end of the continent.

We later returned to Leon's house where we sat out on the back porch drinking wine and talking. After several hours we adjourned to a downtown pub for a dinner of fish chowder, shrimp, and steamed mussels.

Bearing in mind that it was a rather overcast day, here are some of the photos from today (each letter links to a different photo): A B C D E

Odometer reading = 25,920
Miles for day = 0

 

8/19/01
(Ludenburg NS)

It had been our plan to leave here this morning, but during our coffee and conversation I suggested that perhaps we should stay another day. We had not really explored Ludenburg itself and, besides, this seemed like a good day to just hang out and read the Sunday paper. The visitors center has complimentary copies of The Globe and Mail, a national newspaper, and the best paper we've seen in Canada. Unfortunately, it turns out there is no Sunday edition. Oh well.

Anyway, we out and got some milk and another blueberry pie, together with another Sunday paper. We spent a good while reading the paper, and then while Sharyn was reading her book , I cleaned and vacuumed the motorhome, including the tub and shower. After that we went to the fisherman's dinner at the wharf. From there we drove around to the other side of the harbor where we could look back at the Lunenburg waterfront (a scrollable composite).We then drove South to the end of the road on the peninsula that Lunenburg is located on. The area is called the Blue Rocks, and it's a truly beautiful place. (Photo A B C )

When we got got back to the motorhome there was a message from Leon who wanted to know what time we had left this morning, how far we had traveled, and where we were. When we called back and told him we were still in town, he said we should come over for some more wine and conversation on his porch. We went over, but after about an hour the mosquitoes drove us inside and then we left and returned to the motorhome.

Odometer reading = 25,920
Miles for day = 0

 

8/20/01
(Indian Harbor NS)

As we left Ludenburg we followed the "Lighthouse Route" which is the marked scenic route along the coast as we head towards Halifax. We didn't travel too long or go too far. We stopped at King Neptune Campground here in Indian Harbor, right on the edge of the water. This is a picture of Sharyn having her tea while she enjoys the view from the motorhome.

Following the advice of the couple in the next campsite, we followed the footpath through the woods for about 50 yards to where it comes out next to the harborside fish market. We bought several pounds of fresh haddock filet and a pound of scallops for about $13.25 US.

We are very impressed with the beauty of this area. There's no question but that if someone is going to have a summer home and a winter home, the south shore of Nova Scotia is where the summer home should be!

Odometer reading = 25,983
Miles for day = 63

 

8/21/01
(Upper Lakeville NS)

This morning the seagulls had me up at 6:15, which is rather early. Fifteen minutes later as I was pouring my first cup of coffee, Sharyn got up. It was a foggy morning with drizzling rain that set the scene for such a prolonged session of coffee and conversation that we again needed to make a second pot. This was the view we had looking down through our rain streaked windshield. The smaller RVs were able to go around the owners house and right at the waters edge.

We eventually got started on our easterly travel along the south coast of Nova Scotia. We had only gone about two miles when we came to "Peggy's Cove," another remarkably beautiful place where rock and shoreline meet the Atlantic. Because of the weather and the lack of any place to park the motorhome/car combination we just drove through the cove and then continued on our way.

As a result of a number of errors and missed signs we got lost in Halifax several times. We finally made our way through and picked up what they call "Marine Drive." It is the shoreline scenic route that is the counterpart to the "Lighthouse Route" on the other side of Halifax. So far they don't compare and we're not sure we're going to continue on it tomorrow. There really wasn't too much to see once we got on this side of Halifax.

This campground we're in is kind of nice, and it's quite different for a wooded campground. This may be the first wooded campground we've been in that has grass covering all the unpaved areas. Usually wooded means dirt ground, maybe partially covered with leaves, twigs, etc.

Both last night and this morning I tried, but was unable to get online. I figured that it was a problem with the phone line at the campground, but this afternoon I am still unable to get online from this campground as well. I've reconfigured my dial-up connection, twice. I've also talked with the tech guy at ESI back in Charlottesville VA (my ISP) who can't find any problem on his end. He was also able to connect from an outside phone line using my user name and password. I have no idea what the problem is (I still hope it's the phone line) but if this is being read by anyone, then I must have worked it out somehow! Right now I can't even post a "temporarily out of service" sign on the website. Banking transactions and e-mail are also at standstill.

It's been raining and drizzling all day, and at 10:30pm it's still raining. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed.

Odometer reading = 26,065
Miles for day = 82

 

8/22/01
(Trenton NS)

As we continued along "Marine Drive" towards Cape Breton we decided to cut short our original Nova Scotia plans as Sharyn would like to start heading south sooner than planned. We may drive to Florida, or she may fly from Bangor, or some other intermediate place, to her mother's, and I'll continue to drive there. We'll make that decision as we leave Prince Edward Island. Anyway, in accordance with our revised plans we cut across Nova Scotia and headed for the Caribou area, where the ferry departs to Prince Edward Island. Tonight we are at the Trenton Municipal Park, which is probably within 20 miles of the ferry.

During our travel time today we were again talking about how nice the people here are. Everyone is very friendly, anxious to be helpful, and no one seems to be rushed. The people we meet, in stores, on the street, or anywhere else, all seem to be the kind of people you'd like to know socially and have as friends. It's strange to realize that we are traveling in a "foreign country" when we feel a greater affinity to the people here than we do to many of the people we meet while traveling in the US. The fact that everyone is clean, neat, and well-groomed is another plus. Most anyplace you go, some of the people will be like that, but there are not too many places where everyone is like that!

Odometer reading = 26,164
Miles for day = 99

 

8/23/01
(Wood Islands PEI)

Last night we decided on a new policy; every night we will set the alarm for 7:30am. This will probably cause us to go to bed earlier, but even if it doesn't, it will give us more daylight hours.

This morning it probably took us a half hour to get to the ferry that crosses the Northumberland Strait from Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island. We saw the 10 o'clock ferry leaving the dock as we arrived at the holding area. The next ferry wasn't until 11:30 so I read the newspaper while Sharyn checked out the gift shop. It was around 10:45 that I took this picture of the ferry line. The actual crossing is an hour and fifteen minutes. Since you cannot remain in your vehicle during the crossing, we were on the top deck for most of the trip. This is Sharyn getting back into the motorhome as we prepared to drive off the ferry.

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is about 180 miles from end to end, compared with Nova Scotia which is 500 miles. We are in the Woods Island Provincial Campground, which is on the coast, two miles east of where the ferry comes in. We were undecided whether to stay here or to go the other 40 miles to Charlottetown, of Anne of Green Gables fame. We decided to stay here for the night, but now Sharyn says maybe we should stay here and just drive the car to Charlottetown because, "we won't find another campground as nice as this and on the water."

After Sharyn did a pile of laundry we drove down the road to Crabby's Seafood shack where Sharyn had a lobster roll and I had a lobster sandwich. A camper in Alma NB told us to be sure we stopped at Crabby's for some of the best lobster anywhere in the Atlantic Provinces. She was right.

Odometer reading = 26,183
Miles for day = 19

 

8/24/01
(Wood Islands PEI)

It was raining when we got up this morning, and basically it didn't let up all day. By the time the coffee pot was empty we had decided that it was a good day to sit around and catch up on all the newspapers we hadn't finished reading. Looking out at the water through the rain, or sitting out under the awning with the rain falling all around, both presented soothing and peaceful environments.

By mid-afternoon we decided to find and drive into the nearest town. Checking with the lady in the campground office we found that the nearest town was Montague, 25 kilometers (about 16 miles) north of the campground. We drove there, put some gas in the car, bought a few groceries, today's newspaper, and got some mini-cartridges for the grease gun.

Several hours later, as Sharyn was preparing dinner the sky cleared and the sun came out. After we had eaten and cleaned up Sharyn went outside and immediately called me to come out. There was a young fox wandering nervously around the campground. He went almost right up to a young boy standing nearby and I was concerned that he may have been rabid. He then came over to us and circled around us at a distance of no more than 8 feet. At that distance it was clear that he was nervous and super alert -- not the behavior of a rabid animal. He was clearly not too frightened of campers, and perhaps was looking for handouts of food. It was not the same kind of fox we had in Virginia. He was dark in color, and his tail was at least as long as his body, perhaps a little longer. The tail was extremely full and dense, with a diameter of 6-7," and this diameter continued for the entire length of the tail. Unfortunately by the time we got the camera he had disappeared.

Odometer reading = 26.183
Miles for day = 0

 

8/25/01
(Dundas PEI)

This morning, as we were preparing to leave we met and talked with our "next door neighbors, who are year round residents of Prince Edward Island. They enjoy it immensely and, although they have friends who winter in Florida, they stay on the Island and do not find the winters to be all that people imagine them to be.

We had originally planned to go to Charlottetown, but we heard about the three day PEI Plowing Match and Agricultural Fair going on in Dundas this weekend and decided to go. We arrived at the fair around noon, and for $5 each (Canadian) we get admission to the fair plus free overnight camping. Some of the activities at the fair include plowing contests for both men and women, using both horses and tractors, draft horse show, pig scramble, step dancing, etc.

These are not small men, it's just that that's a big horse. These are two of the younger farmers.

There was also an antique engine display with all of the engines actually running. After the fair had closed for the evening we returned to the motorhome for a glass of wine. Across the way from us was a group of people with tents and trailers who were sitting around playing music and who invited us to bring our chairs over and join them, which we did. They were the family with the antique engines. They all live in or near Charlottetown, and were playing guitars and a fiddle. They were playing and singing good old American country and western, as well as Scotch (or Irish?) ballads, Canadian seafaring songs, and a number of other songs that don't exactly fit any of these categories. We thoroughly enjoyed them and their music.

Odometer reading = 26,216
Miles for day = 33

 

8/26/01
(Charlottetown PEI)

This morning we were up at 6:15 and had instant coffee because we had no hookups and didn't want to run the generator at that hour of the morning. Last night we closed the bedroom door and only ran the rear furnace. When we got up this morning it was 56 degrees in the front part of the motorhome, and only 48 degrees outside. The bedroom was 68 degrees as per the thermostat setting. Summer wraps it up rather early up here.

We checked in to Southport RV Park, on the river overlooking Charlottetown, before 10:am. That's pretty good for people who usually don't get on the road until elevenish. After getting set up we relaxed and read the paper for awhile. We also made some real coffee.

Later on we drove up to Cavendish to visit Ann's House of Green Gables. We also saw the gardens and Sharyn took a break. From there we drove back to Charlottetown where we drove around for awhile and, on several occasions got out and walked around. One street had a bunch of sidewalk cafe's where we checked the menus, but didn't get anything. While I didn't take a picture of it, a really great used book store is The Bookman at 177 Queen Street.

The major event of the day was when I managed to connect to my Internet service provider for the first time in a week to upload to this website, get e-mail, etc. (You have to watch those protocols).

Odometer reading = 26,259
Miles for day = 43

 

8/27/01
(Charlottetown PEI)

As another example of why we say that our plans are never firm until after the event, we had planned leaving here this morning to head back through New Brunswick. As we were having our coffee and conversation we decided, for no particular reason, to stay here until tomorrow. That having been decided, we finished the pot of coffee while finishing yesterdays newspaper.

Actually, that leads to a recurring question; living the life style we do, how come I never have time to read the newspaper? It's now five minutes until midnight and I haven't even finished the first section of the paper (and I've just begun to do today's entry in the travelog). Every time I ask Sharyn how come I didn't have time to read the paper, she tells me what went on that particular day that made it so I had no time to read it. My question is more along the lines of how come I never have time to read the paper? I don't know the answer to that question.

Anyway, around noontime Sharyn decided she was going to take a nap. While she did that I went across the street to the library where I could have free access to their online computers (as opposed to paying 25 cents per minute -- my telephone connect cost from Canada when using my own computer). When I got back Sharyn was in the shower. When she finished we drove back into town where she wanted to check out the Confederation Mall. (By the way, Sharyn got mad at me last night when, in her dream, I told her she had "a mini-mall mentality." Whatever that is -- neither of us knows.)

From the mall, which was limited to one hour because of the parking meter, we came back to this side of the river and went to Sobey's, a super market chain store. This particular Sobey's was very impressive with its variety of unusual and gourmet type items. We spent two hours in the store and $150 Canadian on all that stuff that we couldn't just pass by. I was particularly impressed by the way the fresh salmon filet was wrapped. Sharyn selected the pieces she wanted and they were then place in foil packages that were then hermetically sealed.

As we began putting the groceries away our next door neighbors, Rachel and Ralph, from Ottawa invited us to come over for wine and cheese which we gladly accepted. They just recently got their motorhome and this is their biggest trip with it so far. We enjoyed visiting with them for quite a while. We each got a tour of the others motorhome, and at about 10:30 we all returned to our respective homes for a late dinner (we had some excellent Habitant (a Canadian brand) Pea Soup with Smoked Ham). As I wind up today's entry it's 12:37AM and I've yet to read the paper. I'm going to bed.

Odometer reading = 26,259
Miles for day = 0

 

8/28/01
(Sussex NB)

When I woke up this morning Sharyn had already been up for two hours, had coffee made, and had everything cleaned up and ready to go. We talked with Ralph and Rachel for awhile before heading for New Brunswick and back to the US.

Having gotten onto Prince Edward Island via the ferry, we left via the Confederation Bridge. Those are the only two link to get you on and off the Island. There is no toll going on, but we paid $42.25 ($27.45US) to leave via the bridge (it would have been $74 ($48 US) to leave via the ferry.

We are spending the night at Pine Cone Campground just outside of Sussex.

Odometer reading = 26,415
Miles for day = 156

 

8/29/01
(Oak Bay NB)

According to Sharyn, we got up this morning, lollygagged, and left. Oak Bay is about 5 miles east of St. Steven and the US border. We decided to stop on the Canadian side because campground fees basically double when we cross the border into the New England States. As I wrote several weeks ago, campground fees in the New York and New England area are the highest we've seen anywhere.

Odometer reading = 26,528
Miles for day = 113

 

8/30/01
(Appleton ME)

Coming back into the United States, the custom official asked what we had bought while in Canada. I told him "mostly blueberry pies, but we ate them all." He said okay, and waved us on. Quite different from when we went into Canada and the Canadian official searched through all our closets, drawers, and cabinets with a flashlight.

When we got back into the US I filled the gas tank for the first time since we left. We bought gas several times in Canada, but never filled it up. While traveling 1170 miles we used 157.35 gallons. That's 7.44 miles per gallon and right in the 7.5 mpg range which seems to be pretty constant.

Not too far into Maine there was a moose on the other side of the road that was looking to cross. Luckily, at that moment, there was traffic in both directions so he turned and trotted back into the woods. I say luckily because he was in the shadow of the trees and I didn't see him until he started to turn around. Had he come across, and not been hit by oncoming traffic, we would have hit him dead on. Several years ago I hit a white tail deer that probably weighed 120 pounds; the impact did $3500 damage to the car. I can't imagine what an 1800 pound moose would do to the motorhome!

We stopped by Rec-Tec in Brewster ME to talk to the Dometic Service Tech who is supposed to fix our troublesome air conditioner next Thursday. We then spent 20 minutes trying to find Route-1A westbound out of downtown Bangor (across the river from Brewster). Route-1A into downtown is clearly marked, but in the center of downtown the signs just disappear. Finally, the third time around we just took a wide westbound street. Several blocks later the sign told us we were on 1A.

We are at Sennebec Lake Campground which is a Passport America Campground so we paid $15 instead of $25. Passport America is supposed to pay half price, but I'm happy for $15.

Odometer reading = 26,696
Miles for day = 168

 

8/31/01
(Gardiner ME)

This morning, during coffee and conversation,we talked about why some campgrounds "feel" so much better than others. We're not sure, but Sennebec Lake, which seems to have everything that should make it a "good one," somehow misses the boat. My best guess is that many, if not most, of the sites there seem to be set up for the season. They're not really being used by RVers (we were there on a Thursday and most were not occupied at all, even though they all had some kind of RV or camping unit on them) but rather are being used as summer "vacation houses." Actually kind of reminiscent of when we (my parents, sister,and I) camped for the summer in Wildwood State Park in Wading River NY during the 40's.

Anyway, we left there and drove to Gardiner where we parked in my cousin Myra's driveway. When we called her at work we discovered that she was in Chicago, but would probably be back sometime tomorrow. We're not exactly sure what we are going to do over the next several days as this is Labor Day weekend and most campgrounds are booked solid with reservations. We'll probably move from here to Portsmouth NH to visit my sister for a day or so. We will be staying in the area since Sharyn has a flight out of Boston on Tuesday morning when she's flying to Florida to be with her mother who continues to deteriorate.

Odometer reading = 26,734
Miles for day = 37

 

9/1/01
(Gardiner ME)

After our morning coffee and conversation we left a note for Myra and drove through downtown Gardiner (takes about 60-90 seconds). From there we decided to go to Augusta where we knew there was a Barnes & Noble. We probably spent an hour in B&N, during which time I bought another book about Nathan Bedford Forrest, the greatest cavalry leader of the Civil War, and the only soldier in either army to go from private to Lieutenant General during the course of the conflict. Joining the Confederate Army as a 40 year old private, his brilliant tactics and unbridled successes against the Union Army were such that General William Tecumseh Sherman stated that "that devil Forrest" had to be hunted down and killed "if it costs 10,000 lives and bankrupts the Federal treasury". Forrest was wounded numerous times, personally killed 30 union soldiers in hand to hand combat, and had 29 horses shot out from under him. He was a phenomenal warrior. One of his descendants, a fellow named Bill Slater, maintains a Nathan Bedford Forrest website at http://www.nbforrest.com.

