Left San Antonio Saturday Morning. Headed towards Houston. Had an invitation to visit with the Angelos from the RV Chat Room http://rvchat.com at their “Last Re-sort” in High Island on the gulf. Parked in their driveway, used their spare hook ups, and had a very enjoyable visit Saturday night and sunday Morning
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Meet the Angelos and their friends from RV Chat at their web site http://jatexas.com

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Got to San Antonio Wednesday afternoon. Spent the evening at Dick’s last resort on the river walk. Got lost trying to find our way back to the campground. OnStar got us straightened out. Big rain storm that evening. Thursday was Beautiful toured the Alamo, took the riverboat cruise, and had lunch at the first restaurant on the River Walk.
We had such a good time we decided to stay an extra day and tour the 4 other Missions in San Antonio. Friday was another beautiful day. We toured 3 of the missions, had lunch at Hard Rock Cafe back on the River Walk, and finished up by visiting the last of the 5 San Antonio Missions. All in all a very interesting visit.

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Left Albuquerque Sunday morning 10/15, drove most of the day to just outside Carlesbad NM. Spending Monday the 16th exploring Carlesbad Caverns National Park, and the town.

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Fantastic Morning. Perfect weather. You will want to see all the photo’s in the gallery. We had a full day of Balloon Fiesta, and you can spend a lot of time checking out our galleries of photo’s from both events.

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Visited the nearby Petroglyph National Monument this morning. Did some shopping at Home Depot and spent the afternoon at “home” doing housekeeping and making minor repairs to the coach.

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Rain finally stopped. Weather was clear temps were in the 50’s and 60’s. There’s snow on the higher peaks near Eagles Nest. Beautiful day for a drive. Had Lunch in Taos, drove through the mountains to Cimarron and Philmont. Ate sundaes at the Soda Fountain, and took photos of the tooth of time, and Waite Phillips House.
It was a long drive but had a really nice time.

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It’s been raining for the last 2 days. The Balloon Fiesta is having a big washout. One news report today said that the 6 inches of rain in the last 48 hours is more than the normal rainfall for New Mexico in the entire month of October. It’s supposed to clear up by tomorrow, and be nice until at least this coming weekend. Hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to attend another event at the Fiesta.
Today we went about 40 miles west to the Acoma Pueblo. We visited the museum, and toured the oldest continuously occupied in North America.
The Acoma have a long and colorful history. Since the end of the 19th century they have been careful to ensure that the protect and preserve their culture while working and building their economy in the modern world.

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Had a liesurely morning, and spent the afternoon at the Pueblo Indian culture center watching the dancers, touring the museum, and looking at the Jewelry, pottery, and crafts by the indian artisans. There’s a lot to learn about native american culture and history. More photos to join the galleries.

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It’s hard to believe we actually woke up at 4:00 AM this morning to make it to the bus that took us to the Fiesta Grounds. It was still dark when we left the campground at 5:30 AM. They said there were +/- 70,000 people there for the Grand Ascension. We have more than 200 photos to post to the gallery.
We were back at the campground before Noon. Would have been sooner, but there was another phoobar by the organizers from the campground so we spent more than an hour riding around in circles on a School Bus. It was still worth it. The show was spectacular.
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We spent the Afternoon shopping and eating at Old Town Albuquerque.

Got a fairly early start from Tucumcari. Made pretty good time until a car pulled along side and waved us down. The big Winnebago mud flap was falling off the back of the coach. We pulled over and Richard managed to get the flap off and into the coach.
After that we managed to get to the American RV Park to check in. The place was a mad house. Our prepaid reserved pull through site had been reassigned and we were assigned to a small back-in site that wouldn’t hold our rig. After several go arounds, we were assigned to another pull through site that was assigned to a no-show.
We got in and got hooked up. Then we took a drive down Central Avenue (Old route US 66) through town. Got to see a Police stand off, found the local Winnebago service shop, and the Balloon Fiesta park.
We’ll be here until Sunday October 15.

