Wil and Judy Eades Travels....Max too!

Galveston TX

2011-10-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

WE LOVED Galveston!! Our campsite was perfect for us....right by the water.

This city was a wealthy community at the turn of the century, with many mansions and a castle. We toured the castle, which had 28,000 sq. ft. of living space. Slightly unbelieveable.

The Moody Mansion, which we also toured, reminded us of an office building in some ways, and was sold in the early 1900s for $20,000.

A great 2-day stay, but much too short.

Max enjoyed this RV park, as well. New grounds to mark and explore.

Another adventure we took while here was a tree sculpture parade that residents had created from the trees destroyed in Hurricane Ike 3 years ago.

Beaumont and Port Arthur, TX

2011-10-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of our stay in Golf Coast RV Resort, Beaumont, TX. A beautiful park with 125 spots and MANY amenities!

During our stay in Beaumont, we toured a Fire Museum. (Wil didn't want to "pose" for this!)

This cathedral is approx. 150 years old and absolutely breathtaking inside!

In Port Arthur this Vietnam Peace Memorial was erected after the war.

Plantations near New Orleans

2011-10-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

New Orleans is Plantation Country, and we were able to tour 2 of them while here.
"Laura: A Creole Plantation, was built in 1805. This 1.5 hour tour details 200 years of family history.

Part of this tour included the slave cabins, which consisted of 2 rooms - one family per room. Quite difficult for us to comprehend!!

The other mansion, "Oak Alley Plantation", was absolutely beautiful! It's surrounded by 300 year old oak trees.

The grounds of this mansion were immaculately kept. Really a day to remember!

We continue to enjoy beautiful weather and we're keeping our fingers crossed!

New Orleans

2011-10-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

New Orleans is a "happening" city, and we spent 4 days trying to see and do as much as possible! Anyway, we took the Super City Tour, which included the devastation of Katrina. How sad!!
This ia a picture of the French Quarter near downtown New Orleans. Their annual Mardi Gras celebration takes place here. (Wil says he's too old for this.)
This is an example of the many houses that were destroyed and are still waiting for something to happen.

Our last day here, we took the Riverwalk - much needed exercise for both of us - and this was beautiful....very busy as well - music, shopping, food, and the scenery, of course!

One of the memorials that caught our attention during the Riverwalk.

This was a beautiful day for the Riverwalk. Wil is here with the Mississippi River and the Huey P. Long bridge behind him.

Natchez Trace Parkway

2011-10-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

We entered Natchez Trace on Thursday the 14th. This is a beautiful 444 mile drive from Nashville to Natchez, Ms. We especially enjoyed the changing colors of the trees, which we don't experience in California! This road has no commercial signs or commercial vehicles. They are not allowed, which made the journey very peaceful.

Judy and Max at a rest stop! Couldn't resist the brilliant colors.

Wil looking down at part of the Old Trace Trail. (Just looking....no action!)

Max enjoying the drive and doing what comes naturally.....sleep!

Tullahoma TN & Marietta GA

2011-10-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

Our lsst night in GA was dinner out with my brother and nephew. This was another hard "good-bye"! (If you're ever in GA, you have to try Marietta's Fish Market!)

Judy's brother and sister-in-law at their home in Marietta, GA. It's always a treat to spend time with family, which you see so little of!!

We enjoyed a 2-day visit with Wil's sister in TN. As you can see, we consumed her backyard. The last night here, we had dinner with her son and his family. Sorry to say good-bye!

Arkansas

2011-10-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

The shop in Searcy, Arkansas has full hookups for customers while their repair work is being done. The weather has been perfect in Iowa and Arkansas!!

To our surprise we found out that a reunion of Wils mother's family was taking place in a little town of Damacus, Arkansas about 45 miles from Searcy, Arkansas where we were waiting for 3 days to get our windows fixed. Pictured here is Darrel, (Wil's nephew) Wanda (Wil's sister-in-law) along with Judy & Wil.

Iowa with Grandkids

2011-09-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

Our great grand babies! Liam and one week old Delilah.

We drove from my class reunion in Missouri to Iowa, where Wil's grandchildren (and great grandchildren) live. While here, we stayed at Scott County RV Park, from 9/26 to 9/29, which was very nice with full hookup and $19/night. A real bargain!!

Dodge City and Kansas City

2011-09-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

A duplication of the orginal city buildings from the orginal picture of Dodge City in its heyday

Wil and Max going to look for the wagon train ruts along the Sante Fe Trail dating back to 1871.