Anyway, within two minutes after we returned to the motorhome Myra called. Her plane back from Chicago had landed at Portland shortly after noon, and from there she was driving to Jersey to spend the weekend with two of her aunts. On her way she had stopped to see my sister in Portsmouth and was told that we were parked in her driveway. Oh well, we'll see her another time.

Odometer reading = 26,734
Miles for day = 0

 

9/2/01
(Portsmouth NH)

We arrived in Portsmouth NH around midday and pulled into Wal-Mart's parking lot where we had intended to stay while we were here. Wal-Mart is only several hundred yards down the road from my sister's condo complex, but there were signs in the parking lot that said overnight parking by RV was prohibited. Since Wal-Mart makes a point of being RV friendly, and almost without exception makes their parking lots available for RVers to park overnight, the signs caught us by surprise. Inquiring of the assistant manager we were told that it was not Wal-Mart, but the City ordinance that prohibited the overnight parking by RVs (but not by cars or trucks).

Anyway, we left the motorhome in the parking lot and went to my sister's. The three of us went out to lunch and drove around town for a short while. My sister loves Portsmouth and never passes up the chance to drive someone around and show them what a great place it is. We've had this tour several times. We then returned to her apartment where we did a lot of "visiting." I spent time enjoying her cable Internet connection.

When the day was over we moved the motorhome to the Comfort Inn parking lot where we spent the night.

Odometer reading = 26,847
Miles for day = 114

 

9/3/01
(Portsmouth NH)

After we got up this morning we took the motorhome back to Wal-Mart's parking lot. I think it's a better security situation there than at the Comfort Inn.

After another day of visiting, during which Sharyn also got all our laundry done, we then, with the motorhome, followed my sister to the overflow parking lot at the bus terminal. We are going to sleep here tonight, and then Sharyn is taking the 6:am bus to the Boston airport where she has an 8:am flight direct to Fort Meyers FL to spend time with her mother. I'll probably go back to St. John NB and spend some time there while I wait for her to return.

Odometer reading = 26,853
Miles for day = 6

 

9/4/01
(Gardiner ME)

It was 12:30 this morning before Sharyn had all her stuff packed. Four hours later, at 4:am, we got up, dressed, etc, and traveled the several hundred yards to the bus terminal where Sharyn got the 6 o'clock bus that took her right to the Delta terminal at Logan International Airport. By 6:30 I was on my way back north where I arrived at Myra's several hours later. With only fours sleep last night I was kind of tired and took several naps during the course of the day. I also went to the grocery store and the post office to mail our granddaughter Mary's birthday present. Sharyn had asked me please not to forget and I thought I was being real good. The only problem was that when I got to the post office I realized that the package had not been addressed and I didn't know the address.

This evening Myra joined me in the motorhome for a bring your own dinner. She had cereal and I had leftover steamed vegetables.

Odometer reading = 26,956
Miles for day = 103

 

9/5/01
(Brewer ME)

This morning, after instant coffee and . . . (no conversation) . . . I got all set to leave and took off for Brewer, and RecTech RV Service. Since I had less than a 100 miles to travel and all day to get there I decided to take Route-202 pretty much from Augusta to Brewer. It's a beautiful drive along a two lane roadway that weaves it way through rolling countryside, small farms, and a few forgotten hamlets. The weather was clear and brisk with gusty fall winds. A few of the leaves are starting to turn color, and with last nights rain the fields and woods looked particularly clean and crisp.

I pulled into a campground conveniently located right next door to RecTech. The sign at the entrance reads, "All sites $18 including tax. Pick a site, I'll see you later." As I was setting up I saw that the outside rear right tire was flat. Flat in that it had broken loose from the rim, although it was still on the rim. Those two tires, while hotter than the two on the other side were not as hot as they would have been if I had traveled any great distance like that -- to say nothing of the fact that the tire would have come off the rim completely in a very short distance. I can't imagine that I could have gone any distance at all without feeling the loss of that tire.

Anyway, I called the road service number I have for the Family Motor Coach Association and they had someone come out who changed the wheel and put on the spare. If I was going to have a flat tire I would be hard pressed to pick a more convenient place or set of circumstances.

I called Sharyn in Florida (twice) and she's doing fine. Her mother also seems to be doing better than she has been on the last two occasions that Sharyn has flown down there.

Odometer reading = 27,040
Miles for day = 84

 

9/6/01
(Brewer ME)

This morning I made a real pot of coffee and shortly thereafter I moved the motorhome next door to RecTech to have the rear A/C repaired. After that was done I went to a local tire dealer to see about getting a replacement tire for the one that went bad. It had sustained a large cut in the sidewall that I thought would warrant a new tire based on a road hazard warranty (prorated on thread wear) but was told that the motorhome tires had no such warranty. He would of course sell me a new tire for $275. I have to check further on this bit about no road hazard warranty.

****** NOTE ******

Since Sharyn is away and I'm just going to be, for the most part, "hanging out," the daily entries I make will be rather short, if I make one at all. On days that I change location I will write to say where I have moved to. On days that I just read the paper, read my books, and/or watch the news and/or the History channel, I probably won't write at all. While I sometimes do it, I try not to make a habit of writing too many words about nothing.

Odometer reading = 27,045
Miles for day = 5

 

9/7/01
(St. John NB)

I had decided several days ago that St. John, where we spent several days a few weeks back, would be the place I'd return to while waiting for Sharyn to return. While the campground is somewhat sterile, I find it comfortable. The satellite works from here, I can get Maine Public Radio, there is a modem connection, and a laundry room. Also, St. John, the City itself is less than five minutes away and it's an interesting place. Very old.

The last time we came into Canada they searched out motorhome. This time the guy me if I had a gun, to which I replied "no." He said "guaranteed?", and I responded "guaranteed, I left it at my sister's." He then told me to go ahead and have a nice time.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 173

 

9/8/01
(St. John NB)

Went to town and bought milk and a few groceries.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/9/01
(St. John NB)

Today I began waxing the motorhome, starting at the rear edge of the driver's door and going as far as the front passenger side corner (the portion below the windshield). My plan is that if I do a little every day I should have it completed by the time Sharyn gets home.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/10/01
(St. John NB)

Today was cold and foggy. I drove into town and bought a bunch of fresh vegetables.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/11/01
(St. John NB)

Like many Americans, I spent the day in front of the television as the horrific results of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington unfolded.

I had not put up our flag when we arrived here because I thought it might be a little bit "in your face" to fly a large American flag while in Canada. Midday today I reversed that decision and did put up the flag. Also, Jordan called and said that she had bought a 3' x 5' flag and hung it on the front of her house. Good for her!

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/12/01
(St. John NB)

This morning I saw that the flags flying on the bluff overlooking the City of St. John were flying at half mast, as are all the flags throughout the City.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/13/01 through 9/25/01
(St. John NB)

Not much happening.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/26/01
(Portsmouth NH)

Today was a good day. I got up at 5:23am, filled my mug with instant coffee, and at 5:55 I was on my way (with the car, not the motorhome) to Portsmouth NH from St. John NB. Ten hours and 360 miles later I picked Sharyn up at the Portsmouth bus terminal as she arrived back from Florida. She had flown out of, and today flew back into, Logan Airport in Boston; the point of departure for the two planes that flew into the World Trade Center.

Actually, the drive to Portsmouth only took seven hours. I went to my sister's house and waited for Sharyn to call.

We will spend the night at my sister's, and tomorrow we'll drive back to St. John and the motorhome. Now that Sharyn is back it's a whole new world. I tell her she is very much appreciated and doesn't have to go away for three weeks for me to realize it!

I am not totally satisfied with the dateline for today's entry being "Portsmouth NH." The dateline has always been where we and the motorhome are that day. This is the first time since we left Virginia in February 2000 that we are not sleeping in the motorhome. Therefor the dilemma was should the dateline reflect where we are or where the motorhome is? Probably where the motorhome is since that is, at least for that day, where we live. So why did I do it this way? I don't know.

Also, the odometer reading and miles for the day refer to the motorhome, not the car.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/27/01
(St. John NB)

This morning, Sharyn and I left my sister's home in Portsmouth and drove back to the motorhome in St. John NB. It took us 45 minutes to get through Canadian customs, 43 minutes just waiting in line. Entry was no problem.

By the time we arrived at the motorhome we both had very sore backsides. The seats in our Honda CRV are much like wooden chairs -- they leave a lot of room for improvement.

Anyway, now that we're both back at the motorhome we can get on with our lives.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/28/01
(St. John NB)

This morning, once again, we started off with coffee and conversation -- the conversation outlasted the coffee!

Later on we went to town to get some much needed groceries. Sharyn's comment, followed by a slight laugh, when she first looked in the refrigerator was, "Mother Hubbard's cupboard." While we were out I also showed Sharyn the shopping mall that I had discovered. We went to Wal-Mart and checked out Canadian Tire, the major Canadian retailer that is always mentioned as the one that is successfully competing against the American retail chains that some say are taking over the Canadian markets.

Other than that is was just sit around, read, and let Sharyn have some R&R recovery time.

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/29/01
(St. John NB)

The main event today was that I finished waxing the motorhome! When I began on 9/9/01 I had planned to make it a two week project. It took 20 days -- oh well -- that's the way things go. It looks good.

While I was finishing the motorhome Sharyn did the laundry. When we had both finished, we spent the rest of the day reading.

Once again, the weather has cleared up from several days of cloudy and rain, and returned to sunny, windy, cool, and beautiful. It is really very nice!

Odometer reading = 27,218
Miles for day = 0

 

9/30/01
(Brewer ME)

After our coffee and conversation we did all the things necessary to move on to the next place. It probably took us an hour and a half to get to the US/Canadian border crossing at St. Steven's NB. There is no place for the US bound traffic to wait in line, other than by being backed up all the way down the main street in St. Steven's. Since it was Sunday most businesses were closed, but I suspect that on a regular business workday the merchants must be pretty unhappy about the traffic situation. Main Street is only a two lane road and it stands still. Anyway, it only took us 35 minutes to the customs check point and probably another 5 or 6 minutes to get cleared through. They checked both our ID's, and while one agent walked through the motorhome several others opened all the basement compartments and looked though the Honda. They were very friendly and polite and doing their job as they should. One thing we remarked about was that no one seems to be impatient or anything besides understanding and cooperative. I hope that as the weeks and months go by this positive public attitude does not change.

We are spending the night in the same campground that I stayed in several weeks ago, right next door to RecTech, the RV place that did the warranty work on the rear heat pump.

There is a Broadway family reunion (my mother was a Broadway) taking place in Florence SC on October 13. We have rearranged what had been some loosely shaped plans and, unless we change or plans again, we're heading to South Carolina.

Odometer reading = 27,389
Miles for day = 171

 

10/1/01
(Portsmouth NH)

We slept kind of late this morning and didn't get on the road until a few minutes before noon. When we got to Portsmouth we left the motorhome in Wal-Mart's parking lot and took the car to my sister's apartment. Since she works four-10 hour days she won't get home until around 7:30. In the meanwhile I've been playing on her computer -- with high speed cable access -- while Sharyn is reading.

I suspect that nothing else will happen today that will warrant my adding to, or amending, today's entry.

Odometer reading = 27,577
Miles for day = 189

 

10/2/01
(Boonton NJ)

Last night we spent the night in Wal-Mart's parking lot. Wal-Mart is very good with RVers and, in fact, has a company policy of inviting RVers to spend the night in one of their parking lots. RVers respond well to this accommodation, and in exchange for this privilege they make it a point to patronize Wal-Mart whenever possible. For most full-timers Wal-Mart is the supply store of choice for most items, frequently including groceries at a Wal-Mart Super Center.

Anyway, after our usual coffee and conversation, and some purchases at Wal-Mart, we were on on way, again heading south. We had figured that we would stop and visit with Irene and Harry in Boonton NJ, but that we would take two days to get there. Well it turns out that there are not a great number of campgrounds enroute so, by default, we drove straight through to Boonton, even though that caused us to break out "not more than 200 miles per day" rule.

I have known Irene and Harry since high school, and Sharyn has known them for as long as she has known me, which while that does not go back to high school, it does go back for more than a third of a century.

Odometer reading = 27,866
Miles for day = 289

 

10/3/01
(Boonton NJ)

It was a very pleasant day as we pretty much did nothing in particular but sit around and talk. As the day progress we had some wine and cheese on the patio bordering the pond.

At one point during the day Harry, Irene, and Sharyn had gone into town while I stayed at the house. When I took the newspaper out to the patio one of Irene's deer was was standing right by the lounge I had been sitting in. I said "Hi guy" as I went to and sat in the lounge and began reading the paper. The deer just looked at me as I walked toward her and the lounge, and as I sat down she returned to grazing not more than four feet from where I sat. Between the tame deer, the ducks, and the geese, we have referred to this place as Irene's petting zoo.

Harry and Irene are finally going to be grandparents and to say that they are excited would be an understatement -- particularly with respect to Irene. Tomorrow is Karen's official "due date" and it does seem that the time is near.

Odometer reading = 27,866
Miles for day = 0

 

10/4/01
(Stateline PA)

This morning we woke up to the sound of voices outside of the motorhome. It was Irene and Karen and they were wondering why they had not yet seen us -- it was past 10 o'clock and we had still been sound asleep. We had not seen Karen since we got here and I had expected her to really look tired and distressed. She looked great; clearly pregnant, but not anything but happy and cheery. It may be that Karen is handling it better than Irene.

Anyway, we were on the road by noontime, heading for Charlottesville, Virginia where we have two sons, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. We plan to spend several days there before moving on to the Broadway family reunion in Sumter SC on October 13. We almost always travel the New Jersey Turnpike, I-95, and I-495 around Washington DC when traveling from Jersey to Charlottesville, but Sharyn's stomach begins to knot up as we begin that trip. For some reason the trucks and traffic on that section of I-95 and on I-495 get her extremely upset. Accordingly, this time we took I-287, I-78, and I-81 down through western Jersey, Pennsylvania, and tomorrow on through western Maryland, etc. This way is a little bit longer, both with respect to time and distance, but I had to admit to Sharyn that it is quite a bit nicer.

We had not traveled very far today when we saw gasoline for $1.279 per gallon. I can't recall when we last saw gas that cheap. Even though we still had over half a tank, we didn't want to pass up a price like that. We topped off with 31 gallons for $39. Let's keep that trend going!

Odometer reading = 28,089
Miles for day = 223

 

10/5/01
(Charlottesville VA)

We had a relaxed and easy drive to Phil and Kim's house in Charlottesville, Virginia. We arrived in the early afternoon and were all set up in their back yard (complete with 50 amp service) by the time they got home from work..

Katlin and Philip have both gotten bigger since we last saw them -- they're well on their way to becoming grown up people.

We talked later into the night then was probably good for Phil and Kim since Katlin and Philip won't sleep late even though it'll be Saturday morning.

Odometer reading = 28,281
Miles for day = 192

 

10/6/01 to 10/9/01
(Charlottesville VA)

We spent lots of time with Phil, Kim, Katlin, and Philip, having dinner with them each night. One day Sharyn picked Katlin up at school and they spent the afternoon doing "girl stuff" in and around Charlottesville (she's a good grandma).

This afternoon Phil and I went down to the Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club range and did some handgun shooting. Phil's friend Dave was also there and shot with us. Talk about looking bad -- Phil and Dave both shoot competitively and usually finish in the top 10%. I told them I feel better about myself when I shoot with Sharyn.

We also shot Phil's AR-15 so I could see how it shot. He is selling this one to buy (thanks Babe) a "cooler" one that will be much better than this one. Apparently since the terrorist attacks on September 11, the demand for AR-15's has increased so dramatically that he can sell this one for what he paid for it.

Odometer reading = 28,281
Miles for day = 0

 

10/10/01
(Greensboro NC)

We got up at 6:10 this morning so we could have coffee with Phil before he left for work at 6:45. It wasn't too long after Phil left that Katlin came out to the motorhome to see us and say good-bye. A bit later Kim and Philip joined us also so it was a rather nice morning with lots of long good-byes.

We were actually on the road before 9 o'clock (a substantial departure from our usual 11 o'clockish).

We stopped before 3 o'clock in Greensboro NC which is probably a little short of the halfway point to Shaw AFB in Sumter SC. Whatever the remaining distance, we'll complete that tomorrow.

Gas in Charlottesville could be had from a number of stations for $1.17 to $1.19. When we got into the Lynchburg area gas was frequently less than $1.10. In the summer of 2000 we paid more than twice that much, $2.29 in California. I told Sharyn today that it looks as if we'll soon see gas for less than a dollar. For full-time RVers these sure are welcome prices.

As we travel we frequently talk about the "best" places we've seen, the "prettiest" places, the place we'd most like to live (we haven't found that one yet), etc. Scenes like this (ignore the dirty windshield) on US-29 south of Charlottesville precipitate such discussion.

Odometer reading = 28,471
Miles for day = 190

 

10/11/01
(Sumter SC)

The first thing we did this morning after leaving the campground was get lost while trying retrace the mile and a half back to I-85. Upon exiting the campground the conversation went something like. "I think we are supposed to turn left." "No we have to turn right." I don't remember who said which, or what way we turned, but it was the first step to getting lost and having to get directions.

Anyway, after that everything went smoothly and eventually we got to Shaw AFB in Sumter SC. We had been concerned that with the current threat level we might not have been allowed to enter the base, but we had called yesterday and were told that while security at the gates was very high we would be allowed entry after appropriate procedures had been followed. We both feel very good about the level of security surrounding the base. Actually, it's great to be an American!

