Some trip pictures



desert flowers can be very pretty--these are the size of a quarter




a great micro-brewery in the middle of the mountains housed in a 100 year old structure




desert flowers/berries




a sheep with big horns but NOT a big horn sheep!!

 Here we are into the last few days of October.  Come Thursday and November is here.  It may be time to rethink all those things I promised to get done in 2012 and see if many or any of them are finished!!
It will be a different kind of week for Terry and I as we will be gone for a few days. 
The temp is a bit cooler this morning than the past week.  As I meandered out to get the Monday paper it was 66 which is below the 70's last week.  I think we may have been experiencing effects of Sandy the last few days as it has been very very windy.  Today not so much. 
I finally got into the pool Friday night.  Did not spend a lot of time there but I enjoy going after dark as one can swim, see the stars outlined by the palm trees around the pool. 
This morning it will be a bike ride to the library to get a couple of books Terry has reserved and maybe one or two more.  I sat down Friday night about 6:00 PM with a book called Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille.  Twenty-four hours later, 516 pages later and of course some sleep I finished it.  Can't remember the last time I was that taken up with a book.  May have been when I was in the 7th grade when we were encouraged to read and report on 25 books and I think I read and reported on 110 or so.  Of course many of them were "Black Stallion" books and maybe I read some twice I do not know.  Anyway Wild Fire caught my attention and it was difficult to put it down.
I have yet to tackle the camper exterior cleaning.  May have to leave that until next week. 
I did get all the receipts taken care of from our camping trip.  I thought we did well as we traveled 6262 (actually 6263 but 6262 looks better)  miles in 29 days and for gifts, gas, food, camping fees and everything spent less than $100 a day.  We now have a rough kind of gauge that tells us on an extended camping trip we can look at around $100 a day and 200 miles.  That is rough of course but it gives one a ball park figure.  The gas was less than I figured but then with family and friends we spent more on eating out so it kind of offset things.
My FP is now down to the bottom of the cup kind of where it gets muddy so will sign off.

The week winds down

No picture today, just words and FP. 
Today marks the fourth day we have been back.  Most but not all is put away.  The camper things added a long list of things to do, things to clean and things to put away.  I have not started cleaning the exterior of it and that will be kind of a big job.  We looked into places to store it for the next few months and we may just keep it in the garage and save the money.  Storage is a big thing around here I guess with snow birds coming and they must have lots to store as the prices are what I would call highway robbery.  Anyway for now it will be in the garage.
It is taking some adjustments to get used to the humidity.  As we traveled in the west there was not one drop of dew in the morning.  Here and as we got into the eastern U.S. the moisture hangs in the air.  We have not been to the beach yet or on the tennis courts but that will happen next week maybe. 
Yesterday I finished a book that I purchased in TX.  It is written about a Texas Ranger.  I had never read about them so it was interesting but not what I had thought it would be.  We may sign up for another book review program.  Last year it was fun to read a book and then hear someone talk about it for 90 minutes.  Often the lady would have points about the book that I never thought about.
No, time to do something with the day.

A trip for the ages!!!!!



Arizona sunset




Utah copper mine-each tier is a road!!




Devils Tower in WY

We arrived home in Naples last night in time to get things out of the camper and car before the third debate started.  Mind I said "get things out of the car" and I did NOT say clean things up or order things in the house.  The camper is in big time need of TLC as is the car.  As for the house we arrived home to a power washed pool deck, an orderly home but as we brought in bags, suitcases, food etc. it came into the "in need of" category too.
Some things about our trip:

• It was very successful and very fun.  We saw Terry's mom, Grandma Saunders, Mark/Mary Saunders,  brother Dave and his wife Marlys, Terry's cousin Lyle and his mother, sister Joan/Ron, high school friend Leanne/Frank, Terry's daughter Kim and her family and lastly Terry's grandson Zach at the University of Georgia. We also met and talked to MANY people who were interested in seeing the camper!
• We were on the road for 29 days and slept in the camper 20 nights.
• We visited 9 National Parks starting with Teddy Roosevelt Park in ND and ending with Big Bend in TX.  Our favorite was Teddy Roosevelt and the most scenic was Zion as we drove through its beautiful red walled canyons with the sun splashing off of the rock.
• We drove through or touched 14 states. 
• Lastly as we drove onto the driveway of 732 Wiggins Bay Dr. the trip meter rolled to 6262 miles!
• We did not do everything we wanted or intended to do but certainly it was a wonderful time and one that will be remembered and talked about for a long long time.  However we are starting to talk about the next couple of trips!!

