God willing, our plans for the upcoming year...

I've always felt as if I were just a pawn - sitting on a huge chess board and the two players are me and God. Even though I try to beat Him at His own game, in the end, I will only advance to the squares He chooses. I am planning to advance a few squares this summer, and as long as I don't get checked, I should find myself visiting grandchildren in North Carolina, family in Oregon, grandchildren in Colorado and several other interesting sights by the fall.

In 1972, when I was 16, I flew to Oregon and visited my maternal grandmother and maternal uncle and his family. I had only met each once prior, so it was actually the visit where I came to know them a little better. My mom had passed away 6 years earlier, so I think I was looking for some missing pieces to the puzzle of my life.

After all these years I still have vivid memories of the beautiful land, the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean, huge Redwood trees, tubing on river rapids, sailing on a shrimp boat, camping in a pop-up and discovering a whole different type of living. 

The day we purchased our first RV I knew I'd be heading back out to see the family that remains and share the unparalleled beauty of the Pacific northwest with "G." I was fortunate to book campgrounds quite close to all the family we will be visiting along the way. My uncle and his wife live in Coos Bay, and my aunt and her husband live in Reedsport, both of which are on the coast. I have a cousin who was two or three when I last saw him, and he is now a grown man with a family of his own. I am looking forward to meeting them all.

In order to keep things straight in my head, I've broken the trip into three "phases." In Phase I, which has been revised, we will head up to North Carolina to visit my son and his family, with one stop-over along the way. Then, due to curiosity, adventurism and reckless abandon (and the difficulty getting into Croton Point Park), we decided to take a side trip to Nashville, TN for some sightseeing and then down to Sherman, MS for some shopping. The remainder of the journey will find us with one night stands along the way until we reach our beloved Croton Point Park. I can't believe I feel that connected to the park I couldn't wait to leave last year.

Round about way to NY

Phase II, consists of stops along the coast of Lake Michigan, Yellowstone, Cave of the Winds, The Badlands, Idaho Falls, The Tetons, Crater Lake, and the Oregon coast to visit family.

Phase II

Finally, Phase III, will find us visiting Klamath Falls, The Redwoods in California and then a 10 day stopover to see the other three grandchildren in Colorado.

Phase III

The entire trip will span about five months and Allie will add approximately 9,000 miles to her odometer. If my hours, days and weeks of planning go off without a hitch, we will be adding a few more stickers to our map, many more blog entries, and a tremendous amount of exciting memories. Let the game begin...Chess, anyone?

Deep thought for the day:  The proverb written by my favorite Chinese philosopher is quite appropriate for this blog entry.  "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  ~  From the quote 千里之行，始於足下, by Laozi  (c 604 bc - c 531 bc) in the Tao Te Ching, chapter 64. 

NOTE:  To view the complete list of dates and campgrounds, click on the tab marked "2016 Journey."

Ch, ch, changes...

David Bowie

Two weeks ago, one of my favorite rock and roll icons of all time, David Bowie, passed away after a secret battle with cancer. Since the announcement, his songs have been sifting in and out of my head. "Changes," is but one of them, that speaks of life and time and the fact that neither stand still or stay the same. Therefore, this blog will be dedicated to Bowie, a brilliant poet who was silenced way too soon, and the changes we have made to site 233. 

In the beginning....there was a Sold sign.

Left side - before

Right side - before

Work just beginning...

The first change we made to our lot was to add additional pavers that expanded the lot to almost double in width, thus giving us extra room to spread out and provide an area for our future shed.

As soon as we arrived at 233 last October, the frenzy began with the arrival of our shed, irrigation installation around the perimeter for the newly planted shrubs and trees, decorative stone delivered, the acquisition of a "lightening-proof" surge protector for the coach and shed, the final pavers laid and concrete curbing along the right side to keep the stone in place.

 

 Shed delivery. It was interesting and scary at the same time.