We're all set up with 50 amp service, the dish can see the satellite, and the cell phone has a full strength signal. All that for $13/day. How much more could we ask for. In addition, the Broadway reunion is at the Grace Baptist Church in Sumter which is, according to my figuring, only ten miles from here.

For now we're both going to go to bed early -- we're both tired.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 217

 

10/12/01
(Sumter SC)

Today we drove to Grace Baptist Church in Sumter so we would know where it was was and be able to get there tomorrow without getting lost. As we were heading back to the base we passed North Purdy Street. When I was a little kid my grandparents lived on North Purdy so we drove down the street and actually found the house. The front porch is not the same as it used to be, and it's be re-sided with vinyl. Other than that the outside looks the same as it did 50 years ago. There was a super giant (oak?) tree in the center of the back yard. I told Sharyn I wanted to go back tomorrow when someone might be home. I'd like to see the backyard and the inside of the house.

When we got back to the base we went to the BX and the commissary,plus I got a haircut.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/13/01
(Sumter SC)

We went to the Broadway Family Reunion at the Grace Baptist Church in Sumter. There were only two people there when we arrived, but eventually there were about 25 of us. The only person I knew was a cousin Bobby Thigpen whom I had met several years ago. It was his e-mail that alerted us to this get together.

While we were not all of the same generation, we are all descendants of Lewis Broadway (1798-1857) and his wife Elizabeth Weeks Broadway (1802-1860). They were my great-great-grandparents on my grandfather's side, while they were my great-great-great-grandparents on my grandmother's side. (That is not a misstatement.)

From the reunion we went to the Broadway-Galloway Cemetery near Home Branch. I had never been to this cemetery where Lewis and Elizabeth Broadway are buried. This is Sharyn and Thomas Broadway, a great-grandson of Lewis and Elizabeth looking at some of the damage that has done to the grave stones in this small family cemetery. The stones laying flat on the ground in front of, and to the left of, Sharyn are the broken off headstones of Lewis and Elizabeth.

From there we drove several miles to the Home Branch Cemetery where my grandparents, great-grandparents, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins are buried.

I guess it's time I get back to getting all my family info in order.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/14/01
(Sumter SC)

While sitting outside having our morning coffee and conversation we decided to extend our stay here for another week. We decided that a lot of the things that we never get around to doing (sorting and throwing away the magazines we've read, setting up a sample campground website to use as a tool to sell such sites, work on the Broadway family tree stuff, etc.) is because we each always feel that we either have to get moving on down the road or get ready to get moving. We've been here several days and now we're going to stay another week. It's sort of an experiment -- we're still working out a system -- or perhaps more accurately stated, working out some system parameters.

Later we decided to go to Wal-Mart to get some milk and stuff I need to replace and improve the water hose that connects the filter system to the the fresh water inlet connection. It turned out that none of the Wal-Mart type stores open until 1:30. Since that was more than an hour away we decided to go back to Home Branch Cemetery so I could verify some dates in my file by comparing the dates on headstones. When we got back from the cemetery we went to Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Lowe's, and Piggly Wiggly, before returning to the base.

Since our return I've redone the water line (I like the way it came out), defrosted the refrigerator, and we've had our dinner.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/15/01
(Sumter SC)

Yesterday I told Sharyn that I was disappointed that there weren't any aircraft flying from this base. Well this morning a group of F-16s took off and woke us up. I listened to them go and then, figuring that it was time to get up, I opened my eyes -- it was still pitch black outside. It was 6:03am. It took awhile to get back to sleep as several more groups took off. Sharyn rolled over and said, "you said you wanted to hear the planes take off." Actually I like being right at the end of the runway when they take off right in front of you. The ground, the air, the whole world around you vibrates with the overwhelming roar of the engines and in less than 30 seconds they have traveled so far you can no longer see them. And then you think, "that's my team!" I find it the greatest thrill.

Anyway, we obviously did go back to sleep because the next time I woke up Sharyn had the coffee going and it was 9:30.

Sharyn did the laundry while I finally made the phone calls and put together and mailed the stuff necessary to take care of a number of things that I've been meaning to do for several months. Otherwise we just sat outside on our "patio" and enjoyed the sunshine and pleasant weather.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/16/01
(Sumter SC)

Slow day today.

Went to the local (not too good) shopping mall. Did a thorough vacuuming and semi-thorough cleaning. Hung out. Worked on Broadway stuff.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/17/01
(Sumter SC)

This morning we had extensive coffee and conversation, first in the motorhome, then sitting outside in the cool air and bright sunshine. After lunch I went to the Sumter County Genealogical Research Center while Sharyn stayed at the campground cleaning and reading her book. We each had a good day.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/18/01
(Sumter SC)

 

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/19/01
(Sumter SC)

This afternoon we drove into Columbia SC which is about 40 miles west of Sumter. We bought a genealogical software package, Family Tree Maker, by Broderbund. So far I've messed with it for several hours and I've concluded that I've wasted a lot of time typing information into Word documents. I'm in the process of copying all that stuff into Family Tree Maker. The way it handles and manipulates all that information is very impressive.

While we were in Columbia we also went to Fort Jackson to check out their FamCamp (the Army doesn't call them FamCamps) as we had considered moving to Columbia early next week to have a more convenient base to check out all that's there. Having seen their FamCamp we'll stay where we are and just drive the car to Columbia.

Anyway, it was a good day. It's now 1:35am and Sharyn been asleep for quite awhile. I'm going to bed too.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/20/01
(Sumter SC)

Today we went to Florence SC to see Myrtle, a childhood (and life long) friend of my mother. Myrtle is 91 years old and maybe gets around better than I do. When we had been calling her for three days with no one ever answering the telephone we got worried and called her cousin in Florence to say that Myrtle's phone had gone unanswered for three days. He said that he'd noticed she wasn't in church on Sunday and that he'd check it out. He called us back the next day to tell us that Myrtle had decided to "go to the mountains" for a week to enjoy the fall foliage.

Anyway, when we did get to see her she had been amused that her absence from church had been noticed and that people had been checking up on her whereabouts. She had thoroughly enjoyed her trip which had included Ashville NC and numerous points in-between. As she told us, she does all her own house cleaning, shopping, etc., and even washes her car -- a 1986 Oldsmobile that she bought new and only has 20,000 miles on it.

After coffee and cake, and several hours of conversation we said good-bye and drove back to Sumter. This is Myrtle and Sharyn as we were leaving.

On the way back we drove past a number of cotton fields. Having, in the past, given some of our grandkids branches off of a cotton plant to show them where cotton came from -- they had a problem with the concept that "cotton grows on plants" -- we though we should take a few pictures so they could see what kind of a place we got those branches from. Take note guys, here's grandma standing in one of those "old cotton fields back home." Here's a close up view of a cotton plant. See, I told you so!

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/21/01
(Sumter SC)

This was a quiet Sunday at home. Basically I entered data into Family Tree Maker most of the day. I'm not quite finished entering all that I have, but I'm getting close. The program will print out the information you feed into it in any number of different types of reports or charts. When I quit for the day I printed out a diagram of my grandfather's branch of the tree going back as far as his great grandfather, and coming current as far as our (and my first cousin's) grandchildren. The chart printed out on nine pages that then had to be taped together. When I'm finished putting all the information into the program I'll print a chart showing what will probably work out to be my grandfather's great-great grandparents and all of their descendants. As far as I can tell, no one has been able to find any reliable information going back further than that -- but that goes back to the American Revolution. Far enough back for most purposes.

The only thing I don't like about Family Tree Maker is that it doesn't appear as if there is any way I can copy, or cut and paste, so as to be able to send any of the reports via e-mail. That's a real drawback because I'd like to send certain family group reports to people who may have some personal knowledge or better information than I do. i.e.: check my work for errors or omissions.

While I was doing that stuff, Sharyn was sitting out in the sun (except when it started to rain) reading her book.

After eating dinner we took the daily walk that we haven't taken for probably the last four months. We'll have to do better.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/22/01
(Sumter SC)

Today the plan was that we'd go to Columbia SC (about 40 miles from here) and I'd stay at the SC State Archives while Sharyn would take the car and go check out some of the nearby shopping malls. It turned out that the Archives are closed on Mondays, so we both went to a couple of malls, but we didn't stay nearly as long, or do them in the degree of thoroughness, as Sharyn would have if she had been alone.

At one mall I stayed at Barnes and Noble while she checked out the second Dillard's for the day.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/23/01 and 10/24/01
(Sumter SC)

For two day I've been entering data into Family Tree Maker and Sharyn has been reading. Since Phil introduced her to Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six she has become a fan of his. Having finished Rainbow Six she then read Sum of All Fears. Now she's reading Debt of Honor. I believe this is the last one has, and in a perfect world she will turn the last page just as I enter the last name.

The only deviation from the above activities was this afternoon when Sharyn did the laundry.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/25/01
(Sumter SC)

We started out around noon (after coffee and conversation) and drove to Paxville SC where we were going to find the house where my mother and her siblings grew up. We were also going to check out the Paxville Cemetery where lots of Broadways and relations are buried. With the help of a "very old timer" who we met while making a U-turn at a recycling place, we first found the old farm house that had belonged to my grandfather's brother, Lewis Broadway. We stopped there where we met and talked with Ernest Broadway (we're some kind of cousins) and his mother, Tedo. They gave us some of the local history of the farm and the family.

Ernest then led us down to my grandfather's house which we had driven past because the last time I saw it (30 years ago) it was standing on wood posts, had old weathered wood siding that looked as if it had never been painted, and was quite neglected (my grandfather had lost the farm during the depression and it was no longer in the family). Today, it has been enclosed around the bottom, recovered with vinyl siding, and the yard has been planted with grass and cleaned up. It looked nothing like that photo when my mother lived there. Until she went away to Winthrop University (then called "Winthrop -- The South Carolina State College for Women") she had never lived in a place that had "indoor plumbing".

It's nice that these two houses, once owned by two Broadway brothers, and lost during the depression (together with over 300 acres), today are back in the hands of two more Broadway brothers.

Ernest then led us on down the road to the Paxville Cemetery that is off of a dirt road behind a stand of woods. He showed us some of his family graves and we talked for awhile. After he left, Sharyn and I continued walking around checking out the many headstones and filling in some blank spaces in our information from what we could get from the grave markers.

Another interesting thing were personal resemblance's that both Sharyn and Ernest saw. Sharyn said that she sees a similarity between my mother's sister Frances and Ernest. She also saw two of our kids, Phil and Jordan, in Ernest's son. Ernest sees a similarity between me and his father (whom I never met). All in all it was a very interesting day.

We then decided that since we were only about 20 miles from Santee where my cousin Tom (we've known each other since we were little kids) and his wife lived we'd stop by and see them for a brief visit. We did that and then came back to the base to have soup for dinner at 9:30.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/26/01
(Sumter SC)

About the only thing we did today was get Sharyn's ticket to fly to her mother's 80th birthday party. Other than that I was putting data into Family Tree Maker and Sharyn went across the base to the commissary to get milk and a few groceries.

We had planned to go to Columbia today, but during coffee and conversation we decided to stay here until November 15 when Sharyn returns from Florida. She flies out of Charleston on November 10 but I'm going to stay here until she gets back. Since that means we're going to be here for a number of weeks we'll have plenty of opportunity to go to Columbia another time. Besides, after we finished our coffee and conversation and got Sharyn's tickets (on line) it was almost 3 o'clock.

It was a beautiful day.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/27/01
(Sumter SC)

Today was pretty much data entry day. In addition to the Broadway family, we started putting in Sharyn's ancestors as best we can. Several years ago her father's cousin Irene Murphy gave Sharyn a bunch of stuff that she had gathered over the years. We've got a good part, but not all, of it entered.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/28/01
(Sumter SC)

We were going to go to Columbia today, but by the time Sharyn started to get ready it was after 2 o'clock so we both decided it was too late to go.

We finished entering all the data we had for both Sharyn's family and my mother's family, Broadway.

All these daily entries read very boringly, but we are relaxed and enjoying our rather easy living.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/29/01
(Sumter SC)

Today I went to the Probate Court in Sumter to check up on some loose ends of the estate of one of my mother's sisters. I then found Sumter Cemetery where a number of ancestors, including this aunt are buried. I also attended to what might be described as a number of "business" matters, most of which I was able to do online or via e-mail.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/30/01
(Sumter SC)

Today we finally made it to Columbia. I dropped Sharyn off at one of the malls while I went to the State Archives (should be a photo here).

Later we met at Barnes and Noble at the mall where Sharyn bought another Tom Clancy book. We read for awhile, then went to the Golden Corral for dinner. Then Sam's and then back to the base.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

10/31/01
(Sumter SC)

Ordered a printer cartridge and bought groceries.

Also, Sharyn worked on her "blue dot."

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

11/1/01 to 11/4/01
(Sumter SC)

Obviously I'm typing this on the fourth (Sunday) and I can't remember the first or the second -- probably because nothing that would have made interesting reading happened on those days. Don't misunderstand, enjoyable days don't necessarily make interesting reading..

Anyway, yesterday we took a tour of Fort Sumter in Charleston. The package included round trip bus (bigger than a van but smaller than a regular bus) transportation from Shaw AFB and a two and a half hour boat tour of Charleston Harbor that included one hour on Fort Sumter. It sounded like a good trip and we were looking forward to it. Unfortunately, if we had it to do again, we wouldn't.

In Sumter the bus turned onto US-15 heading north. This didn't make any sense to me and I told Sharyn that I thought the driver was going the wrong way, that we should be heading south on US-15. However, I'm pretty much a tourist who has been in town for less than a month, while the other guy is the tour bus driver. I should have said something. Sumter is 100 miles from Charleston. Florence SC is 130 miles from Charleston, and almost 40 miles north of Sumter. He drove us to Florence where he got onto I-95 and then headed back south to I-26 and Charleston. Before we started back I spoke to him about a much more direct route and we came back to Sumter in accordance with my suggestion.

There was TV and VCR on the bus and we had round trip, nonstop, video movies with the volume quite loud. I equate that to someone entering a rather small public place with a big boom box playing loud noises which he proclaims to enjoy. Everyone in the area is subjected to whatever noise he chooses to fill the area with. That's the way it was on the bus -- and it was a long ride!

As we started to head back to Sumter the driver said we were going to have a vote. I was encouraged because I thought we were going to vote on whether to have the TV on again. I was wrong. The vote was whether to drive straight back or stop somewhere at a fast food place for dinner. He first asked who wanted to go straight home. I immediately raised my hand. One lady looked around and saw my hand up and raised hers also. Ours were the only two that went up. I think one kid voted to stop, but we didn't. I think the driver thought I was a grinch, but that's okay. By that time I just wanted to get home.

The seats on this bus were small and hard -- very uncomfortable. I thought that the seats in our Honda were better. Sharyn thought they were both about the same. Anyway we got home with two sore butts.

Fort Sumter and the boat tour were good except that one hour at Fort Sumter is not nearly enough. If we did not have the need to catch the boat I suspect that we would have spent three or four hours walking around, checking out the museum, and talking with the Park Service Rangers, who are usually quite knowledgeable about the history of the place where they work. Admittedly, most people do not do these places as thoroughly as we do.

I suspect that while Sharyn is in Florida I'll return to Fort Sumter. (We've decided that we'll take the motorhome to Charleston on Thursday, November 8, and I'll stay there while Sharyn is in Florida).

At the beginning of the Civil War the walls of Fort Sumter were three stories high with heavy gun emplacements on the first two levels. (When the war began Fort Sumter was only about 90% completed and had only 60 of its planned 135 guns in place, and most of these were not the large coastal artillery guns that had been intended for the fort). By the end of the war the top two levels had basically been blown away and reduced to ruble by an estimated seven million pounds of Federal artillery shells that had been fired at the fort during the four years of the war (another imbedded artillery shell). By the end of the war the ruble of the two upper levels pretty nearly had buried the lower level in crumbled and powdered brick and debris.

By the way, for those who might be interested, and for those who read this anyway, when Confederate Forces opened fire on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, they were under the command of General Pierre G. T. Beauregard. Fort Sumter's garrison was commanded by Union Army Major Robert Anderson. When Beauregard was a cadet at West Point his favorite instructor had been his artillery professor, Captain Robert Anderson. On April 15, 1865, six days after Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox, Anderson returned to Fort Sumter to raise the same flag he had lowered in surrender four years and a day earlier.

Today I met the wife of the family that now own the house where my grandparents lived after all their kids were grown. It's the house that we used to visit when I was a small boy. Except for the kitchen and bathroom the inside was just about as I remembered it. Except for the aluminum siding, and the fact that the porch no longer wraps around the corner of the house by the driveway, the outside is just as it was 50 years ago. Also, as I told Sharyn and the lady that lives there now, it is difficult to imagine that the house numbers are the same ones that were there in the 1940's, but their location, the way they slope down to the right, and the many coats of paint that cover them all convince me that they are the same ones that were there when I was a kid. I always had taken special note of these numbers because I was proud of the fact that I recognized the pattern as being almost 1-2-3. While we were looking for the house several weeks ago I told Sharyn that the address was either 124 or 235. Now I have to see if I can find an old photograph of the house with the numbers visible.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

11/5/01 to 11/7/01
(Sumter SC)

We continued with our daily coffee and conversation which is something that routinely occurs everyday. For the last several weeks we have been following up our coffee and conversation with our morning walk. We started off by walking a mile every morning, but within a week that had been extended to a two mile walk that takes 34 minutes. We walk a measured mile that takes 17 minutes, then turn around and walk back, taking the total time when we finish to insure that we haven't slacked off on the return. We're quite consistent in our time. The first mile is always 17 minutes +/- less than 30 seconds. Total time is always 34 minutes +/- 1 minute. Upon our return Sharyn's pulse is in the 80's and mine is in the 60's. Maybe after awhile we'll increase our distance to 4 miles so we'll be walking for an hour.

