Home from Florida

23. January 2012 · 4 comments · Categories: 2012 Resolution, Eric's Life, Our Travels, Uncategorized

OK, I blew it. I promised three a week, and last week I only made 2 posts. My apologize to those of you who are counting… ARE any of you actually counting? Probably not. On the other hand, the week before I made 4 posts, so the last two weeks AVERAGE out to THREE a week… So, I’m good, after all. Right? Of COURSE, right!

One of the reasons I missed a post last week was last week was the week Scott and I flew off to Florida! We had a great week in Daytona Beach with my cousin Kathy and her husband Don, and with my Aunt Jeanie and Uncle Lew.

Friday, the 20th, we flew down from Omaha to Orlando. When we were driving over to the airport, the temp here in Omaha was a mild 9 degrees. Wind chill factor was below zero. We landed to a pleasant 74 degrees in Orlando. So when the rental car agent recommended an upgrade to a convertible, I was very much in favor, especially with a 70% discount!

We headed off to Daytona Beach with the top down, and of course, no GPS so we immediately got lost. We ended up going east out of town, and ended up in Titusville, where we had lunch at a delightful little cafe, Caffe Chocolat.

Saturday began with the requisite morning swim in Kathy’s pool… brrrrrrrrrrr! No, it wasn’t requisite, and I’m the only one foolish enough to attempt it!

After lunch at the Ocean Deck, where I ate my first oysters AND aligator meat, followed by fish tacos (I’m in HEAVEN!) Kathy suggested we go to the Daytona Beach race track. Now let me tell you something. I’ve always considered racing BORRRRRRINNG! Watching cars go round and round on a track on television is a magnificent soporific as far as I am concerned. But, in hopes of being a courteous guest, Scott and I agreed, so off we went to the track.

At Daytona International Speedway you can actually do a ridealong with a racer in one of the cars. Or, if you want to pony up $475 you can actually DRIVE one of the cars. While we were there there were several people who’d coughed up the half k for the drive so we watched them. In addition, a couple of the racers’ mechanics were putting two cars through their paces. Those in the ride along or driving experience were going about 140 mph, and the mechanics were doing 200 plus (or at least so I am told).

For all you race fans out there, and especially for YOU my big brother Bob… now I get it. O! M! G! Just standing there watching those cars, hearing them coming, FEELING them coming, and passing was a huge adrenelin rush! One senses the raw power somewher deep within, viscerally.

Afterwards, we drove down to Ponce Inlet where, it is my understanding, some 500 or more years ago Ponce de Leon first came ashore in Florida, we stopped in for drinks (I was driving, so Diet Coke only for me).

Later Saturday night we ate dinner at Carribean Jacks (or something like that) for dinner (crab cake and cold shrimp) where I saw my next purchase. A small little boat off on the other side of the marina… I think it was only about 75 feet or so and about 3 stories high…

We wrapped up the evening with a fantastic round of WII Bowling (3 full games). I want one!

Yesterday, it was home to Omaha and Council Bluffs and our little girl Princess Nikki! Tonight we pick up Ixchel and our little family is together again!

Travel Plan 1

06. January 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: 2012 Resolution, Our Life Together, Our Travels

This plan is coming along much faster than I had expected!

The other day, I started looking at prices for tickets to Orlando, FL, so that I could go visit my aunt and uncle and cousin who live there.  I was startled to discover that as the spring progresses tickets get more expensive!  Scott and I haven’t flown much recently, so things may have changed.  But in the past, the further out you bought the tickets, the cheaper the fares.  Not now! I looked first at the end of February.  Tickets were around 300 each.  A week later they were $450 each!

Once I heard from Kathy today that any time would work I jumped in and bought tickets.   I was able to get the two tickets, with fees, taxes, etc., for $680.  I guess that’s a good price.  I’ve rented a car for the days we are there, as well.  So, coming up VERY VERY soon, we’re flying to Florida for a weekend just to visit my most wonderful Aunt Jeanie.  I’ve missed her!  The last time I saw her was in March 2010.

In case you wonder when we’re travelling, I must tell you that I am not going to reveal that here, until we’re either in route, or have returned.  I doubt many people read my blog, but there’s no need advertising our absences!  At least not until we’ve arranged a house-sitter.