As we pulled up to the entrance of where we live the guard came out with this firm look on his face and said we could not bring our camper in.  He said he got a tongue lashing for allowing that some time ago.  You mean we can not bring the camper into our own garage????  Well we told him it would go into the garage and being we live here we would do as we needed to do. I guess they had a big thing about a huge motor home last week so he was kind of on edge.  Anyway we drove around the bend, came to 732, unlocked the house and backed the camper into the garage.
We had a great time with grandson Zach Sunday.  I think the last time I had been on a college campus was for Cynthia's graduation. A long time ago, 9 years to be specific.  Well Zach is one of the young people who NEEDED to get away from home into his own environment.  He loves college, he is doing well (he says he spends 8 hours a week on homework and 15 hours a week helping others with theirs), he loves the food and the activities and he has a part time job.  We had lunch with him.  The dining room we ate in is larger than Cynthia had at Gustavus but very similar as there are different stations for many different kinds of food. For a student to eat there they swipe their card, place their hand on a scanner and then they can eat all they want 24/7!  That would not be good for me so I will not enroll in college anytime soon!
My french press will last longer this morning.  I have my thermos coffee maker and the temp in the house is maybe 75, not 50 or lower at a camp site!
Enough, a little fp left so will sit down and read the sports.

back in cool weather

We are near Birmingham AL this morning and it is much cooler than in the TX desert!!  If my sleepy eyes see right this morning it is 49.
We are about 2 1/2 hours from Peach Tree City GA and will arrive there in time for Terry to enjoy her favorite "fish taco" meal at a small cafe named grinds and wine.  Will spend until Sunday there and then off on the road again but this time headed in the direction of Naples.  Today marks the day 26 on our trip and maybe for the first time yesterday, as I sat in the car speeding towards our camp site, I thought maybe it would be good to be home in our own bed and using our own toilet!
For the first time in several nights we had a fire ring at our camp site and it was great fun to have a fire again.  Actually we burned the last of our lumber we brought with us.  Six bags lasted us about 20 nights but when you count the times we had no fire ring, well we probably got 6 or 7 fires out of the wood.  I got the wood by cleaning up my wood shop so it was a double delight, clean shop and nice fires.  Almost sounds like that could be a delicious coffee drink!
The pictures:  The wood stair case was built in the 1700's and  has no nails or screws.  A beautiful piece of woodwork.  The desk and trunk are in Teddy Roosevelt's cabin in Medora ND.  Much of his writing was done at that desk. 
Oh my, the FP warms my insides but I had to take my gloves off to type so my fingers are COLD. My FP is not done but my fiingers are.

the old and the new the past and the now

old old old---Maybe some day the the whole way!!!



old--Sepember 2011




new--October 2012




old--in NM, the oldest house in the US




the old, Grandma Lee's house in Cayuga--almost no more




the new---palace on the prairie soon

 This will be the 23rd day on the road.  We spent the night in Waco TX.  Enjoyed dinner with Terry's son Brian and his friend.  Will  have lunch with him today, dinner with them tonight, will watch the debate and then hit the road tomorrow for GA.  We will take 3 days and arrive there Friday but the days will not be long as it is about 850 miles from here.
We will stay in the same campsite tonight, the first time we have stayed 2 nights in the same site.  When we got in yesterday afternoon the lady who runs it was gone so we just set up.  Will have to see if we can find her today to pay.
We are still carrying an entire box of tomatoes from our garden but they are getting ripe so will have to eat fast or find someone to give them to.  No tomatoes when we arrive in Naples. 
We continue to get such fun comments on the camper.  Comments like "does it pop up?", "no way!" "it's so cute" "that is the neatest camper ever" and maybe the best yesterday when as we put gas in (sorry dad it goes in not ON) a lady was so taken up with it but she said, "we couldn't even get all our kids in it!!"  I did not ask how many kids she had but I saw their boat and our camper would have fit IN their boat.
So we march on towards the east.  Some of the fun things to remember are the 9 states we have seen, the 6 family/friends stops we have enjoyed, the ten National Parks we have visited and the 4500+ miles we have driven.  We could perhaps be content all winter long just sitting for a time each day recalling the trip.  We are finished with NP but will drive through at least 6 more states and of course see more family and friends.
Today in Waco we will take in the "Dr. Pepper" museum, I know everyone has wanted to see that!  We will also take in the Texas Ranger hall of fame which I am looking forward to.  I am reading a very good book about a Texas Ranger and I want to see if he is in it. 
No more FP, no more ideas, more time but for what!!!!

