Our grandson Sean and his fiance announced their upcoming wedding a couple weeks ago. Sean called us to let us know when so we could schedule our roaming around and be there for the wedding. They had some photos taken and I've included the link to the photos. I don't know how long they will be the featured couple, so if you are interested in seeing them, take a quick look. I may be a little biased, but I think they make a great couple and truly are soul mates.
Way to go, Sean.
Sean & Taylor
They are featured on December 14, 2010 blog entry. Scroll down to see them.
Sabillasville, Maryland farm
Clark Travels
Our Geocaches ---
http://www.travbuddy.com/maps/6730401
I have been getting more and more spam from bloggers since I let anyone respond to the blog. One way to stop the spam is to cut off anonymous comments. It is very easy and painless to get a Gmail email account and use it to post on blogs. You don't have to actually use the account, but it gives you a portal into my blog.
NOTE: Double click photos to enlarge them and links will also be shown in red.
http://www.travbuddy.com/maps/6730401
I have been getting more and more spam from bloggers since I let anyone respond to the blog. One way to stop the spam is to cut off anonymous comments. It is very easy and painless to get a Gmail email account and use it to post on blogs. You don't have to actually use the account, but it gives you a portal into my blog.
NOTE: Double click photos to enlarge them and links will also be shown in red.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas Morning & Day
It appears that we were good little boys and girls this year since we didn't get a lump of coal and we did get a lot of presents. This is the before picture early in the morning.
Last night after Mass we drove through a couple of neighborhoods to see the Christmas lights and displays. One house in particular had a beautiful display and the owners had a sign up inviting people to share some free hot chocolate and toys with them. We hadn't worn our coats and it was chilly so we just stopped and wished them a Merry Christmas. We both agreed that this was a great idea. Wish we would have thought of it. It is nice to see a display of the Christmas spirit like that.
The park was sponsoring a Christmas dinner today with each couple bringing a dish. Cousin Sharon & Al, along with fellow campers Steve & Judy joined us for the dinner. The park provided ham and potatoes to go with the potluck and the Rec Center was full of happy campers. There was an excess of deserts this year and fewer warm dishes, but there was more than enough food for everyone to fill up and roll out of there.
Sharon & Al went back to their RV site and Steve & Judy stopped by our RV and visited until 10pm. They are an interesting couple and we had a lot to chat about. Since this is their first trip out to the Southwest as snowbirds they intend to bounce around and check out different areas before they decide where to stay next year. Sounds like a great idea to me.
Now to catch up on some rest and relaxation in the next few days.
Last night after Mass we drove through a couple of neighborhoods to see the Christmas lights and displays. One house in particular had a beautiful display and the owners had a sign up inviting people to share some free hot chocolate and toys with them. We hadn't worn our coats and it was chilly so we just stopped and wished them a Merry Christmas. We both agreed that this was a great idea. Wish we would have thought of it. It is nice to see a display of the Christmas spirit like that.
The park was sponsoring a Christmas dinner today with each couple bringing a dish. Cousin Sharon & Al, along with fellow campers Steve & Judy joined us for the dinner. The park provided ham and potatoes to go with the potluck and the Rec Center was full of happy campers. There was an excess of deserts this year and fewer warm dishes, but there was more than enough food for everyone to fill up and roll out of there.
Sharon & Al went back to their RV site and Steve & Judy stopped by our RV and visited until 10pm. They are an interesting couple and we had a lot to chat about. Since this is their first trip out to the Southwest as snowbirds they intend to bounce around and check out different areas before they decide where to stay next year. Sounds like a great idea to me.
Now to catch up on some rest and relaxation in the next few days.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Tucson, Arizona
This will be another short blog from us. We are heading out to an early Mass on Christmas Eve. We usually go to the children's mass on Christmas day, however this year we will skip that so Gerry can get the potluck contribution in the oven early.
We do want to wish all our family and friends a very
We do want to wish all our family and friends a very
Merry Christmas
Our cabin taken after the heavy snows of last February. Beautiful, but too cold for me.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
It is hard to believe it is almost Christmas already. With the temps in the 70s and beautiful weather, it is hard to get in the Christmas spirit. That changed somewhat today with two packages arriving from our children with presents and goodies in them. Great! Both daughters are great bakers and we always look forward to their cookies and breads. Trust me, they are great. I already have checked them out.
We had some last minute shopping to do today and ran into the typical horrendous traffic around the malls. Where did all these people come from and why did they wait until the last minute? There are a couple groups out here that collect toys for the needy children and we went out and bought 7-8 toys to contribute to the cause. We took them to one store that collects them, however they picked up the toys this morning. Oh Oh! We then went to the local firehouse where we donated the toys last year. Thank God they hadn't picked them up there yet. We dodged the bullet this time.
Since we were out on the road, we decided to eat dinner out at a Chinese restaurant. Two Chinese meals in three days. There goes the sodium allowance for the month. We did enjoy the meals so that made it ok.
We sure do live an exciting life out here in the desert. LOL
Our son Larry Jr. writes a blog and I almost died laughing at his writings today. It took me three tries to finish reading his edition tonight. You can read what he had to say by clicking the "Pondering Dad" blog on the side of my blog.
The sunset last night was spectacular and I managed to get a decent shot before it faded. We have had some rain out here the last couple days and it was clearing up right at sunset.
We had some last minute shopping to do today and ran into the typical horrendous traffic around the malls. Where did all these people come from and why did they wait until the last minute? There are a couple groups out here that collect toys for the needy children and we went out and bought 7-8 toys to contribute to the cause. We took them to one store that collects them, however they picked up the toys this morning. Oh Oh! We then went to the local firehouse where we donated the toys last year. Thank God they hadn't picked them up there yet. We dodged the bullet this time.
Since we were out on the road, we decided to eat dinner out at a Chinese restaurant. Two Chinese meals in three days. There goes the sodium allowance for the month. We did enjoy the meals so that made it ok.
We sure do live an exciting life out here in the desert. LOL
Our son Larry Jr. writes a blog and I almost died laughing at his writings today. It took me three tries to finish reading his edition tonight. You can read what he had to say by clicking the "Pondering Dad" blog on the side of my blog.
The sunset last night was spectacular and I managed to get a decent shot before it faded. We have had some rain out here the last couple days and it was clearing up right at sunset.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Slow Days
Well, things have been slow lately around here. The park sponsored a singing duo on Saturday night and we enjoyed their music. They played a mix on country ( little bit ) and more recent songs along with some oldies. I prefer that to a steady diet of the same thing. It is neat how two people can generate so many sounds with a keyboard and guitar.