This is Sharyn approaching the FamCamp entrance on the walk back. The motorhome is about 1,000 feet from the entrance.

Today, Wednesday, the 7th, Dell Computer sent a repair man out from Columbia to replace the LCD display on my laptop. When I bought this computer I paid an extra $99 to have an extended three year on-site warranty. The display has been messing up intermittently for about a year and a half. Yesterday I called Dell and told them what was happening. I also told him that I had posted a photo of the problem at http://www.stringbean.com/dell.jpg and that he should look at the picture rather than have me describe it. He did, and he said he'd ship a new display to their service man in Columbia and that the service guy would call me. He called at 9:am today and we met at a diner down the road from the base where, over a cup of coffee, he replaced the display and the entire hinged cover on the computer. All of that happened in less than 24 hours after I called Dell. I think that's pretty impressive (of course there was no charge for anything).

One more thing. Phil sent me a picture that I think should be shared.

Odometer reading = 28,688
Miles for day = 0

 

11/8/01
(Charleston SC)

After spending four weeks at Shaw AFB it was time to move on. This was one of the nicest FamCamps we've ever stayed at, and one we will return to again. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Sumter.

As we were leaving Sumter we filled the motorhome with gas because, while we still had a third of a tank, gas was only $1 per gallon. On the way to Charleston we passed a number of gas stations that were selling gas at less than a dollar! It's probably been three years since we've seen gas that cheap.

We're now at the FamCamp at Charleston AFB. This base is right next door to Charleston Airport from which Sharyn flies to Florida Saturday morning to help her mother celebrate her 80th birthday. Tomorrow we'll check out the base and some of the surrounding area.

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 108

 

11/9/01
(Charleston SC)

After our coffee and conversation we went for our two mile, 34 minute, walk. A short distance down the road we cut out along the golf cart path through the golf course. It was very pleasant until some golfer told us that we were not allowed to use the golf course as an exercise trail. I don't know whether or not that's true, but we went back out to the roadway and continued on our way.

Later in the day we made a dry run to the airport terminal so that we would not have any trouble finding it at 5:30 tomorrow morning. There was a police roadblock on the airport entrance road and they asked us to open the rear window so they could check the space behind the rear seat.

We then went and checked out a nearby Sam's Club that is at least twice as large as any Sam's we've ever seen. We bought some groceries and looked at scanners. From there we went to the commissary where Sharyn did more grocery shopping while I checked out a book sale taking place in a large tent set up in the parking lot. I almost bought a book on the battle at the Little Bighorn, but since I've got several books already lined up on the shelf to read I decided I didn't need that one. However, it was only $9 so I think if it's still there tomorrow I may buy it anyway.

Sharyn's got her one bag (a carry on) packed and ready to go. As soon as she gets out of the shower we'll both go to bed since we've set the alarm clock for 5:am.

One other thing we did today was call and get tickets to see the Hunley, the confederate submarine that sank the USS Housatonic off of Charleston Harbor in 1864. After the Housatonic exploded (becoming the first ship to be sunk by an enemy submarine), the Hunley signaled the Confederates on shore, via a prearranged light signal, that the mission was a success. The Hunley never returned and her disappearance remained a mystery until she was found and raised from the bottom of the Atlantic about two years ago. The crew's remains were still aboard along with many items of personal property belonging to the crew members.. More details of the Hunley will be included on Friday, November 16 when we get to see it. The excavation of the interior of the sub is still going on so it is something I'm really looking forward to seeing.

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/10/01
(Charleston SC)

We got up this morning (last night) at 4:30am. Coffee was ready at 4:40, I was ready at 4:45, and Sharyn was ready at 5:15. Since she had a 6:20 flight it was good we had gotten up a half hour earlier than originally planned. Anyway, we left here at 5:15 and I dropped her off in front of the USAir terminal (you can't leave your car for a minute) and drove back to the motorhome. I was back in bed at 5:40.

Since the motorhome is next to a giant live oak, the tree blocks our satellite signal so TV is limited to local channels -- although there are about five of them we can receive. However, there is no PBS, Fox News, MSNBC, C-Span, History or Discovery Channels. That pretty much means there's no TV. I keep watching for a site with a clear shot at the satellite to open up. If and when it does I'll move the motorhome. I don't care too much for TV, but when Sharyn's not here I need all the help I can get. After almost 35 years she has become a big-time habit.

I spoke to her tonight and she sounds good. She said her mother's birthday party was very nice and that her mother thoroughly enjoyed it -- and held up well through it.

Tomorrow I'll buy a Sunday paper and see if I can find Sharyn's cousin Phil who is a sea captain whose ship is supposed to be in Charleston right now -- she just found this out tonight.

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/11/01
(Charleston SC)

Not too much going on today. I did my two mile, 34 minute walk.

I also got hold of Phil, who's ship was still in Baltimore, but was leaving today and should be in Charleston by tomorrow night. He'll call me when they get in.

Talked to Sharyn. Talked to Jordan.

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/12/01
(Charleston SC)

This morning I walked around to see if any spaces with a good "satellite view" had opened. One motorhome had pulled out and I maved to the site he had been occupying, got the motorhome all set up again, set up the satellite, etc. A half hour later the guy next to me left. He had the best spot because he was on the end and overlooked the wooded picknic area. Also, being on the end, you can actually extend out of your area since there is no one next to you on that side. I decided it was worth moving again. Not much else for the day. I watched a lot of TV.

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/13/01
(Charleston SC)

I had set the alarm for 7:30 this morning because I was supposed to meet Phil on his ship Tellus around 9 o'clock. I found the ship without any problem, primarily because there are not a lot of big orange ships at any given dock at any given point in time.

We probably spent two hours talking, drinking coffee and being shown around the ship. This is Phil showing me the bridge. I thought it was really neat and I enjoyed my tour. Basically the ship carries cars, trucks, tractors, construction equipment, and stuff of that nature, all of which is driven onto 13 different levels of steel decks. If I remember right each deck is 110' x 620', and all the decks are connected by ramps and giant elevators. One particular neat feature is that several of the decks can be raised or lowered depending on what you are loading on that deck. BMW's don't need more than 6' of vertical space, while a large tractor or earth mover may need three times that height.

I was surprised that it is diesel powered; it has a six cylinder diesel engine. That doesn't sound like much, but the cylinders have a 30" bore and a stroke that the engineer estimated to be about 8'. He said that when the piston is at the bottom and he stands on it, he can't reach the top of the cylinder (he's a good 6' tall). Also, if one or more cylinders become inoperable for any reason they can be taken off line and the engine can still be run on as few as three cylinders. Phil has run it on four. Very dumb on my part -- I failed to take a picture of the engine or engine room. This is the rudder post (use the 5 gallon can to get an idea as to the size of the post)!

These are some of the tractors and equipment yet to be loaded. Those white things to the left of center in the distance are BMW's under individual car covers. Another interesting thing -- those busses have just been brought to America from Europe (I think Phil said Germany). Anyway, as they came into this country they were less than 50% completed. That means that when they are finally completed in this country they will be marketed and sold as "Made in America." That I knew; what I didn't know is that because they were brought into this country on an American ship, the American manufacturer gets an extra 5% credit towards his 51% requirement to be able to say "Made in America."

View from the bridge wing looking towards the stern. Those large container shaped structures contain powerful ventilating fans that pull the carbon monoxide up from the decks below. Two final photographs (1) (2).

After returning to the motorhome and doing some miscellaneous stuff, including emptying the holding tanks (no sewer hookups at this FamCamp), I made up some vegetables for dinner. This time instead of steaming them I kind of fried them with olive oil, basil, garlic, and salt. Since no one was eating it but me I used an excessive amount of mushrooms. Does that look good or what? Actually, in the covered frying pan they probably steamed anyway, but the oil improved both the texture and flavor over regular steaming.

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/14/01
(Charleston SC)

The only thing I can remember doing today is that I did my walk. I should have cleaned things up because Sharyn gets back tomorrow!

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/15/01
(Charleston SC)

The day started of with a trip to the airport to get Sharyn. With all the concrete barricades and traffic cones I couldn't find how to get to the short term parking lot. There was a police checkpoint on the road leading into the airport where the police look into the back seats and car trunks. They also gave me a yellow flyer warning that any unaccompanied car that was not in a parking lot would be towed away immediately. A tow truck was parked before the terminal building with the driver observing all cars moving past the terminal. I tried circling slowly, hoping that Sharyn would come out front, but every time I circled I came back onto the entrance road outside of the security checkpoint. After going through the checkpoint for the third time I thought that such activity might appear suspicious so I decided I'd try waiting in front of the terminal, but staying in the car. I was only there for about two minutes when a police officer came over and talked to me. He said I couldn't stop there, but he did tell me how to get into the short term parking. The number of visible police officers, plus the number of police and emergency vehicles all over the terminal area, may the entire scene appear like a disaster scene.

Anyway, I got Sharyn and we returned to the FamCamp where I spent the rest of the day enjoying her company and conversation. It's definitely good to have her back!

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/16/01
(Charleston SC)

Today we got to see the Hunley, the Confederate submarine that sank the USS Housatonic off of Charleston Harbor in February 1864. The Hunley was the first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship in wartime, but it never returned from the mission. In 1995 it was discovered on the bottom of the Atlantic, four miles off the coast, and was eventually raised.

The story of the Hunley, from it's conception and construction in Mobile Alabama, to the sinking of the Housatonic, to its discovery and recovery, to its present site where the remains of the crew and their personal effects have been, and still are, being excavate from the silt that has filled the interior of the submarine for 130 years, is a truly incredible saga.

I was somewhat disappointed at what we were able to see. The excavation of the interior is being conducted Monday through Thursday, and then the public can view it Friday through Sunday. To prevent the rapid deterioration that would occur if the Hunley were exposed to air, it is being kept in a large, specially made water tank. When the public gets to view it, the viewing is from a platform above the tank. The lighting is not as good as it could be plus, when we were there the water had just been pumped back into the tank the night before (when they stopped work for the weekend), and the filters had not yet removed all of the cloudiness from the water.

We did get to see the submarine, even if we did not get to see it as well, and in as much detail, as I would have liked. The fact of the matter is that at this point in time the emphasis is on completion of removal of the remains of the crew and recovery and inventory of all items being excavated from the interior. Allowing the public access to the Hunley at this point in time, even if the access is limited, is really an accommodation to the public. The fact is that the Hunley is not yet ready for public display. I should not complain.

Photographs were not allowed, so while I had planned to put photos on this site, that's not going to be the case. However, the Hunley has a very good website at http://www.hunley.org/html/frame.htm complete with the history, photographs, and a constantly updated account of current progress.

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/17/01 and 11/18/01
(Charleston SC)

Yesterday, Saturday the 17th, we decided that we wanted a day off, so we just hung around the motorhome, relaxed and read. Today we basically did more of the same, except that this afternoon I washed the car and the motorhome and Sharyn did the laundry.

Odometer reading = 28,796
Miles for day = 0

 

11/19/01
(Aiken SC)

Our plan was to go to Savannah from Charleston, and then begin heading north to spend Christmas with our daughter Jordan in Southold, NY. However, this past weekend we solicited an invitation for Thanksgiving Dinner with our friends, the Hartges, in Greenville SC. That required that Savannah be dropped from our itinerary. Since Clemson was our next planned stop after Savannah, we left Charleston at noon today heading towards Clemson.

It was an easy drive heading in a northwesterly direction along US-78, a 2-lane roadway that works its way through numerous small, and somewhat forgotten, southern towns that have basically stood still for decades. Periodically, along the route we pass a large white ante-bellum house with a wide porch and tall columns that Sharyn loves. Some of these houses are really magnificent; very beautiful, and definitely from a bygone era. Some of them are in places where, while not poverty struck, economic opportunity would be severely limited. Also, since these places (many of them) offer no draw or attraction to bring in outsiders, who lives in and maintains these houses? While some are not, most of them appear to be well maintained and cared for. We enjoyed the drive.

As we approached Aiken we stopped at the campground at Aiken State Park/Natural Area. We're the only people here. As we entered the campground area we could tell that it was a rather low key facility. Sharyn had coffee while I had wine.

Odometer reading = 28,910
Miles for day = 114

 

11/20/01
(Greenville SC)

We were aware of Paris Mountain State Park in Greenville, but we still preferred the Corps of Engineers (COE) campground on Hartwell Lake in Clemson. Not that we'd even been there, but the COE campgrounds that we've stayed at have all been very nice, almost always situated on a scenic waterway or lake and, because they are not profit oriented, their fees are quite low. In addition, our Golden Access Passport gets us a 50% discount. However, when we looked at the location of Paris Mountain State Park we saw that it was only 3 miles from the Hartges. With a location that convenient we decided to alter our course and go there instead.

After getting set up we called the Hartges (cell phone reception here rots) and told them where we were. A few hours later that came by to visit and, as we hadn't seen them in two years, we stayed up until nearly 2:am talking about all kinds of stuff -- as years ago we did almost routinely. This is Hartge copying date from a recent coronary risk profile I had done. He can't understand how I can have such elevated LDLs with my low intake of saturated fats. He's going to pursuit it.

Odometer reading = 29,062
Miles for day = 152

 

11/21/01
(Greenville SC)

We had an extended period of coffee and conversation, after/during which I made myself a real mushroom omelet using a pound of mushrooms and three eggs. That's just enough egg to kind of hold the mushrooms together. Some onion would have been good, but we were fresh out. I offered to share, but Sharyn said that was too much mushroom for her taste.

By the time we left the motorhome it was probably close to 2:pm. We went to Hartge's to use their phone line to update the website and check our e-mail (and to talk some more). From there we went to Barnes and Noble for an hour or so, then on to T. J. Maxx where I sat in the car reading The Glucose Revolution while Sharyn shopped/browsed. By that time it was dark and we got lost trying to find our way back to the motorhome.

When we got back Sharyn made salmon salad (for me) and fat free hot dogs (for her) for dinner.

Odometer reading = 29,062
Miles for day = 152

 

11/22/01
Thanksgiving Day
(Greenville SC)

We spent most of the day hanging out in the motorhome until it was time to get ready to go to the Hartge's for dinner. We took these pictures as we were getting into the car to go (Sharyn and me).

It was a very pleasant afternoon and evening. In addition to us and the Hartges, there was their oldest son Scott with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children, plus Elizabeth's parents. Me and Elizabeth's parents are missing from this picture. They had all moved away and left the three of us at the dinning room table.

It must be pretty close to 20 years since we've seen Scott. Their youngest is 15 month old Robert who, in my estimation, looks just like our Grandson Philip IV. Which one is this?

After lots of food and desert, followed by some extensive discussion about government conspiracies (Keith is a regular subscriber to conspiracy theories), the evening eventually wound up and everyone went home.

Odometer reading = 29,062
Miles for day = 152

 

11/23/01
(Hendersonville NC)

We pulled out of the campground around noon and, leaving the motorhome in the supermarket parking lot down the road from the Hartges, drove the car to their house for a final visit before we left Greenville.

Leaving town we missed our turn because there was no sign at the intersection where we should have turned. A problem we continually come across is that cities and/or large towns are not adequately depicted on regular street maps. Contributing to the problem is that most roads have both names and numbers, but frequently don't have both on the street signs. Also, particularly in cities and towns, the maps don't always show both names and numbers. Usually, it seems, if the map shows numbers the signs show names. Of course none of this is a problem where there are no signs at all. Anyway, knowing that US-25 was to the west and that US-25 (business) was to the east, we took a wide road heading north knowing that at some point ahead we would have to come out onto one of the US-25's. US-25 north is what we wanted.

It seems to me that there is a book that contains street maps of thousands of cities and large towns in the US. We're going to look for it.

Heading north we stopped at a gas station where we filled up the motorhome for 96 cents per gallon. It's been a long time since I saw the gallons go up faster than the dollars!

Although it was only a little after 4 o'clock, it was raining and beginning to get dark as we pulled into Lazy Boy Travel Park in Hendersonville. After we got all set up it began to pour down rain and, now several hours later, it has not let up. While we plan to go to the Biltmore Estate in Ashville tomorrow, if it continues to rain this hard we may just sit it out.

Odometer reading = 29,116
Miles for day = 54

 

11/24/01
(Hendersonville NC)

Today was cold, dark, and gloomy, with misting rain all day long. The trees are bare, and it's winter time. We were talking this morning about the difference between here and Charleston less than a week ago where the temperatures were so much milder and the trees still had their fall foliage.

Anyway, we went to the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, 25 miles north of here, only to find traffic backed up all the way from the building where you purchase the tickets, a half mile back out to the highway, and then further on down the road. When we finally got to park the car at the ticket place we were told that it was a three hour wait to get into the mansion. As we were on line for tickets they announced that the wait was 3 hours and 45 minutes. Shortly after that they stopped selling tickets for today's admission. After speaking to a lady who works there we bought tickets for tomorrow ($34 each!) and plan to be there tomorrow at 8:30am, which is a half hour before the self guided tours begin.

