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Mid Apr to Mid June - John probably will be on a
bicycle tour somewhere.
Sunday February
05, 2012 - Seffner, FL Lazy Days Campground We are here for the Alaskan Discovery Tour RV Rally . We are scheduled to work the 3rd Alaskan Discovery tour in 2013 so we are going back to Alaska. Our 2006 tour was favorite
vacation of all time!
We spent some time looking for a new motorhome. We found a couple that were very close to
what we would like but they would take considerable work to make it the full time motorhome we already have. It is true that
our 10 year old Moanco Diplomat with 95,000 miles is showing its age but it runs great, is too comfortable and it just does
not make sense(cents) to buy a new motorhome now. We are going to keep this one until sometime significant happens to change
out path.
Susan had a bad cold that she gave it to John so we have not been a social as we would have liked at
this rally but we are still have a good time.
Sunday January
29, 2012 - DeFuniak Springs, FL We have been staying at the Sunset King RV Resort since the 24th while contracting Quality Concrete to put in a 316'x14' driveway and a 50'x20' RV pad
on our property. They are supposed to pour the concrete on Tuesday. Susan got a bad cold so she hasn't been doing too
much. John goes on bicycle rides and takes care of Susan.
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Tuesday January
24, 2012 - Crestview, FL (Walmart parking lot) We had a delightful lunch yesterday with Greg Bruce, the Good Sam tour operator
in charge of the Mardi Gras tour that we are going on. He took us to one of his favorite restaurants, Mandina's , and WOW - the food was fabulous. The best Shrimp Po'Boy Susan have ever had. John had Red Beans, Rice and Italian
Sausage that he loved. Sad to leave New Orleans today but we will be back in a few weeks. Off to FL to get a concrete driveway
and 60 x 40 pad put down at our property. No more worries about getting stuck in the sand :-)
Monday January
23, 2012 - New Orleans, LA French Quarter RV Resort We walked the French Quarter Saturday evening. People watching here is amazing; was amazing; especially sober. We arrived
about 5 PM and noticed the number of people that were drunk increased exponentially by 8 PM. Since there is no such thing
as a smoke-free bar in the French Quarter, John's sinuses were irritated, his eyes were burning and he always gets a headache
when he is around too much smoke. We did have a great time - the music - street performers - the Mississippi River - this
definitely is one of our favorite places to hang.
Sunday, John went for a 70-mile bicycle ride down the Mississippi River delta. Susan went
shopping for Mardi Gras and bought what she deemed "essential". John's favorite AFC team is the New England
Patriots and John's favorite NFC team is the New York Giants so we had to watch the playoffs. We watched the AFC playoffs
from the swimming pool and hot tub and the NFC game in our motorhome. The Super Bowl is quite the dilemma for John, but a
good one. John will route for the Giants but is not optimistic.
Today we are going to wash the motorhome.
It was not very clean when we left and it is much dirtier now.
A few pictures
from the Natchez Trace Parkway . Note the fourth picture in the top row; tornado damage 2011.
Thursday January 19, 2012 - Hohenwald, TN 30 degrees this morning so John waited until 1 PM to take a 50 mile bicycle ride and reflect about last spring and his time
spent on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Susan took in some scenery and did a little shopping. We ate at the restaurant at Fall Hallow Campground and were quite pleased.
Wednesday January 18, 2012 - Hohenwald, TN We just pulled into the Fall Hallow Campground off the Natchez Trace Parkway. This is where the owners, Bill & Kathy Roper, let John take his vehicle to go some dinner and go shopping while John
was bicycle touring last spring. Susan can't wait to meet this trusting soul ... or is it just good old southern hospitality. On John's bicycle tour, the reason he
stopped here besides the definite need for a shower, was the restaurant that is one of their amenities. The restaurant is
only open on Thu, Fri and Sat and John arrived on a Monday. John expressed his disappointment and his desire to consume something
other than packaged food. That lead Bill to offering his vehicle to John. We are going to sample the food in Bill's restaurant
tomorrow but tonight we are going to eat at the the River Rat Grill, the spot John ate at while bicycle touring. So far, the drive has been
beautiful. We stopped several times to go on short hikes to waterfalls and the original Trace. We will post some pictures
when we get a better internet connection.
Tuesday January 17, 2012 - Johnson City, TN Enjoyed a fantastic dinner
and visit with Brian and Judy. They both seem to really like their new home and neighborhood. Today is a short drive. We will
stay overnight in Nashville and hit the Natchez Trace Parkway first thing in the morning. We are closely following the route that John took during his bike trip last spring.
Monday January
16, 2012 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD "On the Road Again". Getting ready to head south for 7 weeks of fun in the sun. First stop will be to visit our
dear friends, Brian and Judy, in Johnson City, TN. Tomorrow we travel down the Natchez Trace, making our way to New Orleans
where we will spend the weekend eating good food and listening to great music. Life is good!
Wednesday January 11, 2012 Killington, VT John has been skiing for since
Monday. What's missing is Susan. The conditions are better than John expected so John is having a pretty good time but this is John's first
ski trip and he is feeling it . . . might be his age. :) There is snow in the forecast tonight so tomorrow will be the best day of skiing if John's legs hold
up.
Sunday January
01, 2012 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD Remember when New Year's Eve was food, drink, music, dancing and jocularity with a few friends and hundreds of people
at festivities that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. At least we still remember but it sure is different now.
There were 15-20 friends and guests of Cherry Hill Park that got together New Year's Eve. There was music from a CD player,
John and Marilyn danced ... once..., plenty of munchies and fun conversation. We started setting up at 7:00 PM, John went
home a little after 10:30, everyone else left before 11:30 and Susan made it home before the ball dropped. We woke up without
a hangover feeling great, happy to be together and are looking forward to a tremendous 2012. To everyone reading this, have
a Happy New Year and we hope joy and contentment fills your life as if it has ours.
Monday December
26, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD We had a great Christmas with Gene and Mara. We ate way too much, the company was tremendous and Susan and John spent some
quality time with each other. Life is good.
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Thursday December
22, 2011 - Milton DE Another GREAT week planned. Headed to Rehoboth to spend Christmas with Gene and Mara. Can't wait!
It has been way too long since we have had a chance to get to the beach.
Saturday December
17, 2011 - Pittsburgh PA Susan spent the day with Nicole. Shopping for baby clothes and Christmas presents! Then had an amazing
pedicure. The best part... it has been snowing all day :~).
