New Motorhome

Took the plunge today and bought a new Winnebago 34' Sightseer coach. Three slides and VERY roomy. Pick it up next Tuesday. Will definitely be on the road the rest of the year and probably in Florida or south Texas this winter.

Seashell Windchime

Sea shell wind chime I made with shells gathered on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The shells were very pretty and will make some good jewelry as well. Maybe Santa Claus will have something like this at Christmas. Coach is ready to go except for generator. Getting it fixed next week.

Maintenance Work

Finishing up the maintenance work after our trip. Oil and fuel filter changed, blind repaired, coach washed and put under it's shed. Need to have the generator looked at again since it's not running right. Still some sort of fuel problem. Looking at going south in Sept if the oil spill is somewhat cleaned up. BOO BP. Will take a few shorter trips between now and then. Hope all you RVers are having a good summer.

Home Sweet Home

Made it home safely. 2,956 miles traveled on this trip. Now it's time to clean up the coach, take care of things at home, sort through the mail, and make appointments. Isn't being retired and on the road great!! Yes, it is. Starting to look at places in south Texas where we may spend the winter. Anyone have any recommendations. It's funny how after about a month on the road I'm ready to come home and a week later I'm ready to go again. Oh well, that's life.

Last Day

Today is the last day of our month long trip. We will hit the road about 8am and should be home early afternoon. All in all, it has been a good trip. No major problems and we got to see some new areas of the country. Most of our campgrounds were nice. The only problem was wifi. Even though they have it, it was very slow in a number of cases. May look into an airtime card before our next long trip. The weather cooperated if you like hot and humid. Personally, I'd rather have that than cold and rain. Anyway, it's summer in the south. What do you expect! Last picture is of us in front of the old Statehouse Museum. For those of you following my blog, I hope you enjoyed it.

Today's Happenings

This morning we toured the old Arkansas State House Museum. Very well done. Then lunch at the River Walk Park area. Then I guided a group of 9 through the USS Razorback [SS 394]. Was a lot of fun until one of the women got sick to her stomach from the heat and diesel smell. Had to get her topside and into the air conditioned lounge area to lie down and recover. Was pretty slow later in the day primarily due to the heat outside. The boat is air conditioned but apparently not enough for this one lady. Beer time now and pizza for dinner.

Little Rock at Night

The lights of downtown Little Rock last night were awesome. Unfortunately, the picture doesn't do them justice but you get the idea. Our cajun seafood dinner was way too expensive for what we got. Tonight, back to our friday staple - pizza! This morning, we will tour the old Statehouse Museum and then after lunch, I'm going to act as a tour guide on the USS Razorback [SS 394]. The RV park is right on the river and, other than very little shade, is a nice park. Can watch the boats on the river and the traffic on the bridges. People going to work. UGH. Home tomorrow.

On To Little Rock

Will miss watching the barge traffic on the MS River but it's on to Little Rock today. We will be at a new campground that is right on the AR River. Supposed to be nice. Also, right next door to the AR Inland Maritime Museum where the USS Razorback [SS 394] is tied up. Will probably go over there and shoot the breeze with some of the Razorback Base members. May even act as a tour guide on Friday. Found a good cajun seafood restaurant on the AR River that we will try tonight or tomorrow night. Going to be another HOT one.

Beale Street

Looked at some motorhomes this morning but didn't see anything we liked. Then to one of the top rated BBQ joints in Memphis. Great food. Then to Beale Street where we've been before but just walked around. Home of the TN blues. Then back to the motorhome for a nap. BBQ ribs and beans for dinner.

Sunrise on the MS River

Got up early to watch the sunrise on the MS River. Beautiful sight. Going to be another hot one today. Was surprised at how much barge traffic there was all night. Then again, they just can't anchor out until morning. Next place I live is going to be on the ocean or on a river. Love to watch both of them. Talapia and shrimp were great last night.

Mighty Mississippi

Camped on the bank of the mighty Mississippi River. Hot but a nice breeze off the river. Going into Memphis tomorrow for some BBQ and music on Beale St. Have seen Graceland and the other sights in Memphis. Just wanted to relax on the river for a few days. Fresh shrimp and Talapia for dinner tonight.

Drive Day

Yesterday was not too exciting of a day. Drove from Crossville, TN to Hurricane Mills, TN. Stopped at Wally World to get some supplies and gas and then to the campground. Went down to the pool and jumped in. Just too blasted hot and humid to enjoy it. Back to the coach and nap time. Read for awhile and then watched a big time thunder storm pass through. Cooled us down 20 degrees. Today we're back in AR at the Tom Sawyer RV Park on the MS River. Two nights there.

Crossville, TN

Spent the night in Crossville, TN about halfway between Knoxville and Nashville. Nice KOA park New owners have really fixed it up. Today, we drive to west of Nashville and tomorrow we will be on the banks of the MS River.As you can see, we don't drive much more than 200 miles a day. Why push it - we're retired. Have all the time in the world.