On the way back to the motorhome we stopped and bought some groceries. I thought the prices in this supermarket were pretty high, but Sharyn said they were not, but that I had gotten somewhat familiar with the prices at the base commissaries and that those prices are considerably cheaper than regular supermarkets. Boy, I guess so!

When we got back to the motorhome it was still cold, wet, and crummy, so Sharyn made some bean soup for dinner.

Odometer reading = 29,116
Miles for day = 54

 

11/25/01
(Statesville NC)

This morning we hooked up in the rain and were on the road at 8:15am. We arrived at the Biltmore Estate before 9 o'clock and there were no crowds or lines whatsoever.

The overall scale the the entire property almost denies comprehension. Major portions of the original property, which was 125,000 acres at one point (to put that into perspective, that's approximately 195 square miles), were sold off between 1915 and 1930. Today the property consists of 8,000 acres. The main house, built over a six year period and completed in 1895, consists of 250 rooms (43 bath rooms) on four floors, has four acres of floor space (over 160,000 square feet), and with it's enormous ceilings, encloses 2.4 million cubic feet.

The entire package was conceived and built by George Vanderbilt whose descendants still own and run the property. No photographs are allowed inside the the house, but the family maintains a website for the house and property at http://www.biltmore.com. It was and still is the largest private residence in America.

This vine that Sharyn is standing next to is a trumpet flower, generally thought of as not being this large. Several of these trumpet flowers cover this arbor at the southerly end of the house.

It was this view that made George Vanderbilt decide to build on this particular site. The balcony, or loggia, that this picture was taken from runs to the right for perhaps 60 or 70 feet. One more picture; standing to the left of the main entrance and looking up.

We pulled out of the parking lot at 12:45, but it took us 15 minutes just to get to the public road. Anyway, we continued on, heading towards Charlottesville, but stopped at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Statesville where we bought some groceries and did some Christmas shopping for the grandchildren. By that time it was dark and we're going to spend the night in the parking lot.

Odometer reading = 29,254
Miles for day = 138

 

11/26/01
(Charlottesville VA)

It was kind of cold when we woke up this morning, but we started the generator both for the coffee pot and for the heat pumps. In 10 minutes we had coffee, and in 15 minutes we had warmth and comfort as well.

We had called Phil last night to let him know we'd be at his house this afternoon. It was his suggestion that we take I-77 from where we were in Statesville, rather than continuing east on I-40 to US-29 in Greensboro as we had planned. We followed his suggestion and it worked well.

Without any problems we arrived at Phil and Kim's shortly after 4 o'clock. It was good to see them, Katlin, and Philip IV.

Odometer reading = 29,526
Miles for day = 272

 

11/27/01 to 12/1/01
(Charlottesville VA)

For several days we've been here at Phil and Kim's. During the day when they're at work I've done a little shopping -- Sharyn has done lots of shopping! In the evening we visit with the entire family. There's an occasional game between Grandma and Philip IV. Also, Shane stopped by this morning and we had a motorhome full of people, with an extended coffee and conversation that included everyone and went on for hours, using two full pots of coffee.

Today, Saturday the 1st, Phil and I went to the Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club range (http://www.rrpc.org) where we did some shooting, including his newest AR-15. Since it's been almost two years since I've done any practicing I was surprised at the results when I shot against the clock -- my time and accuracy were both better than I thought they would have been (This 15 second video clip will take approximately 90 seconds to download with a 55K modem). To see how it's really done, watch Phil draw, fire 2 rounds at each of three targets, reload from slide-lock, and then fire two more rounds at each target, a total of 12 rounds plus a reload (the same thing I did), all in 5.82 seconds!

That's the kind of shooting that enabled Phil to take second place in Expert Class at the Virginia IDPA State Match (http://www.idpa.com) in October 2001. He missed first place by 8/10's of a second.

Odometer reading = 29,526
Miles for day = 0

 

12/2/01
(Charlottesville VA)

This morning's extended coffee and conversation turned into a semi pajama party as grandma put Katlin's hair up in curlers (with some help from Philip IV).

From midday on Sharyn pretty much wrapped Christmas presents to be left under the local Christmas Tree, plus another pile for Philip's birthday on the 21st.

This afternoon the Christmas tree was cut down at a local Christmas Tree farm, put up in the living room and decorated -- all before dinner.

Kim prepared dinner for everyone, and after dinner we had an early birthday cake for Philip so we could share his birthday and watch him open the presents from Grandma and Grandpa.

Our plan is to be out of here by 5:am so we can get to Jordan's before dark tomorrow. If we don't make it out on time I may just delete this sentence before uploading to the server.

Odometer reading = 29,526
Miles for day = 0

 

12/3/01
(Southold NY)

We were up at 4:30 this morning, coffee was ready at 4:40, and at 5:15 we pulled out of Phil's driveway.

We pulled into Jordan's driveway at 10 minutes to 5:pm. That's almost 12 hours, and even allowing for the fact that we stopped several times for coffee or a sandwich, that much too long of a day. Particularly in view of our rule, "no more than 200 miles in any one day." Besides we started out early so that we could get here before dark. We didn't quite make it as it was dark when we pulled into Jordan's driveway. As I told Sharyn after we arrived, I used to drive Charlottesville to Southold (in a car) in 8 hours, and now I can't imagine how!

Anyway, it was nice to get here. Jordan got home from work a little after 7:pm and it's now 12:15am tomorrow and we're still sitting around talking.

Odometer reading = 29,959
Miles for day = 433

 

12/4/01
(Southold NY)

Once again we're at a fixed place (Jordan's back yard) where we'll be staying for awhile. Because this doesn't lend itself to much interesting material to write about, I may not update this site on a daily basis while we're here.

Last night the three of us, Sharyn, Jordan, and myself, stayed up very late just sitting in the motorhome talking. At 2:35am I said I was going to bed, and I did.

Notice the textured background that is now on all these travelog pages. I stole it from Phil's http://www.rrpc.org, and he tells me he stole it from somewhere else.

Odometer reading = 29,959
Miles for day = 433

 

12/5/01 to 12/16/01
(Southold NY)

It's probably time to update this site, based on the passage of time if not on what I have to say.

Sharyn's been finishing up her Christmas shopping while I've been hanging out and/or puttering around.

Jordan's been going to work and beginning to pack up her stuff. She's talked with the Air Force recruiter several times and has decided to join (she decided this several months ago). She's going to travel with us for several months before she signs up. That will be an interesting experience for all of us! I've asked her to do a "From Jordan's Perspective" page on this site and she has given me a firm "maybe."

We put an ad in the paper to rent her house and probably received 25 phone calls. We've got it rented as of January 1 which is very nice to say the least. We've rented a storage shed about two miles from here. We'll have from the day after Christmas until New Year's eve to move everything out of the house. Then we'll head south, traveling through Charlottesville VA, Sumter SC, Savannah GA, and then on down to Sharyn's mother in Ft Myers Fl; maybe taking as long as a month to get there. From Florida we plan to follow the Gulf Coast towards Alabama and points west -- perhaps to New Mexico and Arizona, before turning north to Alaska where we plan to spend the Summer. But then again, as I've said before, no part of these plans are firm until after the event!

Odometer reading = 30,049
Miles for day = 0

 

12/17/01 to 12/25/01
(Southold NY)

In the last week we've managed to get some of Jordan's stuff packed into boxes. Those boxes, together with a few pieces of furniture, have been moved to the storage facility. Basically, we did not want to totally disrupt her house until after Christmas, but beginning tomorrow we'll get serious about getting her stuff out so the tenant can move in on the first.

Yesterday was Jordan's last day at work, plus someone bought her car. Now with no job, no car, and no place to live after this week, I guess you could say she's burned some bridges behind her. Actually I think that that's not a bad way to do it.

This morning I got up at 6 o'clock because I was cold. As I went to turn up the thermostat I saw that the door was wide open, so I closed the door and got back in bed to wait for it to warm up. At 6:30 I got up and plugged in the coffee pot. We were all up by a little after 8 o'clock when we started opening our Christmas presents in Jordan's living room. We then got dressed and went over to Greg and Paulette's for "brunch," more exchange of presents, and coffee and conversation (with some games thrown in) for most of the day.

When we returned home tonight Sharyn made roast turkey breast with stuffing, gravy, and green beans for dinner.

By the way, Sharyn gave me a scanner for Christmas so while she and Jordan were "sorting" Jordan's jewelry, and dinner was in the oven, I was playing with the scanner. This site may begin to have some scanned images that would enhance the travelog but could not be obtained with a digital camera (which is the source of all the photos that have appeared here. An example of where a scanned image would be good would be this picture of the Confederate submarine Hunley which we visited and wrote about on 11/16/01. The picture is a painting by Conrad Wise Chapman, Courtesy of the Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia.

Odometer reading = 30,049
Miles for day = 0

 

12/26/01 to 12/31/01
(Southold NY)

This block of days was filled with packing and moving Jordan's stuff out of her house. The process was slow, tedious, and somewhat tiring, but could have moved along more rapidly if Jordan did not have to read every note, card, letter, and piece of paper she came across, "so I know what I want to do with it."

Anyway, like all things good and bad, the job was finally completed and, with about two hours remaining until the end of the year, the house was empty and ready for Suzie, our new tenant.

Several days after Christmas we had dinner with Gregory and Paulette and had the chance to enjoy their Christmas decorations. Each year Gregory sets up hundreds of pieces of Dickens Village on numerous shelves, with lighting to all the little buildings. It's a beautiful and impressive array!

On that same evening Scott was having trouble installing the software that would enable him to download the pictures he took with the digital spy camera he got from Grandma and Grandpa. One of the necessary files could not be installed from the CD. After several wasted calls to the tech help line Jordan went back to the motorhome and got my Photoshop CD which we then loaded into Scott's computer. The camera then worked beautifully and Scott was thrilled. The only problem I can foresee is that his mother told him he can't take it to school. Mom, give a kid a break!

In the meanwhile Grandma and Patrick were playing a skateboarding game on the Nintendo. While Patrick scored something in the half million range, grandma's top score was something just over 500. Oh well, she's still a cool grandma!

Odometer reading = 30,049
Miles for day =0

 

2002

 

1/1/02
(Quakertown PA)

We started out this morning, as I described it, "island hopping along the Atlantic Ocean," 104 miles to the Verizzano Bridge to Staten Island, then just a short distance to the Outer Bridge Crossing that took us to New Jersey and the North American Continent. Passing through the New York City area is really tough on the motorhome. This time the holes, bumps, and vibrations broke a brace that helps support the battery rack. We pulled off the highway 4 or 5 times before we could find the source of the heavy metal thud that kept coming from under the front end.

Sharyn was concerned that some of her cups and/or glasses would also break as they were rattling around in the cabinets in a rather noisy manner. Luckily there was no such breakage. We passed through New York City in December 2000 and that time a bolt supporting the slide assembly snapped.!

As we left Southold this morning Jordan was sitting in the co-pilot's chair, while Sharyn was on the couch. When a black cat ran across our path we decided not to tell Sharyn (from the couch she couldn't see the road ahead of us). While Sharyn is the only one who believes in that "black cat" stuff I have to admit that that cat set the tone for the day. Later on in the day we stopped for some groceries, and while Sharyn and Jordan were in the grocery store I tied the broken brace to the chassis so it would stop banging back and forth.

Since we had started off rather tired, and the day wasn't going too well, we decided to stop early and call it a day. Unfortunately, the campground we chose was the pits. As we pulled in it was more like a low-cost housing project than a campground or RV park. The interior "roads" in the campground were too narrow and had low branches and encroaching shrubs everywhere -- with no way or place to turn around. In the process of trying to get out, a leaning tree got up against the awning over the bedroom slideout and bent the mounting hardware. By running out the dinning room slide on the opposite side we got the motorhome to lean away from the tree just enough that Sharyn was able to direct me out. We left that place with a damaged slide awning and, probably, numerous small scratches on the side of the motorhome.

The next campground we tried we called to confirm that they were open all year. They were, and the man gave Sharyn detailed directions how to get there. About ten miles later when we got to where you turn off the main road the man was there with his car to guide us the last several miles. That was quite an accommodation.

Unfortunately, the bent mount on the bedroom slide awning prevents us from running that slide out tonight. Oh well, tomorrow may be a better day.

Odometer reading = 30,258
Miles for day = 209

 

1/2/02
(Charlottesville VA)

Last night when the owner led us to our campsite he said, "You can pay me in the morning," so when I went to the office to pay we spent an hour or so talking (a Pennsylvania campground office in January is not too busy). Anyway, we didn't get on the road until noontime. That pretty much put a crimp in our plan to get to Phil and Kim's in one day and to arrive before dark. We kept going back and forth about whether or not to make it a two day trip, but since there was a major snow storm moving into the southeastern part of the Country, we weren't sure what the situation would be in Charlottesville tomorrow. When we hit the Virginia State line we decided to go for it -- which we did.

Odometer reading = 30,604
Miles for day = 346

 

1/3/02
(Charlottesville VA)

Not too much activity today, although the one thing on my agenda was to do something with the mounting bracket on the bedroom slide so we could put the slide out. By loosening the end of the bracket we were able to put the slide out, but we are going to need several replacement parts to accomplish a proper repair.

Odometer reading = 30,604
Miles for day = 0

 

1/4/02
(Charlottesville VA)

I don't know what happened this morning, but Jordan was up and had the coffee going before anyone else was awake. WOW!

Later on Sharyn and Jordan went shopping and did not return until past dinner time. After Katlin had been home from school for several hours waiting anxiously for Grandma and Aunt Jordan to return she asked me why, if they are trying to get rid of stuff in the motorhome to make more space, they went shopping to buy more stuff. I told her that was a great question and that she should ask them when they returned. She did ask, but I didn't hear any answer!

Anyway, it's past midnight and I just finished watching Charlie Rose and his guest Lawrence Lessig, author of The Future of Ideas -- The Fate of the Commons in a Digital World. I've read several reviews of the book, and Charlie Rose was the second interview I've seen (heard) with Lawrence Lessig. Buy the book -- I intend to!

By the way, neither Grandma nor Aunt Jordan are home tonight (means they're not in the motorhome). They and Katlin are camping out in the TV/play room in the basement, watching videos, sleeping on the floor, and having a "girl's night out." I'm sorry I wasn't invited.

Odometer reading = 30,604
Miles for day = 0

 

1/5/02
(Charlottesville VA)

This afternoon Jordan, Katlin, Phil, and I went to the range at the Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club where Phil is pretty active. We did a few rounds at the plinking range with Phil's AR-15; We also did a few rounds with Phil's Glock 34 and my Sig 229, but there was another couple using that range which precluded us from doing the IDPA, closer range, timed rapid fire stuff we wanted to do so we moved to the PPC range which we had to ourselves.

I didn't even know that Katlin shot, much less that she does pretty well for an almost 9 year old. Since the first time Jordan fired Phil's Glock 34 (his latest handgun acquisition) she has had no interest in shooting any other handgun. Since he got the 34 I don't think Phil has used anything else in competition -- of course he bought it strictly for match shooting. I prefer my Sig 229, but then I'm not too good.

This is a video clip of Jordan firing 10 rounds with Phil's Glock 34 (download time with a 56K modem is almost 2 minutes).

Odometer reading = 30,604
Miles for day = 0

 

1/6/02
(Charlottesville VA)

The forecast for today was 4 - 6" of snow, with another 1 - 2" to fall tonight. Well happily we only got about half an inch and it doesn't appear that there's any more to come tonight. That's good, because we're out of here in the morning; hopefully headed for warmer places.

As for RVers who linger too long in the higher latitudes, they will understand why everyone else is further south. Our motorhome is heated (and cooled) by two roof-mounted heat pumps and we like them a lot. However, when the outside temperature gets to about 30 degrees the heat pumps shut down and the system switches over to LP furnaces, which also do a fine job of keeping comfortable temperatures inside, even when it's subfreezing outside. The problem comes from the combination of being too far north at the wrong time of year and having a limited LP storage capacity. We have a 20 gallon tank that we generally lasts us about six months. However, when the temperatures stay as cold as they've been and the furnaces replace the heat pumps as our primary source of heat we run through a tank of LP in a week. The point is that we used the last of our LP gas last night and, it's now almost 10:pm and the heat pumps are still running. We all sincerely hope that the outside temperature, which is just at freezing, does not get any colder tonight (no LP gas, no heat below 30 degrees). We do have a portable 1500 watt electric heater, but that will hardly do the job. Tomorrow, as we head south we plan to take US-29 down through Lovingston, Lynchburg, Danville, etc., which should take us past a number of LP distributors.

This afternoon we drove out to Louisa to visit with our son Shane and his friend Michelle. We've never been to their place before and found it quite cozy, set on 13 acres back in the woods and fields a quarter mile back from the road. It was a pleasant visit but we didn't stay too long because with the continuing threat of heavy snow (it snowed lightly all day) I wanted to be sure we'd be back before dark.

Odometer reading = 30,604
Miles for day = 0

 

1/7/02
(Fayetteville NC)

We had set the alarm for 6:am so we could see everyone before they left for work/school/baby-sitter. We lucked out last night because the heat pumps maintained a comfortable temperature all night.

It was a little before ten o'clock when we pulled out of the driveway. Because of snow west and south of Charlottesville we headed east on I-64 to Richmond, then south on I-95. We wanted to put some distance between us and the incoming snow.

