HOME AGAIN!

I was told that I haven't posted that we made it home...well, we did. 

We spent another night along side the Mississippi River at the same park in West Memphis AR where we stayed on the way out last fall.  But this time the river was running fast and much higher than before.  News reports said that there was flooding along the rivers running into the Mississippi further north.  I was enjoying watching the river until Miss Kim from Sun Valley sent me a text saying she hoped we got across the river before it flooded.  After that, I had a little trouble sleeping knowing that we were sitting just twenty feet from the river's edge...on the wrong side of the levy!




Mississippi River at Memphis in Fall 2012

Mississippi River at Memphis in Spring 2013

You can see that the water is up to the tree line where there was so much bank showing last fall.

The next two nights, we made stops near Nashville and Knoxville.  We planned to stop two nights in Virginia and get back to Sun Valley on Friday, April 26, but when we started out from Salem VA on Thursday morning Keith said that he was feeling good and anxious to get home so we cancelled our reservation for Winchester that night and got home in time to go out for supper.  I had to agree, as we were driving through Virginia and seeing all the green leaves and red buds, I was anxious too. 

Red buds along Interstate 40 in Virginia

I was disappointed to find that the leaves on our trees were not as far along as VA, but it only took about a week for it to start turning green here. 

We've been home for almost a month and I'm happy to see my family again -- planting flowers for Mother, watching Noah's basketball game, seeing Shawn, Kristi and the boys before they left for Disney World.  We're enjoying catching up with our friends too. 

I called Special Care to let them know that we were back and I would be available if they had any clients within a reasonable distance.  They said they were happy to have me back but I haven't been called to work yet and I'm beginning to really enjoy not checking my calendar each day to see if I need to be somewhere.  I may just have to tell them to take me off their roster!!!

We have some exciting news for this winter.  Keith has been saying that he'd like to go South instead of West for a change; it would be half the driving distance.  After talking with Joe and Sue about their experience volunteering at a Georgia State Park, we decided to apply at two -- Skidaway (south of Savannah, on the coast) and Veterans State Park (site of the SAM Shortline train).  We also applied as Lighthouse Hosts at Hunting Island State Park in SC.  Last week, we got a call offering us the Train Host position.  Veterans Park is in the southwest quadrant of GA and the train runs from Cordele to Plains (Jimmy Carter's home) to Archery (President Carter's birthplace).  The train only runs on weekends so we'll have most of the week to explore the area.  The park also has a large lake and an 18-hole golf course. 
 

We have neighbors who spend their winters in FL and said that they volunteered at Disney World which really sounds like fun too.  So, who knows, we may be working with Mickey one of these years :)

  

THE WEATHER CHANGES OUR PLANS

Our plan was to leave Galveston on Thursday and drive to Lafayette LA for two nights, but the weather forecast was calling for thunder storms and high wind gusts, and even the possibility of tornadoes.  With that, we decided to stay put for another day and check out the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig Museum located in the harbor next to Fisherman's Wharf.  After the tour, we went next door for a scrumptious crab cake dinner.  From our table outside, we could watch the pelicans swoop down to grab their dinner from the water.

Keith working on the oil rig

Friday, we finally woke to warm sunshine but it was still gusty.  When you're towing a trailer, you can really feel the gusts, especially on the bridges.  I'm not thrilled about bridges on a good day, so I was a little white-knuckled till we got away from the coast. 
 


Louisiana Bayou

Travelling through the Louisiana Bayou country was much calmer.  We were disappointed that we wouldn't have the extra day to explore the Lafayette area but I had already made reservations for the next five nights at five different parks and really didn't feel like changing them.  We did, however, take advantage of the opportunity to savor some local Cajun cuisine.  I'm always ready to try something new...Keith, not so much!  I was curious about the "Cajun Boudin" on the appetizer list. Our server said that it was one of his favorites so I had to try it.  Basically, boudin is a combination of cooked rice, pork, onions, peppers and seasonings stuffed into a sausage casing.  These were shaped into balls, breaded and deep fried and very spicy. 