Friday December
16, 2011- Houston PA Susan is heading to Pittsburgh to spend the weekend with Nicole! Just us girls. Yay - three days of shopping,
eating, shopping, movie watching, and some more shopping. So many baby things to buy and so little time :~) Only down side...
Susan and John will not be together for three days :(.
Sunday December 04 - 06, 2011 - Coach Care, Harrisburg, PA Motorhome repair - Exhaust manifold gasket was replaced but technician
could not get the drive shaft removed to replace transmission seal. Rather than chance damaging something and waiting a week for parts, John decided to put
off that repair
off until we can spare a week.
Thursday November 24 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD Susan
prepared Thanksgiving dinner for park and it was delicious. Thanksgiving PDF There were about 75 people and Susan made enough so everyone could take home leftovers. Mike, the owner of this park,
is a very generous man.
Friday November 18 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD Nicole, Susan's adoptive daughter, had business
in Baltimore so she spent the night. We had a wonderful time. She is a very sweet women. This is the first time we have seen
Nicole since she looks pregnant.
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Monday November
14 - Holland, MI John visited
Chip. The drive to Chip's was filled with flash flood and tornado warnings in Michigan. There was a tractor trailer accident
and fire that closed route 23 just south of Ann Arbor. All this added 2.5 hours to the drive - - no fun. Chip's and John's
visit was GREAT. On Tuesday and Wednesday, they talked, talked, saw a couple movies, talked and talked. It's good that
true friendships endures all distances. John's drive was pleasantly non-eventful.
Sunday November 06 -
Coach Care, Harrisburg, PA Motorhome
maintenance; engine and generator oil and filters. Replace brakes, drums and slack adjusters. 2.5 days labor. Total: $4200!!.
Monday, October 24, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD Water,
water, water is everywhere. All the rain revealed a bad leak from our bedroom slide where the seal is torn. We contacted a
RV technician who is going to try to seal it. Our bathroom sink developed a leak. We wanted a new faucet so John replaced
it and fixed the leak. The new faucet looked so nice; we explored the idea of replacing the kitchen faucet and discovered
a worst leak in the cold water feed line. Looks like John is going to be busy again. With all these issues, we might as well
own a house...NAH! We
are staying around for the Holidays this year so our winters travel will only be 5 weeks.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD Most of Susan's cafe staff has left for the season so she is working many hours and utilizing John to supplement her
limited number of employees. It is an erratic time of the year because the campground has slowed but rallies, catering and
groups show up sporadically. This makes stocking supplies and staffing at the cafe challenging.
Tuesday, October 03, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD Another cancelled trip to Holland, MI to visit with Chip. :( Chip had a few problems that he needs to resolve this week. Hopefully John can reschedule the trip
in the near future.
Saturday, October 01, 2011 - Fairfax Station, VA John is having a fabulous time visiting Michael and Tom. John
is riding his bicycle back to College Park, MD today. 50 degrees, raining and windy - - no fun. We are able to post pictures
again and, if interested, his aborted bicycle tour to Holland, MI has associated photos next to the text further down on this
web page.
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD There has been no word on the problem with posting pictures. Susan says she is very happy working at Cherry Hill Park so
she is not ready to retire again yet. For our 17th wedding anniversary, we decided to go to Sir Walter Raleigh. We do not
enjoy going out to dinner much anymore and we have not gone out to dinner in years but this might be fun. We will see. Friday,
John is going to visit Michael in Fairfax Station, VA. Michael and John have been friends and drinking buddies for years.
Monday, John is going to drive to Holland, MI to visit with Chip since he aborted his bicycle tour. Since John began his RV life, he has not been in touch with his good
friends as much. :( Life goes on...
Friday, September 24, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD John has been trying to post some pictures from his ride to this webpage but is getting errors. He has a support ticket started
and will post them when the problem is resolved. Between the cafe and catering jobs, Susan is working her butt off. Maybe
she should retire again.
We
have no big plans for the next few weeks but for the first time in 7 years, we plan to stay in the area between Thanksgiving
and New Years.
Monday, September 19, 2011 - John is back at Cherry Hill Park and rode about 400 miles if you include his side trips. He is a little disappointed that he cannot handle the cold as he
did when he was young but learned a valuable lesson; no bicycle tours when it get below 50 degrees or get warmer riding gear
John is more disappointed that he did not get to visit Chip.
Sunday September 18, 2011 - Austintown, OH - 70 miles. John woke
up to another 40-degree morning, his tent was sloppy wet from condensation and he did not warm up until noon. Route 51 was
a fairly dangerous road but it was Sunday and the traffic was light. Dark clouds were dominating the skies so John decided
to stop at the Comfort Inn. The colder mornings are making this tour less than fun. After checking the weather forecast for
the region, the rain and cold were not going away. This convinced John to abort the tour.
John has a philosophy that if the something is not fun, why are you doing it? Susan said that she would pick him up.
Saturday September 17, 2011 - Stowe Township, PA - 75 miles. John
woke up to another flat tire and it was still cold for riding. This time John not only changed his tube, he put on his spare
tire. Jesse and John were having a fascinating conversation solving all the world problems when John realized that it was
getting late, 10:00 AM, and he would rather ride. John spent an hour or two riding around Pittsburgh and decided just stay
in a hotel but the cheapest rate he found was $279. When John inquired why all the hotels were so expensive here he got the
reply, “Steelers weekend”. John never found a hotel so he pulled into a closed rental supply business and pitched
his tent.
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Friday September 16, 2011 - Connellsville, PA - 90 miles. John’s ride started at the temperature
of 40 degrees but the first 22 miles of the Great Alleghany Passage (GAP) is all-uphill with a gentle grade of 1%-2% that
kept him satisfactorily warm. There a free campground here with a 24 hour grocery store, Martin’s, where John bought
some supplies that he knew he would. Since there was a NY Pizza restaurant right next door, John decided to treat himself.
Jesse, another bicyclist, joined John. Jesse was in D.C. protesting the proposed Alberta to Gulf of Mexico pipeline. Jesse
said he always wanted to ride the C&O canal and GAP. Jesse left a week before John but was rained in for 5 days in Hancock,
MD.
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Thursday September 15, 2011 - Cumberland, MD - John only rode about 15 miles today - - WHIMP! It
poured with thunder and lightning most of the night. The floor of the tent got pretty wet. It was raining very hard this morning
but John decided to head out. By the time he got to Flintstone, MD, the fog was so thick; he could barely see the road. He
pulled into a little general store, drank coffee and watched traffic for about an hour. The fog finally cleared, it was still
raining and John headed out again. It was pouring when he got to Cumberland and everything was wet. John decided to stay at
Fairfield Inn and Suites - - hot tub, laundry faculties, room service and a weight room.