We still had to deal with an empty LP tank that needed filling. At one point where I-95 was running parallel to US-301 we saw an LP facility on 301 so we exited at the next exit and came back on US-301 to the LP place. It turned out that they built and serviced LP delivery trucks, but didn't sell LP. So we lost some time. Next attempt was when we again got onto US-301 and stopped at a campground that was open all winter and sold LP gas, or so it said in the campground directory. The problem was there was no one around to pump the LP. We decided to stay on 301 for awhile and see what else we might find. Eventually Sharyn spotted a gas station with an LP service tank in the back. We made a U-turn and took on 17 gallons of LP for $44.

We then got back on I-95 and decided to head to the FamCamp (the Army calls them Travel Camps) at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville NC. We arrived at 5:pm and the camp office was closed. The sign said take a spot and sign in tomorrow. The campground roads are gravel, but the the sites have new concrete pads, 50 amps, water and sewer. We might stay for two nights so we can check out the commissary, buy some groceries, and get all our stuff better organized in the motorhome.

Odometer reading = 30,903
Miles for day = 299

 

1/8/02
(Fayetteville NC)

Today was a relaxed and easy, yet productive, day. Sharyn and I went to the commissary where we bought lots of dried beans for soup, a wide selection of fresh vegetables for stir frying, and other assorted stuff. We also went to the PX where I found a soft bristled brush on a telescoping pole for washing the motorhome. The one I have, and all the others I've seen have bristles that are not as soft as I want. When we got back to the motorhome Jordan was up, showered and dressed, and had done some picking up and further condensing of all of her stuff.

The car was totally covered in grime from the trip from Charlottesville so I decided that I'd wash it using the new brush thing. It worked very well and the temperature climbed sufficiently while I was doing the car that I decided to do the motorhome as well. This was the first time the motorhome's been washed since last summer when, over a three week period in New Brunswick, I waxed it. The reason it hadn't washed it sooner was that I didn't want brush marks in the waxed surface.

While I was washing, Sharyn and Jordan were continuing to make Jordan's stuff fit into the motorhome so it wouldn't have to stay on the kitchen table, couch, piled on the floor, etc. Actually, at this point they have the motorhome 95% back to regular. It looks and feels good.

As I write this I realize that it doesn't sound like we would have enjoyed the day, but the fact is we did. We are considering extending for another day.

By the way, some of the places we've stayed at have mosquitos, some have other flying/crawling insects; this place has swarms of helicopters -- kind of neat!

Odometer reading = 30,903
Miles for day = 0

 

1/9/02
(Myrtle Beach SC)

Several years ago Greg looked at a 32' Blackfin fishing boat in or around Norfolk VA. The boat was in beautiful condition, and the engines had only 15 hours on them. He didn't buy it and I've always felt bad that he didn't. Anyway, he's been looking at Black Fins again, and has focused on a 32' in Southport NC (just east of Wilmington). He called us last night and asked if we could take a look at it, and perhaps confirm that it's the same boat he passed up the last time and, if it is, to confirm that it still looks clean. Well we did that today and it is the same boat and it still looks good. The only thing is that one of the engines was missing. The broker, who met us at the boat, was surprised at that, and I suspect somewhat unhappy with the owner for putting him in the position of showing a boat with a missing engine without any information or explanation as to how come. Anyway, the broker said he'd get hold of the owner and then call Greg.

From Southport we headed to Myrtle Beach, about 75 miles down the coast, where we tried to get to Camping World before closing time. They were locking the doors as we drove in. Oh well, we're spending the night in the parking lot so we'll be here when they open. We need some replacement parts for the slide awning which will probably have to be ordered out of Atlanta. If so, we should still be able to have them on Friday, before the weekend, so we can head on to Sumter. We also want them to check the wiring to the tail lights on the Honda that do not come on with the motorhome lights when the Honda is in tow. The tow bar and tail/brake light harness were installed by Camping World in Manassas Va. One thing we like about Camping World is that an installation they perform is guaranteed for as long as you own the unit. It may be that the tail light problem is not related to the installation, but there is voltage going into the connector at the front of the Honda, and the tail lights do work if the Honda lights are turned on. We'll see in the morning.

Odometer reading = 31,094
Miles for day = 191

 

1/10/02
(Sumter SC)

I woke up at 6:am and, since there were several other motorhomes in the parking lot, I didn't want to start the generator. That precluded the electric coffee pot, and the French Press didn't seem to be worth it, so I boiled water for some Taster's Choice instant coffee. Sharyn was up only a few minutes later and we woke Jordan at seven. Anyway, we had breakfast, etc., and when Camping World opened at 8 o'clock we were there!

Before noon they had fixed all our problems and we were on our way to Sumter and Shaw AFB.

It feels good to be back here again. The fact that it's sunny, breezy, and 72 degrees, with the scent of pine trees in the air doesn't hurt. We got all set up before having cheese, wine, and crackers ouutside at our picnic table. After some wine, cheese, and conversation, Jordan and I went to the FamCamp office to upload to this site and check our e-mails.

Odometer reading = 31,197
Miles for day = 103

 

1/11/02
(Sumter SC)

Sharyn and Jordan did several loads of wash, plus Sharyn did a bunch of ironing that she's had for awhile. Yesterday I made myself a list of things that I've been wanting to get done for some time, and today I knocked off six of the ten items on the list. The one that's been bothering me the most was the cycling on and off of the water pump when no one was using water. Several weeks ago I had called Shurflo, the pumps manufacturer, and they sent me two new replacement check valves which I installed today. Tomorrow I should finish off my list.

This afternoon, as I was still working on my list, Sharyn and Jordan went to the commissary for milk and a few other things, plus they checked out the BX.

That doesn't sound like much, but it was a low key, yet constructive, day for everyone.

Odometer reading = 31,197
Miles for day = 0

 

1/12/02
(Sumter SC)

Today began with no particular plan but soon developed into a very major clean up and reorganization. I started with the remainder of my list from yesterday while Sharyn began unloading all the basement compartments, redoing the bedroom closet and some other cabinets as well. Some stuff got unloaded from the car (our portable shed), while other things were relocated to the car. This photo does not really give a good feel for the extent of the project, but this photo does a good job of conveying the seriousness with which the job was pursued. We were probably about 20 minutes from finishing up when it started to rain. That wasn't bad because at that point we were able to get the remaining stuff under cover inside of a minute. Had the rain come several hours earlier it would have been a totally different matter. It was a very productive day

I tried to update this website this morning (and check our e-mail) but the office is closed for the weekend. Don't know when you'll ever get to see this!

Odometer reading = 31,197
Miles for day = 0

 

1/13/02
(Sumter SC)

The original plan, if you want to call it that, was to leave here today. However, we didn't wake up until after 9 o'clock. After some coffee and conversation we sort of came to "we really don't have to leave here today," so we didn't. We went for our first "walk," but only did a mile (out of consideration for one of the participants). We haven't been able to do our daily walks here because some sort of "exercise" has been going on and walkers, runners, and/or joggers have not been allowed on the roadway.

We didn't do very much, but soon it was time for dinner. After that Jordan wanted to know how to play Canasta so she and Sharyn played several hands. I then said that I'd join in which I did. It's now midnight and we're getting set for bed. The plan now is that tomorrow we'll be up at six and on the road by eight. I think that'll work.

Odometer reading = 31,197
Miles for day = 0

 

1/14/02
(Screven GA)

Last night, while setting the alarm for 6:am we realized that that was only 5 1/2 hours away. We set the alarm 7 o'clock instead.

I went to the FamCamp office and uploaded the website, checked e-mail and bank statements, and we were on the road just before 10:am. Travel was uneventful; we took US-15 south to I-95 which we stayed on until just south of Savannah where we exited onto US-17 (basically) to US-84 west.

When we left this morning, Savannah was our targeted destination as we've never been there and understand that it's a beautiful place to see. However, when we stopped for lunch a half hour or so before Savannah, it was raining (as it did most of the day) and quite unpleasant. We decided that neither the weather nor the time of year lent itself to a touristy visit to this ante-bellum city, plus campground rates in and around Savannah are kind of high. Better we do Savannah under better circumstances -- probably when we head south from the Canadian Maritime Provinces in the fall of 2003.

In the meanwhile we continued on to "Happy Acres Resort" in Screven GA. Located eight miles north of US-84, a narrow 2-lane highway that pretty much comes and goes from nowhere, I expected a run down, rather dumpy kind of place. What a surprise! It's neat and clean, and nicely maintained. We checked in at the rather dusty old country store across the road where a very friendly and helpful lady, of about the same vintage as the store, gave us an update on the local weather -- "supposed to dry out tonight, but no guarantee" -- and then drew us a map of the best way to get back out of here. The campsites themselves, while on the grass, are as clean and neat as any we've ever been in.

Odometer reading = 31,435
Miles for day = 238

 

1/15/02
(Okefenokee Swamp GA)

This morning was sunny and bright and we took off for Stephen C. Foster State Park which is located within, and is a part of, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. We arrived shortly after noon and, given our choice of campsites, selected this one. This is Sharyn and Jordan walking back to the campsite.

After getting set up we walked one of the elevated nature trails that wandered through a minuscule portion of the 396,000 acre wildlife preserve.

In the Okefenokee Refuge (wildlife preserve) there are 110 miles of waterways well suited for canoeing or kayaking. There are three of us, but we only have two kayaks. If tomorrow is another sunny day we will rent a canoe and paddle at least a couple of these 110 miles of wilderness waterways.

Odometer reading = 31,546
Miles for day = 111

 

1/16/02
(Okefenokee Swamp GA)

It was a beautiful warm and sunny day today and, as planned, we rented a canoe that the three of us could go out in together. Adjacent to the campground/park office there is a boat basin with docks for small boat rentals, the Park Rangers' boats, and a launch area for kayaks, canoes, and other private boats. From this basin there is a canal that runs out about a half mile to "Billy's Lake." This "lake" is a body of water about 4 miles long and perhaps 100 yards wide. The east end of the lake is where the East Fork of the Suwannee River enters into it. Just west of that point the Middle Fork of the Suwannee River enters the lake from the north. At the western end of the lake the combined flow of these two branches exit the lake and continue for about another four miles where they are joined by the North Branch of the Suwannee River. The Suwannee River, having been spawned in the Okefenokee swamp, now being complete, begins is southwesterly trek into and across the State of Florida where it eventually flows out into the Gulf of Mexico.

Now that you've got the description of this portion of the river I'll continue with what we did today. The three of us took canoe #12 and paddled out to Billy's Lake through the 12-15' wide canal that connects the boat basin to the lake. When we entered the lake we turned to the right and headed east, following the northerly shoreline. We hadn't gone too far until we came upon a 4-5' alligator sunning himself on the bank. As I was taking the picture I remarked that either alligators don't have eyelids, or he was watching me. Jordan suggested he was watching me! Sharyn was uncomfortable with, I believe, the entire scenario; alligators in close proximity, a canoe that seemed less stable than our kayaks, the black water and dense shoreline of the Okefenokee swamp, etc. She said she'd like to go back and for Jordan and I to go without her. She had never been too enthused about going out into the river/swamp to start with, but was pretty game to try it anyway.

We did bring Sharyn back to the boat basin where Jordan and I switched the rental canoe for the kayaks. As we proceeded back out the canal it was only two or three strokes with the paddle before I took note at how much less effort was required to move the kayak through the water compared with the canoe. We again headed east on Billy's Lake. Progress was rather slow as Jordan was intent on not missing any sight or sound along the shoreline. I was anxious to get to the Middle Fork of the river because I like the narrow, more constricted, waterways where you are close to both shorelines and can examine everything in much greater detail. For everything that's happening on the more open water there are a thousand things happening where the water meets the shoreline.

When I got to the Middle Fork, Jordan was far behind me, still way down the lake and out of sight. I didn't want us to get onto different tracks through the swamp so I came back down to the mouth of the Middle Fork to wait for her. We she caught up we started up the Middle Fork. What a beautiful experience. At this point the current running against us, which was not discernible on the lake, became somewhat of a factor. Also, Jordan wanted to be sure she had enough arm strength to get back, plus there is an "off the water" time of 5:pm. If anyone has not returned and gotten "off the water" by that time, the search and rescue boats will go looking for them.

We were back well before that time, and as we came into the basin Sharyn was there to meet us.

The next time we're in this area we'll have to do some much more extensive kayaking in these waterways. Sharyn says so long as it isn't "bad alligator" season she'd go with me. She was surprised that she didn't like the canoe. She says she feels much more secure in her kayak.

PS: Stephen Foster never saw the Suwannee River!

Odometer reading = 31,546
Miles for day = 0

 

1/17/02
(Old Town FL)

As we started out the 17 mile driveway from the park to the highway I commented that it was on this 17 mile drive that Sharyn had first driven our 27' Travel Master. We asked Jordan if she'd like to drive the motorhome out to the highway and she said she would. It was a groundbreaking morning; Jordan drove the motorhome for the first time, and Sharyn, for the first time, hooked the Honda up to the motorhome.

Except for stopping at Winn-Dixie in Lake City, and my missing a couple of turns, it was an uneventful trip to Old Town. We were heading to a campground in this area where we stayed several years ago. As we turned into this campground we realized that it was the wrong place, but we stayed here anyway. This place is okay, but the other place was right on the Suwannee River and I was looking forward to kayaking on the river.

Odometer reading = 31,669
Miles for day = 123

 

1/18/02
(Lehigh Acres FL)

Today was another day where the plans changed as the day progressed. We didn't pull out of the campground until thirteen minutes past noon, but that was okay. I've concluded that you can hurry, be unrelaxed, and maybe leave earlier. Or, you can not worry about it, go with the flow, be relaxed and leave whenever it happens. As far as I can tell there's no reason not to proceed with the latter system.

We proceeded in a southeasterly direction until we picked up I-75 at Ocala. Just as we had the Interstate in sight we came to a supermarket where we pulled in to get some groceries and, while in the parking lot, have lunch. While Sharyn and Jordan were in the store I called the FamCamp at MacDill AFB to see if they had any available spaces left. They still had a few but the lady said she was signing people in as we spoke. It sounded unlikely that there'd be anything left by the time we'd get there. We were probably about 225 miles from Sharyn's mother's house (our destination) so I said we'd might as well go for it, which we did.

For people who have decided not to travel over 200 miles in any one day, and who don't drive at night, we seem to be doing a fair number of 200+ mile days, and frequently not arriving until after dark -- such as today. We may have to get our life's priorities back on track!

Anyway, we're now at Sharyn's mother's, or more properly stated, we are parked on the shoulder of the road across the street. Having visited for an several hours, I left Sharyn and Jordan in the house talking while I came back out to the motorhome to take my shower. Having done that, and feeling very good as a result, I am doing this page. I'll then walk across the street in my pajamas and upload this to the server.

Tomorrow we'll check into a campground somewhere in the vicinity.

Odometer reading = 31,956
Miles for day = 287

 

1/19/02
(LaBelle FL)

The day started very very early. I was lying in bed awake, wondering what time it was. It was still dark. Finally I pushed the button on my watch to illuminate the dial (I hate to do that because I figure the amount of battery power it takes to light the dial for one second would probably run the watch for a month). It was 4:10am, much too early to get up. As I was wondering "what to do now?" I realized the Sharyn also was awake. I asked her if she wanted a cup of coffee, to which she laughed and replied, "no." A long time later, I was even more wide awake and it was clear that my sleep for the night was over. As I started to get out of bed Sharyn, who also was still awake, asked me what I was doing. I said, "getting up." It was 5:15 and we were soon having our "coffee and conversation." We had gone to bed at 12:30am, so at least I had about 3 1/2 hours sleep. Sharyn said she never got to sleep because she kept getting up to check on noises she heard outside the motorhome, and to see who was trying to steal the kayaks off of the Honda. It's now 7:30pm and I'm having trouble staying awake.

Sharyn's sister Sandy, who has been living with and taking care of her mother for over a year, left this morning to go fishing for the weekend. Around midmorning I took the motorhome to LaBelle Woods RV Resort, about 25 miles away, where we had stayed this past spring. It's a nice campground but this time of year it's pretty crowded. While I was there and getting all set up, Sharyn called to ask me to bring her a change of clothes, etc., as it had become apparent that Sharyn was going to be spending the night with her mother, who cannot be left alone.

Anyway, to shorten the story, I went back with some stuff for Sharyn; visited a while, then returned to the motorhome with Jordan. We'll be back to Sharyn's mother's first thing in the morning.

When we left Charlottesville on January 7 we figured to take a month to get to Sharyn's mother's. There was no need to hurry (once we got south of the snow threat) so we were going to poke along and stop and see anything that struck our fancy -- spend more time in Sumter for instance -- visit Savannah, for instance -- and we definitely would have spent more time paddling the Okefenokee Swamp. However, somewhere enroute we got a phone call that Sandy's son Michael was getting married on Saturday, January 19. We picked up our pace considerably to get here for the wedding. Today's the day, but no one has seen or heard from Michael, or the "bride," for a number of days. Everyone's best guess is that they went back to California. Oh well, wait until next time.

Odometer reading = 31,980
Miles for day = 24

 

1/20/02
(LaBelle FL)

We (Jordan and I) got up and went to Sharyn's mother's. Sharyn had cleaned and scrubbed everything and had the place well under control. Her brother Alan had stopped over, so while he was there to watch his mother Sharyn and Jordan took about 75 pounds of laundry to the Laundromat in the nearby shopping center. I said I'd stay at the house, but when an hour and a half passed and they still weren't back I decided to walk down to where they were. It turned out that it had taken them six machine loads to wash all the stuff. Anyway, from the Laundromat we went next door to Publix to pick up something for dinner.

