Birthday Fun! Shooting! Celebrations! (Feb 2023)

California

Bob and Sherry connected with Cousin Wayne and his wife Cecile while visiting the west coast. Bob and Wayne have been friends since youngest years, both growing up in California and visiting each other often.

Marge and Sherry and Bob really enjoyed their time together, walking the pier, visiting, watching people playing in the (cold) winter ocean, and having a terrific lunch together. Marge was kind enough to show us around Casa Romantica while sharing the fascinating history of this ocean town.

At first, we thought this pelican was such a sociable little guy. He just stood there while people photographed and lingered near him. But then we all noticed his runny nose! We started thinking he really wasn’t feeling well at all, and probably wanted to be left alone. He eventually sat down and tucked everything in close. At that point someone in the crowd called the local animal society to provide help.

Long-time skydiving friend Mary visited Bob and Sherry at their travel trailer after we all enjoyed lunch together. Mary has been skydiving about 40 years, has literally thousands of skydives, and even teaches skydiving techniques to young military jumpers. Pretty impressive, especially for a grandmother, eh?

Such a rowdy crew! Blowing noise makers at Bev’s 93rd birthday party in Tucson. Plenty of stories were shared. If you weren’t there, you missed out!

Joe flew in from Colorado to hold these birthday candles (93) for Bev. She appears a bit surprised by it all! Knowing Joe, I’m sure there’s a funny story here.

Barb flew in to visit. Here, Bev and Sherry are picking Barb up at the airport. Always good to have a sign, just in case!

Look closely. Change your perspective. Notice the RV in the background? The RV owners made by hand from weathered wood this tiny western town RV skirting. We meet such creative people!

JR was spot-on during his target shooting in the desert. We coordinated with Pam and JR to stay at the same RV park in Yuma during his shooting matches. Had a ton of fun playing card games together, dining together with their friends, and Bob even took JR up on his offer to join in the shooting fun! Had a great time together.

We are currently in the California deserts, enjoying hot mineral spas from natural hot springs, and getting to meet even more new friends. Thank you for joining us again as we venture around while On Our Adventure!

Bob and Sherry

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New Year 2023! California to Arizona (Jan 1 to Jan 31, 2023)

Why do we travel around like this? We only have one bed, two chairs, and one table. No TV. Superman would love our shower: It’s the size of a telephone booth! We store and manually drain our waste water from toilet and sinks every few days. Sure sounds like fun, eh?

So what’s the attraction? It’s the people we meet, and the life stories they’ve lived and share. For example, today we’re talking with Pam. She commented how quickly she observed that Sherry and I get involved with their groups. We replied we’re only here at this RV park for one week and we love meeting people quickly, hearing their story, and getting involved in any activities where we can interact with other people. We met Pam playing cribbage. (We lost.) She and her husband Keith workcamp, taking care of RV parks as they travel around. They don’t move around as rapidly as Sherry and I do, but they travel from place to place, getting involved with the people wherever they stop.

At the ice cream social the other day we struck up a casual conversation with Sandy who was a nurse during her career. Her passion? Saving up and paying her own way on medical mission trips to foreign countries in Africa, South America, Europe, about a dozen countries as I recall that she named. Kenya was her most recent visit for three weeks to help people needing medical care. She even saved a man’s life on one of the trips. Talk about fulfillment. She misses her trips but stopped because her health condition changed. What a fabulous person with a wonderful life story.

Carolyn was at the ice cream social, too. The conversation started casually enough with me almost butting in. Everyone said I wasn’t doing any such thing, and that I was welcome to join in. She is passionate about genealogy, and has traced her lineage back to about 1100 A.D. She teaches genealogy and shares what it’s like to pour through records at county offices to trace various people’s family history. She even traced the lineage of the people on the Louis and Clark expedition! It was quite interesting, and I thought perhaps that was the end of her story when she began to share how she and her husband moved every few years to Saudi Arabia, Canada, other countries and various states. Some countries allowed her to work, some not. She started programming Fortran (a computer programming language) in 1961 at Cape Canaveral in Florida and remains active in computers. She knew many of the early astronauts, and thoroughly enjoyed her work before retiring. Fascinating to listen to, and I look forward to talking with her again to hear more.

And there’s Vicki who attended college nine years, attained an undergraduate degree in nursing, a master’s degree in medicine, and a doctorate in some related field, and eventually was essentially running a VA hospital helping U.S. veterans rehabilitate from their wounds before retiring. Vicki is full of energy, and it’s easy to hear the passion in her voice when she tells her story.

Met a gentleman who retired a few years ago. Moved from up north to the southwestern states due to lower cost of living down here. He’s a great guy. Doing his best to live within his means. He shared actual numbers with me, but I won’t share details. Suffice to say that after a lifetime of working hard, life isn’t over, and finances can sometimes still be a struggle, especially when a water heater unexpectedly goes out, or something else needs repaired, and pensions aren’t quite what he was hoping they would be. But, he is positive and open to sharing his life story in a very good-natured manner. I talked with him a couple different times. What a blessing he was to talk with.

There’s plenty more to each person’s story, but I thought you might enjoy reading about the people we meet. Yes, the places we travel have tremendous beauty, and learning the history of places is interesting, but meeting the people and hearing what they’ve done and where their lives have taken them… that’s really what’s in it for us.

We meet Canadians, Minnesotans, North Dakotans, South Dakotans, people from states of Washington, Oregon, Colorado. I started to say all cold winter states, but we met someone from Texas! Mostly aged 55 and up, fun-loving, mostly in the warmer south for the winter, but sometimes we meet families who home-school their children while living full-time in their RV, or construction workers and their families who move from job site to jobsite and their 5th wheel is their home. Today is an increasingly mobile society. Sometimes corporate rules don’t fit someone whose address changes every few weeks, so there are challenges such as getting mail, but there are usually solutions, just different from what people who live in a house and don’t move around have.

Whatever age or economic bracket or social status someone has, they have a story unique to them. We’ve learned a lot about the lives of homeless people by striking up casual conversations with them and just listening to their story. There are amazing people out here, and so little time to get to know them.

Our hope is that you will reach out quickly today to someone you’ve never met, say hello, and ask them their story. Each person has taken a different path, struggled, conquered, loved, lost, and is willing to share when they know you’re willing to listen. We’d love to hear some of what you find out.

Oh yes, pictures!

This sculpture was actually carved on the TIP of a PENCIL!

This elegant room size?
about 1 foot on each side!

Located at the Tucson Museum of Miniatures.

Thank you again for joining us… On Our Adventure!

Bob and Sherry

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Arizona to California (Nov 21 to Dec 31, 2022)

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Isn’t this a great
sign at a secondhand store in
Apache Junction, Arizona?

Take a moment.

Let the comedy of this sign sink in!

Perhaps Noah’s Arc?

In the desert of Yuma, Arizona!

Over 400 Nativity Scenes…

…Christmas Journey to Bethlehem

First United Methodist Church

Yuma, Arizona

Cowboy Nativity scene…

…Corn husk Nativity scene

Charlie Brown Nativity scene…

… Bears Nativity scene

Puppies Nativity scene…


A Balanced Diet
is
a Christmas Cookie
in
Each Hand!

Christmas Calories Don’t Count!

Top of World’s Tallest Flagpole

184 feet BELOW sea level

near Salton Sea

Christmas parade
at
Fountain of Youth RV Spa Resort

Mineral wells 131 degrees bubbling out of the ground at 600 gallons per minute!

Opened in 1961 by
J.T. Trily and Frank Domeno
who searched years and located these amazing hot aquifers

Located in the deserts of Southern California

Water volleyball, bocce ball, card games, hot pools, saltwater pools, pickle ball, fitness center, exercise classes, music, shuffleboard, post office boxes, local talent night, pool tables, ping pong, multiple church faiths, line dancing, karaoke, dune buggy folks, bird watching, hiking, biking, convenience store, fresh vegetables brought in from local vendors, tennis, puzzle room, computer room, special events.

Residents at the RV park are age 55+. Canadians, Minnesotans, and plenty of other cold weather folks here for the season.

Christmas luncheon at
Fountain of Youth

Sunset view from our trailer

Birdwatchers
paradise near the Salton Sea

Thank you for joining us!

We look forward to reading your emails as we continue On Our Adventure!

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Colorado to Arizona (Nov 6 to Nov 20, 2022)

We made it from Colorado into Arizona! Sherry suggested we leave at 2am (yes A…M) on Sunday morning to skip heavy traffic on I-25 through Denver and Colorado Springs. Sounds crazy but it worked great when we tried it before.

Beautiful starry, full moon night. Not a cloud in the sky. Tooling south along I-25. Halfway to Denver. Not a car on the road. When suddenly we see headlights shining toward us in our lane. What? We slow down and car parts are strewn all over the road. Two cars had somehow smashed into each other on this night with no other cars around. As we pulled to the inside shoulder of the road and asked if they were ok, they waved us on, said everyone was ok, and they had already called 911. So we continued on.

Almost no traffic through Denver and we get south of Colorado Springs. Now it’s 3:30am. Hardly any cars, but … what’s that cloud ahead in our lane? As we get closer, we see a car rolled over on its side, headlights pointing sideways, a cloud of dust everywhere. It had just happened, and nowhere to pull over with a travel trailer without creating a tighter bottleneck. We called 911 and they had someone on their way. We prayed for safety and healing for everyone we’d seen tonight.

About 5am it seemed like a good idea to pull over in a rest area and sleep for a few hours. What a night! Woke to a beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains.

In New Mexico, exit 419 on I-25, seemingly the middle of nowhere, be sure to stop. Only thing there is a place to get gas, eat, and see these fabulous Muscle Cars! Russell’s Truck Stop, but the sign outside just says gas.

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, showered, ate, and enjoyed a full night’s rest at the Route 66 Casino along I-40.

Refreshed, headed west along I-40 to Holcomb, Arizona. Saw another accident with emergency crews already onsite. Headed south at Holcomb, and enjoyed the mountainous drive. The RV park was “off the beaten path”, but we found it. New owners. Quiet. Small. Lots of potential for the RV park. Tried our new StarLink internet connection. Even through all the trees it worked really well. Way better than the cell tower data we used in previous years. Need to figure out a way to mount the Starlink antenna to the roof of the travel trailer and not have it blow off.

On to Mesa, Arizona. Stayed at Mesa Spirit RV Park. Canadians and residents from the cold northern U.S. states have returned to winter in the warm southwest after the covid travel restrictions. Other than Bob going to a seminar for a few days we are enjoying water aerobics each morning, card games in the afternoon, and socializing.

The other night at karaoke Bob got the crowd laughing hysterically with his rendition of Mick Jagger singing “Can’t Get No… Satisfaction”. We’re having a great time. Planning to be in these warmer southwestern states for the winter.

Thank you for again joining us as we are “On Our Adventure”!

Bob and Sherry

(and Louie and T-Roll)

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On Our Adventure… Again! (Aug 23 – Sep 16, 2022)

It’s been a couple of years since we were On Our Adventure in our 24-foot travel trailer. Other adventurous friends are having great experiences since the covid craziness settled down, so we’re trying it again. We headed east from Loveland on August 23rd.

Preparation in Loveland, CO

Light traffic. Good weather. Saw covid mask here or there, but… So far… so Good!

Pony Express Tribute in Julesburg, CO

First day we keep the driving brief and easy. (Actually, we try to keep every day brief and easy!)

Travel to Julesburg, Colorado, stop for the night just before entering Nebraska.

Next day we visit the local Visitor’s Center. Learned that Julesburg moved four times! And the Pony Express played a key role in the town’s history. We enjoy learning at the local Visitors Center about the town’s founders, Julesburg’s colorful history, and how the Pony Express contributed to the town.

RV Park sign

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We typically phone ahead for where to stay. Glad we did. Not sure we would have turned in here otherwise! The RV Park owner was very nice, and the overnight stay worked out quite well for us.

Kearney, NE, Archway over I-80

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Kearney, Nebraska, presents a beautiful archway over I-80 plus plenty of statues and quotes representing early settlers’ thoughts.

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Francis, Junior, and Sherry outside
Mrs. B’s” Nebraska Furniture Mart
Market Street

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Francis and Junior are such fun people! Together we visited “Mrs. B’s” Nebraska Furniture Mart, and

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Omaha’s downtown Old Market Street has unique shops and good dining,

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Boys Town, and more!

