Arkietraveler's Travels

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2010-10-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

Made it home today - Tuesday. Been on the road for exactly one month. Drove 2,317 miles and spent a little over $700 in gas [spending our kid's inheritance.] Overall, a good trip. Visited some very interesting places and saw parts of the country we have not seen before. The jury is still out as to whether or not we will go south this winter. I'm not one to just stay put in one place for any length of time. We'll see what happens when the time comes. Next planned trip is to Branson the first part of November to celebrate Veterans Week and Day. We will participate in the Ozark Runner Base's float on Veterans Day just as we did last year. Was most fun and looking forward to it again this year. Stay tuned.

Fish Dinner Tonight

2010-10-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

Caught a nice two plus pound catfish this afternoon. Going to be our dinner tonight. Nice day although a little windy. Off to Mena tomorrow and then home. Overall, been a good trip even with the mechanical problems early on.

Correction

2010-10-03T05:46:00.000-07:00

In previous post that should be moniker not monitor. Not enough coffee yet.

Arkie Traveler

2010-10-03T05:31:00.000-07:00

Arkietraveler here. Spent the day yesterday fishing and watching OK beat TX. How can you beat that for a day. Great weather to boot. Today, some more fishing and just relaxing [life on the road is tough.] Tomorrow, we head for Mena and then home on Tuesday. That will make it exactly 4 weeks on the road. Some pictures for you. Our watch cat hard at work, a rock salt light that is really pretty and cleans the air, and the RV park we are staying in. Of course, my monitor on the front of our coach.

Texarkana

2010-10-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

Thursday we spent the night in Shreveport, LA. Friday morning we attended a six state rally of the Family Motor Coach Assn [FMCA] and decided to join that organization. Then drove to Texarkana, TX. Spent the night in a very nice RV park and decided to stay tonight as well. Sharleen is going to a craft fair and I'm going fishing in a private lake here in the park. Will watch the OK/TX football game this afternoon and root for OK. This is always a good college game. Actually had to turn on the furnace this morning since it was 45 degrees when I got up at 0630 hours. No pictures for this post but if I catch some nice fish, you'll see them.

On to Louisiana

2010-09-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

Left Galveston Island yesterday morning and drove to Sulphur, LA - just outside of Lake Charles. Took some pictures of us crossing the Bolivar opening to Galveston Bay while on the ferry. You can see the USS Cavalla [SS 244] in the background of one of the pictures. Bayou country in southern LA is flat, wet and what you would expect it to look like. If someone is not at work, they're fishing the bayous. Another beautiful day. Heading towards Shreveport today.

Gulf Shrimp on the Barbee

2010-09-29T05:12:00.000-07:00

Had fresh Gulf shrimp hot off the barbee last night for dinner. Did some stocking up at Wally World in the morning then came back to the park, made lunch and headed for the beach. We've been here a week now and are thinking of pulling up stakes and heading over towards Lake Charles, LA. Everything here has been great except for the mosquitos. With all the rain south TX has had, the mosquitos are out in full force. Going to be another nice day. Sixty two at 0705 hours heading for 80 or so. Would highly recommend this RV park if you're ever in the area. Fifteen minutes out of town which is fine with me. Nice beach across the street.

Perfect Day

2010-09-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Shaping up to be a perfect day. Sixty degrees at 0650 hours heading to about 80 degrees. Not a cloud in the sky. Wind and ocean calm. One more beach day with a good book and some cold beer. Going to buy some large Gulf shrimp for dinner tonight. No oil this far west of the spill. Sun is beginning to peak over the horizon. Life is good.

Offshore Drilling Museum

2010-09-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

Visited the offshore drilling museum today. Very interesting how they do this and how deep they can go. As you can see by one of the pictures, they build a number of these rigs here in Galveston. Carnival criuse ship was in port getting ready to depart at 4pm. Space looking suit allows a diver to work 2300 feet under water. Incredible. Tomorrow it's beach time. Enough tourist stuff for awhile. Bought some fresh fish at the fishing boat docks. Need to chill some of the Pinot Grigio to go with the fish for dinner.

Shrimp Festival and Blessing of Da'Fleet

2010-09-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

Went to this festival yesterday in old downtown Galveston Island. They had a gumbo cookoff so I got to taste some pretty good gumbo. Walked around and admired some of the old buildings [picture attached.] Galveston was actually one of the grandest cities west of the Mississippi River and a financial center back in it's heyday. Today we go to the offshore drilling museum and the 1900 hurricane museum [that hurricane was one of the most devastating natural events to ever hit the US.] Came back for the afternoon football games. My alma mater UCLA beat Texas but Arkansas lost to Alabama. Both were good games as far as the action goes. Cold front passed through last night. No rain, just some high clouds. Another beautiful morning.

