Day 153 -- Home at Last

This morning we were ready to head out with very mixed feelings. On one hand, we will be glad to be home, hug our pets, see and hug our kids, and visit with our friends; but on the other hand, we certainly are not ready to stop traveling. It has been a journey filled with adventures and sights beyond our wildest expectations.

Our life-long dream to travel the United States has been fulfilled--although we have much more to see and do for another time. There is so much to see in this beautiful country of ours. We look forward to continuing our dream by traveling the east coast in 2009 or 2010.

We arrived home in about 4 hours. We had stopped to have lunch with a friend in his restaurant in Buford, but unfortunately the restaurant had closed since we began our trek. So, we headed on home and arrived about 1 PM.

We were greeted by all of the pets: 3 dogs and 2 cats. It was great to be home. But, it felt really weird. We didn't feel like this house was our home any longer. The RV feels like our home. So, it took some mental adjusting.

Because of our reluctance to call the "house" our home, we made lunch in the RV and took a nap in the RV. It didn't feel right to be in the house at all.

But, the "weirdness" soon wore off. Now, we have the arduous task of packing and getting ready to move elsewhere. We plan to build a home in Lavonia, Georgia, to be near LD and Tina's home.

So, when we take off again, know that we will once again keep a blog. It has been such a blessing to have this record of our journey as we quickly forget the details. Without you faithful readers, I am sure I would not have been so diligent in keeping the blog current. We have so many pictures that we could not post, and those, too, will be tremendous reminders of the great adventure God has blessed us with.

Until we travel again, thanks for checking in with us!
Be blessed,
Pam & Dave

Day 147 to Day 152 - USA Tour - Cropwell, AL

Overnight: Cropwell, AL (near Birmingham)
R&R and RV Maintenance



Well, we have been here an entire week. We camped here because we need to get some maintenance and light repair work done on the RV before we head for home.

Mike, the repairman, was here on Sunday, Oct. 12, to evaluate our needs. He arranged to have most of the repairs covered under our extended warranty.

While we waited for parts, we had plenty of time to just relax and enjoy the view of the lake, shop, play Canasta, knit, read, visit with other campers, and talk to the birds.

Most of the repairs were completed today (Friday, Oct. 17). It rained mostly all day, so there was one repair Mike could not complete. He'll be here early tomorrow (Saturday) to complete that last one. Then, we are homeward bound.

We are anxious to get home and hug the pets and kids. It is Tina's birthday tomorrow, so we are glad we will be home to celebrate with her--especially because LD is out on the road and cannot be home for the occasion.

What an incredible trek this has been. It was the dream of our lifetime to wonder about this great country of ours. And, God willing, we were able to do just that. We have seen such awesome beauty and experienced wonderful people and places along the way. We have had the opportunity to retrace our families' heritages, revisit relatives and friends, and we have made a few new friends along the way.

I thank those who have kept up with us through our blog (our last entry will be after we arrive home safe and sound), prayed for our safe journey, and a few of you who have put up with us as visitors along the way. God bless each of you--keep safe, happy, and healthy.

Your friends,
Dave and Pam

P.S. Our next extended trek will be Summer 2009. We plan to root out the sights on the east coast from Georgia to Nova Scotia. I'll let you know when we are off and running!

Day 146 - USA Tour - Cropwell, AL

Sightseeing Mileage in Meridian area: 0
Starting Mileage Meridian: 12,519
Ending Mileage arriving Cropwell: 12,702
Miles Driven: 183
Avg. MPG: 6.5
Gas Price: $3.29--Tuscaloosa, AL

Overnight: Cropwell, Alabama
Lakeside Landing RV Park & Marina
Travel Day

We were on the road early again this morning--8:15 AM. The campground we stay at near Birmingham does not take reservations. So, we want to get there early in the day to receive a spot with good WiFi reception. Only half the park has good reception.

So, armed with McDonald's again for breakfast, we were on our way. We stopped in Tuscaloosa to get gas. Dave dropped me off at Michael's craft store while he got the gas. I wanted to get some knitting pattern books. I found what I wanted; it's a sampler afghan. That way, I can practice learning different stitch combinations.

We arrived at the campground at 12:15 PM. So, we received a great spot. On one side we have a road in which no one will park. On the other side, we have no neighbor, so far. We are 3 sites from the campground's store, which is more like a mini-mart. And, we have a great view of the Lake Logan Martin. This campground is very reasonable because it's not really updated. But, it is quite comfortable and better than most we have stayed at.

Here's our view and Dave enjoying it!



There is always activity for Dave to "take in" because this is a popular campground for those entering bass tournaments.

