White Deer to Home Sweet Home

We got an early start from White Deer after enjoying a cup of Joy's coffee. The Garmin decided to route me a different way to Limon and after some consideration I decided go through Las Animas and Rocky Ford, Colorado to I-25. From Colorado Springs to 124th Ave above Denver was largely stop and go traffic. Very taxing and tiresome driving. When the traffic thinned out we were only 30 miles from Fort Collins, CO- too close. We arrived home at 12:40 a.m. although whether that was Eastern Standard or Mountain Standard time I cannot say. Daylight Saving Time is around the corner anyway. We'll adjust the clocks then. Safe and sound-we had a wonderful winter snowbirding and can use som rest in our familiar bed.

Eastbound I-20 at a standstill: Shreveport to White Deer, Texas

One look at my toes while bathing convinced me a diuretic day was overdue. We consequently did not pass a rest-stop in east Texas and invented several more. We stopped at cuz Ann's in Grand Prairie, TX but nobody was home. So it was on to White Deer, TX near Amarillo. Lori who had bade me farewell in Florida on her way to the airport for a Texas flight, cooked us dinner. She was in White Deer to assist her mom who had knee surgery. Martin, Joy Grange's good friend was a treat to meet. He cooked some local German sausage that had jalapeno's in it. This sausage bit back but was very good.. Various kids and grandkids ebbed and flowed. It was good to see this group again. Great hospitality and a big backyard to hold the campers from Wyoming.

I started the car twice in the night-we were in a more northerly place.

To Shreveport from Pensacola in a day

The previous posts were in this leg of the journey. The van eats up the miles steadily even though I am much more often passed, than passing on the highway. Highway 49 from Baton Rouge north to Shreveport was a new route to us and we enjoyed the sights: rice paddies, grazing cows, pastureland, new crops, rivers and lakes. It was all remarkably green though you could see that they have seasons and spring was in the air.

Arriving late in Shreveport and according to plan I sought a motel for a bath and bed. Punched up the Garmin and found a Howard Johnson's. These are usually pet-friendly and moderate in price. The Garmin guided me right to it. Then the fun began. The first room assigned had obviously been a short term rental, Coors light tallboy, unfinished, on the sink, the sheets a muddle, one phone unplugged, the other under the sheets. The clerk assigned a new room and gave me a new key. There was so much activity at 11:00 p.m. I started getting nervous. One white guy was knocking on doors saying time was up, a Black man had a sign on the door that said the doctor was out, flashy cars were coming and going, a man was washing his car. I took my bath, then trusting my gut, loaded up and we slept at the Flying-J, peaceful.

Hurricane Damage in Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach, Mississippi

The First Baptist Church. I took a number of pictures but none of them do justice to the enormity of the damage or the amount of work left to do. The people are still shell-shocked. It is the first thing out of their mouths. I had a hard time wrapping my mind around it. So much that I knew is just gone. It is disorienting. I feel so sorry for those people.

Going through the I-10 Tunnel under Mobile. AL

 

Bridge Repair along the Gulf Coast

Hurricane damage is evident all along the gulf Coast. This massive bridge project is a replacement for the temporarily repaired bridge I am driving on. ( comforting thought, that

I avoided this area on the way down because I was just not ready to see it nor was I certain that services were available for the Elante' if they were needed. There are some sights that boggle the mind. Whole forests snapped off like matchsticks, signs twisted in unimaginable shapes, blue tarp roofs for miles on end.

Howard warms up the boat

Weeki Wachee warm welcome

My friend (Delores' childhood friend) Mary Lou on their patio that overlooks a canal that leads to the gulf Coast. What a warm welcome. Howard and Marylou pulled out all the stops: imported Belgian Beer, (potent and delicious) a boat ride that was ended by a sandbar, low tide or too much ballast (me?) that was enjoyable if not exactly a Manatee sighting tour. How great to step out your back door and head to the marshes and ocean! We tried to get to the beach but several hundred others had the same idea so we turned around. Had a great lunch at a good seafood place. Buffalo Shrimp? Delicious. It was so very interesting to see how they lived and their philosphy. If we lived closer I am sure we would be great friends and partners in crime,

Was on my way to the Flying J at Quincy, FL mid-afternoon. We "camped" there west of Pensacola. Out the back of the van was an abandonded yard with beautiful flowering bushes. Once again a car warming session about 3:00 a.m. was needed. 

Sarasota, FL Bay

I don't know what happened to that last picture. I hope this one posts correctly. Easier to redo the picture than the typing. 

