Playing Catch up–Aug. 2011

Oh the places we can go, the pix that I can show, to say nothing of the places we have been, but now the memories grow thin.  We drive our home on wheels, catch up on all the deals at campgrounds and front yards, with friends and folks and bards…that we have met along the way, folks we meet along the way, new friends and former known faces, play games and shuffle aces.  Seems we stay too busy to remember who’s at home and who we’ll see in September.  Or maybe it is all the same creation with new ideas and new faces.  Who knows, but we enjoy them all, whether short or whether tall.  My new shirt that says “I’m tall, you’re not, nah nah nah na nah nah” attracts comments here and there. 

So I will put some pictures up from the last few months, and maybe you will remember when you were there.  Or maybe you have never been there, in which case I hope you will see something of interest and enjoyment, maybe learn something new, and not be too critical of my attempt at “poetry”.  I recently read Dr Suess’ “Oh the places you will go” to our couples club at the July 4 picnic-talent show as a way of explaining – or rationalizing – our life style of going here and there.  Seems a strange choice for one who loves friends and attachments as I do, but we find such new experiences, new people and ideas; we experience serendipities often, and meet people we know but don’t know that we know sometimes.   For example, on the first campground on this trip, in Riverside WY a lady stopped by to chat as she had seen our “Escapees” decal (one of the travel clubs we belong to).  She also is a member, and we always make a point to greet another.  She mentioned she had been at the headquarters of the club in Livingston Tx for Christmas last – which is just where we spent Christmas last as well.  Well, she says, she is here in Riverside to visit someone else who was there in Livingston Tx  for Christmas too.  So we met them, and lo and behold they were raised in Reynolds Ne – 5 miles from Steele City Ne – the home of my parents and the homested of both sides of my family.  Not many can say they are from Reynolds nor Steele City cause there just have never been many people there – EVER.  But there you have it. 

 

A few days at home and a beautiful face which glows.  Susan has been a dear friend to us as has Dennis, but this glowing face will cheer me for years to come.  Pure Love

                           

On the way home from the Gypsy Journal Rally in Yuma, we made an extended stop in St. George Ut.  The view all around us was red hillsides too beautiful to describe.  While in St George we spotted what looked like a museum of windmills which interested us, but turned out to be a private home and a collection of antiquities from, probably, the Mormon migration west.  This Gentleman in the picture has displayed it all in his own museum which was truly impressive, and he agreed to show it to us on a private tour.  He was a very interesting person, and had histories and stories to tell about each object we paused over.  I ampitheater scene is near by St George, and to tell you the truth I don’t remember exactly what it was, but I believe near the local high school, and a place for festivals.  The desert was beautiful and lush in March when we were there.  If you ever get a chance to drive the valley between St George and Lake Havasu, don’t miss it.  Breathtaking beauty.

 

        

     

May 3 found us in Aieline Ks at the start of our “rolling rally” with the Chapter 2 of Escapees.  Ike’s home, and a museum there which housed an old carousel was a highlight.  Susan and I rode the rocking horses with glee.  The museum held some pretty amazing artifacts of the old west and the history of the town.  It is still a pretty small town,  old west atmosphere, and an old hotel which once fed and housed the cattle drovers on their way up the Chisom trail to the rail road in Abilene.    I guess the townfolk got tired of that scene at some point, and the RR pick up point moved to Dodge, or KC or someplace.  But the cow town atmosphere which raised Ike and other politicoes – Bob Dole???—remains.

 

OOps, back to St George, and an introduction to our neighbors there in the campground, Bill and Bobbie Englestad.  We just left them in Montana, near Polson, where they have purchased two spaces in a lovely Campground, and hosted us for 10 days on the shores of Flathead lake.  Now I hate to admit to any place in the world more beautiful than Colorado.  But I am here to tell ya, Montana Rockies, Glacier National Park, and the Mission Range there by Flathead lake surely gives us a run for our beauty.  We enjoyed the visit, the pegs and jokers games, and their wonderful hospitality and touring services.  We will look forward to seeing them again at their new home in Mesa Az, and hopefully again at the campground in Mt.  A beautiful friendly spot.