I don't think we will EVER be completely finished, but for this year, it's as good as it's going to get. It will be forever ch, ch, changing.

Below are the most recent photos of our little piece of heaven.

Next blog entry will be a draft of our proposed upcoming trips.

Right side - after

Left side - after

The foreman...checking out all the action.

Head on view after

Home, sweet, Florida home.

Deep thought for the day:  Time may change me, but I can't trace time.      ~ David Bowie (January 8, 1947 - January 10, 2016)

Resolutions, recapping, resting, recuperating, restless, recommitment.

I don't know if anyone noticed, but I've been off the grid for quite some time and I'm officially announcing that I'm back and ready to rock and roll.  It's been quite awhile since my last entry and so much has happened since October. I've also just started the planning and scheduling for 2016 and our next "Great Big Adventure" - a trip to the Pacific northwest!

When we arrived at Elite in October, I felt like our journey had come to an end and there wasn't much to contribute that would interest anyone. Then, it dawned on me that being on the road is really only a portion of our "life's great big adventure," so I decided to get myself motivated and back on track with plans, progress and living life to the fullest.

Here is a recap of 2015.

January 1, 2015, found us right here at square one, taking in the sights and sounds of Elite Resorts, in Clermont, FL, which was to be our main winter destination. We booked for two months straight and had planned a slow trip back to NY, but plans, like the weather, can change fast and we found ourselves loving this place and wanting a little piece of heaven to run away to each year once the temperatures began dipping up north.

We ended up staying until March and then met up with son, Glenn and family in Boone, NC. We got the opportunity to see their beautiful log cabin, nestled in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountain and watch him and the three daredevils snowboard at Appalachian Ski Resort. Great time, great memories.

April Fool's Day found us pulling into Croton Point Park, and settling into a still snowy and muddy campground that was recovering from a very snowy winter. The whole month was spent emptying out what remained at our house. We spent days selling furniture, donating to charities, and packing up special items too precious to sell. We arrived at the point of no return! For me, it felt wonderful, but for "G," I'm sure a little bittersweet.

The month of May had me mostly seeking medical care due to one injury after another. Besides all of my routine check ups with just about every specialist, I filled way too many of my days with physical therapy for a broken ankle. 

In June, I reached a major milestone (the big 6-0) and am beginning to feel the strain of all those years on my bones. 

June, July and August were a whirlwind of get-togethers, food (Stromboli) and celebrations with our families and friends. It all flew by way too quickly. I'm so glad I've kept up the blog, because the details are written and won't get lost in the fabric of my mind.

My partner in crime....

Not to diminish any special time I spent with all of those I hold dear, I do need to mention that one of the best parts of my summer sojourn was becoming fast friends with a fellow RV'r and her family. She helped to make the summer go fast and furious - a real adventure, in spite of the fact that she had messed up her foot pretty badly. At one point, we were both in those tall, black, hot leg braces at the same time. Sympathy loves company, and company loves chardonnay!  All summer long, we shared quite a few bottles of wine, impromptu meals, stories, laughs and tears. It was hard to pull out of site 71 without a lump in my throat. 

September found us on the road to Colorado to see the other three grandchildren. It was a fabulous adventure and we enjoyed two incredible weeks with them. 

The first two weeks of October were spent making the trek from Colorado to Florida and we arrived safe and sound after visiting National Parks, caves, a zoo, Historic Route 66, and Tiffin Motors. We made a lot of happy memories and learned from a few mistakes. A very good combination.

November was unseasonably warm here in Florida, so I spent the days in the pool and exercise room. I was making an early resolution to get into shape and feel great. Once more, like the weather, things change. Thanksgiving was spent without any family. A first for the two of us and I thought I'd be okay with it, but discovered that without family, the holidays are just not much fun. We had each other, thank God, but next year, we plan to hang out until after Turkey Day.

First and last Thanksgiving Dinner at Cracker Barrel. 