Our friends Gloria & Doug abandoned us for the wet, humid weather of Florida last week and are now making their way across Texas. Last sighting of them was in San Antonio, TX on their way to Melbourne, FL. According to my calculations that leaves them 1230 miles to go and at 200 miles a day they won't be there for Xmas. If I know Gloria she will be pressing Doug to drive a little faster and longer and make it before Xmas. LOL
Today is cookie baking day and we have to run out and get some additional supplies so Gerry can finished the job. I am the official cookie taster and take this very important task very seriously. Someone has to do this task and I am the one. Yeah! I can just taste the mincemeat cookies now.
So much for now. Maybe some cookie picture postings later. That is, I don't eat them all. These are just a few cookies baked already, along with some from daughter Barbara. ( Russian tea cakes; mixed one in lower center ) Of course I have checked them for taste and all are great. It smells like a bakery here in the motor home.
Our friends Gloria & Doug abandoned us for the wet, humid weather of Florida last week and are now making their way across Texas. Last sighting of them was in San Antonio, TX on their way to Melbourne, FL. According to my calculations that leaves them 1230 miles to go and at 200 miles a day they won't be there for Xmas. If I know Gloria she will be pressing Doug to drive a little faster and longer and make it before Xmas. LOL
Today is cookie baking day and we have to run out and get some additional supplies so Gerry can finished the job. I am the official cookie taster and take this very important task very seriously. Someone has to do this task and I am the one. Yeah! I can just taste the mincemeat cookies now.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Rainy Day in Tucson
We were watching the winter storm watch on local television and got quite a chuckle. You would think the tenth of an inch of rain was a major blizzard. I guess the TV stations have to get your attention so that is how they do it.
This would have been a balmy day back in Maryland and hardly worth mentioning on the news. North of Phoenix up by Flagstaff & Show Low they received some snow and bad weather but they are more than 200 miles from Tucson.
We finally got the Christmas decorations out and worked on getting them in place. The Christmas cards are in the mail and the only thing left to do is find the outside lights and put the red Christmas bow on the front of the motor home. Gerry is going to make some cookies and the smells in the motor home should be great. I think I smell mince meat pie coming up in the near future.
This would have been a balmy day back in Maryland and hardly worth mentioning on the news. North of Phoenix up by Flagstaff & Show Low they received some snow and bad weather but they are more than 200 miles from Tucson.
We finally got the Christmas decorations out and worked on getting them in place. The Christmas cards are in the mail and the only thing left to do is find the outside lights and put the red Christmas bow on the front of the motor home. Gerry is going to make some cookies and the smells in the motor home should be great. I think I smell mince meat pie coming up in the near future.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Happy Birthday
Today is a special day for a friend of ours. Gloria is celebrating a birthday but since I am a gentleman I will not mention when she was born. Of course if I did she would make sure I didn't celebrate another birthday.
Happy Birthday Gloria.
Gloria and Doug arrived in Tucson after spending a week in the Phoenix area and will be here for a couple days. We went shopping with them today and had a nice dinner with them. After dinner we went to their motorhome and played a game of Catch Phrase with them. The girls took us guys 2 games to 1. I think Gloria cheated. LOL Just kidding.
Happy Birthday Gloria.
Gloria and Doug arrived in Tucson after spending a week in the Phoenix area and will be here for a couple days. We went shopping with them today and had a nice dinner with them. After dinner we went to their motorhome and played a game of Catch Phrase with them. The girls took us guys 2 games to 1. I think Gloria cheated. LOL Just kidding.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Tumacacori Mission
I thought it might be a good time to explain what the photo at the top of my blog refers to. We stopped along I-19 just south of Tubac, AZ and took the photo of Tumacacori Mission which is a National Park site. We then toured the Mission and found it to be very interesting and fairly well preserved. The National Park Service has a short writeup of the Mission and I have included it below.
The name "Tumacácori" may have been derived from two O’odham words, chu-uma and kakul, having reference to a flat, rocky place. Father Kino established it as a mission in January 1691, one day before Guevavi, making it the oldest mission site in Arizona. For many years, though, it was a visita or visiting station of the mission headquarters at Guevavi. During most of those years, it was located on the east side of the Santa Cruz River and was called San Cayetano de Tumacácori. Services were held in a small adobe structure built by the Pima inhabitants of the village. After the Pima rebellion of 1751, the mission was moved to the present site on the west side of the river and renamed San José de Tumacácori. Here the first actual church edifice was built.
Bishop Antonio de los Reyes on 6 July 1772 wrote a report on the condition of the missions in the Upper and Lower Pimería Alta. Following is his report on San José de Tumacácori as translated by Father Kieran McCarty:
It was not until 1821 that work truly resumed. An enterprising Franciscan, Father Juan Bautista Estelric, sold 4,000 head of the mission's cattle to a local rancher, Don Ignacio Pérez, and with the first payment hired a new master and pushed the work ahead. The walls were raised to 14 feet, but the rancher stalled on his payments and construction again ceased. Two years later, Father Ramón Liberós, a persistent friar, finally got the rancher to pay his bill, and work resumed. Within a few years the church was almost completed, although the bell tower was never capped with its dome. The church must have been a striking landmark in the flat Santa Cruz Valley, with its embellished and painted façade and plaster walls embedded with crushed red brick
If you are ever in the area I would recommend you take an afternoon and visit the Mission.
Below are some photos we took the day of our visit.
The name "Tumacácori" may have been derived from two O’odham words, chu-uma and kakul, having reference to a flat, rocky place. Father Kino established it as a mission in January 1691, one day before Guevavi, making it the oldest mission site in Arizona. For many years, though, it was a visita or visiting station of the mission headquarters at Guevavi. During most of those years, it was located on the east side of the Santa Cruz River and was called San Cayetano de Tumacácori. Services were held in a small adobe structure built by the Pima inhabitants of the village. After the Pima rebellion of 1751, the mission was moved to the present site on the west side of the river and renamed San José de Tumacácori. Here the first actual church edifice was built.
Bishop Antonio de los Reyes on 6 July 1772 wrote a report on the condition of the missions in the Upper and Lower Pimería Alta. Following is his report on San José de Tumacácori as translated by Father Kieran McCarty:
The village of San Jose at Tumacácori lies seven leagues to the south of Guevavi and one from the Presidio of Tubac, in open territory with good lands. In this village they have a church and house for the Missionary devoid of all ornament and furnishing. According to the Census Book, which I have here before me, there are twenty-two married couples, twelve widowers, ten orphans, the number of should in all ninety-three.The Franciscans began work in 1800 on an ambitious undertaking - a church that would match the frontier baroque glory of the celebrated Mission San Xavier del Bac not far to the north. Under the direction of a master mason, a maestro de albanil, a crew of Indian and Spanish laborers laid five-foot thick cobblestone foundations that year, but construction ground to a halt as funds dried up. Over the next few years they were able to add a few courses of adobe bricks, bringing the walls up to seven feet. These were plastered inside and out and decorative handfuls of crushed brick were pressed into the wet plaster.
