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Consummation and Repairs!
January 8, 2023Once we arrived in Elephant Butte, the first order of business was to make sure the New Bus condition was as expected. In particular, we had not been able to do a road test because the driveway was overgrown with trees. The Seller, Jim (a prince of a fellow in every respect) had arranged for
Read moreOur (Aborted) Swing North
January 8, 2023Our last few months has been spent in one spot, more or less. This is because, as reader(s) of this Blog may remember, we have acquired our next phase of mobile operations! And it needed some work before we could well and truly hit the road in it. And, we are at that point, just
Read moreOur Wanderlodge is FOR SALE
September 27, 2022UPDATED! RV WHERE YET is a Vintage Gem that has been lovingly maintained and gently upgraded, updated and enhanced for 6 years. It pretty much ALL works…drive it away and use it today! We are HIGHLY MOTIVATED (to say the least). So motivated that We’ll even pay your airfare (as a credit upon purchase)
Read moreA New Home for the Houseless?
August 29, 2022As we may have mentioned to at least some of you, we are considering the purchase of a new bus. Well, “The Bus” (as we shall refer to it in this article, not to be confused with “Our Bus,” RV WHERE YET) is a 1986 Bluebird (specifically a PT-40) version, which is certainly newER than
Read moreMoving Slowly Towards Destiny
August 27, 2022Leaving Iowa we had several weeks to wind our way to New Mexico, and our lives have returned to what we enjoy: few plans, no schedule and lots of Happy Accidents! Happy Accident #1: We keep in touch with lots of people on the road, and our first stop, requiring only a slight bend in
Read moreIowa Corn and Life Changes
July 31, 2022Several pretty significant and life changing events occurred (or didn’t occur or nearly didn’t occur) in the past few weeks, but our PLANS all along were to spend some time in Iowa, on the Florer Farm. It was CORN SEASON, after all, and Bluebirdbrain friends, the Florers grow the best Sweet Corn EVER!!! We have
Read moreFinishing in CHI, then NYC for NBA
July 31, 2022A few more thoughts, before we leave that phase of our life behind… We spent most of May and June in Chicago, cleaning out our home of 30 years in preparation for the close. AND visiting friends and restaurants and etc… Our neighbors helped us with gaining a spot on the street, which entailed almost
Read morePeeling the Onion!
May 26, 2022Most of our time in Chicago has been spent gradually peeling the onion – removing all the layers that accumulate over the years, down to just what is imPOtent. Liz and I made a pact with each other that we were NOT going to keep things with mere “minor” sentimental value, which is almost everything.
Read moreDecision Points… Pass on Passes and the Horny Corner!?
May 26, 2022So….Our time in California came to an end approximately the same time that Chet’s basketball season came to an end. More on the latter in a minute – first we had to escape California. That presented TWO challenges…the price of fuel and the route to take. FORTUNATELY, RV WHERE YET has a BIG fuel tank
Read moreThis “Living on the Road” Experiment is OVER!!
March 21, 2022But, not the way you might be thinking!!! As we have disclosed before, Liz and I have decided that the experiment IS over – we are happy on the road, and don’t need most of our assets tied up in a 100+ year old maintenance pit in Chicago. Our place was listed just B4 Thanksgiving,
Read moreTexas Highlights…Such as Leaving Texas!
March 20, 2022We spent some fabulous time in Texas, as disclosed in our last post. I probably owe Texas at least a little bit more press, so here we go! OK. There is nothing more to report!! Well, maybe a little… We enjoyed the weather, our neighbors and new friends (Steve and Debbie) and time with old
Read moreSouthbound and South Padre Adventures
January 15, 2022As we were getting ready to leave Sin City, we had a little adventure we’d just as soon NOT repeat. EVER. For a couple evenings, I had been hearing a sort of “scratching” noise, but could not identify a source. And it was windy most days, so the sound COULD HAVE BEEN something rustling outside.
Read moreSin City Family Time
January 15, 2022Our stay in Vegas commenced with arrival at the CLARK COUNTY SHOOTING RANGE. This place was recommended to us as a replacement for the Dishonest and Unethical RV spot that we had booked in town. And, it turns out, the recommendations were SPOT ON, much as the shooters are (mostly) spot on at their stations!
Read moreGetting Screwed in Las Vegas (NOT like that, tho…)
November 16, 2021We left Windy’s and headed to Las Vegas. I had made an appointment with a highly recommended Diesel shop there, the purpose being to have the Bus Lubed, and under that pretense have someone knowledgeable look at the greasy side to make sure everything that should be connected, was. We needed to be there at
Read moreFriends with Benefits and Pigs with Personality
November 16, 2021Leaving Denver, we had a choice of 2 paths. One would land us in Pagosa Springs, where Liz’s friends Dyan and Royce have a new AirBNB (and, as we learned only later, Royce had prepared a Green Chili made with Elk). The other would be a southernly path, thru Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Normally, the
Read moreIowa Harvest University and more (WAY MORE!)
November 5, 2021Immediately upon arrival at the Florer Farm, Cindy delivered us out to the field Steve was Combining, and he took first Liz and then me for a ride in “The Combine!” This is the UNBELIEVEABLE (to a City-slicker, anyway) symbol of American Agriculture. As I was watching the machine, I could think only of Rube
Read moreBumps and Spots and Anomalies, Oh My!
November 5, 2021Our path next took us back to Chicago for the very briefest of visits. Our ONLY reason for visiting was that I had noticed a bizarre “thing” under my tongue. Noticed because I had managed to get a Tortilla chip lodged there, and upon investigation discovered “it.” I had not wanted to trouble Liz with
Read moreSenior Debauchery
October 2, 2021Several college friends had made the trek to Minnesota: Dick and Tyra Stubbs from Idaho, Craig Banister from Denver, Betsy Kremser from Nearby Osceola, WI. Mark Morris ex-of-Duluth even made a cameo appearance, too, all the way from San Rafael, Ca. And, a nice surprise for me: Bruce Swanson, who lives in Minneapolis. Bruce and
Read moreOnwards and Upwards…
October 2, 2021We left out West Des Moines en route to Minnesota for a variety of End-of-summer fun and frivolity. We had about 3 weeks planned in the Twin Cities – State Fair, mini-college reunion and “Friendsgiving.” Prior to that, though, we decided to squeeze in the BAYFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL in Duluth Minnesota. Been following Music Festival
Read moreTimes when we might prefer a ROOT CANAL
September 2, 2021Our trips (yes, TRIPS!) to Chicago were in part necessitated by a cascade of building maintenance items that, together, added up to some pretty major expenses AND the need to involve the City of Chicago Building Department. I know, redundant, right? Part of our time there was actually planned well in advance related to Doc
Read moreTruman and the LOO
September 2, 2021A thought for the day courtesy of Harry Truman… Our last missive described our first pass through Missouri, and KC in particular. Since we missed the Truman Library (it reopened after a 2-year remodeling project THE DAY AFTER WE LEFT…) we decided to bend our route back through. Not really out of the way, as
Read moreBlues, Baseball and Birthday USA
July 16, 2021We approached and settled in KC after having our fill of Home Made Ice Cream (Is that even possible – the “having our fill” part?) at the Florers’. We had identified an RV spot that seemed close-in, being just outside of Downtown Independence, which is just outside KC – a first layer suburb. That spot
Read moreBig Daddy and New Shoes for Baby
July 16, 2021Our last installment had us in Chicago, eating, drinking and making merry with friends. We also visited our various medical and dental professionals – appointments that create a level of apprehension that I don’t remember when we were younger. All was well, though – the Docs all basically said “Keep doing what you’re doing…” and
Read moreShort Detour about Tall Folks
June 2, 2021As we were exiting Utah, it came to pass that my nephew declared/committed to Gonzaga Basketball for 2021. AND, it seems, he was invited to play in The invitational Iverson All Star Game in Memphis Tennessee. We had been watching as many of Chet’s games as we could stream this past year, including the
Read moreMore “You cannot make this Sh*t Up” than any post to date!!!
June 2, 2021Thought for the day (Click here)… Once we finished with Utah (and I assume Utah was quite finished with us), we began the trip east, and ultimately North. Our goal: Chicago, where we have doc and dentist appointments. This post will be unlike any for the past year – lots of places and lots of
Read moreMoab’s UNIQUE Easter Celebration (and MORE Parks)
April 10, 2021We made it to MOAB, where we had scammed a spot as a result of a cancellation. It seems that there is this thing called “The Moab Easter Jeep Safari” every year. Who knew? The “Jeepers” occupied every single camping spot in the area – thousands of them. The whole collection of vehicles and Drivers
Read moreThe Utah Weird Food Tour Continues
April 10, 2021Our next stop on the Utah Park Parade was Escalante, where one can access Escalante/Grand Staircase (technically not a “Park” but a “Monument”). Also in the area was the Utah State Petrified Forest Park. On the way to Escalante, we encountered the first road and first instance where I thot RV WHERE YET was NOT
Read moreA Utah Religious Experience (or two)…
April 3, 2021We departed Zion (do people actually LEAVE Zion without being cast out?) for our Vaccine Appointment with destiny in Cedar City. This was to be a two-for, since the vaccinations were being conducted in a Mormon Church, places we were singularly unsuccessful at appreciating in St. George. We pulled up at the church at 10:30
Read moreAfter The Vortex spit us out…
April 2, 2021We left Sedona and The Florers, neither of whom said they were happy to see us leave, but neither did they say they weren’t, and we know not to overdo it! AT least ONE creature was not happy we were moving again (note the feather wrapped around our WIFI antenna). Friends from Chicago, the Schmiders,
Read moreFun (and Corn) in the Desert
March 15, 2021Our friends, the Florer’s, were, as expected, co-residing in the RV park in Tucson, and we set about gradually merging our Covid Pods. This included a variety of shared meals, as well as a couple of bags of INCREDIBLE IOWA CORN. We committed on the spot to another Iowa visit this summer – not coincidentally
Read moreHot Springs, Cold Weather and Deshebrado Brisket
March 13, 2021Our “plan” for the coming weeks included a couple with our FAVORITE Iowa Bluebirders and Corn Imprimateurs – The Florers. They leave Iowa for a bit every winter (wouldn’t you, if you could?), and after careful plotting of orbits, we realized we shared some common geography and goals. We decided to meet for a week
Read moreIce, and not Just in our Margaritas
February 15, 2021Our time was up on South Padre Island, so we needed to figure out, “Where Next.” A few weeks hence we’ll be joining the Florers near Tucson, but what to do in the meantime? We had a couple options: Follow the Rio Grande, stopping along then way for hiking and possibly a burrito or two.
Read moreThere’s Space at the Beach!