USS Cavalla [SS 244]

2010-09-24T14:48:00.000-07:00

Pleasant surprise when I realized the USS Cavalla [SS 244] was here in Galveston just about 20 minutes from our RV park. We went over to the park and toured her. She was exactly like my boat - the USS Bream [SS 243.] Met the COB who was just leaving in his motorhome [he lives on site] and he said any of us ex submariners could stay right next to him [with full hookups] if you agreed to help out in the restoration. Maybe some other time. Had lunch in historic downtown Galveston where they are getting ready for the Shrimp Festival and Blessing of Da'Fleet tomorrow. We plan to attend it. Here are some pics of the Cavalla and sunrise this morning. Went to the beach for a little while this afternoon. Beautiful weather.

Beach Time

2010-09-23T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today was beach time. Great day. Good book, cold beer, warm water, my new best friend - the bird, and kite flying. Tomorrow, more of the same. Tough life. Right now, as I write this, I am watching a shrimper out on the Gulf. Probably, will get some of his fresh shrimp tomorrow. Weather holding - warm, windy and sunny. Hooray!!!

Galveston Island

2010-09-23T05:15:00.000-07:00

Finally, I believe we are out of the rain for awhile. Drove up to Galveston Island yesterday and are camped in a very nice RV park right across the street from the ocean. No rain expected other than afternoon showers. Going to the beach today with a good book and some cold beer. What beats that!!! If the weather holds, we may stay here through the weekend since this weekend is the Galveston Island Shrimp Festival and Annual Blessing of Da'Fleet. All kinds of activities planned. Of course, Saturday afternoon it will be me in front of the tube for the Arkansas/ Alabama football game. Should be a good one. Sun just came up. What a beautiful sight. Paid our dues with lousy weather and now we can enjoy the good stuff. Pictures from the front of our coach and crossing on the Port Aransas ferry.

Joe Schlabotnick

2010-09-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

I feel like Joe S. from the old cartoon strip, Little Abner - you know Joe the guy who walked around with a rain cloud right over his head. We left Port Isabel yesterday morning in the rain, outran it as we headed to Port Aransas [actually had sun yesterday afternoon] and now are in the rain again. It's too dark outside right now [0655 hours] to actually see what the skies look like. Heading towards New Orleans for the weekend if no more hurricanes come into the gulf. So far, it looks clear but with my luck???? The jury is still out whether or not we will come south for the winter. The issue is not the weather but can I stay in one place for more than a week without going nuts. There are plenty of activities for winter Texans but I'm still a little apprehensive. I guess it's the gypsy in me. Hooray, the sky to the southeast looks clear so maybe the rain has passed by. More later.

Brownsville, TX

2010-09-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

Spent the day touring the area with our RV park neighbors who have been coming down here for 5 years now. They showed us all around the island [So. Padre] and then we drove down to Brownsville. The picture is of the Rio Grande with the U.S. on the left and Mexico on the right. Had lunch and loaded up on supplies at Sam's Club. Rain showers off and on. Probably some more tomorrow but at least it's not constant rain as before. Will play tomorrow by ear. The second picture is of St. Isabella - patron saint of sailors at the entrance to the ship channel.

Rain, rain go away

2010-09-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

Two and a half days of rain with more expected all day today. Fortunately, there have been spells of dry weather so we've gotten to explore the area. Thinking about pulling out early and heading towards the north TX coast. Weather there will determine what we do. Watched two movies and read alot yesterday. Found this area to be more like northern Mexico rather than southern Texas. Even the locals say this. Folks are friendly. Walmart has more food items you would see in Mexico than in a typical U.S. store. Will try to keep from going nuts today if it continues to rain. Would like some beach time but doubt I'll get it. Oh well!!!!!

Tropical Storm Kurt

2010-09-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

Tropical storm Kurt brought some rain to the area and a pretty sky last night before it got dark. Picture of our campsite too. Going to continue exploring the area today.

Port Isabel II

2010-09-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

Pictures of the Port Isabel area from the top of the lighthouse. Went over to So. Padre Island and checked things out. Nice beach. Had lunch and came back to Port Isabel and toured the local museum. Then back to the coach for a nap. It's hard work doing all this stuff!!!! Tomorrow?

Scallops and Shrimp

2010-09-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Scallops and shrimp for dinner last night. Met our neighbors after dinner and drank a little too much wine. Very friendly folks. Watched an alligator stalk a bird in the canal across from us. Think I'm going to like this place come winter. Off to explore the area today.

