Summer may finally be here!

The weather here in Minnesota is so sporadic. One day it rains with thunder & lightening, the next day it's 80 with 95% humidity, the next day it's sunny and cool... OMGoodness I wish it would make up it's mind! At least we have not had any tornado scares, yet! I KNOW once the weather settles down and it actually becomes summer we will be regretting it. We hear it is hot and humid. We are headed North so maybe it won't be so bad up there. I have not idea what to expect in Manitoba, weather wise or bugs. We hear the bugs are bad up North. NOT looking forward to that!!!

Chip had an experience with some biting flies or gnats or something about 2 weeks ago. WE were at a park doing our inspection when he felt the bites (I never did get one, thank goodness). One behind his ear really hurt so he reached up to rub it and when he took his hand away his fingers were bloody. That little bite bled quite a bit. Another on his fore arm left a welt and a hickey looking spot, AND they itched like crazy, worse than a mosquito. You know we never did see what they were except that they were black.

For the last couple days we have had sunshine and very little humidity. ~sigh~ The days just seem to be better under sunshine. For the first time in months we were able to wear shorts. We probably should not have. It is so foreign to see WHITE sticks protruding from under our shorts. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS WHITE, well maybe when we were born but since then NEVER!!!! It's pretty ugly! I know some wise person (not a dermatologist of course)has said "Skin looks better tan!" It was probably my sister-in-law, CeCe. NOW that woman knows how to tan! Maybe next year we will be tan again! ~SIGH~

Well, the camping "season" is officially underway here in Minnesota so we will probably not be working on Friday's or Saturday's anymore. I hope to be able to go sightseeing and get some shots and stories to share.





WE thought we were going to get stuck for sure here!! Our wheels actually spun in the mud! Luckily the rain held for the 2 nights we were here and we did get out without any problems.



Canadian Geese Family



This was taken in Monticello,MN at a park we were visiting.




Did you ever imagine they would have a musuem dedicated to Spam???

O H I O

Our time in Ohio was AWESOME, as always. WE stayed very busy between driving back and forth from our campground to Skye's house, running Colin to school,taking the kids to tumbling class, going to lunch (Skye's and My, favorite thing to do), telling stories and playing bad guys with Colin. Colin has such an imagination! The first thing Colin wants to do when we get in the car is tell stories. They can't just be any story they have to be about super hero's. If you try to tell a story that doesn't involve a super hero Colin will stop you and say "Noooooo, about a super hero". I can hear his sweet little voice as I type this. ~sigh~ Your super hero has to fly, jump tall buildings, save a princess or fight bad guys, OH and it has to start with "Once upon a time". It is so much fun to watch his expressions and see him listen so intently. And when he tells HIS stories they are great! He gets all the super hero elements in, flying, jumping, saving, it's amazing. AND of course Rylee has to tell her stories too. Colin doesn't like them because Rylee's stories involve "Once upon a time,(pause, pause, pause) then....... THE END!! So cute!!!

The kids came out and spent the night with us in the motor home one night. We had so much fun. We played at the play ground, threw rocks in the river and started on a hay ride. Rylee didn't like that! The tractor that was pulling the hay wagon was very loud and we were right behind it. So as soon as we stopped to pick up some other riders Rylee and I got off. Chip and Colin stayed on and had a blast.

On another occasion Skye brought the kids out to the campground and we had a "cook out", that is what they call a Bar-B-Que in the mid-west. We had so much fun. We skipped rocks, played baseball and ate hot dogs.

With Jason's schedule of working 7pm to 7am we didn't get to see him very much. But we did and the times we did were great. Skye is very blessed to have such a devoted husband. Jason is not afraid of work that's for sure. He has really put in his time and it has paid off. He was starting his "dream" job in the ER just before we left. That is what he has wanted since staring nursing school. His next stop will be a Physicians assistant or Nurse Practitioner. We are very proud of him!

I could go on and on but I think I will add some pictures and be done. The pictures are so much more fun anyway.