Wyoming Day 2

01. August 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Our Life Together, Our Travels, Rendezvous, Uncategorized

We still aren’t getting the best cell signal up here.  I’m a little surprised by that, because last year it was relatively strong.  Unfortunately, this means that we have to play catch as catch can when it comes to uploading.  Right now, my cell phone is dead.  When it has recharged sufficiently, I’ll plug it in to the computer and see if we can’t get connected.

This morning, I awoke to a glorious sunrise streaming through our back window.  One of the selling points for this trailer was that the back of the trailer is a big picture window.  Saturday night we forgot to close the curtains, and so this morning, every shade of orange from bright fire orange down through cantaloupe, and numerous beams of light pink burst through the trailer to our bedroom at the front of the trailer… and into my eyes.  It is mornings like this that are the reason why Scott and I love camping up here… well, why I love camping up here.  Scott slept until well after the sun had hauled itself into the sky and put away it’s dawn blankets of orange.

We drove down to Laramie today to fill up our five 6 gallon water jugs and to buy groceries for our week.  It was a nice drive.  The mountains here had a lot more moisture than in years past, and the grass is still relatively green.  Herds of cattle grazed near the road… really near the road… we had to slow to 5 mph to creep through them, as some were napping on the verge.  We drove through gulches where in years past nary a drop of water was to be found, to find this year flowing streams burbling along.  Alas, the nasty pine beetles have killed upwards of 50% of the forests up here, and so the green canopy of pines that I always love to see are mottled dark, drab brown and green.  I guess it’s only a matter of time before they all die.

Arriving back in camp after our journey, we followed two pickups pulling the camp gear, so after running up to our trailer and putting our groceries away, Scott and I went back down to “Camp Central” and helped them put up the big canopies and stage tent.  Since Scott and I were new to this, we got to be the guinea pigs.  They handed us the instructions, and sat back and watched as we directed the younger guys in how to put the canopies together.  Amazingly simple!  The purpose of this test was to see if the new typed out instructions could be followed easily by someone who’d never done it before.

Setting up the stage tent was more complicated, and we merely assisted with that one.

We left after a couple of hours… I was feeling the strain of the higher altitude and the direct heat.  I’m sunburned now!

We’ve spent the rest of the day doing the other thing I really enjoy about up here… relaxing.  Dozing. Puttering.  We’ll finish up the evening with a rousing set of Cribbage, and call it a night, probably before the last rays of the sun leave the sky.

Wyoming Day 1

30. July 2011 · Comments Off · Categories: Our Life Together, Our Travels, Rendezvous

Well, we’ve arrived!

I was going to call this post “Rendezvous Day 1”.  But Rendezvous doesn’t officially start until Wednesday.  Scott and I believe in being early!

Actually the area where we camp is so beautiful, that we just don’t mind being here a few extra days.

Yesterday’s drive went well.  We left Council Bluffs by 1 pm and encountered no problems on our first leg of the journey west.  I had anticipated arriving in North Platte around 7 pm taking in to account more frequent stops for gasoline and whatnot.  But my estimations were terrible!  By 5:30 pm we were arrived, settled in and wondering what to do with ourselves!  We camped in a little RV park down by the Platte River, just 100 yards away.  When I’d originally visited the website for the RV park, I got the GPS coordinates for the park, and it’s address.  Oddly enough the address was located 3 miles from the GPS coordinates!  I emailed the park to let them know their coordinates were wrong.  They wrote back to assure me they would get that corrected.  Guess what?!?!?  The coordinates are right.  The address is for mail purposes only!

After dinner, we played Cribbage for a while… and at 9:40 we went to bed!

This morning, we were on the road by 7:30 am  After stops in Sidney for gas (ouch! 4.099 per gallon!) and in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for water, we got to our site at 1 pm.

Now we’re settled in, well on our way to getting things put away.  It was hot up here when we got in, over 90.  But NO humidity.  It was almost pleasurable!  Now, it’s 5:30, the sun is behind clouds, and the temps are dropping.

Not sure whether we’ll watch a movie tonight… or play more Cribbage!

More tomorrow!