While in North Kansas City, we stayed in this RV park located at Worlds Of Fun, a very impressive and popular amusement park.

A great reunion in North Kansas City with all my high school classmates! A precious link to my past, and we both enjoyed ourselves.

Albuquerque to Walsenburg

2011-09-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

After spending a couple of days with Stephen and Margaret Bolshazy, we said good-bye with them standing in front of their beautiful home in Albuquerque. The next night we stayed over in Las Vegas, NM, before heading out into Colorado.

This picture is of Judy and Clyde Burrow's house, which they're in the process of building the entire place themselves. They chose Walsenburg, CO to call home, and it's a beautiful setting. Much luck and happiness to them!

Vista to New Mexico

2011-09-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

1st night in Needles at the Elk's Lodge HOT -HOT- HOT

We found the "shoe tree" in Amboy, Thanks John & Jan

At the New Mexico State Fair - Wil, Margaret and Steven Bolshazy

Lincoln City

2010-08-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

We arrived in this VERY busy oceanfront city on August 1st for 2 days. This is a happening place! So much to see and do, and what a beautiful Elks campsite. While here we walked the beach and, needless to say....Max loved every inch of it!! The trees growing from the rock was a fascinating and popular attraction. We really enjoyed this place and had a good time while here. But no Costco or a Walmart!!!!

Tillamook

2010-08-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

What a place so full of surprises! We found some beautiful sites to see (the Meares Lighthouse,the Octopus Tree and, of course, the cheese factory) as well as breath taking ocean views! Too bad we couldn't stay longer!

Tacoma-Tillamook

2010-07-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Tacoma WA Monday, July 26 for a 4-night stay. Wil spent quality time with his son, Mike - pictured on his back porch.
From here we drove through Oregon on our way to Tillamook. In Portland we experienced more traffic than we've had since leaving home!
As we got closer to the ocean the fog became more and more apparent, but still a very pretty drive!!

Lolo MT to Tacoma WA

2010-07-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

A long drive that took us across Idaho and Washington, a total of 500 miles!! Still another beautiful experience, but very tiring. Anyway, we're in Tacoma now, visiting with Wil's son. Our stay at the Elk's Lodge takes us to Friday, the 30th.

Butte to Lolo, MT

2010-07-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

This drive was one of many scenic drives that we enjoyed throughout our trip.
In Lolo we stayed at the square dance RV camp, where Jerry Junck was calling. He was really surprised to see us! Most of the big name callers have left their signatures in the hall.
The camp itself was very nice with at least 200+ trees. What a good time we had!

Butte Mt

2010-07-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

This city is a very busy place! We had a campsite about 5 miles out of town, staying 2 days. Part of the city was closed off due to Evel Knievel Days for the weekend we were there. (The tall bldg in the background is where the stunt man jumped from the roof.) Yes...we were part of the crowd. The wealth of Butte is due to copper mining. Berkley Pit was abandoned by ARCO in 1994, now filling with acidic water. There's quite a history to this and very interesting!!

Beartooth Highway

2010-07-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

Charles Kuralt called this the "Most Scenic Drive in America" and he was right!! It was an all day trip, but well worth doing. (We have Jerry Hamilton to thank for recommending this.) We climbed as high as 11,780 feet and the view in every direction was incredible!!! Cooke City was our "turn around", where we ate lunch, then enjoyed repeating the entire drive again to return to Billings. WOW!!!

Pompey's Pillar

2010-07-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

The only physical evidence remaining from the Lewis and Clark expedition is inscribed in this place called "Pompey's Pillar"
The climb up to view it was not one of Wil's favorites.

Billings Elks Lodge

2010-07-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

From Hardin we drove to Billings where we dry camped at the Elks Lodge for 3 days. Our first day there, we went into the bar and SURPRISE....the bartender was Jerry Hamilton, a caller/cuer for 22 years in Hemet. Both of us knew him well and were totally in shock. We had a nice visit with him and his wife, Crete, that night.

Little Big Horn Battlefield

2010-07-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

The battlefield was dotted with markers where the soldiers lay dead although they were buried in place, later they were exhumed and reburied military style at a cemetary on the grounds. The Indian grave is where the warrior was killed and buried. All 240 soldiers and General Custer perished.