Ellen had suggested that we might enjoy travelling the Natchez Trace Parkway on our way back so we headed north from Lafayette.  This was our first time in Natchez, MS.  The town sits high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.  Prior to the Civil War, it was home to several extremely wealthy Southern planters.  Their fortunes allowed them to build huge mansions, many of which remain today.  We took a carriage ride tour downtown to see a couple of these historic homes and buildings.  I'd like to go back during their Natchez Pilgrimage Tours held in the spring and fall. 

Antebellum home



Looking across the Mississippi toward Natchez at dusk.  Tugboat, barges, paddle boat

We decided to take the Trace as far as Jackson, about 100 miles, and then hop off and head to Memphis to pick up Interstate 40 East.  The Trace was a two-lane road through woodland and meadow with no power or telephone lines and very few homes.  We actually didn't pass a lot of other traffic; more bicycles and motorcycles.  The Trace is 444 miles long and crosses three states, ending near Nashville.  The speed limit is only 50 mph and we were told that this is strictly enforced. 

The Trace (My Enchanted Forest
 

For the next five days, we'll be heading East on the interstate with overnights in Nashville and Knoxville in TN, Salem and Winchester in VA, and then HOME. 
We're still enjoying the ride but we're ready to see our family and friends again!

THE DIVERSITY OF TEXAS

Since entering Texas, we've traveled the Texas Mountain Trail, the Hill Country, and the Texas Tropical Trail.  We joke about how boring it is to drive through Texas for three days, but that's really if you're only travelling the Interstates.  Once you get off onto the blue highways, you see just how diverse this huge state really is.

We continue travelling with Rod and Ellen and met up with Joe and Sue Rokowski in Bandera for a few days.  They've been scoping out the area for two weeks and showed us some of the places they liked best.  Bandera has dubbed itself the Cowboy Capital of the World.  This laid-back town on the Medina River retains the authentic flavor of the Old West by maintaining and repurposing a lot of the old buildings around Main Street.  I was a little disappointed that they've turned so many of them into clothing and jewelry boutiques.   We were there during the week, but we were told that on weekends, Main Street reverts to its Old West roots.  Cowboys ride through the streets, musicians serenade, and storytellers spin their yarns.  Sounds like fun.

Our second day there was cold and windy so we opted for some indoor sightseeing.  The Camp Verde General Store and Post Office was originally built in 1857 to offer goods and services to the soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Verde.  The store is now a 'home and body' boutique but still uses the old store and post office interior furnishings.  Very nice.

An interesting part of its history was the Camel Experiment.  In 1854, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis petitioned Congress to appropriate $30,000 for the Army to experiment with using camels for supply transport and other military purposes.  The bill passed and the first shipment from Egypt arrived at Fort Camp Verde via naval supply ship in April of 1856.  By the time the Civil War had begun, there were over 50 camels at the Fort.  By 1865, there were more than 100 camels.  They passed every test of their ability - carrying heavier loads and traveling longer distances than the mules  and horses used in the area.  However, the War Dept needed funds for reconstruction after the Civil War, and the Fort was deactivated in 1869 ending he experiment.  We were told that there were still some camels in the area.

Before heading back to the campground and some local Bar-B-Q ribs, we stopped at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville .  While the paintings and bronze sculptures were really good, the architecture of the museum was equally amazing.

Our last day in the Hill Country was spent in Boerne (pronounced "Bernie"), a small town along the Cibolo Creek.  It was founded in the mid-1800's by a group of Germans and their influence remains today.  We strolled down Haupstrasse (Main Street in German) through the town's historic district with its specialty and antique shops.  We took advantage of the warm sunny day by enjoying an outdoor lunch at the Epicure gourmet market and a walk along the Cibolo Creek's river walk.


I think this is Calvin telling us to get on the road!

On Friday, we said good-bye to both couples as we all struck off in different directions for a little more sightseeing before heading home.  Keith and I drove to Corpus Christie along the Gulf of Mexico.  I was anxious to see Padre Island so I was a little disappointed that the paved road ended so soon after entering the National Park.  I convinced Keith to drive onto the beach for a short distance but is was really bumpy so I wasn't upset when we turned around.

We drove to the other end of the island and took the short ferry ride from Port Aransas to Aransas Pass before heading back to the campground.

Sunday's visit to The Texas State Aquarium was more fun; we even petted a stingray (it's kind of like petting a snake...not what you'd expect it to feel like).  We enjoyed the dolphin show and the turtle and otter exhibits.