All our bags are packed

29. July 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Our Life Together, Our Travels, Rendezvous

Well, we’re getting ready to head out on the road again.  In the next 2 hours, we’ll hook up the trailer, and head on down the road.  Destination:  Somewhere high in the Medicine Bown National Forest of Wyoming!  Wanna know where precisely?  I’ll tell you!

Scott and I’ll be spending the next 8 days within 100 yards of:  41.24274,  -105.36442

See if you can figure out where that is!  (And yes, if you do it right, you’ll see the hilltop where we are; a hint: online maps let you put in GPS coordinates!)

The weather here in Omaha is doing it’s best to drive us away!  Hot, humid beyond memory.  It’s horrid.  And by the time the sun sets tomorrow, we’ll be on a mountain so arid (“How arid IS it?”), so arid that even after a summer downpour, 20 minutes later, the roads will be dusty again!

Hot in the daytime, unless you step under shade, in which case the temp drops 10 degrees.  Cold at night!  Coat time!

Yup, if I had bajillion bucks, I’d quit work, move to my mountain top in Wyoming for the summer, and spend the rest of the year… somewhere else (because no, I don’t do Wyoming mountain snow/cold!)

Wyoming Equality Pride’s Rendezvous 2011, HERE WE COME!

Pictures of our Trip

18. March 2010 · 2 comments · Categories: Our Life Together, Our Travels

Since we’re visiting with Scott’s family, there’s not really a lot to write about.  We’ve been here in Alamogordo since Tuesday afternoon.  We’ve had a great time chatting and getting caught up with Mudda & Pops, Terry, and Bethany & Eleanor!  I’ve been trying to be a little helpful getting some of their computer problems fixed.

And, because there isn’t a lot to write about, here are some pictures from our trip so far to entertain:

Scott Looking West toward Flagstaff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Karen

Bennett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott

Scott, Bob & Brad

Day 8 – From Barstow to Alamogordo

17. March 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Our Life Together, Our Travels

Wait a minute!  What happened to Days 4 through 6?  Yes, I know, I HEARD you ask that question!

In my last blog entry, Scott and I, intrepid explorers that we are, had safely arrived in Barstow, California.  Okay, really we had arrived in Yermo, California, which is about 6 miles east of Barstow on I-15.  The KOA there in Yermo was a pleasant little community, nestled in the trees and bushes, giving a sense of privacy to each lot.

Well, after Yermo, life got pretty busy; Scott and I just didn’t have a lot of time to spend writing.  We do apologize for that.  I’ll take up here where I left off Friday evening.

Saturday morning, Scott and I quickly packed up and hooked up, and were on the road by 8:30 a.m.  The drive south from Yermo, along I-15 to “the 91″ and then on toll roads right to Newport Beach, CA, was relatively uneventful.  We arrived at Newport Dunes RV Park at 11:15.  Setting up the camper in record time, we met Bob & Marcy at the front gates, then zipped off to Balboa to The Crab Cooker for lunch.  Well, okay.  I’m not sure “zipped off” is the right phrase… we took the ferry over to Balboa, so we probably sat waiting our turn for a half hour or more!

We ran a couple of errands with Bob & Marcy, then went to see the movie “Blind Side” – the movie for which Sandra Bullock won the Oscar.  It was a fantastic movie, far, far, far better than I expected it to be! (Neither Scott nor I are football fans, and I expected it to be a “football movie”.  We’re both of the opinion that football itself is pretty boring… and a movie about football… well, why bother!?)

Sunday, Scott and I were at Bob & Marcy’s for breakfast by a little after 8 a.m.  Bob made the world’s best pancakes (Bob I hope you’re reading this… and if you are… please send us the recipe!)  And about the time the pancakes were done, the house exploded with the arrival of my nephew Brad and his daughter and son, Karen & Bennett.  I was really disappointed that Brad’s wife had to work Sunday.  But there will be other opportunities to see her and hopefully get to know her!

But, let’s be honest here… about 75% of the purpose of this 10 day trip of Scott’s & mine was to see Karen & Bennett, and that we got to do!  They’re the sweetest little ones imaginable… and considering that Brad was such a monster growing up… okay, bad joke, you weren’t really Brad!