Port Isabel

2010-09-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Made it to Port Isabel. Set up camp for a week. Will start checking things out tomorrow. Got some scallops for dinner. Warm but not as humid since we're close to the water. Great breeze. Another arkie is camped close to us. They have been coming down for 5 winters now. The "winter Texans" are already showing up. Plan on doing some fishing while here. Nothing like fresh fish for dinner. More later.

Hot and Humid

2010-09-15T05:06:00.000-07:00

Made it to Corpus Christi yesterday. Didn't want to drive all the way to Port Isabel from San Antonio in one day. Heck, I'm retired so why push it. Rained last night so you can cut the humidity with a knife. Thank goodness for AC. Looking forward to finally getting to the far south of TX. Watching tropical storm Kurt as it moves west towards Mexico. Hopefully, it will stay south of us. We can expect rain though over the weekend. Going to buy some fresh fish this afternoon [or maybe shrimp] and have it for dinner. Love fresh seafood. Next report from arkietraveler will be from Port Isabel.

San Antonio

2010-09-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Drove to San Antonio today. Strolled along the River Walk, had some appetizers and margaritas. Took this picture of the Alamo but didn't visit it due to two previous trips here. Off to Corpus Christi tomorrow - may even drive all the way to Port Isabel. Just depends on how I feel. Looking forward to some fresh seafood to go with the wine we bought yesterday.

Luckenbach, TX

2010-09-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

Went to Luckenbach, Tx today. Not too much to see but what there is, is kind of neat. Photos tell the story. Then back to Fredericksburg for a walk along main street. Stopped at two wine tasting places and came back with 5 bottles of wine. Before Luckenbach, we had breakfast in town [as well as lunch yesterday[ and these German Texans don't know what small portions are. Great beers and wines and you can wander up and down the street with a cool beer to go. This is my kind of place. Off to San Antonio tomorrow.

National Museum of the Pacific War

2010-09-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

One of the best military museums I've been to. Plan on a whole day to see everything. Awesome exhibits and knowledgeable guides. Located in Fredricksburg, TX - hometown of Admiral Nimitz. Well worth the visit. Plenty else to do in the area.

LBJ Ranch

2010-09-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

Today, we drove to Johnson City, TX and visited the LBJ museum, state park and ranch. Very interesting. Beautiful hill country of TX. Took a drive through tour of the ranch. See why they called it the TX white house since LBJ spent 25% of his time as president here. Now in Fredricksburg, TX for 2 nights. Plenty to see and do here tomorrow. Took a picture of a TX 5 star restaurant where they serve TX oyster in the half shell - armadillo. Only in TX.

Day Four

2010-09-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

Day four of our trip. Hopefully, it will be better than the first three. Had to get some work done on the motor home on day two, then yesterday the alternator in the jeep went out and had to get it replaced. Two days in service shops - bummer. Passed by Ft. Hood in Killean, Tx yesterday. Huge fort. Today, it's off to Johnson City, Tx to visit the state park there. Then to Fredricksburg, Tx for two nights. Going to visit the Nimitz Museum of WW II War in the Pacific and the LBJ ranch. Weather is back to normal - hot and humid but at least no rain. Had an excellent italian dinner last night at a local restaurant. As Bugs Bunny used to say, that's all folks!!!

After the Storm

2010-09-09T04:24:00.000-07:00

Day two of our month long trip and we ran into severe weather in the Dallas area. Tornadoes all around us and very heavy rain. Thankfully, we ducked the bullet but had to be ready to go to a shelter. I believe the bad weather is behind us now and it should be clear sailing for awhile. Weather was due to tropical storm Hermene. Heading for Lampasas, TX today.

First Trip

2010-07-23T04:38:00.000-07:00

Took our first trip yesterday, 7/22/10, to Joplin for repair work. There seems to be very little quality control at the factory or dealership. Have to go back today to see why the TV will not pick up a cable signal. Antenna works fine. Hopefully, it is something simple. Then home. Very hot and humid. Spent the night at KOA.

More Coach Pictures

2010-07-08T06:51:00.000-07:00

Finally, got the new coach loaded after two days of "moving." It's amazing how much stuff you can load into a motorhome. Going to take it to a local lake park this Sunday for 2 nights to check everything out.

New Motorhome

2010-06-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-28T05:50:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-19T04:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-17T03:48:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-16T04:03:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-15T04:03:00.004-07:00

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

2010-06-14T04:01:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-12T03:47:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

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

Monticello and Natural Bridge

2010-06-11T03:45:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

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]

2010-06-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

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

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

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

2010-06-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-05T05:12:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-03T03:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Picture of the Cape Hatteras light.

Outer Banks, NC

2010-06-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

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.

Beach Time

2010-05-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

Back from the beach. What a great day. Picked up some more Oak Leaf wine at Wally World. What a zoo out there with everybody heading home. NOT US! Off to the OB tomorrow. Now it's shower time and then cocktails. What a life.