February 14, 2021We left Galveston intending to spend a couple weeks farther south…South Padre Island, to be exact. You cannot really get farther south without a Passport. The drive was uneventful, broken by choice into two super-windy driving days. There was one point when the wind was 40+mph and we were driving straight into it – the
Read moreMechanical Mayhem
January 19, 2021Sitting parked is often an excuse to make a dent in the “non-priority” To-Do list; and Galveston 2020/21 was no exception. Well, kinda an exception…since a couple HIGH-PRIORITY items reared their ugly heads to occupy most of my attention!! Our last 100 miles before arriving in Galveston surfaced a MAJOR issue with the Air Brake
Read moreTacos and Mosquitos
January 19, 2021We’ve now spent almost 2 months in Galveston. We posted almost a month ago about holidays and Sushi and Brake Repairs; It has taken almost another month for enuf “stuff” to happen to justify a post. In the meantime, we’ve done a lot of Beachwalking and Brewery-supporting, with a measure of Ad-Hoc-Al-Fresco Dining. One of
Read moreHunkering In Style!
December 15, 2020Our first couple weeks in Galveston were spent reacquainting ourselves with the area. We were here a couple years ago, and stayed about a week in a completely different area and in a totally different time. I mean, there were restaurants and bars open then! So we were basically starting from scratch and HOPING to
Read moreWe BARELY Made it to Galveston…
December 15, 2020We arrived in Galveston to begin our Covid-Hunkering, but only just barely. For the last 100 miles or so, I was noticing an issue with a key RV WHERE YET system. And when I say “KEY,” I do so NOT tongue in cheek, which might refer to the Blender, or the Musical horn. Those ARE
Read moreThanksgiving … Metaphor Wishes to all our friends.
November 26, 2020First and foremost, I want to wish everyone who reads this (and even those who dispense with our posts directly to the trash) a MOST EXCELLENT THANKSGIVING. It has always been our favorite Holiday – purest of motivation, with no one needing to sell you anything (except for the Turkey Farmers, and somehow Black Friday
Read moreThe Good, the Bad and The Stranded…
November 26, 2020As I mentioned (teased?) in the last post, we stopped at our favorite mechanic in Daphne, Alabama, to help with his boat payment (cuz that’s the kind of giving people we are…). Our visit to Daphne for a 6-month RV WHERE YET Checkup STARTED OUT well. Bus went up in the air. No “obvious” problems.
Read moreBIG Decisions…TO Move or Stay (Election Day in DC)
November 21, 2020We were considering if we wanted to extend in DC; to be part of historic celebrations that might take place on Wed. Nov. 4. We decided it was unlikely that there would be ANY certainty by then (or, as it turns out, by a month from then!), so we decided to press onwards. We had
Read moreWashington DC Melancholy
November 21, 2020As we disclosed in our previous Newsletter, we planned to spend nearly a month in Washington DC, helping to sort through and address a lifetime Legacy left behind by my Aunt Marilee, who passed from COVID in September. This was a two-fold challenge: A FULL Lifetime of possessions and a Lifetime of Art. Fortunately, we
Read moreWearing Holes in our Soles and Souls
October 8, 2020After leaving Chicago, with holes in our souls, we were determined as the best medicine to wear holes in our soles as well. That is to say, to begin moving and observing and enjoying again. We had intended to travel down the Mississippi River, keeping our eyes open for opportunities to buy property for the
Read moreIs it weird to say…
October 8, 2020…That someone was “Taken too soon” if that someone was 107 years old? FULL DISCLOSURE: There will be some politics in what follows; I hope you’ll read on whatever your particular viewpoints might be. Only when we can TALK REASONABLY about such things can we find our way out of the divisiveness and spitefulness we
Read moreSTILL GOT IT!
September 11, 2020Once we made it to Minneapolis, we began the task of, what I would loosely call: Senior Citizen Debauchery. We were with college friends, with whom we had committed “Real” debauchery those many years ago. I remember evenings that began with enormous Mexican Food Feeds, followed by enormous Ice Cream Sundays and then perhaps beer
Read moreWide Open Spaces and Masses of Humanity
September 11, 2020The past few weeks have seen us burn several tanks of diesel, which means our front yard has changed several times even as we stay in our bubble, socially distant. We decided to make a big loop through the Dakotas – an area with wide open spaces and several wonders of the universe. Once there,
Read moreWho knew there was SMUT in Iowa!
August 8, 2020While we were parked on a beautiful concrete pad next to the Florer’s barn, I decided to take a crack at repairing a worsening Air leak under the bus. As you may remember from previous posts, many important functions of RV WHERE YET are operated by compressed air. For example, the Extendable step outside the
Read moreIowa gets a Bad Rap…
August 8, 2020For the past couple of weeks, we have been in Iowa. More specifically — if it matters, because one Corn field looks much like Another – In the town of West Des Moines. And, see, THAT is an example of the ”Bad Rap” that Iowa suffers. THERE IS MORE THAN CORN in Iowa!!! For example,
Read moreAn Interior Refresh
July 21, 2020So, once we became aware that ONE IKEA had what we needed in stock, we RUSHED (well, as fast as RV WHERE YET can “rush”) to pick up what we needed. With cabinets now in hand (or on bus), we headed for temporary parking at Liz’s sister’s spot. Next step: Figure out with Bob White,
Read moreThe Great Circle
July 20, 2020After completion of our Fridge Install in Shipshewanna, and in person (tho still safely distant) cocktails in Southwest Michigan, we decided to head back to Chicago – by way of Northern Michigan, the “UP” and then down the west side of the Lake. We figured we could EASILY waste a month on that journey. Before
Read moreMoving North…
June 11, 2020Our travel is ALWAYS an adventure, so it should come as no surprise that our path northwards included some. It seems the governor had extended Michigan’s “Stay at home” order, and no amount of assurance that we WERE staying at home (in RV WHERE YET) was going to let us camp at Weko Beach Campground
Read moreMoving on…
June 11, 2020We departed Naples, FINALLY. With a couple things in mind…getting the hell out of Naples being the first. Don’t misunderstand…nothing wrong with Naples. In fact, over the last 10 days or so of our stay, the beach near us had opened, so we could avail ourselves of one of the major attractions of the area:
Read more(Finally!) No more days in Paradise…
May 17, 2020Our time in Naples Florida is drawing to a close, as we are gradually deciding to re-engage with the world. Our “plan” at the moment is to leave our spot here on Monday 18 May, and we have a variety of stops semi-scheduled. More on that below, but first some discussion of how the past
Read moreFORCE OF NATURE (and National Treasure)
May 17, 2020While stuck in Florida, watching the chaotic, partisan and ridiculously inconsistent response nationwide, there has been a little bit of drama in our family around the Pandemic. This has occupied more than a little of our attention and emotions, and I thought I would share this with you. Not because anyone NEEDS more about the
Read morePublic Health and Private Fun!
April 15, 2020After leaving the Space Coast, Our intention was to criss-cross Florida to visit a variety of friends and former-clients… This STARTED well…We moved to Kississississime [sic] as a central spot where we could see former work colleagues Blair and Fidel Davidson AND… fellow travel-ers and Dance Club Friends Jack and Carole Harriff. Both were staying
Read moreDown to Earth and out to Space!
March 14, 2020We left Vidalia with the goal to reach St. Augustine in 2-days travel. On the way was a museum we have passed by many times, intending to stop. The Tallahassee Antique Auto Museum has been described to us as “fantastic” and “Eclectic.” They also allow overnight parking (and even though it was a grassy field,
Read moreBug Smasher of the Year!
March 14, 2020Our next stop, after Hilton Head was the banks of the Mississippi, in Vidalia, La., where there is a LOVELY RV PARK that overlooks (for the moment) the Mississippi River. I say “for the moment” because the river is rising, and will soon flood the bottom end of the park. But not for at least
Read moreHilton Head and Iowa Crack
February 22, 2020We arrived at HH just a couple of hours ahead of a major, and fairly violent cold front. We had a few hours of warm, sunny weather before the crash, though, and put it to full use – cocktails on the patio and then Mexican Food at a place with a fantastic Guitarist. Put us
Read moreIn a Place where the World Changed…
February 22, 2020Our meandering took us next to a place that was best (for us) visited during the off-season. For a whole variety of reasons. I am speaking about the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This is a skinny spit of sand that shelters the Atlantic coast, but is itself anything BUT sheltered. Amazing to me that
Read more(More) Southern Exposure.
February 5, 2020Our next stop as we headed south was Raleigh, NC. A place where RV WHERE YET’s Left-lean would not be noticeable…and another place we had heard good things about, so, time to explore! The first thing we discovered was a GREAT RV Spot at the North Carolina Fairgrounds. This is close-in to the rest of
Read moreFrozen (And NOT the Disney version!)
February 5, 2020Our next stop was added to our “plan” by realization that we were within a few hundred miles of My Aunt Marilee, who lives in WashDC. You may recall several previous “Marilee-Audiences” here in these pages (2017 and again in 2018) . We are acutely aware that Marilee is 107 Years Old. We are
Read moreCharlotte — Finishing our Southern Orientation
January 16, 2020Moving onward and upward from Irmo, SC., we decided to make a stop in Charlotte, NC. One of the fastest growing US metropolitan areas, and with an RV Park well within the city limits, we decided a few days of urbanity would be just perfect for us. Elmore’s RV Park is a weird little place
Read moreJames Brown and the Lizard Thicket.
January 15, 2020We are, as disclosed previously, starting 2020 with the grand circuit of the Carolinas. We’ve never been in the area other than driving through it, and people say really good things about it. So, we pointed RV WHERE YET North and moved slowly (the only way we CAN move) in that direction. We knew we
Read moreand…Plans for Year 4 (2020)!
January 3, 2020As you well know, if you have been reading these pages with ANY regularity, we don’t put a lot of effort into anything that one would call an “Itinerary.” We generally make big, broad “Quadrant” projections, and see what happens out of that. For example, “Alaska in 2019.” Or “The Canadian Maritimes” in 2018. BUT,
Read moreEnd of 2019 (year 3 on the road)
January 3, 2020We have just spent ANOTHER significant holiday with THE MOST DELIGHTFUL people imaginable. These are the McNicolls, who are related by marriage (Liz’s Brother’s in-laws). They have graciously welcomed us into their home and to their holiday table three times, now – XMAS twice and Easter once and we are grateful for their generosity and
Read moreA Kiwi Invasion!
November 28, 2019You may recall that we spent 3 weeks over XMAS and New Years 2017-2018 in New Zealand with friends Pam and Kevin Wilson… While there, and because Liz HATES accepting hospitality at face value, we insisted on helping with their XMAS Dinner, which turns out to have a Turkey Component by Kiwi (or at least
Read moreThe “End” of our 2019 Travels. Does a Circle Ever end?