Around the log...

and back again, and again, and again!

 

Following the coastline north, Jamaica Beach RV Park on Galveston Island was our next stop.  We really liked this park; it was right across the road from the beach.  Unfortunately, the weather was overcast and windy and it was extremely humid. 

Calvin checking out the 'neighbors'

 On Tuesday we took the 'Duck' tour of Galveston and then viewed the film about the hurricane of 1900 that destroyed the town and killed 6000 residents.  But, I think the highlight of the day for Keith was dinner at Zack's Mac Shack.  Mac n' cheese with Lobster!

Another overcast day but that didn't stop us from going back into Galveston for the day.  Today, we went to Moody Gardens.  They have a huge 1.5 million gallon 10-story blue-glass Aquarium Pyramid and they have a Rainforest Pyramid of equal size.  Our decision was which one to see because we found that they were each about $50 for the two of us.  Since we had just gone to the Texas Aquarium, we chose the Rainforest.  It was a good experience but I still think it was a bit pricey. 

Moody Gardens

The illusive Two-towed Sloth

 

Scarlet Macaws
 

Afterward, we went back downtown to walk around the Strand historic district and the wharf.  And, on the way back to the park, we stopped to walk on the beach; I wanted to at least get my feet wet in the Gulf.  I was surprised that the water wasn't very cold, but I guess, location-wise, it would be more comparable to the Florida coast than New Jersey's.

Tomorrow, we leave Texas and stop in Louisiana to spend a couple of days in Lafayette before heading North.

...AND WE'RE ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Arizona, New Mexico, Texas...we're heading East.  We left Salome on Tuesday to miss the Easter Monday traffic.  We got to Deming, NM around noon on Wednesday.  Ellen suggested that we drive down to Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus near the Mexican border.  The park visitor center has the interesting history of the town and Pancho Villa's raid on it. 

Pancho Villa State Park

Rod and Ellen had been to the area several years ago and had eaten at a little Mexican restaurant that the park ranger recommended to them.  It's on a side street and if you drove by, you probably wouldn't stop but the food was delicious.  La Casita Restaurant...if you're ever in Columbus NM...stop in for good authentic Mexican grub.

La Casita Restaurant

On our way to Terlingua and Big Bend National Park on Friday, we headed southwest to the town of Presidio and from there took the 'Texas Mountain Trail,' a 50-mile scenic drive that follows the Rio Grande River.  The river remains one of the most disappointing sights we've encountered on our travels, but we learned that Mexico has been diverting the water for their use which has left it almost dry in many areas.  The mountains, however, more than made up for it here.  Our guys did a fantastic job of navigating the hills and curves, even pulling off to picnic along the Trail while enjoying the majestic view.

Texas Mountain Trail

Following Rod & Ellen...down and around the next curve

The Rio Grande...not so grand

Teepees cover picnic tables at rest stop

Big Bend National Park encompasses over 800,000 acres and is the last great wilderness area of Texas.  It offers both mountain and desert scenery and a variety of unusual geological structures.  Elevations within the park range from 1,840 ft. along the Rio Grande to 7,825 ft. on Emory Peak.  We spent Saturday exploring the park stopping at several visitor centers to learn about the history and habitat of the area. 

Looking down toward Chisos Basin in Big Bend



Dagger Yucca at Panther Junction, Park Hdqrs.

 

 

Beware of the BEARS!

 

 

At Boquillas, we found handmade items for sale, left by Mexicans from the little town on the hill on the other side of the river.  We could see some people sitting along the river's edge and riding horses down from the little town on the hill above.

Handmade items for sale.  Mexican standing by tree on other side.

Boquillas del Carmen, MX sits on hilltop across the Rio Grande

  

Next stop...Bandera, TX to meet up with Joe and Sue who've been there for two weeks and, hopefully, have scoped out some cool new places to explore.

 

 

THE SEASON IS ALMOST OVER AND WE'LL SOON BE ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The first Saturday in March, we went along with Rod and Ellen to Yuma. We dropped the guys off at the annual Yuma Car Show, and Ellen and I went in to Algodones Mexico to pick up some medications at the famous Purple Pharmacy, and to shop for some things for their new home. 