As we got back to the house Aunt June and her 93 year old boy friend were just getting out of their car. I had heard of him, but never had met him. He looks and moves as though he were in his early 70's. In a conversation you'd think he was 60. I hope I'm that good ten years from now, never mind in another 31 years when I get to be his age. Pretty impressive -- and a very nice man besides!

After they left Sharyn made dinner for all of us, including Susan, Alan's wife, who stopped by to visit. After dinner Alan and Susan left and the three of us just talked as we would if we had been back at the motorhome. Sharyn's mother basically can no longer get out of bed, and she sleeps pretty much all the time, so while it's her house it's almost as if she wasn't there.

Still no word from Sandy but Sharyn's pretty sure she'll be back tomorrow.

Odometer reading = 31,980
Miles for day = 0

 

1/21/02
(LaBelle FL)

The big event of the day was when Sandy showed up this afternoon. Tonight Sharyn came back to the motorhome with me and Jordan. It's super much better with her here.

Odometer reading = 31,980
Miles for day = 0

 

1/22/02 and 1/23/02
(LaBelle FL)

I opted to stay at the motorhome while Sharyn and Jordan went to Sharyn's mother's. Not much happened at either place.

Odometer reading = 31,980
Miles for day = 0

 

1/24/02 to 1/28/02
(LaBelle FL)

Basically Sharyn has been visiting at her mother's house every day, sometimes with Jordan and/or me. It looks as if we are going to leave here on Wednesday, January 30.

Odometer reading = 31,980
Miles for day = 0

 

1/29/02
(LaBelle FL)

Since we are leaving here tomorrow we all went to Sharyn's mother's for the day.

Odometer reading = 31,980
Miles for day = 0

 

1/30/02
(Zolfo Springs FL)

Well, we're finally back on the road again. We didn't plan on going too far today, only to the Escapee park at Zolfo Springs -- it's an Escapee park we've never been to before. We arrived just after noon. The place is quite nice. I don't know what I expected, but it is nicer than I was surprised at how nice it is.

We didn't do anything for the rest of the day but relax, read, and generally recuperate. Jordan and I did go to Wal-Mart to get a third fold-up chair for sitting outside.

Today would probably be described as the first leg of our trip to Alaska.

Odometer reading = 32,059
Miles for day = 79

 

1/31/02
(Zolfo Springs FL)

Sharyn did lots of laundry in the laundry room located in the rear room of the clubhouse. I washed the car and did some reading in the library which is located in the room on the left in the clubhouse.

We also met and talked with Bill & Carol Williams, our neighbors across the way who told us they make jewelry that they sell at crafts shows. That's technically true, but when we saw his work it did not conform to my expectation. It would be more accurate to say that they manufacturer very fine, high quality, one-of-a-kind pieces. For example, two of my favorites (just from the few he showed us), are this pin and this cross. Their business is called Precious Treasures and they can be reached at misnowbd@hotmail.com.

Odometer reading = 32,059
Miles for day = 0

 

2/1/02 and 2/2/02
(Zolfo Springs FL)

We didn't do anything yesterday (as far as I can remember), but today we had had planned to go to an RV show in Ocala. However, when it was time to get up and get ready to go, the one who yesterday most wanted to go, was less enthused. I had had questions about whether it would be worth the 125 mile trip to Ocala so it was fine with me not to go.

Instead, I did some work on the water system in the motorhome. Three problems we've had for awhile have been; (1) the water pump keeps cycling on every several minutes, (2) when the water runs there's a vibration from the water pipes running under the floor, and (3) when we're hooked up to city water pressure, over a period of a day or so, our water tank overflows. Numbers (1) and (3) I think were related -- water pressure leaks back through the water pump (probably the check valve). The only problem is that several weeks ago I replaced the check valve and it didn't seem to make any difference. However, it's been several hours since I replaced it again this afternoon, and I think that cycling on problem may be fixed. It will take awhile to see if the check valve fixed problem (1) also. By the way, while I was in there I also relocated the water pump from the floor of the compartment to the side. That freed up a substantial area for storing water hose, extension cord, etc.

I also removed the rear panel of the compartment and used electrical tape to fasten the water lines in such a manner that the vibration has been substantially reduced. Not a bad day.

Odometer reading = 32,059
Miles for day = 0

 

2/3/02
(Zolfo Springs FL)

Sharyn and I went to the kielbasa cook at the clubhouse where kielbasa on a roll with onion, etc was only a dollar. Almost as good a deal as 10-10-220!

Jordan complained that she couldn't watch the Super Bowl because I watched the news, and then she missed half time because, "Mom had to see the dance scene in The American President which she's already seen ten times."

By the way, before we leave here, here's a picture of our site.

Odometer reading = 32,059
Miles for day = 0

 

2/4/02
(Bushnell FL)

We checked out of Zolfo Springs this morning. We paid $50.02 for five days camping, plus $11.94 for 124 kWh of electricity, for a total of $61.96. That's pretty reasonable. It's also only the second time we've paid for metered electricity on a short time stay.

When we stopped for lunch I took note of Jordan's hair which I thought looked exceptionally good, so I took her picture.

In November 2001 Escapees purchased Sumter Oaks RV Park, an existing RV park near Bushnell FL, to convert to another Escapee (SKP) park. Since we don't know when we'll be back in this area again we decided to go there and check it out. It's probably less than 100 miles from Zolfo Springs, but it took us 131 miles to get here. When we were planning to go to the RV show in Ocala this past weekend I had studied the map to see just how to get to the fairgrounds in Ocala where the show was to take place. We didn't go to the RV show, but when we left this morning for Sumter Oaks, which is about 40 miles south of Ocala, I started driving north to the Ocala fairgrounds. We had gone about 100 miles when Sharyn asked me, "how much further to this place?" As I began to answer I realized what I had done. Luckily we had not yet gone past Sumter Oaks, but we were in the process of doing so; and we were 30 miles to the east of where we would have been had I been going to the right place. I guess it's like the bumper sticker says, "Dumbness Happens."

Anyway we did get to Sumter Oaks, and while it's pretty nice now, it's potential is terrific. I'm sure that after Escapees has had it for a year or two it will be one of their nicest parks. We like it -- mostly because we like the large Live Oaks that spread over the entire campground. Jordan likes it better than Zolfo Springs because she says the people here are much friendlier here. Tonight they had a spaghetti dinner at the clubhouse and we went.

Periodically we come across a sign that I think has some particular humor or interest. I'm going to start photographing such signs and post them on this site. When I've accumulated several I'll start a separate page, perhaps called "Interesting Signs." In the meanwhile, here's the first sign.

Odometer reading = 32,189
Miles for day = 131

 

2/5/02
(Bushnell FL)

The first thing that happened this morning, after coffee and conversation, was that Sharyn and Jordan went to the club house for a line dancing lesson (not too many people showed up). They were gone for considerably longer than that because apparently all the women sat around and talked about their RV'ing experiences and the pros and cons of full-timing.

While they were line dancing I changed the water filters on the motorhome. We use two filters in series with the first a half micron sediment cartridge and the second a half micron carbon block The carbon filter is referred to as a "polishing" filter as it also removes chlorine, odors, and most other disagreeable characteristics, "polishing" the drinking water -- and, because of where it's installed, all the water coming into the motorhome. The water passing through these filters, according to Sharyn, is better than any of the bottled spring waters that she used to buy before we installed this filter system.

We also put our name on the waiting list to purchase a long term lease for one of the lots in this park. There are a total of 125 lots, 25 of which are leased to Escapee members. The remaining lots are available for Escapee members who are looking for short term campsites for a few days or weeks. We don't know if we wish to purchase one of these leases or not, but for $20 we become #71 on the waiting list. We'll think about it as we wait for our name to work it's way up the list. Probably somewhere around a two-year process.

Later this afternoon Jordan and I went to Winn-Dixie to get some fresh vegetables to make for dinner. We passed over the yellow peppers at $1.99 each.

We're probably going to stay here through the weekend.. Sharyn likes it here, and if she's happy I'm usually happy too!

Odometer reading = 32,189
Miles for day = 0

 

2/5/02 through 2/10/02
(Bushnell FL)

We've been here for awhile and we're all ready to move on to visit with Ron and Peg in Umatilla. Unfortunately several days ago we called Texas to have our mail sent to us here. The accumulated mail filled two mailers, one of which arrived yesterday (Saturday). Therefore we are now waiting for the second mailer which should be here tomorrow. We have decided, however, that if it doesn't come we'll leave anyway and someone will come back with the car to get it.

Anyway, for some pictures! During a good part our coffee and conversation time I sit in the drivers seat, which by then has been swiveled around to face the living room area. Also, during coffee and conversation, Sharyn will at some point go outside to have her cigarette. This is my usual view of Sharyn at that point. If you look carefully in the lower mirror you will see some guy standing there. He is camped diagonally behind us and has been there for several days. The other day when I was talking to him he was rather reserved and not overly friendly. Well this morning he sure was friendly with Sharyn, asking her if she was a "single." I guess he thought I was the hired driver.

Later this morning (after the guy went back to his own RV) Jordan and I walked the perimeter of this campground, twice. That's just over 1.1 miles and I had trouble keeping up with Jordan. It's not clear to me how she walks so fast. She was 30 seconds ahead of me when we completed our second lap. However, my pulse rate was 76, Jordan's was 124. She didn't look like she was suffering.

Finally, this is the camp store, office, and laundry room as seen from our campsite. I took this picture because I like the building, particularly the roof line. I thought that they should get rid of all the dryer vents that destroy the esthetics of an otherwise attractive building, so I applied a little Photoshop and got rid of the vents, the electric pole, "no parking" sign, and the bulk LP gas tank. Sure makes the place look better. Unfortunately, the change in pitch (which is what I like) where the roof comes out over the porch is visually lost in the reworked photo.

Odometer reading = 32,189
Miles for day = 0

 

2/11/02
(Umatilla FL)

This morning we checked out of Sumter Oaks and were on the road by 11:30. Actually we were only on the road for about three miles until we stopped at a welding shop where the guy fixed the bracket that had broken on New Years Day as we bounced and jostled our way across the "highways" of New York City. For $10 you almost wish you had two broken brackets so you could get two such bargains!

Anyway, from Bushnell we took US-301 north to Routes 42 and then 450 to Umatilla and our friends Ron and Peg where, as we usually do here, we parked by the horse barn. Once upon a time, a lifetime ago, the four of us used to sail the waters between Long Island and Nantucket. Then we had fun sailing; now we have fun talking about what we used to do. Is there some kind of a message there?

We stayed up talking until midnight when we finally called it a day.

Odometer reading = 32,244
Miles for day = 55

 

2/12/02 and 2/13/02
(Umatilla FL)

As of this writing we've been here for three relaxed days (actually I guess that's not too amazing since we have few days that are not relaxed).

One of the things that we've been working on is going through the mail. We had our mail forwarded from Texas to General Delivery at Bushnell FL and it didn't arrive there until Monday morning. We picked up the mail on our way out of town. Sharyn is now in the process of going through it.

Yesterday Jordan went driving with Peggy and Julie. Actually Peggy and Julie have been doing very well in the formal competitions they have entered. Later in the day Sharyn, Jordan, and Peggy relaxed and talked about . . .?

This morning Sharyn, Jordan, and Peg went to a mall somewhere not too far away. I guess they had a good time because malls seem to do that to them.

Ron came home from work early and we shot some skeet out in the field by the lake (I forgot to take pictures). Tonight we again ate with them, and again we ate a little excessively -- especially the bread, pie, and ice cream. We plan to leave in the morning and we told Ron and Peg that next time they should come and visit us!

Odometer reading = 32,244
Miles for day = 0

 

2/14/02
(Perry FL)

This morning, being Valentine's Day, began with Sharyn giving me an wonderfully appropriate Valentine's Card. Is that a cool card, or what?

After coffee and conversation we said good-bye to Peggy, Sharon, and D'Ayn (Peggy's daughter and granddaughter), and pulled out of the driveway heading north for Perry FL. Four hours and 150 miles later we pulled into the Westgate Motel and RV Park. We've stopped here twice before and it works out well as a stopping point between mid-Florida and the Panhandle. Besides it's a Passport America campground with 50 amp hookups and only costs us $11.

About a half hour before we arrived, Sharyn was saying that she thought it was too bad we hadn't bought an Allegro Bus, a diesel pusher, instead of the unit we bought. When we arrived at the campground we were parked next to an Allegro Bus -- it sure looked nice. The bus had Alaska license plates on it and I asked the owner how long they had lived in Alaska. He's probably in his late 60's and he said that when he and his wife got married they went to Alaska for their honeymoon and stayed there. Now they're retired and travel full-time.

That bus was on our right, and on the other side of the bus was a Winnebago that had been next to us at the Escapees Park in Bushnell FL. They are on their to Alaska. On our left was another motorhome with a retired Air Force man and his wife; they are also on their way to Alaska. We may well meet any or all of these people in Alaska this summer. Actually we all plan to cross into Canada between the middle of May and the first of June!

Odometer reading = 32,395
Miles for day = 151

 

2/15/02
(Panama City FL)

Of the three motorhomes heading for Alaska that were parked together last night, we were the next to last to pull out this morning. The Air Force guy was gone when we woke up.

As we drove west on US-98 along the Gulf Coast we crossed the bridge over the Ochlockonee Bay. Several years ago we found a small area down on the water at the end of the bridge where we had pulled in with our 27' Travel Master. It was a very pretty place to stop for lunch so we decided to do it again. We weren't sure we'd be able to turn this rig around without unhitching the Honda, but we'd find out. It turned out there was no problem swinging a wide left turn and parking under the trees. We briefly checked out the shoreline of the bay before returning to the motorhome for lunch. Here's another picture of us parked under the trees.

From there we continued on to Panama City and the FamCamp at Tyndall AFB. I suggested stopping for our "two o'clock coffee" but Jordan vehemently vetoed the idea saying that, "we've just had lunch." I acquiesced and we continued on to Tyndall.

There were no available spaces in the FamCamp so we are in the overflow area. We are #3 for a site so that's not too bad -- particularly when the overflow sites have water and electric!

Odometer reading = 32,551
Miles for day = 156

 

2/16/02
(Panama City FL)

Before noon today we had a regular campsite and we moved out of the overflow area. However we have a site with no sewer connection, although we have water, electric (30 amps) and cable. We are now #4 on the list for a full hookup site which will include sewer and 50 amp electric.

After moving into our site Sharyn and I drove down to Bonita Bay Outdoor Recreation Complex which is the name of the water recreation area on base about a half mile west of the FamCamp. This is the northerly point of the facility as seen from the US-98 highway bridge. The Gulf of Mexico is to the right, just beyond the trees. The FamCamp is in the woods to the left and across the water from Bonita Bay Point. After checking it out (it hasn't changed since we were here in April of last year) we went to the commissary where we bought $191 worth of groceries -- Mother Hubbard's cupboard was truly bare. While we were there I stopped in at the base barber shop and got a very much needed $5 haircut.

Odometer reading = 32,551
Miles for day = 0

 

2/17/02 through 2/22/02
(Panama City FL)

During this past week we haven't done any "big" thing, but we've been moderately active with miscellaneous stuff. We've shot some pool, done daily walks (with some short sprints), driven around town, explored a secluded, sandy white beach hidden behind the drone launch area, gone shopping, did laundry (Sharyn and Jordan did), read our books and magazines, etc. On two occasions I went kayaking by myself when I couldn't interest anyone else in going with me (maybe I need a dog).

Over the last several days the hose that we use to connect to the water hookup had developed a number of leaks to the point that it sprays water all over the place and we can't leave the pressure on. While the pressure here is probably in the 125 pound range, we've been hooked up to higher pressure in the past with no problem (we have a pressure reducer where the water goes into the motorhome to protect the motorhome plumbing). Anyway, this afternoon Jordan and I went to went to buy a new hose. While we were out I tracked down a Sony 707, a Zeiss lens equipped digital camera which I've been reading about, but have never seen or handled. We finally found one, in Sears of all places. In Sears or anywhere else that's a very impressive camera! If you're really interested in an extensive review of this camera, click here, but take note that you must "click" your way through the entire 13 page article.

When we got back to the FamCamp and I rolled up the old hose I looked more closely at the leaks. The campground is alive with squirrels which pay no attention whatsoever to the presence of people; even at a distance of two or three feet they totally ignore you. The holes in the hose are like deep, narrow, chisel cuts. The squirrels did it!

Tomorrow we move on to the Naval Air Station at Pensacola and the FamCamp on the Gulf of Mexico.

Odometer reading = 32,551
Miles for day = 0

 

2/23/02
(Pensacola FL)

We pulled out of Tyndall AFB FamCamp around 11:am and headed west towards Pensacola. Everytime we drive along the Gulf Coast we comment how much we like this stretch of Florida. It takes a while to get past all the commercial congestion in and around Panama City , starting just west of the air base, but after that the scenery changes back and forth from undeveloped rural, to small water oriented communities, to a few larger, upscale communities, most noticeably Fort Walton Beach.

It took longer to get here than I had anticipated, primarily because my time estimate was based on the distance, while I had forgotten how much of that distance would be in covered at 30 or 40 mph due to the numerous communities we would be passing through. By the time we arrived at the FamCamp at the Naval Air Station it was 3:pm and I was starving. I had repeatedly suggested that we stop and have lunch, but Sharyn and Jordan, neither of whom ever seem to get hungry, kept saying "we can eat when we get there." That was okay when it was expected to be slightly more than a two hour drive, but when it became clear that it was going to be a lot longer than that I really got hungry.