Wednesday September 14, 2011 - about 55 miles to
Polish Mountain in MD
- Yes that is where John spent the night and soooo… appropriate. The day started rough and got a little rougher. John
was all loaded up and noticed he had a flat. Unloaded, fixed flat, loaded up again. The small mountains on MD route 144 get
a lot bigger and steeper west of Hagerstown. John depleted almost all his water and it was quite hot. An angel in a pickup
truck stopped and offered ice-cold water and orange slices. It was a good thing too because before John made it to a store,
early afternoon thunderstorms popped up. John hustled himself into the woods, set up tent and unloaded all his gears right
before it began pouring. By the time the rain stopped, John realized that he would not make into Cumberland until dark so
he spent the night in the wood on Polish mountain.
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Tuesday September 13, 2011 - about 75 miles to Hagerstown,
MD - John had a
gorgeous day. In Fredrick, MD, he met a bicyclist, Peter, who inquired where he was going. He told him about
heading to Michigan and a “look” came over his face. John asked, “What’s up?” Peter had
bought a touring bike and all the gear over two years ago and had never toured. I told him I could not imagine… After
a pleasant 15- minute conversation, he promised to take a three-day tour this weekend! :)
Approaching the first of many “small”
mountains (they still kicked my butt!); I caught up with Bill, who was walking his bike. I decided to walk and chat with him
for a while. He was retiring from the military after 37 years - - I thanked him. He wants to tour when he retires and
he is “practicing for the real thing. It is only 20 miles from Fredrick to Hagerstown
but my legs were cramping from those small mountains so I decides to stay at a Super 8 - - hot bath and free breakfast.
Tuesday September 13, 2011 - John began his bicycle tour
to Holland, MI to visit his good friend, Chip. John said that he is going to take a more leisurely pace than his last tour but Susan is
skeptical. John explained that even if he rides as he did on his last tour, the days are short and getting shorter so his
intentions will be enforced.
Monday, September 12, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - John is getting ready for his bicycle tour to Holland, MI but is not sure he will be ready by tomorrow morning --- he might
be leaving on Wednesday. George and Susan, a couple we met in 2005 before we went to Alaska, are back in the park we wanted to go to dinner
at Bus Boys and Poets and catch up before John takes off.
Sunday September 11, 2011 - Butler, PA - Butler Township Fireman's Association "Your Choice" Sportsman's Raffle - God of love we place in your
loving arms the thousands of innocent lives that were lost on that unforgettable morning of September 11, 2001. We also
remember the courage of the countless men and women who put their lives at risk in order to rescue, alleviate and bring
solace to the afflicted. Help us to continue to work for a world free from every form of hatred, violence and ignorance.
May terrorism -- in all its forms -- disappear from the face of the earth. We have to work at the Cherry Hill Park cafe at 2:30pm
on Sunday so we will be leaving early Sunday morning. :(
We
got to Butler Fairgrounds Friday night. Duayne and Sandy arrived Friday night too so we got to spend some time with old friends
-- very nice people. The "campers" had a delicious breakfast prepared by master chef, Duayne while John
went a 60 miles morning bicycle ride. By the time John got back, the festivities had started and so did
the hard driving rain that did NOT damping our spirits. There was plenty of great socializing and FOOD. Carol, a good friend
of Sandy's, was the only one that won anything from our group, $664 in a 50/50 raffle. Nicole
is pregnant and is actually starting to look it. Susan seems to be more excited than the soon to be parents but that is Susan.
Sunday, we left in plenty of time but our leveling jack hit a blown out tire on the way back and dislodged the pad
and springs. The battery on the echo was dead and we tried to push start it but failed so we left it on the side of the road.
After 45 minutes fixing the jacks, 15 minutes of clean up, and 10 minutes to jump start the echo and charge the battery, we
just made it to work at the beginning of our shift.
Monday September 05, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD We did not get a chance to sneak away to the party on Saturday and it was over by the time we got off work. :( John
has been training for his tentative bicycle trip to Michigan. Susan seems to either working or sleeping. It is a good thing
she likes her work.
Saturday September
03, 2011 failed plans - Party at Wally's and Sonny's (friends) - TIME: 3:00 PM TIL - WHY? Because we want to...and want you to meet our
Daughter and welcome Meagan home We will be providing Lumpia (a Phillipino Egg Roll) and Fried Rice. Bring a dish... Susan
and John to work at the cafe but we will sneak away (separately) to say "Hi".
Sunday August 28, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - John is feeling a lot better although not 100%. Hurricane Irene shook our motorhome a few times last night and we have
not had power at Cherry Hill Park for the last few hours. The only reason we knew the park had lost power was we checked our
"AC IN" indicator. Our batteries automatically took over until we turned our generator on. The Cherry Hill Park
Wi-Fi is out so were are posting this via on Verizon Mi-Fi card. It's really kind of cool living in out motorhome and
not being tethered most services.
Friday August 19, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - John has been ill for the last week and still is very fatigued. He has bouts with lack of energy periodically and this
seems to be a bad one so he has been fairly dormant . . . it is strange to see him like this. Susan has been working and talking
care of John. It is good to have best friends as your spouse...
Thursday August 11, 2011 - Bumble Bee RV Park and Campground, Accident, MD - We are heading back to Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD this morning because John promised to drive
the tractor tonight. Steve and Nicole (Nicole calls Susan her second Mom) were as pleasant as ever. They are really a beautiful
couple. Deep Creek Lake is a exquisite area where beauty is everywhere you look. Friends of Nicole, Tony and Tiffany, were
visiting Monday through Wednesday. We really enjoyed their company too. We spent time on the lake boating and kayaking.
John, of course managed a day of biking in the
mountains.
Tuesday August 02, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - The last five days have been very mellow. John actually worked both weekend night shifts for Susan at the cafe and drove
the tractor that guests can ride around the park. John helps out when Susan and Cherry Hill Park need it. Next week, Monday
through Thursday, we are going to visit Steve and Nicole (Nicole calls Susan her second Mom) at Deep Creek Lake. They
rented Deep Creek Vacations' Skippin Stones cabin in Oakland but we will be staying at Bumble Bee RV Park and Campground in Accident, MD.