November 28, 2019As our 2019 travelling was winding to a close (if only because 2019 is winding to a close), we needed to solve a couple of problems. First and foremost: Where to leave the Bus while we are home for the Docs and the Turkey? Preferably SOUTH, so we would not have to winterize and worry
Read moreUNWELCOME Stalkers
November 3, 2019Our route towards Houston circumnavigated the city of Dallas. We arrived there with about 4 hours on the clock, so it was time to stop. We had a choice – stop Mid-Dallas-ish (there was a Walmart in the town of Plano that seemed a good candidate), or drive a little further. We chose the latter
Read moreSo Cheesey it Belongs in Wisconsin!
November 3, 2019We departed Albuquerque to begin our slow march eastwards. We have an “appointment” in Daphne, Alabama (near Mobile) to have our favorite Truck Mechanics, Lazzari Truck Services, put hands on RV WHERE YET. Lazzari was one of our first experiences with the kindness of strangers…more on that later! But, before we could exit Albuquerque we
Read moreExceeding Expectations…AKA The very Definition of “Hooked up”
October 18, 2019As we have disclosed many times in these pages, one of our inviolate Retirement Creedos is to NEVER have Expectations, so we are never disappointed. Usually, we pull this off, but it is pretty hard to suspend expectations about one of the world’s MOST PHOTOGRAPHED events – the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, which we have been
Read moreNew Mexico…even higher than Colorado!
October 17, 2019Way back when, we had put a pin in the map for a couple of New Mexico events. The first was a rally in Red River, in the very Northern-most part of the state. And at a pretty high altitude for both RV WHERE YET and its human occupants – Over 9,000 ft. The former
Read moreGood Timing and Great Peril
October 3, 2019Before escaping Thermopolis, we had another “issue,” this of a technological nature. During the tank repair nightmare, I was outside after dark, using my phone as a flashlight when it fell off the ledge it was on. Not more than a foot. No different than 100 other falls. But this one struck a stone or
Read moreThings are Harder (and easier) than they should be!
October 3, 2019First, a Thot for the Day…On the Horns of a Dilemma! As intimated in previous posts, we have been seeking a place to get the tires on the Jeep replaced. Our goal was to replace all 6 (the spare, and the spare-spare as well as all 4 on the wheels). We needed to find a
Read moreWearing out the words…
September 13, 2019I know; we have been waxing philosophic all summer about this spectacular place or that magnificent view. We need to agree to a moratorium on exclamatory terms such as these, or risk losing our reader (all one of you). Please forgive us ONE MORE TRANSGRESSION – because, well, Glacier National Park is ALL OF THAT,
Read moreCalgary…with Kharma Fully Intact
September 13, 2019Our path south next brought us to Calgary. Calgary was definitely a city one should approach without expectations. It has been hit hard by the oil economy, which is affected by LOW prices and also by Canada’s energy policy uncertainty. But, even with a certain amount of empty office space and unnatural quiet (especially downtown),
Read moreBanff and the Icefield Parkway
September 1, 2019Our next stopover was the town of Banff, where I had managed to reserve a spot at a Parks Canada facility in town for 2 nights. This was no small feat – it is coming up on Labour Day Weekend in Canada, and Banff is pretty close to Calgary. Most places were VERY FULL. But
Read moreHow can Mile Zero also be mile 7,000?
August 31, 2019Travelling the Great Alaska Highway was really uneventful. The road ranges from good to excellent most of the way across the Yukon and British Columbia. We have been to several stops with museums on the construction of this road, during WWII, and the current condition we experienced is a testament to Canadian Resolve in
Read moreI spoke too soon! (so what else is new, sez Liz!)
August 23, 2019Our stay in Whitehorse was always intended to be a brief one – primarily for maintenance. You haven’t heard much about Bus Issues lately — and indeed RV WHERE YET has been performing well. Still, we build in a day here and a day there to take care of things — especially if we are
Read moreStarting Home(ward)
August 23, 2019This post finds us plotting our route out of Alaska and back to the lower 48. Our hope is to reach the Denver area (for reasons that will be exposed in later posts) around about the 19th of September, and Albuquerque by 6 Oct. Couple ways to go; we have decided to do an easterly
Read moreIt’s the little things (in unexpected Places…)
August 15, 2019After leaving Ninilchik, we decided to stop in Palmer, just North of Anchorage. Our SOLE REASON for selecting Palmer is it is on the way to Valdez, and it is not Anchorage. OK, that’s 2 reasons. Now, it is not that we didn’t care for Anchorage – we did, very much. But been there, done
Read moreSalmonfest – Festival and Peripheral
August 8, 2019After Seward and Whittier, we travelled onwards to Ninilchik, which is a little town on the west coast of the Kenai Peninsula. Our reason for being in Ninilchik was NOT because of the town, though. The annual “Salmonfest” Extravaganza was coming up, and we had tickets! But, as always, the “Main Event” would be far
Read moreSeward –SWEET! Best Place Yet?
July 30, 2019Our next stop was the town of Seward, also on the Kenai Peninsula. This is about 90 miles as the crow flies from Homer, but unfortunately, RV WHERE YET does not fly like a crow. So it was about 200 miles, and about 4 driving hours. All of which is fine with us. Arrival in
Read moreEarthquake, Fishheads, Ferry Rides and Stalkers
July 30, 2019Our next destination was at the very tip of the Kenai Peninsula – the town of Homer, Alaska. Their chamber of commerce calls it the Halibut Fishing Capital of the world; we don’t fish but imagined it as a Beach Community with NO swimming…since water temps are about 45F. There was a campground on the
Read moreAnchorage…Only an Hour from Alaska!
July 22, 2019Our next destination was the city of Anchorage, with over half of the population of Alaska contained therein. Someone at one point had said (with a bit of a sneer) that “Anchorage is only an Hour From Alaska;” the clear implication that it is not much like the rest of the state. They meant
Read moreDenali and Talkeetna
July 12, 2019These are two places that PROVE there is more than one way to get high in Alaska! We never book things very far in advance, which can sometimes work in our favor, and sometimes not. Access to the RV spots INSIDE the Denali National Park was impossible – all booked up. But we WERE able
Read moreA Second Helping of Fairbanks
July 6, 2019Like an ALL YOU CAN EAT Buffet, Fairbanks (and North Pole) get a second shot at the pages in this blog…and not just because we came BACK a second time and stayed at Pioneer Park for a few more days! Lot’s to see and Love about the area, and we don’t want to give it
Read moreAs Far as This Train Goes (EVER!)
July 6, 2019Wiseman (and getting there) was ALL THAT AND MORE. “That” being the farthest North Point we are ever likely to reach in our lifetimes. “More” being, well, read on! First of all, with the road and the construction on said road, the travel time was more like 8 hours each way; lots of dirt and
Read moreEveryone needs a Secret (Fairbanks) Weapon!
June 29, 2019Click Here for Liz’s Thot of the Day We moved onwards from Chicken, with our first destination being Tok. There, it had been suggested we should purchase diesel at a good price and Steve found an RV Park with an RV Wash. Both of us were carrying pounds at least, if not tons of mud
Read moreOperation Chicken
June 29, 2019I have previously mentioned Operation Chicken, a name coined by our ultimately unsuccessful Amazon Rep., in reference to her attempts to deliver orders to us in Chicken Alaska. But, the reason for our visit, the Music Festival “Chickenstock” was an operation of magnitude more than deserving of such a name. Ranking right up there with
Read moreWAY OFF THE GRID – Operation Chicken Continues
June 20, 2019The Amazon rep, who tried and tried and was ultimately UNSUCCESSFUL at delivering product to us at Chicken, Alaska, coined the name; and we thot it was appropriate for the WHOLE TIME we spent in and around Chicken, Ak. !!! I should tell the “END” of the Amazon story, first. Alexis TRIED to get product
Read moreDawson City – A Funky, Quaint Post-Industrial Wasteland
June 19, 2019Before we get into our experiences in Dawson City, You might have noticed not much in the way of mechanical issues on the Bus in the last couple posts. That is true!!! RV WHERE YET has been a steadfast steed! But Steve had an issue with his MUCH NEWER (yet still a vintage 1996) Foretravel!
Read moreSkagway – a PRINCESS of a town.
June 9, 2019(and Holland-America-Dutch, and of course a Celebrity) I am referring, of course, to the Cruise Ships. The two days we were in Skagway, there were a total of NINE Boats. 4 one day, and 5 the next. Now, most of the boats have a MINIMUM of 2,800 people on board. SO, my rudimentary math skills
Read moreYukon, a Whole ‘Nother Territory!
June 8, 2019We reached Watson Lake in Yukon Territory after driving on what can only be characterized as a really bad road. (Worried a little that this was NOT the worst we shall see, but it was the worst so far). The Cassier Highway is all paved, but very bumpy, narrow and with quite-sharp and steep dropoffs
Read moreFAST INTERNET (or we died and went to heaven)
May 30, 2019As we wind our way north, our first stop after Prince George was a place called Telkwa. This was a non-descript place at best BUT the owner of the park we stopped at exclaimed, “We have FIBER Internet and 120 Cable Channels!” Internet has NOT been great up here (and getting worse), but here was
Read moreThe Little Engine That Could?
May 29, 2019I suppose the biggest story in this post is about the old engine that is travelling (at HIGH volume) to Alaska perched between Liz and Myself. There are some pretty impressive grades, that we have to tackle in First Gear at 10-15 MPH. But, we are making it!!! Sometimes leading a procession of so-far understanding
Read moreReverse Petro-Tourism
May 21, 2019Our route to Canada was planned with a couple of very practical things in mind: Buy Diesel and Buy Propane. ESPECIALLY The former is WAY MORE expensive in Canada; we’ll have to buy some eventually, but we might as well carry as much as possible. Our friends in Vancouver tell us that many Canadians
Read moreThe EXACT cost of Stupidity…
May 21, 2019Our Alaska Voyage is now well underway. We made it to Vancouver as “planned” so we could group (can’t “re”group unless you have grouped first!) with our travelling companions, the Enfingers. Actually, we met up with them in Olympia, WA. So perhaps Regroup is appropriate, unless that was a “pregroup!” Our stay in Olympia was
Read moreIt’s all Liz’s Fault…
May 8, 2019Thot for EVERY day (Click here) You are going to have to wait a bit to find out WHAT is Liz’s fault, but trust me, it is worth it! As we continued north, I remembered from the past a friend who, I thot, lived in Roseburg, Or. Roseburg was right at the 4-hour point; so
Read more(Heard it Thru )The Grapevine…
May 8, 2019Click Here for a SOBERING Thot for the day… Our first task in California was to trans-navigate the LA area. The GPS took us around the bulk of it, on the 210 thru Pasadena. But eventually, all roads north lead to the notorious I5 “Grapevine.” This road winds through the hills North of LA, and
Read moreCalifornia Here We Come [Sucker]
April 19, 2019Our Bluebird Musical horn plays that song [I added “Sucker”] , along with 31 others including RV WHERE YET’s Theme Song: Roll Out The Barrel… .. Leaving Phoenix we had about half a tank of diesel. In that situation, I like to check GAS BUDDY to see if there are RADICAL price differences if we
Read moreAlmost Texans…
April 19, 2019We returned to Weatherford Texas, where we discovered that Max Hendrix had NOT sold the bus, though he claimed the neighbors were interested. Not so interested, apparently, that the police were summoned. While at the Max-cave, I completed the installation of our new BARBEQUE on a sliding shelf. Our previous unit, propane-fired, had been stuffed
Read moreRANDOM THOUGHTS!