Not much to say about today. Left El Reno about 10:00 AM Central time which is in keeping with our comfort level. Stopped about 2:00 PM in Amarillo TX, to buy fuel, and have lunch. The Leftovers from Montana Mikes were just as good today as yesterday. Karen finished up her shrimp from lastnight, and I had a blackened sirloin steak sandwich with cheese and mushrooms on a yeast roll. “YUM!”
We shifted from Central to Mountain time when we crossed the border from Texas into New Mexico. Arrived in at the Mountain Road RV Campground in Tucumcari around 3:30 PM. That puts us 2 hours behind our home base in Georgia.
Met some folks with a retired military RV club that are heading our way to Albuquerque, staying at the American RV park same as us. Maybe we’ll get to know them better in the next few days.

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This is a landmark day in the history of Karen and Richard and their Journeys in their Journey. We left Russellville aroud 10:00 AM Central time this morning, Interstate 40 is pretty much a straight shot west all the way to Albuquerque. The traffic was relatively light, and the weather was clear and hot. Here’s the important part. We stopped at the first rest area we came to, and Karen took the wheel for the first time in our 2+ years of traveling in the motor home. She was a bit nervous at first, but settled down quickly. She drove more than 100 miles today. Excellent outing for her first try.

We have photos and a movie clip that we’ll post here shortly to prove that it was really her.

We got to El Reno around 4:30 PM set up camp, rested a bit and then went for a drive. Took a look aroune El Reno. and then cruised up the highway to a “Cherokee Trading Post” that we’d seen signs for along the highway. You really have to know what you’re shopping for in these places.
There were several displays of authentic native america pottery and baskets. But there was also pottery labeled “Hecho en Mexico”, and some replicas of western american firearms labled made in Spain. Many of the items in the store had no identification of where they came from.
For diner, we followed our noses and found a restaurant near the campground called Montana Mike’s Steak House. There were a lot of local license plates in the parking lot so we gave it a try. We were pleasantly surprised. They had an fried zuccini on the menu and it was so good, we really pigged out on it. There was nothing left by the time my blackened Sirloin, and Karen’s fried shrimp came to the table. Altogether it was an excellent and reasonably priced meal. We both have left overs for lunch tomorrow.
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Monday October 2nd left home before 11:00 AM. Took a different route to get to I40 west of Memphis. Went out across 278 to 78. Spent our first night in Tupelo MS. Elvis birthplace, but not the most photogenic site we’ve visited. Left early Tuesday Morning and headed west. Picked up I40 at Memphis TN. Roads were a disaster connecting from US 78 to I240.

Spent Tuesday Night October 3rd in Russellville Arkansas just off exit 81 on I40. We’ll be on I40 all the way to Albuquerque.

Journey Home

Richard skipped out on the closing session of his meeting, and we hit the road about 10:00 AM. We were back in Kennesaw around 3:00 PM.

We have mixed feelings about ending this Journey in our Journey. It’s nice to be home, and see the family. Wouldn’t mind a couple of days to do laundry, and clean service the Jeep and the Journey. Then hit the road again.

We learned about a lot of places on this trip. There are many places we’d like to go back and spend more time at. So our future Journey’s will probably involve some specific destinations with extended stays included.

ECCHHHH!!! Reality is starting to set in again.

Not a bad site, The roads are paved, and the site is nice and wide. But there are NO amenities, not even a laundry. Would have expected better for a major metropolitan area. After we got set up, we drove around, and checked out a KOA, just across the border in SC. Looked like it was primarily a long term campground.

Oh well, it’s fairly convenient to the hotel where richard has his business meetings, and we’ll be heading home on Saturday any way.

