Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Day 6 - California Hear We Come
November 28, 2012
Brrrrrrrr is the word of the day! It is FREEZING out here! So cold that we couldn't hook up water for fear of the hose bursting. I think it was down in the 20's. We set out today for Bakersville, CA.
Traveling still with the most gorgeous days. Sunshine each and every day. Be able to really see clearly God's creation.
We've gone through yet more different terrain. Desert this time. Went through the Old Woman Mountains and through the Mojave Desert after crossing into California. I was expecting mountains of sand but it was different. Still mountainous, brown and dry but there was greenery there to. Scrubs and cactus but nontheless greenery. It was very desolate area. Miles and miles of it!
California border crossing is similar to passing into Mexico. You have to drive through an entrance border check. Every vehicle has to stop. They are checking for fruits and vegetables being brought into the state. California at one time has an infestation of an insect that destroyed most of the fruit and vegetable crops.
You know is all about Otis, right. Well, we have so many names for this poor dog. All of which have the Oat name in them, like Oatie, Oat Dog, O and Oatman. Lo and beholdif we didn't go through Oatman, CA lol. He was Proud!
We have decided that if you want to drive a big RV cross country you have to have great driving skills. Dealing with wind is a real challenge. Not so much the steering of the vehicle but the pure pressure of the wind when it comes in gusts. Driving in Los Angeles, we felt every gust that came along. We hit our first bit of rain just south of Los Angeles, but it wasn't bad.
We are definitely seeing light at the end of the tunnel. The spot we are in tonight is another really good park. Orange Grove RV Park in Bakersville, CA. Just like its name we are in the middle of an Orange Grove. Really, Really nice. Another one I would recommend.
So tomorrow we head out to Ukiah, CA. Staying there for several days visiting with my brother, Leslie. Cant wait. Michael and I love going to Orr Springs. Greatest hot springs in the state! I know that it is raining there pretty bad. Not so sure if we are gonna be able to make it up the mountain but we will see.
Until tomorrow.....Good night!
Brrrrrrrr is the word of the day! It is FREEZING out here! So cold that we couldn't hook up water for fear of the hose bursting. I think it was down in the 20's. We set out today for Bakersville, CA.
Traveling still with the most gorgeous days. Sunshine each and every day. Be able to really see clearly God's creation.
 |
| Mojave Desert |
We've gone through yet more different terrain. Desert this time. Went through the Old Woman Mountains and through the Mojave Desert after crossing into California. I was expecting mountains of sand but it was different. Still mountainous, brown and dry but there was greenery there to. Scrubs and cactus but nontheless greenery. It was very desolate area. Miles and miles of it!
 |
| State line border check |
California border crossing is similar to passing into Mexico. You have to drive through an entrance border check. Every vehicle has to stop. They are checking for fruits and vegetables being brought into the state. California at one time has an infestation of an insect that destroyed most of the fruit and vegetable crops.You know is all about Otis, right. Well, we have so many names for this poor dog. All of which have the Oat name in them, like Oatie, Oat Dog, O and Oatman. Lo and beholdif we didn't go through Oatman, CA lol. He was Proud!We have decided that if you want to drive a big RV cross country you have to have great driving skills. Dealing with wind is a real challenge. Not so much the steering of the vehicle but the pure pressure of the wind when it comes in gusts. Driving in Los Angeles, we felt every gust that came along. We hit our first bit of rain just south of Los Angeles, but it wasn't bad.
We are definitely seeing light at the end of the tunnel. The spot we are in tonight is another really good park. Orange Grove RV Park in Bakersville, CA. Just like its name we are in the middle of an Orange Grove. Really, Really nice. Another one I would recommend.
So tomorrow we head out to Ukiah, CA. Staying there for several days visiting with my brother, Leslie. Cant wait. Michael and I love going to Orr Springs. Greatest hot springs in the state! I know that it is raining there pretty bad. Not so sure if we are gonna be able to make it up the mountain but we will see.
Until tomorrow.....Good night!