Sarasota, Florida- view from the 10th Avenue Park

This wasn't the Ringling Museum but it was a picnic. A very beautiful and tranquil place to rest after coping with Saraota drivers who have to rank among the very rudest anywhere. A map only a year old had only a listing for the Ringling school so that is where we went. There was no parking for miles and no shade for the doggies. We passed. On our way north, we saw the signs for the museum-too new an attraction to have been on our map. Next time...

We had a nice corner of the Flying J lot at Dade City to call our own on this night. We fired up our ingenious Yamaha (virtually noiseless, 27 pounds) generator and answered email and surfed the net Dined evening and the next morning sharing enough plunder (not much really) from the buffets to get medications down the dogs. Once again we found starting the engine at 3:00 a.m. a necessity. This morning we called Marilu to alert her we were close and were coming on in.

Naples Pier, Naples, FL

From the tip of the Naples Piers toward Naples, Florida on a blustery day. I paid for two hours parking hoping to see the fish swimming in the Gulf. Strong winds and choppy water pevented that but the views were terrific as the sun set. We spent the night at a well landscaped Wal-Mart in Naples. i waved at the security guard as he checked out the lots. There were several of us urban campers enjoying the amenities. It got a little chilly so I started the engine about 3:00 a.m. and closed a few windows. We had breakfast at McDonalds before heading to Sarasota. 

Now that is a Taco Salad!

Rosalita's taco salad was so pretty we had to take a picture. We are dining up a storm as the dinner hour is one time all are available and we enjoy good food. I tried the chicken and spinach enchiladas and was not disappointed. When I handed over my Wells-Fargo credit card to our waitress she was entranced by the horses picture. Her day job is as a jockey. She was a tiny little thing and had a tiny little voice-Minnie Mouse. I scarcely understood a word she said in the busy noisy restaurant. Her recommendations (pointing) were very good-so was her tip.

Progress is being made on the packing but it is like building a house. One minute it looks like a lot of space and another look and you say "My stuff won't fit." The kids have a garage. Yay! 

Rainy Day

Severe thunderstorms have ruined the dogs' day. As for me, I set about doing the outside stuff early, biked over to order the honey wagon and discussed business with Richard and others several times before the storm hit. The satellite dish is put away, lawn furniture stowed and from outward appearances I am ready to ride off into the sunset. Inside, I am getting there. Working around clingy dogs has complicated things a little. Wish I could just put them out in the yard while I run the vacuum cleaner, scrub up, etc. But I can't. The van organization is taking shape but requiring some ingenuity and attention to balancing load. In any case, if tasks are addressed steadily, things can easily come together by Sunday morning. A rainy day is a good day to do the inside jobs. This trip home will be a heavy load because coming down here, space was not an issue. Some things need to go home to stay.

Lori, Jason and I had a nice (Italian) dinner last night. They were back from Colorado Springs and were a sight for sore eyes. We were headed to our homes by 8:30 pm. They are such nice people. I would adore them even if we didn't belong to each other.

Lori leaves for White Deer, TX Sunday to asist her mum who has had knee surgery and will be coming home. They will assist me getting settled in the storage yard. I have seen my spot and think I am prepared. Funny feelings leaving my cozy little home away from home.

I have established a game plan that will ease the parting pangs. I will drive up the west coast of Florida which I only glimpsed when we went to Naples. Then I will visit Marilu- a West Virginia friend in Weeki Wachee Gardens, FL. She is an "up person" and I will finally get to meet Howard. Tuesday or Wednesday I will bolt Florida and try to see what is left of my old haunts in Mississippi on the way home. (All plans subject to change by weather, whim or the unforeseen.)

A hundred pound white furball named Goody is on my feet. She hurt my feelings tonight. In an attempt to use up some staples, I made macaroni and cheese with real Parmesan cheese. She pushed that dish from one end of the motorhome to the other. I finally ended up picking the Macaroni out so she would eat the chicken. Yes, I am a softy, but the food contains the medications so she must eat on a schedule. I am starting to feel pain from her weight so must push the button, send this into cyberspace and move.

A sweet note from Andre' and Anna

A sweet note from Andre' and Anna. Campground friendships are by nature short and sweet (or sour) and one does hope paths will cross again on the good ones.

Hello Steve,

Thanks so much for the photo of us with bicycles that you forwarded. We showed it to our son in Athens, along with the paper copies you gave us. He was impressed.... We were lucky, indeed, to be assigned to the site next to you at John Prince Co. Pk. Our first meeting on the small bridge with our bicycles was a preview of a warm friendship of casual and thought provoking conversation to follow. We thank you for the extra attractiveness of our oversize lot provided by your adjoining flower patches in beautiful colors and varieties. Your tender loving care of them is appreciated by all those passing by. Your dog was a long -time "man's best friend" for you and appreciated by us, too. It was easy to see how much you cared about him.