Rock Flow, Mamoth Cave NP

Toured Mamoth Cave this morning. Only did the short (1.25 hr) tour, but got some interesting photo’s. Will add the Cave City and Mamoth Cave Photos Shortly.

album13/IMG_2464.jpg Click on the image to enter the Mamoth Cave Gallery

Drove over to Charlotte, NC for Richard’s Business Meetings. Got the worst campsite we’ve had on the entire trip. Besides it’s hot and muggy here.

Jellystone Park

Hard to believe we’re into our last week of the trip already. We’re at a Jellystone Park, Resort in Cave City about 10 miles from Mamoth Cave National Park. This is certainly the most expensive but not necessarily the nicest place we’ve parked on this journey.

We have tickets for a Cave Tour tomorrow morning at 8:30 CDT. Then we’ll head east. Reserved a site at Sevierville, TN for tomorrow night (about half way to Charlotte), Then on to Charlotte for our Business Meetings.

By the way, did you notice the change of plans? Charleston West Virginia fell off the radar, and we’re on a more southeasterly heading.

Happy Fathers Day! Happy Anniversary! Karen and I met on Father’s day weekend 29 years ago today.

Beautiful in Metropolitan Louisville, KY. Slept in, had a liesurely breakfast. Went to the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill downs. Watched the movie, Got to see the 2nd race from right by the rail next to the winner’s circle. Got a nice pic of the winner.

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Drove by the Steam Boat Museum, and stopped for a little while at the Ohio River Falls State Park. Good place for palentologists, to go to see Fossils from several epochs.

Talked to the kids and grand kids, and cooked a great Veal Marsala for diner. Weather has been beautiful. Low 80’s.

Tomorrow is the 29th aniversary of our first meeting June 19, 1976, and today is the 14th anniversary of our marriage in the church.

Today was special. It’s just like home. Spent the morning and part of the afternoon doing laundry, and cleaning house. Finally got out of here a little after 2:00 PM EDT. Drove around a bit. Had an early diner at Outback, and hit the neighborhood Wal*Mart Super Center to do our week’s grocery shopping.

Got “home” a little after 5:00 PM. We’re exausted. Will probably just stay in watch movies, and eat Ice Cream this evening.

Louisville, KY

Left Golden, CO early Wednesday. Drove through Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana and finally reached Louisville, KY about 6:00 PM EDT today. Richard used to think driving through Nebraska and Iowa on Interstate 80 was the most boring drive in the country. Well guess what? Corn and Soy Beans are infinitely more interesting than Grass, and FLAT and we mean FLAT plains.

There were some high points though. For excitement we spent Wednesday Night in Russell, KS (Kansas), at the hight of the summer thunder storms and Tornados that blew through there that night. Fortunately we were north and east of the Tornado warnings, but the wind was strong enough to really shake our 12 ton motor home.

Thursday the weather was much better. Actually slept with the windows open, and the AC and heater turned off at Boonville, MO.

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Nice Photo’s from the Eisenhower Museum

Stopped in Abeline, KS on the way to visit the Eisenhower, home, library, and museum. In our lifetime, Ike was the first president that we were really aware of. He was quite a guy. His wife Mamie was also a very interesting person, and very well respected. It was an interesting couple of hours.

There are photos from the grounds and the Museum, that will be joining the Gallery shortly.

Friday, was a long driving day. Mostly driving, across the plains of Illinois and Indiana. Louisville is right on the border between Kentucky and Indiana. They’re only separated by the Ohio River. Now you’ve had your geography lesson for today. 415 miles with the traffic around St. Louis made for a rather tiring day.

We plan to spend the weekend here, and then move on east through Lexington, and on into West Virginia, before we head south to Charlotte, NC on Wednesday.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!

Colorado Rockies

Drove from Grand Junction (Fruita) to Golden Colorado through some of the most fantastic mountain scenery we’ve ever seen. The weather has finally turned beautiful. It’s 246 miles from Grand Junction to Denver almost 100 miles is along the Colorado River. Every Mountain pass is more spectacular than the one before it until just before you get to Denver, you cross the Continental Divide at over 11,000 Feet.