Working Minnesota

Once we left the Everglades we started preparing for our newest adventure “working”. By the time we reached Minnesota we were ready to hit the road runnin’. Little did we know we would soon be coming to a screeching halt of realization..

That we didn’t know what the heck we were doing?

Chip planned our route so that the first week or so we had no advertisers so all we had to do was try to sell them on advertising and do the inspection. Because we started so early in May most of the campgrounds had just opened so we found ourselves faced with the daunting task of distinguishing between what was and what was to be…. NOT easy!

But we managed to keep almost everyone happy with ratings. The people of Minnesota have been very friendly. That so far has been the best part of this job. Meeting the campground owners. AS of today we have finished our territory from east to west below Minneapolis. And we have been in the Minneapolis area a couple days. One nice thing about being here is the parks are closer together. Last week we drove over 100 miles one way to get to a park. So it will be nice to be within 20 of several parks.

With Memorial Day weekend here we are just hanging out. This weekend marks the beginning of the "season" here in Minnesota. So the parks are hopefully very busy.

The terrain here in Minnesota is different than we imagined. We pictured a lot of trees and lakes. What we have seen down here in the So. East is farm land. LOTS of farm land. The crops have not been planted yet so the fields are being tilled and prepared. It is so pretty to see an old farm house with silo’s, a huge red barn and trees in the middle of a black rich looking dirt field. It makes the farm house stand out. In the fields also are ribbons of the greenest grass you have ever seen. These must be natural water ways there so they leave them alone. It really is pretty. We are amazed at how green the grasses are here. Some of the yards look like the best greens of a golf course. And it doesn’t appear they even try except to mow. I would bet there isn’t a household in this area that does not have a riding mower.



(This is just an OLD farm house we thought was cool!)


Our highlight so far has been the sighting of a Pheasant. We were on a gravel road heading to a campground when Chip spotted something in the grass. We stopped just in time to see it run/fly through the grass away from us. After our inspection of the campground we were leaving and saw a second one. THIS time we got a couple pictures. They are such a beautiful bird. I can’t imagine shooting one. But Pheasant hunting is big around here.



This picture was taken from our site in a campground on a day where the sun actually shone. When the sun is out it is very hot and humid. In fact the day before this was taken we were wearing jackets. On this day we were running our AC... Then the next day we were wearing sweatshirts again! Its no wonder they have tornado's around here.



At one of the parks we visited they escort you to your site riding a Segway. We got to know them in the couple days we were there and the last morning before we left they let us try it out! It was fun. I would not mind having one of those!





We are approximately 1/2 way through Minnesota and we are doing better every day! Not breaking any sales records but having fun! After all THAT is why we are doing it, to have FUN..... I have to admit the days are longer than I imagined (everyone was not kidding when they told us the paperwork is unbelievable), the weather isn't what we hoped for but the people have exceeded our expectations!

Good Bye Florida - Hello Alabama

While we were in Alabama we stopped and had dinner at Monnette and Paul's house (my cousin's). My Aunt Ree moved to Alabama last year from Calif. where she had lived at "Grandmother's house", since her husband passed, many, many, many years ago.. Ree moved to Alabama to live with Monnette and her family after realizing it was time, she is close to 88, and needed some companionship and assistance that living alone with her younger sister, Nellie (my Dad's twin) could not provide. Plus it was time to fix up "Grandmothers house" and sell it before it was to far gone! Monnette and her brother Rick, have been like the children Ree never had. The lived in the same house with Monnette and Ricks' Mom, my Aunt Lorene, all their lives. "Grandmother's house" at 295 Farley St, Mt. View, CA has been sold. It now belongs to a Asian family that can start their own traditions. ~sigh~ I miss going to Grandmothers house, or is it the age I miss? Probably BOTH! After some 50+ years my "Grandmother's house" has been sold! How sad that these things must change. BUT......... "THE ONLY THING CERTAIN IN LIFE IS CHANGE"
We had a great time visiting with our Alabama family. Even if their dog, Milly kept barking at me! hahaha Getting to know Monnette's son, Scott and his family was great. Scott and his brother Jeff were a lot younger than me. When we were kids we were not around each other very much or at least I don't remember being. I was in my own little world when they lived in Ca and never really got to know them. It is nice to get to know them now! It is so awesome to be able to be around family that you rarely see but still feel so comfortable being around! I love my family!!