It was not until 1821 that work truly resumed. An enterprising Franciscan, Father Juan Bautista Estelric, sold 4,000 head of the mission's cattle to a local rancher, Don Ignacio Pérez, and with the first payment hired a new master and pushed the work ahead. The walls were raised to 14 feet, but the rancher stalled on his payments and construction again ceased. Two years later, Father Ramón Liberós, a persistent friar, finally got the rancher to pay his bill, and work resumed. Within a few years the church was almost completed, although the bell tower was never capped with its dome. The church must have been a striking landmark in the flat Santa Cruz Valley, with its embellished and painted façade and plaster walls embedded with crushed red brick
If you are ever in the area I would recommend you take an afternoon and visit the Mission.
Below are some photos we took the day of our visit.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Quiet days
We've had a couple quiet days around here lately. Gerry and I went to the coffee & donuts social on Tuesday morning and contributed our $$ to the 50/50 drawing. We missed winning the prize but Loretta who came in just ahead of us was the big winner. Guess we will have to get there sooner next time.
The large RV dealers in the area used to sponsor the coffee and donut gatherings on Tuesday morning, but since Beaudry went out of business and La Mesa and Freedom RV seem to be in a slump also, they have withdrawn from sponsoring the goodies. Too bad, we used to be able to see what units they had available since they would always bring 2-3 for display. Times are tough.
Gerry went to the sewing club after coffee and I headed out to complete a couple things on the honey do list. I dropped by and picked up Allen and we completed the tasks quickly. Of course that made us thirsty so we stopped at Tucson McGraw Cantina for a cold one on the way back.
That was the summary of happenings around here, but I have my eye on you all.
Gloria & Doug had a minor mechanical problem on their motor home and hung around for another day to take care of the problem and left on Tuesday for the next leg of their journey. Hopefully they will stop for a day or so on their return through Tucson to visit with us again. Maybe dinner at Montgomerys Bar & Grill will be enough to get them to stop.
Have you all noticed that the TV programming is mostly reruns lately? I guess they think we are out shopping and not watching their commercials or something. There are just so many Christmas programs that I can watch each season, so that limits what is available. At least there is football, basketball and hockey on tv now so there is something to check out.
The large RV dealers in the area used to sponsor the coffee and donut gatherings on Tuesday morning, but since Beaudry went out of business and La Mesa and Freedom RV seem to be in a slump also, they have withdrawn from sponsoring the goodies. Too bad, we used to be able to see what units they had available since they would always bring 2-3 for display. Times are tough.
Gerry went to the sewing club after coffee and I headed out to complete a couple things on the honey do list. I dropped by and picked up Allen and we completed the tasks quickly. Of course that made us thirsty so we stopped at Tucson McGraw Cantina for a cold one on the way back.
That was the summary of happenings around here, but I have my eye on you all. Gloria & Doug had a minor mechanical problem on their motor home and hung around for another day to take care of the problem and left on Tuesday for the next leg of their journey. Hopefully they will stop for a day or so on their return through Tucson to visit with us again. Maybe dinner at Montgomerys Bar & Grill will be enough to get them to stop.
Have you all noticed that the TV programming is mostly reruns lately? I guess they think we are out shopping and not watching their commercials or something. There are just so many Christmas programs that I can watch each season, so that limits what is available. At least there is football, basketball and hockey on tv now so there is something to check out.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Early dinner
Gloria and Doug are moving on Monday morning and wanted to have an early dinner today with us. The park they are staying in is shutting off the water to the campers on Monday and it will stay off for a week or two, so they wanted to get everything ready this afternoon. We are sad to see them leave but we know we will see them again somewhere along the road.
We took them to a local sports bar, Montgomery's and had a very nice meal. They make the best sandwiches around here and the beer is always cold. It is hard to imagine that one sandwich would fill us up so much, but it did. I was surprised that the bar wasn't full when we got there and we got seated immediately. Great.
We returned to the motor home and watched The Amazing Race and it was one of the better ones. The two online shopping contestants are real characters and very entertaining. I think they are one who we both want to win. Ooopss. Gerry said she was rooting for Nat & Kat. The final three groups are all ok, so whoever wins will be ok. In the past there usually was one group that we didn't want to win. Not this time.
We took them to a local sports bar, Montgomery's and had a very nice meal. They make the best sandwiches around here and the beer is always cold. It is hard to imagine that one sandwich would fill us up so much, but it did. I was surprised that the bar wasn't full when we got there and we got seated immediately. Great.
We returned to the motor home and watched The Amazing Race and it was one of the better ones. The two online shopping contestants are real characters and very entertaining. I think they are one who we both want to win. Ooopss. Gerry said she was rooting for Nat & Kat. The final three groups are all ok, so whoever wins will be ok. In the past there usually was one group that we didn't want to win. Not this time.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Saguaro Park, West
We drove down the road and saw some squares out in the valley and got to wondering what they were. We drove about 5 miles and came up on the Tucson Water Supply Agency. They have about 9 man made reservoirs in a row there and they all were full.
Then it was time to drive through Saguaro West park to check out the huge cacti there. Unlike the East side of the park having asphalt roads, the west side is a gravel and rock road that is very rough. It took us about an hour or so to drive the 8 miles. I don't think there was a smooth part on the drive. It is really wild out there and hilly. 
We topped off the day with a visit to the Vail Steakhouse for dinner. They serve a pretty good meal and they are quite large. We usually bring home a doggy bag and it is enough for a large lunch the next day. This night was no exception.
It was long day and we were all tired out and called it an early evening.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Desert Diamond Casino
Gloria, Doug, Gerry and I went to the Desert Diamond casino today to contribute some money to the Indian welfare league. Doug & I donated the least amount since we went geocaching for most of the afternoon. Gerry & Gloria stayed behind and donated their share and ours to the fund.
It worked out really well for all of us since Doug and I don't really like to gamble as much as the girls do. A great time was had by all, but they could have at least broke even to ease the pain.