I studied the Wyoming map on the way home and found the one large Indian Reservation near the center of the state. It must be about 3600 sq. miles. That's a lot of territory. I noticed a small city maned St. Stephens in the S.W. corner. Do you live near there?

Our drive home was in the best of weather and travel conditions,,,,,Now it is cleaning up and catching up with a month's supply of mail ( quite a chore).

You are an exceptional personality memory of our Florida 2006 trip. Thanks for the tasty cookies and unexpected good words to the ranger checking out our site status... The only thing missing is a real visual memory of you with your dog, flowers, and trailer in background. We would love to receive a photo via internet , if you could.

We wish you a good trip home. It must be about twice as far as ours... That new Deluxe Ford Van should relieve the anxiety from your super sized home on wheels trying to manouver through the traffic, etc.

It was great knowing you. Auf Wiedersehen, and thank you,
Anna and Andre'

Six Inches of Snow on this day at Home

Sights like these will recede after Sunday the 26th and I will wend my way slowly home-giving ample time for the highways to dry. Breaking camp is occupying time these days. Quite a lot to do. Took the bike for its 30 day tuneup ( included in purchase) and made a run to Wal-Mart for a few items to help organize the Van. I am using Andre and Annie concepts to collect the items for most eventualities. Trying to make a bit of a camper out of the van. Found a wonderful K-Mart up on Okeechobee Boulevard yesterday and added to my collection of plastic "milk crates." As they are lightweight and stack securely each is dedicated to a facet of life: kitchen, camping, personal care (which crate does toilet paper belong in-camping or personal care?), office, and more office, shoes, clothes, ( I know shoes are clothes but realistically size 14 shoes do take up space), adapters and electronics, computer stuff, etc. (There will be a couple of etcetera crates I am sure.)

Also packing up and stowing stuff in the "basement" drawers on the RV consumes time. One does tend to accumulate and I am not the only one-saw a good Weber gas grill in the dumpster today. Have a nicer one of my own so I did not play "go-fish." Lucked into a sheet sale at K-Mart- $3.99 and bought several for sunshades and dust covers. Spent last night measuring and cutting. Those pleated shades that come standard in RV's will eventually become like sheets if left down too long. So they will store in the up position and sheets will block the sun. Clothespins or push-pins will secure them. The dumpster will soon collect the remnants of the refrigerator contents and that will get a good scrub and airing before storage. The cooler in the van will be plugged into the AC for a few days starting tomorrow. You get the picture I am sure. Busy days.

Le Chat Tour

This jolly French-Canadian lady takes her enormous and much-loved cat for a ride around the circle every evening. Her husband usually walks a few steps behind. "He is our child." She is aware it is an unusual sight and seems to enjoy chatting and posing for pictures.

Yes, I am riding my bike every day. I really enjoy it.

The "season" is over. The clique of French Canadians moved north-all the way to Orlando. Not far enough to suit me. The "mix" in the park has become more diverse, the coaches, campers and vans less upscale. Much more interesting. I'll be moving on soon too. Busy days. Took the new Van in for some front end work: toe-in was a little off. Had it aligned. Midas would not sell me tires-said these were fine. As the point of the exercise was "peace of mind," I am satisfied. I am enjoying "tricking the van out" and trying to envision where everything will go when I downsize the office and try to incorporate Andre and Annie concepts to make it a viable camp-mobile as well.

Mini-me RV

The "new" Van. This van was meticulously maintained by a retired man who was in the automotive business (rebuilt generators, etc.) who is a sailboat sea captain from Indiana! They retired and fulfilled their dream of living on an island and sailing to the Bahamas. His wife is a sea captain too. The point is George maintained his own sailboat. This van was maintained to the same standard. We sat by their pool in Naples and cut a deal.

My maiden voyage with this vehicle was mostly in the dark driving across the Everglades. It drove like a dream. The traffic was heavy and erratic Sunday night but this vehicle feels right to me-very manageable although it is large- nearly 7 feet high and substantial. I am not going to be bragging about gas mileage but it was not too bad. We will keep the fingers crossed because it does have some age on it but it seems fine. 