Great Fish Dinner

2010-05-31T04:15:00.000-07:00

The fresh fish dinner last night was great. Bought two bottles of Oak Leaf white wine at Wally World and it was really very good and less than $3 per bottle. Going to buy some more today. Another beautiful morning. Beach time today. Tomorrow, we pack up and head to the Outer Banks of NC for about a week. How about the picture!!!

Margaritaville

2010-05-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

This morning I got up early and headed for the fishing pier. Caught enough fish for a fresh fish dinner tonight. Then headed into town for lunch at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. Sharleen had a cheeseburger from paradise and I had conch fritters and TWO margaritas. Then to the store for flags to display tomorrow [Memorial Day.] Also bought a couple of bottles of white wine to go with the fish tonight. Sure is nice to be in a civilized state where you can buy booze on Sunday. In Arkansas, being the buckle of the Bible belt, you can't. Like that really keeps you from imbibing on Sunday! Another reason to get back to the ocean. Now it's nap time.

Relaxing

2010-05-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

Relaxing after a hard day at the beach and fishing.

First Full Day at Myrtle Beach

2010-05-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

Got up early [what else is new.] Went to Wally World to pick up some items, then to the beach, then to the fishing pier. Getting to look like I need to change my ethnic code. No luck with the fishing so will try tomorrow morning early. Have steak for dinner anyway and will stoke up the bbq in several hours after happy hour [or two.] Life's tough.

Myrtle Beach 2

2010-05-29T03:54:00.000-07:00

Went to the beach yesterday afternoon. Love the sand, saltwater and ocean breeze. More of the same today. Right now it's a typical ocean front morning, a little fog and some high clouds that are breaking up. Going to be another nice day. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll catch dinner. Nothing beats fresh seafood. Then Monday, it's off to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville for a cheeseburger in paradise and a schooner of margaritas. Read and weep you Parrotheads!

Myrtle Beach 1

2010-05-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

First pics of Myrtle Beach. Love the smell of the ocean. Going to the beach after this post. Then salt water fishing from the pier on Sunday. Beach all day tomorrow. Arkansas is fine but it's not where my heart is. More later.

Only 3 hours away

2010-05-28T04:10:00.000-07:00

Beautiful morning. Sandy soil in the campground which means the beach is close. GPS says less than a 3 hour drive. Topped the gas tank and reprovisioned yesterday so we're ready for the beach. Jimmy Buffet - here I come.

Tired of Backroads

2010-05-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

I'm tired of backroads. Finally, made it to the interstate and that should take us all the way to the beach. The backroads let you see a lot more but they get tiresome after awhile. Tomorrow, toes in the sand, a cold drink and a good book. Sure glad we decided not to go to the Gulf Coast. What a disaster and I don't see a lot of federal help. Obama's Katrina. I guess it was more important that he go to CA and raise funds for that sawed off, female dog Barbara Boxer. Palin, Boxer and Pelosi - can't stand any one of them. Enough ranting. No pictures today.

Rainbow

2010-05-27T03:05:00.000-07:00

This was a beautiful rainbow over our campground late yesterday afternoon. Off to Camden, SC today then Myrtle Beach on Friday.

Long Drive

2010-05-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

Long drive today through TN, NC, GA and SC. Drove through the southern part of the Appalachia's and TN Valley in eastern TN, Blue Ridge mountains in north GA. Beautiful country but long, narrow and windy mountain roads. Takes alot out of you and I'm beat this afternoon. Tomorrow we'll be on the interstate towards Columbia, SC. Easy driving. More later.

On the way to South Carolina

2010-05-26T04:43:00.000-07:00

On the way to South Carolina. One more night in TN and then to Myrtle Beach for the long weekend. REMEMBER THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR FREEDOMS. Spent the night on the TN river at a not too good campground. [Hales Bar outside of Chattanooga.] Would not recommend it. Weather holding out - warm and a little muggy. Will post more later.

Sissy, The RV Cat

2010-05-25T04:44:00.000-07:00

Sissy, our RV cay hard at work. She is actually adjusting pretty well to RVing. On to Chattanooga, TN today. Beautiful morning after a late afternoon thunderstorm yesterday.

Shiloh National Military Park

2010-05-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

Some pictures of the Shiloh National Military Park. First real bloody battle of the Civil War. Rebs won day 1 and Yanks won day 2 and the battle. On to Chattanooga tomorrow.

New Blog

2010-05-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Just set up this new blog. Will post to it as we travel around the country. Going to the Razorback Base annual campout this coming weekend. Pete Rathmell, SubvetRVers Wagonmaster