Hardin Museum and Campground

2010-07-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

The first picture is the results of an oncoming storm....a very, scary, red sky! Luckily, nothing happened. We were camped at Hardin for the night.
The next day we toured the County Museum, which was quite a treat! It included the lifestyles of early pioneers, with several dwellings, etc. that we walked through.

City of Medora/Medora Musical

2010-07-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

Medora is a happening place on the western border of North Dakota. There is much history involved here, mainly that of Theodore Roosevelt. While here, we attended the nightly Medora Musical, which was a real producion, celebrating its 45th year.

Theodore Roosevelt Natl Park/Badlands

2010-07-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

We camped in this beautiful park about 5 miles outside of the town of Medora. There was an abundance of wildlife and exotic scenery all around us.

Enchanted Highway

2010-07-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

We took a tour of the Enchanted Highway and these are some of the sculptures. These are the worlds largest, giant, sculptures. The address on the internet is http://www.enchantedhighway.net/ . Take a look.

Lake Metigoshe

2010-07-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Roger and Gloria's home is a "piece of paradise", overlooking the lake. Roger is shown in the boat before they gave us a tour of the area.
Tommy Turtle that Judy is pictured with is symbolic of the Turtle Mountains.
We spent the last night together dining out at the Birchwood Restaurant. A great 3 day visit with them!

Mystical Horizons in Bottineau

2010-07-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

"Stonehenge" of the prairie is designed to view the spring, summer, winter and fall solstices and the equinox. Very intriguing! Roger, Gloria, Judy and Wil.

Entering ND

2010-07-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

We entered ND today, on our way to Bottineau where our friends, Roger and Gloria Schell, live - on Metigoshe Lake.

Watertown SD

2010-07-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

This was a very pleasant, unexpected stop for us, and we spent 4 days here because the park we stayed in, Stokes-Thomas Lake City Park, was so beautiful! It is situated on Lake Kempeska, a gorgeous, and very active place.
This town is also home for the famous painter, Terry Redlin, and his art center (pictured) is located here as well. The weather has been very good for the most part, although we have gotten rained on a couple of times. The mosquitos have found us too........

Sioux Falls SD

2010-07-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

This visit to Sioux Falls was not in our plans, but we're so glad we looked into it. These pictures were taken at Sioux Falls Park, which is how the city got its name. Like Wil says, "Wow", and that sums it up!!!

'Ramona 4th of July Parade

2010-07-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

What a riot this was, and a great 'small town' celebration! The population here is approx. 1000 people. We met up with a local family over a charity lunch, which made it really special for us.

We returned that night to Prairie Village, where they had a fireworks display at the lake.

Madison, SD - Prairie Village

2010-07-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

This was our "home" (in the mud!) for 2 nights, including the 4th of July. When we prepared to leave on the 5th, we found ourselves hopelessly stuck. We were rescued by a fellow camper, who towed us out via an antique John Deere tractor. (Wish we could"ve gotten a picture of this!!)

Mitchell, SD - Corn Palace

2010-07-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

A quick visit to the Corn Palace in Mitchell, which is quite a landmark with a wealth of history!! The world's only Corn Palace.

S. Dakota State Capitol - Pierre

2010-07-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

After Mt. Rushmore, our next stop was at the State Capitol of So. Dakota. We were lucky to have a guided tour of this beautiful building!

Bear Country, USA

2010-06-29T21:29:00.001-07:00

This is a drive-thru park, which means you're on your own. What a treat! Over 50 bears, some mountain lions, elk and much more.
Note: This may be our last blog entry for a couple of days, if we're without internet access. See you soon!

Mt. Rushmore Lighting Ceremony

2010-06-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

This ceremony happens every evening and is regularly attended by over 1000 people. The program is informative and very patriotic, giving the history and backgrounds of each of the 4 presidents. Well done!

Badlands Natl Park

2010-06-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

The Badlands is a sight to behold. The strangest formations of sandstone covering an area of 244,300 acres. Really a Kodak moment!

Wall Drug - Wall, SD

2010-06-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

We could've spent 2 days here! This is the most well-known landmark on Highway 90 in SD. Quite an interesting "family" story connected to this huge drug store success!

Deadwood, SD

2010-06-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Deadwood is a small Las Vegas, full of bars, casinos, dancers, but no high-risers. This is the town where Wild Bill Hickok was shot and killed. So glad we took the time to visit! (A piece of history.)