Over breakfast, I had a brief opportunity to reconnect with Brett, as well.  I’m impressed by both my nephews, how hard they work.  It was Sunday, but Brett was off to spend a day working.

I also have to say I was extremely impressed with Brad’s parenting skills.   There is a quiet, unassuming air of self-confidence about Brad in his approach to raising both Bennett & Karen.

After breakfast, we spent the day, Bob, Brad, Scott & I, at the Montage resort in Laguna Beach, walking in the park overlooking the ocean, then walking down to the ocean.  I had to get my toes wet.  I can’t get anywhere near an ocean without making sure my feet come in contact with the waves!

The evening ended for us after a dinner of salad and some of the best pizza!

Monday morning, Scott and I were a little slow getting started.  We left Newport Beach, heading for Scottsdale about 9 a.m.  I have to say that while Newport Dunes is nice enough as an RV Park, it certainly disappointed me.  Perhaps I’m spoiled by the campgrounds we normally stay at, but I felt Newport Dunes grossly overcharged us for our stay.  Scott and I have stayed in RV Campgrounds for less than half what we were charged at the Dunes, and yet were provided with much nicer facilities than those at the Dunes.  I’m just not really sure we’ll stay there again!

We had little trouble with traffic for our trip to Scottsdale… just as Bob predicted.  I worried for nought!  We stopped at Chiriaco Summit for lunch, and as recommended by Bob we had the Date Shake.  Bob, your memory is a bit faulty.  The Date Shake at Chiriaco was no where near as good as the Date shake at the Shake Shack!

I had originally anticipated that we’d get to Scottsdale about 7 p.m. but we made far better time, and in addition, I had forgotten that because Arizona does not participate in DST, we didn’t lose an hour.  So, we were in our site and set up, and ready to head to Aunt Jeanie’s by 6:05 p.m.

As a result, Aunt Jeanie & Uncle Lew, with Scott and I, went to Busters, had a GREAT dinner (I’d never tried Lahvash before… Yum!!!!) and enjoyed a really nice conversation.  I fear that Scott and I may have stayed a little too late at Aunt Jeanies, but we really had such a nice time!

Here it is Day 7, and Scott and I are once again on the road.  We’re on I10, just passing the exit for Bowie, AZ, about half way to today’s destination!  Of course, by the time you see this, we’ll have arrived in Alamogordo.  And we’re on schedule to arrive there in about 4 hours.

UPDATE: Since I wrote that yesterday, we have arrived safely in Alamogordo, NM, and are set up at our site.  The problem is while the campground does have WiFi for internet, the site we are in does NOT.  When we arrived yesterday, Scott was in a hurry to get to his folks place… and rightfully so!  So, here we are, on Day 8, really!  If I have some time today, I’ll try to put up a post with pictures!

Day 3 – Gallup to Barstow

12. March 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Our Travels

AFter the last couple of days, today has been a nice, relaxing drive.  The sun has been shining the entire day, the temperature has been steadily climbing.  We’ve had relatively little wind.

We’ve been able to maintain a pretty steady speed of near 75 mph.  We’ve just passed through Needles, California, where we filled up.  Yesterday we averaged under 6 mpg, today 7.66… that’s a good day!

We’ve enjoyed the drive, so far.  We’re climbing the mountains to the west of Needles, right now.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been through here.  It’s nice to see the hills green for once, though.  I’m used to brown.  It is desert out here, after all!

Of course, by the time you all read this, we’ll have arrived in Barstow, and settled in for the evening.  I definitely think a nice walk is in order tonight!  I’t nearly 70 degrees out!  Wow!

A couple of hours later –

Yup, now we’re here.  The trailer is set up, and we’re relaxing.  Time for a shower!

Day 2 – Calamet, OK, to Gallup, NM

11. March 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: Our Life Together, Our Travels

Hi, again!  Today’s journey was a long one!  654.3 miles to be exact.  I’ve driven longer, Scott and I once drove from Houston to Omaha without stopping except for gas and food.  But pulling a trailer 654.3 miles makes for a long day in my book.

We got off to a fairly early start, about 10 minutes later than I’d have liked.  At 8:10 we pulled out of the KOA and hit the road. 