Day 5 - Playing Tourist
November 27, 2012
The train deposited us at the Grand Canyon Depot Station. From there we hopped on a bus for lunch and a tour, with stops along the canyon. I just can't tell you how amazing this was. In my life, like I mentioned on Facebook, I would never have thought I would see something truly this spectacular. It was a very emotional time for me. I couldn't even talk for a few minutes. Still as I think about it I get teary eyed. Pictures are great but just don't do the site justice.
After an approximate 2 hr tour, we headed back to the depot and boarded the train for our return trip to Williams. Lo and behold, about an hour into our ride, our train got robbed by 3 bandits on horses. They stopped the train, boarded and slowly began to rob the guests in each car. But we had a rough and tough Marshall, Will B. Justice that was hot on their trail. Finally, as the Marshall made his way to the very end of the train, he caught those dastardly bandits and forced them to walk back through each car and beg forgiveness. He was our hero! Thank you Will B. Justice! Fun, fun, fun.
We made it back, picked up Otis and headed back to the RV. Had a great nights sleep! Hope you guys did. See ya tomorrow!
I don't recall being this excited to visit a place. We started our day out by enrolling Otis in the town Doggy Day Care service. Wonderful place for him to spend the day with no riding. Michael and I proceeded to the Grand Canyon Railway Depot. From that point on we were made to feel like we had stepped back into another time period. We had a 2 1/2 hour train ride ahead of us, complete with food, drinks, our own train tour guide, a one man singing minstrel show and the Marshall, Will B. Justice. So much information and so much fun. Certainly didn't seem like 2 1/2 hours.
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| US Marshall, Will B. Justice |
The train deposited us at the Grand Canyon Depot Station. From there we hopped on a bus for lunch and a tour, with stops along the canyon. I just can't tell you how amazing this was. In my life, like I mentioned on Facebook, I would never have thought I would see something truly this spectacular. It was a very emotional time for me. I couldn't even talk for a few minutes. Still as I think about it I get teary eyed. Pictures are great but just don't do the site justice.
After an approximate 2 hr tour, we headed back to the depot and boarded the train for our return trip to Williams. Lo and behold, about an hour into our ride, our train got robbed by 3 bandits on horses. They stopped the train, boarded and slowly began to rob the guests in each car. But we had a rough and tough Marshall, Will B. Justice that was hot on their trail. Finally, as the Marshall made his way to the very end of the train, he caught those dastardly bandits and forced them to walk back through each car and beg forgiveness. He was our hero! Thank you Will B. Justice! Fun, fun, fun.
We made it back, picked up Otis and headed back to the RV. Had a great nights sleep! Hope you guys did. See ya tomorrow!
Day 4 - Grand Canyon Bound
November 26, 2012
It's 4:04 am! I guess my body is still on EST. I am wide awake and FREEZING! I have no idea what the temperature is but I know it's cold! Probably at least 5 degrees below! Just kidding!
So, today we are headed to Williams, AZ. I'm excited about today because we get to stay 2 nights there. We're gonna ride the Grand Canyon Train tomorrow. Even Otis has a new experience ahead for him. He's going to a doggy day care for a play day. He can't stand for me to be out of his sight so I'm a little concerned. It will be good for him. I know he is tired of all this riding.
Head 'em up. Move 'em out! Here we go again. Refreshed and ready to get this show on the road!
We have crossed in to Arizona. A few miles past that border the land seemed to straighten out some. A few smaller hills here and there but not like what we just went through.
Michael is messing with me and telling me we are 25 miles from a very historic city, especially for anyone who knows and loves music. He won't tell me what it is. Gonna watch the signs for a while and see if I can out do him. Ah ha....I guessed it! Winslow! Winslow, Arizona. "Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine site to see. It's a girl my lord in flatbed ford slowing down to take a look at me." The Eagles. As we sing away riding down the road. Lol
It's 4:04 am! I guess my body is still on EST. I am wide awake and FREEZING! I have no idea what the temperature is but I know it's cold! Probably at least 5 degrees below! Just kidding!