Rod & Ellen at Lutes Casino Restaurant in Yuma

YES, Rod and Ellen bought a home here in Salome. It's a hacienda-style home on a private road next to our resort. They plan to sell their motorhome and they'll fly back and forth to Maine. We'll miss having them for travelling companions; Ellen is the best trip planner. 


Rod and Ellen's new home
 

They just had time to settle and buy some furniture before getting ready to head back to Maine.










Last week, I drove in to Scottsdale to see my PA friend (turned AZ resident) Carol.   She took me to one of her favorite consignment shops, to the Hospice thrift shop where she volunteers, and then to a 'bead' supply store.  I can always find a few more beads that I need to have.  We had an awesome lunch at a Mexican restaurant where we sampled three of their specialty dishes.  Yum!


Prickly Pear & Peppers, Crab & Mango and Corn Cake Souffle' with a Mole Sauce

 

We had more rain this winter than last, and while I prefer sunny days, it's amazing how green the desert has gotten.  It looks like the desert floor is covered with grass, and the flowers and cactus are blooming more every day.   On the last Monday in March, we took a quad ride to see the flowers, and were surprised to see a desert turtle AND a snake (a little one thank goodness). 

Wednesday was full moon and we threw together a last minute 'wiener roast' at Picnic Point, about five miles from the park at the top of a mountain.  We didn't head out till around five and got back at eight so we had a great view of the sunset before the full moon started rising.  Riding the desert trails in the dark was a whole new experience!!  I was a little apprehensive but it was cool to see the headlights of about twelve quads weaving their way down the mountain.


Wiener Roast at Picnic Point
 

The month ended with Easter dinner outside our trailer with Rod and Ellen, and Terry and Jan Crown.  Terry and Jan were our 'next door' neighbors for the winter.  Terry is a Master Wood Carver and Jan is one of the best 'bead' instructors at the park.  They have two cute little Dachshunds, Dudley and Tucker that they rescued a few years ago.  They are full-timers also, spending their summers near Cascade, Idaho.

We're heading out on Tuesday, so I've begun securing everything inside the trailer, and Keith is double checking all of the mechanics outside and on the truck.  It's 2400 miles to Bowmansville and we don't want any 'surprises' along the way.

FEBRUARY WAS ANOTHER BUSY MONTH

February was another busy month; no one really sits still very long here.  It puts a whole new perspective on the term: RETIRED.

Early in the month, we were able to get to Wickenberg for their Goldrush Days Parade.  There are a lot of 'cowboys'  and retirement communities around Wickenberg and their parade is definately different than the local parades back in PA.  It's the first time I saw a steer riding in a car.  There were lots of horses, a couple of stagecoaches, and all of the 'girls' in the dance troups had white hair. 

Have you ever seen steers with horns this big??

No 'fast' stops!

Two of the couples from Montana that we got to know last year had decided to spend the winter at a campground in CA this year so they could explore ATV-ing in a different terrain.  The end of the month, we took Rod and Ellen and trailered our quads to spend the day with our friends and ride the dunes near their campground.  It's so interesting to see the landscape change.  They had no Saguaro cactus, but they had a huge Tamarisk tree in the middle of the dunes where we stopped for lunch.  We rode through some unique rock formations that the locals have named.

Tamarisk Tree

Skull Rock
 

Praying Nun

The weather here this winter has been all over the place; record highs, record lows, and several rainy days ( a lot more rain than last year).  There are signs along the roads warning against driving through if there is any water on the road, and this year we actually came to a flooded area and had to turn around.  It didn't look too deep and we probably could have driven through, but why take the chance.

JANUARY VISITS FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY

January has flown by with visits from our friends and family.  We've had so much fun sharing our favorite Arizona experiences with them.

On Jan 10, Bill and Marcia Novak, friends and neighbors from Sun Valley arrived for a week in "sunny warm" Arizona.  What they got was the the longest "cold snap" in twenty years...but it was sunny!   We recommended the Westward Motel which is only about a mile and a half from our RV park, and basically the only motel within miles.  The Westward is a quaint motel, having it's origins back in the 1960's.  I believe it sat vacant for years till Rande the current owner began restoring and renovating it.  There are four bright spacious rooms with Tempur-Pedic mattresses, and a well-equipped kitchen. 

