We went for dinner at the Casino buffet after the games ended and had a nice meal. I wished I would have saved some more room for the Tilapia fish and not so much chicken. None of us walked ( waddled ) out of there hungry. Whew!
It worked out really well for all of us since Doug and I don't really like to gamble as much as the girls do. A great time was had by all, but they could have at least broke even to ease the pain.
We went for dinner at the Casino buffet after the games ended and had a nice meal. I wished I would have saved some more room for the Tilapia fish and not so much chicken. None of us walked ( waddled ) out of there hungry. Whew!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Trip to Bisbee
Gloria, Doug, Gerry and I took a 200 mile roundtrip to Bisbee, AZ and had a great time. We picked them up at the Pima County Fairground campground and took the back roads to Bisbee. We took the long way there in order to see the countryside and the towns of Sierra Vista, Ft Huachucha, and Naco. Naco is right on the border with Mexico and has seen better days.
Bisbee is a great place to visit. It used to be a copper mining town and when the mines closed down the town fell on hard times. It has become a haven for artists and the town has been restored to former glory with the exception that the homes are now purple, green, red and other bright colors.
The downtown area is reivitalized and most shops are open for business. There are the usual tourist shops plus other interesting places, including many restaurants, brew pubs and hotels.
Doug was raised in Miami, AZ and said Bisbee reminded him of his home town, except their mine was larger. If so, then it must have been a very big mine since the one in the center of Bisbee is huge. The truck paths down to the bottom have eroded and it isn't possible to drive to the bottom anymore.
Gloria and Doug checked out the pit from the overlook. They don't have anything like this back in the midwest where Gloria is from. All the mines back there are deep shafts and have closed down over the years. Gloria is from the same county in Illinois as Gerry and I.
We stopped for dinner at Santiago's Restaurant and had a great Mexican meal and cold beer. They weren't at all busy and the waiter said it was a very slow period for them. Bisbee is about 15 degrees colder than the Tucson area and I think that accounts for their slow season. They did have the Christmas lights up in the downtown area and we enjoyed seeing them on the way out.
On our way back we drove through Benson and ran across this neat Christmas ornament out side a car dealership. It really stood out nicely. The display was about 15 ft high to give you an idea of it's size. Well done.
Bisbee is a great place to visit. It used to be a copper mining town and when the mines closed down the town fell on hard times. It has become a haven for artists and the town has been restored to former glory with the exception that the homes are now purple, green, red and other bright colors.
The downtown area is reivitalized and most shops are open for business. There are the usual tourist shops plus other interesting places, including many restaurants, brew pubs and hotels.
We stopped for dinner at Santiago's Restaurant and had a great Mexican meal and cold beer. They weren't at all busy and the waiter said it was a very slow period for them. Bisbee is about 15 degrees colder than the Tucson area and I think that accounts for their slow season. They did have the Christmas lights up in the downtown area and we enjoyed seeing them on the way out.
Cold Cold
The weather in Tucson has been lousy the past week or so. It has been running about 10 degrees below normal. The weather started off nice but lately a cold front has moved in and the night time temperatures have been cold for this area. Tonight it is supposed to go down to around 24 in Tucson and a little warmer here in Vail. I guess I will have to disconnect the hose this evening to keep it from freezing tonight.
We find it humorous to watch the TV news stations out here and see how much they pay attention to the weather. They aren't used to cold weather like this and you would think a blizzard was imminent. They were showing people how to wrap their outside faucets with heat tape, let the water run, putting down de icer on the bridges ( even though it is dry ) and other precautions. After spending the first 18 years of my life in Illinois and going through sub zero weather quite frequently, ice storms, heavy snows and other lousy weather, it is hard to relate to this little cold snap.
We had a lazy day around here today and just took it easy. Al came by for a short visit this afternoon and was going to refill his propane tank and get some food shopping done. It was nice to see him and chat for a while. Now we have to get Sharon out of the 5th wheel and go sightseeing in the area.
They came and hooked up the 5th wheel unit across from us today. The couple who have been here in the past didn't make it this year due to health problems. At first we thought they would be late, but it looks like they won't make it at all. We didn't know them very well, but it is always sad to see someone give up things they love.
Other than the above, not much has been going on around here. There are days like this when full timing, just like around a house.
Now to stay warm this evening.
We find it humorous to watch the TV news stations out here and see how much they pay attention to the weather. They aren't used to cold weather like this and you would think a blizzard was imminent. They were showing people how to wrap their outside faucets with heat tape, let the water run, putting down de icer on the bridges ( even though it is dry ) and other precautions. After spending the first 18 years of my life in Illinois and going through sub zero weather quite frequently, ice storms, heavy snows and other lousy weather, it is hard to relate to this little cold snap.
We had a lazy day around here today and just took it easy. Al came by for a short visit this afternoon and was going to refill his propane tank and get some food shopping done. It was nice to see him and chat for a while. Now we have to get Sharon out of the 5th wheel and go sightseeing in the area.
They came and hooked up the 5th wheel unit across from us today. The couple who have been here in the past didn't make it this year due to health problems. At first we thought they would be late, but it looks like they won't make it at all. We didn't know them very well, but it is always sad to see someone give up things they love.
Other than the above, not much has been going on around here. There are days like this when full timing, just like around a house.
Now to stay warm this evening.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Black Friday + 1
Gerry and I like to shop but avoid Black Friday bargains. There are too many people out there and they all seem to be in a hurry. Some people here in Tucson were camped out at Best Buy since Wednesday in order to be among the first ones in the store. While it isn't that cold out here, it did get down into the high 20s during the night. I would imagine the sidewalk really cools off at that temperature.
We did get out today and do some shopping, but didn't find any real bargains left out there. The traffic was really terrible in the shopping centers and I almost saw a young woman get run over. She ran right out in front of a car and only the fact that the driver of the car was alert prevented a bad accident. It really amazes me what people will do for a bargain.
We heard from our friends Gloria & Doug that they headed south today from Albuquerque and the bitter cold up there. They plan on arriving here sometime Sunday afternoon and will be staying in a park near us for a while. I think they miss their Florida campsite and the great weather they have been having there. Today I did see that a cold front moved into Florida so it isn't so nice there.
The Univ of Maryland beat North Carolina State in football today but it was getting dicey at the end as they almost blew a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter. Never a dull moment with them. It looks like they may get a bowl bid this year at one of the lessor bowls. They have a very young team so that bodes well for next year.
We did get out today and do some shopping, but didn't find any real bargains left out there. The traffic was really terrible in the shopping centers and I almost saw a young woman get run over. She ran right out in front of a car and only the fact that the driver of the car was alert prevented a bad accident. It really amazes me what people will do for a bargain.