Our first stop was in Elk City, where we visited Gene Smith, Inc. the Chevy, GMC, etc dealer in town.  Their technician came out, took a look, did a few magical things, uttered hocus pocus several times, then changed two fuses, and we were off.  Total cost of 15 minutes work?  $8.21 for the fuse!  We now had turn signals, brake lights, and the trailer brakes to assist with stopping!  Very important.

Todays’ journey was pretty straight forward.  Interstate 40 from the minute we started until we pulled off here in GAllup.  This isn’t to say it was uneventful.  Okay, it was uneventful.  Except for constant wind out of the north, which made it very hard going.  We had to keep our speed down to 60 to 65 mph to keep the trailer under control.

It snowed.  It rained.  It was sunny.  It was overcast & foggy.  Sometimes all of those in a 2 minute time span!

We got to Gallup at about 7, unhooked the truck, hooked up the trailer to water and electric and sewer, and now, we’re getting ready to think about bed time.  And that, my friends, family & other readers… is that!  Now for the story I promised you the other day: I promised you a look at our modern routine.  Of course, that really is a little harder than it sounds.  We travel in many ways, these days.  Sometimes, we travel by car alone.  Others we take the trailer.  Others we fly.  But currently, we’re on the road with our trailer, so that’s what you’ll get.

Now

I have been conditioned to arise early.  Princess Nikki likes things just right, and that means at 5:30 a.m. we wake up.  Whether Daddy (that’s me) wants to or not!  This, coupled with Dad’s careful training, assures that when I’m on the road, I’m up at 5:30 a.m. every day.  I sneak out of bed, quietly dress, and slip into the main area of the trailer (the living room).  Thanks to modern technology, I pour myself a cup of freshly brewed coffee, then step outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the quiet of the great outdoors.  My cup quickly finished, I return to trailer, pour another cup of coffee and fire up the laptop.  I’ve carefully ensured that the campground selected for the night has WiFi for my internet connection.  I peruse my emails, favorite websites, and a bit of news.  At 6:30, if it’s a travel day, I pour my 3rd cup of coffee and another cup for Scott.  Scott isn’t like Mom.  He needs to be awakened.  I gently call to him and present him with his coffee as he joins me.

We eat a quick bowl of cereal with some toast, generally in silence unless there is some really interesting news, as it takes Scott a bit to fire up in the morning.  During this time, another pot of coffee is brewing.

Dishes are now washed, and the trailer put into “travel mode”… all things put in their places, the bed made, and breakables nestled in their protective nests.  The new pot of coffee is poured into the thermos, the brewer cleaned, and pot rinsed then nestled away.  While Scott is doing all this, I’m “breaking camp” carefully following the checklist to disconnect the hookups and hookup the truck. 

At 8 a.m., we’re on the road, if not a bit sooner.

And that is our daily routine!

Day 1 – Iowa to Oklahoma

10. March 2010 · 2 comments · Categories: Our Travels

I certainly never anticipated that this post would be coming so late.  Today’s journey has been a little daunting!

Scott and I left home at 7:30 a.m., heading for Camping World where our trailer was… and then, we left home AGAIN at 7:50 a.m., heading to Camping World!  The first time through, we made it about 2/3 of the way when I asked Scott “Did you get the milk?”  “No,” Scott responded, “It was in the fridge next to the other chilled food for the trip.”  Oops.  So, we turned around and headed home!

We got hooked up relatively quickly, and then realized the right rear tail light on the trailer was burned out.  Only, it wasn’t.  It seems something was wrong with the wiring harness.  So, I trundled inside to get one of the technicians to take a look.  “Everything worked yesterday,” the man told me.  So he came out, sure enough, it’s not working.  After working a little magic, he was able to demonstrate that the wiring on the trailer is just fine.  It’s the connection to the truck that’s not working.

Disgruntled, Scott and I set off on our journey at 8:45, discussing how we were going to get things fixed.  We decided we’d try to get to Albuquerque, and get the truck serviced there.  By Lincoln, we discovered that we didn’t have trailer brakes… it was just the pickup trucks brakes doing all the stopping work.  But we were determined to get to Elk City, so we powered on through.  All across Nebraska to York, the sky was cloudy.  As we neared York, and then drove south to Kansas, the low clouds became fog.  This slowed us down, a little.  Passing through Wichita, it began to rain, and then, miraculously, the sun came out.