 

Enough of this for today.  The picture thing continues to be a challenge, so as I learn more I will publish more.  We are exploring new territory for us, and will be home in time to enjoy all of you and the best season in Colorado – not sure which is the best because they all are.  We miss home, but love the new coach, and are having wonderful adventures.

From Texas to home

Near Rockport there was a 1000 year old oak tree, which was a walking or bicycle destination.  You can see how it is propped up on the right side.  The oak trees on the coast sure don’t look like what we think of as an oak tree, being wind swept and salt incrusted, I think.  But this one was worth the homage paid it. 

 

 

The Alamo was a destination on the way home.  We spent about a week in San Antonio walking the river walk, and exploring the Alamo.  The fishes were in a small waterway inside the Alamo, which was once their open sewer I suppose.  The whole presentation of the place was quite impressive, the history before and after the famous battle well documented, and enshrined well.  Only so little of the original structure survives, and it is well protected by the historical society of San Antonio so as not to be in shadow, or defaced in any way.  There was no graffiti in the whole city.  Not one blotch.  Amazing the pride taken in the city and how it is enforced is beyond me. 

 

While in San Antonio we stayed in a campground southeast of the city.  The manager was a very dynamic woman who loved her job, and made our stay very enjoyable.  She had been flooded out completely twice in the last 10 years or so, but was rebuilding little by little.  The grounds were not beautiful, the rigs parked in a circle and only about 15 spaces.  But what was lacking in grounds was well made up for by her hospitality.  We arrived the week before Rodeo and stock show week, so she had her own “Cowboy breakfast” at her house, where David sits enjoying the patio, below.  Traditionally San Antonio puts on the cowboy breakfast at 4:00am, but she was more reasonable and fed us all morning.  So much energy, put us to shame. 

 

The picture on the right is a tree which grows out of the wall of the River Walk.  The river walk puts the canals of Venice to shame.  The tour boats are delightful, the water clean and the sights and history amazing.  It must be experienced to appreciate it.  We loved San Antonio.

                                                                                       

Then we moved on to Fredericksburg: an old world town in the middle of cowboy country, and the home of LBJ, Admiral Nimitz, and a lot of unusual history.  We visited LBJ’s Texas White House.  The pictures below show where we were as a nation on the right and how far we have come.  They were in the LBJ museum at his home.  His private plane, Air Force One Half, is parked there, and was for his commute from San Antonio where he left Air Force One.  I was amazed at how small the house was, and how expansive the ranch property is. 

We had planned to stay at a campground north of Abilene TX when we left San Antonio.  When I called for reservations, the owner advised us to stay as far south as possible, and head west, as the roads were icy and snowy, and she wasn’t at the campground, and she didn’t advise us to try and get there either.  So we headed for Big Bend, and spent the night in below zero cold.  I thought we went south to stay warm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The next day we made it to Las Vegas NM, and the sight on the left is the KOA campground there.  We had no idea where the roads were in the park.  The next morning the 4 other camper-families were betting on how far we would get before getting stuck in the middle of the campground.  David drove it right out without a problem.  Who know what was in the way and got run over, but we hit the road, and exit 460 is the last one in NM.  Blue Colorado skies greeted us, and the closer we got the warmer it became.  Home looked good.

We were at home for a few weeks, then on to the next venture.  We attended the Gypsy Journal Rally in Yuma AZ for 5 days in the Yuma Co Fairgrounds.  The first day there the wind blew desert dust in thick clouds.  Ugh!!!!  I am still wiping up grit.  It was an enjoyable rally, about 150 rigs there I think.  Good classes, some familiar faces and old friends, but it was good to head north.  The resort in Hurricane UT is a pleasant surprise.  Such breathtaking scenery getting here !!!! and next door to Zion National Park.  We will be home soon, depending on weather.  All the problems on the new coach got fixed while we were home, so we are travelling in comfort and style.  David does let me drive rarely, and I equally enjoy watching the scenery with my slippers between me and the windshield.   