Happy 4th Audrey

Audrey turned 4 on Saturday, the 13th.  We were out of range of any computer Internet so here is a picture and happy birthday 2 days late Audrey.  Grandpa thinks you are so cute and smart.  Even going to school 2 days a week!!!!  Hope you had fun on your birthday.
Here it is Monday and I am sitting at a picnic table tapping away.  We are still at the camp site in San Angelo TX.  When we checked in last night we got a free Sunday paper and this morning there was a paper at the door of our camper, a first for camping I think.  I do not like to stay at KOA campsites as they are usually to expensive but this was $27 which is OK and it was the only one around for us last night.  We may need to drive back a few miles into town to get a couple of things before we head towards Waco today. 
The camper and the car are so so dirty but I guess that is part of the camping package. 
No more thoughts, no more FP so the end.

Many places



count them if you can



the landing of a balloon



BIG camper and little camper!!!!

Those little dotes in the first picture are all hot air balloons.  I thought the contrast in our camper and the BIG one with 9 window shades on the outside was interesting! 
We settled in to a KOA campsite today about 4:00 PM  For almost a week we have had little or no e-mail or cell phone service. We departed Big Bend NP in Texas this morning.  That will be the last NP we visit on this trip.  Counting the NP we have been in: Teddy Roosevelt in ND, Devils Tower in WY (not a NP), Yellowstone in WY, Grand Teton in WY, Bryce in Utah, Zion in Utah, Grand Canyon in AR, Carlsbad Caverns in NM, Guadalupe in TX and last Big Ben in TX.  So far it has been much fun.  Yesterday we went past the 4000 mile mark.  Perhaps one of the many highlights has been the time we spent in Angel Fire NM with a high school friend.  We saw many elk, many huge mule tail deer and other wild life as well.  It is high, over 8000 feet and the elk and deer were all over the landscape.
Tonight we are doing clothes and getting a nice hot shower for the first time in several nights.  We will travel to Waco TX tomorrow and stay there for 2 nights and then on to Peach Tree City GA.  We still have plans to arrive in Naples about the 24th or so.
A sad note.  Our neighbor, RD Brown passed away last week.  I am not sure how old he was but his two children are about 24 and 21.  We did not interact with them as neighbors but regardless to see a family lose someone with children that age is so sad. 
Our weather has been perfect.  As I sit at the camp site now in San Angelo TX it is sunny and about 85 or so.  Last night we camped in the high camp site in Big Bend and this morning it was very windy but warm.  Last night after we made camp we drove to several over looks of the Rio Grande River and looked across towards Mexico. 
Our Tiny Camper is serving us well.  We have things down pat now so can stop and be set up in a short time.  It took a few times to get the putting up of the side tent but now we do it in perhaps 5 min or so.  Have not used our 10 X 10 canopy much as we have not needed it.  Well we pretty much are in a new camp site each day. 
Enough for now.  No FP as it is afternoon!