Sturgis, SD Harley Museum

2010-06-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

This '49 Harley Sundance motorcycle was the most expensive bike in its time and was owned by a Texas oil man. (All chrome and very little paint!)

Sturgis/Spearfish/Pactola Lake

2010-06-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

This was one of the most (unexpected) scenic drives we've experienced! It's called the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Bypass and is approximately 20 miles long. On the way we passed 3 different waterfalls and Pactola Lake, which was a highly recommended "tourist go-see". Max liked it, too. The weather, again, was a little "iffy", but we only had a couple of sprinkles.

Crazy Horse

2010-06-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

Crazy Horse is a tribute monument to the Indians of the territory. Started in 1948 by sculptor Korezak Ziolkowski and will be completed ????. Although he died in 1982 his family is still continuing the work. It will be the largest carving (even larger than Mt Rushmore upon completion)in the world. The small sculptor is what it is supposed to look like when finished.

Custer State Park - Wind Cave

2010-06-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

We were up and out by 8:00 this morning, mainly because people told to go early for our visit at Custer State Park. Little did we know what to expect. First of all, this whole area was very pretty throughout. Soon after entering the park we peaked a hill and came across this hugh herd of buffalo....literally 100s. They blocked traffic and made it known to everyone there that we were invading their turf. Entertaining to say the least! The volunteer in charge told us some interesting facts. Buffalo can run up to 35 mph and outrun many horses. Also, they can jump with ease over the fence where Wil was standing, and the males weigh up to and often more than a ton!
A little further up the road turned out to be hilarious! There were several donkeys being fed by people in cars and were, consequently, being very friendly. One of them approached our car and, out of curiosity, Max found himself nose to nose with one of them. "Put your face that close to me and you get a kiss!"
Later, we spotted deer, antelope, and prairie dogs as well. It was also published to be coyote and mountain lion territory. Wil said, "thanks, but no thanks."
This reminded us both of the "very" wild animals we encountered during our Alaska trip.
A good adventure, and we strongly recommend this!

From Custer State Park we drove down the road a bit to Wind Cave National Park. Neither of us knew much about this, so we bought tickets and within minutes found ourselves part of a tour group. The tour we went on was 1.5 hrs long, 300 stairs DOWN (or 20 stories underground). A little crazy and nothing like any cave or cavern we've been in. Thankfully we rode an elevator out!!! Quite a history and glad we did this.

Mt. Rushmore

2010-06-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

Here we are at Mt. Rushmore. WOW! A very spectacular, massive, unbelievable carving in solid granite and the largest monument in the world. We visited the Borglum Museum, who was the sculptor, together with 400 workers, who created the faces of 4 presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln. It was completed in 1941, 6 months after Borglum died. Absolutely incredible!!! We were honored to meet one of the original drillers, Nick Clifford, while there.
Much more to see and do this week! See you later!

Cheyenne - Scottsbluff NB - Hermosa SD

2010-06-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

From Cheyenne we drove through a small portion of Nebraska and experienced a beautiful countryside of rolling hills and farms. A real "change of scenery", except.... we caught the tail-end of a passing storm. No problem though. We ended up at a Wal Mart Super Center in Scottsbluff and spent the night. (Some thunder and lightning, which Max didn't like, but luckily it didn't develop into anything.)
We got an early start the next morning and encountered more threatening, dark clouds. But, again nothing happened. We arrived 2 hours later at our campground in Hermosa, where we will be staying for a full week. It's very nice and located close to Mt. Rushmore.

Cheyenne WY

2010-06-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

Our tours through Cheyenne resulted in a whole day's worth. First of all, we toured both the original governor's mansion. Then, we had a guided 'private' tour (we were the only ones at the time) of the current governor's mansion, which is a sprawling ranch built in the 1970s. Both were beautiful in their own rights.
After lunch, we bought tickets for an afternoon 1.5 hour bus tour of Cheyenne that was really interesting and informative!! This took us to most of the historic places and the information of each. Our tour guide was extremely entertaining and talked non-stop. All in all, a great time!

Vernal UT to Cheyenne WY

2010-06-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

The Flaming gorge is 70% in Wyoming and a huge lake. The dam is in Utah.

Along I-80 is this tree which grows in the rock. Quite a specticle........ Tomorrow we plan on visiting sights in Cheyenne.