My view as the mile tick away.  The cat has become my lap mate more often now, and we are on familiar trails, so my navigation skills are rarely necessary.  Life is good!!!!!!

Rockport Texas

This is the coldest place we have been in our travels.  At least so far.  I am sure it will warm up soon, but the damp cold is hard to take.  We have been cooped up here since Sunday.  We did got o see the Navigation museum yesterday, and drove along the Fulton Beach Road.  Not much open these days.  When it warms up we will go take the ferry across from Aransas to Port Aransas, and see San Padre Island, which is a huge barrier island stretching all the way south to Brownsville.  Amazing how the geography is meaningless until you can pull out a map and drive it.  I had no idea what this looked like from the studying I did in preparation to coming here.  I went to a class more than a year ago at an Escapade and learned some of what to see and do here, and have found the “Boiling Pot”—a Cajun seafood hole in the wall.  It is down on the beach.  We will try and catch it open soon. 

Mimi Frerichs was right about loving this Foretravel coach.  We do indeed love it.  It is so very comfortable and well thought out.  David is fixing a leaky toilet today, but those things are to be expected on a moving vehicle.  It is very comfortable riding and easy to drive.  It needs a wheel alignment, but down shifts easily, and rides like a cloud.  Punkin has settled in nicely and found her favorite clawing spot.  I must get an alternative for her and see if we can prevent the damage.  Probably not.  She’s not very educable. 

I haven’t been out to take pictures yet, so I will send this out to let you all know that we are making progress on the homeward side of the journey.  Get rid of the cold before we get home, please.  We have had nice views and fun places, but there is not place like Colorado I assure you.  I miss the sunshine. 

Pictures–Yippee skippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the front door                                                             

                                                           From the dinette area, which has been

                                                                    remodeled into a pull out table

                                                                         desk work area

From the kitchen down the hallway to ……………………………………………………..

                                                                      the bedroom      

  THE most heavenly shower – massage and high water pressure. 

 

From the kitchen towards the front – puke green couch with my Indian rug on the floor over a shag carpet.  You can see the desk in the lower left corner

                                                                 

Punkin enjoying the back of the  couch in  the  sunshine

 

                                                                                                  The front door and the larger slide on the opposite side

That’s it folks.  A lovely lady named Paula who is from Australia helped me with this.  Hopefully I will remember this time. 

Christmas in Rainbow Park, Livingston, Texas

Well, it could have snowed.  But it didn’t.  Nice (?) some of you had a white Christmas.  We just got our Christmas present to us yesterday, but more of that later.  It is the biggest ever, and the last.  Meanwhile, the day here was pleasant.  Our only box of presents from Lani got miss-sent, and didn’t arrive on time.  But no never mind.  We had dinner with about 100 others in the park, and had a very nice dinner.  One lady brought her best Christmas china, goblets and gold table wear to boot.  We had ham and turkey provided, and the rest was well planned pot luck.   We were divided by groups and sat at tables of 10-12.  Then we got to graze every one else's’ tables after we were done ours.  Met some new people, and participated in the remembering of the founder of Escapees – Joe Peterson – who made his transition the day before.  He was well and vibrant, creative and living here in the park, but knew his days were numbered by an aneurism in his renal aorta, which was slowly leaking his life away.  His wife, daughter and grandson and spouses survive him, and the creativity and life style of his creative life succeeds him.  His celebration of his life will be Jan 8 and we have decided to stay here in order to pay tribute to him and support his wife of 60 years or so.  I had pictures of the day, but they got lost in the transfer from the camera.  They will probably show up in an unexpected cyber spot at an unexpected time.  As will your Christmas Card.  Maybe about Valentines day.  Know that I think of all of you often, and I am grateful for the cards I received via Caroline’s due diligence in forwarding our mail. 