We went past Aspen, and through Vail, and there is a lot of snow still on the higher peaks. Got to Golden about 3:30 PM Mountain time and got settled into our camp ground. Drove around a bit, and got our bearings for Tuesday.

Woke up Tuesday to a beautiful sunny day. Had breakfast, cleaned up, left Lucky “home” with the AC and the TV on and made it to the Coors Brewery in time for one of the first tours of the day. Really interesting and tasty too we might add. Didn’t know that Coors was involved in as many brands of beverages as they are. They’re the third biggest brewer in the US, and number 5 in the world.

Even teetotaler Karen did some sampling. Her favorite was the Zima Black Cherry.

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There’s more than 150 Pictures in the Golden Gallery

You may have already noticed the many flower pictures intersperesed in the galleries that go along with this BLOG. You will also see several flower pictures in the Coors chapter of the Golden Gallery. It’s not an accident. Bill Coors wife started the practice of having fresh flowers placed around the brewery to welcome visitors, and cheer up the employees. The practice has continued over time. The company maintains a green house on the premises (2200 acres), and there are always fresh flowers in expected and even unexpected places around the facility.

After, the Brewery Tour, we drove north 20 some miles to Boulder to visit the Leave No Trace Center For Outdoor Ethics. Richard is still the State Leave No Trace Advocate for Georgia, so we visited with the folks at the center for awhile, and Richard spent most of his allotment for materials that we’ll bring back to GA, and use for His Leave No Trace Training Programs.

After that, we went back “home” walked the dog, and then visited the Colorado Railroad Museum and had diner on the sidewalk in downtown Golden.

On the road again tomorrow. Not sure where we’ll end up so you’ll just have to come back and read the BLOG later to find out.

Colorado

So today we made it from Fruit Heights, UT to Fruita CO. Nice Drive through more beautiful mountain scenery. Followed US 6 East from Provo till it joined up with I 70. Think we’ll probably stay with the Interstate for a while. Thought we’d make it to Denver, but that would have been a really long day.

Stopped at a nice campground, Had an excellent diner at the local’s favorite Mexican Restaurant. We’ll be on our way again tomorrow.

The Temple, Salt Lake City

The campground is Cherry Hill, Fruit Heights is about 20 miles north of downtown Salt Lake City Utah. Drove here on Friday from Ely Nevada. This is our 10 th State since leaving Georgia May 21.

Spent Saturday visiting Temple Square, the Bee House (home and office of Brigham Young), and the Red Butte Gardens. Learned some things about the Mormon Faith, and saw some beautiful gardens.

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See all the photos in the Salt Lake City, Uath Gallery

Rained all night Saturday. Weather has been cool. We’ve been using the heater more than the AC. Haven’t turned the AC on since we were in Memphis.

Short drive today from Eureka to Ely NV. Stopped at a KOA. Nice campground but had problems with the sewer connections, and the wireless internet connection.

Got in early, and spent the day sight seeing. Tried to see the train Museum, but it’s kind of a different set up, and we didn’t see much there. The historic museum downtown is more interesting. Also stopped in at the Visitor Information Center. Had a good conversation with the lady that runs the place, and we learned a lot.

Garnet Hill

Most fun was driving out to the Garnet Hill prospecting area run by the Bureau of Land Management. Spent a couple of hours wandering around the hill looking at the ground for rocks. found some nice pieces of raw garnet.

Eureka

Left Zepher Cove this morning. Planned to make it across “The Loneliest Highway in America” US 50 to Ely Nevada. We only got as far as Eureka which is about 2/3 of the way to Ely. Stayed at a small campground right along the highway. You can see the photo’s in the Eureka Ely Gallery.