April 8, 2019Thought for the Day (Click me!) My Dad’s 90th Birthday celebration in Minneapolis was SPECTACULAR. Celebrating a life well-lived, and far from done. There was a bit of nostalgia, some well-meaning trash-talking and general festivity at a brunch hosted magnificently by Dad’s partner, Helen. Not much debauchery, though. The video here will probably embarrass him
Read moreTexas-sized Hospitality
March 19, 2019So, we arrived at Weatherford and Chez Hendrix having passed through another line of impressive storms. In years past, we always watched on TV Weather the Bright Yellow and RED storms that seem to sweep across Texas, Oklahoma and such places every spring. It is a whole ‘nother thing to drive thru them! “Passed Thru”
Read moreAnother first! (At least, that’s the story I told Liz!)
March 19, 2019Our travels, seemingly random, are not always so. For the last couple weeks we have been pointing RV WHERE YET towards friends in the center. “Center” means pretty much the geographic center of the USA — Northeastern Oklahoma and Northwestern Arkansas. Center does NOT mean necessarily politically…friends can be all over the spectrum, but FRIENDS
Read moreWeather (or not)
March 8, 2019Our “plans” are definitely subject to the winds and whims of the weather. We had the idea to travel northwards a bit to see old friends Rhonda and Randy Dietz in far-Northwestern Arkansas, then Lynn and Dave Gray in far North-eastern Oklahoma. We had some days to spare and diesel in the tank, so why
Read moreOn a Roll (while Rollin’ on the River…)
March 3, 2019First, I guess I am on a roll…please indulge me for ONE MORE Personal post.. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my bride, partner-in-crime, conscience, dance-lead, muse, Secretary of the Treasury, main-squeeze (and alternate squeeze). I am speaking more about our lives together (28 years, now on February 23rd), but also this traveling-thing we are doing at present.
Read moreRay Harris is 90! — 25 March 2019
February 22, 2019So, one of the things that we appreciate when we are on the road is time. Time to consider the monumental events occurring in the world around us. NO, this is not another political post (I promised NO MORE of those). This is about My Dad’s Birthday; and I posted it here so others can appreciate and
Read moreThere are GREAT people in the world…
February 22, 2019Our travels by RV have revealed something we hoped for and suspected MIGHT exist, but which continues to surprise and delight. That is that the country (actually, the world!) is populated by mostly really great people. This despite varying political, religious and social beliefs. I thought I would balance my recent political post, not to
Read more2019 “Planning” (Which we try NEVER to do!)
February 14, 2019We have some VERY FUN (and aggressive!) travel goals for 2019… As we did last year, we have developed a post to let everyone know where we are pointed and approximately when. This is so we can have the opportunity for meetings with friends. We figure you may not LIVE in New Mexico or Oregon
Read moreThe Great Mexican Burrito Quest
February 11, 2019After our Dry Camping experience in Quartzsite, we followed a bunch of new Bluebirdbrain friends to Rocky Point (Puerto Peñasco) Mexico. If you are curious, though, here is a clip of what 70 Bluebirds in the Desert look like (Thanks Shane Fideli for the Drone Video) This is a sleepy resort town that is still
Read moreMy ONE (AND ONLY?) Political Post…
January 29, 2019If you aren’t in the mood for an old-fashioned political discussion, please stop now – we want you NOT to be mad at us and hope you will keep following our adventure. I have avoided doing this for over 2 years. But the last 30 days have been particularly ugly and partisan and my tongue
Read moreWhat happens in Quartzsite STAYS in Quartzsite
January 29, 2019Well, Liz and I successfully survived our first “dry camping” experience at the Bluebird Quartzsite Rally (more on the rally later). First, to explain that “dry” descriptor to many of our non-RV friends, who might think we just spent 2 weeks without alcohol (???!!!). THAT could not be further from the truth! There were plenty
Read moreFriends and other Weirdness
January 14, 2019Leaving NOLA, our first stop was Houston, Tx. Here our plan was to visit Barbara and Jacob Leon for a meal and conversation. We met the Leons at conferences over the years, mostly overseas. Every time we think of them, we remember a very humorous dinner in Rome involving a very gregarious waiter/con artist who
Read more2 Weeks, AD ( After-Daphne) – Biblical Floods and EVACUATION
January 14, 2019Well, Liz returned from New Jersey, and we were determined to do NOLA right. That was to begin with a visit to the WWII Museum and/or the French Quarter (weather dependent). And speaking of weather, that brings me to the particular FIRST we have experienced this week, which we hope never to repeat. It rained
Read moreWe won’t be “Ringing out the Old…” We live in it!
December 30, 2018Our 2018 travel season has ended with a ritual we have come to appreciate: An annual visit to our friends at Lazzari Truck Service in Daphne Alabama! You may recall from the pages of this blog that these guys took care of us when we broke an airbag way back in 2016 – nearly our
Read moreMore Hospitality…It Takes a Village to Save us from Ourselves
December 29, 2018We left the Lake Wales/Tampa Area in a caravan, since the new car could not yet be attached to the bus. Our next stop was Beverly Hills (Fl), where friends Randy and Sonia Shrimplin live (right next to the Drysdales, according to Randy ? ) . We met the Shrimplins at a couple rallies this
Read moreHit-and-Run Chicago
December 5, 2018Our Thanksgiving trip north was a three-legged extravaganza. Minneapolis was in the midst of its usual transformation into a Winter Wonderland… This was followed by a week and a half in Chicago, and then a return to Tampa. The Chicago leg was spent doing things that can ONLY be done in Chicago, including: seeing the
Read moreHAIR ON FIRE Emergency…
December 3, 2018…No, Really! Liz and I, first and foremost, hope everyone had a GREAT Thanksgiving holiday, and wish everyone the best for the remaining holidays and festive times of the year. Thanksgiving is really our favorite holiday of all…there are no real or percieved societal imperatives to buy anything for anyone, give presents, send cards, dress
Read moreWe Meet the NICEST People…
November 20, 2018Our time in Florida, after leaving Syd and Vic, continued with a visit to new friends, Bob and Nancy Weaver. We met the Weavers only briefly before – at the Bluebird Rally we attended in Cape Cod a month or so ago. At that rally, the Weavers offered a place in their driveway where we
Read moreEnd of an Era…
November 19, 2018In previous posts we described a change we were planning in our lifestyle. Specifically, the Clown Car has reached the end of its usefulness for us. Not that it has not been reliable and effective for the purpose, which is to make people laugh as I unwind myself from the driver’s seat. Seriously, it HAS
Read moreAnother first…
November 1, 2018Thot for the day (click me) I don’t want to say we are getting immune to all the strangeness we encounter, but I can say almost nothing surprises us anymore. Because “Surprise” would imply that we have expectations, which we do not. Expectations lead to disappointment – and surprise!!!! However, we just stayed at one
Read moreDOWNRIGHT PAINFUL
November 1, 2018The Wanderlodge Owners Group (WOG) Rally is probably our favorite (well at least MY favorite) because of all the mechanics in attendance and all the mechanicals discussed. The guys at this rally (and some gals, too!) have been under buses for many years – some are serial bus owners. Some are even members of the
Read moreA Sobering Experience…
October 20, 2018As mentioned previously, several Bluebird Friends were in Michael’s (Harms) way. We had time, flexibility and a self-contained dwelling unit, so we planned to head south to pitch in at Randy and Carol Dupree’s place. According to Facebook, at least 6 coaches were parked on their street, and all of their occupants were clearing trees,
Read moreTennessee Welcomes the Yankees
October 20, 2018Our next rally commenced in Sevierville,TN, long since “advanced” from the days when Dolly Parton grew up in the Holler near there. The “Holler” has been replaced by Dollywood Theme Park, Dollywood Splash Water Park, Dollywood Dreamwood Resort, Dollywood Smokey Mountain Cabins, the Dolly Parton Stampede Dinner Theater and Restaurant and by the Dolly Parton
Read moreNot the BEST way to start the day…
October 9, 2018Leaving Cape Cod for point south and our next rally turned into quite an adventure. Our next Rally was at Williamsburg, VA…a destination WAY TOO FAR to reach from Cape Cod without at least 2 stops. So, first, we planned to stop in first in New Jersey to visit Liz’s sister. We perused the map
Read moreRally, Rally, Rally…
October 9, 2018Our busy (?) rally schedule has started. The first one was on Cape Cod, where there was a gathering of Vintage Bluebirds – a club for Bluebird Wanderlodge RVs that are older than 10 years. Which is basically ANY Bluebird Wanderlodge, since they haven’t built one since 2008. This rally was organized by a fellow
Read moreIce Cream and Ex-Magnolia
September 23, 2018Once we arrived at Wompatuk, we connected with the MacQuarries. I have not seen Barry for a few years. We’ve both changed jobs since the last conference we hosted and coordinated together…Barry to a new firm and me, of course, to NO firm. We’re both pretty happy with the change – I was even
Read moreThere’s s.o.l and then there’s S.O.L!!!
September 23, 2018As we wind our way south from our Canadian Extravaganza, we are finding ourselves with a new challenge, unfamiliar to midwesterners. HURRICANE WATCHING. We will be transiting the east coast through September and October, ultimately ending up in South Georgia for our final scheduled rally this year. That takes us thru areas that either
Read moreRare and More Rare. And not even discussing Steak!
September 14, 2018After troubleshooting the CC issue, we were faced with a couple weeks of uncommitted time before we needed to be on Cape Cod. Even allowing for, possibly, a stop in Boston for CC Repairs. What to do…. We decided to add a couple more states to our resume…New Hampshire and Vermont. No rush to reach
Read moreBah HahBah – NOT!