We called our repair guy (Mike), but he wasn't able to come today as he's spending time with his kids. So, he'll be here tomorrow after church. I hate that he's spending his Sunday getting the list from us, but to quote him, "I work 24/7/7 except for Sunday morning--that's with the Lord." Love this guy!

Mike has to get approved as a Forest River authorized dealer, which his wife said is a no-brainer and will be done on Monday. Many of the fixes we want addressed will be covered by the extended warranty we purchased when we bought the RV. So, Mike will work with the warranty company as well to get those repairs authorized. The rest, a few "wants," we'll pay him to help us with. So, we will be here probably until Thursday or Friday.

I made hot dogs for lunch. So ambitious.

You'll be surprised at this--I went outside and sat in the nice weather and enjoyed the late afternoon while I worked on my knitting. Dave was such a sweetheart, he not only got my rocking chair set up, but fetched a little side table and a footstool for my complete comfort. What a guy!

As the sun was setting, we took a walk to the store and got our ice cream fix. I also bought a banana to go with it--after all, keep it as nutritious as possible!

I am spending the evening getting all blogs finished. And, I AM. So, now I'm heading for the TV and will put my feet up in the lazy boy and chill. We are so anxious to get home, now that we are this close. I can't wait to love on the pets, kids, and friends!

Day 145 - USA Tour - Meridian, MS

Sightseeing Mileage in Shreveport area: 0
Starting Mileage Shreveport: 12,196
Ending Mileage arriving Meridian: 12,519
Miles Driven: 323
Avg. MPG: 7.7
Gas Price: $3.22--Meridian, MS

Overnight: Meridian, Mississippi
Bonita Lakes RV Park (no website available, but you can review them at RV Park Reviews)
Travel Day

We were up early and on the road by 8:30 AM. After a quick stop at McDonald's, we were off and running.

We plan to have a list of minor work done on the RV when we arrive in Cropwell, AL,(near Birmingham). Our favorite mobile repairman (Mike Oliver) will meet us there on Saturday to take inventory of the "fixes" we'd like done. So, we need to cover almost 600 miles in a couple of days. So, armed with pain killers for the long drive, we headed eastward.

We crossed the Mississippi River and enjoyed the sights.

The first riverboat casino on the return-home trip.



The first barge we've seen on our return-trip home.



And, the beach. But, not sure if we'd share it with crocks or not??



We stopped for lunch at Applebee's and had soup and salad. We had to park in a hotel parking lot that was quite a hike from the restaurant. However, the soup really hit the spot.

Our first choice for a campground tonight was full. But, our second choice was actually just fine. It's only downside was that it was a one huge parking lot of gravel with parking pads scattered about on which to park the RV. There were no trees--so a summer stop here wouldn't be pleasant. But, it was clean and it was cheap. Cable included Bravo and WiFi signal was excellent.

I made dinner. Shock, I know. I made Dave what's called a hot-dog burger. that's a hamburger in the shape of a hot dog. It fit well into the hot dog bun, as we didn't have any burger buns. I ate leftover pasta with hamburger meat that I had made some time ago and had in the freezer.

Day 144 - USA Tour - Shreveport, LA

Sightseeing Mileage in Arlington area: 0
Starting Mileage Arlington: 11,986
Ending Mileage arriving Shreveport: 12,196
Miles Driven: 210
Avg. MPG: 7.4
Gas Price: $3.15--Tyler, TX

Overnight: Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport KOA
Travel Day

This morning we dilly-dallied a bit while we waited for the traffic to subside in downtown Dallas. We ate dry cereal for breakfast as we traveled. Oh, yum. But, it did the trick.

We were surprised to see this hill between Arlington and Dallas.



Here's the skyline of downtown Dallas.



Surprisingly, we didn't get lost and made it just fine to Dealey Plaza--where President Kennedy was shot. You will recognize some of the pictures from the Zapruder tapes. Dave was as surprised as I was at how small the plaza really is. I first saw the plaza in 1965.



We also were able to get a glimpse of the book depository, where Oswald fired his dastardly shot.



The book depository is the last building on the right side of this picture.



We had decided not to go into the book depository museum--we have seen so much of this information already throughout the years. But, we did make one mistake--we headed for a pay parking lot, which had no place to turn around. But, true to Dave's expertise, he turned the RV around on a dime.

And, along the way to Louisiana, we saw another huge camel ranch. Wonder why camels in this area? It's not really a dessert area, so that's a puzzle.

After going around the plaza twice to get a better look, we headed onward toward Louisiana for the night. We stopped in Tyler, Texas, for lunch at Juanita's Mexican restaurant.