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Francis treated us to a short video about “The Honor Flight”. If you’re a vet (or know a vet) and haven’t been part of the “Honor Flight”, get involved! It’s a tribute of honor to all the men and women who risked it all in war to keep this country safe.

World’s Largest Ball of Stamps. 600 pounds. 32 inches across. 4.6 million stamps!

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Boys Town is a tribute to how one person who saw young people in dire situations, cared about those young people, and knew they could turn their lives around with proper love and guidance. His concentrated efforts plus the efforts of other people since the early 1900’s still help young people transform their lives into positive, enriching lives. Boys Town is well worth visiting and supporting.

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Mormon Trail Commemorative Statue

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The Mormon Trail Visitor Center presents the challenges and hardships the pioneer Mormons experienced while traveling west through this area.

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Sunrise at Black Hawk State Park, IA

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Relax by the lake a few days in Black Hawk State Park, IA, and enjoy a lakeside sunrise.

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Swiss Valley Park in Dubuque, IA

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Dubuque, Iowa, provides very enjoyable camping at their Swiss Valley Campground. Dubuque County maintains seven recreational parks that welcome RV’s and trailers. Plenty of hiking and nature exhibits to enjoy.

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Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Dubuque, IA

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While in Dubuque be sure to visit the Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Glad we did! 51 acres of relaxing walks, plants, trees, trails, and feeding the koi fish!

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Koi fish feeding at the Arboretum in Dubuque, IA
Sherry and her buddy at the Arboretum in Dubuque, IA

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Fun feeding koi fish. So many of them!

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Sherry found a good buddy at the Arboretum.

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Solace at the Arboretum and Natural Gardens in Dubuque, IA
Lock and Dam #11 at Eagles Point in Dubuque, IA

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Experience peace and quiet in a busy world at the Arboretum.

Eagles Point Park in Dubuque, IA

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Action at the Lock and Dam #11 from Eagles Point in Dubuque, Iowa. Always entertaining…

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The Spirit of an Eagle at Eagles Point Park!

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Geralyn, Bob, Sherry, Gary at Lake Michigan, IL

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Day 10: Arrive Gary and Geralyn’s in Illinois. Enjoy drinks and plenty of laughter with them while visiting Lake Michigan,

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Bob and Sherry at the Mars Cheese Castle in Wisconsin

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Cheese! Cheese! Cheese! (Who Moved the Cheese?) The Mars Cheese Castle in Wisconsin. Third generation cheese castle kept us entertained and enjoying lots and lots of Cheese! Cheese! Cheese!

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Friends preparing to ride

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Riding at The Hunt Club has regular riders. Plenty of fun watching these riders prepare to ride!

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Near Gavin and Amber’s

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Gavin and Amber invited us to their wedding reception.

Preparing for the big event…

TON OF FUN!

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Gavin and Amber enjoy a kiss

Plenty of activity getting everything ready.

Laughter galore…

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A festive evening filled with laughter, dancing, and meeting new friends.

Guys watching gals hula…

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Gals watching guys hula…

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Gavin and Amber enjoying a dance together

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The adventure was fabulous! Arrived home safely.

Are we heading out again? Absolutely! And soon we hope. Stay tuned!

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Thank you for taking time to let us share with you while we are On Our Adventure. We’d love to hear from you!

Our path to Illinois and back…

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Posted in 2022, CO, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Still taking a break!

2016-05-05_174245 Bob and Sherry in Tulsa OKLiving full-time in our travel trailer for 5 years provided us more fun and memories than we ever envisioned. We met new friends that shared incredible stories of their adventures and their lives, gone places we previously didn’t know existed, experienced nature and God’s creations in ways that touched our hearts and soul, and lived a lifestyle many only daydream about.

It was 2018 when we paused. Each time we were going to resume the adventure, something else detoured us. When we finally do resume our adventure (and yes! we will resume it!) we will let all our friends and relatives know when we post updates. (If you would like to be notified, simply send us your email address using the box below.)

In the meantime, sit back and enjoy a few slideshows summarizing some great years. (P.S. All the individual posts are listed on the right side of the page, and organized by State and by Year in the menu above.)

2015 Adventure Map2

2015 was amazing!
58 places — 6,892 miles
From New Year’s Day in Florida to California coast. Help friends and relatives move. Hiking Yosemite. Bicycling Utah. Click to Enjoy a short video of highlights from 2015!

2014 Adventure Map2

2014 continued the fun. This time headed south and east from California into Texas, up to Colorado, across to New York, and down to Florida. Great times along the way. 7200 miles. 68 places.  Click to Enjoy video highlights from 2014. 

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2013 On Our Adventure!

2013 was the beginning. Stayed overnight in our trailer 48 different locations traveling 4432 miles with the trailer along the west coast. An amazing time. Enjoy the 6 minute video we put together for you! Click here to watch the 2013 video.

Until we meet again… On Our Adventure!

Bob and Sherry (and of course Louie!)

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Still taking a break!

2016-05-05_174245 Bob and Sherry in Tulsa OKLiving full-time in our travel trailer for 5 years provided us more fun and memories than we ever envisioned. We met new friends that shared incredible stories of their adventures and their lives, went places we previously didn’t know existed, experienced nature and God’s creations in ways that touched our hearts and soul, and lived a lifestyle many only day-dream about.

It was 2018 when we paused. Until we resume living our On Our Adventure lifestyle, we welcome you to enjoy a short slideshow (or two or three) summarizing some great years. Simply click on any map below for the video.

2015 Adventure Map2

2015 was amazing!
58 places — 6,892 miles
From New Year’s Day in Florida to California coast. Help friends and relatives move. Hiking Yosemite. Bicycling Utah. Click to Enjoy a short video of highlights from 2015!

2014 Adventure Map2

2014 continued the fun. This time headed south and east from California into Texas, up to Colorado, across to New York, and down to Florida. Great times along the way. 7200 miles. 68 places.  Click to Enjoy video highlights from 2014. 

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2013 On Our Adventure!

2013 was the beginning. Stayed overnight in our trailer 48 different locations traveling 4432 miles with the trailer along the west coast. An amazing time. Enjoy the 6 minute video we put together for you! Click here to watch the 2013 video.

2020-07-27 White Sands National Park Sherry and Louie edited.

Photo to the right: Sherry, Louie and T-Roll at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. It’s NOT SNOW!

All of our individual posts are listed on the right side of the page, and organized by State and by Year in the menu above.

Until we meet again… On Our Adventure!
Bob and Sherry (and of course Louie, and now T-Roll, too!)

P.S. When we finally do resume our adventure (and yes! we will resume it) we will let all our friends and relatives know when we post updates. We love hearing from you. For convenience,  simply use the box below.

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Out of Power!

Our first stay without electrical outlets to plug into for power we stayed one week in a National Forest. Gorgeous setting. Lots of trees and hiking. Campground had a central water spigot and showers but no power to individual campsites. No problem we thought.

Sherry hiking to Mount Palomar Observatory in CA

Noticed our incandescent bulbs getting dimmer each evening. At the end of the week our trailer batteries were nearly drained. No problem we thought.

We’d been told trailer batteries charge while driving. Drove a couple hours to the next National Forest. Central water spigot but no power to individual campsites. No problem we thought.

Until we discovered our trailer batteries had not recharged. We were OUT OF POWER! EEK!

Learned 2 things:

Observatory Campground, Cleveland National Forest, CA
  1. Batteries “trickle charge” while driving, which means at least 8 to 12 hours non-stop driving to charge. Learning curve!
  2. Our propane refrigerator requires battery power! Learning curve!

Conserving power is essential. Started on the Learning curve of

  1. Power management
  2. Conserving power
  3. LED vs Incandescent bulbs
  4. Solar Panel vs Generator
  5. What is an amp? (as in 20amp, 30amp, 50amp)

(Soon, but not yet, you will be able to simply Click on each topic to read more…)

Thank you for joining us On Our Adventure!

Bob and Sherry

Tell us your story! Ask a question! We love hearing from you!

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Our Summer Vacation 2018…

From Southern California “hippy days”,

2018-01-20 Val Sherry Bashford 60s dance

Val and Sherry from the 60’s…

2018-02-07 Sherry in Hammock2018-01-23 Crib Kids Jerry Bob Sherry Heather

to lounging in Bev’s backyard hammock…

or being “cool” indoors…

and taking care of “Lucky” in Arizona…

2018-05-05 Sherry and Lucky 16.20.45

Sherry and Lucky

even getting car stuck in sand while driving backroads near Tucson…

2018-03-17 Digging Out

Take the shortcut!

2018-02-06 Circus Bears

Louie, Honey, and Brownie “bearing around”

fun making a totem pole with friends…

2018-05-08 Sherry Bob at San Tan Flats in Queen Creek AZ

Sherry and Bob enjoy dinner at San Tan Flats

or going to San Tan Flats in Queen Creek, we’re having a great time.

Not sure where we head to after Colorado, but thank you for joining us “On Our Adventure!”

Keep in touch!

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AZ-CA-NM-AZ-CA-where? (Oct-Dec 2017)

Hectic, Fun, Sad, Hectic, Fun, Hectic, Fun yep, that sums it up!

2017-10-07 Bob Sherry goofy picturesedited

Bob and Sherry goofin’ around at the wedding pics…

2017-10-07 Chris and Jenyka first danceEdited

Dancing at the wedding

 FUN! Last blog we were preparing for October wedding in Arizona. Beautiful bride and groom plus a super fun time.

 

HECTIC – Sherry flew to Colorado to bring her Toyota car back to Arizona. We now travel with two cars. Why? Yukon engine was failing. Debated replace engine vs replace car with diesel pickup truck then upgrade trailer to fifth wheel. Replace engine won coin toss.

 

2017-11-01 Louie Hauling Trailer

Is Louie the bear really driving the Toyota pulling the trailer????

FUN! While Yukon was in shop for a week getting new engine, neighbors in RV park never saw the Yukon. Only saw the Toyota. Neighbors kept asking how we pull our trailer with the Toyota! Picture shows Louie preparing to pull the trailer with the Toyota.

 

 

2017-10-08 Organ Pipe Pizza Mesa AZ 16.33.24

Wurlitzer Pipe Organ with nearly 6,000 pipes

FUN! Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa, AZ, hosts Wurlitzer pipe organ with nearly 6,000 pipes! Enjoyed two-hour concert while devouring some tasty pizza. Great family atmosphere. (Colorado trivia: This Wurlitzer pipe organ was originally built in 1927 for the Denver Theatre in Denver, Colorado and continued in use for many years before being silenced by a fire that damaged essential parts.)

HECTIC – Drove both cars and trailer from Arizona back to Southern California near Salton Sea. Really miss being in the Yukon with Sherry. Being together is a whole lot more fun than driving separately.

2017-11-21 Geneedited

Gene Hansen. 92. He will be missed.

SAD… Sherry’s father passed away in Colorado. Age 92. He will be missed.

HECTIC – Sherry immediately drove to Colorado to be with her mom after learning about her dad passing away. Bob flew next day to Colorado for funeral. Sherry stayed with her mom several weeks helping out.

HECTIC – Sherry’s and her mom Bev got things taken care in Colorado so… Time to head south to Arizona for the winter! Bev flies but Sherry drives from Colorado to Tucson a few days before Bev – in time to pick Bev up at the Tucson airport. Stays in Tucson a few weeks to help Bev.

HECTIC – Bob flies California to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a few days consulting job.

2017-11-28 DeLorean Albuquerque NM

“Back to the Future” DeLorean

FUN! While in Albuquerque visited National Nuclear Science and History Museum. Saw (“PLEASE DON’T TOUCH!”) DeLorean from “Back to the Future“!

 

 

 

2017-11-28 time lapse eclipseedited

Time lapse of eclipse in the desert

Time-lapse photo of eclipse in the desert.

2017-12-01 Balloon Museum Albuquerque NM 10.45.42edited

Albuquerque International Balloon Museum

 

You’ve probably heard of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta each October? Toured Albuquerque International Balloon Museum where the fiesta begins. Museum houses balloons from expeditions crossing the North Pole, South Pole, Atlantic Ocean, and many more. Worth visiting.