Our lives have been busy and almost hectic.  Our rental property (a restaurant building) has changed leasers in the last month.  Our renter wanted out, and was loosing money (which go hand in hand)  but the good news is a new leaser who came knocking at his door, wanting to buy the building and take over ASAP on a lease basis.  We were delighted with the news, as we saw the demise coming.  She took over the building on Dec 13 or so, remodeled, cleaned, painted and opened Jan 1 with a 35 min wait part of the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Whooppppee.  She sounds like a great business woman, has a very large family behind her, and lives only a few blocks away from us in Arvada.  So that has consumed a lot of time, but profitable and rewarding.  She hopes to buy the building by next year.  Then we will really be retired – in real life. 

What then????????????????

Well, we took care of that with the Christmas present to us, as previously mentioned.  Okay, we just bought a new coach (new to us at least) in March, but you have heard nothing but our watching the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ pour into the thing, and still it was not right.  We got to hating the thing, and feeling stuck in a bad outcome of the impulsive decision to buy it in the first place.  So on our way to here we made an appointment to have the heating/water heating system fixed (again!!!!!!!!!!!) and had had cold showers for several weeks at that point.  Well they found a problem and fixed it, but it wasn’t the only problem obviously, as two days later it was trouble again.  We really liked this dealership and service department who did the work – it was in Nacogdoches.   Good old (not so old, actually young squirts) Aggie boys, Texans to the core.  So we started looking at the options of this money pit we were driving.  Just so happens, they had a 2004 Foretravel – 38’ on the lot, and of course we made a special trip up there after being here for a few days, to look.  Just look.  Well you know the rest.  Somehow the deal came together, our Country Coach is there on consignment, and we are housed in the MOST luxurious coach I ever thought was possible.  They have thought of everything in this rig.  Best of all, they are still in business manufacturing them (in Nacogdoches) so parts will always be available.  Country Coach had gone belly up 2 years ago (or more), and parts were hard to come by, which was the main concern, and the main reason for the loss of value.  Huge loss of value.  Yeh, we took a beating.  But the decision was: do we have a bon fire party some night (not really, but to sell it outright we would practically have to give it away), and quit the life style??????, or bite the bullet, take the immediate loss, and get something which we will enjoy and be comfortable in.  I think the years passing will prove that we will have lost the same amount, but the pain would have just taken longer.  We will have to tighten the belt a little, but you should see this baby.  Last night was our first all nighter, and when we lay down and looked up, there was control buttons for all lights, generator switch, panic button the whole schmeer right over our heads, and if we didn’t want to look at the lit panel, a switch to turn it off.  It has all the bells and whistles of the last one, and a lot more besides.  And a heater which actually puts out hot water like it should.  The mechanics told us (finally) they did not like the previous brand of heater at all, though it was job security for them.  Foretravel is a step up in the motor coach world, and well worth the reputation.  Needless to say we are happy with the decision, and busy putting in the necessary towel racks and clothes hooks, drawer dividers, and such, but hopefully we will have ease for the rest of our travels.

After the Joe Peterson service, we will head further south to Rockport Tex for two weeks on the coast, then start north and west.  We will make a stop in San Antonio and see the Alamo, a few days at Fredericksburg for something, I forget what, but on the advice of lots of fellow travellers.  Then through eastern NM, to Raton to look for that one sunny day to head over the pass and home.  Colorado in the spring time.  Well okay, we will be a bit early, and maybe with the comfort of living and travelling in this new rig, we will stay a bit longer.  A little snow will look good to us, as long as we don’t have to drive in it.  But if we do, what comfort we will have while we wait it out.  Life is good. 

I would love to send along some pictures, but alas, my patience wears thin on the project.  I will venture to take some, and the first taker that I find to teach me (once again) how to perform that task, you will see pictures.  I have not the patience nor inclination to sit here for the hours it would take to go in circles and accomplish little.  I have gotten on Skype however.  My Skype name is Lois.Kropp (don’t forget the dot).  So if you have that or gmail video, call me (email me and let me know when) and we can look face to face.  You don’t even have to comb your hair, as I won’t. 

Enough already.  Till next time.