21 August 2008

Hi All: This will be my last entry for this trip. We have been home a week today and still don't have all the stuff out of the Motor Home yet. It's been raining off and on, but no big wind from the storm that passed to our East a couple days ago. Now the storm is turning and will go North of us again. Shouldn't have much trouble from it this time either. Just some rain, and most of Florida needs the rain. Just not 23 inches in a couple days. Most of it will run off and not sink in to the lakes and aquifer.

Amy figured out our final costs etc for the trip. Thought I would share it with you in case you would think of a trip like this for you:

Trip: 96 days
Miles: 12,645
Campgrounds: 56
Campground $: $2831.98
Gas Stops: 46
Gas $: $7344.37
Gas for Saturn: $165.09
Laundry $: $149.55
Motor Home Repair: $2014.78
Food & Misc, Eating out, souvenirs, tours etc: $8734.78

Total for trip: $21,240.55

We had figured it would cost us $20,000.00 for the trip, and if I had not had the expense for repairing the Motor Home it would have made it under the estimate. I don't know what kind of cruise or trip a couple could take for 96 days and see what we saw and did for less than that. It was a fantastic trip. One we will remember for ever and ever. Also strange that Amy and I were not holding each other by the throats within two weeks in to the trip. We were attached at the hip for the whole time and it was super. I was in a store the other day and walked around looking for her for half an hour before I remembered I was there by myself. hee hee...

I recommend the trip to anyone that can do it. That country is beautiful. Just wouldn't want to be there in January or February!!!

Some folks say a cat only has a memory of 30 days. And if he is away from a place longer than that he won't recognize anything when you put him back in his place. Well, I'm here to say that is wrong. Pharaoh remembers everything. He is now leading us around making us do all the things he did before we left, and remembers where everything is. He is a happy cat to have all his space again.

Again, Thanks for reading our trip.

Semper Fi

Don, Amy & PHARAOH

14 August 2008

Hi All: Well, this is the last blog I guess. We got home about 1 PM today and drove all the way today in the rain. It was good to get home even if it was raining. We unloaded some stuff but decided to not work in the rain any more so we quit for the day.

We had a SUPER time on this trip and will now have to sit down and plan the next one. Not sure where yet, but do plan to use the Motor Home more...

Thanks for all your kind notes during this trip. We'll do it again some time...

Semper Fi

Don, Amy & Pharaoh (He's real happy to have so much room now!!!!)

11, 12, 13 August 2008

Hi All: Sorry it's been so long but the last two campgrounds did not have WiFi available. One of them had it in the building, but it was raining last night and didn't want to unhook the car. It rained most of the night and was raining this morning. Got soaked unhooking the water and electric from the Motor Home, then had to get gas and got soaked again. Glad the heater worked in the dash of the rig. It rained on us all the way to the Tallahassee RV Campground here. At least they have cable TV (72 stations) and WiFi. Was writing JoAnn and the electricity went off. Thought it kicked a circuit breaker, but it wasn't. The storm knocked out all the electricity in the area. We decided to go to the Cracker Barrel for dinner. Had a heck of a time finding it. Knew which exit off I-10 it was but it was hidden way back in the woods. Was just about ready to go to Shoney's but Amy saw a sign so we made it in. Good meal.

Made it back to the campground and the electricity was back on so we are all set for leaving in the morning for home. About 200 miles and we'll be there. Amy said that her records indicate it will be about 12,500 miles when we get home. Wow, that's a lot of gas.... We've been getting about 9 MPG on this flat hiway so far. Should be even better tomorrow as it's down hill all the way home I think.

Hope everyone enjoyed our trip and the Blog. It was fun doing the trip, AND fun doing the Blog...

Semper Fi.

Don, Amy & Pharaoh

10 August 2008

Photo's: A ways to go to San Antonia

One of those long long hiways

Hundreds of these along the way

Hi All: We made it to a little campground about 50 miles East of San Antonio, TX The trip was another hot one and it's hot here again. Close to 100 I'm sure. It's 87 here in the Motor Home, and I hope getting cooler. We did buy a small fan to move the air around and that makes it feel better when it's so hot...

Nothing much to report about the trip. Texas has the longest straightest roads I've ever seen. You can see the road till it disappears WAY down the road. Stopped for gas just outside of San Antonio cause we find that the gas is cheaper in the cities than way out on the hiway. It was $3.53 this time, and I got 9.0 MPG this time, and we had the generator running some this time, so if I take away the gas the generator uses I got better MPG....