HECTIC/FUN:! Bob drives from California to Arizona for some work stuff plus a few days fun in Tucson with Sherry and Bev.

2017-12-22 Sherry and Bev on Christmas Caroling Hay Ride

Sherry and Bev join jolly carolers

FUN! Bev and Sherry drive Tucson to California for Christmas with Bob at Bashford’s RV Park near Salton Sea. Lots of fun Christmas caroling on the hay ride – especially with all the (alcohol enhanced) “egg nog” served at each stop along the way. Karaoke after caroling (and remember the egg nog?).

 

2017-12-10 Bashford RV Park 16.00.29edited

Jelly Belly Christmas

Bob’s rendition of Mick Jagger singing “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” caused Bev to ask Sherry if Bob gets like this often! Crowd loved it.

 

 

Unexplained lights in the night sky. Santa and his reindeer perhaps?

2017-12-22 Christmas caroling night near Salton Sea 17.32.47edited

Strange lights in the night sky while caroling. UFO? Aliens? Lasted several minutes moving across the sky.

FUN! Slab City with Bev. Pictures show some of the creative artistry from the residents.

2017-12-23 Slab City Fork in the Road 12.09.48

FORK IN THE ROAD! at Slab City

2017-12-23 Slab City 12.02.30edited

Slab City vehicle artwork

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017-12-23 Bev and Sherry at Salvatin Mountain

Bev and Sherry visit Salvation Mountain

FUN! Salvation Mountain. Always a must see.

HECTIC – Sherry and Bev make hasty exit from California back to Tucson when Bev learns her grand-daughter Brenna is in Tucson for a few days from North Carolina.

2017-11-03 Sherry at Bashfords RV Park 11.14.48

Sherry with Chocolate Mountains in background at Bashford RV Park near Salton Sea, CA.

 

 

FUN! Sherry and Bob are finally together again in the trailer at Bashford’s RV Park near the Salton Sea in sunny Southern California. Location is warm and sunny – far from the fires, mud-slides and heavy rains. Whew!

 

20180110_16231 Cowboy Bob singing

“Bobby M…” singing

FUN! Now our weeks are filled with a selection of activities:
Aquasize each morning in the pool.
Sherry leads aquasize when instructor is gone.
Music jam session Monday nights.
Cribbage Tuesday nights.
Happy Hour Wednesday afternoons.
Bingo Thursday evenings.
Karaoke Friday nights.
Monthly free breakfast paid for by RV Park recycling.
Dances with live music Saturday nights.
Church on Sunday.

2017-12-22 Louie

Louie keeping his head warm

FUN! Sherry is the popular massage therapist in the park. Bob fills in as guest musician for  Happy Hour, dances, monthly breakfast, and church.

WHEW!   Thanks for hanging in until the end.  Until next time as we continue On Our Adventure!

 

Webmaster Louie loves to read your comments!

 

 

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On the Road… Again! (Aug-Sep 2017)

It’s great to be On Our Adventure again.

2017-08-26 Group at Gene 92nd birthday

Celebrating with Gene on his 92nd birthday. Way to go Gene!

After six weeks in Colorado,  we drove briskly using the northern/cooler route to Northern California. US 6 across Nevada is mighty desolate: Barely a car was seen. Nearing Reno, traffic increased and many cars were totally covered in white stuff. We think it was alkali on the cars returning from Burning Man.

2017-09-04 entering California on Donner Pass

Welcome to California! Donner Pass on Labor Day.

Donner Pass on Labor Day Monday was essentially a parking lot of weekenders driving home. Welcome to California traffic!

 

 

 

 

2017-09-07 TT Snowflower Emigrant Gap CA

Camping at Emigrant Gap, CA

 

Enough of the traffic. Pulled off at Emigrant Gap near Donner Pass and stayed several days in beautiful, peaceful, tall forest trees by the lake. Ahhhh.

 

 

2017-09-05 TT Lake at Snowflower Emigrant Gap CA

Lake we camped next to and hiked around at Emigrant Gap, CA

When we resumed traveling, we enjoyed all the fields of produce growing in Central California as we headed south to visit friends and relatives. Great time in Morro Bay, Oceano, Santa Paula, Pasadena, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Lake Havasu with friends and relatives.

 

2017-09-19 Binoculars at Venice Beach CA

The Binoculars Building at Venice Beach, CA

Experienced our first Sound Bath while in Pasadena. Quite the experience! Difficult to describe but highly recommend it. And the Vegan food at the restaurant before the Sound Bath completed the experience. I have the good fortune of eating fabulous food prepared by Sherry and JR and Debbie and Ellen and Belinda and Brenna and many of our other gifted friends so I’m not making any comparisons. I’m just saying it was really good.

2017-09-19 Bob and Sherry Venice Beach CA

Walking on the beach with my sweetheart

Arrived at the ocean! Walked barefoot in the waves along the beach with Sherry. Great times.

 

 

 

 

2017-09-16 Sherry with Julie the Cockatoo in Santa Paula CA

Sherry with the cockatoo Julie

Sherry and Julie the cockatoo were quite the pair talking to each other. Then the cockatoo would pretend to fall, laugh and look at us to see our reaction. Polly want a cracker? Ha ha ha.

 

 

2017-09-25 TT Palm Desert CA

Date trees at sunset in Palm Springs, CA

Currently in the Phoenix, AZ, area preparing for a family wedding. After recovering from the wedding, plans include turning around and heading west into southern California. We look forward to your comments while we are On Our Adventure!

 

 

2017-10-03 Louis Lamour

Love this quote by Louis Lamour

Bob and Sherry

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California dreamin’ (July 2017)

This past year we were working in Garden City, Kansas. Terrific people. Really enjoyed them. The job ended and we realized how much we miss the ocean, mountains, deserts, open space. So we’re heading to San Diego. 2017-07-13 Sherry in caravan leaving Kansas

Planning to be in Colorado through end of August, drive a northern/cooler route west then south along the coast. Looking forward to seeing many friends and relatives along the way.

2017-07-16 Bob Sherry Estes Park CO

We are OnOurAdventure again for the next couple of months, but not resuming full-time for a while yet. Just wanted to give you an update. Any comments or suggestions you have regarding the San Diego area would be greatly appreciated. See you next time  OnOurAdventure!

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A Pause On Our Adventure (May 15 – …)

2016-05-10 14.23.52 Mullinville KS

Artistic creations in Mullinsville, KS

The past three years have been a marvelous experience, meeting super people, enjoying places in the United States that some people will never see, and growing stronger in our love for each other. This whole adventure started as God wanting us out of the ruts we were in. He orchestrated amazing things to make it happen. Every season ends. And it appears this season has wrapped up for a while.

2016-05-06 19.29.09 Niece Kathy and Bob

Niece Kathy with Bob

We were in a remote area of Texas, with virtually no cell phone reception, and received a voice message that the Government would like to hire Bob to work in Kansas. We found cell reception (amazingly, and very briefly), made a few phone calls, and decided to go for it. The start date gave us just enough time to travel thru Oklahoma, visit nephew Mike and family, plus niece Kathy and her daughter, before arriving in a small town in Kansas.

2016-05-15 15.02.05 Memorial

The town is small, but their Honor is HUGE.

We now have an entirely new adventure of Bob learning a new job, Sherry getting her massage business rolling, housing (Do we upgrade to a fifth wheel or get a house? Rent? Buy? Oh my!), learning the town, meeting the people, and getting involved in the local community…  The traveling part of our adventure is on pause for now. The past three years were an amazing time. We thank everyone for following along with us. Someday we will launch out again, having gained considerable knowledge in how to live full time on the road. But for now, we are back in the mainstream. It’s been great getting feedback from you along the way. Life itself is an adventure. The traveling part of On Our Adventure is on hold, but we are embracing this new season with excitement and anticipation. It’s been fabulous! Please stay in touch.

2016-05-22 13.54.14 Sherry by train in Garden City zoo

Sherry stands by “Ol’ Two Bits” at the Garden City Zoo.

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Life On Our Adventure: What’s it like?

Recently a friend emailed to us asking questions like: What has life been like living on the road? Challenges, surprises, inconveniences. By the time I finished typing the reply, I chuckled, realizing it’s an entire blog! I hope it’s not too long for you, but more importantly, that you enjoy reading it. So here goes… 

2016-01-04 15.24.26 Dave and his head

Dave and his “head”

 What has life been like living on the road? Better than we ever expected. Admittedly, we entered into this with very few expectations. Originally just taking a break, getting out of the circles of life we had created, breaking free to start fresh.

Many people ask if we are enjoying retirement. We reply, quite honestly, that we are not retired: We are just taking a break. A break that has lasted three years. It’s been an absolutely fabulous adventure.

The people we meet are so fun, outgoing, thoughtful, helpful, and generous. The subculture of “full-timers” (as we are called because we do this life-style full-time) are a terrific group of people.

2016-01 Bob Sherry Sue laughing at Bashfords

Bob, Sherry, and Sue having a good time.

Attitudes of full-timers is quite different from vacationers. We remember when we were vacationers: The idea was to cram as much as possible into a very short time period, drive incessantly long hours to “get there”, and be worn out when we returned. But we are not on vacation. This is our lifestyle. It takes a few years to learn to slow down, smell the roses along the way. Now we go out of our way to just “see what’s over there”,  walk up to a total stranger and start a conversation, or see a young mother watching her child while they did laundry in a public laundromat and be so moved by her attentiveness and thread-bare clothing as to pay for her day’s laundry. We now see life from a different perspective.

2016-01-22 13.22.03 Ada Johnson edited

Ada brings a smile to everyone!

 Adjustments: Without a doubt. But difficult? When we first started we both had differing, yet unspoken expectations of how we should hook up the trailer to the car while working as a team, where we should drive, how to use a map, figuring out a GPS that takes us on wild goose chases, how far to drive, where we should stay that night. The decisions were not always made in calm conversation. So yes, there were adjustments we made.

Living together in close quarters for the past three years, we learned to work as a team. We learned to relax. We learned to truly honor the unique differences in each other.

2016-01-23 09.14.45 Darlene and Joe

Darlene and Joe, eh?

Our trailer is small enough that a television did not fit when we were originally loading everything. Being the American television addicts that we were, having no television seemed like it would be the end of the world to me, at first. A person has to fill the time, or become really bored. Being bored is… boring, (duh), and we hate to be bored. So we started talking, and playing cards. I play guitar, singing to Sherry. She reads to me. I get the pleasure of watching her suddenly laugh out loud while reading. Life is the small things.

2016-01-22 17.02.12 Gordo and Lorain edited

Gordo and Lorain – happy new homeowners

She cooks in this tiny little kitchen that has maybe two square feet of counter space. She has never complained about the tiny kitchen. There is no room for an oven, and the three burner range is propane. I joke that I finally got her the gas range she always wanted! She is a fabulous cook, becoming even better in this tiny environment. Her interest in making sure we are well-fed, eating delicious food, has accelerated. I do the dishes. She cooks, I wash. Seems fair. She asked me once if I mind doing the dishes. My reply? Washing dishes is a small thing to do in return for the excellent meals she prepares. And besides, it helps fill a niche of time that I would otherwise have to figure out something to do so I’m not bored. Remember, I hate being bored? <grin>

2016-04-19 13.52.38 Gene wearing father Petes hat

Gene wearing his dad Pete’s hat.

Showering was an adjustment. We have a tub and shower combo in the trailer. It’s the size of a short phone booth, but everything works really well in it. No leaks. Hot and cold water work really well. The shower-head has a switch to turn off the water when we are not rinsing so we don’t fill up our holding tanks needlessly. Notice I didn’t say waste water? Yes, it keeps us from wasting water, but more important is… don’t ever let the holding tanks overfill.

2016-03-12 14.45.16 Ellery Rose

Ellery, master musician and entertainer

If we are not hooked up to sewer, then we look for “dump stations” to drain the tanks when we are getting ready to travel. Sometimes, though, we stay long enough not hooked to sewer that we use a “honey pot” (aka either a simple five gallon bucket or a fancy enclosed bucket on wheels) to drain the tanks and carry or wheel the honey pot to a dumping location. Never drain holding tanks onto the ground! Black water (toilet) is obvious. Some people think draining gray water (sinks) onto the ground is OK. We prefer not to. Grey water contains a lot of food particles, toothpaste, soap, and stuff that take longer to decay than just a few hours when the next person pulls into the spot you just vacated.