We heard from our friends Gloria & Doug that they headed south today from Albuquerque and the bitter cold up there. They plan on arriving here sometime Sunday afternoon and will be staying in a park near us for a while. I think they miss their Florida campsite and the great weather they have been having there. Today I did see that a cold front moved into Florida so it isn't so nice there.
The Univ of Maryland beat North Carolina State in football today but it was getting dicey at the end as they almost blew a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter. Never a dull moment with them. It looks like they may get a bowl bid this year at one of the lessor bowls. They have a very young team so that bodes well for next year.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving
Gerry and I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. We will be joining others at the Rec Center in the park for Thanksgiving dinner this year as we have done for the past 4 years with the exception of 2008 when we spent Thanksgiving with our son and his family. We wish we could be with family but that won't work if we want to be here in Tucson for the winter. Maybe next year.
We joined about 90 other campers at the Recreation Hall for dinner today. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and all the other fixings. I would have updated the blog earlier however I was too stuffed to type. It was great seeing everyone there and chatting with them.
I watched two football games today and was 1-1 for the day. New Orleans won over Dallas and Detroit lost to New England. Guess which game was the loss. I would have liked to see the Lions win finally in a Thanksgiving game but it wasn't to be.
We talked to all our children and some of the grandkids today and enjoyed chatting with them. If we can't be with them, then at least we can talk to them.
We joined about 90 other campers at the Recreation Hall for dinner today. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and all the other fixings. I would have updated the blog earlier however I was too stuffed to type. It was great seeing everyone there and chatting with them.
I watched two football games today and was 1-1 for the day. New Orleans won over Dallas and Detroit lost to New England. Guess which game was the loss. I would have liked to see the Lions win finally in a Thanksgiving game but it wasn't to be.
We talked to all our children and some of the grandkids today and enjoyed chatting with them. If we can't be with them, then at least we can talk to them.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
CCRV, Tucson, AZ
We have been settling in here and will stay for the next 5 months. Lots of shopping and reacquainting ourselves with the area. Not much has changed during our 6 months away for the summer. Just a lazy, sleepy little town.
The RV park is about 1/2 full and a few people come in each day. They expect more around Dec 1 and then Jan 1, 2011. At that time the park should be full or close to it. We have our old spot on the end of the line and don't have any neighbors behind us or across from us. It will be interesting to see if they rent these spaces and who the new people are.
My cousin Sharon and her husband Al arrived on Sunday and will stay at the Pima County RV Park for the next 4 months. They also have an end unit with a nice view of the mountains to the south and west of them. We invited them to join us for Thanksgiving dinner at our park, but Al is holding out. Hint hint. *** Update - Al didn't take the hint! ***
Our luck with the weather has continued. Each place we have stopped for a couple nights on the way out here the weather turned colder. Same thing here. I hope they have a late Indian Summer here in December. Cold is relative though, we were in short sleeve shirts today while out shopping and it is around 69 degrees with very little wind.
The RV park is about 1/2 full and a few people come in each day. They expect more around Dec 1 and then Jan 1, 2011. At that time the park should be full or close to it. We have our old spot on the end of the line and don't have any neighbors behind us or across from us. It will be interesting to see if they rent these spaces and who the new people are.
My cousin Sharon and her husband Al arrived on Sunday and will stay at the Pima County RV Park for the next 4 months. They also have an end unit with a nice view of the mountains to the south and west of them. We invited them to join us for Thanksgiving dinner at our park, but Al is holding out. Hint hint. *** Update - Al didn't take the hint! ***
Our luck with the weather has continued. Each place we have stopped for a couple nights on the way out here the weather turned colder. Same thing here. I hope they have a late Indian Summer here in December. Cold is relative though, we were in short sleeve shirts today while out shopping and it is around 69 degrees with very little wind.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Pennsylvania to Arizona
We finally made it to Tucson from our cabin in Pennsylvania after driving 3100 miles, 43 days on the road and 14 states, plus one wedding. The rv park isn't anywhere near full and I wonder if it will fill up this winter.
We had planned on arriving on Sunday, however the weather forecast was calling for winds in the +30 mph range which isn't much fun to drive in so we left Las Cruces just before noon and made the easy 255 mile drive.
We had planned on arriving on Sunday, however the weather forecast was calling for winds in the +30 mph range which isn't much fun to drive in so we left Las Cruces just before noon and made the easy 255 mile drive.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Las Cruces, NM
The weather forecast for this afternoon didn't look too good so we were up early this morning and cleared out of Van Horn in a hurry. Not panic, but a hurry for us. We had an easy 165 mile drive to Las Cruces and arrived in time for lunch.
In a conversation with the owner of Siesta RV Park he stated the economy around here was bad and getting worse. We have heard the same comments at the different places where we have stopped for the night. It is time for the powers to be to devote some time to the economy and the working man, rather than the money people. They have great internet service here and I hope to take advantage of that to upload some pictures to my online files.
I am experimenting with the collage creation program in Picasa and have the following pictures of our trip. If it turns out ok, I will create some more in the future.
In a conversation with the owner of Siesta RV Park he stated the economy around here was bad and getting worse. We have heard the same comments at the different places where we have stopped for the night. It is time for the powers to be to devote some time to the economy and the working man, rather than the money people. They have great internet service here and I hope to take advantage of that to upload some pictures to my online files.
I am experimenting with the collage creation program in Picasa and have the following pictures of our trip. If it turns out ok, I will create some more in the future.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Van Horn, TX
We made it to a KOA in Van Horn after dark and got here in time to hookup and then walk to their Kafe and have dinner. It is a nice touch for the campground to have a cafe on the grounds and Gerry appreciated not having to cook dinner.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Fredericksburg, TX
We have heard about Fredericksburg, TX in the Hill Country for a long time and decided to see what was there. It is a very interesting town with tons of things to do in the area. This weekend they had an Antique Fair, Big Band festival, WWII reenactment at the Nimitiz Museum and various other activities. Since it is in Gillespie County and I am from Gillespie, IL I found it very interesting.
The town square had a number of statues, columns and buildings from days gone by. The photo to the right is called a Christmas Pyramid and is very interesting. It reminded me of a time travel machine. Not sure if I would use it for that purpose.
The building below is called Vereins Kirche and the original version was used not only as a church, but also as a fort, a storehouse and a community meeting hall.
A maypole or Maibaum is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, particularly on May Day, although in some countries it is instead erected at Midsummer. In some cases the maypole is a permanent feature that is only utilised during the festival, although in other cases it is erected specifically for the purpose before being taken down again. This one was being used in a geo cache but it was a puzzle and we didn't have time to decode it.