Amy found this campground in one of our camping books. It's a Passport America campground, so it is half regular price. It's the cheapest place so far $12.50. No cable TV though, and a couple stations I can get on the regular antenna. Supposed to have WiFi also. Found it on the air and connected, but could not connect with the Internet. There was another WiFi signal there too, so I connected with it and got on line. Don't know who's WiFi it is, but it works just fine...

We are going to Lake Charles, LA tomorrow. A little shorter trip than today. We traveled about 350 miles today. Feel just fine. This rig drives much better than the Beaver did. Hate to say that about My Beaver though. But this rig has a chassis that is made for a Motor Home, not a beefed up one ton truck chassis like the Beaver...

Well, we'll see if we have WiFi tomorrow???

Semper Fi

Don, Amy & Pharaoh

9 August 2008

Photo's One of the storms waiting on us.

Cleaning the windshield. A daily thing

Jack & I with his new helicopter?? Fixing it??

Hi All:

Got on the road at our 0900, but had to stop for gas before we got going. Gas was $3.84. Had to buy the mid grade as the regular was 85 octane, and the mid was 88. They do that to ya around here. Advertise regular at $3.74 and then you have to buy the mid grade. We got gas here before we camped and the gas was regular 87 octane and it was $3.99. Seems like gas is always more expensive in Texas even though there are a bunch of refineries here and they still pump oil, but the gas is more expensive here. We plan to be East of San Antonio tomorrow so we won't have to drive thru there on Monday morning. Amy just made reservations at a campground and they said they have just one spot left. Hope it's still there when we get there.???

The trip was another trip like yesterday, some gradual upgrades and downgrades. We even had our rain storm just before we got here to Ft. Stockton, TX. The campground used to be a KOA, but is now a Good Sam. Even has a restaurant, Not sure we will use it or just eat in. We do like to eat in. Amy's a better cook than most any place out. Except Chinese???

Temp here is around 95 and the AC is working max now to get he inside of the Motor Home cooled down. Didn't use the generator today, just the dash AC. Got 9.4 MPG at our fill up today, and 9.1 on this morning's fill up. That's not to bad I don't think. We were getting 6.? in Canada and Alaska, but there were a lot more ups and downs there.

Didn't try to mess with the satellite today. We get 3 channels here and one of them is the Olympic, so that is what we have been watching since the opening stuff yesterday.

Amy talked to Judy today and Tom is coming along good. He's eating regular food and up and about. Should be home Monday. Good news...

Not sure about WiFi for tomorrow, Wish Us Luck.

Semper Fi

Don, Amy & Pharaoh..

8 August 2008

Hi All: Boy, we had a long trip today. Forgot that we lose an hour when we get out of Arizona. Arizona does not do Daylight Savings Time, so when we hit New Mexico we lost an hour, and we had about 400 miles to travel also, so we didn't get in to the campground till a little after 1800 local time. It's the Coachlight Motel and RV Park. It's supposed to be a Passport America place and our catalog said it would be $13.50, but when we signed up it was $18.50. Guess all things get more expensive. It's still not bad. Pull Thru site with full hookups AND WiFi free, so don't have to much to bitch about. No cable TV. Have to use the regular antenna, but get 12 channels, and 6 of them are in Spanish???? The Temp when we got here was about 87 which is much better than 117. We did hit a big rain storm about 80 miles from here. It cooled things down to 64 for a while. See gas is $3.79 here. We stopped at a station about 200 miles ago and paid $4.09. Guess we need to get gas closer to the big towns. Will top off in the morning. There are two stations here that we are supposed to be able to get in and get out of...

Will be leaving again at about 0900 in the morning, but plan to go only about 300 miles this time. The roads are pretty good, Lots and Lots of trucks, and the speed limit is mostly 75. I keep it at 60 which probably upsets some of the truckers as they think they own the hiway most of the time.

I did a program on Good Sam travel program that had us getting home on Wednesday, but it had me going 400 miles a day which Amy won't stand for, so it will probably be Thursday or Friday before we get home.... The hiway is fairly flat, but there are lots of gradual up grades that eat in to the MPG. Still got about 8.8 on the last tank, and today I should do better than that. Don't need to run the generator here either. It's a lot cooler than Arizona...