2016-01-22 16.39.21 Steve and Val

Steve and Val

 Challenges: Challenges is a much better word than problems. It’s all a mindset. Challenges are a positive mindset. Problems are a negative mindset. We have plenty of challenges. The good news is: Somebody before us already experienced the challenge and solved it! Often times, we simply need to find out how somebody else solved the challenge.

For example, how do we get our mail? This is one of the top questions. There are many solutions, and everyone seems happy with the solution they use. Some people use companies that scan the mail, emailing the good stuff, and discarding the rest. Other people have a friend or relative periodically box up all the mail, good or junk, then re-mail it all to wherever the travelers happen to be at the time. It’s very doable.

2016-04-25 11.19.09 Rhonda and Keith at Caprock State Park TX

Rhonda and Keith at Caprock State Park, Texas

 Surprises: How easy this adventure has been. But it was easy because of a lot of people helping! Including  friends who have lots of experience living in fifth-wheels who showed us many small things about our trailer, hooking up, using checklists, and other full-timers who willingly share tidbits when we struggle with something.

2016-02-24 14.05.15 Sherry Bob Diana Graig in Tucson edited

Sherry, Bob, Diana, and Greg together in Tucson, AZ.

 Inconveniences: Routine medical and dental care that need to have appointments made months in advance. Planning where we will be months in advance is sort of the opposite of the purpose of this lifestyle. But we deal with it.

 Experiences of life on the road: How many hours do you have for us to share? The experiences are absolutely fabulous, wouldn’t trade them for anything.

2016-05-05_174245 Bob and Sherry in Tulsa OK

Bob and Sherry in Broken Arrow, OK

We really enjoy getting your emails and feedback. If you have any other questions, let us know while we are On Our Adventure!

Bob and Sherry

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2016-01-27 16.56.56 Louie and Honey in Tucson edited

Louie and Honey in Tucson

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Arizona, Colorado, Little Grand Canyon of Texas: April 3-30, 2016

2016-04-04 07.56.57 Bev Sherry Gene at Tucson Airport

Sherry helping her parents prepare for flight

Winter in Tucson was fun and relaxing, then the whirlwind of travel began. Visit with cousins Mike and Belinda a few days.

2016-04-02 16.48.34 Katy Belinda Dawn Adam Cel Bill Sherry Jennica Chris Mike

Family dinner

Plan to visit cousins on Peg’s side of the family, but wildfires and a family funeral send us scurrying quickly to Colorado.

2016-04-02 13.51.29 Cactus and flowers

Cactus in bloom

Along the way, we see lush green forests from mountain tops in Arizona. Beautiful Roosevelt Reservoir brings life to an otherwise dry Tonto Basin. The area preserves a history of people living in cliff dwellings on the sides of mountains, plenty of saguaro cactus, and, being springtime, plenty of bees collecting nectar from the cactus flowers.

Arrive in Colorado just in time for a spring snowstorm.

2016-04-16 11.50.26 Bob shoveling snow in Broomfield CO

Typical stance for Bob in snow

Want to visit our Colorado friends and church, but the snowstorm prevents it. After the funeral, we hop onto US Hwy 287 south, which meanders into Texas.

2016-04-21 09.16.19 Louie and Sherry in Lamar CO

Sherry helps Louie on his first pony ride

We prefer two lane US highways. Generally stay off Interstates as much as possible. We overnight in Lamar, Colorado, arrive in Texas the next day.

2016-04-21 17.25.31 Palo Dura State Park TX

Palo Duro State Park Texas

Palo Duro State Park in Texas is like a miniature Grand Canyon. Very popular.

Miles and miles of wind turbine farms throughout the panhandle of Texas.

Watch a coyote foraging for food in our campsite in Caprock Canyons State Park in Quitaque, Texas. Herds of Bison graze and roam everywhere thru this Texas State Park, and are officially given priority over us campers. Love it!

2016-04-26 08.20.53 Bison at Caprock State Park TX edited

Bison roam freely

Cell phone service is typically non-existent in Caprock Canyons. It’s an hour drive to laundromat, but clothes need cleaned! Free concert one evening by Cecile Whyte on guitar and John Walker on keyboard. Excellent musicians.

Rains heavily in central Texas. Several of our selected camping parks are flooded, so we continue to Bridgeport north of Dallas. Visit nephew Mike and Pam and their family.

Sherry’s father is in the hospital due to a variety of issues, and he is recovering. Thank you all for praying for his recovery.

2016-04-29 15.11.21 Sherry making healthy drinks in her new NutriBullet

Sherry in her kitchen with the new NutriBullet

Write a book about our travels? A number of people have suggested the idea. There is already plenty of information on the subject. No sense writing yet another one, unless we can write something others haven’t touched upon. We would like to get your input regarding what you think about the idea. Is there some aspect of this adventure lifestyle that you would like to read from our perspective that isn’t already available elsewhere? If there is sufficient variety and interest, a project might get started.

 

2016-04-14 15.11.49 Sherry and Bob at Route 66 Albuquerque NM

Sherry and Bob on Route 66

Our days and nights are relaxing. We seem to be getting much better at ping pong. Visit travelers from other countries and states. Play guitar. Read. Play cards. Visit. Sight see. We always look forward to meeting the next people we might become good friends with! God bless, and thank you for visiting with us On Our Adventure!

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Relaxing in Tucson for the Winter: Jan 24-Apr 2, 2016

 

Larakeets Love Sherry!

Larakeets Love Sherry!

Sherry overseeing the tow.

Sherry overseeing the tow.

You may recall from the last blog, we stayed a couple months in Southern California near the Salton Sea, then traveled to Tucson for the remainder of the winter. “Settled in.” Watched the Super Bowl. Found musicians to jam with.  Gave and received massages. Located a great fitness center. Victory Worship Center is our favorite church in Tucson. Plenty of great praise and worship, followed by excellent teachings every week. Volunteered to help with the Easter Egg hunt. 300 volunteers. 2,000 children. Plenty of grins while watching children of all ages hunt for Easter eggs.

Joe presents Bev's 86th birthday cake.

Joe presents Bev’s 86th birthday cake.

We celebrated Bev’s 86th birthday. Happy Birthday Bev! Joe flew in from Colorado to join in the festivities. Always great seeing Joe. He helped Sherry turn one large ostrich egg into enough scrambled eggs to feed thirteen of us. Ostrich eggs taste a bit creamier and lighter than chicken eggs.

Bob and Sherry at Easter Egg hunt

Bob and Sherry at Easter Egg hunt

Evenings usually fill with Bev, Sherry, and Bob playing card games. Sometimes we watch a movie together, like “Jersey Boys”, “Monsters, Inc.”, or “Mama Mia”. Fun shows. One evening, a Tucson magician kept us entertained as we kept wondering “How’d he do that?”

Changing to daylight savings time while in Arizona drives us crazy. Not because Arizona doesn’t change their time, (well, maybe that’s part of it), but because when we awake on the first day of daylight savings time, every clock is different, and we have to remember where we are at, whether daylight savings time changed where we are at, and then figure out which clock has the right time! I’m sure we never got it right, because now we’re always late! <grin>

Bev after foot surgery

Bev after foot surgery

Our Adventure these last three years started with taking a break, and it’s been great. Now Bob is doing his best to qualify for a Cyber Security position with the Federal Government. He has a few certifications to acquire, and some schooling to complete to get it done, but that’s what he would like to do to wrap up his final working years before retirement.  Wish him luck! But until a hiring happens, we will continue our “gypsy lifestyle” while On Our Adventure!

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Bob jammin' at the Chicago Bar in Tucson

Bob jammin’ at the Chicago Bar in Tucson

Celebrating Terry's 66th birthday. All these birthday!

Celebrating Terry’s 66th birthday. All these birthday!

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Gene harvesting grapefruit.

Gene harvesting grapefruit.

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Is there a Bigger Problem here?

Is there a Bigger Problem here?

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Bashford, Angel Tree, and Horseshoes: Nov 23 – Jan 23, 2016

2016-01 Sherry and Bob Dancing at Bashfords edited

Sherry and Bob at Bashford Saturday night dance

There’s a quaint RV park called Bashford’s Hot Mineral Spa, located an hour southeast of Palm Springs, near the Salton Sea. The people that gravitate to this out of the way spot are crazy fun. Laughter continually, soaking in the hot pots, dances, karaoke, New Year’s Eve bash, plenty of quality local musicians sharing their tunes,  happy hours, ATV rides through the desert, Taco Tuesday night at the American Legion, dinner specials at the Ski Inn Bombay Beach, evening card games, …

 

2015-12-23 16.52.49 Christmas Caroling at Bashford Hot Mineral Spa

Christmas caroling at Bashford Hot Mineral Spa

Christmas caroling on the hay wagon, with frequent stops to receive “tidings of good cheer” (aka warm alcoholic beverages). Songs became a bit more slurred the longer we caroled. Golf carts and riders decorated in festive Christmas attire cruised the park.

2016-01-09 Sherry Jeanie Bob at Bashfords Bar 2 edited

Sherry Jeanne and Bob celebrating New Years at Bashfords

New Year’s Eve at Bashford. Plenty of people, all dressed up, ready to party, band playing the tunes. Sherry and I, the youngsters here, retire early. The rest of the partiers lasted into the wee hours, I’m sure.

2015-12-24 12.45.36 Louie dressed for Christmas at Bashford Hot Mineral Spa edited

“Santa’s Helper” Louie

2015-12-03 18.26.37 Bob enjoying Sherrys birthday goodies from Brenna

Bob finishes Sherry’s birthday treats

Niece Brenna mailed her extra special cookies for Sherry’s birthday. Brenna is such a sweetheart!

Helped at the Angel Tree auction to raise funds to buy gifts for children who have a parent in prison.

2015-12-11 20.53.45 Sherry and Louie singing Karaoke

Sherry and Louie sing karaoke

Sherry is singing now at karaoke! Way to go Sherry! We also sang a duet together, “It Takes Two”.

2016-01 Bob and Alvin playing guitar at Bashford

Bob joins Alvin and his band for a night of fun

Joe and Darlene taught Bob to finger pick guitar, which he is really enjoying. Other people have been helping Bob SING LOUDER, and he seems to be catching on!

2015-12-09 11.21.52 Sherry at Salvation Mountain edited

Sherry at Salvation Mountain near Salton Sea, CA

2015-12-18 08.55.45 Sherry and George at Bashford RV Park edited

Sherry and George (with Peanut just out of sight)

A must in this area is visiting Slab City and Salvation Mountain near Niland. Slab City is free camping on BLM land, complete with people staying there months at a time. Salvation Mountain is a tribute to Leonard Knight’s faith in Jesus. Leonard passed away in 2014, but his legacy lives on.

2015-12-30 16.22.21 George and Peter at Bashford

George and “flat tires” Peter at Bashfords

Sweet Georgie next door helped Peter, a bicyclist that had used all of his spare tires fixing flats. Peter enjoyed an evening here at Bashford, then continued on his way.

2015-12-19 20.09.49 Eagles Tribute Band at 29 Casino in Indio CA

Eagles Tribute Band at 29 Casino near Indio, CA

Tribute Eagles band concert at 29 Casino in Indio. Great songs. Fun time.

2016-01-20 12.07.46 Franz pitching horseshoes

Franz throwing horseshoe – and gets a ringer!

Franz and Sue, from Germany, became special friends to us. Franz and I played his first game of horseshoes – and he got a ringer! Very talented photo journalists, they shared their adventures of the United States with all of us via very entertaining slide shows – complete with snappy music that we sang to. Thank you Franz and Sue!

2016-01 Sue and Sherry at Bashfords

Sue and Sherry enjoy good times at Bashford dance

Many other friends here we could share wonderful stories about, too.

2016-01-18 10.21.30 Sherry in Los Algodones Mexico

Sherry in Los Algodones, Mexico

The people here are fun beyond words. Many will remain until March when it gets plenty warm in this area. We, on the other hand, depart in two days, heading to Arizona to celebrate birthdays with relatives, and kick back for much of the rest of the winter with them.

See you next time…   On Our Adventure!