Boat Ride

Yesterday we went to a huge flea market across the highway from the campground. Never saw so much junk in my life. Was fun just to walk around. Then in the late afternoon we took a pontoon boat ride on the lake. Very refreshing since it was hot and very humid. Saw this computer nerd with his laptop on the dock. Some people just can't keep away from them. Today we drive to between Knoxville and Nashville. Fresh corn and some beautiful porkchops for dinner tonight.

Lazy Day

Today is going to be a lazy day. We are in Bristol, TN on Boone Lake. Big flea market across the highway we'll visit this am then a pontoon boat ride at 4pm with a jug of margaritas. In between, sunning at the pool and reading my latest good book.
The picture of RV Cat tells it all for today.

Natural Bridge

Better picture of Natural Bridge. Camping in Bristol, TN not far from the NASCAR raceway.

Monticello and Natural Bridge

Yesterday morning, we toured Jefferson's Monticello. What a beautiful place. Jefferson was certainly ahead of his time with all the innovations he invented, i.e. the dumbwaiter to bring up his wine. Then to the Natural Bridge of VA. Didn't even know it existed until the day before yesterday. It is considered one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. 55 feet higher than Niagra Falls and created by one small river. Then to the campground to rest. Today, is a drive day.

U of VA

Visited the U of VA this afternoon. Thomas Jefferson was the father of this U. He designed the Rotunda [picture to your left] as well as many other buildings. This was the first secular U in the US. The rest were tied to a church in some fashion. While religious, Jefferson firmly believed in the separation of church and state. Tomorrow morning, we have a tour of Monticello scheduled then off to the Natural Bridge.

USS Newport News [SSN 750]

Had a great tour yesterday of the fast attack boat, USS Newport News [SSN 750] with Jeff Garrison, SubForce Master Chief. In the morning, we had to get the fuel pump on the generator replaced and it runs great now. Don't use it very much as most every campground we stay at has at least water and electricity. But when you need it you want it to run. Weather has been very cooperative. Cooler and a little cloudy but that's ok. Off to Charlottsville today.

VA Beach

Drove up to VA Beach yesterday. Have a great campsite right on the bay. Going to tour a nuclear submarine today in Norfolk. Great weather. Off to Monticello tomorrow.

Last Day at the Outer Banks

Last day at the Outer Banks. Beach this am and now some shade back at the motorhome. Steak for dinner or else we'll grow gills. Finished two books this am and now starting a new one. One was the biography of Thomas Jefferson - a truly remarkable man. The other - what else a submarine novel. May even take a nap this pm.

Elizabethan Gardens

Decided to go to the Elizabethan Gardens on Roanoke Is. today. They are very beautiful and worth a visit. Then to the beach in the afternoon. Sea scallops, shrimp, crabcakes, fresh fish - what a choice for dinner tonight. Plus that good cheap white wine from WM. Tomorrow we get ready to leave by going to the beach again and doing the laundry.

Beach Day

Beach day today. More sea scallops for me for dinner. Sharleen wants fish. Anything we get will be very fresh. Starting to plan the rest of the trip. Monday we drive to the Norfolk area. Tuesday we tour a nuclear submarine. Wednesday we drive to Charlottsville, TN so we can visit Monticello on Thursday. After that, we work our way west so we can spend several days on the banks of the MS River and probably go over to Beale St. in Memphis for some music. Then to North Little Rock where they have a new RV park right on the banks of the Arkansas River. Probably head home after that.

Another Busy Day

Another busy day. Started off by fishing from the pier. Caught a bunch of skate which are small stingrays and are not edible. I want to eat what I catch so I came back to the motorhome, showered, and we took off for the Wright Brothers Museum in Kitty Hawk. These guys were extremely smart. It's no wonder they were the first in flight. Then to Dirty Dicks for "crabs." How do you like the T shirt? Tomorrow back to the beach to finish my submarine book.

Another Beautiful Morning

Another beautiful morning at the beach. Sunny and a little windy which helps keep the humidity down. Have to decide what to do today - go to the beach and work on my newest submarine novel or do some sightseeing. Decisions, decisions. In the meantime, I'll enjoy my coffee, let Sharleen sleep, listen to the sound of the ocean and thank God for all I've got. May stop by a real estate co. and just check out the price of homes. Time to refill the coffee cup.

Cape Hatteras Light

Picture of the Cape Hatteras light.

Outer Banks, NC

Had to get up at 4:45am to catch the 7am ferry to the Outer Banks. Nice ferry ride. Then we stopped at the Cape Hatteras light - the tallest lighthouse in the US. Now at the beach campground for the next 4 days. The ocean is right behind us over the sand dune. Will send some multiple pictures if I can ever figure out how to do it. Warm and humid but the ocean breeze feels great. Fresh seafood for dinner tonight.