Van Hunting in Naples, FL

"First we eat." Actually we were up and at 'em early driving across the Sawgrass Freeway seeing the Everglades and birds and fishermen. Lured by an eBay van, we met Dan and drove his 2001 Dodge that was pretty good but had a noise in the rear that concerned me. We went to his mechanic who diagnosed it as minor and sprayed lithium lubricant on the leaf springs. It still had a noise but less. We went to lunch at an al-fresco Italian restaurant that was great and discussed strategy. Jason suggested we buy a newspaper and check the "for sale section. " There was a 2003 Dodge at Germain motors We drove and it was acceptable if a little less plush. $13185 was the advertised but with dealer costs etc., ($500!) it came in right at $15,000. We negotiated. We left to go see one Lori had seen parked by Walgreen's. It was four-ish in the afternoon. I called and George Kuntz met us. When we three Roberts shop together we shop- all three drive them and the others checked out everything while not driving. This seemed to be a great van. We went to George's house, sat by the pool and worked a deal. My kids, bless them, went to their cash machine and got their limit raised, wrote a check for the balance and we were driving home at dusk with a new (1997) Van. $6700.00. I wrote the kids a check. None of my banks have a Florida presence.

Lunch with Lori in an Antique Shop

Grammee's is a great place for home-cooked meals. You don't know if the table you are eating from is going to be sold and snatched away at any minute but the food was excellent. The lady who served us cooked most of our meal. I inquired about Roberts Potatoes that were on the menu-wondering if the family had the equivalent to "Potatoes O'Brien." The waitress/cook brought Robert to meet us. A misunderstanding prompted by a missing apostrophe on the menu it seems. They were very good potatoes. It was so very nice to have my daughter to myself and have a good chat. We then met up with Jason and drove to Hollywood (Florida) to look at a Van I had made a bid for on eBay. It looked great but was a little pricey so the kids offered to drive me to Naples, Florida on the west coast to look at another one on Sunday. Saturday was a nice outing. Good day.

Blimp

The Met Life Blimp has been in my backyard this week. Here she is heading out to provide aerial shots for the Honda Classic Golf Tournament which is being held just up the road. I was surprised by both the angle of ascent and the speed. She was moving right along rapidly gaining cruising height and speed before leveling off and slowing to blimp speed. We really had some good winds on some days so I wasn't sure she would get off her tether. Supporting the blimp is no small job. There is quite a ground crew, several trucks and campers, a port a potty, and lights that turn her into a night-time billboard.

Catch of the Day

Red Snapper cooked the Cuban way. About the best I have ever eaten. Jason, Lori, and I went scouting for a restaurant and took a chance on a Cuban restaurant on Military Trail- just below Gun Club Road. Did we ever luck out. Excellent food. We happened to be exploring because they generously offered to haul me to Hertz Rent-a-Car by the airport to pick up a car. I drove a 2006 Lincoln Town Car (thanks to an upgrade Jason gave me) to Summerfield, Florida-about 4 hours north. I had seen a Roadtrek Van on eBay and thought I wanted it. Not as advertised. Did put the sunroof back on the Lincoln and saw some country I had not seen before. The final 1000 yards was on a dirt road and I can tell you Florida does have hillbillies. Nice as pie hillbillies and I felt a little badly as it looked like they were selling off their final asset-an inheritance, and I was not buying. But my attitude would have changed by the time I made the van safe enough to set out across the country. I am pretty sure I don't want to herd the coach across the country: storage is reasonable, beats the cost of gasoline one way, and the traffic on I-75 which is better than I-95, confirmed that this is what I want to do. All is contingent on finding a more nimble, smaller vehicle, that is still big enough to haul the things that make life worthwhile for me. Back to eBay!

Annie and Andre -my next mentors

Annie is 78, Andre' is 77. They are my new neighbors. They got moved off "lakefront property" among the big rigs because they "didn't fit." Truth to be told, they could buy and sell three quarters of the residents here. Their "camper" is a 1989 Ford van that Andre has ingeniously fixed to meet their needs. He sleeps in the tent and Annie has a "couch" in the van. They are smart, vital, and with it. They ride their bikes to the Lantana library- 14 miles, to check out books and check The Wall Street Journal and get and send email to and from their five kids. Andre is reading "Uncle Tom's Cabin" but they have both read widely, travelled widely (they just got off a cruise ship), bicycled widely-one trip across the whole state of Iowa. They biked 500 miles in Ireland where Annie's family came from. She grew up very poor and Andre says she does not see any reason to change her ways. Simple is best. She taught school overseas and in Michigan and he was with Ford Motor company for 39 years. He ended up in charge of the modeling for the new cars. Great stories: Andre was one of fourteen kids and grew up in Quebec. Now you have met them too and you will hear more about them. I am learning so much.