2016-01-21 17.21.50 Sunset at Bashfords

Sunset at Bashfords

 

 

 

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Burros Rule! Kitchen Chemistry, Cowboy Church… (Oct 18 – Nov 22, 2015)

This gallery contains 13 photos.

The weather changed dramatically after the warm, sunny days bicycling in Utah. Returning to Moab, we now view lightning storms at night, followed by rain for days. Nevertheless, Arches National Park, rain or shine, is quite the sight to see. … Continue reading

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Bicycling with Friends thru Utah (Oct 9 – 17, 2015)

Bob in Zion National Park, Utah

Bob in Zion National Park, Utah

Cooler Tour enjoying sunset at Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Cooler Tour enjoying sunset at Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Every few years we gather with friends to bicycle together for a week somewhere. This year we explored some beautiful areas of Utah. Ellen and her husband Tim usually do the planning and logistics to coordinate bike routes, motels, restaurants, U-Haul trailer rental, support vehicles, and more. Who did the trek this year? Tim and Ellen, Brick and Nena, Chuck and Lisa, Jerry, and Sherry and me. Friends Mike and Kristy hosted an opening night BBQ and overnight lodging for everyone as we gathered together to head into Utah.

Sunrise in Zion National Park, Utah

Sunrise in Zion National Park, Utah

The first morning bicycling was in southwest Utah at Zion National Park. We normally start by 9:00, but this morning I needed to finish early to help Sherry move our trailer to the next location. I arose at 6:00 to start bicycling by sunrise at 7:30. Temperature 62 degrees, and breezy. Glad I wore a windbreaker. Riding with almost no one else around at this early hour, I sang songs to God, prayed, expressed my awe and wonder at what a mighty God we serve that creates such amazing beauty, and provides us with eyes to see it, ears to hear it, skin to feel it. An absolutely fabulous start to a wonderful week.

Chuck, Ellen, Lisa, Bob

Chuck, Ellen, Lisa, Bob

Sherry in Zion National Park, Utah

Sherry in Zion National Park, Utah

Ellen and Bob at Bryce Amphitheater, Bryce Point, Utah

Ellen and Bob at Bryce Amphitheater, Bryce Point, Utah

Sherry and Bob overlooking Canyonlands National Parks, Utah

Sherry and Bob overlooking Canyonlands National Parks, Utah

The beauty continued as we bicycled our way northeast thru Bryce Canyon, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, backroads toward Moab, and along the Colorado River beyond Moab.

How far do we ride each day? Some ride 70 to 75 miles nearly every day. I tend to ride 30 to 35 miles most days. The group agrees everybody rides at their own pace, on the days they want to ride, stop when they want, and primarily just have a good time.

Louie and his new buddy Lil Bear had a great time together

Louie and his new buddy Lil Bear had a great time together

One day we drove the U-Haul containing the bicycles to the starting point, then decided it was far too windy to ride. Wanting to enjoy the scenery, we continued driving up the mountain, not realizing the trailer door wasn’t latched securely and had come open. Gear rolled out the back of the trailer for miles before anyone noticed. We immediately started a scavenger hunt, finding almost all the stuff except for 2 coolers and 1 bicycle shoe. Found one of the bicycle pumps being used by a cyclist to inflate his tire. An answer to prayer?

A wonderful week with friends coming to an end.

A wonderful week with friends coming to an end.

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The final evening we all enjoyed a wonderful spread of cheese, crackers, and wine overlooking a sunset of gorgeous Canyonlands. A wonderful week with friends and fun comes to an end.

Thank you for again joining us … On Our Adventure!

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Friends, Small Towns, and Remodels (Aug 6 – Oct 7, 2015)

Sherry and Louie by the Coke ovens near Ely, NV

Sherry and Louie by the Coke ovens near Ely, NV

After Yosemite, we travel east through Nevada on US Hwy 50, nicknamed “The Loneliest Highway in America”. Arrived in Austin, Nevada, on a Saturday afternoon to the sound of live music in the park. This small town of 300 people was hosting a free barbeque, complete with live music and movie in the park. Loved it!

Bob and Louie in Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Bob and Louie in Great Basin National Park, Nevada

150 miles east of Austin we experienced 5,000 year old Pinon-Juniper trees in Great Basin National Park. We’ve now seen the tallest trees (Redwoods), the biggest trees (Sequoia), and the oldest trees (Pinon-Juniper). The stars in Great Basin National Park are worth all the miles it takes to get there.

Curt Gowdy State Park near Cheyenne, WY

Curt Gowdy State Park near Cheyenne, WY

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Stayed a couple of nights in Wyoming at Curt Gowdy State Park near Cheyenne before traveling into Colorado to celebrate Sherry’s Dad Gene’s 90th birthday. The party was great fun. Long-time friends, plus relatives from all over the country, arrived in good spirits to help the birthday boy celebrate.

Bev and Gene at Gene's 90th Birthday Party

Bev and Gene at Gene’s 90th Birthday Party

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Happy Birthday Gene!

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Joe poolside with Remington

Joe poolside with Remington

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Stayed with friends Susie and Kraig for several weeks while we visited with them, their parents from Indiana, other friends, and more friends! Watched our son Joe play soccer, and played cards with him, in addition to simply catching up on all he is up to while we are out gallivanting around.

Mike the Master Craftsman creating buffet and table

Mike the Master Craftsman creating buffet and table

Sherry staining

Sherry staining

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Traveled a short distance south to Franktown, located between Denver and Colorado Springs. Friends Mike and Lynne welcomed us to stay while Mike helped us remodel the inside of our trailer. He is an amazing woodworker, transforming boards of pine into beautiful buffet and kitchen table. Such an artisan.

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Sherry did an excellent job staining and finishing all the wood. And Mike answered Bob’s thousands of questions every step of the way. Really enjoyed our time together.

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Table and buffet installed

Table and buffet installed

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Wrapped up the remodel (phase one) just in time to head west to meet up with friends Tim and Ellen and other friends to bicycle for a week in gorgeous Utah. We are heading there now. We will have pictures for you next time. So until then, thank you for again joining us … On Our Adventure!

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Yosemite National Park (July 9 – Aug 5, 2015)

Yosemite National Park entrance Hwy 120

Yosemite National Park entrance Hwy 120

Bob at top of Upper Yosemite Falls

Bob at top of Upper Yosemite Falls

Sherry and convoy made it to Florida safely, although they had plenty of car, truck, and trailer problems along the way. It was a trip they will talk about for years to come! She recuperated with her cousins for a week, then flew back to California to join Bob, hiking in Yosemite.

Together, we enjoyed the remainder of five weeks in Yosemite. We did a lot while there, but there’s always more!

Bob and Sherry at Glacier Point with Half Dome in the background

Bob and Sherry at Glacier Point with Half Dome in the background

Hiked until knees wore out. To the top of Upper Yosemite Falls, Angel Falls, Nevada Falls. Walked to bottom of Lower Yosemite Falls, and around parts of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Bussed to Tuolumne Meadows, got rained on, walked down the original entrance road in Tuolumne Grove. Yosemite is an amazing place. The beauty. The granite. The cliffs. Clean rivers for swimming, and water falls seemingly everywhere.

View of Half Dome from Glacier Point

View of Half Dome from Glacier Point

Sherry on the original entrance road into Yosemite, through Giant Sequoias

Sherry on the original entrance road into Yosemite, through Giant Sequoias

Sherry and Bob in front of a Giant Sequoia that was cut out so cars could drive thru.

Sherry and Bob in front of a Giant Sequoia that was cut out so cars could drive thru.

Plenty of people, too. Sometimes hearing English among all the tourists caught our ears because hearing English was so unusual. Enjoyed wine with a couple families from The Netherlands who are touring the Western U.S. for 3 weeks.

Wil, a school teacher from France, also brought his students to the U.S. for the 3 week tour. The common route for tourists from foreign countries is a circle from L.A. to Las Vegas then thru Bryce and Zion Canyons in Utah, on to Yosemite then San Francisco, and finally down the California coast on Hwy 1 back to Los Angeles. That’s a lot to see!

Bob with Louie and his bear buddies

Bob with Louie and his bear buddies

Sherry in Tuolumne Meadows

Sherry in Tuolumne Meadows

Departed Yosemite. Visited the California capital in Sacramento, then the Nevada capital in Carson City. Heading east to Colorado, planning to arrive mid-August to celebrate Gene’s 90th birthday, then staying for 3 or 4 weeks with friends in Loveland.

 

Being in Yosemite with no cell phone service and intermittent internet took some getting used to. We’ve grown so accustomed to easy access of information and using technology to stay in contact with people. But we are back on the road… On Our Adventure!

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View of Yosemite from Glacier Point

View of Yosemite from Glacier Point

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Convoy San Francisco to Miami… or… Hike Yosemite National Park (June 14 – July 8, 2015)

Convoy almost ready to go...

Convoy almost ready to go…

Our adventure continues to have new twists. While helping cousins Tom and Jennifer pack to move from San Francisco to Miami, everyone realized they could use another driver. Sherry raised her hand (oops), and next thing we know she is driving in the convoy of trucks and trailers 3,000 miles across country. The convoy wasn’t without incident:

Convoy crew (and Jennifer who missed all the fun!)

Convoy crew (and Jennifer who missed all the fun!)

Overheating brakes, flat tire, 4 wheel drive problem, moving everything from one rental truck to a replacement rental truck when the transmission broke, bone-shaking rough roads, construction delays, re-routes, plugged hotel toilets, and more. After 7 days driving, they arrived safely, ready to sleep, eat, drink, and be merry. Sherry is having a great time in southern Florida drinking tequila and rye with

Sherry waving goodbye

Sherry waving goodbye

more of her cousins, and plans to fly back to Sacramento on Saturday to join Bob.

Meanwhile, What about Bob? He has been hiking in beautiful mountains and forests of Yosemite National Park all this time. Poor Bob (grin).

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Hiked up and across the top of Nevada Fall. View is from the other side of the canyon while on my way down. Pretty much followed the crack in the side of the mountain hiking up.

Hiked up and across the top of Nevada Fall. View is from the other side of the canyon while on my way down. Pretty much followed the crack in the side of the mountain hiking up.

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Here’s some photos. On Our Adventure is truly an adventure. God bless.

Do Not Feed the Bears?

Do Not Feed the Bears?

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Where’s the BEST place? What’s Our Lifestyle Like? (May 3 – June 13, 2015)

Oakzanita Springs, CA

Oakzanita Springs, CA

Friends often ask “What’s it like being on the road 24×7?” Before we answer, they often add: “We did a three week vacation, traveling 5,000 miles, and were wore out!” My immediate thought is “Wow, I’d be wore out, too!”

Louie at his computer desk

Louie at his computer desk

Having recently entered into our third year living in a 24 foot travel trailer, staying anywhere from a couple nights to several months in one place, it’s a crazy lifestyle – that we love!

Sherry and Bob in The Rose Garden at Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History

Sherry and Bob in The Rose Garden at Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History

We intersperse highlight days with living as much “normalcy” as possible, worshiping at local churches wherever we go, seeking out fellow musicians to play music with, reading books, laughing a lot with friends, playing cards and other games, eating excellent meals that Sherry prepares in our kitchen, exercising, and exploring with curiosity everywhere we reside.

Giant Sequoia "Grant Tree"

Giant Sequoia “Grant Tree”

Yesterday we rode a bus to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park. I wish I had words to describe standing next to giant Sequoia trees, seeing 100 year old pictures of the same trees we are touching and breathing. That’s when I remembered why we gave up the beautiful house, the daily and weekly routines, and set out On Our Adventure.

Bob and Sherry in King's Canyon and Sequoia National Park

Bob and Sherry in King’s Canyon and Sequoia National Park

Lifelong dream for this couple from India

Lifelong dream for this couple from India

Another question we often hear is “What’s the BEST place you’ve been?” Some questions have no answer, as in this question. It’s the people we meet more than just the places we see. At the Sequoia’s, we met a couple from India, guessing their age in the late 70’s. When he was a child, he saw pictures of the giant Sequoia trees. His life-long dream was to travel to America to see those amazing trees. He saved up and finally got to fulfill that dream. Then there’s the couple who runs 300 mile marathons (must finish in 10 days maximum or they get disqualified), and volunteer at the Park. Or the college-age people who are from Scotland and India, met in Egypt, and decided to meet-up in California and hike the Sequoia’s.

