Thursday, April 5, 2012

Yuma to Vegas

RV Proctologist!!!!
Had to capture this sign as we drove out of Yuma.


Following my brother and sister in-law
Dennis and Tina Rentz




























Las Vegas here we come!  We followed Dennis & Tina to Vegas and we stayed at Sam's Town RV Park.  Our coaches were parked awning to awning. 

Nice, comfortable set up for a few days.  We happened to be in Vegas during the Academy of County Music Awards - we did check out some of the activities leading up to the awards ceremony.






Looks like Wall-E

The Mirage fountain area 




The Cannery
Hoover Dam
While in Vegas we decided to take a short trip out to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.  Something new for Bill to check out.

We said our good byes to family on Monday, April 2.  Bill & I checked out the calendar and decided we could stay a couple of more days.  

Our site at Nellis AFB








We relocated to Nellis AFB FamCamp for $21.00 per night.  We have been in some nice FamCamps on this journey but I think I like this one the best.  The sites are in 4 circle configurations.  
We had plenty of space all around our coach.  All the sites are back-in and each site has additional parking for at least two guests.  The inner circle of the sites was rather large which added more privacy.  Most sites provided some sort of tree to provide a bit of shade.  Pearl loved the off leash area.  So much grass!  All three dogs were delighted with the play park as there were trees to run around for a game of hide and seek.  So many new scents too!

More pictures:  Yuma To Las Vegas
Las Vegas Sunset

Huachuca City to Yuma, AZ






March 16th we headed for Tucson, AZ.  What a treat to only be on the road for an hour.  We are staying at Davis-Monthan AFB.  This FamCamp has "received the Campers Choice Award for OVERALL BEST Military Campground from 2007 - 2011 (Western USA)!"  The setting is very beautiful, the RV sites are gravel with a small concrete patio.  Our four legged family members have enjoyed their time in the off lease area.  Pearl loves her play time and keeps us entertained.  This Air Force Base (Davis-Monthan) is home to thousands of decommissioned aircraft - hence the nick-name "The Bone Yard." Bill recognized a few plans (by the tail number) that he once worked on.


Too bad he couldn't wander around and get a closer look - restricted area.  We could have taken the tour bus & taken pictures from the bus...he opted not to do that.












Next Stop...Yuma.  We stayed 10 days on a lot behind my brothers' Casita.  During our stay we played lots of Wii 100 pin bowling, sipped wine and dined - all outdoors.  Our Pugs had plenty of much needed outdoor time.  The weather in Yuma was perfect for outdoor activities.  Dennis, Tina, Bill & I loaded into the jeep and headed to the Gila mountains to view the remains of the old Fortuna Gold Mine.  Our visit also included a day shopping in Mexico, and another day at the Outdoor and Indoor Flea Markets.  All in all we had a wonderful time - even ran into another owner from Lost Lake Resort - Jim and Kathy Cope.  While in Yuma we had our motorhome washed and hand waxed, plus a wash for the Honda all for a $100.00.  Talk about a deal to good to pass up!!




More pictures can be viewed at:  Huachuca City To Yuma

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Florida Panhandle to Arizona




National Cemetery at Fort Sam Houston - San Antonio, TX
On March 7th, 2012 we set our wheels in motion to the West.  We traveled through the remainder of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.   It was a full day of travel across I-10.  We spent the evening at Land-O-Pines RV Park on Million Dollar Road in Covington, Louisana.  The park had water slides, and a pool that would open later in the year.  We saw a lot of potential for growth.  The sites were level, gravel lots in a wooded setting.  There were a few trailers, older RV’s and some cabins available to rent…the cabins looked like a shed with nice paint and several windows along with a nice porch.  The other half of the RV park was where the “long-term” RVer’s lived.  Oh boy, what a site…we saw room additions to the RVs, a variety of shelter/coverings.  It was a despicable site to say the very least. 