Well, better entertain Amy and Pharaoh for a while.

Semper Fi.

Don, Amy & Pharaoh

7 August 2008

Hi All: Had a slow day today. Amy got out early to the laundry and got our clothes washed and was back in about 2 hours. We sat around for a while, I checked the oil in the generator and the Motor Home. Checked the air in tires and we went over to Jack and Yoli's about 1330. Stopped at Starbucks and got some ice coffee and a couple strawberry things Jack and Y0li like. We sat around and BS'd for a while till it was time to go to dinner. Amy wanted to go back to the Mexican Restaurant they had taken us to when we first got here. WE had different meals this time too. The food sure is good there. We just DON'T have any good Mexican food where we live. Won't get any more good food till we go back to visit Jack and Yoli again I suspect. WE want to plan a trip back when it is not so hot.

Hated to say good bye to them after dinner, but all good things etc etc... We REALLY had a good time there with them. Jack had to go to work in the morning too. He took time off the whole time we were there. Sure glad he did..

Not much to report on this day. We leave at approx 0900 in the morning for Los Cruces, NM. Pretty long day I think. About 400 miles. Don't like to go that far...

Semper Fi.

Don, Amy & Pharaoh

6 August 2008

P
Photo's: Jack Cooking Dinner???
Yoli also cooking Dinner

And, Amy with a bird head..hee hee.

Hi All:

Another super day with Jack and Yoli. Amy got her hair done this morning and that took half a day for some reason. She left the Motor Home at about 0730 and we didn't see her till 1330??? She did look good though. Some of the time may have been used up getting a few small things for Jack and Yoli. It's their 28th Anniversary, and Yoli's ?? Birthday. She still looks like a teen ager...

Jack, Yoli and I sat around the house till Amy got back, then we visited a while longer then went to a restaurant called PF Chang's It was a super Chinese restaurant. The best I've ever had. Not a buffet, but a dinner like Amy likes. She likes all the food brought to her at a table etc. That happened here in style. If you ever see one of those restaurants and like Chinese food be sure to stop in...

That's about all we did yesterday. Amy will do the laundry tomorrow morning and then over to Jack And Yoli's for (Don't Know yet). Amy wants to go back to the Mexican restaurant they took us to a couple days ago. We cannot get any good Mexican food at home so this will be our last good food of that kind till we get back here to visit. Next visit will be when it is not so hot also.

Semper Fi.

Don, Amy & Pharaoh

5 August 2008

Photo's: Inside shot of stadium

Grass playing field on the outside. Rolls in when game is played
Jack and I showing bad knees??

Hi All:

Another great day in Phoenix. We got up at normal 0700 and was slow to get going. Got to Jack and Yoli's about 1030 and we decided to go early to the UofP Dome. Yoli said there was some stores etc we could browse thru. We found "Margaritaville" there and browsed thru a Margarita. Well, just Jack and I had one. Yoli had a "Coor's Light" and Amy had water. She still can't drink Tequila. hee hee.

We then walked over to the dome from there and looked around in the Cardinals gift shop till time for the tour. The tour person was real good. Took us all over the dome. It's one of the biggest in North America, Opens up on the top if they want, AND the grass field is grown on the outside and the day before a game they roll it in to the stadium for the game, then back outside to continue growing and they cut the grass out there and all. Pretty neat. We got to see some of the Private Boxes (Called Lounges here) that go for $125,000.00 a year with a minimum 3 year contract. Pretty nice, but not as nice as the owners "Lounge". It is glass enclosed and has food furnished etc. We couldn't go in there. Also went thru the visiting team locker room. Wouldn't let us in the Cardinals locker room. The tour was just great. Now I have to root for the Cardinals NFL team like I had to after Jack took us on the tour of the Diamondbacks place 7 years ago. Jack said the team needs a lot of help as they are not doing well this year. Well, after he took us thru the Diamondbacks stadium they won the World Series that year. Maybe the same will happen to the Cardinals. Not the World Series, but the Super Bowl?????

Had a fantastic dinner at Jack and Yoli's last night after we got back from the tour. Jack cooked some kind of marinated Dead Cow.( Don't remember the name of the meat?) and Yoli made some Mexican Rice which was superb, and had "Fried Beans". Not re-fried, just fried. They were great also. I even had to have seconds which I hardly ever do any more. The scale told me about it this morning....???