Taylor Guitar Factory in California

Taylor Guitar Factory in California

Toured the Taylor Guitar factory in Southern California. Bob Taylor, who founded the company in the 1970’s, helped the environment by changing the prevalent attitude about ebony in the music industry, thereby saving a small and disappearing piece of nature: The Ebony Trees of Africa. Go Bob!

Just west of the Salton Sea in California we experienced sand storms that are just like snowstorms in every respect, except sand instead of snow: High winds, reduced visibility, blowing across the road, drifts. Beautiful.

Pappy and Harriett's

Pappy and Harriett’s

Last time we shared about the Nellie Mine Bar, located in the middle of nowhere. This time it’s Pappy and Harriett’s, a local honky tonk located 45 minutes outside of Palm Springs on a road to who knows where. No advertising. Gotta ask the locals to find it. The place was packed, band cranking out the tunes, and tasty food (especially the cheesy fries).

LaBrea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, CA

LaBrea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, CA

Ever since growing up in Southern California, Bob wanted to visit the LaBrea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Finally did it! It is a top site in the world for finding fossils.

California drought for some...

California drought for some…

California drought for others.

California drought for others.

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The California drought is severe, more for some than others apparently, as these pictures of a Palm Springs golf course compared to a nearly dry reservoir near Madera shows.

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Looking for a high-end restaurant in Pasadena? The Eatery on Allen. The name and plain appearance are deceiving. Food is superb.

I’ve already written more than the time you probably have to read this, so I better stop. Thank you for joining us via these blogs On Our Adventure!

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Wild Animals, Hidden Bars, Gorgeous Mountains in … Arizona? (Mar 29 – May2, 2015)

Easter together

Easter together

Adam racing to the finish line!

Adam racing to the finish line!

As we bid farewall to a fun winter in Tucson, we visit numerous cousins on our way to California: Mike and Belinda, their children and families. We get up early to cheer on Adam during his triathlon (go Adam!). Cousin Peggy and her many wonderful friends; and we meet new terrific friends such as Daryl and Paula from Canada (eh?).

American advertising at its finest.

American advertising at its finest.

I couldn’t resist this photo of dog treats in Walmart. Especially the starry white teeth!

Sherry feeds the giraffe.

Sherry feeds the giraffe.

Animals at Out of Africa meander in their own acreage while we are the ones fenced in – to keep us out of their space. Not a zoo, it is an animal rescue center for large exotic animals. We highly recommend a visit. Notice in the photo how Sherry braves feeding a giraffe by placing the celery stick between her lips. That giraffe has a 16” tongue. She nearly got a very slobbery kiss!

Nellie Mine Bar

Nellie Mine Bar

Bob and cousin Peggy

Bob and cousin Peggy

Cousin Peggy asks if we want to go to the bar at the end of the road. We say sure, not realizing fully what we agreed to. Located in the middle of nowhere, 5 miles on an almost 4-wheel drive dirt road, we come to Nellie Mine Bar. Parking lot fills up, band cranks out the tunes, and a good time is had by all.

Yuma, our last stop in Arizona, is mighty hot, so after a couple of days we continue to the cooler San Diego climate. Friends Andy and Carolyn at Chuparosa Vineyards in Ramona, CA, make fabulous wines. Be sure to visit their tasting room on the weekend.

Bob in Sedona, AZ

Bob in Sedona, AZ

Sherry and Bob

Sherry and Bob

And yes, the mountains in Arizona are gorgeous!

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We look forward to visiting old friends, seeing new places, and meeting new friends this summer in sunny California … On Our Adventure!
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Continuing on… from Tucson (Feb 22 – Mar 28, 2015)

Sherry, Trudy, Birthday boy Terry, Bev, Gene

Sherry, Trudy, Birthday boy Terry, Bev, Gene

Louie texting while Honey spellchecks

Louie texting while Honey spellchecks

Our winter break in Tucson comes to an end. It’s been a lot of fun playing cards, playing guitar, worshipping in a great local church, bicycle riding, and socializing with friends and relatives.

A couple of tips next time you are in Tucson:

Dana and Sherry after massage

Dana and Sherry after massage

Best massage in Tucson (other than from Sherry!) is from Dana. Call us for her contact info.

Best people for RV and travel trailer repair? Patrick at Professional Trailer Repair.

Celebration Sunday at Victory Worship Center

Celebration Sunday at Victory Worship Center

Awesome church: Victory Worship Center. Here’s a picture from “Celebration Sunday”. Mighty exciting!

Tim, Sherry, Bob, Ellen prepare to descend Mt. Lemmon

Tim, Sherry, Bob, Ellen prepare to descend Mt. Lemmon

Want the excitement of bicycle riding down from the top of Mt. Lemmon’s 8,000 ft elevation – without pedaling up? We talked Terry into hauling our lazy butts to the top so we could ride down. (Maybe not macho, but sure was fun!)

Sandi and Harry

Sandi and Harry

Friend Harry, blind Harry, improved the canes blind people use. He received good reports on the improvement, and is seeking funding to ramp up production. Contact me for his contact info.

Terry, Harry, and Bob in their Garage Band

Terry, Harry, and Bob in their Garage Band

What next On Our Adventure? Near the Grand Canyon is a fabulous day hike down to fresh water pools and waterfalls. Cousins near Lake Havasu. Friends near the Salton Sea. Plenty of camping in Southern California. Up to Yosemite in Central California. Colorado in late August. A week-long bicycle ride with friends in Utah. And other cool adventures that you let us know about! We look forward to hearing from while we are On Our Adventure!

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Weeks 94-99: Texas to California back to Tucson (Jan 11 – Feb 21, 2015)

Louie taking a "selfie" in snowy Fort Stockton Texas

Louie taking a “selfie” in snowy Fort Stockton Texas

Turns out Texas can get mighty cold and snowy in the winter. Hunkered down for a couple of days in Fort Stockton, TX, while the storm passed thru.

Driving Texas after the snow

Driving Texas after the snow

When it all settled out, we continued on the road again, enjoying beautiful snow covered Texas landscapes and distant hills with clear blue sunshine skies.

2015-01-30 19.18.22 Pam Skye JR Bev Gene Belinda Mike Sherry Terry at Aunt Helens funeralHeading toward our destination of Tucson, got word Sherry’s Aunt Helen passed away. Accelerated our pace a bit to make it to California in time for the funeral. Along the way, gathered up Sherry’s parents, one of her brothers, her cousin Mike and Belinda, and we all car pooled from Arizona to the funeral in California. In spite of the sad reason for family get-togethers, funerals are a great time to reconnect. Most everyone left the day after the funeral, and we stayed another day.

Ostrich eggs at Rooster Cogburn's

Ostrich eggs at Rooster Cogburn’s

Leaving California, time to retrace (back) to Tucson. But first, let’s stop near the Salton Sea to visit good friends Troy and Ada (and their dog Butch – who has a personality that makes us laugh and laugh). We love fresh dates from Southern California, and we definitely got our fill. Passed thru Yuma, stopped at Rooster Cogburn’s Ostrich Farm southeast of Phoenix to buy an ostrich egg for breakfast, finally arrive in Tucson.

Yippe Ki Yeah in Tucson AZ

Yippe Ki Yeah in Tucson AZ

Son Joe flew in from Colorado to help celebrate Bev’s 85th birthday. Always a wonderful time visiting with him.

Gene and Bev celebrate her 85th

Gene and Bev celebrate her 85th

Casinos and RV parks in Arizona and California have plenty of “tribute” bands, at way lower prices than the real bands. Lot of fun at an Abba (Mama Mia) tribute band concert.

Terry Mike Belinda Sherry at Abba Tribute Concert

Terry Mike Belinda Sherry at Abba Tribute Concert

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plenty of room at The Inn

Plenty of room at The Inn

Parked our trailer in Bev and Gene’sdriveway, hooked up our water and electric, and hanging out here for the winter. Never a dull moment. Sherry’s brother Terry is here “for a while”, square and round dancing, playing guitar, and making us all laugh. Victory Worship Center is a great church in Tucson for praise and worship, plus excellent preaching. Take care of a little maintenance on the trailer while we’re hanging out, playing cards, playing guitar, bicycle riding, and having a great time.

Bicycle riding with Ellen west of Tucson

Bicycle riding with Ellen west of Tucson

Keep loving and laughing. See you next time On Our Adventure!

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Weeks 89-93: Florida to Texas (Dec 7, 2014 – Jan 10, 2015)

New Friends, New Fun!

New Friends, New Fun!

A ton of fun in Florida playing cards, riding bicycles, swimming, soaking in the hot tub, playing guitar at jam sessions, and meeting new friends.

Louie catchin' some rays

Louie catching some rays

 

Jungle trail in Florida

Jungle trail in Florida

 

 

Beware hiking Florida trails   where the ‘gators and snakes play, at least that’s what the signs on the trail say.

HUGE avocados grown in Florida

HUGE avocados grown in Florida

 

 

Delicious HUGE avocados grown in Florida.

Fresh picked strawberries!

Fresh picked strawberries!

 

It’s December, but strawberry season in Florida.

 

Louie with his Bear buddies (and Bob) at our campsite in Mississippi.

Louie, Bob, and the Bears in Mississippi

Louie, Bob, and the Bears in Mississippi

Sherry has cousins in Florida, too. We play Hand and Foot card game with Junior and Francis, and a few days later visit Clyde and Dee.

Visit with Bob’s cousin Diane and her husband John, plus their son John and his family. It’s been too many years since we last visited.

Cheese Puffs get Sherry's vote

Cheese Puffs get Sherry’s vote

 

General Delivery usually works well for that special mail we need to receive, such as niece Brenna’s home-made Christmas cookies. Sometimes we don’t time it right, like this time: We had already departed before the cookies arrived. Post office is great, though. They forward the cookies no extra charge for us.

Cheetos Cheese Puffs vs Crunchy. What’s your vote?

Will I win this hand?

Will I win this hand?

Florida is fun, but Tucson is our choice for the winter. Planning to arrive just in time to celebrate Sherry’s mom Bev’s birthday. Through Alabama, Mississippi and southern Texas, resting up outside of Houston before we tackle western Texas in January. While here, we square dance and visit friends Jeb and Lori, play Texas Hold ‘em, join in guitar jam sessions, and play pool.

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Until we meet again On Our Adventure, God Bless, and remember the special person you truly are.

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Weeks 83-88: New Jersey to Florida (Oct 26 – Dec 6, 2014)

Sherry with her birthday cookies!

Sherry with her birthday cookies!

Sherry celebrates her birthday with some of Brenna’s cookies that arrive to the local post office via General Delivery. Yum.

Snow in Virginia. Need to travel faster to the south.

Snow in Virginia. Need to travel faster to the south.

Visiting long time friends Virginia and Doug in Virginia was fall weather for sure, including snow. Decide we need to hasten our southbound journey.

Bob at Sesquicentennial State Park, SC

Bob at Sesquicentennial State Park, SC

Blue Ridge Parkway thru Shenandoah National Park displays plenty of beautiful fall colors in lower elevations. The upper elevations already dropped their leaves.

Brenna, Jon, Sherry enjoy Fall colors

Brenna, Jon, Sherry enjoy Fall colors

University of North Carolina in Chapel Hills is a beautiful campus, especially walking it with Jon and Brenna.

Outside of Columbia, South Carolina, a nice camping area is in Sesquicentennial State Park. Close enough to the State House for a visit, an activity we enjoy.

Bob and Sherry enjoying Hanna State Park, FL

Bob and Sherry enjoying Hanna State Park, FL

A few nights in Georgia, then Florida at last! Plenty of friends and relatives to visit in this Sunshine State. We are enjoying the warmth here. Plenty of French-Canadians who winter here for six months each year. French seems to be a dominant language in some RV Parks.

A little dancing, card playing, bicycle riding, and guitar playing with new friends make for fun days and evenings.

Bob, the chick magnet

Bob, the chick magnet

Conquering the Tree Root!

Conquering the Tree Root!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We continue to enjoy ourselves while … On Our Adventure!