If Thanksgiving wasn't bad enough, Christmas Day turned out to be a disaster, which was spent at the local hospital's emergency room.  I had been battling an upper respiratory, then bronchial infection, since mid-December. Two visits to an urgent care provided meds, but no recovery and the only place left for help was the hospital. Fortunately for me, it was a fabulous place where I received top-notch care and was finally placed on the road to (a long) recovery.

Our tree, with 50 year-old baby Jesus (a story for a future blog)

The stockings were hung by the fire, with care...

Florida Christmas Carrots???

New Year's rang in with a bunch of local fireworks. "G" slept through them, but Lucy and I watched from the living room window. I vowed a multitude of promises, resolutions and re-commitments as I coughed in the new year.  I don't think any are completely unattainable, so we shall see what 2016 brings.

I've spent most of the last four weeks (coughing) recuperating and watching as our landscaping is being planted, our shed delivered, irrigation installed and additional pavers at the ready for completion. Next week should find it all done and ready for a few before and after photos.  

Our life adventure - to be continued...

Deep thought for the day:  Philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche was right when he said - "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," but I love Kelly Clarkson's vocal rendition better.

The long day is over

On Saturday, October 17th, we arrived, safe and sound, at our summer retreat, Elite Resorts. 

Feeling tired

By the fire

The long day is over

The wind is gone

Asleep at dawn

The embers burn on

With no reprise

The sun will rise

The long day is over

Songs have played through my head the entire journey and a song written and sung by one of my favorite artist's is stuck on rewind. Click here-  Nora Jones - The Long Day is Over - to listen to her soulful and sweet voice. 

Nora Jones

Sweet Home Alabama

Our trip to Alabama, took us through all of Louisiana and most of Mississippi before we called it a night. It was truly a long day's journey into night and the first time that we needed headlights to navigate our way through the dark, desolate and winding roads. My wish to stay along the Mississippi went unfulfilled and remains on my bucket list.

The Mighty Mississippi

We had gotten on the road at 9:30 AM and didn't shut Allie down until 8:30 PM the first night. We covered 514 long miles knowing we had an overnight at a Walmart on tap. Once we hit Fulton, MS, we called it a day.

We were so blessed with great weather.

Beautiful roads and views of Alabama

I've made many observations during our long journey. For one, cotton is my favorite crop, because it looks like snow-covered fields amidst green rolling hills of grass. Secondly, there are a lot of people out there who like old rusted memorabilia, or who hoard, or who are just plain junk collectors and the last - and sad observation, is that the wounds caused by the Civil War have yet to heal for many, even with the passing of so much time. The display of Confederate flags had me feeling conflicted - I wavered between anger, pity and respect. At times, the division between north and south is palpable and sad. Perhaps it bothered me because I am a firm and staunch US Flag fan, even if I am not a fan of our government, per se. Our flag is hoisted over victories and devestations as a symbol of strength and determination and is draped over our fallen heros as a blanket of gratitude.

The sun rose quickly in Fulton and we found ourselves with just a short 45-minute drive to Tiffin Motors in Red Bay, AL - the manufacturer of our RV. The visit there was quite an experience, to say the least. I've never toured a plant so huge or been in the presence of so many Tiffin RVs. The parking lot on Tiffin property was chock-full of large Phaetons, Allegro Buses, Allegro REDs and Open Roads, just like ours, all awaiting repairs.

Due to that full lot, we were directed to one of the local RV "campgrounds" to wait until we were called for service. I'm being very generous with the term campground - bare minimum was all you got - water, sewer and electric. Rigs were parked so close together that you needed to be careful when extending your awning. Down past the last rig in a row of about 15, began the "RV Graveyard." See photos, because the sight was beyond words.

Not sure what happened to that Airstream.

Sorry, but we missed the photo-op of the toilets and refrigerators.

The mess wasn't limited to RVs. There were cars, trucks and boats.