September 11, 2018We moved onwards from the Bar Harbor Area, wandering gradually southwards. Next stop in Thomaston, Maine. This is in the area of Camden, Rockport, Rockland, Bath, Freeport, etc. And, tho we only drove a couple hours to get here from BH, it is a WORLD AWAY. Look, I get it…a BUNCH of people wrote that
Read moreBack in the US, Back in the US, Back in the US-eh
August 31, 2018One Last Thot as we leave Canada for 2018 We proceeded from Fundy towards and then across the US border on Canadian, then US Highway 1. Uneventfully, though the border agent DID confiscate our oranges. As always, I had a list of liquor prepared, which he did not even ask for. But then, he asked
Read moreAn Angel in Halifax Clothing!
August 31, 2018Still with us? OK, I’ll finish the “Angel” story. But first… No, that would be cruel. I did want to talk a bit about our next (and last) stop in Canada: Fundy National Park; but first, the angel… No, First a Thot for Today… Now, for the Angel. The first morning at the campground in
Read moreHalifax (After a Newfie Last Hurrah)
August 20, 2018We finished our run in NewfoundLAND and Gros Morne with some local social events. First, we went to a highly-regarded family restaurant for some Newfie Delicacies. We had Fish and Brewis, Cod Tongue and the eponymous MOOSE BURGER with Newfie-style fries. Where to start in ‘splaining those! Fish and Brewis is Salt Cod (the old-fashioned
Read moreGros Morne World Heritage…
August 19, 2018Our last full-fledged stop on Newfoundland was the Gros Morne National Park. Many people have recommended this place to us, and we understood why from the first minute we were there. The park reflects a wide variety of ecosystems within a relatively small area. It is geologically interesting and diverse, not to mention drop dead
Read moreVikings: the “Original” (European) Newfies…
August 8, 2018And we are proud to now call ourselves one! (Newfie, that is…certainly NOT Vikings) Our last couple of days at Griquet were spent touring the local area and visiting with friends. New friends. NEWFIE FRIENDS. Fellow Newfies! And, FINALLY, we did see Moose. We spent some time at the Viking exhibit at the l’Anse aux
Read moreWhales, and a Whale of a good time!
August 8, 2018Subtitle: How we fill our days when we wake up with absolutely NOTHING on the schedule… Since we had arrived at our spot near l’Anse aux Meadows mid-afternoon, we thought we’d drive around a bit…see Whadda y’at. That is Newfoundland for “What’s up” or “What are you up to.” We planned from the start
Read moreShhhh. Don’t tell anyone. WE SCORED SOME MOOSE!
August 4, 2018We moved on westward from Gander, making it to a place called “Deer Lake,” where there was a very nice RV park. The owner came by in his pickup truck and admired our Bus. When he found out we were from Chicago, he told us he went to “RV PARK SCHOOL” in Wheeling, West Virginia
Read moreBoggy Boreal Forest and Ridiculous Birds
August 3, 2018After leaving St. John’s we began a rather aimless wandering around the Newfoundland countryside. Which is a BEAUTIFUL PLACE, in a very North-woods, Boreal Forest-Boggy sort of way. By that I mean LOTS and LOTS of little ponds and lots of stunted Evergreen Trees. Very few people. Very VERY many mosquitos. Our first day of
Read moreAmazing NewfoundLAND!!!!
July 30, 2018First, let me say that St. John ROCKS. What a great town, with so much to do and recommend it. Maybe a little off the beaten track, but ABSOLUTELY worth the effort! More on that in a bit. And it is pronounced “New-Found-LAND” with emphasis on the “LAND.” I kept wanting to say “Newfundlund” and
Read moreCape Breton Island, and Points East!
July 29, 2018Getting to Cape Breton was an easy and VERY SCENIC drive. Nova Scotia is an AWESOME place. Small towns. Coastal Vistas. Pine Forests. Really great for a slow drive with no place to be in particular. But, we DID have a place to be: The Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which sits like a bullseye
Read moreDo Things Really Happen for a Reason…
July 18, 2018Up until retiring I would have answered, “Yes, things DO happen for a DEFINITE reason.” Because when computers screw up, “The reason” that “thing” happens can often be found sitting at the keyboard!! And unscrambling that relationship had been my profession. But that is not what this post is about. Don’t worry, I am
Read moreCFAs, heading east to PEI!
July 18, 2018Our Canadian Expedition has continued in force! We spent a couple nights in a beach town called Shediac in New Brunswick. Our RV spot was a municipal park – very nice facility for cheap!. The town itself is fairly flat and we got the bikes down and used them to get around. Never even
Read moreRoaming SPECTACULAR Québec
July 8, 2018Heading eastward, we had a mixed bag of days where we have picked spots and made reservations interspersed with stretches where we have nothing planned. Our eventual destination will be Prince Edward Island, off the coast of New Brunswick/Nova Scotia. Along the way, our various Canadian friends strongly recommended that we visit the Gaspé peninsula.
Read moreEnjoying Québec and Québécois
July 8, 2018Our exit from Ottawa and travel to the area north of Montreal was uneventful. Roads: Good. Traffic: Moderate. Weather: hot and expected to be WAY HOT. Campground: BOOKED in Laurentien Mountain cottage country north of Montreal. Canada Day Festivities: Of course! Friends Joe and Shelly Havas: Apparently still friends and still willing to receive
Read moreHospitality in A Special Place in Hell
July 2, 2018From NOTL, the McDowell and Harris nomad nation broke camp and headed for Ottawa, where longtime friends Fidele and Blair Davidson reside. Too far to make it in one day, we settled on a little town called “Cobourg” on Lake Ontario. Mike and Fran selected an RV Park in the Marina right on the Lakefront
Read moreOff the Rails More Than on Them
July 2, 2018Thot for the day if you just turned 60…(click here) Our scheduled appointment with destiny and McDowell was intended for the Jordan Valley Campground, near Niagara on the Lake in Ontario. We were planning to get to the campground on the 20th; they were to arrive 21 June (having just sold their house, so now
Read moreTOTUS Notwithstanding, Apply for POW Status?
June 23, 2018Dinner with Les Aidelbaum was all we thought it would be…excellent food, beer, Ice Cream and company. Liz spent little time verifying that Steve was concerned about the Bus’ weight vs. its occupants…I think Steve might have, for a moment, thought she was really upset just as he might have thought we were planning
Read moreWaiting out the Twitter storm at Port Huron
June 23, 2018Our exit from Detroit was uneventful. Straight up I-94 towards Port Huron and our ultimate entrance into Canada. We decided to actually STOP in Port Huron for a few days, unlike our last time thru (From Canada to USA last summer, we just waved as we passed thru). And, we are QUITE GLAD we did!!
Read moreMotown on the Rise? Anyway, On the Itinerary!
June 13, 2018After Shipshewana we had about ten days available to us before our next “planned” destination. THAT would be Niagara on the Lake, where we are to meet friends Mike and Fran McDowell. We are a little worried that before then, the USA may be at war with Canada. Friend Steve Aidelbaum from Toronto said it
Read moreArrive Old(ish)…Leave Teenagers!
June 13, 2018Our first “formal” stop on the way to nowhere/everywhere this summer was a Bluebirds Rally in Shipshewana, Indiana, in the heart of Amish AND RV country. A “Rally” is a bit like all the meetings and conventions Liz and I attended over the years…50% business and 50% social. In our new existence, the
Read moreMagic Mushroom Muscoda
May 27, 2018Thought for the Day (any day, really!) CLICK HERE After Minneapolis (and Mom’s Move), we needed a VACATION. We have been reminded, if one is not “working” then technically it is LIFE, not a vacation. I would argue that helping a parent relocate IS work, and a vacation is just what was needed! So,
Read moreFamily Time
May 26, 2018There has been a bit of Radio Silence since Memphis. Part of that surely has to do with the cultural and personal impact felt and noticed following our visit to Graceland. I mean, it is hard to recover from such an event! But recover we have. First with a couple weeks of family stuff. My
Read moreGraceland and BBQ: All that, and more!
May 5, 2018I am not really sure how to do full justice to the monument that is Graceland. Elvis was larger than life in many ways…not all of them, shall we say, “Smooth and Sophisticated.” And Graceland really puts on a pedestal all of that extraneous “stuff” that filled in the musical legend. And the presentation is
Read moreMemphis: Chicago’s Mini-Me?
May 5, 2018We had about 4 “extra” days between Little Rock and St. Louis. What to do. Where to go. MEMPHIS! Home of BBQ, Elvis, the Blues and Fedex. The last time I was in Memphis I was on a pilgrimage to Mardi Gras in about 1981. Then, we stopped in Memphis long enough
Read moreLittle Rock and the Mothership!
April 30, 2018While we were in Vian, I noticed thru Facebook that friends Rhonda and Randy Dietz were home and in-country. Home being Bella Vista, Arkansas…just a 2 hour drive from Vian. Long before our swing thru Vian we had communicated about swinging by for a visit, but we were under the impression that they were
Read moreVian, Oklahoma (Yes, indeed, You CAN go back!)
April 29, 2018Just kidding, of course. Dear friends Lynn and David Gray (also former members of Town Club – where I have stepped on Lynn’s toes at more than once dance…) live on a beautiful (if somewhat remote) ranch. Even if Vian didn’t sit virtually in the middle of the USA both north-and-south AND east-and-west (so,
Read moreSpicewood Hospitality and Hydraulics
April 20, 2018After the rally, we moved a mere 20 miles down the road to visit friends Charlie and Carol Mitchell at their home in Spicewood. They live on 2 acres on a hill. In fact the next hill from where Willie Nelson bases himself when not “on the road again.” We met the Mitchells and their
Read moreWest Texas SHOULD be a Very short Blog Post
April 20, 2018Even though it is LARGE and LONG, there is very little (“[no]Thing!”) to speak of in West Texas. Problem is, we have this rule about driving 4 hours a day only… So we had to make at least a couple of stops before reaching our Rally Point near Austin. The first stop was
Read moreOur Lifestyle is a Mystery to Most…
April 14, 2018verb: rant; 3rd person present: rants; past tense: ranted; past participle: ranted; gerund or present participle: ranting; speak or shout at length in a wild, impassioned way. “he was still ranting on about the unfairness of it all” synonyms: fulminate, go on, hold forth, vociferate, sound off, spout, pontificate, bluster, declaim; I guess this
Read moreTucson: An Over- (and Under-) Whelming Blue Dot!