Behind the motel is a courtyard with a fire pit and gas grill for guests to use.













After checking out the huge flea market in Quartsite, we drove north along the California side of the Colorado River to Lake Havasu City to show them the London Bridge.  This was the first time we drove the CA side and were pleasantly surprised to see several wild burros along the way.  We also enjoyed a day in Wickenburg and a drive through the Sonoran Desert to Alamo Lake stopping for lunch at the Wayside Inn.

Friday, we went to Dos Amigos for the "all you can eat fish fry," and Saturday we celebrated Ellen's 71st birthday at Buckeroos listening to the Highway 96 Band. 

On Sunday, Keith's cousin Dale (Rod's brother) from Fort Lauderdale arrived for a week-long visit with them, and on Tuesday, the four men headed to Scottsdale for the Barrett-Jackson car auction.  Marcia and I relaxed, vegging out for a few hours while the men were gone.   

On Wednesday, we drove into the Superstition Mountain east of Phoenix stopping at the Goldfield Ghost Town and then Tortilla Flat for lunch.  Since their flight home was at 7 a.m. the next morning, we had decided to have them stay at the Best Western Airport Inn overnight.  So, after a wonderful dinner in Phoenix, we said goodbye to our friends, looking forward to seeing them again in April.

Ironically, the week after Bill and Marcia left, our temperatures hit all time highs in the 80's.  I started getting a cold and hoped that it wasn't the flu which has been going around. 

Sunday, we took the other 'Bears' out to The Desert Bar.  There were hundreds of people there enjoying the the warm weather.  The food was great but the lines were long.

The Desert Bar

The Three Bear Boys

As the end of the month and my visit from Gwen and Mary Ellen approached, my cold worsened.  So, the day before their arrival, and after suffering for about 10 days, I went in to the clinic in Wickenberg.  They gave me a breathing treatment, a shot and antibiotic prescription...and asked why I waited so long???  And within two days I had no symthoms; amazing.

We picked up Gwen and Mare from the airport on Tuesday afternoon and headed for the Westward again.  I picked the girls up in the morning and after a leisurely brunch, we headed to Wickenburg to check out the shops and a Mexican dinner at Anita's Cocina.

Thursday, Mare's friends, Bob and Margo from Colorado, checked in to the motel.  (I'm thinking Rande needs to be giving me a commission on all the business I'm bringing to him :)  While they visited, Gwen and I shopped at Westergreen's Pottery before heading to Quartsite to check out the flea market.  Gwen bought a gorgeous silver and coral bracelet.  Later, Rande built a fire for us in the courtyard.  Rod and Ellen joined us there for happy hour and then we grilled burgers for supper.  Nice.

After Bob and Margo left Friday morning, the 'three amigos' headed to Los Algodones, Mexico.  We had lunch and margaritas at the open-air El Paraiso Cafe'.  It was fun watching Mare 'haggling' with the vendors; not sure who won but she got some nice things.  I found it interesting how differently the vendors treated us compared to how they treated me last year when I was with Keith.  (They don't wanna mess with these women!) 

We took it easy on Saturday, driving just a few miles into the desert to the old Harquahala Mine.  Ask Mare why you shouldn't wear canvas sneakers while walking near the "Jumping Cholla" cactus.  I did warn her!

After a week of beautiful sunny days, it was overcast as we drove to Sedona on Sunday.  But, it was a nice drive, and even having been there last year, it's still awesome to see the red rocks as you enter the area.  We took the Old Bear Wallow jeep tour climbing the early stagecoach route along Schnebly Hill Rd through Bear Wallow Canyon onto the Mogollon rim with stunning views of Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon 2,000 feet below.  We had the best jeep driver, Rocky, who was funny but had a wealth of information on the area.  Later, we had a good dinner at The Barking Frog, and spent the night at Kokopelli Suites.  In the morning, we stopped at Sedona's Tlaquepaque (pronounced Tla-keh-pah-keh) Arts & Crafts Village before heading to Scottsdale to meet with my friend Carol for lunch.  It was a nice relaxing time before dropping the girls off at the airport hotel and driving back to Salome.

We did a lot this month but we had the best time sharing our Arizona experience with our friends and family.