A rare moment, being at a loss for words.


~~~~ REPAIR DAY ~~~~

6:55 AM - far right - waiting for the bay door to open.

Allie being checked out

The immense building that fits over 30 motor homes

Once our repairs were NOT done, due to Tiffin no longer honoring extended warranties, we made a beeline for the State line where another long ride led us to a Walmart in Albany, Georgia.  It turned out to be a less than desirable location, perhaps due to it being a Friday night. The sounds from loud shoppers and mufflers made sleep elusive , yet morning came quickly, and surprisingly quietly. Lucy was already in her basket, seeming to know that we would be getting back on the road, and just wanting to get it over with fast.

Life, as we know it, seems to find us dealing with something that is not working and today was no exception. My insulin pump decided to sound an endless alarm, forcing me to remove its battery. A call to customer service ascertained that the motor, once again. had quit working. As upset as I could have been, the timing was actually good since we are so close to our Florida address. In the meantime, it's a time-consuming drag of testing and covering high glucose readings with injections.

After 4,460 miles of driving, stopping, going, sightseeing, grand-children hugging, blogging, socializing, fun-seeking, rock collecting, eating and awe-inspiring sights, the long "2nd Great Big Adventure" has officially come to an end.

Deep thought for the day: Although this journey has ended, our possibilities are endless...stay tuned.

Howdy Texas!

Tuesday, October 6 (a special day of the year) we left Carlsbad and headed for Austin, TX. It was a bit of a detour for us, but it allowed us to meet up with friends from back home and who we camped with at Croton Point Park. It will be nice to see familiar faces, because except for our daughter-in-law and grand kids, we haven't really had the opportunity to meet any other RV'rs and shoot the breeze.

Our first night after crossing the boarder was an overnighter at Walmart. We have stayed at better, but hey, it was free. It was a warm evening and we weren't able to run the generator, so we heard a lot of noise from road traffic and trucks through the open windows. Most of our electronic devices lost their charges, but we survived. We have been receiving very minimal Internet and cell service for awhile, especially in southern Colorado and all of New Mexico. It's amazing how dependent we are of this luxury. 

So, for some trivia on The Great State of Texas! It's called the Lone Star State and its red, white and blue flag boasts one large white star. The state flower is the Bluebonnet, the tree is Pecan, and the mammal is the Texas Longhorn.

In Texas, like Kansas, we noticed many gracefully turning wind turbines, which gives me hope for reduced dependency on fuel oil. Unfortunately, there were just as many ugly oil rigs pumping away. We saw other beautiful sights, as well, like miles and miles of soft, white cotton fields that looked like snow. I was reminded of the jingle, "Look for the Union Label." Click below to watch a commercial clip from 1978. The International Ladies Garment Workers Union pushed hard to alert Americans as to the reduction of clothing manufacturing in the USA.  I remember my grandparents always checking to be sure items had the Made in USA by Union Workers label. How things have sadly changed in my lifetime. It is challenging and expensive to buy, especially clothing, made here at home. The jingle is just a sad bit of memorabilia of my past, however. with the new resurgence of "Made in America," I'm hoping for a turnaround.

Look for the Union Lable Jingle - Click HERE

Austin is the Capitol of Texas and although not a big city, it has all we could need. Our campground for two nights was the Oak Forest RV Resort and it was a very nice place with wide cement roads and pads, picnic table, pool and hot tub. The place was booked solid, so we needed to raise our jacks and move on Friday morning. 

Our current spot on the map finds us at our final stop in Texas - Shallow Creek Golf and RV Resort in Gladewater, TX. Hopefully we will be able to hang here for at least 4 nights because we really just need a little R and R. A quick check of area attractions doesn't turn up too much, so we shall see where the wind will blow us next - and how soon.

Our USA map is filling up fast. We will be adding at least three more before the end of our 2nd Great Big Adventure.

Hola, Carlsbad, NM