Ashley Ntl Forest/Dinosaur Ntl Monument

2010-06-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

Hope all you fathers had a great day! Ours started from Price, Utah, driving through Ashley National Forest. Wow!! What a trip! One of those experiences that you can't capture by camera. Anyway, we arrived in Vernal, Utah late morning. Found a Walmart Super Center and settled in (along with several other RVs). After lunch, we drove approx 41 miles to the Dinosaur National Monument. (Wil's really into history!) We took the driving tour through the "park" and saw more unbelieveable scenery! After spending a few hours touring this area, we drove back to the RV, and Wil was treated to a Father's Day dinner. All in all, great fun.

Price/Helper UT

2010-06-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

In Helper we toured the coal mine/railroad museum. Very impressive!! Many workers were killed in the early mine operations.
While in Helper we also took in a car show. The picture of this Ford P/U and it's owner was made in memorial to 9/11. What a guy to do this!!

San Rafael Museum-Castle Dale

2010-06-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

During our second day in Castle Dale we visited the San Rafael Museum to get information on different points of interest. While there we enjoyed the display of prehistoric animal skeletons and a very impressive diorama of the area's natural beauty and wildlife. Very nice!

Our next endeavor was quite an unexpected venture! We HIKED 1 mile (with Max) to and from what is known as the Rochester Creek Art Panel. As you can see in the pictures, we had some much unneeded exposure to heights. Again, Max took my breath away!!! Anyway, this is a one of the most unusual pictograph sites in the state. Quite interesting and worth the challenging trek to get there.

Castle Dale Utah

2010-06-18T17:14:00.000-07:00

The next two days, while dry camping in Castle Dale UT, we first visited what is called The Wedge Overlook. It is Utah's little grand canyon. The Overlook was spectacular but, with a 2000 foot drop, no guardrail, and a curious Max, it was a challenge for Judy to enjoy the beauty. Along the drive we spotted an Antelope and she got the picture.

Las Vegas is still alive!!

2010-06-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

Our first night out was in North Las Vegas at the Elk's Lodge. Hot!! Couldn't wait until morning to head for higher country. While there we found Costco, but it was a Costco Business Center (geared for businesses) no polish dog. Dissapointed..........

Vista CA - Home

2009-08-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

By now you have probably guessed were home. We arrived Wednesday the 29th, and are glad to be here. We will let you know of our next venture Thanks for going along with us.

Wil & Judy

FMCA Convention - Bowling Green OH

2009-07-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

We spent the last 6 days attending the "Bowling Green Bash" which was a terrific (Family Motor Coach Assn)convention. With over twenty seven hundred motorhomes there, you can imagine how much room and co-ordination it took to handle them all!! We were blessed with nice weather and they provided entertainment every night but Wednesday (anticipating a severe storm....that never happened). Oh well! We are now "Westward Ho" for home. We'll keep in touch.

Ohio's covered bridge

2009-07-17T18:27:00.000-07:00

While making one of our scenic drives we came upon Ohio's longest covered bridge. It being 370' long and used by bicyclists, pedestrians, plus horse amd buggy driven by the Amish. Tomorrow we will leave for Bowling Green, OH for the FMCA convention.

Amish country - Ohio

2009-07-14T14:50:00.001-07:00

A unique Amish clothes dryer!

The west end of an east bound horse and buggy.

We've seen many of these "on the roads".

Pedestrian covered bridge.

The owners are in the store shopping.

Monday and Tuesday were spent touring and learning about the Amish people in the several communities currently surrounding us. To read and hear about them is one thing, but to witness first hand how they live and meet them personally is quite special! As you can tell from our selection of many pictures we took, we had a good time. We asked and searched for the opportunity of finding a covered bridge. Well... the little pedestrian bridge is the closest thing so far that we've been expecting. Oh well!!! Also, we were treated to a horse and buggy ride - Judy sat up front with the driver and got a 'good' shoot of our horse power. Great time and more to come before we head towards the FMCA Convention in Bowling Green Ohio Sat. morning. See you again!!

Mohican Pow-Wow, Loudonville OH

2009-07-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

We both feel so fortunate being able to attend this authentic pow wow!! We were there on the 10th and 11th. Both days were filled with dancing, musicians, singing, vendors, delicious food, and the storyteller standing with Judy. As you can tell by the pictures, their costumes were extremely elaborate!!! Words are hard to come by in describing them! To sum it up, we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of both days. And, if that's not enough, our campsite (within easy walking distance) was one of the best during our trip! What a great time!!!!!! Next week we're visiting the surrounding Amish communities. See you later.