San Fernando Cathedral - The nations oldest cathedral
Leaving Covington we discovered we needed to make a rather large detour off I-10…like about 40 miles.  Well at least we were able to get off the freeway before we were caught in the big tailback.  We later learned that a couple of Semi’s had some sort of accident that required a “clean-up.”  I am very glad we were able to keep our wheels turning rather than sitting still for hours on end on the freeway.  Our next overnight stay was a Turtle Bayou RV Park in Wallisville, TX.  Oh my, can we pick them or what!  It was another park with mostly long-termers parked in the spaces.  This park happens to be for sale if anyone is looking for a business opportunity.
Memorial monument outside the walls of the Alamo


Davey Crockett, Jim Bowie and others from the Alamo
Next we travel to San Antonio, TX and park at the Family Campground at Fort Sam Houston.  The roads to the base all seemed to be under construction – a bit of a pain especially when we are driving in the rain.  On the way to the RV Park we passed Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery – very impressive.    The Park itself is very beautiful with plenty of green grass or should I say clover since there is more clover than grass.  The RV sites were more than ample with concrete pads and patio area.  All the sites were pull through.  The dog run was about 20X140.  Our kids enjoyed there outdoor time after having been on the road for three days.  Saturday we headed out to hopefully do some site seeing, but wait…is that lightening?  And the rains came down all day and into the night.  We did get a chance to drive around Lackland Air Force Base…”The gateway to the Air Force.”  Yep, that is were we attended Basic  Military Training…the dorms still look the same on the outside!  We checked out the Exchange and watched as the newly graduated recruits and their family members enjoyed some time together.  Sunday was bright and sunny so we managed a day in town…parking was a nightmare.   We went through the Alamo mission and then down to the riverwalk and the town center.  What a lovely day.  The historical sites are plentiful.



Next stop is Fort Stockton, TX for over night at Hill Top RV Park.  We enjoyed our overnight stay in this very nice RV Park that is still in the growing stages.   The facilities were very well kept and the park had a small off lease area for the four -legged travelers.  By now our white car is brown and the coach is beyond recognizable.    Maybe we can rinse the dust off at the next stop! 

Tie a yellow 'round the old oak tree - this one is a Live Oak
WRONG!  Not allowed to wash vehicles…water shortage.    We stayed at the Family Campground at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX.  This campground is also very nice, well laid out and kept very clean.  No dog run – bummer.  We unhooked the brown Honda and went in search of a car wash.  Eventually we found a self-service car wash in a questionable neighborhood.  Bill had the honors of turning down help while I stayed inside the car.  So, now we have an almost white car again.    Seriously, we really need to get some good soap and lots of elbow grease to get things presentable.  Maybe we can round up some cheap labor once we get to Yuma.



Interesting scenery out in the desert
Tombstone, AZ
For tonight and tomorrow night (March 14 & 15, 2012) we are staying about 20 West of Tombstone - .at Quail Ridge Resort II in Huachuca City, AZ.  Tomorrow we will visit Tombstone and possibly a couple other sites in the area. Then we head out to Tucson for a couple of days and then to Yuma to visit with my Brother Dennis and his wife Tina for a couple of weeks.

Nice holster...I meant Harley
As with all well laid plans and good intentions...our plan for today (15 March 2012) we had a slight detour and a set back.  The detour occurred on HWY 90 enroute to Fort Huachuca and all traffic was re-routed through the Army Post due to a fatal accident earlier in the morning.  We stopped on Post (because we can) and looked

over their Family Campground for future travels, then stopped at the Exchange for our latte's.  OK, coffee in hand, we head off for Tombstone...oops, where is my purse?  We were almost to Tombstone when I remembered not having my purse.  Well, it was back to the Exchange with high hopes the gate guards would let me through the gate with absolutely no ID.  God was watching over us, I was allowed to continue on in the car and my purse was hanging off the back of a chair in the food court.  GI's are honorable...I was lucky this time.  Senior moments got the best of me before I had an opportunity to drink that latte.

Our photo album is available  using the following link: San Antonio to Arizona

On a side note…we are members of Resort Parks International (RPI) and are able to book an overnight stay at a member park for $10.00 per night.  Other affiliate parks give us a 50% discount.  So far, we have discovered that for the most part the parks are few and and far between often not available on this journey.  The half dozen or so parks we have stayed in were anything but a “Resort.”  I like the discount, but the parks leave a lot to be desired.  Kind of like a box of chocolates - you never know what you are going to get.


Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Key West to the Florida Panhandle

February 13, 2012

Slowly making our way back home via the Florida Everglades, North and West along the Gulf of Mexico.  We enjoyed a scenic drive through the Florida Everglades, "gator country."   We did not actually see "tons" of gators, but they were indeed plentiful.  What caught my attention were the postings for Panther Traffic.  Those signs were plentiful.  Our first overnight stay was at Kountree Kampen - a nice shady rv park.  We stayed two nights and explored Naples during the days.