Thursday July 28, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park - Life is back to routine. Susan is working too much but she loves it. Jul 26 - John rode his bike though D.C. to the W&OD bike trial. He rode to Purcellville, VA for lunch. John got
some of the worst leg cramps he had ever had. His entire left leg cramped; calf, hamstring and quad! By the time he got the
cramps to subside, he was very dizzy. After lunch, an hour rest and a lot of fluid, he continued very slowly to Harpers Ferry,
WV where he treated himself to frozen custard. He took the C&O canal another 14 miles south where he set up camp. (95
miles) Jul 27 - John
rode his bike 47 miles to Georgetown, D.C on the C&O which is rough and is no place for a road, or even a touring bike.
The arthritis in his back, his wrist and his butt was jarred to the point of pain beyond fun. This rear rack had lost two
bolts so he could no longer ride. John called Susan about two miles before walking his bike to Georgetown so he could get
a ride back to Cherry Hill Park. In Georgetown, John found the bolts he needed to reattach his rear rack, called Susan to
cancel her help but she was already on her way; probably a good thing. We enjoyed a banana-strawberry smoothie in Georgetown
and headed to Cherry Hill Park.
Jul 19 - Our New Jersey trip was less eventful that we thought it would be. Susan
was tired from her busy work schedule so Susan just relaxed on Tuesday while John went for a bike ride. (About 95 miles) Susan
did not feel like doing much so we just spent a nice quiet evening together. Jul 20 - Susan was not feeling good so we spent so we spent a quiet
day together but managed to go out to dinner and frozen custard. The down time was nice and being together is our favorite
activity, it was very peasant. Jul 21 - Susan had to place a food order for the cafe this afternoon so we moseyed back to Cherry Hill Park.
Tuesday July 19, 2011 - Acorn Campground - Green Creek, NJ - This was a spontaneous decision. We have not been to Cape May or Wildwood, NJ is a few years and decided to get away. Getting a campground reservation at the beach on short notice is not easy and
Acorn Campground, 7 miles from Wildwood and 12 miles from Cape May, was as close as we could get.
People have been asking where are John's pictures from his bike tour
through the southeast United States. Susan insisted that John take some on his last bike trip. If you look at these pictures,
Bike Tour pictures, you will see why John generally does not take pictures but I have put all of them on our SkyDrive.
Last week
John went on a 3 day ride. Day 1 - College Park to York, PA (92 miles). There was a severe thunderstorm so John spent a couple
hours in his tent that evening but at least he was dry. Day 2 - Emmitsburg, MD (45 miles). It was 99 degrees that day so he
decided to spend the night at the Sleep Inn. Day 3 - Lunch at Harper's Ferry, WV. John planned on spending the night at
mile 25 hiker/biker campsite on the C&O canal but it began raining, thunder and lightning, between Whites Ferry and the
campsite. John's headed back to White's Ferry where there was some shelter. By the time the rain stopped, the C&C
canal was a mud pit! John decided to just ride home on MD roadways. (115 miles)
Thursday June 30, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park - Susan and John spent a couple days a Rehoboth Beach. Susan has not been away from her work for a couple months and needed
some down time. Monday we enjoyed drinks at the Rusty Rudder and listened to a Caribbean band. During the day on Tuesday,
Susan relaxed while John went for a 100-mile bike ride. When John got back, we went for a long walk on the beach and ate ice
cream. We returned on Wednesday because Susan had a doctor's appointment.
A number of people have asked John
to recap his recent bike tour. The scenery, landscapes and vistas were exquisite but paled in comparison to the people he
encountered. Returning to rural America reaffirmed his belief that people are genuine, thoughtful and caring; leaving an indelible
impression on John.
John has been thinking about his recent bike tour. He gets excited anticipating his next excursion
but then recalls the void that accompanied him without his love and best friend, Susan. We never appreciated our cell phone
more.
Saturday June 11, 2011 - John here... Culpepper, VA is
85 miles from Cherry Hill Park and I missed Susan so much, the thought of waiting until Saturday to see her just was not an option. I arrived home Friday
about 2:30 pm.
Thursday June 9, 2011 - John is in Culpepper,VA -YAY -
he will be home on Saturday - at the latest. I am VERY EXCITED!!!
Sunday, June 5, 2011 - Well - Yesterday was an exciting day for me. I walked in my first Global Race for the
Cure! It was my 7th breast cancer walk, but my first as a SURVIVOR!! It was a unique experience being one "in
the PINK shirt" I was always the one cheering for the survivors, and now I am one! Thank you God! I
had such and easy time of it - if there is such a thing. Now for some news about John - He is in Radford, VA and
is going to take a, much needed, break. He got sick last week (spent a day walking his bike and throwing up) and it
has taken a toll on him. His legs are burnt and he is plain old tuckered out! I am really glad he has decided
to take two days rest. He has not had a day off of biking for almost 4 weeks. You can't just can't keep
riding and riding without allowing your body to rest and recover, now and then. Plus, I am hoping he will try to put
some weight back on while he is resting. He told me he has lost over 20 pounds. For those of you who know him....
he does NOT have 20 pounds to lose!! Hopefully, he will be back on the road, towards home, on Tuesday! Stay
tuned...
Thursday, June 2, 2011 - John is in VA!!
YEA - he is so close to home - I can't wait. He has had a great ride through the mountains. I hope the weather
stays cooler for him as he has some really big mountains to cross :-)
Monday, May 30, 2011 - John is just south of Louisville, KY and moving right along on his journey HOME!!!
He has had such a wonderful time meeting so many GREAT people along the way. He is still about 2 - 3 weeks away
from home. The kindness of people he has met along the way continues to amaze him! I will try to write more
this afternoon. This is one BUSY weekend here at the park...
Monday, May 23, 2011 - WOW - John is making great time riding up the Natchez Trace Parkway. He is stopping at every
historic sign and also stopping for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He says that this is the most enjoyable part of the
entire ride,... so far! He loves being able to just ride. No stopping at stop lights or having to watch out for
the next turn. The camping facilities have been pretty good. Some are more rustic than others. As
we start the 5th week of him being gone, it is weighing heavy on my heart. I MISS HIM but, I want him to enjoy each
and every mile of this fabulous adventure. He has met so many wonderful people along the trail. Many of
whom are riding across country or just up and down the east coast. Several have been couples on tandem bikes.
I really would love to be able to do that with John, just not sure if the arthritis would handle it. Maybe if I had
a foot rest and a little table for snacks... that might work :~)
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 - John here... Susan always says nice things about me but everyone knows that I am the lucky one to
have her in my life.... The only thing I regret so far is not having my Booboo with me. I am taking a full day of rest today.