Canton Ohio

2009-07-09T18:24:00.001-07:00

We arrived in Mogadore on 7/7, a small town north of Canton, for a 2-night stay. During this time we toured the NFL Hall of Fame (of course), as well as the Goodyear Rubber Museum. Don't know what I'm going to do with all this knowledge, but it was interesting. We were surprised to learn about the Goodyear Blimp Factory building - not too far from where we camped. (The third picture) Finally, we went to Harry London's Chocolate Factory for still another tour. After that we hit the road for the Mohican Reservation RV Park. This is truly beautiful, and we will be staying 9 days. We'll have lots to share with you!! Until then..........

Pittsburg PA

2009-07-06T09:36:00.001-07:00

Mountain Top RV Park is just that.....on top of a mountain and what a view! While here we met a very nice couple (Bob and Joanne, pictured with their dog, Mickey), and they invited us to go to the "Strip" (market) one day. A great experience, rain and all, which consisted of approx. 3 blocks of sidewalk vendors and stores to browse through. As you can tell, the skies were 'black' with rain clouds and it did that.....RAIN almost every day. The 4th of July was spent cleaning the RV without fireworks until Sunday the 5th. Oh well. Nice but we don't know why. Anyway, it was a very enjoyable stay!!! We're now on our way to Ohio. See you later.

Hickory Hollow - Somerset PA

2009-06-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

We arrived at Hickory Hollow on the 24th and wanted to share some pictures on our last day here. This was a typical "country" RV park. Surrounded by hills, we lacked internet and cell phone access, but our 5 day stay was very nice!! Although there was apparently fish in the small pond, Wil wasn't interested at this time. (We would definitely return again.)

Johnstown & Somerset PA

2009-06-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

All in all, our stay in Somerset has been a delight! (A far cry from busy, loud, and crowded DC to the lush, rolling hills of country-tranquility!) We thoroughly enjoyed DC, but this is a welcome diversity. Somerset is a quaint little town, but it does have a Walmart, which we've frequented more than once; although, no Costco. Oh well. By the way, Max continues to be a real sweetheart in evey way!

It's Sunday, and we drove 30 miles out of Somerset headed for Johnstown. In 1889 this town was destroyed by a massive flood, killing over 2,200 people. We sat through a documentary video and got a devastating look at the cause and outcome of this disaster. The building pictured here is The Johnstown Flood Museum.

Somerset PA

2009-06-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

During our 5 day stay in Somerset our sightseeing included 2 recent historical occasions. First, the Que Creek rescue in 2002 where 9 miners were successfully rescued after 3 1/2 days trapped in a coal mine approx. 240 ft below the surface. The rescue was made on the property of the man in the second picture. He is standing beside the 'capsule' used in the rescue.

From Que Creek we drove to see the crash site of Flight 93, the hijacked plane of the 911 disaster. A very interesting presentation was given, and the flag in the field is the actual site location where a memorable is to be erected in the very near future.

Ford Theater - Holocaust Museum

2009-06-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

On our last day of sightseeing in DC we visited the place where Lincoln died, which is located across the street from the Ford Theater. The Theater was closed for the entire week....very disappointing!
Also, we walked through the Holocaust Museum, and this was truly heart wrenching!! The world cannot allow such a horrific nightmare to happen again.
Wednesday we will be leaving for Pennsylvania, and we'll keep in touch.

Arlington Cemetery

2009-06-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

A place of honor, this cemetery consists of 624 acres and over 320,000 graves. It is a very sobering tribute to some of America's most beloved. The pictures we've chosen are of Wil at Kennedy's eternal flame tomb, the changing of the guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier and, of course, Audie Murphy (WWII's most decorated soldier, including Medal of Honor recipient), and a "small" view of the MANY gravesites. By the way, Happy Father's Day to all you dads!!!

Memorials

2009-06-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

All the Memorials touch your heart. The Korean, WWII and Lincoln are but a few of the many we have seen. Very impressive even in the rain........

Mt Vernon

2009-06-19T17:06:00.000-07:00

This day was quite a trip back into George Washington's life. Before the tour, we enjoyed a 'movie' documentary that set the pace and meaning for the day. Judy is standing in the "back view" of the mansion prior to our visit. Then the part of the house overlooking the Potomac River has Wil standing on the front veranda. We were told that the tree in the last picture was there when George Washington lived in the house.