We had a late lunch there on Saturday and an early dinner there today. Lunch was so so and the dinner at the Fredericksburg Brewery which is a German brew pub was great. The pub brews were very tasty and we each enjoyed our beers.
We came across this very interesting work of art along Rt 16 on the way from Kerrville to Fredericksburg. As luck would have it there was a geo cache nearby. The art was made out of scrap metal from automobiles and was very well done. It is dedicated to the members of the Lehmann family who were Tivy graduates.
The building below is called Vereins Kirche and the original version was used not only as a church, but also as a fort, a storehouse and a community meeting hall.
A maypole or Maibaum is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, particularly on May Day, although in some countries it is instead erected at Midsummer. In some cases the maypole is a permanent feature that is only utilised during the festival, although in other cases it is erected specifically for the purpose before being taken down again. This one was being used in a geo cache but it was a puzzle and we didn't have time to decode it.
We had a late lunch there on Saturday and an early dinner there today. Lunch was so so and the dinner at the Fredericksburg Brewery which is a German brew pub was great. The pub brews were very tasty and we each enjoyed our beers.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Kerrville, TX
We drove a little longer than usual today and put 415 miles on the MH and our bodies. There isn't much to see or do east of San Antonio and we decided to push on through there to Kerrville, TX. We pulled into the Guadalupe River Resort this evening around 8pm and setup in a pull thru site.
We may stay here until Monday and rest up and get caught up on a few things around the MH. It looks like an interesting town and maybe we can drive over to Fredericksburg, TX and see what is there.
It wasn't much fun driving through Houston and San Antonio in one day due to all the traffic in those cities. We hit San Antonio around the afternoon rush hour and it was a zoo. Patience isn't in the drivers vocabulary around there. I-10 twists and turns through the city and you have to be alert to lane changes and such.
We may stay here until Monday and rest up and get caught up on a few things around the MH. It looks like an interesting town and maybe we can drive over to Fredericksburg, TX and see what is there.
It wasn't much fun driving through Houston and San Antonio in one day due to all the traffic in those cities. We hit San Antonio around the afternoon rush hour and it was a zoo. Patience isn't in the drivers vocabulary around there. I-10 twists and turns through the city and you have to be alert to lane changes and such.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Sam Houston Jones SP, Lake Charles, LA
We had an easy 210 mile drive from Fontainebleau SP to Sam Houston Jones SP in Lake Charles, LA. We stayed here many years ago and remembered the park fondly. I think we must have had the 30ft Flair MH then since the roads in the campground are narrow, tree lined and people parking in the roads make it difficult to navigate safely. We did find our campsite and pulled in and setup the MH.
It is an interesting park and set in a swampy area. We wanted to stay a couple days but they didn't have a site available for us after tonight. I guess we will head for San Antonio, TX and see what is there.
Our son Larry Jr. has a blog and writes for an online newspaper in Charlotte, NC. If you are interested in seeing his site it can be found here: Pondering Dad
It is an interesting park and set in a swampy area. We wanted to stay a couple days but they didn't have a site available for us after tonight. I guess we will head for San Antonio, TX and see what is there.
Our son Larry Jr. has a blog and writes for an online newspaper in Charlotte, NC. If you are interested in seeing his site it can be found here: Pondering Dad
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Mandeville, LA
Today was the day to explore Mandeville and we drove all over town checking it out. The town is much larger than we imagined and is a very busy place. Lots of traffic since it is close to the Causeway leading to New Orleans. The traffic count on the Causeway is around 43,000 vehicles a day and costs $3.00 for a round trip.
We found a very nice Chinese restaurant called Trey Yuen and stopped by for lunch. The food was great and service very good also. They have the grounds landscaped very nicely with a waterfall, ponds full of Carp and beautiful bushes and bamboo. We were looking for a cache and found a great place to relax.
Later on about sunset we wanted to see if the sunset here was as pretty as Arizona or Key West. Close, but no cigar. It was nice to see the sunset over the Causeway as it reminded us of sunset at Bahia Honda State Park in the Keys. Same old gold ball slipping over the horizon at a rapid pace. We had drinks and finished off a very nice day at the Barley Oak bar. Great location.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Mandeville, LA Fountainebleau State Park
It was time to leave Gulf Shores today and wouldn't you know it, the day was warm and beautiful. We had an easy 190 mile trip to Mandeville, LA and are now in Fontainebleau State Park for the next three nights.
Fontainebleau SP is on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and occupies 2,800 acres of woodland and shoreline. It was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina and over 80,000 trees were torn down and it actually picked up their in ground swimming pool and ripped it out and destroyed it. Whew! Glad we weren't here at that time. They closed the park down for 9 months before they were able to reopen it.
We did stop at a Mississippi rest stop and picked up two geocaches. There were three there but one wasn't listed on on geocaching.com. Unusual. We want to find a cache in every state or at least as many as we can. The count of caches is 667 and 19 states. Only 31 to go and LA should be added on Tuesday.
Fontainebleau SP is on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and occupies 2,800 acres of woodland and shoreline. It was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina and over 80,000 trees were torn down and it actually picked up their in ground swimming pool and ripped it out and destroyed it. Whew! Glad we weren't here at that time. They closed the park down for 9 months before they were able to reopen it.
We did stop at a Mississippi rest stop and picked up two geocaches. There were three there but one wasn't listed on on geocaching.com. Unusual. We want to find a cache in every state or at least as many as we can. The count of caches is 667 and 19 states. Only 31 to go and LA should be added on Tuesday.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
FloraBama & Pensacola Air Museum
The cool weather we have been having the last few days continued on today, however it was sunny and clear with very little wind. We decided to take advantage of the nice weather and hit the beach. No, not swimming, just looking for shells. We met a man who was part of the crew working on cleaning the beach and talked to him for a while about how bad it was. No big deal was his assessment. He said they worked 7 days a week cleaning but there wasn't a lot of oil to clean up. Gerry found one or two tar balls on her walk on the beach & I saw one. Lots of small sea shells for Gerry to add to her collection.
After the beach walk we were hungry so we headed to the FloraBama bar and grill for lunch. The pictures we took the other day doesn't do this place justice. It is one of the most ramshackle places we have seen in the US. More like something you would find in Africa on the beach. They look like they bought more lumber as they could save enough money and then look for something to build. They had a couple dining areas but we chose the bar since you could see the Gulf and it was less crowded. The food actually was pretty good and the beer was cold. You can't get much better than that. All in all it was a neat place and I bet it really rocks in the evenings in the summertime.