April 8, 2018When we passed thru Tucson last winter (January) we spent only a couple days. We had the distinct feeling that we were not there at the best time…it RAINED every day. Not the best circumstance to appreciate the desert! So this time we chose to spend almost a week, and had a full list of
Read moreNear-Death Experience
April 1, 2018Disaster nearly struck as we were entering the outskirts of Phoenix. Driving along a major 3-lane road; not a highway (stoplights) but a major thoroughfare. At one intersection, the driver of a small car in front of me decided he needed to STOP for the just-yellow light. Seriously, just yellow. You (that is the global
Read more(No) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
March 30, 2018Well, we arrived in, and escaped from Las Vegas successfully. But as with all of our adventures, not without drama. Our first step upon arrival was to be delivered to the bus from the airport by our friend, Krystal. She works as a security guard at the RV Park, and moonlights as a driver for
Read moreOur 2018 Plans…
March 16, 2018“Plan” is a four letter word, and it something we try not to do too much or too carefully… But, when I started to put this post and an associated map (click here, or see below) together, I realized it LOOKS like we have done QUITE A LOT of planning for the two of us,
Read moreTabula Rasa
March 1, 2018\ˌta-byə-ˌlaˈrä-ˌza, \ 1 : the mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty state before receiving outside impressions. 2 : something existing in its original pristine state. After our very successful* 2017, and a complete break down-under (not to be confused with “break-down”) from bus travel, we are ready to embark on 2018. *Successful: \
Read moreShould EVERYONE spend their Anniversary in Tasmania?…
February 25, 2018Our last couple days in Tassie were in Hobart. One of these was our Anniversary (#27). It has been something of a tradition, on our anniversary, to do several things: To enjoy it in a faraway place To wish friend and former partner Steve Sawatski happy B-Day (since Feb 23 is that, as well) To
Read moreGetting our “Quirk” On
February 25, 2018After a few days in most places, the “quirk” comes out. In the old days (aka the 60’s, or Haight Asbury today) this might be called letting the Freak Flag fly. Or maybe the “Quirk” is always there but we need to absorb the rhythm of a place before it becomes apparent. In any case,
Read moreSeafood, Roadkill and the Brotherhood of Broken Buses
February 20, 2018Our last several days in Tassie included quite a bit more travel. Not especially far, because Tassie is not that big. Just travel in the sense that after a day of wandering, we stopped at new places instead of returning to Launceston. Our first next stop was in a small town on the East coast
Read moreWandering Around the End of the World
February 20, 2018Quite a powerful storm system went thru Tasmania. It was predicted, and we adjusted our hiking trip to Cradle Mountain accordingly. Good thing, too. We learned from some backpackers as we hiked that the Snow Line was expected at 1,300 meters…which was the BASE of our hike. Instead, we waited out the storm at our
Read moreTasmania – Far-and-Away-Fascinating
February 13, 2018Thot for the Day (Click Here) We have a bit of a quandry as we make our way to Tasmania. We have been told many times that “2 weeks is plenty” for touring and experiencing. Thus, we organized our visit around this. HOWEVER, every Aussie we talk to sez something like, “Oooh. You are going
Read moreMelbourne Wind-up
February 13, 2018We met friends/Stalkers Nancy and Sid shortly after they arrived at their hotel. Our mission was to help them stay awake until early evening on their first day here because crashing once and solidly helps mitigate jetlag’s effect on subsequent days. So, we walked, Trammed, ate, drank plenty of coffee, had Gelato, etc. At the
Read moreSpeaking of Barby, and of Mumbling…
February 5, 2018Norman’s friend Sarah ‘splained the Aussie Language for us. “All words are shortened as much as possible, then “Y” (or “ie”) is added to the end.“ SO, Barbeque==Barby. Breakfast==Breky. Laptop==Lappy. Tasmania==Tassie. Australian==Aussie. And my favorite: Sparky, which means “Electrician.” OK, it’s ENGLISH (well, Strayne, anyway) so rules have exceptions! Here is the video, courtesy of
Read moreDo You Believe in Coincidence?
February 4, 2018In a previous post, I may have disclosed that we are being stalked down-under by friends from Magnolia Street in Chicago. Nancy and Syd “just happen” to be in Melbourne and then in Tasmania at the same cosmic moment(s) as Los Harris. Maybe they aren’t actually stalking us, but you can see why we
Read moreOnwards and Downwards
January 29, 2018We chose the inland route to travel to Melbourne, which brought us to a delightful little town recommended by both hosts…Beechworth. Not much here, really, other than everything one needs. A Brewery with excellent Pizza. A homemade Ice cream AND a Gelato place. An excellent Bakery. A friendly AirBNB and time to walk. After a
Read moreAlmost not a Tourist…
January 29, 2018As we continue our stay in Sydney, we are starting to do things that you might not get to if you had only the “usual” time available – it’s what’s great about “retired” travel vs. vacation travel. For example, we took a ferry to Bondi (been there and done that before). Then we walked from
Read moreSydney Charms
January 20, 2018Our stay in Sydney commenced when friend Peter Campbell met us at the apartment he had arranged for us. We knew this was located at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron in Kirribilli from advance discussions with Peter. What we did not fully understand was that this was to be a quaint apartment in an old
Read moreNew Zealand – Exit Stage Left
January 20, 2018Well, the day the Wilsons have been looking forward to finally arrived! The Harrises Left!!! (The whooshing sound you may have heard and may have been reported on the local Cyclone-warning network was their Collective sigh of utter relief). The washed-out roads were still washed out, but Kevin was DETERMINED to ensure our exit. There
Read moreKiwification
January 10, 2018Can’t Escape Politics (Click Here) As mentioned previously, we cannot be on a “vacation” since we are not working. This is just our life, now. SO, “Kiwification” should not be confused with “Kiwi Vacation.” Instead it concerns how we are becoming embedded at the least, and incorporated in some ways into Kiwi Culture. There are
Read moreFull-Monty Kiwi Hospitality
December 31, 2017Not a lot to be done in Matarangi…which is perfect! Festivities began with a swim in the ocean – repeated each day. As you might imagine, Cocktail Hour is more than one hour, and more than a little critical to hospitality! Christmas Dinner with Wilson’s and assorted relatives and neighbors. This is a generally Pot-luck
Read moreRadio Harris is Back on the Air!
December 31, 2017We hope you have enjoyed your little “vacation” from our missives… After a couple of weeks in Chicago, during which we spent altogether too much time with dentists and not enough time with friends, we departed for our Down-under adventure. Of course, the first task was getting there…an aviation marathon. Even though we were in
Read moreTo Vegas…”Winter” Wonderland!
November 20, 2017Our stay in the bay area included lots of fun stuff. These last couple of Santa Cruz Pics wrap up that phase of our adventure. On the way out of town, we discovered (and therefore acquired t-shirts reflecting) for SURE the BEST Collegiate Logo ever! The UC Santa Cruz BANANA SLUGS. (Go Slugs!). But all
Read moreThe Bay Area — not like ANYWHERE ELSE.
November 10, 2017We programmed several stops into our itinerary throughout the Bay Area. All of these for the purpose of visiting friends. So over the course of 2 weeks, we stayed in Marin County, Walnut Creek, San Mateo and Santa Cruz. Each of these spots had a unique charm unrelated to the friends located nearby. First, in
Read moreStuff Happens…
November 10, 2017So, just after my post assuring everyone that we do not spend ALL our time making repairs…. As I write this, We are Stranded on the roadside! Stranded Right next to the beach! And, we have a hotel with us. WHAT A COINCIDENCE!!!! Here is what happened: Leaving heading south from Crescent City, CA. on
Read moreHunkering Down!
October 25, 2017As we worked our way south, we headed over to the Oregon coast. First stop: Florence, Oregon. Our expectation was to spend a couple of days there…a few quaint shops, some good restaurants and Dunes along the ocean for walking. The universe had a different plan for us. Almost from the moment we checked in,
Read moreIs A Vintage Bus really an Online Dating Service?!
October 25, 2017Some of you may be getting the wrong idea about the pace and focus of our lives in retirement. It may seem that we spend our days making repairs to the bus, with only occasional interruptions of reliability (and sightseeing and enjoying life on the road). You would be right to come to this conclusion
Read moreAn Appointment with Howard Hughes’ Quirkiness
October 21, 2017We had about 10 days to get from Olympia to San Francisco, so some stops were in order. The first was in a town called McMinnville, Oregon. Peter had mentioned that Howard Hughes’ “Spruce Goose” now lives there at the Evergreen Aerospace Museum, and that sounded cool. This was a one-off monster, built entirely from
Read moreSorting Out Some “Vintage-ness”
October 21, 2017As with most of the BB issues we have faced, this one was easily rectified with Pat’s (a willing and expert host’s) assistance and more than a bit of wrenching. But also as usual, the fan problem looked simple but turned out NOT! I had not fully under-stood how to tighten the belt –
Read moreVictoria and the Terrorist Pepper
October 17, 2017The drive back to Victoria was relatively uneventful. Same Twists, turns, narrowness, steepness and potholes as the outbound leg. A little less traffic, though, (it is after Thanksgiving), which is not a big deal for us, but it is good for international relations to have a shorter line of cars stuck behind us on the
Read moreTofino-time (with a little “UKEE” for good measure)
October 17, 2017Our days in Tofino passed peacefully and relaxingly in zen-like calm. Wind was calm, too, and it hardly rained. Tofino “natives” (i.e. those with actual Canadian Passports) say this is rare. We took advantage of both, though. The RV park has free Starbucks Coffee in the morning…perfect for a walk on MacKenzie Beach just yards
Read moreTo Courtenay, Tofino and Canada’s Nessie?
October 9, 2017Thought for the Day (Click here) Back to normal after our dose of Unfriendly Canadians, we were again absolutely smothered with Canadian Generosity. We had a leaky tire (AGAIN) on the Clown Car. Not too hard to understand why: When we are towing the CC, it is hard to dodge potholes. And some that hardly
Read moreUp Island
October 9, 2017Thought for the day (Click Here) We left the Chandlers in Oak Bay, grateful in the extreme for having such wonderful and generous friends. They, I am sure, were also grateful — to have the bus out of their yard!! So far they have not retracted their invite to stay again before we leave back
Read moreWho Knew the Bus Could FLOAT!