Anyway, we finally arrived to a nicely improved campground. Since we were here a year ago they have installed new full hookups at each campsite (last year there was only 30 amp service service and no sewer), poured new concrete slabs, and seeded the entire facility. I suspect the grass was part of the necessary reclamation after all the digging and construction that led to these improvements. The final result are first class campsites under the spreading live oaks.

Odometer reading = 32,679
Miles for day = 128

 

2/24/02 and 2/25/02
(Pensacola FL)

This is much more pleasant than the site we had at Tyndall, and the difference it makes is somewhat striking. Last year we had a much better site at Tyndall than the one we had this year. Also, our site here is much nicer that the site we had here last year. Last year we liked Tyndall better than here; this year it's reversed. We may have to reevaluate our ideas about different places we've stayed. It may be that the campsite we stay in unduly taints our overall appraisal of the place itself. In any event, we're enjoying ourselves.

There are a number of military facilities in the Pensacola area and there is a "Navy Exchange Mall" that is not part of any facility, but seems to be for the use of all the facilities. Unsurprisingly, we went there to check it out, buy some groceries, a birthday present for our granddaughter, etc.

We haven't done any kayaking for several reasons; one, it's been kind of cool, only around 60 degrees, and second, it was here that last year a young boy had his arm bitten of by a shark. A week later a man was bitten about 5 miles further down the beach. Between the sharks in the salt water and the alligators in the fresh water I suspect that warmer weather would make no difference.

Today I finally got around to sending all of our Canadian campground receipts back to the Canadian tax authorities. We will be getting back over $60 US that we paid in sales tax at Canadian campgrounds this past summer.

On the way back from the post office I stopped at the National Museum of Naval Aviation which is about a mile down the road from the FamCamp. I had just stopped by to see what was there and if we should all go there tomorrow. It's similar to the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio, only much smaller. I was walking around looking at stuff when I got close to a guide who was leading a tour group and got caught up with what he was saying. The tour and the guide were terrific and I stayed with them for about a half hour. We definitely have to go back tomorrow, but on the way out I checked to confirm that this particular guide would be there tomorrow -- unfortunately, he only does one tour a week, and today was it! Oh well, we'll go back tomorrow and have a different guide, and wander around some on our own; it's still a great museum.

Odometer reading = 32,679
Miles for day = 0

 

2/26/02
(Pensacola FL)

We all went to the National Museum of Naval Aviation, but unfortunately we didn't get there until almost one o'clock. It was unfortunate because we had to leave at 5 o'clock when they closed up, even though we still hadn't seen everything. We did take one of the guided tours, and while he told us some interesting stuff, the guide I heard yesterday was much better on the historical significance of what we were looking at. Today's guide emphasized the historical evolution of military aircraft rather than the great history of some of these individual planes.

After the tour ended we continued to walk around and tried to see it all, but we ran out of time. We did get to check out a number of fighter cockpits, including this one being flown by Sharyn and Jordan. Sharyn also checked out a retired plane of the Blue Angels. So did Jordan!

I should have mentioned that The Blue Angels, the Navy's precision flying team, are stationed here at the Air Station.

One of the planes on display with an interesting history is this Stearman trainer that was flown on two occasions by Ensign George H. W. Bush when he was a student pilot here at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. When Bush got his wings at 18 he became the Navy's then youngest pilot.

There is way too much in the museum to describe here, but if you're ever in the Pensacola area it's a definite place to visit -- and get there early.

Odometer reading = 32,679
Miles for day = 0

 

2/27/02
(Foley AL)

Because we were leaving Pensacola this morning Jordan got out earlier than usual for her morning walk/jog. An eight mile exercise trail runs right past the FamCamp so it's very convenient, and it's a beautiful trail besides. At one point I stood on the trail with the camera waiting for her to come by. Here she comes -- and there she goes!

We pulled out of the FamCamp shortly before noon and headed for Alabama and the Escapee Park just outside of Foley, about 25 miles south of Mobile. Last year as we were passing through Mobile we saw the battleship Alabama docked just off of US-98 and we stopped to see it. Jordan said she'd like to see it also, so we'll spend a couple of days here and just take the car to Mobile tomorrow as a day trip.

This morning I wished Sharyn a "Happy Anniversary," as, I thought that today was the first day of our third year of full-timing. It turned out, however, that we started on February 25, 2000, so I was two days late on the anniversary bit. Anyway, I went back through Quicken and put together some numbers:

Distance covered: In two years (2/25/00 to 2/24/02) we drove 31,029 miles; 17,612 the first year, and 13,417 the second year.

Cost of fuel: In two years we spent a total of $5,703 on gasoline for the motorhome. In the last 12 months our fuel cost was $2,195 or $183 per month ($6 per day). Over the last 5,000 miles we have averaged 7.45 mpg.

Cost of campgrounds: In two years we spent $6,390 on campgrounds (which includes water, sewer, and electric). In the last 12 months we spent $2,960 or $247 per month ($8.11 per day).

Odometer reading = 32,717
Miles for day = 38

 

2/28/02
(Foley AL)

This morning, for whatever reason, Jordan didn't want to get out of bed. By the time she finally got up, showered, and dressed, we had a rather late start to Mobile to see the battleship Alabama. Sharyn decided that since she'd already seen it last year she'd stay home to clean and maybe do some laundry.

Anyway Jordan and I took off for the Alabama. The ship is divided into three separate self guided tours and we did all of them. This is Jordan below one of the main gun turrets. Those are 2700 pound projectiles that were fired 21 miles by six 90 pound bags of powder.

This ship, and I suspect all battleships, are very impressive. A powerful war machine and self contained city of 2,500 fighting men that helped the America win the Second World War. Today it's a museum, but I think it would be more appropriate to call it a war memorial.

After we finished the battleship we checked out the hangar with the aircraft display. Unfortunately, the hangar had been partially cleared out to make room for a big fishing tournament that was going on. (Fox News, ESPN, etc.,were all on the scene. The Fox News camera man filmed Jordan as she walked around.) From the hangar we then went to the book store/gift shop only to find out it was past closing time. Oh well!

Odometer reading = 32,717
Miles for day = 0

 

3/1/02 and 3/2/02
(Foley AL)

We didn't do too much these two days except for laundry and a trip to Wal-Mart for groceries.

Except for today, when it was in the 70's, daytime temperatures have been in the 40's or low 50's, with nighttime temperatures in the low to mid 20's. It was like that in Pensacola also; much , much colder than normal. One night while in Pensacola the temperature set an all time low for the day. These kind of temperatures don't encourage a great deal of outdoor activity.

Odometer reading = 32,717
Miles for day = 0

 

3/3/02
(Biloxi MS)

This morning we left the Escapee Park in Alabama and headed for the Keesler AFB FamCamp in Biloxi, Mississippi. This is the third time we've been here. Sharyn likes the Casinos (she basically plays the nickel slot machines), the beaches, and the large ante-bellum houses overlooking the Gulf.

We traveled US-98 and US-90 all the way to Biloxi. It would have been quicker to take I-10, but we prefer the "two lane roads," and opt for them whenever feasible. It was cloudy and cold, but we enjoyed the drive -- including lunch on the side of the road just short of the Alabama-Mississippi border.

Once again the temperatures are in the mid 20's (at 9:pm), but the campground host says the cold weather is supposed to break tomorrow. We're ready for that!

Odometer reading = 32,823
Miles for day = 106

 

3/4/02
(Biloxi MS)

The largest part of the day was spent by Sharyn and Jordan checking out all the stores and malls in Gulfport, Mississippi, about 15 miles west of the Biloxi. They had previously, at my suggestion, dropped me off at Barnes & Noble where I found some a few books and a comfortable overstuffed chair. By the time they came back to get me I had selected what appears to be an excellent book on JavaScript I bought the book with the idea that I may make some changes with respect to the links on stringbean's home page.

By the time we got back to the motorhome it was almost 8:pm so we ended up having beans and turkey hot dogs for dinner.

Because we are in the overflow area, 30 amps but no sewer connection, we've been trying to avoid filling our "gray water" tank which holds the waste water from the sinks and shower. The largest source of gray water, by far, is the shower. We are only 30 feet from the shower room so I took my shower there. That's the first time in well over a year that I've showered other than in the motorhome. It was quite pleasurable; a large shower stall with probably 100 pounds of water pressure and unlimited hot water. I told Sharyn that for as long as we're here I'm going to use that shower.

Odometer reading = 32,823
Miles for day = 0

 

3/5/02
(Biloxi MS)

Today's plan was "hit the casino's." Believe it or not Sharyn had a zip lock sandwich bag full of nickels that she save from the last time we were here and she was ready to get back to the nickel slot machines.

We went to the first casino and probably were not the ten minutes when Sharyn won about a half gallon of nickels which then financed her and Jordan for the rest of the day. After an hour or two we left and went to another casino, taking the first casino's nickels with us. When we left the second casino it was past dinner time, and that casino now has most of the nickels that came from the first one. Sharyn still has her zip lock bag of nickels, and it's even a little fatter than it was this morning, but the half gallon of nickels was left behind.

It looks to me as if almost all the slot machine players are grandparents and great-grandparents. I looks like some of them play the same machine nonstop for hours because they're not mobile enough to move to another machine. When an elderly woman next to Sharyn won $1,027, she said that at least she was getting back "some of the money she had lost." We wondered how much money this woman had lost prior to this win, and at what point she would have quit!

Well, it's now 12:45am tomorrow and I've been told I should turn off the lights -- goodnight!

Odometer reading = 32,823
Miles for day = 0

 

3/6/02
(Biloxi MS)

This morning Sharyn and I were still sleeping when we awoke to hear Jordan talking to someone. The campground host had come over to tell us that there was a site for us and could move out of the overflow area. It didn't take much to just pull in the slideouts and move to our site in the new section of the campground; we didn't even unplug the coffee pot. Jordan drove the car over in her pajamas.

This is a nice site with full, all new, hookups and we've decided that we'll stay in Biloxi until at least two of us are ready to leave.

For recreation, different people engage in different activities. Some fish, some play golf, some do chess, while others pursue NASCAR. Sharyn and Jordan engage in shopping. This afternoon we all took a recreational jaunt to a nearby mall here in Biloxi. From the mall we then went back to the base where we hit the PX and the commissary. Unfortunately, I don't "do" shopping and I think I'll stay home on their next mall visit.

By the way, we may finally be out of the frigid winter weather and we are thoroughly enjoying the change.

Odometer reading = 32,823
Miles for day = 0

 

3/7/02
(Biloxi MS)

Coffee and conversation went on for several today as we sat outside and enjoyed the warmth and sunshine. We actually had to put out the awning to allow us to get out of the sun that by noon was getting too hot.

We returned again to Gulfport and the malls and discount stores located there. This time I got out at Barnes and Noble and told Sharyn and Jordan they could shop to their heart's content and just pick me up on their way home. They didn't return for me until after six o'clock. Sharyn said she was shopped out and exhausted! Can you imagine?

I told Sharyn that if we ever settle down someplace there has to be a Barnes and Noble in the area. That, plus broadband Internet access.

Odometer reading = 32,823
Miles for day = 0

 

3/8/02
(Biloxi MS)

The other day the fellow next to us was cleaning and polishing his four-year-old motorhome that looked as if it was still in the showroom. He uses Meguiar's Gold Class that he buys at Wal-Mart, and he polishes his unit twice a year. Today I washed the car and the motorhome and Sharyn bought some Meguiar's Gold Class. I polished a small portion of the front of the motorhome and it seems to do a nice job, and does it fairly easily. I guess I'll start doing the entire unit. I waxed it for the first time last August-September (it was a three week process). Since there is a six month old coat of wax on the motorhome, this application should be easier than the first one.

The other thing that I finally accomplished today was I finished reading Lone Star -- A History of Texas and the Texans by T.R. Fehrenbach. This 700+ page book is a dynamite history of Texas from the days humans first walked its land over 40,000 years ago, through the Spanish and French invasions, the golden age of cotton, cattle, farmers, cowboys, and oil empires. This is a great book, but since I only read after going to bed (I read the last ten pages this afternoon), it probably took me three months to finish reading it. Anyone who has any interest in the history of Texas or the history of the Southwest should read it (it may be out of print). ISBN 0-02-032170-8

Odometer reading = 32,823
Miles for day = 0

 

3/9/02 and 3/10/02
(Biloxi MS)

On the 9th Sharyn did four loads of wash. It seems that for just three people we make a lot of dirty clothes. That evening we discussed whether or not to leave the following day, the 10th. Sharyn and I were willing to leave but we didn't feel very strong about it either way. Jordan seemed to want to stay so we decided not to leave.

The following day Sharyn and Jordan went back to the base (the FamCamp is located off base) to do some grocery shopping in the commissary. We seem to save about 30%, a sizable savings, when we do our grocery shopping in a commissary. As they were leaving Jordan asked if they were going to go to the BX also -- I knew the answer to that one! This time I was even smarter; I said, "I'll stay home."

Odometer reading = 32,823
Miles for day = 0

 

3/11/02
(New Orleans LA)

This morning we were up at 7 o'clock and on the road shortly after ten. I love the days we move, particularly if we have been in that same place for several days. It's always a great morning, with the expectation for a new day, new roads, new things, and somewhat of a new adventure. Like I said, I love it! Some people that do this spend six months in the south and then move north for six months in the summer; they never move except for twice a year. I can't relate to that at all. I usually begin to get itchy after 2-3 days. I can't explain to myself how we stayed at Shaw AFB in Sumter for a month last fall, and I would have been content to remain even longer. Sharyn feels the same and she's not sure why either.

Anyway, we are at a Bayou Segnette State Park on the west bank of the Mississippi, about 15 minutes from downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter. This could be our third time passing through this area and we've never stopped to check it out. This time we will.

Actually, we already started. As we approached New Orleans from the east on US-90 we crossed over a very narrow bridge (I'm glad nothing was coming the other way) and saw an old fort off to the left. Fort Pike was built after the War of 1812 (when the British attacked New Orleans and sailed up the Potomac and burned Washington DC) as part of a defense system to insure that no foreign nation could ever again invade the United States. The fort overlooks the Rigolets, a narrow body of water that connects the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Pontchartrain, a 40 mile wide lake located just behind New Orleans, thus protecting New Orleans from an attack from the rear.

Here Sharyn and Jordan peer out from one of the gun casements on the lower level. Here they explore what remains of the gun emplacements on the upper level.

Odometer reading = 32,920
Miles for day = 97

 

3/12/02
(New Orleans LA)

There is a fair amount of water in and around this park that lends itself to kayaking. The park area also provides some very good alligator habitat. As a matter-of-fact, in 1996 they "removed" a 13 foot alligator from the campground area. Unfortunately, Sharyn saw his head which is now on display in the office and has informed me that she's not going kayaking around here, and "don't even try to change my mind." Actually I felt better seeing the head of a 13 foot alligator. I had envisioned a much longer snout and jaws.

Since kayaking was not on today's menu, went drove into the French Quarter where we drove around for awhile, including driving the length of Bourbon Street. That's quite a street. Sharyn commented that New Orleans would be a better Spring Break destination than Panama City (which filled up with college kids the week after we left). After driving around for awhile we parked the car and spent the rest of the afternoon walking. Some of the jazz musicians playing in the street are really good. I found the mimes, while interesting, less impressive (some prefer vanilla, others prefer chocolate).

Anyway, after several hours we stopped off in a corner cafe for some lunch. Here Sharyn and Jordan try to decide what to order. Not too much later we came back to the campground, but as of now (9:pm) we plan to return to the "Big Easy" tomorrow.

Odometer reading = 32,920
Miles for day = 0

 

3/13/02
(New Orleans LA)

Today Sharyn and I returned to the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans. Jordan didn't like New Orleans at all and chose to get dropped off at Barnes and Noble about four miles from the campground.

Sharyn and I walked the length of Bourbon Street and a good portion of Royal Street, one block over and famous for its antiques shops.

At one point we stopped at a coffee house for a hot cup of coffee. It was a both a good and an interesting stop. Good, because for $2 we each got a cup of coffee to warm us up (it was cool outside and we didn't have jackets), got to use the bathroom, and got to sit down and rest our feet. This is Sharyn waiting for the ladies room. Notice that all the people in the picture are pretty ordinary looking people. Well, what made the visit interesting was that about ten minutes after this picture was taken there had been a change of customers. I told Sharyn it looked like the bar scene from Star Wars. I had no trouble taking the picture of the regular looking customers, but did not feel comfortable photographing the Star Wars scene. It would have been a much more interesting picture.

We visited a good number of antique shops, almost all of which have very high quality, expensive items. Beautiful stuff.

Later in the afternoon we stopped for something to eat. Sharyn had a blackened "Nu Orleans" hamburger while I had jambalaya, a crawfish pie, and a file gumbo (just like the song). It was all good, but I liked the crawfish pie best.

During the course of the day I took many photos. I have put small versions of 22 of these photos on a separate page which totals 238K and should take approximately 66 seconds to download with a 56K modem. To go to that page click here.

Also, today is our son Phil's birthday. Okay Phil, here is our birthday message to you.

Odometer reading = 32,920
Miles for day = 0

 

3/14/02
(Lafayette LA)

For a number of days the plan has been that when we leave New Orleans we'll drive north along Louisiana Route 18 to Baton Rouge. Route 18 follows the west bank of the Mississippi River and passes by a number of old antebellum plantation homes, including this one. Those 28 live oak trees are estimated to be more than 250 years old, and it was specifically to see these trees that we took this route. We also looked forward to driving almost 100 miles along the bank of the river. Unfortunately, the levee runs between the road and the river for the entire distance so