So, today we are headed to Williams, AZ. I'm excited about today because we get to stay 2 nights there. We're gonna ride the Grand Canyon Train tomorrow. Even Otis has a new experience ahead for him. He's going to a doggy day care for a play day. He can't stand for me to be out of his sight so I'm a little concerned. It will be good for him. I know he is tired of all this riding.
Head 'em up. Move 'em out! Here we go again. Refreshed and ready to get this show on the road!
I didn't mention this in yesterday's blog. By the time we got in our spot last night, Michael tried to start the car and again the battery was dead. RV people are the nicest people in the world. Our "neighbor" came to take a look at things and showed us his solution to our problem. He uses a solar battery charger for the purpose of towing their car. Gotta get one! I thought we would avoid Walmart on this trip but looks like we are due for a trip. Also, he looked at our brand new towing bar and saw we were missing a part. The back of our RV is higher than the tow bar on the car, hence, the trouble we have been having with steering control. Michael calls it "the oh s__t factor". Camping World forgot that extra doohickey to compensate for the difference. So, long story short.....we found a Camping World in Albuquerque, bought the part and my trusty handy man husband (those who know him will chuckle at that description) installed it. Boy, when you have the right equipment it makes all the difference in the world. No steering issues anymore. Thank you "neighbor"!
At 9:15 am we were finally on our way. Another picture perfect day. How lucky can we be? We are still traveling on I-40 through the Rocky Mountain range. We crossed the Continental Divide (elevation 7275 ft). The mountains are breathtaking! Again, in a very different way. Got some great scenic views. All the while remembering you know who won't let me stop for pictures. They have to be taken through the window. Thus the quality is not great and don't do the view justice. "We are already behind schedule" lol we are all looking forward to the next two days of playing tourist in one spot.
We have crossed in to Arizona. A few miles past that border the land seemed to straighten out some. A few smaller hills here and there but not like what we just went through.
We just passed the Petrified Forest National Forest. Snapped a picture and waved hello and goodbye both at the same time. Lol.
Michael is messing with me and telling me we are 25 miles from a very historic city, especially for anyone who knows and loves music. He won't tell me what it is. Gonna watch the signs for a while and see if I can out do him. Ah ha....I guessed it! Winslow! Winslow, Arizona. "Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine site to see. It's a girl my lord in flatbed ford slowing down to take a look at me." The Eagles. As we sing away riding down the road. Lol
Well....all good things come to an end. We had some car trouble. Winslow, AZ has a new and different meaning for us now. With a 3-5 day window for repairs, we decided just to leave our car in Winslow and proceed on with our trip. We will pick it up on the way back. Bummer. Thank goodness for insurance. Williams, AZ was our stop. Home of "The Grand Canyon Train",which by itself was wonderful. Also, the home of "The Polar Express". They have the train and everything. Just like the book. The town was beautiful. Population 2800. Talk about a small town. All decked out with their Christmas lights. It is like the old time. It has part of the original Route 66 running right through the middle of town. Totally a tourist town and we loved it.
We made it to our RV spot for the next 2 days. Very nice place! We recommend it highly!
Good night everyone.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Day 3 - On The Road Again
November 25, 2012
Another new beginning. Nothing can get you out of bed on a cooollllddd morning at 6:00am while on vacation (!) like a the smell of coffee brewing. Otis and I have decided that the invention of the electric blanket was a good thing. He nor I wanted to pull our heads out from under the warmth of the covers. I'm convinced Michael doesn't believe in heat. We not only have electric blankets to keep us warm but heating pads also. Crazy!
Anyway, we woke up to our first problem. The car battery is dead. We are waiting for a Good Samaritan to come and give us a jolt! Note to self.....Always, always....unplug your car from the RV at night when you stop.
So it looks like the 8am departure will be delayed. Hmmmmmm
8:30 am: With the car taken care of, we are on our way. Albuquerque, NM here we come!