We really liked the atmosphere and climate at Tyler so we picked up a couple of real estate books. Wow. It sure is reasonable in this area. Guess we'll have to give the no-state-tax and great-health-care benefits of TX some serious consideration. Hee Hee.

Out of scenery boredom, we started a very productive game of "Name That Road Kill." There was so much to choose from: armadillos, skunks, opossums, foxes, raccoons, deer, and some unidentifiable creatures.

After that challenging game, we found ourselves Shreveport. The campground is getting out of the KOA franchise, so we didn't get our "points" for staying here. But, the rate was less and WiFi was great. CATV was good, but without Bravo.

Day 143 - USA Tour - Arlington, TX

Sightseeing Mileage in Vernon area: 0
Starting Mileage Vernon: 11,804
Ending Mileage arriving Arlington: 11,986
Miles Driven: 182
Avg. MPG: 7.4
Gas Price: $3.12--Vernon, TX

Overnight: Arlington, Texas
Treetops RV Village
Travel Day

Today we left Vernon at 10 AM. The terrain began to get much greener and had more than a spattering of short trees.

Texas began to rear it's head as we saw more and more oil wells madly pumping their goo for our future use.

One surprise was a field of camels. I was able to get a picture; but unfortunately, it's so blurry you'd have to take our word for it. So, take our word for it.

We stopped at a nice restaurant for lunch. The food was good. And, the atmosphere was truly Texan.



Our drive was uneventful and I was able to finish up another crochet project. I practiced more in my knitting.

We were headed for Arlington, which is sort of between Ft. Worth and Dallas. Here's a pix of Ft. Worth.



The RV park was full of trees. And, the owners had Halloween decorations hung in the trees. A nice touch. The patio had two separate areas for relaxing. We had great WiFi and CATV. I watched TV and did some reading tonight on The Shack.





No need to rise early tomorrow as we want to go into downtown to see Dealey Plaza. So, we want to arrive after the work-a-bees get settled into their offices.

A little trivia: we drove the same number of miles yesterday as we did today. How did that happen?

Day 142 - USA Tour - Vernon, TX

Sightseeing Mileage in Amarillo area: 25
Starting Mileage Amarillo: 11, 622
Ending Mileage arriving Vernon: 11, 804
Miles Driven: 182
Avg. MPG: 7.2
Gas Price: $3.09--Amarillo, TX

Overnight: Vernon, Texas
Rocking A RV Park
Travel Day

A little late in getting started this morning at 9:45 AM--especially given that we stayed an extra day to "rest." I am feeling much better and ready to head down the road toward home and humidity.

The terrain was not quite as "desserty" because we began to see more green and some rolling hills. We got off the freeway system and decided to take US 287. This was a nice road surface (mostly) and was a divided highway all the way.

We stopped at the coolest roadside rest in Hedley, Texas, this morning. I could help sharing a few picture with you as it was so unique. Someone really spent some bucks and imagination to make a great stop.

First, the buildings made it look like a train depot, complete with outbuildings shaped like trains.





Inside the main building, the kiosks had their own character and personality to blend into a train station.

An information kiosk was shaped like a baggage cart with the PC screen in the middle.



The weather station was shaped like a mini-library.



The main information area for personal help was an old-fashioned train depot master's office.



Another information station was a chuck wagon.



The WiFi station was like an old-fashioned bar with stools. Yes, that's Dave in the background.



The floors were stained cement and functioned quite well in the theme.



I know this is a lot of fuss about a potty-stop, but what a pleasant change from those hum-drum messy stops. Kudos to that county!

And, here's our "little" home away from home in the parking lot with the "big" boys. We are second from left, if you haven't picked us out yet.



We stopped at what we thought was a Denny's like restaurant. After we walked quite a distance from our parking spot, we found out it was a glorified fast-food joint, that wasn't very good. The bright spot was that there was a Braum's ice cream store across the street. We fell in love with this creamy brand of ice cream while in Oklahoma City last spring. So, we drove over and got a pint of peppermint and a pint of peanut butter cup. With tummies full, we moved onward to Vernon, Texas.



For the next few days we will be pushing to get to Birmingham to get our RV touched up before we land at home. Tonight we just watched TV--I had BRAVO--and I stayed up way too late catching up with Project Runway! We certainly enjoyed our ice-cream dinner!

Day 141 - USA Tour - Amarillo, TX

Overnight: Amarillo, TX
Lazy Day

We had planned to leave Amarillo this morning, but I just wasn't in the mood. So, we settled in for a lazy day. The rain had stopped, and it looked like the sun was going to burst forth, soon.

I was feeling much better. No signs of a cold; thanks to the Get Well Soon pills.