Amy is going to get her hair done this morning at o730, and Jack is going to pick me up here and we'll do something till she calls that she is done at the beauty shop.

Temp this morning was 86 with cloudy skies. Had a lot of lightening last night, but no rain here that I could tell.

Amy's brother Tom went in the hospital yesterday and had his gall bladder removed. Amy talked to Judy this morning and he seems to be coming along pretty good so far. Please send him all your good wishes. He hates being in the hospital... "Get well soon Tom"

Semper Fi

Don, Amy & Pharaoh

4 August 2008

Hi All: Another great day with Jack and Yoli. Got to their place about 1015. Was supposed to be there at 1000, but you all can guess who was holding up progress!!!!!

We had decided to go to the base to the Px and the Commissary. Got to the PX and it was nice, Then walked to the commissary and on the way in we noticed the checkout line was at least 100 feet long going down a long hall and I don't know what on the other end. I dropped the shopping basket and ran to the car. So we did not get an time in the commissary. We instead went to the "Food Store" Jack said had good prices and stuff. He was right. We got all we needed in no time at all. We only needed a few things so to stand in a line that long made no sense to me. We had dropped Yoli off at the house so she could get to her dental appointment at 1300. So we brought the stuff we bought to the Motor Home and Amy got it all stored and we went back to the house to wait on Yoli. She got back and we went to "THE LIQUOR STORE" Jack had a list of their prices and they were good. Wow, what a place. Almost as big as a KMart with nothing but wine and beer and liquor... Left with a trunk full of stuff..

We then went to a Mexican restaurant for Lupper. It was a great place. Super Margaritas, Salsa and chips, and the meals were superb. I had a Taco Salad off the Senior menu and it was just right. So tasty and not so much that I couldn't eat it all. Amy even was able to eat all her meal too. Jack and Yoli recommended the Senior Menu as the portions were pretty large here. One of the best meals I've had so far.

We went to the house and watched O'Riley till 1800 and then came home. Seems we get so tired having all this sight seeing and fun.. Oh, JoAnn, we are not having that much fun. She has told us we can have a little fun without her, but not to much. hee hee...

Going on a tour of the new University Dome at 1230 tomorrow, and I think Jack has some dead cow to burn for dinner. Looking forward to that too. It's so great to have the time to spend here with Jack and Yoli. It's exciting, interesting, exhilarating, and wonderful.

Checked the electric hook up this morning and the plug on our electric cord was so hot that I couldn't touch it, so I replaced it. It was melting the plastic around the outside of it. Not sure why, but changed it any way. Must have been a bad connection in there somewhere. Seems to be OK now...

Temp was 99 outside this evening. Must have something to do with the large rainstorm we had last night about 0300. It really came down. Jack said none came down where he lives about 15 minutes from here.... Any way, it's a little less hot this evening... Might be the warm salsa we had with dinner that warmed up our insides to get us closer to the high temps they have here.

Semper Fi

Don, Amy & Pharaoh

3 August 2008

Photos: A Javalina that walked down the road at a rest area.

We just had a wine tasting and I bought 2 bottles

A rock on the way to Jerome that is painted like a frog. Had to do a U turn for Amy to get her photo's.

Hi All: Another great day in Arizona. Got on the road from Jack and Yoli's about 0830 for Jerome, AZ. About 125 miles North of here. It's an old 1860's mining town on the side of a mountain. The streets are switch back on the mountain about 4 times as it is really on the mountain. They built a jail there a long time ago and it rained a lot and the jail was moved about two blocks down the mountain and is still located where it came to a stop. Not used but still there. It was a cement block building so it stayed pretty much in together. The town is a big tourist town now and we should NOT have gone there on a Sunday. Every biker and every other person in Phoenix and around was there too. Had a heck of a time finding a place to park, but did and then we had to walk up the side of the mountain roads to the town. Found a winery and did the wine taste. I bought two bottles. We were trying to find a wine that Yoli wanted. Not sure we did, but did buy the two bottles that she didn't make a real bad face when she tasted them...?? They were sparkeling wine of Peach and Almonds....We'll see if she still likes them....

The only other thing we bought was a T shirt from the fire department's table who were trying to get enough money to get a ladder long enough to reach the tallest building they have in case it ever catches fire... Bought one for $20 with their name on it... Also got an ice cream cone. Then started clouding up and thundering and we headed for the car and made it just as the sky opened up and we got on the road south to Phoenix..