L to R - Lisa,Aunt Ree,Paul,Monnette,Courtney,Scott


Milly

When we left Hoover, AL our next stop like always when we get to Alabama was in Red Bay. Stopping in Red Bay seems to be a staple in our stops since buying our Phaeton in '08. But, you know, we like it there. We have gotten to know a lot of the tech's and ALWAYS meet new owners! This time was not exception. Our time in the bays is always fun. We get to know the techs we have and go around talking to the tech's we have had in the past. One in particular Roger. We spent weeks in his bay when we went in or our 1 yr, fix everything you can think of, visit. We both enjoy seeing him every time we go. We met Buz and Judy from Ft. Worth, TX. They own a newer Allegro Bus. Unfortunately they are having so many issues with it they are considering selling it. We really enjoyed our visits with them and their cats. They have 4. I hope we can keep in touch with them and possibly see them again in Red Bay or on the road. This scenario repeats itself every time we are there... How could anyone not like going there... It's like a reunion every time we go!

From Alabama we headed to Columbus, Ohio! NOW that will take a post all it's own sooooooo Until next time! May the sun always shine on your face!


Just a preview of our time in O H I O........(Chip wasn't mad, he just missed the "cheeeeeese" cue!

The Florida Everglades

When we were in Florida in 2006 we went to the Florida Everglades and loved it. So we decided to do it again. Of course as it goes the first time for everything is so special that the second time doesn’t usually compare but it was very close. We had a great time! We did what we have come to enjoy doing and that is bird watching but we also took our our sea eagle paddle ski (inflatable kayak) and paddled through the mangroves. We were hoping to catch a glimpse of a Mangrove Cuckoo but we only saw the tail feathers of birds as they flew away before we could get close. And none of them were Mangrove Cuckoo’s because they don't fly or at least not far. We did see quite a few mosquitoes up close and personal though. I HATE MOSQUITOES!!! The area we went to was called the Noble Hammock. Why the name we are not sure but the paddle was not what I thought it was going to be. The water had a rotting vegetation smell and was very shallow in some areas to the point where we had to use the mangrove roots to pull ourselves through. Thankfully our inflatable is tough! THAT is when the mosquitoes feasted on our rich red blood. We always forget to ask the right questions when inquiring at the ranger stations about things to do. The last time we did that was in Utah and we were sent on a “mountain biking” trail that was way over our heads. A trail that should have taken 1 ½ hours took us 4 because we had to walk more than we could ride. But that is for another time! This time we didn’t ask, how long the watery trail was or what it was like. We did however ask if the trial was clearly marked because you could really get turned around in those mangroves. Our first indication should have been where we put the boat in the water. It was very narrow and we had to do a 10 point turn to get pointed the right direction. We thought we would be on the water an hour but after 1 ½ hours and not knowing where we were in conjunction to where we had to go we had no idea how long it would be. The markers were made of 3” pvc pipe anchored to the bottom somehow and were numbered. We started guessing what the final number would be but after passing all our guesses we had no idea and with all the twists and turns we could not even tell where we came from. So we stopped and ate our lunch, wondering as we ate our ½ sandwiches, “should we conserve it in case we did get lost”, hahahahaha. We honestly never thought we would get lost! But we did think it would be a prettier paddle. If you have never seen the Florida waters in the swamps, it is brown like tea and doesn’t smell all that great. I wonder if the natives from Florida go home after an extended stay away and smell the air and think “ah home”! By the time we ended our little adventure we were at 153 on the markers and were not in the same spot where we put in. As we walked to the road to see where our car was we saw it about 1/10th of a mile to the right. After 3+ hours on our inflatable kayak I was ready to move around so I sprinted to get the car while Chip started deflating our inflatable. It was not an easy paddle but it was exclusive to the Everglades and that made it special. AND I use the term “special” in a somewhat sarcastic way.  A dozen or more mosquito bites between the two of us later and we were on our way back to camp and the serenity of bird watching.