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| Flat land in Texas. Scrubs and more scrubs! |
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| The tumbleweed I mentioned, |
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| Oil Fields |
The lesson of the day was on the subject of windmills and wind power. On several of the ranches you see these massive windmills generating power with every turn of their huge arms. Smart people. We even saw one of those trains I mentioned earlier transporting the propeller parts of the windmill.Hwy 287 carried us through the more rural areas of northern Texas. A nice change from the interstate. Going through some of the older small towns was very interesting and sad at the same time. These little towns once flourished and now they are almost ghost towns.
As we reached Amarillo, TX , the interstate was calling us. It missed us. On I-40, after crossing the Texas/New Mexico border the landscaped changed again. We were in mountainous territory. Scenery was very pretty in a different way. Not at all like the North Carolina mountains, but still very pretty. 200 miles later we made it to Albuquerque, NM at about 6:30 pm mountain time. (2 hrs behind the east coast). I drove today and like yesterday, I'm pooped! Eating a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. hmmmm...Good for the soul.
Headed to bed. Good night. More tomorrow.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Day 2 - Still Excited!
November 23, 2012
What a day! Whew! We spent a long day on the road.
The day started at 8:00 sharp. It was on to the Pilot travel center for gas and then on to our next destination; Wichita Falls, TX.
Another gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky. A little chillier than yesterday, but absolutely beautiful. Living in Florida for the last 9 years, I had forgotten what it looked liked to see the change of seasons. It reminded me of the North Georgia mountains during the fall. The leaves were the most vibrant colors. The brightest yellows, oranges and reds reminded me of the true majesty and glory of God's creation.
Driving was alot easier today. I think we have gotten the hang of it now. Traveling on I-10 is like most all interstates in the country. One difference, especially in Louisana, is that every truck stop along the way also doubles as a Casino. It became funny after awhile.
Michael and I had a great time discussing Louisanna "parishes vs counties". He is full of knowledge and gave me a little history lesson on the how it all came about. If you have ever watched the program "How the states got their names", this is the kind of stuff he knows all about. It actually was a very interesting conversation.
We left I-10 and traveled north to Shreveport, LA to I-20 and then in to "the lone star state" Texas. One negative thing about both Louisiana and Texas is the condition of the roads along the interstate. They were terrible. More potholes and road patches than you can imagine. Just the quality in general was poor. We drove I-20 all the way to through Dallas (which is a traffic nightmare) to Hwy 287 towards Wichita Falls. I drove most of the day today but Michael was the lucky one to take us through Dallas. Between the road construction, the horrible regular road and the bright sunlight shining right at us, we were both a nervous wreck by the time we got through it. But again, we made it.
Our Otis has been a trooper. He just laid on his bed on the dash and from time to time would lift his head as if to say, "would you people stop disturbing me". He's a great traveler but by the time we made it to our campground, he crashed. He's down for the night.
Oh, by the way....gas was $2.97!!!!! Just thought you would like to know that.
So, it's off to bed for the Hendersons. Resting up for another exciting day tomorrow. We head out for Albuquerque, NM.
What a day! Whew! We spent a long day on the road.
The day started at 8:00 sharp. It was on to the Pilot travel center for gas and then on to our next destination; Wichita Falls, TX.
Another gorgeous day, not a cloud in the sky. A little chillier than yesterday, but absolutely beautiful. Living in Florida for the last 9 years, I had forgotten what it looked liked to see the change of seasons. It reminded me of the North Georgia mountains during the fall. The leaves were the most vibrant colors. The brightest yellows, oranges and reds reminded me of the true majesty and glory of God's creation. Driving was alot easier today. I think we have gotten the hang of it now. Traveling on I-10 is like most all interstates in the country. One difference, especially in Louisana, is that every truck stop along the way also doubles as a Casino. It became funny after awhile.
Michael and I had a great time discussing Louisanna "parishes vs counties". He is full of knowledge and gave me a little history lesson on the how it all came about. If you have ever watched the program "How the states got their names", this is the kind of stuff he knows all about. It actually was a very interesting conversation.