September 30, 2017Our next adventure involved putting the bus on the ferry, leaving from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. First we had to find the terminal. Then find the reservation line. Then pay the fare. Then successfully navigate the ferry ramp without dragging the hitch or other bus-parts. Eventually, we needed to navigate the ramp
Read moreVancouver and Cultural Oddities Observed Here and Elsewhere
September 30, 2017Thought for the day (Click here) So, we are learning about unwritten cultural obligations, rules and traditions. For example, it appears to be an unwritten law that guests to the Pacific Northwest WILL BE SERVED SALMON, and if possible BBQ Salmon (if it’s not raining too hard). Now, we have nothing against Salmon…love it in
Read moreBorder Crossing No. Deaux. And a Bus Issue of my own deauxing…
September 18, 2017Thought for the day (Click here) We stopped in Ferndale, Wa. for the night to take care of a few things before we crossed the border. One “thing” was to flush the Black Water tank. To do this, my plan was to fill the tank with clean water a couple of times and let it
Read more(Slowly) Traversing the Cascades
September 16, 2017Thought for the Day (Click here) Leaving Idaho, we selected a northerly, and reputedly most scenic route: the Northern part of the Cascade Loop Highway. To get to this, we first stopped at Clearwater Canyon Winery in Lewiston, Id. Dick is a charter member of their Wine Club, and they treated us very well! Then
Read moreIdaho Famous Potatoes, Part Deaux
September 13, 2017So what else can I say about Idaho? Besides the obvious potato fixation, there is a lot to recommend a visit. The Potato thing does become a bit hilarious at times. I mean even beyond the Idaho License plate slogan, “Famous Potatoes.” For example, an 18-wheel truck transporting a 40-foot fiberglass potato. The driver
Read moreIdaho Famous Potatoes
September 13, 2017Chuckle for the day One of our “Targets” in this western swing is a visit to friends Dick and Tyra Stubbs. Though they live in Boise, the whole state was offered up to us with a set of tour guides whose sarcasm and politics match ours. We began our sojourn in Idaho Falls. There we
Read moreSaving the Best for First
September 3, 2017Thought for the Day – Click Here Yellowstone was the first of the USA’s National Parks. A bold experiment by foresightful men. Actually, at the time it was creation of a playground for the exceedingly wealthy. These were the only folks who could afford to travel to such a remote and inaccessible place until Henry
Read moreCowboys and Bus Mechanics
August 28, 2017Click here for the Thought Of The Day… Leaving Casper, we headed towards the Tetons and our appointment with George, the Bluebird’s Previous owner. We wanted to tell him how much we were enjoying the bus…that it was proving reliable and comfortable. Let him know his generosity is in no small part responsible for the
Read moreOur Eclipse-Destiny
August 23, 2017We made it to Casper and the fairgrounds, where the Bluebird Rally was situated. Ultimately, there were 88 Bluebirds of all types and generations there. I think ours was the oldest…and the shortest. The latter caused us to be “relegated” to an area behind the livestock barns. Only 5 “short” spots there. Our first thought
Read moreWandering not-quite-aimlessly
August 23, 2017On the way to our Eclipse-destiny, we made several significant stops. First, Ogallala, Nebraska. There we visited the Kingsley Dam, which my grandfather help to construct in the 1930’s. My father tells tales of youth there, including attending a one-room school in about 1939. Mom tells tales of Dad’s all-over-sunburn. OUCH. Anyway, at the Visitor’s
Read more(Continuing) Westward-ho
August 11, 2017From Monroe we spent a few days in Minneapolis. There, we visited family, and helped Mom with some stuff. Helping Mom involved mostly moving furniture and re-jiggering her tech. She moved to a senior community which was EXACTLY across the parking lot from a major Computer and electronics retailer. Microcenter’s manager gave us permission to
Read moreHome vs. Home-Away-From-Home…
August 11, 2017Our “Home away from Home” has become our home. So that means our home in Chicago is our ??? We need a name; help us out! Well, for sure it is where we have a lot of friends…and we swung thru to enjoy our Block Party with many. This included parking
Read moreTrono (AKA Nirvana)
July 25, 2017A couple of days of relax-time in Toronto. Our campground is quite near Toronto and very nearly nirvana. Well, near the Toronto airport, anyway, where there are no doubt several flites a day to Nirvana. And a fairly active freight-train track. But after several days in Northern Ontario, we are pretty damn ready for some
Read moreNorthern Ontario
July 23, 2017We drove north for awhile. Quite a while, actually. Seemed like the North Pole might be just beyond the next rise. Never mind that the GPS said our maximum northern progression was 48.94935 Degrees north latitude…which is NOT EVEN NORTH OF THE CANADIAN BORDER for most of its length. Still, it took us 2 days
Read moreBack to the Future…
July 15, 2017So for the better part of 30 years I traveled the world to attend and often speak at meetings of JHI, an International Association of Independent Accounting and Management Consulting firms. In 2017, their Region of the Americas Conference was scheduled to be in Montreal. With many friends attending, we planned to be there “uninvited,”
Read moreI know you have been on the edge of your seat…
July 15, 2017…Waiting to hear about our border crossing. Were there rubber hoses? What happened to the Farm-brew…and what about the SINGLE MALT? Were they arrested and sent to the Canadian equivalent of Guantanamo (though I doubt there is a Canadian version of Guantanamo)? Inquiring minds want to know!! Well, I am happy to report that the
Read moreOnwards and Northwards to Montreal
July 10, 2017We left Chautauqua in the direction of Montreal. The first thing that strikes us…CANADA IS A BIG PLACE. Of course, we knew this, but not the specifics when converted to Optimum-Bus-Driving-Distances. We had two longer-than desired driving days to get to our first stop in Canada. (And, when we later head onwards to Northern Ontario,
Read moreThe Chautauqua Institution
July 10, 2017The Chautauqua Institution was a VERY interesting experience and place. The Institution itself was initially created as a place to teach Sunday School teachers, so its origins are faith-based, for sure. But, layered onto that are its conscious mutation into a place for intellectual growth on many levels. The National Geographic-themed week we attended was
Read more(Non-snob) Wine Country
July 5, 2017First Winery: Halliday’s on Lake Milton. Lake Milton is a reservoir, and the Winery is right on the shore between the water and a Golf Course. They had a very nice tasting room, with cheese and meat trays and flatbreads that complement their wines. They also had a couple local beers one from Columbus and
Read morePreparing for a Summer on the Road
July 5, 2017So, after Amish Country, we stopped in Columbus, Ohio where there is a company called Bus Services, Inc. This company services all kinds of buses, including Bluebirds, and was mentioned on the Online Forum that I consult on all things Vintage Bluebird. Most of their patients are a little more modern, but they said they
Read moreThe Air Force Museum and Waffle House
June 24, 2017We left Amish Berlin in a sort of Bluebird Wanderlodge Caravan…several of us were heading onwards to Dayton, OH. There we stayed in a KOA for a few days with the intention of visiting the Air Force Museum. We also continued our new tradition of eating with friends and sitting around after dinner with a
Read moreAmish, Ohio
June 24, 2017We spent our first week in Amish Country, which reminds us exactly why we are choosing to travel around the USA in the manner we are. You would NEVER choose to visit ANY of the places we have been lately if you were looking at a tourist map or planning a 2-week vacation from work.
Read moreSummer Dreams…
June 14, 2017We are beginning the next leg of our trip (is it a trip? Or is it just life…beginning the next leg of our life?) with a few “plans.” Plans being a very loose term in our vocabulary. Describing more of a direction and date-range than anything VERY specific. Lots of flexibility in route and stops.
Read moreChicago for month…and we survived!
June 14, 2017Well, we survived a brief visit to Chicago. Words chosen carefully. “Visit” because we frankly feel more at home now in the bus. At least the first several nights at our apartment in Chicago, I woke up in the middle of the night with that disoriented feeling of not being sure where the bathroom was. And,
Read moreGoing “Home” (?)
May 23, 2017Nearly finished with our first crack at “full-time” RVing — heading back to Chicago. We stopped a couple of times; Once in Baraboo Wisconsin (Ho-Chunk Casino parking lot) and also Delavan’s Walmart. Then we decided to add a stop in East Peoria, IL: Liz’s nieces, Grace and Caroline Kokkin were running in the Division II Illinois
Read moreLast “scheduled” stop on the first circuit – Minneapolis
May 23, 2017Our last destination on the road was Minneapolis, where my extended family resides. We stayed in a nice campground in a distant suburb. Which causes me to wonder… Why are there no RV Parks nearby ANY city? My father, urban-planner extraordinaire ‘splained me part of the reason: RVer’s are well known to be undesirable sorts!?
Read moreShipshewana Indiana…Lovely and Surprising
May 5, 2017Our next stop was to see Leon, the Amish A/C guy. Leon was absolutely all that his reputation lead us to expect. His shop was very modern. Yet, no power. Batteries only for LED Shop Lites. When testing stuff in RVs, he starts a generator to power the RV. Reading up on the logic of
Read moreAnd A Quick Detour…
May 5, 2017From Niagara, we move on…heading towards Shipshewana Indiana and an appointment with our favorite Amish Air RV Air Conditioner Specialist. Actually, probably the ONLY Amish Air Conditioner guy. Trying not to drive too many hours each day, we saw a potential stopping point: Erie, PA. Arriving in Erie, we found a campground (Sarah’s Campground, to
Read moreNiagara, Erie and Akron
May 5, 2017We have REALLY seen some stuff on this trip. “Home” is starting to mean “wherever we are…” Following on to the Baseball Hall of Fame, we headed west — destination Niagara Falls. YIKES!!! I guess there is good and bad everywhere. The RV place we stayed was on Grand Island – very near the Falls.
Read moreFollowing the Erie Canal
April 23, 2017We are Travelling West towards Indiana and Iowa (for bus mechanics), Minnesota and eventually Chicago for a bit. We needed some ad hoc things to do along the way…and a couple of really good options presented… First, we pointed “RV WHERE YET” to Cooperstown, NY and the Baseball Hall of Fame. We stayed 2 nights
Read moreNew York State of Mind
April 23, 2017The rule has not been clearly and unambiguously articulated, but it is a RULE nonetheless. Ben Franklin said, “Guests, and fish, smell after 3 days.” We try not to smell. But after staying with the Wilners in Maryland for a week, we stayed with Liz’s sister in Old Tappan, NJ for SEVEN (7) nights!! As
Read moreThe Jersey Shore (B4 the Season!)