From Naples we headed North to Fort Meyers.  It was a very short drive and Bill decided to get our house batteries tested.  Sure enough we had a dead battery...four hours later we left Camping World with a new battery installed.  What a wasted day and of course we were tired out from all that waiting around.  We drove a few more miles North and camped at Gulf View RV Park in Punta Gorda for two more days.  Nice little area, very relaxing.  We met folks from Colonie, NY which is just outside of Bill's hometown and the another RVer from Bill's hometown of Watervielt, NY.  Small World...the men chatted about the town and recalled some folks from days gone bye.



Ok, so we checked out some housing options in Naples, FL.  As you can see from the sign the housing area is designed resort living for those able to afford an affluent lifestyle.  Well darn, guess that doesn't describe me.  I'm happy in a tee shirt, shorts and Birkenstocks.



My opinion only (MOO), but this sign is tacky.  This is a medical supply store but the Salon sign is bigger than the actual sign for the Medical Supply Store.

Maybe it is for the more affluent women that have had a mastectomy...do they get more pampering than the rest of us?  Well I for one don't need a darn "salon."






Having no set schedule or particular destination deadline we detoured for a few days to visit with Bill's cousin, Don Ellett and his family.  The change of pace was very welcome.  We stayed four nights at Dobbins Air Reserve Base military FamCamp.  Bill felt right at home with the C-130's flying overhead. As always, great food and entertaining tales of the family dynamics.

Finally, we are at our final destination for Florida...Eglin Air Force Base.  It has been nearly 20 years since I lived in this paradise area.  Navigating in an area that has new roads and businesses was a bit of a challenge for my rusty memory.  Nothing really looks the same...well darn, what did I expect!!  We set up camp for two weeks at Robbins FamCamp on Eglin.  Nice campground and facilities, lots of trails through the woods and around the lakes.  The military Exchange and Commissary were within walking distance as well as the base marina.

Bill & I are thinking that someday we may want to make Florida our retirement place.  Having mentioned that - we did look at a variety of neighborhoods in Crestview, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Shalimar, Fort Walton Beach and Mary Esther.  Some great buys on new construction with acreage and low taxes in Crestview...glad we have lots of time to think before we buy.  








We met up with a previous co-worker/instructor, Jerry Strawser and his wife Marcie Booth.  Jerry and Sandie were both instructors assigned to Field Training Detachment 320 - back in the day!  I am glad we were able to reconnect, wine and dine and just enjoy good company.   









I miss this beach...hopefully I will return soon and the water will be warm the way I remember...

Today, March 7, 2012 we hit the road west once again...through the remainder of the Panhandle of Florida, lower Alabama, Mississippi (waving to Keesler AFB in Biloxi MS - my first technical training school) next stop - somewhere in Louisiana.

 
To view other photos in this album click on the link:  Florida Panhandle



Sunday, February 19, 2012

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round





Disney with Jenn and family What can I say, it was Disney World in Orlando, Florida.  We had great weather and loads of fun.  We purchased a four-day pass for Disney and a two-day pass for Universal Studios.  Peyton met Tinkerbelle, Mickey, Snow White, Bell & Cinderella – she was a bit shy with the stars.  We took in the show for Beauty and The Beast and Peyton was mesmerized.  She also got to meet Mary Poppins, Stitch, Chip and Dale, and after a very long wait, Rapunzel.  She was a happy little girl after meeting her favorite characters.  We all stayed in our timeshare in Orlando, Jenn cooked dinner for us while we took care of our dogs.  Everything went well, lots of fun had by all…






















Key West - Meeting up with our friends Denis and Mary Umstot …Bill & I camped at Naval Air Station Sigsbee and our friends were at Trumbo which is strictly dry camping.  Bill & I were in a dry camping area waiting on a rotation list for full hook-ups– we started at #178.  Fortunately for us we qualified for the disabled sites and after 2 weeks we moved to a full service site.  That was just too much dry camping for me.

While in Key West we enjoyed fine dinning and some not so fine, rode our bicycles, walked from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico on Duval Street.  Did lots of window-shopping and made a few purchases.  Life was slow and easy…no stress, no worries.

























February 13, 2012 - Today we begin our journey that will eventually return us to the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  We have enjoyed our month long stay in Key West.  For those that have not yet journied this far south, Key West is 90 miles North of Cuba and 128 miles South of the nearest Wal-Mart.  Our weather was warm, dry and lots of blue skies – ok, we did have a couple of days with rain and lots of wind.  We will be heading west across the Everglades and then head North/Northwest along the Gulf of Mexico.  It is very nice to travel when and where one wants to go without the worry of time.  