Bob and Sherry

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Weeks 79-82: Niagara Falls to New York City (Sep 28 – Oct 25, 2014)

Sherry in Niagara Falls mist

Sherry in Niagara Falls mist

Bob getting drenched at Niagara Falls

Bob getting drenched at Niagara Falls

Romantic Niagara Falls. Love being there together while we get drenched on the American side, and enjoy the overview from the Canadian side.

Erie Canal in Lockport, NY

Erie Canal in Lockport, NY

Erie Canal. In the early 1800’s, New York hand-dug a canal from Lake Erie to the east coast, 323 miles. The canal played an important role in the expansion of early America. Fun watching a boat use the canal locks.

Hitch Hiker. While in Colorado, we notice a fresh spider web each day on the back of our car. That spider is still with us, making webs each night, surviving highway speeds from Colorado to New York, car washes, rain, and frost. His name? “Spidey”. He’s part of our traveling crew.

Sherry and Bob at America's first oil well

Sherry and Bob at America’s first oil well

America's first oil rig

America’s first oil rig

Everything starts somewhere, including today’s Modern Oil Industry. The first oil well was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania, 1859. Was in an area known for “the black goo” that fouled the water.

Wayne, Sherry, Cecile relaxing after a fun day

Wayne, Sherry, Cecile relaxing after a fun day

 

 

Enjoy viewing the beautiful fall colors on the east coast with Bob’s cousin Wayne and Cecile.

Guess who loves chocolate?

Guess who loves chocolate?

 

Chocolate! Hershey, Pennsylvania. This town was founded by Milton Hershey where he built his Hershey Chocolate empire. Mr. Hershey is the Henry Ford of chocolate, transforming a previously expensive product affordable only to the wealthy, making it affordable to the masses thru assembly line production techniques.

Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey, PA

Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey, PA

Friday afternoon. A cold beer would be nice. People in Pennsylvania laugh when we ask where we can buy a 6-pack. Pennsylvania has “case beer” stores that sell no wine or liquor, only cases of beer. No six packs. Other stores sell only liquor and wine, no beer. We persevered, visited a micro-brewery, ate and drank, and eventually bought a case.

 

Gettysburgh Battle Field

Gettysburgh Battle Field

From Philadelphia to Gettysburgh to the 9-11 Memorial in New York City, sacrifices, dedication, and commitment of people in this country is inspiring. Being here makes history come alive. Indeed, Americans are very fortunate due to those who came before them.

9/11 Memorial in New York City

9/11 Memorial in New York City

9/11 Memorial in New York City

9/11 Memorial in New York City

 

 

The 9/11 Memorial helps us appreciate the fortitude of the American spirit when our liberty is threatened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob at Times Square in NYC

Bob at Times Square in NYC

Sherry in front of Empire State Building

Sherry in front of Empire State Building

 

All of New York City is a bustle of excitement. We enjoy eating delicious New York cheesecake, of course.

 

 

Already the end of October, fall is wet and turning colder. We head south, preferring warmer weather while . . .  On Our Adventure!

Bob and Sherry
(www.OnOurAdventure.com)

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Weeks 75-78: Eastbound and Down, Loaded Up and Truckin… (Sep 7-27, 2014)

Sherry loves horses!

Sherry loves horses!

We are in Ohio now. The trek here has been a ton of fun. August was a terrific month in Colorado for us. Time allowed us to visit many friends, although not all, and never as long as we would like.

Gary, Geralyn, Sherry, Bob at fox hunt

Gary, Geralyn, Sherry, Bob at fox hunt

Head east from Colorado, staying on Hwy 34 to Chicago. Two lane roads are more relaxing to us, provide a lot of scenery, and opportunities to meet new friends. Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois grow more corn than we knew existed! See plenty of wind turbine farms these days, too.

 

Quite exciting to watch Sherry’s brother Gary and his wife Geralyn wear their formal riding attire while riding horses during their fox hunt. Great time visiting with their family in Illinois.

Bob and Pete enjoy bicycling on a sunny day in Ohio

Bob and Pete enjoy bicycling on a sunny day in Ohio

 

 

Jack and Mae in Indiana are great fun, play cards, and laugh heartily. Into Ohio, search the internet and talk with neighbors to eventually find Bob’s college buddy Pete. Great time bicycling and reminiscing on years gone by.

Continue search for other relatives as we travel. Locate gravesite of Bob’s dad Wilbur, and learn more about his family tree.

 

 

Bob plays in the sandbox

Bob plays in the sandbox

Hope to see Niagara Falls (oops, heading north again as winter approaches), before heading east and south for warmer weather. Looks like we may finally experience those famous, beautiful fall colors of northeast United States.

Wheeeeee !

Wheeeeee !

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoy thinking of you while . . .  On Our Adventure!

Bob and Sherry

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Weeks 71-74: Colorado! (Aug 10 – Sep 6, 2014)

Dillon beerfest

Thank you to our friends Susie and Kraig who let us park our trailer on their property for several weeks. Loveland is such a popular place these days, there is no space at RV parks until October!

Bob trimming trees

Bob trimming trees

Colorado is a place of change and wonder. (Mostly, we are in wonder at all the change!)

Loyal friends

Where did all the cars come from? And all the rain? A few beautiful sunny Colorado days let us enjoy bicycle rides around Carter Lake. Help paint, trim trees, and other work stuff. Play ping pong, Sherry sprains wrist, although it is healing. Prayer and doctors always help. Play guitar and sing with friends. SNAP golf is the new craze, and it is terrific fun for the whole family! Cat Tail golf course is one of the first in the nation to have a permanent SNAP course.

Sherry painting

Sherry, Joe, Kristin

Sherry, Joe, Kristin

Visit friends in their homes, retirement homes, hospitals, and restaurants. Fortunately, many of our friends are still well, although others are challenged by some of life’s unfortunate events. We pray for peace, healing, and prosperity for all our friends and relatives.

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Hiking in Dillon, CO

Hiking in Dillon, CO

Beautiful hiking in Dillon. Would you like a ski-in, ski-out condo for this ski season? Friends of ours make their condo available to rent. Visit www.vrbo.com/504374 to reserve your weekend!

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2014-08-28 14.15.07 Drivers License Bureau

 

Chuckle as Sherry renews her driver’s license. Take a ticket then wait. Typically 1 to 2 hours. Joke about scalping our tickets to people in a hurry. Can you believe there’s a 30 minute parking area in front of the driver’s license bureau? Where’s the meter maid?

Bob, Alice, and Wes

Bob, Alice, and Wes

Fortunately, we visit many of our friends. Unfortunately, we are not able to see everyone. Hopefully, next time we will visit even more friends while
On Our Adventure…

Bob and Bob jammin’ away

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Marta, Bruce, Sherry

Marta, Bruce, Sherry

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Weeks 67-70: From Texas and Oklahoma to Colorado! (July 13-Aug 9, 2014)

Texas Hold 'em in Texas

Texas Hold ’em in Texas

Texas is great! Especially playing Texas Hold ’em with friends while in Texas.

 

 

 

 

Ronny, Bob, Sherry, Pam, David

Ronny, Bob, Sherry, Pam, David

Tim

Tim

We visit Bob’s nephew Michael, Michael’s wife Pam, their children, and Michael’s father Ronny. Great catching up on their lives.

Stephanie and Michael

Stephanie and Michael

 

 

Benbrook State Park has very nice roads, excellent for bicycling, so we enjoy a scenic ride near the lake.

JR Pam Sherry in Oklahoma City

JR Pam Sherry in Oklahoma City

 

 

 

 

Northward from Texas into Oklahoma are Sherry’s cousin Pam and Pam’s husband JR for a week of competitive pistol shooting. We enjoy several nights of laughter together.

Federal Building Site Memorial in Oklahoma City

Federal Building Site Memorial in Oklahoma City

 

Tour the Oklahoma City Federal Building site where a car bomb demolished the building in 1995. This memorial creates plenty of emotion giving tribute to the victims.

 

Bob Kathy Sara

Bob Kathy Sara

 

Venturing deeper into Oklahoma, we visit Bob’s niece Kathy, and Kathy’s daughter Sara. Such fun people!

Toward the end of July, it’s hot and humid in Texas and Oklahoma, but everyone keeps telling us to wait until August for the real heat! Not being too keen on experiencing more heat and humidity, we ask where would it be cooler? At the same time, an invitation to a friend’s surprise 60th birthday party, Sherry’s dad celebrating his 89th birthday in August, and other things that need taking care of, influence us to turn west and head to Colorado. The cooler weather in Colorado will be a welcome retreat from the humidity and heat we have been experiencing down south.

Taking two-lane roads instead of interstate provides beautiful scenery as we travel through southern Kansas. We spy a license plate “7 of 9”. Trekies will understand when we verify the license plate did not indicate being part of a large family. (For non-Trekies, 7 of 9 is a main character in the Star Trek Voyager series.)

Kraig Susie Sherry Remington Navajo

Kraig Susie Sherry Remington Navajo

 

We arrive in Loveland, Colorado. RV parks are full, but our good friends Kraig and Susie invite us to stay on their property while in town. They take us to some excellent hiking in the Colorado mountains. Always fun, especially with two active dogs who love to run!

 

Susie Andrea Bob Sherry Joe

Susie Andrea Bob Sherry Joe

 

 

Great visiting friends and relatives at birthday parties, dinners, and simply a few minutes here or there. Sometimes it feels like we are in a time warp in which time pauses for us while life changes in dramatic ways for some of our friends.

Tim Ed Ann Sherry Ellen

Tim Ed Ann Sherry Ellen

 

 

Molly Tim Bob Sherry Ellen Lou

Molly Tim Bob Sherry Ellen Lou

We plan to be in Colorado thru Labor Day weekend, and then to…?

See you next time On Our Adventure!

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Weeks 63-66: Texas! (Jun 15 – July 12, 2014)

Food Pantry in Willis, TX, needs help moving canned goods and shelving to prep for painting. We show up Monday morning with gloves in hand. Doesn’t take long with plenty of help. And a lot of fun.

Sherry doin the shimee at luau

Sherry doin the shimee at luau

Luau time!

Bob shakin' bootie at Luau

Bob shakin’ bootie at Luau

Night-time at Lake Livingston State Park is warm, 78 degrees, and pitch dark with plenty of stars thru all the trees. Tree frogs, thumbnail size, croak en masse all night long.

Strangest bugs in Texas. A wasp carrying a caterpillar. Inch-long bugs that look like grass. Ants that come from seemingly nowhere, and bite bite bite. Ow.

Friends Jeb and Lori arrive during pitch black of night. Help them back their RV into the tight, wooded RV spot. Fun for those of us already setup, maybe not so much fun for them! But they do a great job, and not a scratch to be found.

Neighbors Nole and Kathy (and family) have a great day fishing, catching twenty. We appreciate their generosity giving us four wonderful, freshly caught, striped bass. Sherry adds just the right spices, cooks the fish to perfection, and we enjoy a dinner better than in a five star restaurant.

Sherry at Lake Livingston State Park, TX

Sherry at Lake Livingston State Park, TX

Bicycle ride thru the park. Walk along the path thru the woods and lake.

July 4 Parade in Willis, TX

July 4 Parade in Willis, TX

Enjoy an ice cream social. Dance with live band at our RV Park. Swim. Help judge the Fourth of July most decorated golf cart contest. BBQ with Terry and Karen and their family and friends. Plenty of fireworks and music. A truly memorable Fourth of July celebration in Texas!

Fireworks

Fireworks

Church at Covenant Fellowship. Visit with Frank and Linda at their home, enjoying ice tea on their shady front porch on a warm afternoon. Win at Texas Hold ‘em!

 

Bob at Lake Livingston, TX

Bob at Lake Livingston, TX

Visit the Huntsville Prison Museum. No air conditioning in the prison. The inmates here do hard time.

Summer in Texas is “gettin’ a might warm, ya’ll.” See you next time – On Our Adventure!

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Weeks 60-62: Project Gutenberg, Blue Bell Ice Cream, and Dog Song (May 25 – Jun 14, 2014)

Books? In a trailer? Who has room? We keep a few around, trading them at lending libraries. Mostly we’ve switched to digital for everything. A lot of the older books are available for free at Project Gutenberg.

500 year old oak tree

500 year old oak tree

Here’s a picture of the second largest oak tree in Texas, approximately 500 years old, in Columbus, TX.