Sunday WE drove to Carlsbad, via Roswell, NM, which was made famous by THE EVENT that took place in Area 54 - the great UFO cover up or controversy, depending upon your beliefs. Due to pouring rain and a desire to just "Get where we're going," we drove past the international UFO Museum. Reviews were rather weird. People either loved it or hated it and I didn't feel like being a tie breaker.

A totally unflattering photo is proof that I actually did, for about 30+ miles, wrangle a way into the driver's seat. As I've mentioned many times before, the roads we have been traveling on out west have been straight and less traveled. "G" finally gave in and allowed me the opportunity I've been waiting for - being in control of the wheel. I think I did very well, despite being told to slow down, speed up, move to the left or move to the right - everything but "stand up, sit down and fight, fight fight." 

We ended up at the Carlsbad KOA and were happy to descend upon civilization and a terrific campground. Sites are level, very spacious and we are afforded wide-open level land, nice picnic table and a fire pit. All sites are pull-throughout and 50 amp. This place too, has a restaurant that delivers right to your site. I had dinner already planned, but perhaps after our day trip to the Caverns we shall take advantage of that amenity.

A quick stop at a Walmart mid-way between Artesia and Carlsbad allowed us to stock up for the next couple of days. Lucy has a month's supply of canned food, so all is right with her world. She has apparently been the first to find a friend. A long-eared rabbit was munching on something under the picnic table and she sat on the back of the couch watching the show. 

It made me think of what a lucky cat she is to have found her way to me and be afforded the best life a cat could dream of having. Her tail has been in more states than most yet, she is always home, among her familiar surroundings. Having a mommy and daddy who love and spoil her, helps a bit too.

Our first stop on Monday took us to The Living Dessert Zoo and Gardens. For the most part, we enjoyed a stroll along the grounds seeing and learning about the flora indigenous to the area, like Fairy Wand (my favorite - because it reminded me of Savannah), Three-Leaf Sumac, Yucca, Mesquite, and fringed sagebrush. 

A Javelina

What I dislike most about zoos are the small cages that contain only one animal. They seem so lonely, and the animals we saw actually appeared to be looking for human contact. Two, in particular tore at my heart, a mountain lion cub that paced back and forth, leaning into the fence and a Javelina that kept trying to push his snout through the wire as if he were trying to get a kiss. 

From that stop, we grabbed a bite for lunch and then headed for our second National Park, Carlsbad Caverns. I was sure to bring my NP passport and obtained my official "Park and Date" stamped in my book.

The photos included in this blog can never truly do justice to the magnificent grandeur of the caves. We toured "The Big Room," which was located 754 feet below ground and immediately, I felt like I entered a holy place. There were several references to religion along the way, such as "The Top of the Cross," and "Angels Grotto." Although, as we continued the tour, I saw stalagmites and stalagmites that caused my imagination to run wild. I saw a Mutant Ninja Turtle, three chess pieces, Snagglepuss and a Christmas tree, to name a few."G" took dozens of photos, but the lighting created a blue glare in many of them. 

Some of the formations appeared as lace curtains.

This one reminded me of the Three chess pieces.

At closing time, visitors are allowed to wait in an outdoor amphitheater until dusk, when the possibility of a night flight of the Brazilian Free Tail Bats could take place. The weather the previous night caused the bats to remain inside, so I had a good feeling that these babies might be hungry. We waited quite awhile and almost left when the spectacle began. It was a silent symphony that could only be viewed to be believed. Thousands of bats, about the size of your hand, flew out of the cave and spiraled up and up, and then flew off in their nocturnal search for food. A few circled low and close to our heads, but the scene playing out before our eyes only took your breath away. It was a very moving and emotional experience for me....I will not include "G's" reaction or response in this entry. Suffice it to say that it was a solo moment of awe and beauty, and one I will never forget. 

We were not allowed to photograph the flight, but I found this on the Internet.

I am so grateful that we ended our time in New Mexico on such a high note. I would highly recommend a visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park should any reader be in the vicinity.

Deep thought for the day:  How can a hole in the ground be wholly holy? Holy cow!