sister Joan and hubby Ron with us at the copper mine



We are now in Gallup NM.  We stopped at a Red Rock RV park about 5:00 last night.  It was advertised as clean restroom, showers etc.  Before we set up we decided to check the bathrooms.  Both were locked!!  Also, there was nothing but blowing red sand so--we found a Good Sam one 10 miles down the road.  Very nice but of course you guessed it, more money.  We are headed to take in the hot air balloon festival today.  We have no camping reservations so may be sleeping in a rest stop!!
The tire is at the copper mine in Salt Lake City.  It is the largest open pit dig in the world.  The trucks that haul the crushed rock from which they get copper have six of these tires.  Each tire weighs 10,000+ pounds, is 12' 6" high and cost $25,000.  The good thing is the trucks can haul up to 360 ton!!!!  I was thinking Dale B could use a truck like that on the farm.  Also the tires last about a year.
We get so many "lookers" at the camper when ever we stop.  Some people right by us last night told us stories of relatives in the early 50s who had a new car and a tear drop camper.  They painted them the same color and traveled all over the states.  Several have said they wanted to see one for real as they had seen them on the travel channel. 
As I sit here the eastern horizon is becoming yellow, gold, purple and all shades of colors.  Right now there is no wind and I am sure they hope it stays that way for the balloons.
One FP down and now a little work to do.  That's right there is some work to camping.  And of course all retired people would know that retired people have it difficult as there is never a day off.

Sight overload



red rock and red rock and ......




when the moon comes over the mountain




a stop on the schuttle in Zion

 We started out yesterday by taking an 80 minute schuttle through Zion, then we headed out to the north rim of the Grand Canyon which took us through Zion again.  The sights were a "wow" around each bend and to gaze on the wonder of these western parks is a privilege that one can not take for granted.  Today we head south and intend to take in some of the hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque NM on Sunday.  We will land in Angel Fire NM Monday to visit with high school friend Leanne.  It is hard to believe today is our 13th day on the road and have covered 2500+ miles.  A man thing, we have averaged almost 20 MPG as we pull the camper over hill and dale.  The downer--yesterday we had to pay $4.10 for gas!!! :(
Pictures can not come close to showing the beauty of the western landscape.  If I have said "unbelieveable" once I have said it 100's of times. 
One negative, in the cool mountain air the fp coffee has to be drank quickly or it cools to ice coffee!!  Really the temps have been warm for this time of year.  As I sit here this morning it reads 49 so the fiingers still work on the key board.
We decided to skip three of the national parks in Utah.  We just did not allow enough time to see everything.  We could have done a total car trip to see them but one needs to get out, walk a ways, smell the pine trees and take time to absorb the experience.  Driving just to say one was there is not fun in any sense of travel.  Yesterday to stand and gaze over the Grand canyon was worth a million.
FP is gone!!!

On the Road Again

We are sitting at a campground just outside of Zion National Park. We are sitting at a picnic table and the sun is shining on the red red red rock up to the west.  The scene is just spectacular.  We are finding out that we perhaps planned too much travel and too little looking!!  We have seen just unbelievable sights but mostly from the car. Plan to travel to Grand Canyon tomorrow and stay there for 2 days.  Maybe just enough time to catch our breath.  So far the national parks have been Teddy R, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Bryce and now Zion.
We enjoyed our time with sister Joan and hubby Ron.  Saw the copper mine which is HUGE and drove around the temple. They have this cute apt but so want a double wide home of their own.  They have done so much for their kids and now at the age of 70 maybe a bit behind on things they would like to do.  BUT of course we all would give our all for our kids. 
I have nothing to say on this next subject but the byline in my mind and heart is "secrets of the heart".  I know we all have them and some are good, some are not so good, some to be shared at the right time and some never to be shared.  For me so much has happened in the last few years, some so sad,some so difficult, some joyful but for me now--traveling the US with Terry at my side I feel so blessed and am so happy.  Like I said, "secrets of the heart", we all have them.
We are planning to arrive at a high school friend's home Monday and we think that will be so fun.  From there will journey to Waco TX to see Terry's son Brian and then it will be off along the gulf coast. 
So far we are getting 20+ MPG as we pull the camper and I can not figure that out as that is much higher than I had figured.  And in this day and age I can say we are lucky to have not had to pay $4 for gas yet!!  I think we are at about the 2300 mile mark on the trip.  I drive most of the time but wouldn't you know when we hit the 2000 mile mark Terry had her hand on the wheel.  I don't know why she has so much fun?
As I sign off the sky above the mountain peaks is blue, pink, yellow and just like a master piece of our wonderful God.

Old Faithful

A short note today.  We visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton yesterday.  Old Faithful goes up every 90 minutes or so and as we walked up there it went--great timing.  Examined about 4 camp grounds before we found one way to late in the day but it has nice showers and we enjoyed a fire last night.
Will pull into Joan/Ron's this afternoon.  A short note as it is tooooo chilly on the fingers to sit here very long.