The "put in" spot!


Picnic area, Lunch is served!

No he did not loose the second 1/2 of his paddle, the area was too tight we had to just use on half each!

Not your usual Thanksgiving (2010)

After we left Lake City we headed to St. Augustine. Our nation’s oldest city! It was discovered in 1513 by Ponce De Leon and founded in 1656 by Pedro Menendez. St. Augustine is a beach front community of quaint shops, restaurants, horse drawn carriages and even some street performers (I use that term lightly). The first Catholic Parish in the Nation was established in St. Augustine and we were there. Awesome! We had been in St Augustine once before in ’06 but it was really rainy and cold so we didn’t go into town. The weekend we were there they were having their Christmas lights lighting ceremony, yes it was not yet Thanksgiving. Don’t you hate THAT! I think everyone that lives in or around St. Augustine was there. I was amazed at the number of people.



Our next stop was one of our favorites. We stayed at a state park in Flagler Beach, Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area. This may have been our favorite because the park was right on the beach. We could see the ocean from our windshield and smell the salt air. The high light was we were there for a full moon and WOW……….. We got some awesome shots. It was like something out of a movie. The drive from the pier to the campground reminded Chip of Carlsbad when he was growing up. It had that small beach town feel. We would have liked to stay there a lot longer but the only space that was open we had and it was only open for 3 days. One of the down sides to not making reservations!


Ever wonder what makes all those little holes on the beach? Here it is!


There is that "Man in the Moon"





When we left there and headed to Daytona Beach. We were there for Thanksgiving and the big HUGE car show that is held every Thanksgiving, the Daytona Turkey Run. You cannot imagine the number of old cars that are in town for this long weekend event. Chip was so excited to find a 65 GTO just like the one he drove in HS (or at least close enough to count). It was amazing how many cars we went by that he said, “Michael had a car just like that” or “Cantarini had a car just like”.. It was fun (for a while) but Chip loved it! I can only imagine what memories it brought back for him. ~sigh~


Chip and his car!


If I am going to dream this is MY dream car!!


This is just a small part of what was here!


Thanksgiving last year was not your usual Thanksgiving, we didn’t have turkey and dressing, we didn’t have sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows or pumpkin pie. Most of all we didn’t have FAMILY around. For that reason it didn’t feel at all like Thanksgiving. So we chose to do something most people don’t do on Thanksgiving (or not on the west coast anyway) and that was to sit on the beach and soak up the sun. We had a great day enjoying the warm weather. Being able to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving on the phone was “almost” like being there, ALMOST! The beaches in this part of Florida are pretty with white sand, very little rocks or shells (at least on the east coast, the gulf coast is a totally different story) and when you walk on the dry sand it sometimes squeaks. A really cool thing is you can drive on the beaches. I don’t know if you can all of them but in Daytona Beach you can. On this day we did not take the Jeep out on the sand. We spent 4 days in Daytona and did take our Jeep out once. If for nothing else but to say we did it! Plus it was actually a little breezy that day so the Jeep came in handy to block the wind. We had a great time! But we are not finished with Florida yet!!! Until next time…..


Enjoying the sunshine in November!