My legs are really burnt out from rolling hills and headwinds. My legs are more tired than any time I remember. If I wake
tomorrow with weary muscles, I will take a second day of rest. I am more than half way but the ride starts getting more and
more challenging for the rest of the ride. My pace WILL slow!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 - John is in Natchez, MS!! YAY - this is the "official" place where he turns
NORTH and is heading for HOME! I can not let myself get too excited because he still has a very long ride ahead of him.
It will take him at least another 6 - 8 weeks to complete his journey. The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile
drive through exceptional scenery and 10,000 years of North American history. Used by American Indians, "Kaintucks",
settlers, and future presidents, the Old Trace played an important role in American history. Today, visitors can
enjoy not only a scenic drive but also hiking, biking, horseback riding, and camping. You can learn more about it at:
National Park Service - Natchez Trace Parkway John has had some of the best times during the last few days. One of his stops was at a Nella Ruth Rodger's, a
spry "young" woman of 85 years, house. It is not a campground but she allows people who are biking around
the country to pitch their tents in her yard. He thoroughly enjoyed chatting with her and had to stay for one more cup
of coffee in the morning, just to continue listening to the many stories of people who have camped before him. The next
night he came into a campground that asked if he was current or former military. When he replied Marine Mike, one of
the owners, would not take money for his stay. They did not just give him a place to pitch a tent, they gave him a cabin,
complete with water, electricity, and it even had a bunk! There are so many wonderful folks out there and John is getting
to meet a lot of them. On a personal note - it is very difficult to be away from John today. One year ago I was
at Washington Radiology having a biopsy of me left breast. As I lay on the table, the Dr. told me there was not much
else it could be except cancer. We got the actual diagnosis on May 22. Most of the summer was a blur, but I learned
a lot about myself and my husband. I know that I am stronger than I ever thought I could be. I also learned that I am
the luckiest person in the entire world, because I have John as my husband. He took care of me through all of my ups
and downs and I really wish he was with me now to celebrate one year of being cancer free. I LOVE UBOOBOO! Hurry
home!
Thursday , May 12, 1011 - John is flying across the Gulf coast! He is in Daphne, MS tonight and will most likely stay
put all day tomorrow. The weather forecast is for strong storms so he will take this opportunity to rest his legs for
a full day. He has been having a GREAT time along the coast. He has been averaging between 80 - 100 miles per
day. WOW!! I know he will slow down once he gets to the Natchez Trace Parkway and heads into the mountains so
we are still looking at 8 - 10 weeks before he is back in Maryland. I can't wait! I miss him so much!!
Monday, May 9, 2011 - I MUST find the time to update John's position more than once a week!! But... with the
hours I am working, it is hard. Please bear with me! He made it to St. Augustine on Thursday! That means
it only took him 13 DAYS TO RIDE HIS BIKE TO ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA!! WOW Is he amazing or what? He is having
such a good time. But he misses me a lot and I miss him terribly! After only two days in St. Augustine, John decided
to take off for Defuniak Springs and then on to New Orleans. He said that St. Augustine wasn't much fun without
me. It is really a tourist town! After he visited the fort there really wasn't much else to do. The
weather has gotten very HOT so he is starting his daily rides right after sunrise and looking for a place to camp by about
1:00 or 2:00 PM. He has met so many nice people on the road. Most folks ask him if he is riding for a cause.
Some even try to give him money after they hear about my bout with breast cancer. He is wearing a pink breast cancer
bracelet so I am always there with him. As we move through May, I can't help but to reminisce about last summer.
Our lives changed forever. John spent his summer caring for me and I spent my summer recovering. Many of you know
that he had originally planned on taking a long bike ride last summer but my diagnosis put an end to that. I am so VERY
HAPPY that he is doing it this summer. John is the best husband a woman could ask for. He gave up his dream bike
ride to care for me so I want him to take his time this summer and ride as long and far as he wants. I have to have an MRI
and a Mammogram this month but I am sure everything will be clear. I will TRY to get the site updated more than
once a week... I promise! If any of you use Face Book, you can check in at my page (Susan Hawley) for his
daily check in status. He sends me his current location at least 2 - 3 times a day. It is really fun to use the
satellite function and see exactly where he is! Using a GPS tracker was a deal breaker for this trip. With the GPS unit,
I always know where he is. We even bought the search and rescue function. If he hits the panic button Spot will
automatically send out search and rescue teams to his location. Stay tuned...
Monday , May 2, 2011 - John is in Statesboro, GA tonight. Well... just west of Statesboro. When we talked
today at lunch he told me that he met a couple, Mike and Bernice, who were riding a tandum (built for two) bike from Ocala,
FL to Johnstown, NY. It is nice to know that there are other crazy people out there. It makes me wish I could
do that with him. I am not sure my arthritis would allow me to do it, but I sure would like to try. They are riding for a
cause - ALS - here is a link to their website so you can follow along on their journey, or make a donation to a great
cause; Crazy Guy on bike journal . Best wishes and good luck to Mike and Bernice!!
John also saw a beautiful fox today and another
alligator! Let's just hope the wildlife stays away!
Sunday, May 1, 2011 - Since I have been working 16 hours a day I have not been updating John's journey as much as I
should! But... the week from Hell is over so now I can breath, and get back to keeping you all updated on his
magnificent journey! He wrote about meeting the FEMA folks in the town of Corlerain, NC and how that town suffered such
terrible loss from the massive storms that raced through the south. He did not mention that when he was talking to the
State Police officer, he found out that the town had also lost their Chief of Police, and his son, in a jet ski accident that
same morning. The accident was not related to the storm but how much can one little town take? He has had some
funny times along the trail. He was surprised by the sight of an ALLIGATOR in North Carolina! He stopped and got
off his bike to take a picture and just then, a big 18 wheeler drove by and scared the gator! He did get a picture -
- of a blurry gator running for cover :~) A little further down the road, in Conway, SC, John was camped
beside the observatory pond of the Conway Water Treatment Facility when he met a very nice couple, Tanya and Justin.