US 50, Loneliest Hwy in USA

US 50 really is the lonliest highway in America. There is even a trip ticket that you can complete and the Govenor of Nevada will send you a certificate for surviving the trip. There’s nothing there but beautiful mountains, and great high plains on that route. If you love great scenery you should really take the trip at least once in your lifetime. Just be sure you have a full gas tank, and plenty of water before you leave Carson City east bound or Ely westbound. As you cross some of the high plains, you can see for 20 miles in every direction. There are times when there is no other vehicle of any kind in site in either direction.

Lake & Snow says it all.

Finally got out of Manteca today. Almost thought we were going to put down roots. Drove up US 50 to Lake Tahoe. Drove through South Lake Tahoe, and Stateline Nevada. Found a beautiful site at Zepher Cove.

We spent the afternoon driving around the lake. Had diner in the historic lodge at Zepher Cove that was built in the mid 1800’s. After diner we drove across the pass to Carson City, and did a quick look around. Decided we did well to land at Zepher Cove.

Took some more interesting photos. Uploaded them to the Tahoe Gallery on the web site.

Where Did He Go Now????

Reluctantly left Yosemite friday morning. Had a hair raising experience driving down CA highway 120 to Manteca. Manteca is in the San Juaquin (Central Valley) between Sacramento and Fresno. If anyone had told Richard that he would enjoy spending 4 days in Manteca when he was growing up, he would have thought they were nuts.

Found a nice campground called French Camp RV. Felt like poor relatives with the Northern California Monaco Owners Club meeting there over the weekend.

Richard and Lucky Just

We only planned to spend 3 days relaxing, catching up on house work, and doing some shopping. But, we ended up staying over Monday to get refills for some of Karen’s prescriptions at the local Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy.

Vernal Falls from the Mist Trail

What a beautiful morning. We woke up in Yosemite Valley. It really is beautiful no matter what direction you look.

After breakfast we took Lucky, and walked up to Happy Isles, and took a bunch of really neat photos. Check out the Yosemite Gallery We got a lot of really beautiful photos. Happy Isles is on the Merced River Below Nevada and Vernal Falls.

After lunch, we jumped in the Jeep and took a ride around the Valley Floor. Stopped and walked back to the base of Yosemite Falls. Got more great photo’s. The water is really cold, and we got wet in the spray. Lucky had a great time wading in some of the little side streams.

We also visited the Post Office, Ansel Adams Gallery, and the Museum.

Later in the afternoon, Richard took his camera, hopped the shuttle back to Happy Isles, and hiked a mile up the trail to the base of Vernal Falls.
Got some good photos from the trail, and walked a ways up the Mist Trail toward the top of Vernal Falls. The Vernal Falls Trail is also the begining of the John Muir Trail that follows the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains from Yosemite to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National parks ending at the top of Mt McKinley. The John Muir also is part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Returned “home” in time for diner.

Now we wish we’d made the reservation for a longer time.

Yosemite Falls June 2005

Left the KOA in Visalia today and drove up to Yosemite. The roads are very steep and winding. Wouldn’t want to try it with anything bigger than our Journey.

Saw a prescribed burn inside the park while we were driving down into the valley. Also a big brown (black) bear crossed the road right in front of us. Lucky was very interested in him. Glad we were in the Coach, and he was moving off into the woods.

Finally found our campsite. people were lined up in the parking lot waiting in line for no shows and cancellations. Boy are we glad we had reservations. The campground is beautiful, and laid out so each site has plenty of privacy, and there’s lots of open space between the loops.

There’s no phone service at all in the campground.

WOW!! Those are some big Trees!

Sequoia Sempervirons

Packed a lunch, took Lucky, and spent the day exploring Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks. They have to be about the best kept secrets of the National Park System.

I thought the Coast Redwoods at Muir woods were spectacular. They look like toothpick compared to the Sequoia Semprevirans (sp?) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. They only grow in a few places where the climate is right between 5,000 and 7,000 ft.