We left I-10 and traveled north to Shreveport, LA to I-20 and then in to "the lone star state" Texas. One negative thing about both Louisiana and Texas is the condition of the roads along the interstate. They were terrible. More potholes and road patches than you can imagine. Just the quality in general was poor. We drove I-20 all the way to through Dallas (which is a traffic nightmare) to Hwy 287 towards Wichita Falls. I drove most of the day today but Michael was the lucky one to take us through Dallas. Between the road construction, the horrible regular road and the bright sunlight shining right at us, we were both a nervous wreck by the time we got through it. But again, we made it.
Our Otis has been a trooper. He just laid on his bed on the dash and from time to time would lift his head as if to say, "would you people stop disturbing me". He's a great traveler but by the time we made it to our campground, he crashed. He's down for the night.
Oh, by the way....gas was $2.97!!!!! Just thought you would like to know that.
So, it's off to bed for the Hendersons. Resting up for another exciting day tomorrow. We head out for Albuquerque, NM.
Day 1 - The Journey Begins
November 23, 2012
Today another item is being checked off of my bucket list. My busband, Michael, our dog, Otis, and I set out for a cross country RV trip, eventually ending up in Portland, OR.
Making Otis comfortable was very very high on the list of priorities for me because "if Otis aint happy, ain't nobody happy". Right away he found his spot on the dash board and away we went.
We left the cool dry breezes of Pine Park, GA a little later than expected, but no matter how well planned you are, things never seem to really pan out as you expect. Even so, we were as excited as any child headed out on a fun vacation. We headed south to I-10 and were westward bound before we knew it.
We have been on many RV vacations, but this is our first attempt at pulling our own vehicle. Whoa! What a difference! We were a little concerned from the start about pulling a vehicle, but found that to be nothing. The nervousness came when the RV steering seemed to change from what we were accustomed to and that was a little scary. We found ourselves having a hard time keeping it between the lines of our lanes. So we slowed down a little and things got better.We perservered and got use to it.
What a beautiful drive with very little traffic. We made it through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and here we are in Lafayette, Louisana. We have seen the waters of Mobile Bay and the famous "Mighty Missippi River". West of New Orleans is the Atchafalaya Basin, which connects most of Louisana to the rest of the world with bridges that carry folks across some of the ugliest swamp land I have ever seen. It's dark now and we have fianlly made it to our destination for the night. Poches Fish N Camp.......hmmmmm. Anyway, all in all, it's been a great day. A time of talking and alot of laughing has been the order of the day. Good night all, see ya tomorrow.
Today another item is being checked off of my bucket list. My busband, Michael, our dog, Otis, and I set out for a cross country RV trip, eventually ending up in Portland, OR.
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| The King Of Our Castle |
Making Otis comfortable was very very high on the list of priorities for me because "if Otis aint happy, ain't nobody happy". Right away he found his spot on the dash board and away we went.
We left the cool dry breezes of Pine Park, GA a little later than expected, but no matter how well planned you are, things never seem to really pan out as you expect. Even so, we were as excited as any child headed out on a fun vacation. We headed south to I-10 and were westward bound before we knew it.
We have been on many RV vacations, but this is our first attempt at pulling our own vehicle. Whoa! What a difference! We were a little concerned from the start about pulling a vehicle, but found that to be nothing. The nervousness came when the RV steering seemed to change from what we were accustomed to and that was a little scary. We found ourselves having a hard time keeping it between the lines of our lanes. So we slowed down a little and things got better.We perservered and got use to it.
What a beautiful drive with very little traffic. We made it through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and here we are in Lafayette, Louisana. We have seen the waters of Mobile Bay and the famous "Mighty Missippi River". West of New Orleans is the Atchafalaya Basin, which connects most of Louisana to the rest of the world with bridges that carry folks across some of the ugliest swamp land I have ever seen. It's dark now and we have fianlly made it to our destination for the night. Poches Fish N Camp.......hmmmmm. Anyway, all in all, it's been a great day. A time of talking and alot of laughing has been the order of the day. Good night all, see ya tomorrow.
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