The rain last night was pounding and the wind was again beyond billowing. But, we are still upright and the awning is still in tact! Both a blessing!

The only downside at this campground is that Dave doesn't have a picnic table at which to sit and space out. But, with the weather as it's been, he wouldn't have been able to anyway.

I decided to shower this morning at the campground's facility rather than in our RV. It's much roomier. Their facility is so nice. You have your own private toilet, shower, sink, and dressing area all in one room. And, it's nice to have full water pressure and an unlimited supply of hot water so you don't have to hurry.

By the time I was done, it had started to rain again. I dashed back to the RV between the raindrops.

While in Albuquerque, I purchased a CD on learning to knit. As you know, I crochet; but, I have not mastered knitting. Mom tried to teach me when I was in high school. However, I never seemed to master getting two needles to work together--simultaneously. So, I decided today would be a great day to concentrate on this task.

And, the CD did the trick. It's just too hard to learn something like this without someone showing you. Pictures don't cut it. I finally got it and practiced and practiced and practiced. Now, I understand the difference between the knit and purl stitches. I now look forward to making something.

Dave consented to taking me to Red Robin for a burger dinner. On the way to town, we pass the noted Cadillac sculpture. There is always someone parked on the street to view it or to write on it.



Onward to Red Robin. I just love their variety of burgers and their smoothies. But, I must say, this was a bad idea. First, I ordered my burger without a bun; it came with one. I dumped all the inners out, but it was in a basket so it was difficult to cut. I ordered a plate. I asked the waiter to take my pile of trash, which he ignored. He returned to take it when I made the sarcastic comment, "Well, I guess you don't want to take it." He then promptly disappeared and sat down to chat with the other wait staff. Dave had to get up to get someones attention to get me some mustard. The waiter never bothered to clear our plates, and we had to ask a couple of times for to-go boxes. Needless to say, his tip reflected. Scratch this Red Robin off future visits.

Back to the RV to watch TV, practice knitting, and get cleaned up for an early departure in the morning.

Day 140 - USA Tour - Amarillo, TX

Overnight: Amarillo, TX
Lazy Day and Weather Halt Day

I can't believe we have been on the road for 140 days. And, we aren't really ready to come home yet. There is so much to see. So much we have seen. And, so much left to see. However, the pets call. And, housing arrangements need to be made for our future--whatever that is!

The skies really opened up last night. The wind was some of the strongest we have experienced. I was mentally preparing for a tip-over. I was also concerned that the awning we have over the slide-out would tear--the roof and the awning just clattered as if Santa was up there stomping around with his reindeer.

The awning survived. The rain continued all day today. The wind was still violent. We did manage to get over and pay our bill for another night in a slight weather clearing. I was sure the WiFi would go down, but it survived. Hence, Dave sent out a lot of emails today. We nibbled leftovers and snacks for lunch. Dave took a long nap this afternoon. He wasn't feeling up to snuff. I watch movies on TV and crocheted.

I fixed leftover roast with potatoes and Brussels sprouts for dinner. We will head out in the morning toward Dallas.

Day 139 - USA Tour - Amarillo, TX

Overnight: Amarillo, TX
Laundry and R&R Day

This morning I was feeling a bit better with my kidney infection. However, I had awoken all stuffed up and sneezing my head off. I don't know when I have ever sneezed that much. I assumed that with my kidney infection, my resistance was low for other ailments. So, I quickly swallowed my Get Well Soon pills to ward off the evil sickness.

I got an early start on the laundry this morning. The RV that had parked between us and the laundry building last night was gone. Now, it was an easy and direct walk to do my chores.

Dave helped me get it all folded and put away. By the time I got the laundry done, I still wasn't feeling very well and neither was Dave. So, we just rested the remainder of the day. Nothing much on TV on a Saturday night either. So, I went to bed and read some more of The Shack. Dave watched some sports games. Not sure if football or baseball, or both.

Day 138 - USA Tour - Amarillo, TX

Sightseeing Mileage in Albuquerque area: 20
Starting Mileage Albuquerque: 11,328
Ending Mileage arriving Amarillo: 11,597
Miles Driven: 269
Avg. MPG: 8.9

Overnight: Amarillo, Texas
Oasis RV Park
Travel Day

Today we drove to Amarillo. We feel like pros in taking this route, as we have done it so many times. We look forward to getting to our favorite campground tonight.

We stopped in Tucumcari at the TA for lunch. We have been to this Country Cafe several times as well.

After gassing up, we headed eastward.



The terrain is, of course, very desert with a significant amount of wind, even when it's relatively light. But, Dave handles it just fine.