THERE’S STILL SNOW IN THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS IN JUNE!

Snow In June in the Sierras

We’re staying at the KOA in Visalia again tonight, and off to Yosemite tomorrow.

Drove over here from Las Vegas today. found a nice KOA camp ground. It’s a longer drive than I thought it was. We’re really glad we didn’t wait and try to drive all the way to Yosemite in one day.

Visalia is a little south of Fresno. Has ready access to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Also, close enough to make it a reasonable drive into Yosemite Valley on Wednesday.

Grilled steaks, with baked potatoes and corn on the cob. Must be the first year since we’ve been in Georgia, that I didn’t do spare ribs on Memorial Day.

Las Vegas

Stayed at Sam’s Town RV Park and Casino today. Did some shopping, and laundry. Life goes on even on the road. Also, visited Mom’s friend from Lost Mtn. Linda Cooper for a couple of hours.

Drove down the Las Vegas Strip this evening. Amazing is a good word. Believe it or not, we haven’t spent a dime on gambling. Really doesn’t interest us. People sitting at those machines putting in money and pushing buttons just don’t look like they’re having much fun.

Will head over to California tomorrow. Want to try and stay somewhere around Fresno. We’ll try and see Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks on Tuesday before heading into Yosemite on Wednesday.

Hoover Dam

Tried to get reservations for the Grand Canyon at a couple of places, with no luck. Decided with the holiday weekend, that we’d pass and head on over to Las Vegas.

This was a really interesting day. Started out in Holbrook, AZ around 10:00 AM Temp was in the low 90’s drove over to Flagstaff, AZ, and hit thunder storms temps got down in the low 50’s. By the time we got over to Kingman, the temp was back in the 90’s and crossed 100 before we crossed Hover Dam.

Hover Dam is really impressive. Also, there’s a major road construction project going on on US 93 around the Dam. No Commercial traffic across the dam. There are security check points on the Arizona and Nevada sides of the dam. We had to stop about 5 miles from the Dam, and let the AZ state police inspect the coach inside and out. Opened and inspeceted all the bays.

The construction project isn’t due to be completed until 2008.

Got to Las Vegas around 7:00 PM PDT. Got a site at Sam’s Town Casino and RV Park. We’ll be here atleast till Monday.

We just can’t seem to sleep in . We were up by 7:00 AM. Hit the road after breakfast and headed for Arizona.

Petroglyph Circa 600 - 2000 BC

Visited the Painted Desert & Petrified Forest National Park. Click Here to see our album of photos.

It’s really worth seeing. Hard to believe that these trees existed on the planet before man walked here. Got some good shots of pictographs that were carved by people that were farming here before the time of Christ.

Spent the night at a campground in Holbrook, AZ. Best thing to say about it is it had hookups.

Kwahadi Dancer

Got a lot of rain last night. Slept late for us. Didn’t get up till 8:00 AM. Spent today cleaning the RV, and doing laundry.

This afternoon we visited the Kwahadi Kiva Indian Museum and Performance Center. The Kwahadi’s are a a BSA Venture Crew, that studies, practices, and performs Native American Dances. We saw them on tour in Georgia several years ago.

Click to see the Museum Photo’s

Left Amarillo around 5:00 PM CDT, and headed over to Albuquerque. Long drive with not much interesting scenery along the way. Had Diner at a TA truck stop then kept driving to Albuquerque arriving around 10:00 PM Mountain Daylight time.

Amarillo Camp Site

After the tire incident in Oklahoma, the rest of the day was pretty uneventful. The scenery gets flatter and flatter the further west you go. So it’s pretty dull driving. Arrived in Amarillo about 6:30 PM CDT. Found a really nice campground. Remember this is Texas, but this place actually has grass and trees. Also has pull through sites, with dog pens, and shaded picnic tables. Along with free WiFi, we really like this place.