Seven plus miles on a bike

Took this picture through the basket on my bike, It is of the shopping center I patronize in Lake Worth. Proof that I pedaled at least seven miles on the Raleigh today. I was proud of myself and even prouder I didn't nip in for a candy bar or some other self-defeating treat. The kid on the bike whose tire you can see and his friend stopped, blocking the sidewalk. They had been riding and sharing a doobie which hit the ground when they passed it. They were wrecks from the weed and laughing and hunting frantically. I had to laugh too and passed them by. KIDS nowadays! The war on drugs has been going on since I was taken behind the auditorium curtains in 7th grade in Steamboat Springs and shown "Reefer Madness" with my classmates. Forty eight years of steady progress! 

Breakfast at the Beach

This young fellow seems to have lost something. His mom was pretty relaxed-"Get your hand out of there, Jason," and then she laughed.

John G's is a Zagat listed restaurant on the beach at Lake Worth. Jason and Lori said they wanted to try it out after my good report so we did Sunday Brunch at the Lake Worth Beach. Great omelets, hash browns, sourdough toast, fresh fruit, sunshine and people to watch and visit with. Then we walked in Kreusler park where I took this picture and the length of the beach. It was starting to get crowded by 1:00 p.m. Lots of sights to see- an old couple in their eighties, swimsuited, sharing a beer, Great Harley's, fancy cars, Ecuadoreans, plenty of young hardbodies and many more regular folks just enjoying the beautiful day. A very nice way to spend Sunday morning with loved ones and sightseeing.

Stopped at my shopping center for a chicken for the pups for the next few days, drove home through John Prince Park and here we are.

The Bakers: Good neighbors

Christine and Chuck Baker neighbors, for a week. These folks have been full-timing it-traveling for 24 years! Chuck's dad left his family to pursue a life of gambling and drinking when Chuck was 18. So Chuck has worked as a farmer, a trucker and had a career at Kodak in Rochester, New York. He took a pension at 48, they sold out and have been on the road ever since. He is in his early 70's (older than dirt, he says) and Christine is younger. They make money on the road by selling ads for Campground guides such as I use here at John Prince. I took them as mentors-they know places and camping tricks and fun things to do. Mostly I like their attitude and know -how. Chris is a hard-working woman, an islet transplant person, whose diabetes has been helped by being in an experimental program. They have a dog (Dixie) and cat who thinks she is a dog but better. Great neighbors- I took them to dinner at Two Georges last night for a bon voyage. They network with their friends and play. Chris has a passion for horseback riding and Icelandic Ponies. She takes 15 day treks on both coasts. Chuck golfs, roller skates, rides bikes and chauffeurs the coach and Christine as she makes her rounds. Great stories-nice people-glad to have had the pleasure.

Beach Fauna

These people do enjoy their beaches. No matter what size, shape or age- they are at the beach. I like this picture. An older woman in a pink hat puffs away in the sunshine with a flock of seagulls in companionable proximity.

Pleasure Craft on the Atlantic

 

Played All Day

March begins and I am suddenly more aware that the clock is ticking away to the 26th and having to vacate John Prince Park. Next Wednesday is a potluck commemorating the "end of the season." So the list of things on the "wish list" got moved up to the "better do soon list." Rode the bike in the morning, went to the beach and took pictures-always the best way to sharpen the old eyes as to what is really going on. Had lunch at the beach-sitting on a park bench overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Wonderful Fish and Chips. Stopped at my little shopping center to use the cash machine and buy a rotisserie chicken. The doggies don't seem to get tired of that and a chicken sandwich works for me too. Came home and put the feet up for awhile, then rode the bike around the park and took more pictures, then did it again at dusk. Beautiful day today.

Called the Riverton office because Denise was sick Monday as noted on yesterday's day sheet which I receive by email. The flu is rampant- the Riverton Hospital was calling the Lander hospital to see if they had beds and they didn't. Denise is better. Her kids go to school at Lincoln School which is at epidemic level. My Florida babies came down with the bronchial kind - I quickly searched the Internet to find out what the incubation period of viruses is to see if I needed to feel guilty for sharing my bug. I don't. We will see if I can guilt trip them in a few days but I feel fine today.

Emailed back and forth a bit with friends.

Grammy Eve is having the Oregon kids over Audrey's First Birthday Dinner- she baked a pie. Wish I could give her a hug and a kiss but that will have to wait until Grampy gets to Oregon. A package did arrive.