We always know, with our noses, when we are getting close to Amarillo. We have to pass these stockyards first. They are about 5 miles from the campground.



We arrived around 3 PM (now Central time) and did light set-up--unhooked the trailer from the car and plugged in the electricity (for refrigerator and AC).



We headed off to the Urgent Care facility that Blue Cross said was approved. After about an hour, I finally got in to see the doctor. I got my prescription, and then we headed off to get it filled. While waiting for the prescription at Savon Drugs (within Albertson's grocery store), I purchased a few items--Dove Bars and Diet Coke, specifically!

We finally headed back to the campground. Last time we were here, our WiFi was iffy. So, this time they told us to park one space away from the laundry building. That seemed to do the trick as it worked spectacularly. However, the CATV was a bit of a pain. If we wanted to watch network channels, we had to use the antenna on the roof. If we wanted to watch cable channels, we had to use the cable system. And, if one of us (yea, me) wanted to watch network channels, the other TV could only view the network channels. Dave and I couldn't watch TV on different systems. But, somehow we managed to get through it! Mostly because Dave let me have "my" way most of the time! He's so good to me.

Other than the CATV issue, we just love that campground. It's nice to return some place you have already been because you know which spots are the best. The washers and dryers are free, so most folks stockpile their dirty clothes for a few days, as we did, to get the free wash/dry. This campground doesn't charge much to stay overnight, either. It's only $25.

I was feeling pretty puny, so we didn't fix any dinner. We nibbled on leftovers and ice cream. Went to bed early. Tomorrow, I'll do the washing.

Day 137 - USA Tour - Albuquerque, NM

Overnight: Albuquerque, NM
More Puttering-Around Day

This morning we, again, stopped off at the Just Muffin' Around shop to grab some muffins to go. We said our goodbyes to the owner and said we'd see her in a couple of years.

We headed for the GMC dealer to get the oil changed and get the car checked out for our trip home.

We have one of the daylight headlights out, and they wanted $165 to replace them both. Why both? Because it is a design flaw in that year's GMC. So, because it's their flaw, we are supposed to pay that amount to fix their boo-boo. I don't think so! We can do without a daylight headlight! And, maybe when we get home, we can wrangle a free fix--or a highly discounted one.

To fix my window was about what I expected: $450. Geez! But, it would need to be fixed at some time. If it were one of the back windows, we could have let it go. But, Princess Pam needed her window fixed.

After we got the car fixed (it took 3 hours), we headed back to Bev's house. We all decided to go to lunch at Just Muffin' Around. They have great sandwiches for a great price. So, we showed back up, and the owner said that was the shortest 2 years she's ever experienced!

Bev & Jerry's friend, Gregory, joined us for lunch.

Then, around 4 PM, we drove them over Mary Grace's home. Mary Grace was the exceptional caregiver for Dave's mom and dad before they went into a nursing home. It was great to meet her as we were unable to do so when we were in Albuquerque in March of this year.

We drove Bev & Jerry back to their house and then said our goodbyes. Bev & Jerry are planning a trip to Florida to visit Bev's daughter in April, so they hope to stop by and see us on their way coming or going.

We went back to the RV and got ready to head out in the morning. But, now I have gotten really sick. One of those blasted kidney infections. Fortunately, I have a few pills with me for just this situation. So, I took my meds and spent the rest of the evening complaining. We'll head for the doctor as soon as we get to Amarillo tomorrow to get a new prescription. We cannot go to the doctor here because we have to leave the campground in the morning--no vacancies!

Day 136 - USA Tour - Albuquerque, NM

Overnight: Albuquerque, NM
Putter-Around Day

Dave and I ventured over to Dave's favorite place--Just Muffin' Around. We had a couple of breakfast sandwiches and, of course, some yummy muffins. The owner remembered us and it was good to see her again.

After our breakfast, we drove to Beverly and Jerry's house. We gave their "babies" some chew toys. Two of the toys not only squeak, but they make a paper-ruffling sound when chewed. I think this drove poor Beverly crazy as she can't see and kept thinking they were tearing up papers. But the dogs loved it! Maybe because the sound tormented "mom" so much--you know how kids love to do that!!

Our first jaunt for the day was to venture to our favorite jewelry supply store. Dave bought a few watch pieces and I got a few stones for later assembling. Beverly ordered a charm bracelet as they were out of the one she wanted.

Jerry wasn't feeling well, so we went back to their house for more visiting. He rested and shortly was ready to join the "conversationing."

But, truth be told, none of us felt that great. So, for "lupper" (lunch / supper), we ended up at Chili's restaurant for some loaded baked potato soup.

After lupper, we dropped them back at their house and headed back to the RV to watch TV and putter around.