April 12, 2017The weather in Cape May was ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR, so we went bike riding for miles every day as a result. The area around Cape May offered a laid-back atmosphere (which may be because it is definitely OFF season) and variety of expected and unexpected attractions for our entertainment. There are beaches and boardwalks in both
Read moreThe Fountain of Youth must be in WashDC
April 11, 2017I am writing this in Cape May, NJ. We are here for a few days R&R after we spent a week in Washington DC, helping my Aunt get a new computer. Marilee is 104, and she uses her Mac every day to produce Artwork (she is a professional artist, who gave up bronze and ceramic
Read moreTo Washington DC via Gettysburg
April 3, 2017Our next stop on the adventure was Washington DC. Main purpose here was to help Aunt Marilee obtain and configure a new computer. Marilee is 104 years young…and that is totally factual. She produces fine art on her Mac computer, which is showing its age (Marilee is NOT showing her age). We agreed months ago
Read moreProgressing Northward…
March 31, 2017After friends Barb and Bob left and headed North, Liz and I spent a couple more days at Tybee Island, near Savannah. Our next scheduled event was a Hockey Game in Pittsburgh. Departing Tybee, and right on the way we headed back to Brunswick for another round of festivities at the McNicolls’. You may recall
Read moreThe New Normal! Road-trip Soirees (and a bit of melancholy)
March 22, 2017We’ve spent the past few days hanging out on the Florida and Georgia Coasts. WITH AN AWESOME TWIST!!! Our friends, Barb and Bob White were returning from So. Florida Cruising. We organized RV-Parks near Daytona Beach, FLA and Savannah, GA, each of which had cottages. We provided pineapple, orange and coconut juice and The Whites
Read moreCenter of Florida, Middle of Nowhere
March 18, 2017Well, I said we were slowing down. That is an UNDERSTATEMENT. First we stayed at Oklawaha RV Resort, which is actually a KOA. Not far from Ocala and near Ft. McCoy. Which is to say, not much nearby. Nice uncrowded large campground – so uncrowded that the security guard said to pick any open spot.
Read moreIf Variety is the spice of life…
March 11, 2017We are having a HELL of a Curry! Just to recap… We have driven almost 9,000 Miles!!!!! We have burned about 1,100 gallons of diesel. 3 Gallons of Motor oil. 2 pairs of jeans. I haven’t counted TP rolls, but you get the gist. Twice across the Southern States. The Northern States will have to
Read moreSlow Hand…Mississippi Blues Trail
March 11, 2017We have “slowed Down” a bit. Our “schedule” is now more of a guideline. We have to be in Flagler Beach Florida (near St. Augustine) on 19 March to meet friends Barb and Bob White. That gives us almost 3 weeks from the time we left Lafayette. So we decided to use that time to
Read moreMardi Gras du Krewe Cambre
March 1, 2017Mardis Gras. This is a post about 50 shades of. Having been to MG in New Orleans back just after college (which I barely remember due to encroaching age and the alcohol-fog that seemed to describe the meteorological conditions in 1981), LC tried to ‘spain the differences we would notice in Lafayette’s version. “New Orleans
Read moreTo Lafayette
February 24, 2017After leaving Vian, OK we headed towards Lafayette, LA for Mardi Gras. The first night we thought to stop, since we had SO MUCH FUN in Vian, OK, in Vi(vi)an, LA. There was a Walmart. And the Walmart had a Dairy Queen Attached. It LOOKED good. There was a Blackhawks game on (v. the Wild),
Read moreVian, OK. Pronounced Veyeann…
February 23, 2017Arriving near Vian, our instructions from hosts, Dave and Lynn Gray went something like this: “Your GPS will never get you to us. So here is what you do…take a right at the (one) stop sign in “Downtown” Vian. Drive 2 miles and you will see a white pickup truck by a gate…” Worked perfectly.
Read moreBottoming Out…In Sedona!
February 23, 2017Well, it finally happened. We have bottomed out! I don’t mean personally, chemically, emotionally, politically. Well, maybe politically. But I am actually referring to the Tow-hitch on the bus. We found a driveway with too big a dip. Safety Cables cut through as was the cable that operates the tow car’s lights. The good
Read moreA Flagstaff Valentine
February 14, 2017We stayed in Bullhead City, Az. overnight, but NOT at the Moose Lodge. We could have, but I was worried about the entry to the lot—a very high driveway ramp looked like it would at the very least bottom out the hitch. Perhaps the Clown Car would actually fly. So we went just down the road
Read moreMarin-Time
February 14, 2017Three days spent in Marin country having an AWESOME time with college-friend Mark and his charming wife, Tracy. Despite the rain. And RAIN IT MOST CERTAINLY DID. Enough to affect in some small or not so small way everything we did. Day 1: We drove up to Sonoma Country for some Wine Tasting. The normal
Read moreHalf Moon Bay
February 8, 2017Spending several days in Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. This is more like we imagined our travels. Up until now, we have been pretty actively moving. At HMB, we have been pretty actively relaxing! Our friends Mike and Fran McDowell counselled us on this. When full-time RVing, don’t think like you are
Read moreLake Marin (and “PRB”)
February 8, 2017Before you look it up, there is NO LAKE MARIN. Just a reference to our RV park, which became a lake after torrential (and nearly perpetual) rain. The bus is high and dry, but there is a lake at the entrance. Not too worried about getting the bus out (very high clearance), but we may
Read moreHalf Moon Bay
February 3, 2017Spending several days in Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. This is more like we imagined our travels. Up until now, we have been pretty actively moving. At HMB, we have been pretty actively relaxing! Our friends Mike and Fran McDowell counselled us on this. When full-time RVing, don’t think like you are
Read moreSanta Cruz: “Overflow Parking” and Chinese New Year
January 31, 2017After our great experiences in Central California, we continued North to Santa Cruz. There, our friend Phyllis arranged for us to park in the overflow area of the Pasatiempo Golf Course, where she lives. With all the rain they have had here, “Overflow” is the perfect word! But at least currently high and dry. During our
Read moreHeading North(ish)
January 26, 2017Weather still sucks as we left Palm Desert, but begins to improve as we get a little north of Los Angeles. We decided to stop for the night at Carpinteria State Beach between Ventura and Santa Barbara. WHAT AN AWESOME PLACE. Again, hard against the ocean beach. Although with the pounding surf and cold weather,
Read moreAgain, The Weather Stalks us!
January 22, 2017We made it across Arizona and NM. It rained off and on throughout this desert. Then we spent some time with friends in San Diego. Our friends, Stefania and Jim, arranged a street parking permit for our RV and we were able to find a spot about 200 yds from their apartment. It was great to
Read moreRegional Diversity…Reflecting on our First Month on the Road
January 21, 2017As we’ve wandered, we have covered more than a few ecosystems and cultures across the southern USA. Here are a few of our observations: OT ALL WALMARTS are the same! Yes. It is true. We are quite the experts on this subject, now. Walmarts in general WANT us to stay overnight in their nice, big,
Read moreCan there be too much Serenity? Back to Civilization…
January 12, 2017After 4 nights, we decided we are weary of wilderness. We need some commotion. Maybe a siren. Some exhaust fumes! So we left the park and headed towards El Paso. Our first thought was to stop there overnight on the way to Tucson to visit friends. The folks in the RV across from us at
Read moreBig Bend National Park (and All Politics Aside…)
January 12, 2017We spent 4 days at an RV Park (more of an RV parking Lot) hard against the Rio Grande River. While the RV Facilities were probably the plainest we have seen including many Walmart parking Lots, the surrounding area is SPECTACULAR. Now, we are Midwestern flatlanders. The desert is something new, as are mountains
Read morePurring down the road.
January 7, 2017We are purring down the road. OK, maybe “purring” is the wrong word. Perhaps “Roaring?” “Clattering?” On the road begins with dinner with friends. First in Lafayette, LA with LC Cambre. LC is a very resourceful prince of a man. He produced an exquisite meal entirely with a toaster oven and a microwave! His main
Read moreEven the mundane is an Adventure!
January 7, 2017Tuesday 3 Jan. We left Gulf Shores, but not without drama. Monday afternoon there were Thunderstorms and torrential rains training over us for hours. No problem…Blackhawks on TV. Just hanging out feels kinda good. Then, DURING THE Blackhawks game (Winter Classic), a TORNADO WARNING. Phones Simultaneously sounding the alert, followed by a crawler and tone
Read moreA Couple Days of Forced Relaxation
January 2, 2017Waiting for the Airbag Part to arrive for the bus, we took full advantage. New Year’s eve we drove the Clown Car to Mobile. There we spent the afternoon at Battleship park. The centerpiece is the Battleship USS Alabama, which is open and there is a self-guided tour…really excellent. There is also an Airplane museum
Read moreDon’t make Plans and you won’t have Snafus…
December 30, 2016After Xmas with our new family, the McNicols, (after they adopted us thoroughly for the raucous pandemonium of their family Xmas), we started our trip towards California. We spent some time considering our route and our strategy. We even emailed ahead to tee up visits to friends in Houston. Along the way, the universe reminded
Read moreXMAS UPDATE from Jekyll Island, GA.
December 26, 201622 December finds us at a FANTASTIC RV PARK on Jekyll Island, Georgia. We are staying here until Tuesday 27 Dec. The island was a private club where the wealthy from the Northeast wintered in the late 18 and early 1900s. Today there are museums, shops and summer homes. We unfolded the bikes, aired and
Read moreThe first four days of the rest of our life…
December 19, 2016In a word: eventful. I am writing this in the parking lot of a Walmart about 40 miles east of Pensacola Florida. We have successfully escaped the frigid north, with the storm-of-the-century nipping at our heels the whole way. Here in Florida, “shitty weather” means rain and 50 degrees. We think HOOORAY, no ice…which has
Read moreConstruction is Done(ish)!
December 13, 2016As many of our friends know, our “plan” was to construct a new, smaller unit for Los Harris in the basement of our home in Chicago. This unit was to be one we could “abandon” for months at a time while we began our ongoing travel adventure. Well, as of 1 December, 2016, the apartment
Read moreImmutable Law(s) of Vintage Diesel RV Ownership (and life)
October 25, 2015We are learning a lot as with travel with our RV. Some of the lessons can be narrowly interpreted as engine and RV-related. Most have broader application. We’ll list them hereunder…
Read moreOur Friend – RIP
September 16, 2015We had to put our best friend, travel companion, protector and gentle soul, Heddy, down today. She was 14. Increasingly immobile, unable to do stairs and even to stand up on our slippery floors. At night, when her legs twitched involuntarily as she dreamed, we KNEW she was chasing her nemeses – mailmen and rabbits.
Read moreCozumel, 2015
April 8, 2015As has become traditional, we book a “Last Minute Deal” to a warm place for our anniversary. This year, the destination was Cozumel, Mexico. While in Cozumel, we spent a lot of quality beach time. We also did more than a little diving. Most of the reefs and dive spots were very close to
Read moreHow Work ruins Vacations
April 8, 2015As we took our first “Retired” trip, a very interesting transformation occurred. We really did not understand BEFORE retirement how the prospect of returning to work affects one’s vacation “mentality.” At least for me, it used to take a couple days to get into vacation mode. Then the last 3 days or so were spent
Read moreSouth-by-Southeast
April 8, 2015
This was our first “Retired” Road trip. We left Chicago on 25 January, headed South-by-southeast. Plans were to stop in Atlanta, to visit Liz’s Brother and family. Then continue on to Bradenton, FLA, where some friends had a condo rented for a week. The above was a loose guideline, only. We considered this trip to
Read more