He was supposed to be in Myrtle beach, visiting with or friends Blair, Susie, and Tom, but I failed to let him know that they
lived NORTH of Myrtle Beach so when he stopped to look at their address, he realized that he had gone through their town 30
miles back! But... everything happens for a reason - right? Tanya and Justin were great! Justin told him
that if anybody came along and told him he could not camp there that he could call him and he would come get John and let
him camp in their yard! How nice is that? Justin gave John his phone number and told him that if he had any trouble,
down the road, that he had friends up and down the east coast, and would be happy to get help to him. Justin's friends
would be much faster getting help to John than I would be, being so far away now. Last night John stayed at the Monck's
Corner YMCA. He had a great nights sleep and is ready for another beautiful day of biking his way to St. Augustine,
FL. He has 3 campgrounds lined up today at (approximately)50, 60, and 70 miles. Depending on how he feels he will
stop and one of these, maybe for a day or two, since he has been putting on about 100 miles a day. I think he needs
to slow down before he burns his legs out! You all know John - he has two speeds - stopped and FULL SPEED AHEAD!
I am so proud of him and what he is doing. I miss he so much but I know that he is living a dream and I want
him to enjoy every single mile of this GREAT JOURNEY~ Stay tuned... I will try to update more often!
Monday, April 25, 2011 - John here. Tent is repaired. Saturday - I rode about 75 miles to Isle of Wright, VA
and camped behind Isle of Wright Academy. There was a drinking fountain and a picnic table so I was quite comfortable. It
was a beautiful so I left the rain cover off the tent and watched the stars. Sunday, the wind really picked up from the south.
The last five hours of riding was into a stiff head wind but managed 75 mile to Winton, NC. I was exhausted from fighting
the wind and keeping my bike under control. It was the first time the ride lacked enjoyment. I camped behind a field house
that had a outside water spicket but no picnic table. Monday started off with the same stiff head wind so I stopped at 50
miles in Plymouth, NC. My legs were burning. Between the wind and the traffic I decided to give myself a break and stay at
the Holiday Inn. I did laundry, cleaned up and ate about 12,000 calories. It is is harder to keep weight on than I thought.
I did pass through Bertie County where FEMA was there picking up after the tornados. What a mess! I talked with
some state police who said it was an EF-3 tornado and 12 people died. :(
Susan will have to do most of the posting
but stay tuned....
Friday, April 22, 2011 - John has been on the road since Wednesday and so far he is having a good time. He spent the
first night camped out behind a church near Quantico, VA and the second night camped beside a YMCA in Ashland, VA. So
far he has met very nice people along the trail who have been very helpful and are intrigued about his journey. Tonight
he is at a Clarion Hotel in Richmond, VA. Due the heavy rain, cold temperatures, and a hole in his tent, he decided
to stay in a hotel so he could repair his tent and be warm and dry. Stay tuned.....
Monday, April 18, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - Remember when we said, "It will stay slow [cafe business] until the end of May." Well we forgot about
Easter and spring break! The park is very active.
John's GPS tracker is here and working!
John plans to leave on his bicycle for St. Augustine, FL on Wednesday if there are no issues. We do not like letting our motorhome
sit for more than couple of weeks but Susan will not drive it without John so we will take our motorhome for a ride today.
We will just drive to a Walmart in PA and spend the night.
John
just finished our taxes. :( John's GPS tracker stopped working and Susan prefers John postpone his bicycle trip until
it is replaced. It's under warranty and should be here next week. This spring has been less than ideal for training
so John is not as bike fit as he likes which means less miles per day initially. John's still plans to ride to St. Augustine,
FL. John keeps saying how much he is going to miss Susan and is not sure he wants to be away for more than a month. Susan
wants him to explore his dreams anyway he desires. We will see...
Tuesday, April 05, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - Cafe business is picking up. This time of year Susan does a lot of catering for RV groups and she is extremely
busy. John helps when Susan needs it but he is mostly concentrating on his bicycle trip. John's current plan is to ride
to St. Augustine, FL. Depending on how much fun he is having, he will decide if he heads west or returns home. Stay tuned.
Friday, March 18, 2011 - Rehoboth, DE - Susan spent time with Gene working around his yard. John rode his bicycle 85 miles on Thursday and 55 miles on Friday. It's flat at the beach
so the riding was easy. Susan has to work a Cherry Hill Park on Saturday so we are heading back to MD tonight. Okay, we need
not relax too much. :(
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - Rehoboth, DE - We plan on spending a couple days at the beach, visiting out friend Gene and
relaxing.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - John is planning a bicycle trip toward the end of April so he started training. He rode 66 miles today and that 6 week
break from riding was very noticeable. There are more hills here than Texas and Arizona.
Sunday, February 27, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - John's pulled muscle from his ski trip is almost completely healed. Yesterday,
he manage a 2.5 hour aerobic workout on an elliptical machine before we worked the Timonium RV Show show for Cherry Hill Park. Both of us caught a bad cold and John's throat was sore most of the week. We just watched
a lot of TV but at least we were miserable together. :(
Monday, February 21, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - Susan is enjoying getting the cafe ready to open the first week of March. She has already begun making lunch for
the employees. John does not get it but Susan is really looking forward to the upcoming season of work. John is recovering
from his ski trip. Wednesday afternoon, John pulled a small muscle across his right hip. If he did not ski on
Thursday, he would probably be fine today but he skied most of the day until he just could not ski anymore. Consequently,
he exacerbated his muscle and is still in pain today. John managed to run three miles on the thread mill Tuesday night
and his knee held up but it was not painless. John decided he
was going to see a doctor before he decides on the running/racing vacation ( The Coastal Experience ).
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - Susan is still following the Yukon Quest and getting ready for the opening of the cafe where is is the manager. Hugh, our friend who was leading the Quest,
had to pull out of the race. One of his dogs died on the trail. :( - Killington Grand Resort Hotel - John is old; his back hurts; his knee hurt;. it's -2 degrees right now with sustained 25 mph. He does not know how
but he is still having a great time. He must be a masochist that probably developed from 23 years of rugby. If John
was wise, he would skip the running/racing vacation ( The Coastal Experience ) with the "Judge". The question, "What do you think he will do?". Stay tuned...
Friday, February 11, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD -Susan is glued to the computer following our friend, Hugh Neff, as he races in the Yukon Quest . It is a 1,000 mile dog sled race that goes from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory to Fairbanks, AK. It started Feb
6 and should end, hopefully with Hugh in FIRST place, sometime on Monday. Hugh has been running an incredible race.
He has been in first place the entire race. He has been first into every single check point. This has NEVER been done
before. We are praying that this will be the year that he wins his first race!
Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - Susan is already getting back into her work camper mode. She is preparing food for the office today. John decided he should
definitely go skiing. :) John is taking a warm up day of skiing at Seven Springs tomorrow
before, on Sunday, he leaves for Killington, Vermont for five days of skiing. John is staying at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel. There is a nice gym at the resort where John is going to stress his knees after skiing. Why would he do that???!!!??? Well,
Bill Judge is taking a trip to Peru that consists of running trails in the Andes ( The Coastal Experience ) in May of 2012 and John is thinking about joining him. John's knees have given him trouble in the past and he needs
to test them before he commits.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - We are back in the D.C. area. We are going to "set up camp" today. Susan is going to work camp here as a cafe
manager for the 2011 season and probably well into the future. Susan really loves the campground, her employer and her fellow
work campers at Chery Hill Park. The cafe opens March 1.
John is probably going to be the "bum" he planned on being last year before Susan was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The only plan John currently has is to occasionally go skiing until it warms up a little. Susan mentioned that she needs a
cafe worker so John may be a work camper from Memorial Day to Labor Day (and Cherry Blossom time).
Saturday - February 5, 1011 - Change of plans - we were watching the weather front move from south to north and decided
it would be better if we left New Orleans tomorrow instead of today! If the storm stalled or shifted just a little, we could
end up in some nasty weather. So... another Saturday to people watch on Bourbon Street.
Plus, Susan gets to sit
by the computer and watch the beginning of the Yukon Quest. Our friend Hugh Neff is bib number 8 if there any mushing
fans out there. Last year he came in 2nd - hoping for 1st this year!! They also have a Face Book page
if you want to follow along!
It
is 37 degrees this morning. We had a great time but since it is cold everywhere, John wants to head to VT and do some skiing.
We are going to meander back to Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD first. Susan doesn't ski so she will probably stay there while John heads north.
Sunday, January 30, 2011 - French Quarter RV Resort - A fun night in the Quarter. So much good music, it is hard to decide where to stop so we just kept strolling... listening
a little at each bar. It was such a beautiful night. Great husband, great weather, and really good people watching. Even
saw two beautiful brides! We lost count of the "boo**ies" There were lots of men on the balcony's throwing
beads :~) We saw some very good street entertainers, One guy was amazing - wish we had our camera. Will
have to bring it next time. Maybe tonight... Can't beat walking through the Quarter. We will have to see
how tired John is after is 80 mile bike ride today. Susan is spending the day catching up on her reading.
January 27, 2011 - Bentsen Palm RV Park -John rode 100 miles and Susan rode 30 miles yesterday. We are both sore and will be taking it a little easy today. We have
to pack up, do laundry, grocery shop and have dinner at the Riverside Club - tonight's special is pulled pork and sweet potato fries - - our favorites. We are looking forward to our week in New
Orleans at the French Quarter RV Resort and Bourbon Street. While it will be sad to leave the warmth of south Texas we are looking forward to New Orleans.
We always have such a good time when we are there. Lots of walking, listening to good music, and eating at Coop's Place; a local's restaurant, off the beaten path that has amazing jambalaya!
January 26, 2011 - Bentsen Palm RV Park - We have been enjoying each other. We are just happy when we are together! We haven't done anything but bicycle the
last few days. Of course John did a couple workouts. We decided to spend a week in New Orleans at the French Quarter RV Resort. We should get there Saturday morning so it is Saturday night on Bourbon Street!!!
January 23, 2011 - Bentsen Palm RV Park - John had a sore throat the last couple of days so we took it easy. Susan did go for a couple enjoyable walks and John did
take his In-Line skates and went for short skate to keep his muscles loose. Today, John will bicycle most of the day, Susan
will work on Cherry Hill Park surveys, and then off the the Riverside Club for the rest of the day.
January 20, 2011 - Just spent a wonderful day exploring the Mexican town of Nuevo Progresso. Of course John rode his bike the 70 miles to the border parking lot to meet Susan. We roamed up an down the streets
enjoying lots of people watching, some shopping, and a really good lunch at Old Town Cafe & Bar. Their margaritas
are buy 1 get 1 FREE!! and the food was delicious. We had 6 margaritas, Filet Mignon and a huge Mexican
Plate for a grand total of $20.30 plus tip.This town is much bigger than our other Mexican favorite, Los Angledones (south
of Yuma, AZ) and it has so much more to see and do .The street vendors are not as pushy and the stores sell much more than
the usual border town "stuff". Another great day !
January 19, 2011 - Bentsen Palm RV Park - We had another fantastic day! There is this place, Riverside Club, right on the Rio Grande River. Every day, from 2 - 6, they have live music and dancing. A short 8 mile bike trip from where
we are. Lots and lots of FUN!!
January 18, 2011 - Bentsen Palm RV Park - In the 80's - John is riding to South Parde Island (about 90 miles); Susan is going to drive there around 1 p.m. and we are going to spend the day being tourist then having
dinner on the Gulf of Mexico. Yesterday we walked to Bentsen State Park ( World Birding Center) but it was closed for some levee work so we just hung around and did some house work.
January 16, 2011 - Bentsen Palm RV Park - In the 70's - John went for a 100 mile bicycle ride. Susan exploded the area by bicycle a little more and went for
a long walk. We spent the night recovering. :)
January 14, 2011 - Bentsen Palm RV Park - John got a bug on the 11th and spent almost 3 days in bed - -alone :( Susan worked on Cherry Hill Park guest surveys. Today the temperature was in the upper 50s so we decided we needed to get out for a bicycle ride and
explore a little more. This area is very flat so bike riding is an ideal way to get around. Mission is a nice area but not
very picturesque. There is a wide variety of birds and if you are into birding, this place would probably appeal to you. This
is our time to spend with each other and that is what makes our three months of travel a wonderful experience.
January 11, 2011 - Bentsen Palm RV Park - it's 48 degrees today!!!! It was in the low 80s the last 3 days. What a difference! :( We have been riding our
bicycles before today and exploring the area.
| Local wildlife |
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January 07, 2011 - We checked into Bentsen Palm RV Park around 3 p.m. and is was in the mid 70's - - nice.
January 06, 2011 - We could not get into Bentsen Palm RV Park until January 07 so we decided to spend a night a Lone Star Coral in Hondo, TX. It's an Escapees Park so it is only 15
dollars a night. John went for a 70 mile ride and Susan explored the park. It "only" made it to 69 degrees but it
was nice. :)
January 05, 2011 - We made it Del Rio TX today and again, we are staying is a WalMart parking lot. It is starting
to warm up . .. finally.
January 04, 2011 - On the road again... Although it is starting to warm up a little, it will only hit the mid to upper
50s in Quartzite, AZ this week; we may make to the Quartzsite RV Show some other day. We are going to head to a warmer environment in Mission, TX (1335 miles from here) where the weather has
been in the upper 70s. There is a development in Mission, Bentsen Palm Development, that we are curious about. We will be staying at Bentsen Palm RV Park. The made it Las Cruces, NM today and we are staying is a WalMart parking lot tonight.