More pictures available:





Time with family...creating memories






North Carolina and New York – We arrived in the Statesville area of North Carolina on the 27th of October 2011.  Our first campsite was in Hiddenite - a bit rural and rustic.  The campsites are on dirt, no gravel, and no concrete.  Just an old farm converted to a campground.  The campground itself offered full hook-ups, showers and laundry and a seasonal swimming pool.  Cleanliness is not high on the owners list of priorities.  We managed to stay for one full month before relocating to a beautiful RV Resort on Lake Norman.  Bill and I worked at Lake Norman RV Resort - a total of 20 hours (combined) per week for our site over looking the lake.  We cleaned restrooms, worked in the office making reservations and checking customers in and out.  We enjoyed the experience and look forward to doing something along those lines perhaps next winter.



While in North Carolina we spent most of our time visiting with our daughter Lori and her family.  Bill loves teasing his grand daughters, as they were a bit gullible until they got to know him better.  The girls and I prepared several evening meals…Kayla seems to enjoy cooking and she loved making biscuits.  Katie also cooked with me but she is still a bit young to get very enthused about preparing the meal.  Kayla, Lori and I had a “girls” day out for manicures and pedicures the day of Kayla’s Winter Formal dance.  This year she wore a full-length gown and was absolutely stunning…growing up too fast!



Our daughter Terri and her family drove up from Raleigh NC on three occasions for a weekend visit.  We had a pontoon boat available for use at Lake Norman and we took the families out on the lake.  Some of the children were dragging their feet when it came time to load up in the boat.  However, attitudes did a quick turn around once cruising out on the lake.  Since we had/have no set schedule we were able to drive East to Raleigh NC to visit with Terri and her family in December.  Scott had an acting part in the second grade play at his school.  Great memories.



During our extended stay in North Carolina we did manage a couple of side trips North to New York.  We visited with Bill’s father on his 87th birthday.  The old man is still as ornery as ever and that’s just the way we like him.  Our second trip to upstate NY was for a memorial service for Bill’s uncle.  The cousins had a wonderful time visiting and reminiscing old times and family vacations.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Oklahoma to Arkansas and beyond

17 October 2011 - Arrived safely in Heber Springs, Arkansas and snagged one of the last RV sites with 50 amp power at Greers Ferry Dam.  Dined outdoors along the Little Red River with temperatures in the mid seventies.  Spent the next four days in mini-seminars learning more about the RV lifestyle, workamping, mobile business opportunities and  taxation matters unique to RVers.  We met many couples with interests similar to our own so was great to converse and share experiences.  We left Heber Springs Saturday afternoon and headed back to I-40.  We found a filling station advertising diesel fuel for $3.47 a gallon.  Bill managed a "u" turn with the coach and car in tow and save a few bucks getting the tank topped off...this was the cheapest price we have seen during our journey.  Most filling stations are selling diesel for $3.89 plus or minus 10 cents.

We decided to make camp at Little Rock Air Force Base, Little Rock, Arkansas.  We stayed three days and had wonderful weather, caught up on the laundry, bathed the dogs, walked through the woods and just had a nice relaxing time.  Upgraded our cellular phones to Smart Phones - we gave in to technology.  Now Bill wants new computers.

25 October 2011 - Onward to Tennessee.  More rolling hills and the fall foliage is absolutely gorgeous.  We opted not to visit Graceland, or the Grand Ole Opry and passed on Dollywood.  Maybe we will visit these areas some other time.  Our first overnight stay in Tennessee was another free night at Walmart. Our second night was spent at Dumpling Valley near Knoxville.  The campground was empty except for us.  The view was very pretty as we were on a farm converted to RV park.  We were informed that we missed their Bluegrass Festival by one week.  As each mile passed by, Bill began to get more anxious to get to North Carolina.  So on October 28th we settled in Hiddenite, NC.  We are staying at Hiddenite Campground - the price is the best in the area but once again we are staying on a farm converted to RV parking.  We are in a wooded area - instructions to the campground include "turn off the paved road" and according to Jeff Foxworthy "you might be a redneck" with those directions.

We are planning on staying in this part of North Carolina for a month to visit with children and grandchildren.  Today (November 5th) we went to downtown Statesville for the annual Pumpkin Festival.  We were here last year for the festival and I believe that it was better than this year.  I was hoping to see more crafter's showing their lovely creations.

Tomorrow we will be taking a car trip to upstate New York to visit with Bill's father and celebrate his 87th birthday.

Pictures are available: https://picasaweb.google.com/102523964098984601768/OklahomaToNorthCarolina?authkey=Gv1sRgCJC05Jz5tbKvxwE