Since we were so close to the Pensacola Naval Air Station we decided to run up there and check it out. We were there a couple years ago for the Blue Angels airshow and wanted to see what was going on. The Blue Angels have their last show of the year on November 11 and we would love to stay for it but time is running out on getting to Tucson. Fort Pickens is just across the bay from the NAS and it looks like it has been fixed up since the hurricane of a few years ago. The NAS lighthouse is very nice and we hope to come back and tour the lighthouse and the great Naval Museum on NAS. We saw the museum on a prior visit and loved it. Must see when you are in the area.
That was our day down here on the Gulf. We had a great time and were worn out after stopping for dinner at Jake's Grill where we had another great meal. Not fish this time but prime rib which was excellent.
Since we were so close to the Pensacola Naval Air Station we decided to run up there and check it out. We were there a couple years ago for the Blue Angels airshow and wanted to see what was going on. The Blue Angels have their last show of the year on November 11 and we would love to stay for it but time is running out on getting to Tucson. Fort Pickens is just across the bay from the NAS and it looks like it has been fixed up since the hurricane of a few years ago. The NAS lighthouse is very nice and we hope to come back and tour the lighthouse and the great Naval Museum on NAS. We saw the museum on a prior visit and loved it. Must see when you are in the area.That was our day down here on the Gulf. We had a great time and were worn out after stopping for dinner at Jake's Grill where we had another great meal. Not fish this time but prime rib which was excellent.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Gulf State Park
The expected wind gusts of 40mph + did not materialize today much to our delight. They were calling for 20-25 mph winds and that did not happen either. The rains left us and we had clear day with temps in the mid 60's. Beautiful.
We drove all over the campground and checked out the numerous areas where the campsites are. It is very confusing at times since they don't label them as A, B, C or whatever, but across the road from such and such. The pull through campsites are parallel to the road and I don't think are that desirable for long term use. Great for overnight if you don't want to unhook the toad, but other than that there isn't any privacy.
They have a beautiful swimming pool with a separate area for the kids to walk in an area with fountains springing up all around you. In the same area they have tennis courts, nature center, rec hall, campstore & laundry. It just opened Labor Day weekend after being destroyed by hurricane Ivan in 2004. It is a great facility and will be appreciated by campers for a long time. That is, assuming another hurricane doesn't destroy it.
See url below for more information regarding the hurricane and damage in the area.
Gulf Shores hurricane Ivan damage
They have cabins for rent in another part of the park along with a golf course. On the beach they have parking areas, a pavilion, and a large fishing pier. Needless to say, it is a great park and campground.
We drove all over the campground and checked out the numerous areas where the campsites are. It is very confusing at times since they don't label them as A, B, C or whatever, but across the road from such and such. The pull through campsites are parallel to the road and I don't think are that desirable for long term use. Great for overnight if you don't want to unhook the toad, but other than that there isn't any privacy.
They have a beautiful swimming pool with a separate area for the kids to walk in an area with fountains springing up all around you. In the same area they have tennis courts, nature center, rec hall, campstore & laundry. It just opened Labor Day weekend after being destroyed by hurricane Ivan in 2004. It is a great facility and will be appreciated by campers for a long time. That is, assuming another hurricane doesn't destroy it.
See url below for more information regarding the hurricane and damage in the area.
Gulf Shores hurricane Ivan damage
They have cabins for rent in another part of the park along with a golf course. On the beach they have parking areas, a pavilion, and a large fishing pier. Needless to say, it is a great park and campground.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Gulf Shores in the rain
It rained most of the night and at times very hard. It seemed like the rain came through in bands interspersed with clear skies. The wind wasn't too bad so we were able to sleep fairly well.
We headed out in the rain today to look over the area and spent most of the time in the rain. We managed to find two new caches in between the rain and added Alabama to our list of states where we have found caches. The first one was an Earthcache where you find a sign outlining natural features in the area with some facts. There usually are 3-4 questions you have to answer and then email them to the owner of the cache to receive credit for the find.
We drove up to Florida on the Gulf coast and were amazed to see the large number of 10-25 story condos along the Gulf. It is hard to imagine them being able to fill all those rooms but during the March-October time frame it is very busy down here. We did run across the FloraBama restaurant on the border and took the following picture. What a ramshackle looking place but I hear it is very popular.
Flora Bama Link
We heard that the sister of Jimmy Buffett owned a restaurant called Lulu's here in Gulf Shores so we decided to have dinner there this evening. It is a very large open air place on a canal with live entertainment. They say she serves 3,000 people a day and there is a 3 hour wait during busy times for dinner. We walked right in and sat down this evening and had a very nice meal. They have huge tables and chairs where you sit up very high and you can watch the boats going by during your meal.
We headed out in the rain today to look over the area and spent most of the time in the rain. We managed to find two new caches in between the rain and added Alabama to our list of states where we have found caches. The first one was an Earthcache where you find a sign outlining natural features in the area with some facts. There usually are 3-4 questions you have to answer and then email them to the owner of the cache to receive credit for the find.
We drove up to Florida on the Gulf coast and were amazed to see the large number of 10-25 story condos along the Gulf. It is hard to imagine them being able to fill all those rooms but during the March-October time frame it is very busy down here. We did run across the FloraBama restaurant on the border and took the following picture. What a ramshackle looking place but I hear it is very popular. Flora Bama Link
Monday, November 1, 2010
Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, AL
We went to DeSoto's seafood house for dinner and enjoyed our meals quite a lot. It's great getting fresh seafood and at reasonable prices.
They are calling for thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday in the afternoon so we will have to get an early start to look the place over. They have 22 miles of bike trails and we plan on investigating some of them. Maybe all if the weather holds out.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Eastbank COE
We will be leaving this area on Monday and heading for Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I hope we can get a site for 4 days without too much trouble.
Bad day on the Football front for the Redskins. They lost to Detroit Lions big time and looked bad doing it. A new offensive line would be a great help.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Buttheads
We went out exploring the area and doing a little geocaching. We found two caches today and we now have 651 finds. There isn't a lot to see in the area other than the lake and small towns in the area.
We were still in town around 5pm so we stopped at Buttheads BBQ & Grill for dinner. I had the prime rib & 6 shrimp dinner while Gerry had the pork loin wrapped in bacon with 10 shrimp. We enjoyed the meal very much and wound up talking to a local couple about the area and two other camping couples. Nice way to enjoy the evening.
If you are in the area make sure you stop at Buttheads for a unique experience. Very friendly folks and interested in giving good food and service. They succeeded on both counts.