 

 

 

Sherry at Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham TX

Sherry at Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham TX

 

A tour of Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, Texas, was cool <ha ha> and tasty enjoying ice cream after the tour.

 

 

WW II veteran speaking on Veterans Day

WW II veteran speaking on Veterans Day

 

Coushatte RV Park offers fun and fellowship by hosting monthly square dancing, followed by Hand and Foot card games. Veteran’s Day, and we had the honor of listening to a WW II veteran speaking.

 

10 mile walk one morning with friend Jeb and his dog Rusty. While we talked about what a great companion dogs can be, a new country song came to mind that goes something like this: “Don’t Mess with Texas, Don’t Mess with Mama, and Don’t Mess with My Dog!”

Jeb and Sherry at Texas swamps

Jeb and Sherry at Texas swamps

Texas landscape is not all western movie stereotype of flat and dry. The eastern half is lush green with trees and grass. Swamps near Houston have alligators and birds including Spoonbill. Texas style dinner, with friends Jeb and Lori, of crab stuffed jalapenos and crawfish.

The temperatures here and around the country are warming up as summer approaches. How long will we stay in Texas once the real heat arrives? We will find out – On Our Adventure!

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Weeks 58-59: Sven and Erzy, Jacob’s Well, and Snakes (May 11-24, 2014)

 

Sherry feeding deer at our campsite

Sherry feeding deer at our campsite

At the RV park, we play pool, taking on the names Sven and Erzy because those are the names on the scoreboard, and there are no markers to change the names or keep score. I’m Sven. Sherry is Erzy. Lot of laughs calling each other those names. We talk about writing children’s stories called “Erzy and Sven – On Adventure”. Their friend Louie will show up periodically. Be fun to read what surprises life has in store for them.

Dung Beetle rolling dung in mating ritual

Dung Beetle rolling dung in mating ritual

We see our first Dung Beetles! These beetles stand on their front two legs, rolling balls of dung around backwards using their hind feet, all in the interest of attracting a mate! (Youtube)

Touring manufacturing plants is a kick for us. Toyota built its most advanced truck production facility in the United States, right in San Antonio, and we got to witness firsthand the process on the production line.

Upper Falls McKinney State Park, Austin, TX

Upper Falls McKinney State Park, Austin, TX

 

 

 

 

On to Austin. We love swimming in warm, natural rivers and swimming holes. The Upper and Lower Falls at McKinney Falls State Park really help us cool off on some already hot afternoons.

Looking up in dome at Texas State Capital

Looking up in dome at Texas State Capital

Touring the Texas state capital in Austin gives us an appreciation for the battles Texas fought in its history to become the great state it is today.

Bob at Jacob's Well

Bob at Jacob’s Well

We receive an email (thank you for your emails) about one of the top natural swimming holes in the country near us. We head over to Jacob’s Well in Wimberley and find crystal clear water surrounded by boulders where we swim, jump, and overall have a great time.

Everybody tells us to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Going there, we were less than excited because we think it’s a bunch of flowers and trees, which we see a lot. But it turns out to be a wonderful experience, and we highly recommend it.

McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX

McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX

Back at the trailer, I’m sitting outside reading when Sherry steps out, screams. I pick up my legs because she is looking toward my feet. I see a 6 foot long snake coiled up like a python at my feet with its fangs open as though he is screaming. I start screaming. Everybody is screaming. The snake quickly slithers away, climbs up the closest tree to a limb about 20 feet up, then crawls across the limb to who knows where. Scared the daylights out of all of us including the snake. Only Louie kept his cool. Whew! Plenty of laughter afterward.

That’s been our excitement lately. See you next time – On Our Adventure!

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Weeks 55-57: Hot Days, Cool Nights, Is it Just Right? (Apr 20 – May 10, 2014)

Big Bend National Park, TX

Big Bend National Park, TX

Leaving Big Bend National Park, we travel several hundred miles to Amistad National Recreation Area, TX. When in west Texas, be sure to always keep plenty of gas in the tank: The only gas station in Marathon, the first gas station within 100 miles of camp, was closed the day we drove through.

Amistead National Recreation Area, TX

Amistead National Recreation Area, TX

After several days at Amistad, (little to do without a boat, but only $4/day) travel to Falcon Reservoir State Park, TX. Swimming in Falcon Reservoir in 100 degree weather feels marvelous! If you stargaze right after sunset, watch for satellites. We see satellites most nights, and the occasional shooting star.

Butterfly Sherry in Falcon Reservoir State Park, TX

Butterfly Sherry in Falcon Reservoir State Park, TX

100 degrees is a bit hot, especially when South Padre Island, TX, reports 80 degrees and cool breezes. So pack up the trailer and head to the Gulf. On the island, accidentally turning left instead of right, we learn first-hand that the road ends 10 miles into the beautiful sand dunes. Did a “30” point turn with the trailer on a narrow 2-lane road that was half covered with sand. Yahoo!

Sunset from South Padres Island, TX

Sunset from South Padres Island, TX

South Padre Island has a reputation as a party town. We managed to be here between parties. Highly recommend visiting Turtle Rescue, and also the Birding Center. Very active conservation movements on this island.

Turtle Conservation Center on South Padres Island, TX

Turtle Conservation Center on South Padres Island, TX

 

 

Sandcastles are popular on South Padres Island

Sandcastles are popular on South Padres Island

 

 

 

Yippee! The Gulf! Sherry on South Padres Island sand dunes

Yippee! The Gulf! Sherry on South Padres Island sand dunes

 

 

 

 

Bob eaten by shark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sherry enjoying life at Lake Corpus Christi State Park, TX

Sherry enjoying life at Lake Corpus Christi State Park, TX

After a few fun-filled days, the cool weather turned cold and windy, so on we go to Lake Corpus Christi State Park, TX. Along the way, roadside stands sell really tasty, fresh pecans and grapefruit. Yum. Just a few hours north of the Gulf, we again have 90 degree days and cool nights.  Swimming in Lake Corpus Christi in the heat is great. Make friends with Shawn and Jarrod, who know a lot about fish and astronomy.

DRY Lake Medina, TX

DRY Lake Medina, TX

Four days, then on to Lake Medina in the Hill Country of Texas. Lot of cedar trees in 90 degree temps. After swimming in several wonderful Texas lakes, we were shocked to learn this lake is DRY. We’re told when Texas gets a good rain, it will fill up. Really? The lake is huge! They really get BIG rains here. Fortunately for us, where we camp has a clean, cool pool that we swim in daily.

Outside of The Alamo, TX

Outside of The Alamo, TX

 

We’re camping just outside San Antonio, so of course we enjoy visiting the Alamo and the River Walk.

Inside The Alamo, TX

Inside The Alamo, TX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theatre inside the Scottish Rite Library and Museum

Theatre inside the Scottish Rite Library and Museum

San Antonio Scottish Rite Library and Museum

San Antonio Scottish Rite Library and Museum

The real surprise, though, is getting a private tour of the Scottish Kilt Library, a branch of the Masons. Very kind of Mike, who works there, to give us an excellent tour. Such beautiful interior with Italian marble, an elevator that uses WATER to power it, large theatre/dance floor, library. Built about 1922.

 

SAS Shoe Factory, TX

SAS Shoe Factory, TX

 

Toured the SAS Shoe Factory. Antique cars outside, 5 cent popcorn inside. Good tour.

Outside SAS Shoe Factory

Outside SAS Shoe Factory

 

 

 

Those white dots are all birds building nests in Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, TX

Those white dots are all birds building nests in Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, TX

 

 

 

 

 

When in San Antonio, be sure to walk through Brackenridge Park viewing the hundreds of birds building nests.

Sherry on bridge in Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, TX

Sherry on bridge in Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, TX

Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, TX

Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, TX

Experienced a torrential downpour on the drive home. Texans say it was a nice rain, not a “gully washer” that fills the lake. We listen to the whippoorwill singing, which sounds more like “Eat a burrito” than “whippoorwill”. Maybe it’s the accent? <grin>

Louie playing cards - Comes in Second place

Louie playing cards – Comes in Second place

And here’s Louie, playing cards with us. He came in second!

Thanks for joining us on another episode On Our Adventure!

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Week 54: Big Bend National Park, Texas/Mexico Border (Apr 13-19, 2014)

Rio Grande River divides Mexico on the left from US on the right

Rio Grande River divides Mexico on the left from US on the right

From New Mexico, we travel south thru Texas to camp on the US/Mexico border. Destination: Big Bend National Park, with its 800,000 acres of rugged beauty adjacent to the border of Mexico. Rio Grande River creates a natural border between the Park in Texas, and Mexico.

Flowering Cactus

Flowering Cactus

Birders from all over the world converge into Big Bend this time of year as many species of birds migrate from South America into the United States thru Big Bend. Wildlife photographer Laurie and his wife Lauren, from Australia, are a lot of fun as we all share stories over dinner and wine. (Check out his photos of the Park on his website!) Camp neighbors Rod and Carol from England traveled here for the birding excellence. Hike along huge cliffs on the Rio Grande. Enjoy soaking in hot springs on the Rio Grande, then swimming in the river.

Crossing from US into Mexico

Crossing from US into Mexico

Music and dancing

Music and dancing

Sadly, 9/11 shut down the border crossing for 12 years. The first anniversary of the reopening of the border crossing was celebrated with festivities on both sides of the border.

Crossed the border (have passports ready) via the official rowboat crossing into Baquillos, Mexico. Many Americans, such as Mike and Centa, take an active role in helping the economy of Baquillas recover.

Bob in Boquillas Mexico

Bob in Boquillas Mexico

Wonderful music, dancing, eating tortillas, and drinking Cervezas make for a great international mingling of people having fun.

Big Bend is in quite the drought, yet we experienced a terrific lightning‑thunder storm, dropping an inch of rain within a couple of hours.

This is quite a week On Our Adventure!

Sherry hiking Big Bend National Park TX

Sherry hiking Big Bend National Park TX

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Week 53: Winter’s over, On the Road Again! (Apr 6-12, 2014)

Sherry Bob Gene Bev celebrating Bob's 60th birthday

Sherry Bob Gene Bev celebrating Bob’s 60th birthday

Sherry and I arrived in Tucson in January, and stayed until April. Had a wonderful time, visiting her parents and getting “settled in”. Joined a local fitness center, played cards at night, rode bicycles, found a great local church, played guitar with local musicians, wrote a song for our new friends Harry and Sandy, and enjoyed wine in the afternoons swinging in the backyard.

Yet, we were anxious to be on the road again. This new lifestyle has such a feeling of freedom and adventure. Happy day when the frigid winter east of Tucson, our direction of travel, came to an end. We bid adieu to everyone, and resumed our adventure. Feels great. Ahhh. The open road.

Bob Mark Sherry

Bob Mark Sherry

Copper Mine in Bisbee AZ

Copper Mine in Bisbee AZ

First stop: Bisbee Arizona. Site of our nation’s largest copper mine for over 100 years until it closed in 1975. The miners left, but the community is reshaping as an artist community and weekend getaway. Friend Mark, who we haven’t seen in 30 years, lives in Bisbee. We had a wonderful time reminiscing, and meeting his wife Francis.

Dental office (Deming Museum)

Dental office (Deming Museum)

Excellent Museum in Deming New Mexico. Highly recommend setting several hours aside to enjoy the museum.  The town assembled a wonderful display of many events and items that shaped their community. And for refreshment after, visit St. Clair Winery. We particularly enjoy their 30th anniversary semi-dry red.

Sherry hikes Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Sherry hikes Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas offers wonderful hikes and weather. Dry camping is only $8 per night with flush toilets and great tasting water.

Oh Wow! Carlsbad Caverns NM

Oh Wow! Carlsbad Caverns NM

Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. WOW! Took a few pictures, then stopped. Pictures don’t even begin to capture the magnificence of the cave. I tried to stop saying “Oh Wow”, but couldn’t. Yes, make Carlsbad Caverns a “for sure” visit.

Brantley Lake State Park located 13 miles north of Carlsbad is quiet, and we have a view of the lake. It’s only $14/nt including all utilities except sewer. (They have a central station for dumping when we leave, which is fine by us.) Most likely stay here a few days.

We weren’t blogging much while in Tucson, but now we’re back in full swing. See you again next week On Our Adventure!

 

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Week 47: Italian, Chuze, Sparrow vs Hawk (Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2014)