Our Thanksgiving day guest! (Snowy Egret)


A fashion conscience bird, yellow feet to go with it's yellow beak

Florida: A destination for 29 million visitors each winter

This year in Florida there were 29 million and 2 visitors. We arrived in Northern Florida in November and our first stop was in Lake City. We had never heard of it and probably never would have had it not been on our way. But I am glad we stopped because if we hadn't we would never have seen, Ichetucknee State Park. Ichetucknee (itch-tuck-knee) State Park has a natural spring, unfortunately not a warm spring that you could get in and soak but it was very pretty. The water was crystal clear and the actual hole where the spring water flows in from was large enough that people could actually scuba dive down into it. At the beginning of the ¼ mile walk that let to spring there was a picture that showed someone in the opening of the spring from below, it was pretty cool. Picture watching National Geographic and seeing a diver from underneath looking up towards the sky. That is what it looked like but instead of a vast openness above there is a hole in the ceiling of the spring that is maybe 10' X 10'. If you don’t scuba dive you can still snorkel around in the pool or just swim. We didn't go there with that intention and it wasn't that warm anyway. Once we got to the pool we stood around and enjoyed it's beauty. While watched an older woman feeding the fish, she stopped and pointed out that she was also feeding turtles. She and her son used to live in the area and he told us as a kid he used to go there all the time to swim. We did get to see some small Leather Neck Turtles and even got a couple pictures. They were all pretty small but you could see them perfectly through the clear blue water. Leather Neck Turtle Ichetucknee Spring More on Florida next time!!

Where has time gone?

It has been a long time since I last shared our travels with you. We have yet to find anything that compares to Alaska but comparing, after all is not what it's all about. It is more about enjoying the NOW. And that is what we have been doing. I can't begin to tell you everywhere we have been and everything we have done since Sept. so I will hit the highlights!
Since we left Alaska we have hit, British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, which is where we have been since the 1st of Dec. Well, our motorhome has been anyway.
We spent almost a month in Columbus Ohio in Oct. enjoying every minute of being with our Ohio family. We especially enjoyed our time with our daughter, Skye, her husband, Jason and our 2 beautiful grandkids, Colin (4) and Rylee (2). I do miss so much being closer to them ALL the time but it sure makes the time we are with them special, but the leaving so hard!!! Thank goodness for cell phones. We just signed up for Skype and we have a new laptop with a built in webcam so our next step is to get them set up with a webcam so we can video chat.
While in So Dakota our highlight was attending the lighting ceremony of Mt. Rushmore. What a moving experience it was to listen to our national anthem while watching the faces of the 4 presidents become illuminated with a very soft light. ~sigh~ Deadwood was another highlight. I had never even heard of it until I watch the HBO show of the same name. That was a fun day. We drove along a river, through a forest of trees covered with fall colors. It was an absolutely spectacular day.
Actually in all the states we traveled through up until our time in Tennessee we were surrounded by fall colors. It was beautiful!
Once we left South Dakota we just traveled "through" the other states until we got to Tennessee where we attended a rally in Sevierville. What a neat place. We took a day trip to the Great Smokey Mountains and even though it was raining it was still very pretty to see the fall colors. We even were treated to snow flurries.
In Georgia we stayed in several places including Stephen Foster State Park. There we took out our paddle ski (inflatable kayak) and paddled through the swamp. We watched the 'gators slither along. It was interesting to see the 'gators sink under the water without making even a ripple on the surface. We had pulled to the side of the swamp and were sitting on our kayak having lunch, when a raccoon wandered by foraging for its lunch. It was a pretty small raccoon and it didn't pay any attention to us at all. It walked within 10 feet from the side of our kayak. That was very cool!
After Georgia we went into Florida and that is where we have been since mid-November. I will write again and share our travels through Florida. We have done and seen quite a bit since November as you can imagine. So Enjoy the pictures of our time up until this point. I promise it won't be as long for my next entry......... Until next time........


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Fall Colors Ohio Style~~~~~~~~~~~~~









Skye and Jason


Colin


Rylee


Mt. Rushmore at night


Mt. Rushmore during the day



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Fall Colors Tennessee Style~~~~~~~~~~





Aligator in Georgia



Cute Raccoon