If you are in the area make sure you stop at Buttheads for a unique experience. Very friendly folks and interested in giving good food and service. They succeeded on both counts.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Chattachoochee, Florida
I was waiting for a part from Delorme to arrive and we hung around Ft. Clinch until the mail arrived at noon. The part finally came in and we headed out of Fernandina Beach around 1:30pm. We had a 240 mile drive ahead of us and it started out fine until we ran into some stormy weather about halfway to Chattahoochee, FL. Nothing serious, but it slowed us down a lot.
We pulled into Eastbank COE Park in Chattahoochee around 7pm and checked into our campsite after dark. We were assigned site number 13 and I hope it brings us good luck. We plan on being here for three days and leave on Sunday for Gulf Shores, AL.
On the way through Chattahoochee we saw the restaurant we are going to on Friday for dinner. It is called "Butthead's BBQ & Grill". I kid you not, that is it's name. We heard they have super Prime Rib on Friday nights and it is drawing us in. I will let you know how good it is.
The campground is on Lake Seminole which straddles the FL/GA border. It seems to be a popular place as most sites are taken or reserved for the weekend. The lake consists of 37,500 acres of water, 376 miles of shoreline and over 22,000 acres of surrounding land. The area around Lake Seminole has been occupied by man for over 10,000 years. Pictures to follow.
We pulled into Eastbank COE Park in Chattahoochee around 7pm and checked into our campsite after dark. We were assigned site number 13 and I hope it brings us good luck. We plan on being here for three days and leave on Sunday for Gulf Shores, AL.
On the way through Chattahoochee we saw the restaurant we are going to on Friday for dinner. It is called "Butthead's BBQ & Grill". I kid you not, that is it's name. We heard they have super Prime Rib on Friday nights and it is drawing us in. I will let you know how good it is.
The campground is on Lake Seminole which straddles the FL/GA border. It seems to be a popular place as most sites are taken or reserved for the weekend. The lake consists of 37,500 acres of water, 376 miles of shoreline and over 22,000 acres of surrounding land. The area around Lake Seminole has been occupied by man for over 10,000 years. Pictures to follow.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Biking & Beach
We finally got to go for a bike ride today and it showed in our tired muscles after the ride. It's been a long time since we went for a bike ride and guess we will have to build up our stamina to go much further than the 4 mile roundtrip we took today.
We went down to the Amelia River beach and enjoyed watching the porpoises swim out in front of us as they were searching for food. They must have been doing all right since we could see many small mullets and other fish near the shore.
Fernandina Beach is home to a small shrimp boat industry and we saw one coming back into port. Hope he had a great catch since Gerry loves shrimp so much. We went to one of our favorite seafood restaurants the other day and it was closed, hopefully for the season.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Beach Day
Our friends Pat and John got into town around 1pm and we went to their hotel to meet them. They were getting the door lock on their hotel room changed since it was broken and we chatted for a while in their room.
We took the chatting to the beach and had a late lunch with them at the Sandy Bottom restaurant on the veranda. I was looking for a grouper sandwich but they didn't have any on the menu. What a bummer. We took a long time for lunch and then drove downtown to see what it looked like. Not much traffic and very few tourists. The store owners say it has been a bad year for tourism and times are rough. Sounds like a familiar story at these beach places.
Pat and John purchased a double wide trailer in an RV park in Central Florida last year and were heading down there for the winter. They still have their motor home but left it in NY. Should be interesting to see how they like the park life.
We talked and talked the whole time they were here and left them in the hotel around 10:30pm, tired but it was great seeing them once again. I am sure we will be seeing them in the future on one of our trips down to Florida.
Pat and John purchased a double wide trailer in an RV park in Central Florida last year and were heading down there for the winter. They still have their motor home but left it in NY. Should be interesting to see how they like the park life.
We talked and talked the whole time they were here and left them in the hotel around 10:30pm, tired but it was great seeing them once again. I am sure we will be seeing them in the future on one of our trips down to Florida.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Fernandina Beach, FL Fort Clinch SP
We will be here 4 days and hope to enjoy some more great seafood. Friends Pat & John will be here on Monday afternoon.
We wanted to get here early enough to watch the Redskins-Bears football game but when we got here the game wasn't on TV. Sounds like we didn't miss much since it was a sloppy game with a lot of turnovers. The good news is that the Skins won the game 17-14. They sure have been winning ugly this year. I even wore my favorite Redskin shirt in anticipation of seeing the game.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Halloween & Sugar Mills
We had some errands to run and decided to combine that with geocaching in the area today. We found 8 caches and most of them were difficult to find in hostile territory or lots of the people in the area. Two that we did not find had so many people around that we couldn't even search for them without being obvious.
We stopped at some old ruins of the Tabby Sugar Works. The attached photos tell the story better than I can. The last photo of the wall shows how they used shells in the construction of the place. Must have been a good ideas since the walls are still standing after 185 years.
We were surprised to see how many Halloween decorations there are down here. The town is really into Halloween and it shows. The main entrance road has 4-5 blocks of decoration in the median strip and they were all very well done.
We spent so much time touring, geocaching and shopping that we decided we deserved a stop at the Pizza Hut for dinner. We wound up ordering an $8 pizza and an $8 bucket of Yuengling beer to complement it. Yummy!
It is nice to see that our friends Ron & Dee have a departure date of their trip to Tucson and Doug & Gloria are about ready to hit the road west also. Mann and Carolyn are at a FMCA Rally and enjoying the fall weather and John & Pat are on their way to their Florida quarters. We plan on meeting up with them on Monday and catching up on what each other has been doing since we last saw them.
We stopped at some old ruins of the Tabby Sugar Works. The attached photos tell the story better than I can. The last photo of the wall shows how they used shells in the construction of the place. Must have been a good ideas since the walls are still standing after 185 years. We were surprised to see how many Halloween decorations there are down here. The town is really into Halloween and it shows. The main entrance road has 4-5 blocks of decoration in the median strip and they were all very well done.
We spent so much time touring, geocaching and shopping that we decided we deserved a stop at the Pizza Hut for dinner. We wound up ordering an $8 pizza and an $8 bucket of Yuengling beer to complement it. Yummy!
It is nice to see that our friends Ron & Dee have a departure date of their trip to Tucson and Doug & Gloria are about ready to hit the road west also. Mann and Carolyn are at a FMCA Rally and enjoying the fall weather and John & Pat are on their way to their Florida quarters. We plan on meeting up with them on Monday and catching up on what each other has been doing since we last saw them.
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