Shortly in to Oklahoma, however, that changed again.  We were hit by a massive squall, rain driving sideways blinding us.  Hail.  We had to pull to the shoulder and let it pass.  After it cleared enough for us to drive on, we encountered the accidents.  And then the piles of hail that made it look like 4 inches of snow had fallen. 

We took OK33 from Guthrie to Kingfisher, then dropped down US81 to El Reno and the interstate, I40.  As we pulled on to the interstate, it was just after 6:30 p.m.  The GPS said there was a nearly 2 hour drive ahead of us.  The sun was setting.  It was getting dark.  And we realized we were driving in the dark with no running lights on the trailer.

We called it quits.  We’re in El Reno West KOA, near Calumet, OK, for the night.  We arrived at 7 p.m.  In the morning, we’ll try to find someone who can repair our towing plug.  But, of course, now, the entire timeline of this trip is in question.  We’ll make it, but when? 

Now, I’ve promised some of you a bit of a story, and here it is:

In my last post last Saturday, I alluded to the road trip traditions established in my childhood when Mom, Dad and I travelled.  I want to address that a little more fully in today’s post, since really, this first leg of our journey is a bit mundane!

Then

Dad always started his days before we did ours… at least when I was very little.  However, as I grew older, I found these were good times to “hang out” with Dad.  So, Dad would awake very early while we were on the road.  His day would begin about 5 a.m. when Dad would quietly slip out of bed.  Normally, I’d hear him stir and crawl out as well.  We’d dress in the dark, quietly so as not to awake Mom, then sneak out of the motel room.  Dad always knew where to find coffee, whether in the motel lobby or in a nearby cafe.  And coffee was the first thing on Dad’s mind.  We’d find a little table or a booth and Dad would order a cup of coffee and a glass of milk for me.  Of course, as the profligate hunter of the family, not only was a cup of coffee on the menu… so was the donut or cinnamon roll.  As I grew older, I’d join in the coffee myself.  Dad would quickly sip his coffee and read the major news stories.  By 5:30, we’d be done, and Dad would order two more cups of coffee to go and more donuts.

Arriving back in our room, we’d find Mom putting on the final touches of her morning preparations.  She’d gratefully accept Dad’s proffered cup of java, then sit and drink her coffee and eat her donut while Dad and I finished getting ourselves put together (not a lot to do for real men like us!) then we’d pack, load the car and hit the road!  “We’re off!” cried father, and an hour later we pulled away from the curb.  Okay, that last part isn’t true, but that was said at the beginning of virtually every day, our morning ritual of a sort.  I think that stemmed from something my grandfather started, though I really can’t say for sure.

As Dad drove, guided by Mom’s able navigation, I set to arranging the back seat.  The back seat of the car was always crammed with everything we might need for the day.  Games, pillows, blankets, maps, drinks, food, pads of paper.  It was the ultimate nesting ritual for me to carefully organize the back seat, and settle in for the ride.

After an hour, we’d find a restaurant or a McDonalds to stop for breakfast.  The rest of the day’s journey really never changed.  Dad drove (sometimes Mom would spell him) and Mom and I would nap, or we’d talk, or we’d play games (generally the alphabet game… we’d start with A, and look for that letter on signs and license plates, progressing through the alphabet).  Or one of Mom’s favorite games… she’d start a story, tell a few paragraphs, then each of us would take turns developing the story.  On one of these trips Mom shocked me by revealing her greatest secret: She was really the queen of a distant empire on a planet far far away, and some day her people would return for her.  She wasn’t sure if we’d be allowed to go with her, though!  They never did, though. 

In the evening, Dad would find a motel, naturally it needed to be close to the highway, not a lot of searching was permitted.  Dad really would have been satisfied with any facility that provided a bed, a bathroom and morning coffee, but in deference to Mom, he looked for one that was relatively nice, and hence clean.

Oddly enough, I don’t recall any particular evening routine.  We were always in bed by 10. 

In tomorrow’s entry, I’ll pass along what travels TODAY look like!

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