The Capitol

2009-06-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

Wil is standing in front of the Capitol and definitely dwarfed by its immense size. The next picture is from the inside looking up at the ceiling of the dome, which is approximately 150 feet high. We were fortunate to have acquired tour tickets for both the Capitol and the Gallery of the House of Representatives. Also, we thoroughly enjoyed touring the White House, but photography was not allowed there.

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

2009-06-13T17:11:00.000-07:00

The Smithsonian Air & Space is truly a remarkable history of all things that fly, from the Wright Brothers' first motorized plane to the first manned capsule launched into outer orbit, and all things that have flown in between. Truly amazing!!!!

Washington DC

2009-06-12T16:31:00.000-07:00

We're playing "catch-up" because the internet access has been anything but favorable! Guess who spent the evening with us the day after we arrived in DC.....our very dear friends from home, Gene and Kathy Bell.
We toured the city aboard a double decker bus in order to get our bearings of various locations to visit. The sword was worn by George Washington. The other is of Judy in front of the Washington Monument.

Williamsburg VA

2009-06-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

This was truly a step back-in-time! We spent a day and a half here at Colonial Williamsburg. It's very hard to put this experience into words, and we could've easily posted many more pictures for you!

Early Virginia Capitol building.

This is Christiana's Tavern, which was George Washington's favorite dining place when he was in town.

Inside Governor's Palace with fireplace flanked with swords and rifles. Wow!

A 45-minute dialog by "Thomas Jefferson".

Governor's Palace.

Norfolk VA

2009-06-06T04:57:00.000-07:00

1)"Time Out" for mom and Max.
2) We visited MacArthur's Memorial in downtown Norfolk. What an amazing man!
3) This is a cannonball fired in 1776 (the Revolutionary War), which remains "embedded" in the wall of St. Paul's Parish.
4) The pier in this picture is known to be the longest one in North America. It extends 1690 feet into the ocean. This is a "fishing" pier, and I believe we were the only ones there without a line in the water.
4) Finally, our campsite while in Norfolk was at the Elks Lodge. The swimming pool looks very inviting, but the weather was too cool and it rained on and off during our stay.
All in all, a good time in this city, but ready to move on. Next stop is Williamsburg!

Myrtle Beach SC

2009-06-02T05:01:00.000-07:00

This is Myrtle Beach, and what a place!!! People, beautiful beach, miles of hotels, and money-money-money! We thoroughly enjoyed 3 days here and stayed in one of the nicest RV parks ever. I think this visit warrants repeating in the near future.
North Carolina is our next stop...a one-nighter.

Charleston SC Tea Plantation

2009-05-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

Later on (after Drayton Hall) we took another tour of the ONLY American Tea Garden in the USA and their processing plant. We found out the difference between black, oolong, and green tea. (Black tea is our preference.) What are going to do with all this knowledge?!
Tomorrow we are headed for Myrtle Beach...about 75 miles north. Until then.....

Charleston SC

2009-05-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here we are at Drayton Hall, a plantation of the late 1700's, which had approximately 50 slaves owned by the Drayton family. This was 'once' a beautiful mansion and has a most interesting history!! We took a 1 hour tour and learned all about this place. The tree that Wil and Max are standing by, we were told, is approximately 350 years old..... and the pond behind them houses 5 baby alligators. Thank goodness I didn't know this while we were enjoying the scenery!!

Savannah GA

2009-05-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

We spent most of the afternoon Friday, May 29, touring downtown Savannah, which is an old city with much history. Since we were close to the waterfront, Judy wanted to eat 'by the water' so we went to Spanky's for lunch. A well spent day!
Tomorrow we'll be in South Carolina.

Hardeeville SC

2009-05-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today we visited Fort Pulaski National Monument located east of Savannah GA. Built for defense during the American Revolution then later used by the Confederates in defense of the Yankees, it has quite a history of war. See http://www.nps.gov/fopu/ for more detailed information. We were enlightened by the events of early history.
We believe Mother Nature was trying to tell us something today in her most convincing way. The temp was 90 and the humidity 90%. YUK! Boy do us Californians have it good! We are soooo spoiled!!

Florida again

2009-05-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

We left Winter Haven, after visiting Mark and his family, and headed north to Orlando. Judy's nephew, Doug, and his family live just north of this big city, and the picture was taken in their backyard. The time with them was way too brief, but we got true southern hospitality. (Doug stands a good 6'6". It's obvious - everyone looks up to him!) Next stop is South Carolina. See you there.