January 01, 2011 - Cocopah RV and Golf Resort. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! The temperature is 15 degrees colder than average; it is only in the mid 50s. When John starts his bike
rides, he is glad all his cold weather gear is assessable. That is one of the many benefits of full time RVing; everything
you need/own is with you when you travel. Susan has not made it to any of the classes she wanted because she decided to clean
house(our motorhome). So far she has thrown out five bags of thrash and donated 3 bags of "stuff". John was going
to wash and wax the motorhome but when he saw how dirty is was, he decided to pay someone. He did a better job too! We
are going to Algodones, Mexico for lunch today - - shrimp tacos and margaritas!
December 28, 2010 - We decided to stay another week at Cocopah RV and Golf Resort. There are free classes, ceramics and pottery, that Susan wanted to try. Although John doesn't spend much of the day
in the park, he takes a hot tub after every ride and plays pool at night. We decided another week of down time is just
what the doctor ordered. After, dry camping on BLM land and the Quartzsite RV Show.
December 26, 2010 - Cocopah RV and Golf Resort. We have been enjoying some much needed down time. Of course, for John that means riding his bike all over southern
AZ and CA. Susan did go along for a short 15 mile ride and did pretty well considering it was her first ride since surgery.
We had a very quiet Christmas. Just enjoyed each others company. John's birthday (December 22) had a
much bigger meaning this year. Seven months ago, on May 22, Susan was diagnosed with breast cancer. Six
months ago on June 22, she had her surgery and was considered cancer free. A truly blessed day that we shared with lots
of love. We have gone over to Mexico to do some med shopping and to have our fish and shrimp tacos! As
of now, we plan on leaving Yuma on Tuesday and heading to Quartzite, AZ for the big Flea Market in the desert! We will
be dry camping on BLM land for a week or two. That means that we will not have any hook-ups. No water, electric,
or sewer. You really learn how to conserve camping this way. We carry 100 gallons of water in our fresh water
tank and we have a generator so we will not be really roughing it, too much.
December 22, 2010 - Cocopah RV and Golf Resort , Yuma AZ - It's raining but John wanted to bike so he rode twenty-five miles to get the lay of the land. John's
Birthday today. All John wants is to be with Susan and have her continue a cancer-free life! It has been six months cancer-free
today!
December 21, 2010 - Yuma AZ- We drove 194 miles today. We arrived at Cocopah RV and Golf Resort and decided to stay here for a week. We set up then drove to Los Algodones, Mexico for lunch (fish and shrimp tacos)
and shopping.
December 20, 2010 - Eloy AZ (fuel $291.61) - We drove 513 miles today. We had two slow downs while traveling today.
We got behind trucks transporting a dump truck bed that spanned both lanes of the highway. Both times they got off the road
after ten minutes to let the backed up traffic pass. There is a lot of pretty sky. The country is beautiful. We are staying
at a Flying J truck stop tonight.
| Dump Truck Bed going down the road |
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December 19, 2010 - Roswell NM (fuel $306.04) - We drove 669 miles today. Downtown Roswell's street lights are aliens
heads. There are UFO "things"everywhere. WalMart Parking lot again. :)
| Roswell Street Light |
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December 18, 2010 - Checotah OK (fuel $239.26) (Carrie Underwood was raised on her parents' farm in the rural town
of Checotah OK )- We drove 674 miles today. The morning driving was a little slow. There was black ice between Crossville and Nashville,
TN. I think we counted 18 cars that had run off the road; two of them were waaaay down in the woods! The biggest traffic jam
was where a truck and a police cruiser had collided and the tow trucks were clearing the accident. We are staying in a WalMart
parking lot tonight. Most WalMarts allow RV overnight parking and have 24 security and cameras. These are the reasons were
we shop at WalMarts so much.
December 17, 2010 - Crossville, TN (fuel - $225.50) - We drove 573 miles today. We dropped Makau off in Roanoke, VA where
he was going to visit with a couple that arranges tours to Africa. Makau is their contact for tours in Kenya and excursions
to Kilimanjaro. This was Makau's first trip in a motorhome and he really enjoyed it; "This a premium first class
way to travel. This is like being in a helicopter limousine." As we have said, "No plans for vagabonds".
We are driving to Arizona, enjoying each other company and listening to tunes. We are spending the night at a WalMart parking
lot.
December 17, 2010 - We will be heading out.
Last year we made travel plans that fell apart because of weather.
Then we made plans that rushed us. We mostly plan to be vagabonds for 75 days and follow any spontaneous desire. We will head
to Arizona and Mexico. John wants to ski somewhere, probably Utah or Vail but won't commit - "vagabonds".
| Makau & Us |
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A Gathering with Makau
It is Tuesday, December
7th and it looks like we will be leaving tomorrow. Coach Care (Cummins) discovered a lot more problems and this is going to
be a very expensive visit. Some of the unexpected expenses were two new chassis batteries, an alternator, muffler, tail pipe
and .... well, you get the idea.
December 03, 2010 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - Gail, a dear friend, visited us. We haven't seen her for quite some time and it was truly an endearing visit. She always
leaves us feeling warm and full. . . maybe it was the oatmeal raisin cookies she brought us. :(
Thursday November 25, 2010 - Cherry Hill Park, College Park, MD - Susan does Thanksgiving Dinner (link to flyer) in the ballroom. Cherry Hill Park will provide the turkey and ham with all the usual side dishes. Please bring a dessert
to share and canned food items for the local food pantry. Lots of work; A LOT more FUN! We
served about 75 people and we ate too much!!!!
November 12 - 14, 2010 - Milton, DE (near Rehoboth) - We are visiting Gene and Mara. Good food, good company. John
did go for an 80 mile bike ride on Saturday. He wanted to go a little further but the wind picked up and the enjoyment dwindled.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010 - This summer was a blur. We took care of Susan's health; she is cancer free, taking
medication and fighting with Care First to get them to approve for the medication the doctor prescribed. Care First is the
first insurance company we ever had a problems with. With all the doctor's appointments, medical appointments
and Susan's mental weariness we could only manage a trip to Rehoboth Beach every month for 3-4 days. John
supported Susan as much as he could so his activities were day trips on his bicycle when they was time. Most of
the people who read this now communicate Susan is on Facebook so we are not sure we are going to keep this blog. Let us know
what you think.
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