Those of you who know Richard very well, and have been blessed with hearing all his stories, will remember him talking about a trip he took in 1970 where he drove through Amarillo Texas, and found a really run down looking restaurant with a lot of local Texas cars parked around it where he had one of the best steak diners he had ever eaten.

Now for the rest of the story. Today 35 years later we had a great steak diner the Big Texan Steak Ranch. Turns out the place was started in another part of town in 1960. Moved to the present site by the Interstate in the mid 1970’s. Still serves a great steak diner. So Sometimes you can go back again.

Tomorrow we head on to Albaquerque New Mexico. The current plan is to spend the day here in Amarillo, and leave around 5:00 PM to do the drive during the cool of the evening. We need time to do some house keeping, etc. and rest a bit. The trip from here to Albaquerque isn’t all that scenic, so we won’t miss much driving at night, and the coach runs better with the cool moist air.

Got an early start this moning. We were on the road headed for Amarillo by 9:00 AM CDT. Made a mistake setting up the Jeep this morning. Figured it out by the time we got to Oklahoma City. The coach was steering funny, and a passing motorist was signaling that we had a problem with the wheels. We finally pulled off I40 and into a Wal*Mart Parking lot on the west side of the city.

Turns out. I hadn’t put the ignition key in the Jeep, and left it in the “OFF” setting instead of the “LOCK” setting. Somewhere outside of Oklahoma City, we hit a bump, and the steering wheel locked. Which caused the steering problem I was feeling with the coach, and ruined a brand new right front tire.

Fortunately Wal*Mart had a comparable tire for a replacement so after having lunch, doing some shopping, and waiting almost 3 hours to get the tire fixed and mounted we were on our way again. (To Be Continued)

After breakfast at Waffle House we visited Graceland this morning. we spent almost 3 hours there. Took lots of pictures. Elvis and his parents are buried on the Grounds.
Click Here to See the Entire Graceland Gallery.

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was an important figure in popular music in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s up until his death at age 42. He bought Graceland when he was 22 years old, and it was always his favorite. place. .

Hit the road after the Graceland tour. Drove through Arkansas, and stopped for diner at a rest stop just across the border in Oklahoma. After diner, we were caught in severe Thunder Storms and Flash Floods. So we pulled into a KOA campground in Sallisaw for the night.

We don't understand the Rating Systems

Left Lebanon TN about 10:00 AM this morning. Interstate driving is a bore. Only did about 250 miles today all interstate. Karen wants to See Graceland so we stopped here.

Southhaven is just across the border in MS from Memphis. We’re camped in a Woodalls 5 W campground. I need to learn more about these rating systems. I’ll post a photo tomorrow. We’re only about 5 miles from Graceland.

We got here too late today to go in so we’ll go there in the morning before we head west.

Amarillo Texas is 727 miles and 11 hours from here. So We’re guessing we’ll make a stop somewhere along the way.

At home in the Country Side Resort
We had a liesurely breakfast this morning. Then took Lucky, and went exploring. Right away we found our favorite store, SUPER WAL*MART. So we did some shopping.

After that we spent the day exploring Nashville. Drove downtown and went to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Didn’t stay though. It was hot. We worried about leaving Lucky in the car. Also, we didn’t think it was worth $30 for 2 people to go see the exhibits.

Tried to find the Grand Old Opry. Didn’t find the original building. Drove around the New one, and the Monster Mall that’s along side it. Decided we didn’t need to visit the mall.

After a stop for lunch, we discovered the Belle Meade Plantation. Very interesting. You can see the photos in the Gallery. Famous as the breeding stock for the finest thoroughbred race horses in the world. The two horses Enquirer, and Iriquois, provided the blood lines for most of the famous derby winners up to the current day.

Later in the afternoon, we returned to the camp, and spent the time kicking back till we headed out for an Awsome Blossom at Chili’s.

Tomorrow is a travel day. Heading for Memphis want to visit Graceland, and head west toward Little Rock.