Florida

2009-05-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed 3 "hot and humid" days in Winter Haven with Wil's oldest son, Mark, and his wife and step-son. One of those days was spent touring Bok Tower Gardens. This is located in Lake Wales, Florida, and is claimed to be the highest peak in the state (2400 ft) surrounded by beautiful gardens. A real treat for all of us! During our visit with Mark, we experienced stormy weather every night and often times included thunder. Not Max's favorite thing. Needless to say, he was a rather frantic camper. But that's Florida for you!! It was hard to say goodbye to them.

Marietta GA

2009-05-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

We've been with Judy's brother, Jon, and his wife, Charlotte, since Sunday and enjoying a wonderful visit with them. The weather has been great...cool and clear! Tomorrow we leave for Florida to visit Wil's son and wife. It will probably rain on us for the next four days as the forecast predicts. No problem! Max is thoroughly enjoying all the attention and is getting plenty of it. Will talk to you again soon.

Tullahoma TN

2009-05-16T16:51:00.001-07:00

We've spent the past 4 days in Tullahoma, Tennessee with Wil's two sisters, Edrie and Lola, and Edrie's son and his family. The picture of the five of us (left to right - Lola, me, Wil, Kent, Edrie) enjoyed a fundraiser breakfast at Appleby's sponsored by the Lion's Club, of which Kent is a member and graciously extended an invitation us all. Also, while in Tullahoma we took in a tour at the Jack Daniel's distillery. Since Moore County, where this is located, happens to be a 'dry' county, they didn't offer samples to the public.....but we had all the lemonade we wanted. We still enjoyed the tour very much! A piece of trivia....Jack Daniels became a businessman at the tender age of 13! We'll be leaving Tennessee tomorrow and our next stop is Georgia. See you later.

Nashville and Grand Ole Ory

2009-05-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was about the best we've had so far! During the day we took the Nashville City Walk Tour and learned a lot of interesting history - some dating back to as much as 200 years. This city definitely lives up to its name - Music City - and is sooooo friendly.
Last night was something else!!! We went to the Grand Ole Opry and thoroughly enjoyed that. One of the several performers who impressed us was a new up and coming talent, Jimmy Wayne, whose picture we've included on the blog. He'll be touring with Brad Paisley this summer.
All in all, a great day.
We leave this morning, May 13, for Tullahoma to spend a couple of days with Wil's sisters.
Until next time.....

Nashville TN

2009-05-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

After arriving and setting up our campsite we drove to and toured the Opryland Hotel. This has got be the greatest hotel in the USA. There are 3 very lush atriums inside the hotel with waterfalls and streams everywhere. The grounds are so beautiful with many "out in the open" restaurants. Tomorrow we have tickets to the Grand Ole Opry show. More later. Check out this website.

www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland/

Oklahoma - thru Arkansas - to Tennessee

2009-05-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

After visiting with Wil's relatives this past weekend, we are now in Jackson, TN., spending tonight at Walmart. Tomorrow we will be in Nashville and will add more to this blog.
'Tis the season for rain in the mid-west and we've driven thru our share. Overall it's been great so far.
By the way, Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers!

Oklahoma City Memorial

2009-05-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today we spent all afternoon touring the memorial. A very heartwarming experience and so glad we did this. Everyone should have an opportunity to come here and see what terrorism can do to innocent people. Truly devastating!!!
Tonight we are camping at the Firelake Casino in Shawnee, Ok.....free camping with hookups and $10.00 (compliments of the house) to gamble with. Not a bad deal, huh?
I even managed to get Wil behind a slot machine. Sorry I didn't get a picture of that!

Amarillo TX

2009-05-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

Landed in Amarillo TX today and boondocking at the Texas Visitors Center. Last night we stayed in Ruidoso NM which is the home of the richest quarter horse race in America. The daytime was hot, but the nights are cool. Todays drive was excellent. Great scenery and weather. Tomorrow we will be somewhere in OK. More later next time with pictures.

Willcox AZ

2009-05-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

We are in Willcox AZ and will leave for Portales NM. Yesterday was hot and windy and the dash air was not working. We did run the generator so we would have air. Will add more later.

Campout at Guajome

2009-05-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

We will be camped out with a group of friends and Square Daners until Sunday afternoon, then leave fo Yuma AZ for Sunday night. Monday evening we plan on being in Willcox AZ and hopefully we will have internet service for our next blog.