Got back to Jack and Yoli's and had a couple drinks and we headed back to the Motor home to make sure the electricity stayed on today for Pharoah. The Air Conditioner was still running when we got there so we knew it should be OK for the little guy. He was happy to see us and back to his old self even if it was only 90 in the motor home, but 112 outside. The AC only gets to our 78 setting about 0530 in the morning, and I see from the weather channel it will be hot all the way across I-10. We plan to leave Friday morning.

Going to the base to the Px and Commissary tomorrow, and maybe to Best Buy to see if Kevin the tool is working that can put my key back on the lap top that Pharaoh picked off...Will probably do something else also, don't know what yet. Jack has tickets for us to tour the new Phoenix Universarty dome on Tuesday. Have plans to take them out for dinner for their Annivarsary, and Yoli's birthday one of these days, and Jack says they want us to try a Mexican Dinner place also. Amy has an appointmnet for hair fix on Wednesday, and then plans to do laundry etc on Thursday, and we plan to leave morning of Friday. Should take about a a week to get home. Hope we don't meet that tropical storm that is coming in to Texas about then....

Hope you enjoy the photo's.

Semper Fi

Don, Amy & a COOL Pharaoh..

2 August 2008

Photo's: A rose between two thorns. Amy and Yoli

The Thorns by themselves

The sign on the hiway of Out Of Africa

HI All:

We had a good day today. We wanted to check a few places to buy an electric Ice Crusher. WE do have one I have to crank, but wanted an electric one. Not one that make slushy's or smoothies, just cracked ice. Could not find one.....We then decided to go to Cabella's and there was a nice restaurant on the way that brews their own beer etc, so we stopped for lunch. Wow, it was one of the best hamburgers I've ever had, and the beer was pretty good to. Went to Cabella's then and spent a lot of time looking around in there. What a place. Didn't buy anything, but it was a trip to see what is in there. Checked Best Buy to have the key replaced on my lap top by the Geek Squad. Well they said they needed a special tool to fix it and his name is Kevin and he won't be in till tomorrow, so I didn't get it fixed yet.

Went to Jack and Yoli's for some water and a little wine and socializing and came back to the motor home at about 1800. Got here and opened the motor home and it was 106 inside. The circuit breaker on the campground outlet tripped I don't know when so poor Pharaoh was in a hot box for we don't know how long. It must have been a while as it was 103 outside, and 106 inside. He's OK I think, but doesn't seem to want his dinner which he is always ready for. When the AC catches up I'm sure he'll be back to normal. Need to put him in the shower I guess. Amy says No...

Dean Harrison called us today, Guess he finally got the card we left in Verde Valley. Amy talked to him for a while. Promised we'd try again when we get back out this way. Will try to make it when it's not this hot.

Semper Fi

Don, Amy, and Sweaty Pharaoh

2

1 August 2008

Photo's A striped horse; A black Bear; A White?Yellow Boa

Hi All: Here it is the beginning of a new month already. Our trip is coming to a close..:-(

Got here in Phoenix about 1200. The trip down

was pretty easy. Mostly DOWN HILL. We dropped about 3000 feet in 80 miles, and the temp went up with the drop of each foot.

Phoenix has grown an awful lot since our last visit. The area around here has become as busy as downtown Phoenix. Amy is in a fit about all the MALL's and shopping around here.

WE had a nice visit with Jack and Yoli yesterday with a super Pizza for dinner at the house. The get one that is all made up and you bring it home and cook it yourself. One of the best ones I've had...Didn't stay up to long as Amy and I were beat from the heat and trip I guess. Slept great. "The AC finally caught up to the setting about 0500 and was off for about half hour and came back on and has been going again since. Amy said the outside temp was 102, but the sun was on that side so she dropped the awning and it is now down to 99.. I suspect it will go up some as the day goes on...

WE plan to do some shopping like trips today, They have a Cabella's here, need to take my lap top to Best Buy to have one of the keys replaced. I think Pharaoh picked it off one night I left it open as it was pried up the next morning. Also want to check out the PX and Commissary on the base here too.

Plan a trip to Jerome, AZ on Sunday. A neat little town to visit. WE did it the last time we were here and enjoyed the visit as well as the trip there..

Later.

Semper Fi

Don, Amy & Pharaoh